NCCnovel Chapter 181 Fulfilling the Bet
Chapter 181 Fulfilling the Bet
The next morning, sunlight filtered through the thin clouds, falling softly onto the ground, bringing brightness and warmth to the world. He Yanxi, dressed in a flowing blue robe, smiled as he held the hand of the charming Qin Yaoyao, with the tall and handsome Qin Yunji following closely behind. The three of them walked together toward the renowned Misty Rain Pavilion.
At this moment, the area in front of the Misty Rain Pavilion was bustling with people. However, the appearance of He Yanxi and his entourage still attracted the curious glances of many passersby. They walked calmly and quickly entered the Misty Rain Pavilion.
He Mingfeng had arrived long before them. He was sitting quietly in a corner of the room, looking relaxed and content. When He Yanxi and the others stepped into the room, the first thing they saw was He Mingfeng sitting there.
As soon as Qin Yunji stepped into the room, his eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, and he immediately spotted He Mingfeng sitting calmly among them. A thought struck him, and he immediately feigned surprise, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Oh my gosh, Yao Yao, I just heard some amazing news! Yesterday, A Yu and the eldest princess's wedding date was actually set!"
Upon hearing this, Qin Yaoyao, who was standing to the side, smiled slightly and replied in a soft, melodious voice, "Yes, I've heard about this news as well. It's said that the wedding date is set for early March next year."
Before he could finish speaking, Qin Yunji suddenly turned around, a wicked grin on his face, and pointed directly at He Mingfeng, saying in a provocative tone, "Hehe, how about that! Fifth Brother He, this time you've lost completely and utterly!"
Faced with Qin Yunji's aggressive questioning, He Mingfeng remained remarkably calm. He first calmly raised his head, his deep eyes slowly meeting Qin Yunji's, a hint of helplessness in them. Then, he nodded slightly and said slowly, "Alright, alright, I admit I was outmatched this time. I concede defeat." He finished speaking with a faint smile, as if he didn't care much about the outcome. Qin Yunji was overjoyed; his mouth gaped open, unable to close, his face beaming with uncontrollable laughter, and he even said loudly with a touch of mockery, "Hahaha, how about that? Now you're finally convinced and willingly admit you made a mistake!"
He Mingfeng stared intently at Qin Yunji, who was beaming with pride, and retorted without backing down, "Hmph, what's there to be so smug about? Have you forgotten? You lost the bet too! Don't forget that when we made the bet, you bet that this matter wouldn't have a result so quickly!"
Upon hearing this, Qin Yunji seemed to be suddenly awakened, his body trembling violently. The bright smile on his face froze instantly, as if time itself had stopped. After a long while, he sighed softly and slowly said, "Alas, indeed, I lost this round too." However, as soon as he finished speaking, he seemed to suddenly remember something very important, and his face immediately lit up with excitement and joy again. Then, he said to He Mingfeng with great pride and smugness, "He Laowu, He Laowu, so what if I lost? Don't forget who we bet with! That's my own sister! The money I lost to her is just some pocket money for my dear sister. But you, you lost miserably and were completely powerless to fight back!" After saying this, Qin Yunji burst into laughter again, the laughter echoing throughout the room for a long time.
Just moments ago, He Mingfeng, who had been gloating and looking on with a smug expression, was about to see someone else make a fool of themselves when he suddenly heard those words. It was as if a thunderbolt had struck him; he was instantly stunned, completely dumbfounded. It took him a while to recover, but he still feigned composure and forced himself to say, "Oh ho, you were right after all. But what's a little money to me? I can afford to lose!"
At this moment, He Yanxi, who had been sitting quietly listening to their conversation, suddenly spoke up like a lazy cat that had just woken up: "Since that's the case, then hurry up and pay!" Upon hearing this, He Mingfeng immediately looked reluctant and muttered, "Oh dear, Uncle, why are you in such a hurry? We haven't even started eating yet! Can't we finish eating first?" However, He Yanxi remained unmoved. His handsome face was expressionless, like an iceberg that never melts, and he coldly replied, "No, you can only eat after you pay."
Left with no other choice, He Mingfeng turned to Qin Yunji beside him. After exchanging a glance, the two of them, as if by magic, simultaneously pulled thick wads of silver notes from their robes. Then, with great reluctance, they handed these notes to He Yanxi. He Yanxi accepted them without changing expression, carefully counted the amount, and after confirming it was correct, a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips. He then turned and handed the silver notes to Qin Yaoyao sitting beside him, softly saying with a smile, "Yao'er, take these and keep them safe."
Qin Yaoyao happily accepted the silver notes handed to her by He Yanxi, smiling like a blooming flower, and said sweetly, "Hehe, then Yao'er thanks His Highness the Fifth Prince for his generosity!" In an instant, the whole scene was filled with laughter.
He Mingfeng waved his hand casually and laughed nonchalantly, "Haha, it's nothing! This little bit of money is nothing to me." As soon as he finished speaking, his gaze was involuntarily drawn to the side. He saw He Yanxi carefully helping Qin Yaoyao to her feet, as if she were protecting a priceless treasure, afraid that she might suffer the slightest harm.
Seeing this, He Mingfeng and Qin Yunji exchanged bewildered glances, their faces showing confusion. Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, He Mingfeng asked, "Uncle, what are you two planning to do? Aren't you going to eat this meal?"
At this moment, He Yanxi raised his head, glanced coldly at the two somewhat inconvenient people in front of him, raised his eyebrows slightly, and a faint, mocking smile appeared on his lips. He replied unhurriedly, "Of course we're going to find another place to enjoy our meal! Why should we spoil this precious time alone with you two? Alright, you two enjoy your meal here, but don't waste this delicious food!" With that, he unhesitatingly took Qin Yaoyao's slender hand, turned around, and left without looking back. The two figures gradually disappeared into the distance, like a pair of celestial lovers, holding all the happiness and sweetness in the world tightly in their hands.
At this moment, only He Mingfeng and Qin Yunji remained standing there, like two lifeless pieces of wood, staring at each other but not knowing what to say. However, when they finally came to their senses, they found that He Yanxi and the other two had vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye, leaving not even a trace behind.
Seeing this, He Mingfeng shook his head helplessly, muttering a complaint, "He really values women over friends!" Then, he turned to Qin Yunji, who was also looking confused, and suggested, "In that case, let's finish our lunch first." So, the two who had been left behind had no choice but to finish the food in front of them.
After a simple lunch, He Mingfeng and Qin Yunji, like two solitary geese, silently departed in different directions. He Mingfeng hurried along, his heart filled with longing for someone, rushing towards the General's Mansion with incredible speed. Along the way, he was like a shooting star streaking across the sky, attracting the attention of passersby.
Before long, He Mingfeng arrived at the gate of the General's Mansion. As soon as he stopped, a sharp-eyed servant rushed into the mansion like a whirlwind to announce his arrival. A short while later, Cheng Ying, like a joyful little bird, flew out from the depths of the mansion with a beaming smile. She immediately spotted the handsome young man standing at the gate, and her heart instantly lit up. Her steps were as light as if she were walking on clouds as she quickly arrived before He Mingfeng.
Cheng Ying's pretty face blossomed into a radiant smile, like a blooming sunflower. Her beautiful eyes sparkled with joy as she eagerly asked, "Why did you suddenly come?"
He Mingfeng saw Cheng Ying slowly emerge from the doorway, like a blooming flower exuding a captivating fragrance. A surge of excitement welled up within him, and he dashed towards her like an arrow released from a bow. In the blink of an eye, he was before her, a radiant smile on his face. He said warmly, "After enjoying a sumptuous lunch with A-Ji at the restaurant, I was wondering what to do this afternoon. Since I didn't have anything particularly important to attend to, you were the first person that came to mind! So I rushed over to see if you had any free time. If you did, how about we go for a stroll together and relax?"
Hearing He Mingfeng's sincere words, Cheng Ying smiled sweetly, her beauty as captivating as a spring flower in bloom. She responded softly in her gentle, watery voice, "Okay! I don't have anything urgent to do this afternoon, so how about I go for a walk with you?" He Mingfeng was overjoyed to see Cheng Ying agree so readily and quickly pressed his advantage, asking, "Ah Ying, is there anywhere you particularly want to go? Whatever you suggest, I'll accompany you without hesitation, no matter how far away."
Cheng Ying lowered her head slightly, as if thinking for a moment. After a while, she raised her head, a faint blush rising on her cheeks, and said shyly, "Um... I've always wanted to go horseback riding, I wonder if that's okay?" After speaking, she looked at He Mingfeng with her big, bright eyes full of expectation.
Looking at the shy, lovely, and gentle Cheng Ying before him, He Mingfeng felt as if his heart had been instantly swept away by a warm spring breeze, almost melting completely. He couldn't help but smile indulgently, replying softly, "Of course, no problem! Wherever you want to go, that's where we'll go. You decide the entire itinerary, and I'll obey unconditionally!" Before he finished speaking, he couldn't resist reaching out and gently stroking Cheng Ying's delicate, jade-like nose, a tender and affectionate gesture. Then, he naturally took Cheng Ying's soft, boneless hand, and the two walked side by side slowly into the distance, leaving behind two figures leaning on each other.
With a smile on his face, He Mingfeng gently took Cheng Ying's hand and strolled leisurely towards the horse farm they had visited together last time. This horse farm was He Yanxi's private property.
When the two finally arrived at the horse farm, He Mingfeng, like a seasoned horse connoisseur, scanned the many fine horses with sharp and precise eyes. In no time, he had chosen a fine steed with a bright coat and agile posture.
He Mingfeng deftly led the horse up and slowly walked to Cheng Ying. Sunlight fell on his handsome face, outlining a charming smile. He gazed tenderly at Cheng Ying and said softly, "Come on, try this horse. It'll be a good test of how well you've learned to ride!"
However, Cheng Ying's heart was filled with fear and unease at this moment. She had only received instruction from He Mingfeng once at this horse farm, and since then, she had never tried riding a horse alone. A hint of apprehension involuntarily flickered in her beautiful eyes. Like a frightened fawn, she timidly looked at He Mingfeng and murmured in a voice barely audible, "I...I'm afraid I won't ride well." As soon as she finished speaking, she nervously glanced at He Mingfeng again, seemingly waiting for his response.
Seeing Cheng Ying's terrified and helpless expression, He Mingfeng couldn't help but smile and let out a soft chuckle. He took a small step forward, his movements as gentle as a breeze across a lake, and slowly extended his right hand, gently placing it on Cheng Ying's shoulder.
Then, in a magnetic yet incredibly gentle voice, he said, "Ah Ying, what's wrong? Don't be so nervous, what's there to be afraid of? Look, I'm right here with you! Don't worry, just go ahead and try riding the horse. No matter what happens, I'll always be by your side like a guardian angel, and I'll never let you get hurt in the slightest."
These words, like the warm spring sun, shone directly into Cheng Ying's heart, gradually dispelling her fear and unease. Her heart, which had been hanging high, seemed to have found a safe foothold and slowly settled back into place.
As if swallowing a magical calming pill, Cheng Ying's complexion gradually regained some color, and a faint smile began to appear on her delicate face. She raised her head, her gaze meeting He Mingfeng's, then nodded slightly and softly replied, "Hmm... alright! Since you've said so, I'll try to be brave for once." After saying that, she took a deep breath, as if trying to gather all the courage in her body. Then, she gripped the reins tightly, gritted her teeth, and mustered all her strength to prepare for the challenging cycling journey ahead.