Chapter 15: Accepting the Wager and Its Consequences

Crash! Bai Tianjiao’s pent-up fury finally erupted.

As he turned his anger toward Lin Feng, Su Qingxue instantly grew tense, realizing she had caused trouble. Had she known he would target Lin Feng, she wouldn’t have spoken that way just now.

“All right then. If you can’t beat me, you’re not allowed to harass Qingxue ever again. How about that?” Lin Feng replied with a sneer.

“You’re making terms with me? No matter, I’m not afraid of you. But what if you lose?” Bai Tianjiao gritted his teeth, struggling to contain his rage.

“If I lose, I’ll never see Qingxue again, and I’ll kneel and kowtow ten times for you,” Lin Feng answered calmly.

“Good, it’s settled. Today, I’m going to teach you a lesson you’ll never forget.”

As Bai Tianjiao spoke, he rolled up his sleeves, eager to lay hands on Lin Feng.

“Lin Feng, don’t!” Su Qingxue cried out as she saw Lin Feng get out of the car. She hurried after him, clutching his arm. “You’re no match for him—Bai Tianjiao has won the city boxing championship three years in a row. He can take on ten men at once.”

“Even though you’re pretty good, he’s still hard to beat,” she added anxiously.

“Don’t worry. Someone like him is hardly worth my attention,” Lin Feng replied coolly, casting a scornful glance at Bai Tianjiao. “Show me what you’ve got. But don’t say I didn’t warn you—when I fight, I don’t hold back. If I break you by accident, don’t come crying.”

“You’re asking for it,” Bai Tianjiao spat, and, still seething, swung his fist straight at Lin Feng’s head.

Lin Feng could feel the power in the punch as it sliced through the air. He swiftly retreated several steps.

Yet just as Bai Tianjiao’s fist was about to connect, Lin Feng’s movements became a blur. In an instant, he caught Bai Tianjiao’s wrist, spun his body, and let his opponent’s punch strike nothing but air.

Bang!

Lin Feng released his hold and drove his fist straight into Bai Tianjiao’s ribs. There was a sharp crack—three ribs broke on the spot. Bai Tianjiao let out a blood-curdling scream.

He crashed to the ground, clutching his left side. Waves of pain swept through him, and cold sweat poured down his face.

“So, you’re trained after all,” Bai Tianjiao gasped, glaring at Lin Feng, unwilling to admit defeat. He tried to get up but found his strength had deserted him.

Lin Feng nonchalantly produced a small box of medicine from his palm, smiling as he looked at Bai Tianjiao. “Young Master Bai, I didn’t expect you to take this kind of medicine. This stuff is for treating certain unsavory diseases, you know. Take too much and the side effects can be severe.”

“Do you take it every time before you… do that sort of thing? I bet things down there are already festering, and you can’t even get up anymore, can you?”

“You—give that back!” Bai Tianjiao flushed scarlet, shocked that Lin Feng had swiped his medicine.

In fact, from their very first encounter, Lin Feng had noticed his problem. Bai Tianjiao’s chaotic lifestyle had long since caught up with him, and now his illness was in the late stages. While this medicine could ease the symptoms, it couldn’t cure him. Overuse would leave him permanently infertile and even harm his basic functions.

Hearing Lin Feng’s words, Su Qingxue looked at Bai Tianjiao with sudden revulsion.

“Well, Bai Tianjiao, to think you’re that kind of man! Now I have even more reason to break off the engagement. I’ll be sure to speak with your family about it,” she said with a sly glint in her eye.

“It’s not like that, Qingxue, don’t believe him! I’m in perfect health—I can go eight rounds in one night! There’s no problem at all with our engagement,” Bai Tianjiao stammered, desperate to explain.

But Su Qingxue’s interest had shriveled. Before he could crawl over, she tossed her hair and said, “Just go. You’ve already lost to Lin Feng. As promised, you’re not to bother me again.”

“As for your secret, as long as you behave, I won’t expose you.”

“Qingxue, you—” Bai Tianjiao was left speechless.

Su Qingxue had made herself perfectly clear. If he persisted, he’d only be making a fool of himself. Swallowing his pain, he picked himself up and climbed into his car.

Before driving off, he shot Lin Feng a venomous glare, vowing silently: This is all your fault, you bastard. Just wait.

“Lin Feng, thank you for earlier. I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to beat him, but you turned out to be amazing,” Su Qingxue said shyly, her cheeks flushed as she approached Lin Feng.

“No need to thank me. It was nothing. Let’s go home,” Lin Feng replied softly, stepping forward to open the car door for her.

As Su Qingxue swung her long, fair legs into the car, Lin Feng couldn’t help but feel a rush of heat.

Truth be told, he’d never been close to a girl before. That kiss from Su Qingxue had been his first. He felt as if his heart was about to be stolen away by her.

On the way, Lin Feng stole glances at her from time to time and noticed that whenever they passed a gift shop, her eyes would linger, as if she had something on her mind.

“What’s wrong? Is something bothering you?” Lin Feng asked curiously.

“It’s nothing. I was just thinking about what to get my father for his birthday in a couple of days,” Su Qingxue said with a pout.

“A gift?”

Lin Feng could tell how much she cared about her father—otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so distracted.

After a moment’s thought, he snapped his fingers and smiled. “Why not get him an antique? Let’s go to Antique Street together.”

“Huh? But I don’t know a thing about antiques,” Su Qingxue replied, surprised. She knew her father was passionate about collecting and often went treasure-hunting on Antique Street, but she herself was completely clueless.

“Don’t worry. You’ve got me,” Lin Feng replied cheerfully, patting his chest in assurance.

Now that he had inherited the Lin family’s arts—including the legendary Golden Eye—perhaps he could put them to use in the world of antiques. He had nothing to his name at present; if he could earn some money, it would be a big help.

Su Qingxue’s eyes sparkled as she regarded Lin Feng with newfound admiration. She hadn’t realized he knew about antiques, and her opinion of him rose even higher. What a remarkable man, she thought.

After a brief consideration, she smiled and nodded. “All right, let’s go to Antique Street together.”

Half an hour later, they arrived at Jiangcheng’s largest antique market.

The place was teeming with people. Vendors lined both sides of the street, hawking their wares. The stalls were crowded with dazzling, colorful antiques—a feast for the eyes.

Su Qingxue’s mood lightened as she strolled through the bustling scene. Her work was usually so hectic that she rarely had a chance to enjoy this kind of lively city atmosphere. Today, she felt completely relaxed.

“Lin Feng, what do you think of that jade pendant?” she suddenly asked, spotting a stall not far away.

The pendant was palm-sized, radiating a vivid green glow, striking and beautiful.

Lin Feng’s gaze followed hers, but before he could comment, Su Qingxue had already grabbed his arm and dragged him over.

She picked up the pendant, studying it with delight. Blinking her bright eyes, she asked the vendor, “Excuse me, how much for this jade pendant?”