"Sure," Yue Fanling looked into Mu Hanyan's sparkling eyes and found herself unable to utter a word of refusal. Yet she thought to herself that it didn't matter; if Hanyan lost and wanted Ice Heart Grass or Green Bamboo Vine or something like that, she'd just find it for her again. She certainly didn't believe the guard Hanyan picked could beat Mu Cheng's guard.
"But, Mu Cheng, you're also a bit too hopeful," Mu Hanyan said with a smirk, "Since it's a bet, both sides should obviously put up something flashy, right? What can you put up as the stakes?"
"You also don't have..." Mu Cheng said coldly, a hint of irritation in his voice.
"Stop right there. What's my mother's is mine. What, feeling envious, jealous, and hateful because you don't have the City Lord's wife as a mother? If you don't have anything good, you can always go home and ask your parents for it," Mu Hanyan raised an eyebrow, the very picture of a cocky playboy, looking utterly punchable.
These words nearly gave Mu Cheng an internal injury. Why was Mu Hanyan not playing by the usual rules today? When she used to taunt him for being a waste who relied entirely on his family, he would always retort and try to do something to prove he wasn't. But why was she now flaunting her spoiled arrogance? Envious, jealous, and hateful, he spat! But actually... he was filled with envy, jealousy, and hate. As the City Lord and the City Lord's wife, they naturally had far more resources than their Branch Family. That's exactly why his father was trying everything under the sun to take the City Lord's seat!
"Who says I don't have anything good! This three-hundred-year-old Purple Flower Vine is a rare medicinal herb. If your guard wins, it's yours!" Mu Cheng stiffened his neck and pulled out a light purple vine from his bag. The vine was as long as a finger, exceptionally smooth, and looked just like beautiful jade. It was one of the important ingredients prepared by his family for refining elixirs to enhance his strength. He hadn't expected to bring it out on impulse due to Mu Hanyan's provocation. It was something his family had spent quite a bit of effort and money to acquire.
Mu Hanyan was well aware of the rarity of this item, but Mu Cheng, that little bastard, she couldn't just not take him down a peg, now could she? How could she let down her conscience otherwise?
"My Ice Heart Grass is five hundred years old, and your Purple Flower Vine is only three hundred years old. It seems like I'm at a loss, right? That won't do; we need to be fair and just," Mu Hanyan shook her head and stated.
Mu Cheng sneered in disdain, she truly was an ignorant fool. In terms of value, the Purple Flower Vine was worth much more than the Ice Heart Grass. Even a three-hundred-year-old Purple Flower Vine was far more valuable than a five-hundred-year-old Ice Heart Grass. A fool indeed! But never mind, he couldn't be bothered to argue with such a fool. After all, his guard would soon send Mu Hanyan's weakling guard flying, and whatever he put up as a stake would be returned to him intact, wouldn't it?
Thinking this, Mu Cheng naturally wasn't worried at all as he took out another medicinal herb. This herb, a seven-leaf flower, was only two hundred years old, but its value was no less than that of the Purple Flower Vine.
Mu Hanyan frowned and looked disdainfully at it before finally saying, "Ah, forget it, it'll have to do. I know your family isn't as wealthy as ours, so it's commendable that you could put up these. Let them be the stakes then. Whoever wins, takes them all."
Idiot! Mu Cheng thought scornfully as he saw the look of disdain on Mu Hanyan's face. But hearing her later words made him bristle. What did she mean by his family not having as much money as hers? Bah, this glorified playboy who only knew how to compare family wealth! What was so great about her... oh, it really was somewhat impressive; otherwise, why would his family go through so much trouble to make his father the City Lord?
(New story alert! Your support is indispensable. Please collect, cast your recommendation tickets, and leave a full-star rating. Monthly tickets cannot be cast yet, but I wouldn't mind if you cast them toward my previous works, hehe! With a new beginning, I hope we can continue this journey together. With your company, I can go even further. I believe our bond will grow stronger with the passing of time. Love you all, very much... I will work hard to present an even more spectacular story to everyone.)