The Bet

Afternoon, at the gymnasium.

The venue was bustling with noise as students came and went.

The much-anticipated showdown between Master Ye and the Taekwondo Club, which had been brewing all weekend, had indeed drawn hundreds of spectators eager to witness the spectacle.

At the forefront of the crowd stood a boxing ring—spacious and fully equipped, giving off a professional vibe.

This was the Boxing Club’s space, rented out by Huang Haotian for a small fee. The club was more than happy to oblige, since it was an easy way to make some quick cash.

After all, everyone in the club could treat themselves to a bubble tea with the earnings.

……

"Oi, don’t miss out! Odds at 1.3 to 7! Anyone wanna place a bet?"

As soon as An Shiyu arrived, she set up a betting stall. The quirky decorations and the eye-catching headline—"Shocking! You can make so much money!"—instantly grabbed the attention of many students.

"Wait, is this even allowed? Is it legit? Won’t the teachers crack down on it?" one student asked, eyeing the short-haired girl with the bob cut suspiciously.

"Shh, keep it down. That’s An Shiyu—the school board chairman’s granddaughter. Besides, aren’t sports betting apps already a thing?"

"Seriously? The chairman’s granddaughter? Well, that’s a safe bet then. I’m in."

"1.3 odds? So if I bet a thousand, I’d make three hundred?"

Hearing this, some immediately jumped at the opportunity.

Soon, An Shiyu’s stall was swarmed with people. The girl even had a small printer, issuing tickets to every bettor like a pro.

There were even specialized bets, like which opponent would defeat Ye Chuan, with much higher odds.

"Hey, you’re not gonna bail on us, right?" one student asked, eyeing An Shiyu’s lazy demeanor skeptically. Was she really good for the money if things went south?

Almost no one bet on Ye Chuan winning.

There was no way that guy could actually take on ten people, right?

An Shiyu glanced up, her bangs partially hiding her calm expression. "Bail? My grandpa’s the chairman. If I run, just go to his office on the seventh floor."

"Alright then."

Reassured by her mention of her grandfather—and after some confirmed her identity—many students started placing hefty bets.

"I’ll bet three grand on Ye Chuan losing!"

"Five hundred here!"

"A thousand!"

An Shiyu silently collected the cash and handed out tickets.

After a busy round, she checked the QR code payments and saw over seventy thousand had rolled in.

"Not bad," she murmured, satisfied.

Just then, a handsome guy standing nearby smiled at her. "Xiao Yu, if the Taekwondo Club wins, you’re gonna be broke, aren’t you?"

He paused, then asked,

"Or… do you actually think Ye Chuan will win?"

"No way he’s winning," An Shiyu shrugged. "Once the money’s in, I’m outta here."

Too bad Ye Chuan refused to buy insurance—she could’ve made even more.

What a cheapskate. Getting beaten up and not even letting his friends profit from it.

"But you—" The guy blinked. Hadn’t she just used her grandpa as collateral?

An Shiyu gave him a blank look. "Yeah, I told them to go find my grandpa."

"Tch. He cut my allowance this month just because I broke one of his vases~"

The guy: "…"

Wait, so she never planned to pay out in the first place? What a stellar way to screw over her own grandpa.

"What if Ye Chuan wins?"

"Then great, I keep all the money," An Shiyu said innocently, her eyes gleaming with the spirit of a true scammer.

The guy’s lips twitched.

An Shiyu nudged him. "Hey, wanna place a bet? Come on."

"What’s the point? It’s just free money for you."

"It’s different. Aren’t I cute enough for you to spare some cash?" She pointed at her flawless face.

"Fine. I’ll bet on Ye Chuan—a thousand." The guy chuckled. "His barbecue last time was pretty good. Gotta show some support."

"Oho, nice." An Shiyu printed the ticket and handed it over.

The guy stuffed it into his pocket without a second thought.

……

The gymnasium grew even more crowded. Word about An Shiyu’s betting stall spread, and soon, what was originally a few hundred people ballooned to nearly eight hundred.

"Haotian, some girl’s running a betting ring!" The Taekwondo Club members hadn’t expected such a turnout. Huang Haotian was equally surprised when he heard about it. "Oh?"

Learning that the short-haired girl hanging around Ye Chuan was the chairman’s granddaughter only deepened his shock.

"What are the odds?"

"Fixed at 1.3 for our side. Wanna place a bet, Haotian?"

"Not bad." Huang Haotian pulled out his phone. "I’ve got twenty grand here. All on us winning—highest odds for Ye Chuan losing to the first opponent."

He planned to be the one to take Ye Chuan down first. If he waited, someone else might steal the spotlight.

This was perfect.

Not only could he teach Ye Chuan a lesson, but he’d also make bank.

The thought made Huang Haotian grin from ear to ear.

Seeing their leader place a bet, the other club members followed suit—none of them believed Ye Chuan stood a chance against ten people.

"Where’s Ye Chuan?"

"Is he even coming?"

With the crowd mostly settled, some began wondering about Ye Chuan’s whereabouts. A few even suspected he’d chickened out after all his big talk.

"Damn it! We placed bets—he better not bail!"

"No way, right? Can we get refunds if he doesn’t show?"

"Relax, that An Shiyu girl seems legit. Her grandpa’s the chairman, remember?"

Just as the murmurs grew louder, someone suddenly shouted,

"He’s here!"

All eyes turned toward the entrance, where Ye Chuan strolled in casually. Seeing the sea of spectators, he blinked. "Huh? This many people?"

Since when was Huang "the Rat" this popular?

"Xiao Yu set up the betting…" Luo Xi, standing beside him, whispered an explanation.

"Seriously?" Ye Chuan’s eye twitched.

Well, after knowing An Shiyu for so many years, he wasn’t exactly surprised.

"Luo Xi, I’ve got five grand on me. Bet it all for me," he said suddenly, transferring the amount to her with a grin.

Luo Xi froze, as if double-checking she’d heard right. "Chuan, you’re betting on yourself to lose?"

"To win!" He flicked her forehead lightly. "Have some faith in me, would you?"

"You’re not Ip Man. How am I supposed to be confident?" Luo Xi stuck out her tongue.

But seeing Ye Chuan so unfazed, she felt a flicker of reassurance and went to place the bet with An Shiyu.