C10 Make a Bet

Humiliated without cause, the man's face flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment.

He rose to his feet, pointing accusingly at the person before him, but hesitated upon noticing the designer labels adorning his adversary's attire.

"Why are you defending a mere garbage collector?"

The man seemed to have grasped a point of contention and, sitting back down, he leaned back in his chair and loudly challenged,

"How could a ragpicker like him possibly own a Rolex watch?"

"Only the wealthy or noble possess such a watch, with hundreds of servants at their beck and call."

It was inconceivable that someone of that stature would be here, lugging a large sack to collect trash. And Wu Ge, he would take anything that was discarded!

The man's tone softened slightly towards the one who had initially confronted him, but upon laying eyes on Wu Ge, he couldn't suppress a sneer of contempt.

Wu Ge had yet to utter a word when the man who had been standing by his side took a step forward.

He glanced at Wu Ge, handling the watch with utmost care, as if afraid to mar it with a mere touch.

"Sir, may I examine this watch?" he asked.

"I deal in luxury goods. If you doubt me, here's my business card."

His eyes sparkled with excitement as he fixated on the Rolex in Wu Ge's grasp.

Despite his career in the luxury market, Rolexes weren't something he saw every day. This was his first up-close encounter, and he was eager to get a closer look.

After all, this would give him impressive fodder for future conversations.

With this in mind, he looked at Wu Ge expectantly, waiting for a response. Wu Ge, with a generous gesture, said,

"If you want to take a look, go ahead."

Upon hearing Wu Ge's invitation, the luxury merchant eagerly took the watch and scrutinized it meticulously.

A minute passed, and the onlookers held their breath, their voices hushed as they watched his careful examination.

The man, however, swung his legs nonchalantly, scoffing at the tense atmosphere.

"I told you, he's just a trash picker; there's no way his watch is genuine."

"If that watch is authentic, then I'll..."

He was cut off mid-sentence as Wu Ge looked up and fixed his gaze on the man before him.

"What are you up to? Are you trying to make a bet with me? What will you do if my watch turns out to be genuine?"

Wu Ge's eyes gleamed as he eagerly rubbed his hands together.

Based on past experiences, anything rewarded by the system was bound to be of the highest quality.

He thought he could mock me on this front, but he clearly chose the wrong tactic.

If this guy wanted to gamble with me, wouldn't I be guaranteed to win?

"If your watch is real, I'll not only cover your bill at this restaurant today, but I'll also strip down and run three laps outside, proclaiming myself an idiot!"

Wu Ge was taking a big risk, but then again, a Rolex is a hallmark of the successful elite. How could someone like Wu Ge, who scavenges for a living, possibly own one?

If he did have a Rolex, he'd likely be shouting it from the rooftops.

Wu Ge simply raised his hand, choosing not to engage further in conversation. Instead, he gestured toward the nearby luxury goods appraiser, letting the expert do the talking.

It would be best to wait for the professional to finish examining the watch before drawing any conclusions.

The tension in the restaurant mounted as nearly everyone's eyes were fixed on the appraiser.

Before long, the middle-aged man finally looked up, his eyes twinkling with delight as he gingerly cradled the watch and handed it back to Wu Ge.

"This Rolex is not only authentic, but it's the latest model!"

A model so new, money alone couldn't buy it.

It symbolized not just wealth, but also status and prestige.

With this realization, the appraiser regarded Wu Ge with newfound respect. Wu Ge, with a smirk, took back his watch and looked expectantly at the man before him.

"Well? The watch has been appraised. Isn't it time you made good on your promise?"

Wu Ge stood with his arms folded, waiting for the man's reaction. The man, his face flushed with embarrassment, shot a venomous look at the appraiser before grasping at straws.

"Who's to say you two aren't in this together? How do we know if he's telling the truth or not?"

"If what he's saying is true, how could someone like you, who picks through trash, possibly own such an expensive watch? If you had this watch, would you still be out here doing this?"

Wu Ge's face took on a stern look as he nonchalantly placed the watch on the table, showing little regard for its value, as if he were discarding a piece of garbage.

"I've already explained that I'm doing this to protect the environment, not because my family needs the money."

"To me, this Rolex watch, although worth a million, might as well be just another piece of trash."

Indeed, it was almost the same. The sense of surprise he got from the trash could even surpass that of the Rolex watch.

The value of the Rolex was fixed; it held no surprises. After the initial amazement, he probably wouldn't feel much else.

Everyone was taken aback by Wu Ge's bravado, exchanging glances involuntarily.

They started to speculate about Wu Ge's identity, imagining he was someone extraordinary, here with a sack just to experience life. Suddenly, they looked upon Wu Ge with even greater respect.

The luxury goods appraiser, hearing the man's excuses, grew stern.

"Please watch your words, sir. I'm a luxury goods appraiser, and this is common knowledge to many."

"I maintain connections with several prominent families. Shall I have them vouch for me? But be warned, afterwards, you might find yourself facing legal issues."

Seeing the man's look of disbelief, the middle-aged man scoffed and said decisively,

"I had no intention of troubling you, but now you've openly doubted my identity. That's disrespectful!"

The man deflated instantly, recognizing the significance of the middle-aged man's partially exposed business card.

He hadn't anticipated that the middle-aged man would go so far as to help Wu Ge confront him over a watch.

He stood there, at a loss for words, as the atmosphere turned exceedingly awkward.

Wu Ge hadn't forgotten the bet the man had made with him earlier and, with a sly smile, inquired,

"Now that we've established the watch is genuine, you haven't forgotten the wager you made with me, have you? Isn't it time to make good on it?"