Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Everyone present in the room was blown away by Ling Yun’s words.
The calm facade on Xie Junyan finally changed. It was even more ugly than when Ling Yun had threatened him. He felt as though he had eaten three pounds of hot chili. His organs burnt from inside out, drenching him in sweat!
Gou Junfa turned pale. He couldn’t control his gaping mouth.
Things were even more uncomfortable for Lu Chengtian, Pi Hezhi, Huang Mao and Lu Chengtian. They shuddered, and their faces became sallow instantly. They wanted to escape from this room immediately!
Tang Meng and Tie Xiaohu’s eyes had done a somersault when they heard about the hundred million.
Big stakes? Those stakes were simply too big. It was unimaginable!
What was a hundred million?
Huaxia’s registered population was close to 1.5 billion. According to the latest statistics, there were only seventy thousand people with personal assets of over a hundred million!
After all, other than the middle-aged Song Zhengyang, every one of them were just high school students! Who could afford the astronomical amount of a hundred million that escaped Ling Yun’s lips so casually?
Everyone knew that people in the government had corrupt ways to obtain lots of money. Nonetheless, there was an unofficial red line and a strict hierarchy to adhere to. Anyone who stepped out of line would be the scapegoat when the cleanup occurred.
Was Xie Junyan’s family rich? Definitely. However, his family’s maximum net worth was probably two to three hundred million at most. Any more and they would be over the line and likely face prosecution!
And why would that be so? It was because of jealousy. It was not their position to obtain that much money.
Neither could Tang Meng’s father Tang Tianhao, who was in the police force.
Moreover, Tang Tianhao’s father hadn’t allowed Tang Tianhao to be corrupt. Therefore, Tang Tianhao’s total net worth was only about seventy million. It was all clean money earned from investments in the stock market made by Tang Men’s uncle Tang Tianzhong.
There was no doubt that Gou Junfa’s family was the richest. Gou Liancheng’s net worth was probably in the several hundred millions. However, this included the total market value of his companies, real estate, and hotels. It wasn’t in cash! Moreover, most of these were capital intensive and had been leveraged with huge loans. Gou Liancheng’s streak would soon collapse with the cooling real estate market!
Fifty million was already a stretch. One hundred million was definitely impossible!
Song Zhengyang looked at Ling Yun with his bracelet in his hands. No one knew what was going through his mind.
“What happened? Why are you stunned? Wasn’t this going to be a high stakes gamble? A mere hundred million scared you off? You—” Ling Yun snickered and pointed to Xie Junyan, who was drenched in cold sweat. “Xie Junyan, aren’t you the son of the Deputy Mayor of Qingshui City? You are not worth a fart in my eyes! Remember, don’t say things you can’t deliver next time! Don’t fuck with me!”
Ling Yun pointed at the speechless Gou Junfa and berated, “And you, you terrorize the school just because you have a bit of money at home. Look into the mirror at your own timid rat face. Are you even fit to bet with me?”
Ling Yun’s chiding made him carefree and light. He stood up as he finished and smiled courteously to Song Zhengyang. “Uncle Song, I have to apologize for wasting your time today. Let’s go somewhere else if you want. My treat!”
Ling Yun beckoned Tang Meng and Tie Xiaohu. “Let’s go. Tang Meng, you should have gotten a good idea of the situation before asking me to come down. This was a complete waste of my time!”
Ling Yun headed towards the door but was stopped by Gou Junfa’s hurried question. “Ling Yun, isn’t it just a hundred million? How do you know we can’t afford it? I have to ask you first. Can you come up with a hundred million yourself? If you can’t, aren’t you the one just bull… bull…”
He couldn’t finish his sentence when he saw Ling Yun and Tie Xiaohu staring coldly at him.
Ling Yun had meant to provoke them with his words. He halted his steps when he heard this, turned and gave Gou Junfa a disdainful smile.
“I say, Small pup[1.’Gou’ has the same pronunciation as dog in mandarin.]… I prepared the money for the bet. It’s all up to your decision. If you are in, then let’s do it. If not, admit your faults. I don’t have all day to spend on you!”
In less than ten days of Ling Yun’s rise to power, the two most famous nouveau riche in his school became less than dirt!
Gou Junfa wiped the cold sweat off his forehead, gnawed his teeth and stood up courageously. “Let’s do it!”
Ling Yun applauded with a grin. “Uncle Song, you heard him! He said he wants to bet!” Ling Yun said to Song Zhengyang.
Song Zhengyang remained silent and acknowledged him with a smile. Ling Yun admired his steady demeanor.
Tang Meng, Gou Junfa and Xie Junyan knew that the deal was done with the acknowledgment from Song Zhengyang. If Gou Junfa were to go back on his words now, Song Zhengyang would definitely have a way to obtain the hundred million from his family.
Playing with Song Zhengyang? He wouldn’t even know how he died!
Ling Yun sunk back into the sofa and eased himself onto it. “What are you waiting for? Get the money and write up the terms of the gamble in front of Uncle Song…”
Xie Junyan tilted his head and swallowed with much difficulty. “Ling Yun, how did you get so much money all of a sudden?”
Ling Yun was on a roll. He snorted and retorted, “Xie Junyan, why are you so dumb all of a sudden?”
Xie Junyan couldn’t come up with a rebuttal. His pale face alternated between red and white with shame.
He had been at the brunt of Ling Yun’s taunting ever since Ling Yun had arrived and had no pride left.
Xie Junyan was not afraid of showing his displeasure, but he knew that Li Lei and himself were no match for Tie Xiaohu in a fight, let alone Ling Yun.
Gou Junfa’s brain seemed to be functioning better after he agreed to Ling Yun’s gamble. He stared at the ceiling for quite some time before addressing Song Zhengyang. “Uncle Song, please wait here for a short while. I need to make a call outside…”
Song Zhengyang acknowledged. His stance was apparent. He served only as a witness and was on neither side.
Gou Junfa gave Xie Junyan a look as he stood up and went off.
Xie Junyan followed suit.
They distanced themselves from the room. “What now?” Gou Junfa whispered to Xie Junyan.
“You promised too early. Ling Yun was obviously provoking you just now. We have no choice now. We got Song Zhengyang here as a witness to put Tang Meng at ease. I am sure you know Song Zhengyang’s temper better than me.” Xie Junyan laughed bitterly.
“Big Brother Xie, I can only fork out eighty million at most for the time being. Can you help with the remaining twenty million? Let’s come up with the money first. Ling Yun will surely not survive anyway. Let’s split it equally when we get the one hundred million.”
Gou Junfa had been taking care of Gou Liancheng over the past few days. They had been planning for this revenge as well. He knew they could roughly afford another thirty million.
Xie Junyan’s face darkened as he fell silent. He was doing some simple calculation in his head.
Xie Junyan had different motives. He didn’t have any deep hatred for Ling Yun. In fact, his alliance with Gou Junfa was merely out of convenience for him to obtain Ning Lingyu after they defeated Ling Yun.
“Big Brother Xie, I believe Ling Yun was just bluffing us just now. I am sure he won’t be able to come up with a hundred million yuan!”
Gou Junfa’s strategy was simple. Song Zhengyang would go after Ling Yun if Ling Yun couldn’t match their one hundred million.
Xie Junyan was still hesitating.
“Big Brother Xie, don’t forget that we invited Song Zhengyang and Ling Yun here today. We are already on the same boat. In the event that we don’t go through with this tonight… You saw how Ling Yun treated you just now, didn’t you?” Gou Junfa pressed desperately.
Xie Junyan could only agree helplessly. If they were to fail, not only would they would be a joke in Ling Yun’s eyes, they would also lose Song Zhengyang’s respect. Their plan for revenge would not be able to be carried out.
“I promise you. However, did you even think of the consequences if Ling Yun were to win?” Xie Junyan asked quietly, still unsure.
“How can he win? He’ll be paralyzed after a series of punches, perhaps even dead. He won’t even be able to squat properly in jail. How can he take the college exam? Rest assured! I will cover your losses if he wins!” Gou Junfa replied with a smirk.
“Alright! Give your father a call now then!”
