C2 Bet

About ten minutes later, Xia Xingchen and Tantrum arrived at the Jiangbei Antique Market, standing before a quaint, traditional courtyard.

The courtyard had been transformed into a spacious antique shop. Inside, an elderly man and a younger one were seated, enjoying their tea with a relaxed air. A girl with plain features was at the counter, busily working an abacus.

Upon their entrance, the elder rose to his feet, beaming. "Xingchen, is this young man your boyfriend? How rare, our Xingchen finally has a beau!"

Xia Xingchen's face flushed with embarrassment as she hastened to clarify, "Elder Qi, it's not like that. We..."

"There's no need for explanations, my dear. Go on in; the young lady is waiting," Elder Qi interrupted, effectively cutting off Xia Xingchen's attempt to explain. She cast a covert glance at Tantrum, relieved to see he wasn't bothered, and her sweet smile returned.

As they moved deeper into the shop, Xia Xingchen shared with Tantrum, "This courtyard is managed by a senior of mine. Her parents are abroad, so they've entrusted her with both the courtyard and the antique shop. I'm staying here, and there are plenty of vacant rooms. She's agreed to let you stay temporarily as well. Elder Qi is a respected expert brought in to oversee the shop, a renowned appraiser in China. The man beside him is his disciple, Hee Ming."

Tantrum nodded, his eyes sweeping the surroundings with interest. In a bustling metropolis like Jianghai, owning such a grand, three-sectioned courtyard suggested that Xia Xingchen's senior sister was no ordinary person. Elder Qi's respectful address and tone only piqued Tantrum's curiosity further.

They reached the innermost part of the courtyard and saw a girl with a graceful figure seated at a central wooden table, her back to them, absorbed in a book.

At the sound of their approach, she turned her head.

She was an intellectual-looking girl with black-rimmed glasses, her standard oval face small enough to fit in one's palm. Even behind the large frames, her eyes shone with depth and wisdom. Her complexion was fairer than snow, radiating a beauty that was both extraordinary and refined. Her allure was on par with Xia Xingchen's, yet she possessed an elegance and nobility that was uniquely her own, carrying herself with effortless grace.

"I'm back," the girl stated in a detached tone, giving Xia Xingchen a slight nod.

Her serene gaze shifted to Tantrum, appraising him from head to toe as if scrutinizing him. In a soft voice, she instructed Xia Xingchen, "Xingchen, please brew a pot of tea. I'd like to have a word with your friend first."

"Sure thing, Ms. Qianqian," Xia Xingchen replied dutifully and then whispered to Tantrum, "This is Senior Gu Qianqian. She's really nice, though she can come off as a bit aloof and proud, and somewhat... self-absorbed. Tread lightly and don't get on her bad side. Just wait here until I get back." With that, she headed to the living room to prepare the tea.

Once Xia Xingchen was out of sight, Gu Qianqian turned to Tantrum and spoke indifferently, "So you're the Tantrum that Xingchen often talks about? You look decent enough, but there's a cunning look in your eyes, a hint of mischief. I'm not going to interfere with your pursuit of Xingchen, but let's be frank—you're a country boy without a high school diploma, and currently, you're penniless. If you can't establish yourself in Jianghai and carve out a successful path, you're simply not a match for our Xingchen. It's best if you give up now."

"Uh..." Tantrum touched his nose, at a loss for words as he stared at Gu Qianqian.

Was there some kind of misunderstanding? When did I ever express an interest in pursuing Xia Xingchen? And isn't this introduction a bit too blunt and forthright? Are we even that acquainted?

Without regard for Tantrum's bewildered look, Gu Qianqian went on, "The line of suitors for Xingchen could stretch from the gates of Jianghai University to the Antique City. She has her pick of the lot, and yet here you are—the least qualified among them. I care for Xingchen as if she were my own sister, and even if she has feelings for you, I can't let her settle for someone who has nothing to offer."

At this, Tantrum's expression soured. He was baffled and irritated by Gu Qianqian's condescending tone.

"Do all you city folks talk this way? It's quite amusing," he retorted with a cold laugh. "And just for the record, Xingchen isn't your real sister. Even if she were, who she chooses to be with is none of your business. Maybe you should worry less—it'll keep you from aging prematurely."

A flicker of annoyance passed through Gu Qianqian's eyes, yet she maintained her composure and asked, "So this is the real you, the attitude you're taking?"

Tantrum cut her off with a dismissive wave of his hand, sneering, "Why should you care about my attitude? It changes with the company I keep. And I'm curious about your man—what's his story? Is he a trust fund baby, or a government brat? Or are you still on your own? If you haven't sorted out your own life, why are you fretting over Xingchen? Mind your own business!"

"Enough!" Anger simmered behind Gu Qianqian's black-rimmed glasses.

With a scornful laugh, Tantrum pressed on, "You think my gaze isn't innocent, that it carries a hint of malice? Well, I could say your eyes are brimming with seduction, clearly indicating intense desires! What are you, an old soothsayer interpreting people's fortunes? And you accuse me of having nothing? What about you, aside from what your parents left you? This big house? It was here long before you were even born! Isn't it also an inheritance from your parents? What's there to strut about? Didn't your mother teach you to speak kindly? Didn't your father teach you the virtue of humility?"

"You!" Gu Qianqian's facade of serenity finally shattered. She clenched her teeth and fixed Tantrum with a seething glare.

She hadn't anticipated Tantrum's unorthodox tactics or his caustic tongue, unwilling to concede a single point, like a brash butcher's cut, impervious to reason and as stubborn as a pig unbothered by scalding water.

Against such a foe as Tantrum, even ten Gu Qianqians wouldn't stand a chance.

All she could do was glare daggers at him.

Seeing Gu Qianqian's poise and arrogance dissolve, Tantrum simply sneered and held his tongue.

"Your words are spiteful, and you lack any grace. My opinion of you has just plummeted further. Rest assured, I will do everything in my power to keep Xingchen away from you," Gu Qianqian declared coldly, once she regained her composure.

"Are you still not finished?" Tantrum asked with disdain, his voice icy, "It's just a career, right? So tell me, what do I need to achieve for you to vanish completely, to get as far away from me as possible?"

Gu Qianqian fixed her gaze on the raging Tantrum, her teeth clenched as she spoke, "It's quite straightforward. If you establish your own company in the Sea Ridge Region and secure a solid footing, I'll acknowledge that you're good enough for Xingchen and offer you an apology. But if you fail to achieve that, then keep your distance from Xingchen, because you don't deserve her!"