The proud expression on Chu Junlin's face completely froze.
He stared fixedly at the check on the table, praying that his eyes were deceiving him.
Ten billion.
Not one billion, not ten billion—ten billion!
Chu Junlin's corporation might have a market value of thirty billion, but that was only a valuation, not all belonging to him personally. The liquid cash he could actually mobilize was at most three to four billion.
Yet this woman, Liu Yutong, casually slapped down a check for ten billion, just as a bet.
If she dared to do that, either she had so much cash flow he couldn’t imagine, enough not to care about losing ten billion, or she was bluffing, trying to scare him with this move.
Whether it was real or not, he had to admit he was shaken by it.
The seven reserve members who had just arrayed themselves behind Chu Junlin also wore extremely interesting expressions.
They had chosen to side with Chu Junlin earlier because they thought Chu family’s foundation was deeper, Chu Junlin was stronger, and he was something of a business prodigy. Following him would definitely be better than staying a reserve member in Cloud Mountain Society.
But now, for some reason, they suddenly felt a pang of regret.
They regretted committing so early. They should have waited to see how things played out.
Liu Yutong watched Chu Junlin, who hadn’t yet spoken, and asked again.
“Young Master Chu, cat got your tongue?”
“Or are you afraid to take the bet?”
Chu Junlin’s face flickered with uncertainty; he still couldn’t make up his mind. But one of the men behind him couldn’t help speaking up first.
“Young Master Chu, the stakes are too high. Maybe we should…”
“Shut up!” Chu Junlin abruptly cut the man off.
Then he stared hard at Liu Yutong, trying to read any clue from her expression.
But he stared for a full minute and couldn’t find the slightest crack.
If there was any imperfection on her face, it was that the lipstick on the corner of her mouth was applied just a little unevenly.
No, wait—why was he even paying attention to her lipstick?
Regardless, he had already made his bold claims about setting up his own rival organization to crush Cloud Mountain Society. Now she was putting up ten billion for a duel bet. If he didn’t take it, those earlier boasts would become a complete joke.
From then on, his reputation in the capital’s elite circles would essentially be ruined.
But if he took it…
Ten billion!
If he lost, he’d be bankrupt.
“Miss Liu, are you trying to force me?” Chu Junlin said through gritted teeth.
Liu Yutong sighed lightly.
“Looks like Young Master Chu is going to play the turtledove and hide his head today.”
“Fine, I won’t make things difficult for you.”
“You can choose not to bet, but I have one condition: you kneel down in front of me right now and perform an act of humble worship, and from now on, wherever I, Liu Yutong, appear, you, Chu Junlin, must give way and keep your distance.”
“If you do that, this matter is settled.”
Such a humiliating condition made Chu Junlin fly into a rage. He pointed a finger at her: “Liu Yutong, you’re going too far!”
Liu Yutong spread her hands with an innocent expression: “How am I going too far? I gave you a choice. Or do you think two choices aren’t enough? Fine, I’ll add a third option—just run out of here stark naked, and I’ll pretend I never saw you today, like nothing happened.”
The reserve members standing behind Chu Junlin exchanged glances at Liu Yutong’s words.
This woman was clearly determined to humiliate Chu Junlin today!
They had grown up in the capital and witnessed no small number of power struggles and schemes in these elite circles. But they had never seen anyone dare to humiliate Chu Junlin like this.
This was Chu Junlin!
The business spearhead of the top-tier wealthy Chu family in the capital, the helmsman of three listed companies.
When he usually went out, everyone addressed him respectfully as “Young Master Chu,” wore smiling faces, even some who would be eager to kneel and lick his shoes.
But now Chu Junlin was being publicly humiliated by a girl nearly ten years younger than him.
Someone had already noticed Chu Junlin’s face. The always arrogant young master of the Chu household looked not just grim—it was twisted.
To be honest, some of them already regretted siding with Chu Junlin.
If this guy actually agreed to this century’s biggest bet, they’d definitely get dragged in too.
If Chu Junlin lost, would they also go bankrupt?
If Chu Junlin won…
But judging by this woman’s attitude, could Chu Junlin even win?
They seriously doubted it.
At that moment, one of the four remaining reserve members—a young woman—was staring at Liu Yutong with something close to worship.
Since childhood, she had been taught by her family that girls should be gentle, sensible, not too sharp, and should use subtle, soft tactics.
But she had never liked that philosophy.
Why should girls have to show weakness?
Why should girls rely on soft tactics?
She wanted to be like Liu Yutong—insult people when she felt like it, fight when she wanted, humiliate whoever she pleased, and after humiliating them, the other party wouldn’t even dare to talk back.
So satisfying!
So cool!
That was the kind of woman she wanted to become.
She made up her mind—she was going to follow Liu Yutong from now on!
Even if her family objected, she would!
Liu Yutong glanced at her watch and asked again: “Young Master Chu, have you decided? My patience has its limits.”
Chu Junlin looked left and right, then finally made his decision. With a clenched jaw, he said, “Fine! I’ll take the bet!”
He couldn’t back down, and he couldn’t show a white feather. If he really cowered, she probably would make him crawl on the ground and bark like a dog, or run naked.
That would finish him completely.
Hearing this, Liu Yutong’s face broke into a brilliant smile: “Young Master Chu, you’re truly decisive!”
Then she turned to Zhu Silin and said, “Silin, draft a betting agreement, two copies. Young Master Chu, let’s sign the contract first, so no one reneges later.”
Chu Junlin nodded. Even if his heart was full of reluctance, there was no turning back now.
Soon, Zhu Silin had someone bring out the drafted document and placed it in front of him.
It was a standard betting agreement.
The terms were simple: within one year, both parties would assign ten billion in funds to be managed by their respective teams, and after a year, they would compare the rate of return. The loser would pay the winner ten billion in cash and also kneel publicly in front of the winner in a gesture of homage.
After reading the contract, Chu Junlin’s hands trembled slightly.
Ten billion!
Even though he had rallied seven people, eight counting himself, it still wasn’t easy to scrape together ten billion in cash.
But the words were already spoken. He was caught between a rock and a hard place—no choice but to sign.
Finally, biting the bullet, he picked up the pen and signed his name on the agreement.
Liu Yutong also signed. Then she picked up her copy, blew on the ink to dry it, and nodded with satisfaction.
“Young Master Chu, then we’re settled. We’ll see the outcome when the time comes.”
She paused and offered him a kindly reminder.
“By the way, Young Master Chu, you better manage your trading well. Don’t disappoint me, and don’t lose all that ten billion before the year is even up.”
Chu Junlin’s face turned ashen. With a cold snort, he turned and walked away.
The seven preparatory members who had sided with him could only steel themselves and follow him out.
As for that Zhou Zhao from the Zhou family, he was directly dragged out by two men in black, tossed aside like a piece of trash.
