Lu Chengwen scratched his forehead, unsure how to wrap things up.
Huo Wendong's face had turned green.
Zhao Gang, Chen Moqun, and the others were exhilarated.
Lu Chengwen bit his lip and asked the man, "Brother, what do you do? What's your name?"
"I... my name is Bang Daomang."
Lu Chengwen nodded. "Bang Daomang ('Helping by Making Things Worse'). Nice."
Huo Wendong clenched his fists, his face nearly bursting with suppressed rage.
At that moment, Luo Shiyin slid her chair closer to Lu Chengwen, smiling sweetly.
She naturally draped her arm over his shoulder, her expression soft, beautiful, and filled with admiration, excitement, anticipation, and appreciation...
"Chengwen-ge, you're amazing! You actually drew the highest card. I'm so happy!"
Luo Shiyin activated her charm technique, her eyes shimmering with shifting hues.
She gritted her teeth inwardly: *I refuse to believe I can't handle you!*
Lu Chengwen calmly pushed her arm away, deliberately avoiding her gaze.
*[This isn't working. This damn girl keeps clinging to me—so annoying.]*
*[I need to figure something out, or this creepy witch is going to be the death of me.]*
Luo Shiyin was stunned.
Again!
This guy wasn't speaking, yet she could hear him clearly!
*Damn girl!? Creepy witch!?* Luo Shiyin could barely control her expression.
No one had ever called her such things before!
People had called her "sweetheart," "baby," "goddess," "queen," "beauty," "darling"...
They'd practically used every flattering term in the book on her.
But in this man's mind, she was just a *damn girl* and a *creepy witch*!?
*Are you even a man!?*
Lu Chengwen laughed. "Haha, just kidding. I cheated. This round doesn't count. Uh... surrender and lose only half."
Huo Wendong froze, then immediately agreed. "Right, right! Surrender and lose half! Surrender and lose half!"
Fatty Chen wasn't having it. "Since when was that the rule?"
Huo Wendong insisted, "It's always been like this! Surrender and lose half!"
Lu Chengwen said, "How about this—let's arm wrestle! Wendong, I wonder if you still have that same dominance from back in the day!"
Huo Wendong was now convinced that Lu Chengwen was trying to gracefully back down and save him face. Whether it was drawing cards or arm wrestling, Lu Chengwen would deliberately throw the match. He eagerly agreed.
"Sure! Let's see how well you've kept in shape, Lu Shao! Haha!"
The two of them gripped hands across the table. *One, two, three—* they began pushing.
Lu Chengwen was now the inheritor of the Great Sage Subdues the Tiger Fist—a genuine beginner in ancient martial arts.
Arm wrestling against a spoiled rich kid was laughably easy.
He pretended to exert effort but didn't dare use any real strength.
His plan was to fake a struggle, lose to Huo Wendong, and then leave with his friends.
But Bang Daomang had to go and mess things up again.
Just as Lu Chengwen pretended to weaken, slowly lowering his wrist, Huo Wendong was on the verge of victory.
Then, Bang Daomang shot a hidden weapon under the table. Startled, Lu Chengwen instinctively blocked it—and his right hand reflexively clenched with real force.
The moment he exerted strength, Huo Wendong stood no chance.
In an instant, the tables turned.
Chen Moqun, Zhao Gang, Erlong, and the others erupted in cheers.
When Lu Chengwen had been losing ground, they'd been on edge, practically itching to jump in and help.
But seeing him suddenly overpower Huo Wendong, they leaped from their chairs as if they'd just watched China defeat Brazil in soccer.
Huo Wendong was utterly bewildered.
Lu Chengwen glared at Bang Daomang, so furious he could've slapped him dead.
Luo Shiyin was on the verge of exploding.
She saw everything clearly—Lu Chengwen knew martial arts. Beating Huo Wendong would've been effortless. Yet, he had been trying to lose.
This was outright disdain for her! He clearly wanted her as far away from him as possible!
*This man... is he even human?*
Lu Chengwen sighed. "Wendong, just surrender."
Huo Wendong snapped back to reality. "Right! I surrender! I surrender!"
He frantically signaled to his people. "Surrender and lose half! Surrender and lose half!"
Lu Chengwen said, "Let's make this the final round. Winner takes all, okay?"
"Deal!"
Huo Wendong turned to Bang Daomang. "Lao Bang, you... step out."
"Young Master, I can help you here—"
"No need. I can't keep surrendering and losing half. If you leave, I'll definitely win."
Bang Daomang felt humiliated but had no choice. He turned and walked out.
"Chengwen, what's the challenge this time?"
Lu Chengwen said, "We'll compare *aura*."
"Aura? How do you compare aura?"
Not just Huo Wendong—everyone was baffled. Aura wasn't something you could measure. How could they compete?
Lu Chengwen said to Huo Wendong, "Look at me."
"Okay." Huo Wendong stared at him.
Lu Chengwen nodded. "You win."
"Huh?"
Lu Chengwen stood and patted his shoulder. "You're paying for this table."
Huo Wendong quickly stood and grabbed Lu Chengwen's hand, shaking it excitedly. "Chengwen, no words needed! Another day, my treat—let's all hang out."
Lu Chengwen grinned and patted his shoulder. "We're all classmates. Are we really gonna fight over a girl? How old are we? If you ever need anything in Snow City, just say the word. I've got you."
"You're the real one!"
Chen Moqun wasn't having it. "Chengwen, what the hell are you doing?! How... how did you just lose? You're giving this beauty to him!?"
Lu Chengwen looked at Chen Moqun. "Your girlfriend's here. Mine's here. Do either of us have the right to walk out with another girl?"
Chen Moqun saw the look in Lu Chengwen's eyes and realized something was up.
Though reluctant, this wasn't the time to argue. He'd have to follow Lu Chengwen's lead for now.
But for a man, failing to protect a woman was the ultimate humiliation.
Chen Moqun downed a glass of liquor and left with Erlong and Sanli, visibly displeased.
Luo Shiyin glided over to Lu Chengwen, her smile flawless.
"Chengwen-ge, do you really dislike me that much? I don't want to go with him. I want to stay with you. I don't ask for much—even being your maid would be enough."
When Lu Chengwen met her gaze, he saw the shifting colors deep in her pupils. His head spun, and he felt dizzy—almost intoxicated.
He quickly looked away, grabbed Xu Xuejiao, and kissed her.
Everyone watched in silence.
Lu Chengwen's mind buzzed, flooded with wild, lustful thoughts. His body reacted instantly.
Frowning, his forehead beading with sweat, he tightened his grip around Xu Xuejiao.
Xu Xuejiao had no idea what was happening.
But from Lu Chengwen's earlier mental comments, she was thrilled to know he didn't like Luo Shiyin.
He'd even called her a *damn girl* and a *creepy witch*.
Sure, he'd called her a *damn girl* too—but it was different. It just *felt* different.
Now, caught off guard by his sudden kiss, she was flustered at first—but then she felt how passionately Lu Chengwen was kissing her today.
So passionately that she quickly melted into it.
At first, she half-heartedly pushed him away a couple of times—then completely surrendered.
*Whatever!*
*Let them watch! I like Lu Chengwen!*
*Kiss me to death!*
Luo Shiyin was seething. She had always been invincible—yet today, for the first time, she felt a burning competitive drive.
If she couldn't conquer Lu Chengwen, it would haunt her for life!
After what felt like forever, Lu Chengwen's mind finally cleared a little. He slowly loosened his grip.
Xu Xuejiao was panting, her lips swollen, her legs weak, her heart pounding like a drum.
Lu Chengwen grinned, relieved he'd escaped another close call.
He pinched Xu Xuejiao's cheek. "Did you like it?"
Right now, Xu Xuejiao looked like the one under a charm spell—her mind blank, her gaze fixed on Lu Chengwen as she nodded. "Yes."
"Let's go home."
"Mm."
Luo Shiyin watched Lu Chengwen's retreating figure, her delicate fists clenched.
*Lu! Cheng! Wen!*
Could this man really resist her charm technique?
On the surface, he seemed utterly ordinary—the kind of simpleton she could read at a glance.
Frivolous, arrogant, lustful, greedy, self-absorbed...
He should've been an easy target, effortlessly controlled.
And yet, he seemed to consciously avoid her charm technique—or was he actually immune to it!?
She recalled her master's words:
*"My disciple, your techniques have reached mastery. With your talent, no man in this world can resist your charms. But remember three things."*
*"First, do not overuse your techniques. The more advanced the skill, the more cautious you must be. Overuse will backfire."*
*"Second, most who excel in this art meet tragic ends. Countless predecessors perished due to love's trials. Cultivate your mind, guard your true nature. Do not lightly open your heart—one misstep, and you may be destroyed."*
*"Third, there will always be one person in this world immune to your techniques. When you meet the man you cannot control, he is your destined one. Remember: charms can stir lust, but they cannot earn true love."*
Her master had taught her everything.
From the very first day, she had warned her—charms might seem powerful, but they damaged the soul.
A woman who could have any man she wanted with a snap of her fingers...
She was a temptress, a seductress, a siren—and a monster.
And with such power came unbearable loneliness.
And an instinctive disgust toward men—so intense it bordered on hatred, on revulsion.
To the point where slicing their flesh with a knife brought only pleasure, not a shred of pity.
Luo Shiyin was exactly like that.
To her, all men were playthings—disgusting creatures ruled by lust.
The more they fawned over her, the more she despised them from the bottom of her heart.
When she had pledged herself to the Young Master and failed to charm him, she understood.
The Young Master was her destined one!
In this world, only the Young Master was untainted by desire, unswayed by beauty.
Only the Young Master was a true hero, an iron-willed man. All other men were only fit to be his dogs.
No—being his dogs was their privilege, their ancestors' blessing.
For the Young Master, she *had* to conquer Lu Chengwen.
She *had* to.
But admittedly... this Lu Chengwen was proving to be a bit tricky.
Still... Luo Shiyin's methods weren't limited to just this.
*Lu Chengwen, I will devour you!*