Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
So, the cat was out of the bag: Xiao Luo knew all along that Chu Yue was the one whoâd cooked up this nefarious scheme. Standing face to face with his stormy gaze and dagger eyes, she felt a pang of guilt, as if she had committed a serious crime.
The other guests were also in on the joke. Fu Jiawei, Fang Shulan, and Ye Yingying were targeting a guy from an ordinary family simply because Chu Yue had instructed them to do so.
Those three most certainly wouldnât have dared challenge Chu Yue. After all, her father was Chu Yunxiong, one of Jiangcheng Cityâs most influential figures. Though their families were just as wealthy, they didnât travel in the same circles. The three students were well aware that a loose tongue could cause them a lot of trouble. Chu Yunxiong was not someone to be trifled with or tested.
âXiao Luo, donât be angry, said Bai Ling. Young Mistress Chu isnât a bad person. Sheâs justâ¦â
He interrupted her. âIf this isnât bad, then define bad for me. Murder and arson?â
Xiao Luo waved his hands dismissively before turning to Chu Yue. âLet me think about why youâre doing this to me,â he said. âAh, I get it! First, I took all your glory in the match yesterday, right? Second, I didnât talk to you politely and deferentially as if I were your grandson like everyone else, right?â
âIâ¦â
Chu Yue kept silent because Xiao Luo was dead-on right about everything. That was the reason she wanted to make him look bad.
âMs. Chu, young mistress Chu. Donât you think your behavior is childish? Why do you think everyone has to dote on you, protect you, flatter you, obey you, and put you at the center of their heart? Is it because your family is rich, and you have a pretty face?â
Grinning sarcastically, Xiao Luo continued, âWho do you think you are? Do you think the earth will stop spinning without you? Sorry to break it to you, but you have a grossly exaggerated high opinion of yourself. I, for one, despise you. I will never grovel before you. In my eyes, youâre just like the Stapelia plant: pretty looking, foul-smelling!â
âYouâ¦â
Chu Yue unconsciously shed a few tears. Xiao Luoâs words hurt. He used no expletives, but his sentences were like poison needles jabbing in her flesh. No one had ever spoken to her so disrespectfully before.
The others were startled, too. Xiao Lou described the campus belle of Huaye University as a Stapelia: pretty but foul-smelling. Wow. This guy was running his mouth a little too much. Wasnât he afraid of being struck by lightning?
After thinking for a while, Chu Yue came up with a rebuttal, âDo you still want to join my team?â
To her surprise, Xiao Luo said with a contemptuous smile, âBefore this, yes. Now, no. Although thereâs a chance for me to win a huge sum of money, which I could use, I wonât compromise my morals or integrity. So, thanks, but no thanks! I wonât yield to you over money.â
He exuded an air of indifference.
Then he turned briskly on his heel and walked away.
âXiao Luo, where are you going?â Bai Ling called out.
âBack to school!â
âBut there are no taxis in this area. Leave with us later!â she shouted.
Xiao Luo callously waved his hand without looking back, acting like a total nut job.
Everyone on the dance floor was astounded.
âThat stupid poser. How dare Xiao Luo compare me with the pretty but stinky Stapelia! I⦠Iâ¦â
Chu Yue wiped her tears, feeling misunderstood. The fact that Xiao Luo didnât give a damn about her dealt a heavy blow to her pride.
Bai Ling sighed faintly, unable to console her. She could only repeat what sheâd been saying all along, âXiao Luo is your nemesis. Accept your fate!â
After the commotion died down, Fu Jiawei felt that the time had arrived for him to sell himself. Enduring the slight pain at his chest, he hobbled over to Chu Yue and said, âPrincess Chu Yue, donât argue with him. Rest assured, Iâll get someone to teach him a hard lesson and make him grovel before you to apologize.â
âHe slapped me! Can you believe it?â Iâll never let this pass!â Ye Yingying said furiously.
Equally exasperated, Fang Shulan gritted her teeth, âIâll make sure that basta*rd pays us back in spades!â
âTodayâs incident ends here,â Chue Yu said. âNone of you should bother Xiao Lu, or Iâll tear up our friendship.â
Then she wrinkled her nose and said firmly, âIâll reimburse all of you for the money you lost. After all, it was because of me that you went out of your way to make things difficult for him, only it didnât work. It backfired.â
Her remarks made the three of them squirm. One was a veteran street dancer; the other was a past master in snooker. But Xiao Luo outdid them both, and they were the ones who were disgraced. If word got out, people would laugh their heads off.
âThat bast*rd was very good at pretending to be inexperienced. Otherwise, we wouldnât have lost so badly. He tricked us.â Fang Shulan was simply pissed off at Xiao Luo.
Bai Ling decided to add her two cents, âCome on. Didnât any of you realize that Xiao Luo was more inscrutable than any of us? He plays like a challenger in League. Heâs better than Shulan in street dancing. And he even outperformed Yingying in snooker. Xiao Luo is a genius who excels in everything!â
Psss
When she said that, Chu Yue, Fu Jiawei, Fang Shulan, and Ye Yingying gasped. Bai Lingâs words made them realize that Xiao Luo was a prodigy in gaming, street dancing, snooker, and brawling.
Everyone was constrained by time and energy. Talent varied among individuals. It was already extraordinary for someone to excel in one or two fields. But in Xiao Luoâs case, he was a prodigy in at least four. How was that possible? Of what were his brain and body made?
Could Xiao Luo be that kind of genius who only appeared once in a century, as often seen in movies?
For a moment, the three of them put their anger aside as they contemplated n Xiao Luoâs phenomenal talents.
******
After the disturbance Xiao Luo had created died down, the dance party soon came to an end.
Fang Shulan and Ye Yingying naturally didnât want to miss the opportunity to get it on with Fu Jiawei. Hence, they would be spending the night in the villa.
The other guests dispersed. Chu Yue and Bai Ling were also preparing to return to campus.
It was already eleven oâclock at night. The streetlights couldnât dispel the darkness. The night was as murky as ink, and every streetlamp looked like the eyes of a sleepy person that would close at any time.
On the long empty street, the wind rustled through the fallen leaves with a snapping sound.
âBai Ling, tell me honestly. Am I as horrible as that loser poser said I was?â Chu Yue couldnât help but doubt herself.
Bai Ling said, âYoung mistress Chu. You earn tens of thousands a month just by streaming yourself playing games. Whether on food, clothes, daily necessities, you spend the money you make on yourself. If this is considered lousy, shouldnât I be ashamed of myself?â
âThatâs what I thought. That poser talked about me like Iâm good at nothing. Why didnât I think of using my monthly income to shut Xiao Luoâs big mouth?â Chu Yue said indignantly.
âI told you not to go overboard. Xiao Luoâs different from other guys.â
âWhatâs so different about him? They all have two eyes, two ears, one nose, and one mouth. Or does he have three heads and six arms?â
âSigh, I donât know how to describe it. But regardless, I just have the feeling this guy is very different. Youâd better play on him less in the future,â Bai Ling advised.
âWho wants to play with him at all? Heâs so boring,â she snapped contemptuously. âThe nerve!â
But when she was saying that, what appeared in her mind were the elegant dance moves, the concentrated eyes, and the devilish yet charming smirk that Xiao Luo had when he was robot dancing and playing snooker.