Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Betrothal Is Also a Gamble

Lin Feng stood up on his own accord, requesting the invitation. The restaurant fell instantly silent; everyone stared at Lin Feng, their faces twisted in ridicule.

"Lin Feng, you'd better not joke around. If this invitation were really yours, how could it be in Wang Jie’s hand? Besides, this is a high-end auction hosted by the Tang family. Even the people allowed in the outer circle are worth at least a billion. As for the inner circle... Only someone at the level of the Tang family patriarch could qualify."

"Don't blame your father-in-law for looking down on you, but you truly don’t have that kind of status!"

Usually timid and eager to play the nice guy, the father-in-law, when it concerned his own interests, unhesitatingly stood against Lin Feng, his tone calm but his stance clear.

In truth, all these years, the father-in-law had never taken Lin Feng seriously. Everything he did was simply to keep family peace.

“Hmph, Lin Feng, do you really think you’re someone important? Sure, the Tang family owes you a favor, but don’t forget—it’s already been spent. At the old master’s seventieth birthday, you cashed in that favor and slapped him in the face with it. Now you still want to put on airs in front of us?”

"Let me tell you, no way!"

Both mother-in-law and father-in-law voiced their opposition at once, but Wang Jie seemed to be enjoying himself. Glancing at the silent Yao Qianqian, a vicious idea flashed through his mind.

With a snap, Wang Jie slapped his car keys on the table and said with a smirk, "Lin Feng, how about we make a bet? If this invitation is really yours, the Lamborghini downstairs is yours. But if it’s not..."

"What do you want?" Lin Feng replied coolly.

"Simple. You personally ask Old Master Yao for a divorce. You and Qianqian part ways peacefully and set her free!"

Wang Jie finally revealed his intention, his aim squarely at Yao Qianqian.

At these words, the mother-in-law was overjoyed, silently thinking, "Brilliant! If Lin Feng loses the bet, Qianqian will immediately be free. And since it’s Lin Feng who proposes the divorce, he shoulders all the blame for breaking the marriage. This way, the Yao family’s reputation is intact, and Qianqian can shed her awkward status. The old master might even favor her for her sacrifices all these years."

"Besides, Wang Jie clearly has an interest in Qianqian. If she can land him as a son-in-law, I’ll be living in a mansion, enjoying the life of the wealthy! Two birds with one stone!"

The mother-in-law looked at Lin Feng with barely concealed excitement, afraid he might refuse.

Lin Feng let out a cold laugh, then turned to Yao Qianqian and asked evenly, "Qianqian, marriage is a matter for both people. I have no right to decide alone. I’ll leave the choice to you. Whether or not to accept this bet—it’s up to you."

“This...” Yao Qianqian hesitated.

"Good grief, silly girl, what’s there to hesitate about? Tell him to accept! This is your best chance to get rid of this good-for-nothing. What are you waiting for?" The mother-in-law was frantic, like an ant on a hot pan.

"Wait, Qianqian, you must think carefully!" The father-in-law tried to dissuade her.

"You heartless man! Haven’t you seen how much Qianqian has suffered these years? Do you really want her to spend the rest of her life with this loser?" The mother-in-law suddenly snapped, pushing her husband aside, earnestly encouraging Yao Qianqian.

Yao Qianqian looked at Lin Feng apologetically, her mind filled with memories of their marriage. Three years together, they had treated each other with respect; Lin Feng had always been caring and gentle. But that wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted status, wealth, and fame—things Lin Feng could never give her, not in this lifetime.

A wave of grievance and sorrow welled up in her, but at last, she lifted her head, met Lin Feng’s eyes, and answered calmly, "Alright."

“Oh, Qianqian! My silly daughter, you’ve finally come to your senses! Once you’re free, you’ll have no trouble finding a good man. I think Wang Jie is perfect—wealthy, handsome, considerate.” The mother-in-law was ecstatic, putting her arm around Yao Qianqian’s shoulders in a show of comfort, already envisioning her own life as a lady of leisure.

"Lin Feng, you heard her. That’s Qianqian’s decision. Well? Do you dare take the bet?" Wang Jie’s face was alight with confidence, convinced that Lin Feng was courting disaster.

"If she doesn’t mind, why should I force it? I accept the bet."

"Good! That’s what I wanted to hear!" Wang Jie downed his glass of red wine in one gulp, exuding bravado.

"To protect invitees’ privacy, every invitation has a unique code. Only by entering it on the official website can you see the invitee’s information. There’s no way to fake it," Wang Jie explained, opening the invitation and finding the discreetly hidden code.

He quickly typed the code into his phone. As the page loaded, he turned to Lin Feng with a gloating grin. "Lin Feng, you’re truly pathetic. You can’t even keep your own wife. For a man like you, death would be better than this!"

But just as Wang Jie basked in his apparent victory, ready to claim his prize, a startled voice broke the silence: "Lin Feng! This invitation really does belong to Lin Feng!"

"What? Impossible! This is an inner circle invitation. Even Young Master Long didn’t..." Wang Jie’s heart leapt into his throat. He glanced down, eyes widening in disbelief.

Displayed clearly on his phone under "Invitee Information" was Lin Feng’s photograph, and beneath it, the unmistakable name: "Lin Feng."

This was indeed Lin Feng’s invitation!

With a thud, Wang Jie’s phone slipped from his grasp.

In that instant, Wang Jie felt as if he’d been struck by a heavy blow, his mind a blank.

Retrieving the invitation from his father-in-law, Lin Feng smiled calmly. "Sorry, Wang Jie. I’ve won. From now on, that Lamborghini is mine."

He picked up the car keys from the table. "I happen to need a car. A Lamborghini might be a bit ostentatious, but it’s better than nothing."

"You... That’s impossible! You must have cheated! How could someone like you have an inner circle invitation? I don’t believe it!" Wang Jie suddenly lost control, pointing at Lin Feng and shouting furiously.

In his eyes, Lin Feng was nothing but trash—a useless live-in son-in-law. Wang Jie, on the other hand, was the most outstanding young entrepreneur in Binhai City, worth hundreds of millions. How could he lose to Lin Feng? Impossible!

Wang Jie’s expression grew savage, and he swung his fist at Lin Feng’s face, the punch carrying real force, reminiscent of Jeet Kune Do.

"Wang Jie, stop—" Yao Qianqian cried, seeing things get out of hand.

Back in university, Wang Jie had been the president of the boxing club, undefeated for four years. Rumor had it he’d practiced Jeet Kune Do for years and could fight ten strong young men alone. If he went after Lin Feng, especially by surprise, Lin Feng was finished.

But before Yao Qianqian could finish, Wang Jie let out a miserable, anguished scream.

Right before her eyes, like a ragdoll, Wang Jie was sent flying by a single slap from Lin Feng!

His well-built body crashed into the door, a muffled groan escaping his lips as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth—clearly, his internal organs had taken a heavy blow.

Lin Feng, meanwhile, calmly pocketed the car keys and invitation, casting a cool glance at Wang Jie, who lay writhing on the floor, howling in pain.

He snorted, then strode away under the stunned gazes of his in-laws, leaving behind only one sentence:

"Yao Qianqian, remember your choice today. Don’t regret it in the future."

Yao Qianqian stared at Wang Jie, who’d been knocked senseless by Lin Feng’s slap, then turned to watch Lin Feng’s unruffled departure. Her heart was filled with a sense of loss, as if something precious had slipped through her fingers.

She wanted to call out to him, but found she couldn’t utter a single word.

She could only stand there, dazed, watching Lin Feng’s retreating back, her heart skipping a beat.

"Lin Feng, why have you suddenly become so unfathomable? Have I misjudged you all along?"