Chapter Four Update, please subscribe and vote~~

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Qin Fang didn't deny it this time. He simply acted as if he hadn't heard a thing and continued trotting his horse… He didn't care much about what was happening around him.

It wasn't that he acknowledged his connection to the Qu Family, but rather that he felt there was no need to bother.

The people in front of him had nothing to do with him, not even as friends. Explaining would be utterly meaningless.

As for them figuring out his mother's identity, it wasn't much of a secret anyway. He believed the news would spread very soon.

"Are you really Aunt Qing's son?"

Qin Fang might not care, but some people clearly did. Xiaolajiao, astride her chestnut horse, rode straight up to him, blocking his path. Her eyes shimmered with doubt as she asked, seemingly skeptical.

Qu Qing had mysteriously disappeared for twenty years. Most of the younger generation didn't have much impression of her, especially Xiaolajiao, who had only just been born at the time…

"I have no idea what you're talking about…"

Qin Fang knew who she meant, but he still rolled his eyes, throwing her a slightly disdainful look as he replied.

"Hmph…"

Xiaolajiao, unwilling to show weakness, immediately responded with a contemptuous snort.

"Don't think that just because you're Aunt Qing's son, I'll treat you kindly. Today you must compete with me, or else… or else… or else I won't let you off the hook!"

Of course, she didn't forget the original reason why she came, immediately announcing her challenge arrogantly. Her words began full of bluster, but the tail end of her declaration sounded oddly deflated, as if her confidence was forcefully knocked down a peg.

"What is with your annoying persistence? I've already said I won't compete, so stop wasting your breath…"

Qin Fang was thoroughly irritated by Xiaolajiao's antics. His tone grew harsher, and if it weren't for the fact that she was a woman, Qin Fang might have smacked her away with one hand.

"I don't care what you say. If you don't compete with me today, don't even think about leaving…"

Realizing that acting tough wasn't effective, Xiaolajiao shifted tactics. She placed her little red horse squarely in front of Qin Fang, blatantly starting to act shameless.

Qin Fang turned his horse to move around her, but Xiaolajiao quickly adjusted her reins to reposition her red horse, blocking his path once again. It was obvious she came purely to make trouble.

As Qin Fang moved, Xiaolajiao followed…

And so, the two entangled individuals began a game of horseback maneuvering, except it was evident Xiaolajiao's skills were more refined. She frequented horse tracks regularly, while Qin Fang, though showing some proficiency, still struggled with less common moves, making his actions somewhat clumsy.

"Stop, stop, stop! I say, how can a girl act like this? I've told you I won't compete; why are you still being so persistent?"

After being pestered for a while, Qin Fang had had enough. He could only call for a reluctant pause.

"Besides, what's in it for me? Why should I compete?"

Perhaps carried away by his complaint, Qin Fang casually added another line.

"No benefit? A million isn't enough? Fine, I'll bet you ten million…"

Unexpectedly, upon hearing his words, Xiaolajiao's eyes lit up instantly. She grinned broadly. Her biggest worry was Qin Fang refusing to compete. As long as he was willing to set terms, everything became negotiable.

"Hah, do you think I haven't seen money before?"

Yet Qin Fang showed disinterest. He didn't particularly like Xiaolajiao's overbearing personality. She was not only arrogant but also had a bad temper and liked to throw money around to solve everything—not at all the demeanor of a proper lady.

Ten million might be a lot of money, but Qin Fang wasn't intrigued. Winning against a young girl to swipe her money felt distasteful to him.

"Then what will it take? As long as you make an offer, I dare to accept."

Xiaolajiao frowned, clearly irritated by Qin Fang's obstinance. But she wasn't done yet, quickly following up with a more daring proposition.

"Anything?"

Seeing Xiaolajiao boast with such confidence, Qin Fang was taken aback. Staring at her pretty face, he couldn't imagine where all her audacity stemmed from.

"Anything!"

Xiaolajiao seemed determined to compete with Qin Fang. She was willing to agree to absolutely anything.

"What if I win, and I ask you to sleep with me for one night—would you agree?"

Looking at her confident face that seemed certain of victory, Qin Fang couldn't resist teasing her with a mischievous remark.

"You…"

Hearing Qin Fang's words, Xiaolajiao froze completely. Her eyes widened with shock; she obviously hadn't expected him to say something like that.

Her reaction was almost instinctive. Despite her brash personality, Xiaolajiao was still an unmarried young lady, inexperienced in matters like these. Qin Fang's blunt suggestion naturally made her feel a wave of embarrassment.

But quickly, she caught sight of Qin Fang's odd expression. Her demeanor shifted, and her face subtly changed as realization dawned: Qin Fang had said those words purely to drive her away.

The embarrassment cleared away, replaced by burning rage, her cheeks flushed crimson with a mix of lingering shame and anger.

Her pale face now glowed blood-red, glaring at Qin Fang with gritted teeth, nearly exploding as she spat out her response.

"If you win, I'll do more than stay with you for one night; I'd stay for a whole month if you wanted!"

Xiaolajiao, clearly provoked by Qin Fang's words, had lost all sense of restraint, blurting out even more shocking declarations.

"Er…"

The few men present were all dumbfounded. Even Qin Fang himself was caught off guard.

His comment had been casual, intended as a playful jab to get Xiaolajiao to back off and save him the trouble.

Who could have guessed how fierce Xiaolajiao would be? Not only did she accept his exaggerated demand, she even upped the stakes.

It wasn't clear whether it was her anger clouding her judgment or an unwavering confidence in her skills…

The other men exchanged varied expressions. Having heard the exchange between Qin Fang and Xiaolajiao, while they disapproved of Qin Fang's teasing, they understood there wasn't malicious intent. His tone had been purely for jest…

But none of them had anticipated things to escalate this way. Xiaolajiao seemed hell-bent on having Qin Fang race against her no matter what…

Her unyielding determination was so unusual it left them baffled.

If they didn't know her fierce personality well, they would have stepped in to advise her against it. After all, these men were all suitors of Xiaolajiao themselves. None of them would be happy seeing another man win her over before they even had a chance.

Of course, none of them truly believed Qin Fang would win.

Earlier, they competed against him and lost miserably. But their defeat stemmed from the disparity between horse breeds. Qin Fang's mount, Flying General, was on a different level entirely, making their loss unsurprising. Qu Si Shao Qu Yuanrui had spent lavishly to acquire and maintain this horse.

Their horses didn't stand a chance against Flying General's dominance.

However, Xiaolajiao's prized Blood Linglong, her chestnut horse, was in the same tier as Flying General. This made things considerably different.

Flying General's training regimen wasn't intense; it spent most days in the stables. Blood Linglong, on the other hand, was frequently pushed to peak performance, sprinting vigorously during Xiaolajiao's daily rides. Its condition was arguably superior…

Taking this into account, Xiaolajiao might even have the advantage.

Leaving the horses aside, the skill of the rider also plays a pivotal role in determining outcomes. An exceptional rider enhances the speed and performance of their horse tremendously.

Xiaolajiao wasn't self-taught; she had learned from numerous expert equestrians, earnestly refining her craft.

Her skills were no less impressive than those of professional jockeys. She had even secretly substituted for a professional rider during a Jockey Club event and easily claimed the championship…

In contrast, Qin Fang lacked such experience. An inlander apparent newcomer to horseback riding, his movements earlier were watched closely by the others. Though competent, his lack of polish betrayed his status as a novice…

Against a skilled rider like Xiaolajiao, with similar horse capabilities, her loss seemed nearly impossible… This likely fueled Xiaolajiao's absolute confidence, enabling her to agree to such unbelievable terms.

"Miss Hu, you better think this through—don't start crying later if you lose…"

After the shock wore off, Qin Fang regained composure, looking at the supremely confident Xiaolajiao and teasing her once more.

"Hmph, enough with the nonsense… I've dared to place such a big wager; let's see if you have the guts to raise the stakes further."

Xiaolajiao was unfazed by his taunt, maintaining her unwavering confidence.

"Go on, let's hear it…"

Qin Fang replied indifferently.

"If you manage to beat me, I'll stay with you for a month—you can do whatever you like… But if you lose, you'll serve as my slave for ten days—no, *a whole month*. How about that?"

Indeed, one should never underestimate Xiaolajiao's confidence. She dared to propose such bold terms openly, clearly intending to take her anger out on Qin Fang.

(To be continued. If you enjoy this story, please visit Qidian.com to vote and subscribe. Your support is my greatest motivation!)

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