Chapter 405 Losers, Get Out Right Now

• Both Hou Rusong and his wife looked a little shaky. The reason was simple: Ronan Crest’s presence hit like a freight train. They were sure—dead sure—that he couldn’t possibly buy Yunxiang Hotel. But his aura was so intense it made their confidence wobble. “We’ll see,” he said. “Don’t think I’m lying to you.” “This little Yunxiang Hotel? If I decide to buy it, it won’t even make me sweat.” “Believe me or don’t. That’s on you. Not my problem.” Ronan shrugged, voice calm as ever. “Hah!” Hou Rusong snorted, full of scorn. “Cut the crap. If you can really buy Yunxiang Hotel, I won’t just get the hell out of here—I’ll slap myself ten times.” His eyes lit up as a nasty idea struck. “Hey, punk, dare to raise the stakes?” “The loser doesn’t just leave. He has to slap himself ten times—hard.” “And while he’s at it, he has to shout ten times that he’s an idiot. You up for that?” Hou Rusong barked. “Yeah. Why not?” Ronan answered without even blinking, cool as ice. He wasn’t going to lose. He was going to win. Period. Hou Rusong’s wife jumped in the second Ronan agreed. “Not just that—you promised me earlier: if you lose, I get to slap you too, to pay back the slap you gave me. You can’t go back on it. No whining. No dodging.” The couple might have lacked conviction. But when it came to whether Ronan could buy Yunxiang Hotel, they felt sure—they believed he didn’t have that kind of power. “No problem. I can agree to everything you want.” “But if you lose, you have to keep your side of the deal too.” “Do that, and I’ll agree to everything.” Ronan said it lightly. “Fine. You said it.” Hou Rusong’s wife’s eyes gleamed. “Then I’ve got more: the loser kneels and knocks his forehead to the floor three times, then licks the winner’s shoes, and barks like a dog in front of everyone.” “Fine,” Ronan said. “And then he crawls around on his knees for a few laps so everyone can see,” she added, pushing it further. “Fine.” Ronan still agreed. He looked at them the way you look at idiots—with a calm shine in his eyes, and, deep down, even a touch of pity. These two wanted to humiliate him. Wanted to strip him of dignity. But they had no idea: buying Yunxiang might sound crazy, but for him, it was the easiest thing in the world. One phone call to Yunxiang’s boss— and the deal would be a done deal. The Yunxiang Group’s boss wouldn’t dare say no. “Ha! So you agreed?” “Perfect. Punk, get ready to be slapped, to kneel, to bark like a mutt.” Hou Rusong’s wife shouted, thrilled. Her eyes darted, clearly worried Ronan might try to wriggle out of it, so she raised her voice on purpose. “Everyone, come watch! Someone’s about to bark like a dog—and slap himself silly!” “Hurry up!” “If you’re late, you’ll miss the show!” “Come on!” She shouted loud on purpose. The hotel lobby wasn’t crowded. Besides the staff, there were maybe seven or eight people around. They’d heard the argument earlier but hadn’t cared—no one came over to ask, and no one bothered to watch. Now though— Once Hou Rusong’s wife started yelling, shock and curiosity lit up every gaze. Bark like a dog? Slap yourself? Lick shoes? What the hell was going on? How spicy was this bet? Curiosity hooked them all. Those few people began murmuring and moved closer, forming a small circle. Seeing the crowd gather, Hou Rusong’s wife got even more excited and rushed to explain what happened. As she talked, their faces turned stunned. The chatter rose. “So it’s a bet. Man, that’s nuts.” “Yeah, it’s pretty wild.” “Interesting though. The kid says he’ll buy Yunxiang? Sounds like pure BS to me.” “Right? Yunxiang’s at least a billion, and it’s not just about cash. There’s a ton of hoops to jump through.”