Love Bet - Chapter 1 - The Bet

The evergreen landscapes of the academy, the grand and luxurious buildings, the cool and beautiful fountains and lakes-this was the most opulent aristocratic academy in the city.

Carrying a stack of books she had just borrowed from the library, Qiao Shuqi walked along the wide hallway leading to the dormitory. Here, two types of students coexisted: the children of wealthy families, whose parents were business moguls, and the diligent, high-achieving kids from less privileged backgrounds. Qiao Shuqi belonged to the latter group.

In the distance, a large group of people was approaching from the direction of the dormitory building. Qiao Shuqi instinctively lowered her head and moved to the right side of the path. They were the school’s celebrities, known as young masters and princes, strutting around the academy as if they owned the place. These boys were the idols of every girl in school, each sporting a handsome and charming appearance. Whenever Qiao Shuqi saw them, she would steer clear-far from the world of the wealthy, which she had no intention of mingling with.

“Elegant demeanor, tall figure, soft voice, sensual lips-definitely someone you’d want to conquer!” Bi Ziyao flashed a mischievous grin and showed his phone screen, displaying a stunning woman, to the group of young masters surrounding him. He held it up in front of Mo Tianchen, who was at the center of the group. “What do you think, Mo Tianchen? Wanna give it a shot?”

Glancing briefly at the picture on the screen, Mo Tianchen’s lips curved into a sly smile. Indeed, a beauty.

“So, what’s the verdict? I’ll let you have her, but…” Bi Ziyao’s gaze shifted to a small figure ahead, and a wicked idea suddenly formed in his mind. He spoke again, his tone laced with mischief.

“See that girl up front? The one carrying books with her head down? If you can win her over, this beauty is yours.” Following Bi Ziyao’s gaze, the group lifted their heads to look at the girl in question, and a burst of laughter erupted.

“Ziyao, are you serious? That poor kid? You really think she needs to be ‘won over’? Just wave a few bills at her, and she’d probably do anything for you,” scoffed Jian Xu, patting Bi Ziyao twice on the shoulder.

“Not so fast,” Bi Ziyao replied with a smirk. “Poor kids have strong self-respect, and many of them have a grudge against the rich. It might not be as easy as you think. So? Mo Tianchen, care to take the bet?” He slung his arm around Mo Tianchen’s shoulder, his grin deepening.

Mo Tianchen narrowed his eyes, staring at the figure in the distance-a petite frame, long black hair, dressed in a simple white T-shirt and jeans. Surprisingly, she exuded a unique and refreshing vibe. Pursuing her might be an entertaining way to pass the time.

Watching the luxury cars driving through campus, a wicked thought rose from the depths of his heart, and Bi Ziyao spoke up.

“The bet isn’t big enough. Has that limited-edition sports car you had air-shipped from the US arrived yet? How about using that as the stake?” Seeing the cunning look in Mo Tianchen’s eyes, Bi Ziyao clenched his teeth in frustration. His beloved car was so well-protected that nobody else could touch it, yet this young man had proposed such a high bet. After a pause, Bi Ziyao’s handsome lips curled into a smile.

“No problem!” They were all young masters who loved to gamble; the bigger the bet, the more thrilling the game. Besides, it seemed that the girl wasn’t going to be easy to win over.

As she passed by them, Qiao Shuqi felt many eyes on her. She tightened her grip on the books she was carrying and quickened her pace.

“Hey.” A loud, commanding voice stopped Qiao Shuqi in her tracks. Turning towards the source, she saw a group of people, and the man leading them walked up to her with his hands in his pockets.

“Be my girlfriend.” His tone was straightforward, without any hint of a question. Qiao Shuqi looked up to meet his gaze. With his thick eyebrows, deep eyes, and a ruggedly handsome face, she recognized him – the son of a board member and the prince in the hearts of thousands of girls, Mo Tianchen.

“I’m sorry, I’m not interested,” Qiao Shuqi said, slightly furrowing her brows as she stepped away. Suddenly, her wrist was gripped tightly.

“You disagree?” Mo Tianchen’s dark pupils deepened, and he tightened his grip on her wrist, the soft and delicate touch making him reluctant to let go.

“Young Master Mo, please let go. There are countless others in this school who would want to be your girlfriend, many of whom are far better than me. Please, don’t use me for your amusement,” Qiao Shuqi tried to pull her wrist free, but found his grip even tighter, causing her to frown deeply. She really did not want to provoke such a prominent figure.

Mo Tianchen calmly pulled a golden credit card from his pocket and held it out in front of her.

“An unlimited credit card. Clothes, jewelry, cosmetics, all yours to buy as you please.” Mo Tianchen’s haughty demeanor as a wealthy heir thoroughly infuriated Qiao Shuqi. She lifted her knee and struck hard at Mo Tianchen’s abdomen, quickly pulling her wrist free and putting several steps between them. Mo Tianchen frowned, a faint pain emanating from his abdomen.

“Young Master Mo, please have some dignity. My family may not be rich, but I’m not desperate enough to earn money this way. I don’t need your money, nor will I be your girlfriend. There are plenty of people in this school who like you. Please stop bothering me.” Watching Qiao Shuqi walk away, Mo Tianchen’s lips curled up slightly; it seemed he had found a challenging opponent.

The group of onlookers behind them was utterly dumbfounded. That girl actually dared to kick Mo Tianchen, and Young Master Mo was… laughing? The world had gone mad!

The school was a breeding ground for gossip, where news traveled faster than wildfire. Within a single day, everyone knew that the handsome and charismatic Young Master Mo was pursuing an unassuming girl from a grassroots background-and, shockingly, he had been rejected.

Walking anywhere on campus, Qiao Shuqi felt the weight of countless stares. If looks could kill, she would have long since been annihilated by Mo Tianchen’s legion of devoted fans. Silently, she cursed Mo Tianchen and his ancestors back through eight generations. Not one to stir up trouble, she could only pretend not to hear the whispers and avoid engaging.

For someone like her, the library was the perfect refuge in a place teeming with gossip. No matter the time, the library always felt abandoned, like it was perpetually on holiday, and Qiao Shuqi never tired of spending time there.

As the sky grew dark, she placed the books she’d finished back on the shelves, rubbing her eyes as she made her way to the dormitory. Upon reaching the wide pathway that led to the dormitory, she hesitated. Turning abruptly, she opted for a smaller side path instead. Ever since that previous incident, she had become extra cautious, diligently avoiding any interaction with the young masters. She couldn’t afford to provoke them, nor did she wish to be dragged into their dramas.

Step by step, she made her way back to the dormitory. As she got closer, the sound of commotion from the girls’ dormitory caught her attention. Unsettled, she quickened her pace. But when Qiao Shuqi finally arrived at the dormitory entrance, the scene before her left her utterly shocked.

On the wide ground in front of the building, countless red candles had been meticulously arranged into a massive heart that glowed brightly against the night. Inside the heart, the words “Qiao Shuqi, love you” were spelled out in bold letters. Amid the gasps and squeals of excitement from the onlookers, Mo Tianchen smiled and began walking toward her.

“You… What are you trying to do now?” Qiao Shuqi asked in a low voice, her brow furrowed, cutting him off before he could say a word. The murmurs and buzz of the crowd around her made her feel as though her head might explode.

“Oh, nothing much. I just want you to be my girlfriend,” Mo Tianchen replied nonchalantly, raising his eyebrows in challenge. “If you don’t agree, that’s fine, but you can’t stop me from confessing to you. And let me tell you this-you won’t be able to stop me!”

“And by the way,” he added, smirking playfully, “you can keep trying to avoid me, but you better prepare yourself. Surprises will be waiting for you every single day!”

“No matter what you do or say, I will never date you!” Qiao Shuqi snapped, furious at his smug expression. Without a care for his status or how it might look, she shoved him out of the way and ran straight into the dormitory apartment building.

The crowd erupted in another wave of excitement. Mo Tianchen rubbed his chin thoughtfully, a spark of renewed determination in his eyes. The challenge had only just begun.

It turned out that Mo Tianchen’s words were absolutely credible. By lunchtime, as Qiao Shuqi sat in the academy cafeteria eating her meal, she found herself thoroughly infuriated by his antics. She had bitten into what she thought was an ordinary piece of cake, only to discover a platinum ring hidden inside, gleaming under the sunlight.

Surrounded by envious, jealous, and hateful stares from her peers, Qiao Shuqi’s face darkened. She stood up abruptly, gripping the detestable ring tightly in her palm, and marched toward the table of young masters sitting nearby.

“You’re going too far,” she said through gritted teeth, her voice trembling with suppressed anger.

Upon hearing her words and seeing the fury glinting in her eyes, Mo Tianchen stood up slowly from among the group. Leaning forward, he brought his face centimeters from hers, close enough to whisper softly into her ear:

“Don’t be mad, sweetheart. This was just a little surprise. There’s more fun on the way.”

To everyone watching, the scene was nothing short of ambiguous. The way Mo Tianchen leaned into her personal space, speaking in that low, intimate tone-it was tantalizingly provocative, sending ripples of disbelief through the surrounding crowd.

Qiao Shuqi, however, was no longer able to contain her embarrassment and fury. She shoved him away with all her strength, her cheeks burning red as stifled laughter and gasps echoed around her.

Mo Tianchen raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he lounged back onto the leather sofa. Picking up a glass of red wine, he swirled it lazily in his hand before casting her a well-practiced, irresistible smirk. “Care for a glass?”

“Beast,” she snarled through clenched teeth, spitting out the word as if it tasted foul in her mouth. Without a second look, she stomped off.

Seated next to Mo Tianchen, Bi Ziyao picked up the ring from the table. Its silver-white tone and simple design were understated yet elegant. He raised his eyebrows slightly and asked, “Mo Tianchen, you’re not serious about this, are you?”

Mo Tianchen snatched the ring back with a glance that was neither confirming nor denying anything. As he rubbed the cold metal between his fingers, his lips curled into a faintly amused smile. “I’ve decided-messing with her is way more fun than betting with you.”

Meanwhile, Qiao Shuqi stormed back to the dormitory, her entire face a mask of fury. The image of Mo Tianchen’s infuriating smirk replayed in her mind over and over again, and each time she mentally punched it-hard-and then kicked it a few times for good measure.

With so many adoring girls in the academy, why did he insist on targeting her out of everyone? She couldn’t, for the life of her, understand what kind of grudge she must have had with this devil in a past life to deserve such torment.

Unfortunately, life didn’t settle back into calm after this storm. On the contrary, the following events-one after another-were enough to leave Qiao Shuqi mortified beyond belief, as if the mere act of existing was an invitation for Mo Tianchen to turn her days upside down.