Jiangbei, are you messing with me?

Dracula slumped in resignation, finally understanding. After living so many years, if he still hadn’t grasped at least this much, it would indeed be laughable. Yet understanding was one thing; accepting it was quite another.

He couldn’t accept it at all. It was as if a helpless halo had appeared above his head. “So, what am I supposed to do? I’ve bet everything on Jiangbei, and now this mess happens—what am I supposed to play for now?”

Seeing that Dracula had accepted reality, Wang Fu actually felt a bit relieved. After all, it should be known that in this matter, including Dracula, all these big shots owed Jiangbei and Fang Yuan’s couple a significant sum of money—huge sums, in fact. Of course, their respect for the couple wasn’t just about money; there were all sorts of connections involved. The point was, with such large debts, when it came time for that meeting to choose the second stage of their wagers, the logic of Dracula and his peers was more or less:

“I owe Jiangbei a fortune, so of course I have to bet on him. Otherwise, if he finds out I bet on Fang Yuan, thinks I’ve lost faith in him, and demands repayment—what then?”

This logic worked just as well for those who bet on Fang Yuan.

So, the current situation was this: about half the big shots had wagered on Jiangbei, and the other half on Fang Yuan. If Fang Yuan really did cheat, and those who backed Jiangbei started making a fuss, things would get very complicated.

Wang Fu knew he had to handle this well, to come up with a strong argument. Otherwise, well, the money wasn’t really the issue—so long as these big shots didn’t do anything reckless, they could live for a very long time. If a hundred years wasn’t enough to pay it back, then a thousand years, or even their descendants, would eventually settle the debt.

The real issue was, if these big shots caused a scene and angered Fang Yuan, then as the steward, he’d probably be the first to suffer.

After thinking it over, Wang Fu said, “Dracula, this isn’t as serious as you imagine. You really don’t need to be so aggrieved.”

Dracula’s nose twitched. How could it not be serious? Wang Fu, you scoundrel, you know exactly how much I owe Jiangbei!

If I have to sign off on another few hundred billion this round, when will I ever finish paying it back? I’m aggrieved—so aggrieved I could die.

For a moment, Dracula’s internal turmoil was intense. Still, he was the chairman of the Vampire Consortium, a true big shot. Such embarrassing thoughts could only be kept to himself; he could never voice them aloud. Otherwise, where would his dignity go?

“So, tell me, how is it not serious?” Dracula forced himself to appear calm as he asked.

“Now, this is just between the two of us—you mustn’t tell anyone else. Otherwise, I won’t let you off,” Wang Fu cautioned, just to be safe.

“Alright, I promise not to tell. Go on.”

“Let me analyze the current situation. Fang Yuan cheating and playing dirty—we all know that, so there’s no need to dwell on it. But I ask you: if we all see this clearly, don’t you think Jiangbei does too?”

At this, Dracula perked up. “Go on!”

“Think about it. The stakes in their game as a couple are at least a hundred years together—it goes far beyond money. So why did Jiangbei still agree to play? Isn’t he worried Fang Yuan might cheat? Or is he confident that, even if she does, he’ll definitely win?”

Dracula was stunned—this made perfect sense!

Suddenly excited, Dracula realized Wang Fu hadn’t lied; this man really dared to say anything!

He burst out, “Ah Fu, are you suggesting Jiangbei cheats too?”

Wang Fu was speechless. “Get lost! Dracula, you fool! I didn’t say anything of the sort. If you want to get yourself killed, I won’t stop you, but don’t drag me down with you!”

------

Lijiang.

Jiangbei and Mao Xiaobai had arrived half a day earlier. After wandering around for a while, they went to the airport to wait for Yang Xue and her two friends.

The flight was on time, no delays, though it still took a while for the three women to appear. After about fifteen minutes, Jiangbei, sharp-eyed as ever, immediately spotted the trio, each pulling a large suitcase, looking as though they were fleeing some catastrophe.

He waved, signaling for Yang Xue and the others to come over.

Yang Xue soon spotted them, dragging her suitcase and jogging over. “Sorry, we were held up getting our luggage. Have you been waiting long?”

“Not at all, we just got here,” Jiangbei replied, smiling at Zhao Jia and Yao Jing, who stood beside Yang Xue. They were all classmates and well acquainted. “It’s only been a month, but you all seem much more beautiful than before.”

Yao Jing and Zhao Jia weren’t as close to Jiangbei as Yang Xue was, so when he complimented their looks, they could only blush and smile shyly.

Only Yang Xue arched her brows, speaking boldly, “Hey, what do you mean by that? Are you saying we weren’t pretty before?”

Jiangbei grinned, “Do you really want me to speak the truth?”

Yang Xue, Yao Jing, and Zhao Jia glared at him in playful indignation.

Truly, Jiangbei was famous for his way with words.

A recipe for lifelong singledom!

Yang Xue could only resign herself when it came to Jiangbei. After knowing him for so many years, she understood his nature—he meant no harm and never tried to be so glib on purpose. He was simply an extraordinary creature. There was no point getting angry with someone like that. Besides, even if she did, he would never try to comfort her.

So, why waste the energy?

She rolled her eyes. “Alright, alright, you’re hopeless. Let’s go—why are we still standing here?”

“Sorry, just a moment. I have a friend who went to buy snacks in the airport. She should be out any minute.”

Speak of the devil, and here she came.

Mao Xiaobai, a true foodie, was lucky to be well-off; otherwise, buying such a massive bag of snacks at airport prices would have been quite the loss.

She beamed with delight—good food always made her happy. “Hello, I’m Mao Xiaobai.” She greeted the three bewildered girls warmly. “I was hitchhiking while traveling, and Brother Jiang was kind enough to give me a ride. I’m so glad to meet you all. You’re really as beautiful as Jiang said—though I hardly believed him before.”

Jiangbei: “???????”

When did I ever say that?

Yang Xue: “???????”

What’s going on here? It’s only been a month, and already there’s such a beautiful and adorable girl at Jiangbei’s side?

Jiangbei, you rascal, are you kidding me?