{Chapter: 106 Feminine woman!}
"You can rest here for a while," Lin Yuan said in a calm voice.
"Hmm…" Yan Ruyue responded instinctively, but the moment the sound left her lips, her eyes widened in shock.
She quickly covered her mouth.
What was that?
That soft, gentle tone—was that really her voice?
It was so delicate, so feminine. It carried a subtle charm that made her feel completely unlike herself.
Disgusting!
A strong wave of rejection surged through her heart. She had always despised anything remotely feminine about herself, yet that response just now—it sounded like something a coy and demure woman would say.
It's almost like a response from a very subtle woman. It is too feminine.
Lin Yuan was briefly stunned when he heard her reply, but then a small, amused smile formed on his lips.
It seemed today's horse race had shaken Yan Ruyue far more than he had expected.
Even beyond the numerical increase in her favorability panel, the real impact of this event ran deeper than what could be measured by mere numbers.
As Lin Yuan turned and walked away toward the rest area, Yan Ruyue stood frozen, momentarily lost in thought.
She replayed the events that had just transpired, her mind swirling with unfamiliar emotions.
She had always been indifferent to men, even disgusted by them at times. So why did her heart waver for even a second?
Suddenly, memories of the novels and comics she read in her younger years surfaced in her mind—stories filled with elegant, domineering male leads who effortlessly commanded attention.
Her face turned slightly red.
What was she thinking?!
Shaking her head vigorously, she forced all those thoughts to the back of her mind.
Nonsense!
She despised men! There was no way she would ever long for one!
This was humiliating!
She is obviously disgusted with men. How could she be longing for a man?
What a shame!
---
Meanwhile, back on the racing field, Lin Yuan noticed Qiao Siying staring at him intensely.
Her golden hair swayed slightly in the breeze, but her arms were crossed, and her brows were furrowed in an obvious display of annoyance.
Qiao Siying was surprised.
She hadn't expected Lin Yuan, who was always so sharp-tongued and indifferent, to be capable of treating someone with such gentle care.
It was unsettling.
'Why is he so heartless to me, yet so kind to that woman?'
Why is he so cruel to me and to that woman he is so caring and gentle?'
Qiao Siying clenched her fists.
She had never seen Lin Yuan act rudely toward Yan Ruyue. Instead, he was patient, even considerate.
Compared to the way he treated her, the contrast was infuriating!
And on top of that, she had already lost twice in a row!
Losing once was one thing, but losing twice—both in skill and in dignity—was unacceptable!
Her frustration bubbled over as Lin Yuan approached.
"I want to raise the bet for the third race!" she suddenly declared.
Lin Yuan arched an eyebrow slightly. "Oh? How much do you want to add?" he asked nonchalantly.
"Five million!" Qiao Siying announced boldly.
She had already lost a million in the first two races. Even if she won the final round, she would only recover a fraction of her losses.
She couldn't accept that! She needed to turn things around.
Or perhaps… deep down, she was just afraid of losing again?
Lin Yuan chuckled lightly. "Five million is too simple. Let's make it more interesting. The loser has to agree to one request from the winner with five million as reward."
Qiao Siying's eyes narrowed slightly.
She hesitated for only a moment before nodding. "Fine. But on one condition—the third race won't be held on this standard track. We'll do a cross-country race instead!"
Cross-country horse racing was far more challenging than ordinary races. The course would take them through forests, uneven hills, and natural obstacles, making it at least ten times more difficult.
Unlike traditional horse racing, which was all about speed and technique, cross-country racing required endurance, adaptability, and quick decision-making.
While cross-country races were rare in China, Qiao Siying had participated in them multiple times while abroad.
She wasn't going to gamble blindly—this was her best shot at defeating Lin Yuan.
This is why she decided to battle against Lin Yuan with this idea.
Otherwise, she would be stupid to give all the money to Lin Yuan without even a chance to win.
Lin Yuan gave a small nod. "Sounds good to me."
Qiao Siying glanced toward the other rich second-generation spectators. "It's too boring with just the two of us competing. Let's get more people to join."
However, after witnessing Lin Yuan's performance in the first two races, most of them had no interest in participating.
They weren't foolish.
Lin Yuan was too strong, and Qiao Siying herself was no pushover. Competing against them would be no different from throwing money away.
Even more importantly, cross-country racing was dangerous.
Unlike standard races, where a fall might just mean a minor scrape, a mistake in cross-country racing could mean broken bones—or worse.
One by one, the wealthy young heirs shook their heads.
"Tch! Why are you all so cowardly? You guys act fearless when chasing after women, but now you're scared?" Qiao Siying scoffed, glancing at them with disdain.
At this moment, she found Lin Yuan much more pleasing to the eye.
At least he had the courage to participate, unlike these so-called 'rich elites' who were backing away in fear.
Lin Yuan smirked. "I'll count to three. If anyone still wants to join, step forward."
After speaking, he immediately began counting.
"One…"
"Two…"
"Three…"
Tang Bowen hesitated.
Five million was a lot of money.
And while he wasn't bad at horsemanship, cross-country racing was an entirely different beast.
Even if Lin Yuan wasn't an expert, Qiao Siying clearly had experience. Competing against her was a daunting prospect.
Yet, just as he was considering his options, Lin Yuan suddenly clapped his hands together.
"Alright then. Tang Bowen will be joining us for the third and final race!"
Tang Bowen blinked in confusion.
Wait… what?
He hadn't moved! He hadn't agreed to anything!
He quickly looked around—only to realize that the others, like Zhang Sana and Wang Wu, had subtly taken a step back while he stood frozen in place.
Damn it!
They had tricked him!
"Fuck!" Tang Bowen muttered under his breath.
He had no choice now.
With the competitors set, the next step was selecting new horses.
The previous two races had already exhausted their original horses, and given the grueling nature of cross-country racing, they needed fresh mounts.
Since all three of them were distinguished guests, the Yu He Equestrian Club opened the stables, allowing them to choose from the best horses available.
As Lin Yuan approached the stables, a young female steward noticed him immediately.
Her eyes had been on him from the moment he arrived at the club.
He was just too handsome.
The way he had raced earlier—fast, aggressive, confident—made him even more charming in her eyes.
Without hesitation, she stepped forward, lowering her voice slightly as she whispered to him, "Master Lin, the horse at the far right of the stable is the strongest and most powerful. For cross-country racing, it's definitely the best choice."
Lin Yuan glanced in that direction.
However, before he could move, Qiao Siying had already walked over, untied the reins of the recommended horse, and led it out.
As she turned back, she caught Lin Yuan looking at the horse and smirked.
She was clearly pleased with herself.
Lin Yuan, however, remained completely unfazed.
So, she wasn't just skilled in horsemanship—she understood horses, too.
Seeing that her suggestion had been snatched away, the female steward was about to recommend another horse.
But Lin Yuan simply waved a hand.
"No need to suggest anything. I'll pick one myself."
With that, he walked into the stable and began inspecting the remaining horses.
Moments later, Lin Yuan led out a horse of his own.
The moment they saw it, the female steward, Qiao Siying, and even Tang Bowen were stunned.
It wasn't the fastest-looking horse, nor the most muscular—but there was something about it.
Something that made them uneasy.
Qiao Siying's smirk faltered slightly.
What was he up to now?
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