Chapter 31 - The Apartment Bet

Chapter 31: The Apartment Bet

Hu Yifei turned to look at Chen Yuze and the others. “Taking a break, huh? Should we also wait for you to grab a bite, drink some water, and maybe get a shoulder massage while we’re at it?”

“That actually sounds pretty good,” Fatty blurted out, immediately regretting it as Hu Yifei glared at him with murderous intent.

“Oh, really? Should I personally serve you three lords? I promise the massage will be very comfortable.” Hu Yifei cracked her knuckles, smiling sweetly at Fatty. “Would you like to… give it a try?”

“N-no, no! We’re good! Break’s over. Let’s get moving. Just hearing about tomb exploration gets me pumped—I’ve got endless energy! Let’s go, let’s go!” Fatty scrambled to his feet, hoisting his backpack with exaggerated enthusiasm, following Hu Yifei with a bold—though utterly sycophantic—demeanor.

Chen Yuze and Lao Hu exchanged glances, their eyes conveying mutual sympathy. Their expressions seemed to say, What sins did we commit in a past life to end up with teammates like these? This is pure torture.

As they set off, back at Love Apartment, Zhanbo once again tried calling them—but still, no one picked up. However, thanks to the letter, Zhanbo wasn’t too worried. Zeng Xiaoxian, on the other hand, was growing anxious. Earlier that morning, he had secretly tried calling Chen Yuze, but again, no answer.

Zeng Xiaoxian’s mind was in turmoil. It had been two days since he last saw Hu Yifei, and pretending he wasn’t worried was impossible. With no news at all, combined with everyone’s teasing last night, he suddenly felt like something precious was being snatched away from him.

But he couldn’t bring himself to call Hu Yifei. What would he even say? Ask where she was? What if she refused to tell him? Worse—what if Chen Yuze answered? Where had they slept last night? Could they have shared a tent? A man and a woman, alone together—what if something had happened?

And if it had happened, was it mutual? Or… had Hu Yifei forced herself on Chen Yuze? (Wait, no—the other way around?) How would he face them afterward? Would they move in together, enjoying half-price rent and free utilities? Actually, they were already living together!

Had Hu Yifei orchestrated this from the start? Made him move out so Chen Yuze could move in, all just to have their own private love nest? If not, why had she insisted on them switching rooms in the first place?

All this over a single phone call. Zeng Xiaoxian’s thoughts had completely derailed, spiraling far beyond the solar system.

Meanwhile, Chen Meijia, Lü Ziqiao, Wan Yu, and Zhanbo watched as Zeng Xiaoxian paced around, clutching his phone, too paralyzed to dial.

“One hour’s up. Pay up.” Lü Ziqiao checked the time and immediately held out his hand like a debt collector.

“Hold on, it hasn’t been two hours yet! I bet he wouldn’t call within two hours. The bet’s not over,” Meijia snapped, shooting Zeng Xiaoxian a look of utter exasperation.

“Hey, don’t try to weasel out of this. I bet he wouldn’t call within one hour—and now the hour’s up. Hand over the cash,” Ziqiao retorted smugly.

Meijia hurled a cushion at him. “Who’s weaseling? It hasn’t been two hours! If he still hasn’t called by then, then you win, got it?”

“Oh, so that’s your game? Fine. Give me the money now, and if he doesn’t call within two hours, I’ll pay you back.” Ziqiao had recently met a girl and was short on cash, so he’d roped the others into this bet—wagering on when Zeng Xiaoxian would finally call Hu Yifei.

Meijia and Zhanbo, swayed by Ziqiao’s logic, started reaching for their wallets—until Wan Yu cut in.

“Ziqiao, you’re cheating again. You’re taking advantage of Meijia and Zhanbo. Once two hours pass, you’ll vanish, and the ‘money’ you’d pay back would just be our own cash. Right now, we’re each giving you 500, totaling 1,500. But if you lose, you only pay 500 split among the three of us—leaving you with 1,000 of our money.”

“Wan Yu, how could you think that of me?” Ziqiao gasped, feigning heartbreak. “I swear on my honor! You’re really hurting me here!”

“Honor? What honor?” Meijia scoffed, now fully aware of his scheme. She eyed him up and down. “Wow, look at you—all dressed up like a human being. Who knew?”

“Oh, come on! If you can’t handle losing, just admit it!” Ziqiao blustered, though his tone betrayed his guilt.

“We can’t handle losing? I bet you don’t even have 500 on you right now. Prove me wrong!” Meijia, having once fake-dated Ziqiao, knew him all too well.

“Who are you calling broke?” Ziqiao plopped back down and turned to Zhanbo. “Zhanbo, lend me 500.”

“Pfft.” Meijia rolled her eyes and refocused on Zeng Xiaoxian, who was still pacing like a fly. Just make the damn call already! No wonder he and Yifei never got anywhere—this guy’s hopeless.

“Hey, what are you four doing?” Zeng Xiaoxian finally noticed the audience.

“Betting,” Zhanbo answered reflexively.

“Betting? On what?” Zeng Xiaoxian frowned.

“On when you’d finally call my sister,” Zhanbo blurted out, completely bypassing his brain.

“Uh… I’m hungry. I think I’ll go grab a beer. You guys chat,” Wan Yu said, already inching toward the exit.

“SIT DOWN!” Zeng Xiaoxian roared. “You’re betting?! Chen Yuze and Hu Yifei are missing, possibly in danger, and this is how you spend your time? Have you no shame? Don’t you care about your roommates at all?!”