Chapter 37: Chapter 035 The Real Circle
Originally, he had planned to write an article while inspiration struck in the morning to pass the time, but Chu Mo was so disturbed by Shen Yaoyao with her phoenix eyes that he couldn\'t calm his mind. He simply decided to play games on his laptop instead.
It had been a long time since he had seriously played a game. Back in college, he and his close buddy Li Fei, as well as a few roommates, would often play together. Many nights were spent gaming until dawn, and then they\'d spend the next day dozing in the back of the classroom with dark circles under their eyes.
After graduation, old classmates scattered in different directions. Besides Li Fei, who chose to stay and develop a career in the magic city along with Chu Mo, he had gradually lost touch with many others.
Chu Mo was never particularly interested in class reunions, so naturally, he had become a loner.
Connected to the café\'s free Wi-Fi, Chu Mo\'s newly purchased Alienware laptop showed its exceptional performance.
Even large games ran without any lag. Upon logging into his long-unused account, he became engrossed in playing.
After two rounds of games, it was noon, and Chu Mo was too lazy to move, so he simply ordered a clay pot rice and Italian pasta in the café, managing to eat without disrupting his gaming.
However, perhaps it was because he hadn\'t played for so long that his skills had deteriorated, and he lost five games in a row!
Feeling gloomy, Chu Mo turned off the game. It was only then, when he lifted his head, that he noticed four people across from him—three women and a man—were staring straight at him.
Three hours had passed, and they still hadn\'t gathered the thirty million bet.
It seemed that what was laid out in front of him was the limit of Phoenix Eyes\' capabilities.
Looking at his wristwatch, it was 2:35, twenty-five minutes before the meeting with Li Tianming. After stretching, Chu Mo felt it was about time to wrap up the farce and casually said:
"Let\'s stop here for today."
His tone was no longer casual and indifferent as before but instead carried a hint of detachment and scrutiny.
This subtle shift in demeanor had the previously relaxed four people unconsciously sit up straight; the long-haired girl in the short skirt even cast a curious glance at Chu Mo.
"I\'ve just gathered another 1.3 million, just 600,000 short. Give me more time, and I\'ll definitely make it!"
With slender phoenix-like eyes, reminiscent of a white swan, Shen Yaoyao carried the same haughty demeanor as if she overlooked all others.
But Chu Mo, who no longer had the earlier leisure to indulge them, was running out of patience.
Looking directly at the girl opposite him, under his gold-rimmed glasses, Chu Mo\'s earnest eyes became serious for the first time:
"Even if you really manage to gather the funds, do you truly dare to bet on a thirty-million deal?"
Ignoring the girl\'s defiant look, Chu Mo sat up straight and casually glanced at the group, speaking in an unhurried tone:
"I won\'t talk about you all, but even your parents sitting here wouldn\'t dare to casually jump into a game with a combined bet of sixty million. As for you... are you recklessly gambling without considering the consequences? Or do you think others are fools, willing to play a game you\'ve calculated countless times?"
Chu Mo had made his point without wanting to waste more words. However, he clearly underestimated the extent to which these rich kids could pester someone.
Shen Yaoyao was yet to speak when a young man around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old took the initiative:
"Kid, I\'m calling you \'brother\' to give you face. Do you really see yourself as a big shot?
In this circle, we follow the rules of the circle. Yaoyao has borrowed from everyone for this bet, and now the whole circle knows about it. You can\'t just back out now. How are we supposed to mix in this circle afterward?"
"I\'m laying it down here today. You have to play this game whether you want to or not!"
"It\'s just 600,000 short; I, Sun Ping, will cover it. That Mercedes at the door is mine, cost 1.7 million off the floor, barely a year old; using it to cover the 600,000 isn\'t too much!"
With his words falling, he threw his car keys on the table. The handsome young man with an 85-point face slightly leaned forward, carrying a faint sense of oppression.
"Sun Bro, I owe you one for this!"
Shoving the heap of items on the table towards Chu Mo, Shen Yaoyao stood up lightly and bowed slightly, revealing her alluring figure as she said coldly:
"I don\'t care whether the older generation would dare to participate in this game, but today, I, Shen Yaoyao, am definitely playing!
Thirty million, not a penny less!"
Taking off the glasses on the bridge of his nose and rubbing it gently, Chu Mo took a deep breath. When he put his glasses back on, his handsome face was completely expressionless as he said flatly:
"I set the rules!"
As her words ended, the girl across her slightly frowned and spoke:
"There\'s a way to play in our circle. If you\'re a man, follow me, and let\'s abide by the outcome of the bet."
So, the girl named Shen Yaoyao right in front of him, that\'s why she dared to play big, relying on this, right?
Not to mention that Chu Mo had an appointment later and couldn\'t leave, even if he had plenty of free time, it was impossible for him to let her lead him by the nose. Otherwise, Chu Mo was certain that if they played by her rules, he would definitely have no chance of winning.
He shook his head slightly, pulled out a coin from his pocket, and tossed it to the handsome young man opposite him, saying indifferently:
"You flip it, we guess heads or tails, ladies first. I\'ll let you choose who guesses first. One round decides the winner. If there\'s no problem, let\'s start now."
As his voice fell, Chu Mo casually took out a set of keys from his pocket and tossed them onto the dining table.
It was the key to the Aston Martin parked at the door.
Chu Mo said this lightly, but at this moment, not only Shen Yaoyao but also the previously arrogant handsome young man became stiff.
Thirty million each, the dining table before them held a total of sixty million!
The small coin in the young man\'s hand would determine who would walk away with all of it.
Shen Yaoyao, who had been full of arrogance, began to hesitate as the reality set in.
Sixty million was at stake. Winning would be great, but losing would be a devastating blow to the financially strained Shen family.
The reason Shen Yaoyao had dared to play such a high-stakes game was partially out of defiance, but the main reason was her confidence in winning following her own rules, a seventy percent certainty.
But now, Chu Mo had suddenly changed the game, making the chances of winning fifty-fifty, which turned Shen Yaoyao\'s confidence into anxiety and hesitation.
When Shen Yaoyao looked to her two girlfriends for support, the girls who had been close just moments ago, immediately recoiled.
A sixty-million round was almost a tenth of their entire family\'s holdings. Such a stake was not something they dared to give advice on lightly!
Winning would solve everything, but should they actually lose, they could not shoulder that responsibility.
And at that moment, even the previously haughty handsome young man looked restless.
...
"Welcome!"
Just then, the sweet voice of a waitress rang out from the entrance of the café, Chu Mo looked up to see a familiar figure, it was Zhan Bingxue with a serene smile on her face.
Beside Zhan Bingxue were four dignified middle-aged men.
Chu Mo recognized one of them at a glance, it was Li Tianming who he was scheduled to meet today. However, somewhat unexpectedly, even the centibillionaire Li Tianming seemed casual and unassuming in the presence of the other three men.
Glancing at Zhan Bingxue, who gave him a nod with a smile, Chu Mo knew that the other three men must have statuses no less formidable than Li Tianming\'s.
Four centibillionaires, now that\'s an interesting lineup!
Slowly rising from his seat, Chu Mo hadn\'t yet spoken when a hearty laugh from the other side reached him first:
"I\'ve long heard of young Mr. Chu\'s accomplishments; truly, meeting you is even more impressive than the rumors!"
Li Tianming, in his light blue casual attire with sharp brows and starry eyes, exuded a strong masculine aura along with gentlemanly charm. He approached Chu Mo, extended his hands for a handshake, and with warm enthusiasm said:
"Let me introduce to you, this is Mr. Qiu from Kangmei Holdings, Mr. Lin from Meibao Group, and Mr. Sun from Fuli Industry. Gentlemen, this is Mr. Chu who has just acquired my Emperor\'s Mansion Villa Number One!"
After some brief exchange of pleasantries, Li Tianming, with a hint of curiosity in his demeanor, glanced at the three nervous women and the man sitting across them, and asked Chu Mo:
"Mr. Chu, are these your friends?"
Just at that moment, Sun Ping, who was still holding the coin, suddenly stood up. Then, the handsome young man\'s face turned the color of liver as he spoke to Mr. Sun from the industry group beside Li Tianming:
"Uncle...!"