Lin Luxi tried one more time. “No, I’m just curious. Elisa is widely recognized as the campus beauty. I just want to know what she said to you, that’s all.”
He patted Yue Xinghe on the shoulder. “Besides, how could I ever be interested in a good friend’s woman? Do I look like someone who would ditch a friend for a girl?”
“Heh, who knows?”
Chris, who had finally calmed down, chimed in. After all, the mess Lin Luxi had made chasing after Gao Keyun was still occasionally brought up as a textbook example of how not to pursue someone.
Lin Luxi thought about it too.
Damn it. The original owner set me up!
Since he couldn’t get anything out of Yue Xinghe, Lin Luxi felt a little miffed.
Hmph. The emperor isn’t worried, but the eunuch is… No, scratch that. He wasn’t a eunuch.
Well, he had tried. If things did go down the way he expected, he would just step in to save the day. Then he could openly gloat about it to the male lead. No loss there.
He didn’t think the male lead was tempted by beauty. If he were, having women on both arms would be effortless. But there had to be another reason, one Lin Luxi couldn’t figure out.
Since Yue Xinghe wouldn’t tell him, Lin Luxi had no choice but to drop it for now.
He wasn’t actually mad, but he decided to pretend he was.
He moved to the seat across from Yue Xinghe and ignored him until the finals were about to begin.
Yue Xinghe assumed he was genuinely upset. But whether it was Elisa or Gao Keyun, none of them were easy to deal with. None of the women in that circle were suited for Lin Luxi. If he really wanted to date, he should find someone simple, gentle, and drama-free.
When the time came, the contestants entered the arena. Before the match even started, the audience in Alliance University’s official livestream was already passionately discussing the top contenders for the championship.
“I think it’s Zhou Xuxu, a senior. Double A-rank physique, there are fewer than a hundred in the entire Earth Alliance. I’ve heard he’s incredibly hardworking, spending every free moment in training rooms. Plus, he’s a senior. Compared to him, the others are just kids.”
“Talking about champions, how can we leave out Sister Qian? Her lightning-fast kicks are legendary!”
“I’m different. I’m rooting for Yue Xinghe, the freshman. He finishes every match in minutes, his strength is absolutely insane!”
“I admit Yue Xinghe’s talent is impressive, but he’s a freshman, okay? Talent aside, he needs time to train. To be honest, I think it’s a long shot for him.”
While other viewers were caught up in heated discussions, Lin Luxi was already on the Star Network placing his bets.
Among all the contestants, Yue Xinghe had the highest odds of winning the championship. Without a second thought, Lin Luxi bet ten thousand.
As the protagonist of this story, there was no way Yue Xinghe would lose.
As for why he didn’t bet more, these betting pools were monitored by official government systems. Small bets were harmless, but large bets could lead to trouble, and extreme gambling led to ruin. There was a limit.
Not many people were betting on Yue Xinghe since he was a freshman, so his odds were high. Lin Luxi thought about how much money would be hitting his account and his eyes crinkled into slits with joy.
And as Lin Luxi had predicted, Yue Xinghe handled even the senior contestants with ease. No matter how fast or powerful his opponent was, Yue Xinghe was unfazed. During one of his moves, his shirt accidentally tore, revealing a flawless set of eight-pack abs. The fans already captivated by his striking looks became even more entranced, screaming and shouting, letting out all the excitement this extraordinary man stirred within them!
Some were so overwhelmed that they even got nosebleeds.
Even Lin Luxi couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement. His throat went dry, and he reached for a bottle of water nearby, only to realize it was already empty.
The match was nearing its end, the outcome was obvious without even watching. The bottles of water he had bought were still in the lounge. Lin Luxi got up and left the contestants’ seating area.
Chris waved a hand. “Grab me a bottle too, thanks.”
Lin Luxi gave a casual nod.
The hallway from the contestants’ area to the lounge was long and winding. Even after walking it several times, Lin Luxi still had to check the map on his light-brain to avoid getting lost.
As he neared the lounge entrance, he noticed someone lurking by the door, peeking in. He raised an eyebrow and silently crept up behind the person. “Who are you?”
“Whoa—!”
The person jumped in surprise. When he turned around, Lin Luxi recognized him. The man’s nervousness faded, replaced by irritation. “Lin Luxi, do you walk like a ghost? You trying to get yourself killed sneaking up on people like that?”
Lin Luxi raised an eyebrow. “Zhou Ziheng, what are you doing here?”
Zhou Ziheng’s gaze flickered for a moment, but he quickly straightened up. “If you can be here, why can’t I? It’s not like you’re the only friend Xinghe has!”
“I was just asking. Why are you getting so worked up?”
Lin Luxi gave him a suspicious once-over. “You’re not up to something, are you?”
Before he could press further, cheers erupted from outside, signaling the match had ended. Footsteps approached from behind. Lin Luxi turned to look, and when he turned back, Zhou Ziheng was gone without a trace.
“Why are you standing at the door? Why not go in?”
Lin Luxi turned at the sound of the voice and immediately found himself face-to-face with the smooth, sculpted contours of Yue Xinghe’s muscles. Having just finished his match, Yue Xinghe’s training uniform was tattered, barely covering the key areas of his chest.
The heat still radiating from him seemed contagious, and Lin Luxi’s throat felt even drier.
He poked a finger into the grooves of the abs and pushed lightly.
“It’s, uh, really hot out. You’re standing too close.”
The remark came out of nowhere. Yue Xinghe tilted his head, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
Lin Luxi could practically picture the question marks floating around his head and felt a smile tugging at the corners of his eyes.
“Xinghe!”
A slightly cold voice interrupted.
Yue Xinghe had his back to the newcomer, but just as he was about to turn, Lin Luxi shoved him into the lounge. “Go change first.”
Yue Xinghe didn’t argue. It would be inappropriate to talk to someone while not properly dressed.
Lin Luxi stationed himself at the door and greeted the visitor warmly. “Elisa! What brings you here? Are you looking for Xinghe?”
Perfect timing. If Yue Xinghe wouldn’t say anything, maybe he could get something out of Elisa instead.
Elisa wore the signature elegant attire of the elf race, ethereal and otherworldly. She made no effort to hide her disdain for Lin Luxi, tilting her chin up and glancing at him with the tips of her lashes before fixing her gaze on the door, her cold expression making it clear she had no intention of speaking to him.
Elves were naturally aloof, never bothering with those they deemed unworthy. In the original novel, Elisa was indeed only ever different with Yue Xinghe. If that kind of special treatment were given to anyone else, they’d probably fall for her instantly, getting all clingy.
But Yue Xinghe’s heart was like iron. Countless beauties, warm, tsundere, aloof, had tried and failed, again and again, truly proving he was a mountain no one could scale.
“Actually, I could help you.”
Lin Luxi’s curiosity got the better of him. He lingered, unable to resist speaking up.
Elisa finally deigned to glance at him, if only because he was Yue Xinghe’s friend. “What could someone like you possibly do to help me?”
The disdain in her voice was completely unfiltered.
Lin Luxi just smiled. As someone who had survived the apocalypse, he had a high tolerance. He had plenty of patience for women, children, and the elderly. Such shallow provocations didn’t faze him in the slightest.
His smile didn’t waver. “Because you like Yue Xinghe. And because I’m Yue Xinghe’s friend.”
Elisa’s gaze shifted. She had to admit, pursuing Yue Xinghe was the greatest challenge she had ever faced.
Yue Xinghe had no shortage of admirers. To Elisa, this wasn’t a concern, it only proved how exceptional he was. What frustrated her more was the sense of distance Yue Xinghe always maintained, the barrier she could never seem to cross.
If someone close to Yue Xinghe could help her pass along messages, it would greatly increase her chances.
Elisa was tempted, but she said, “You’re Yue Xinghe’s friend. Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell him you’re helping me behind his back?”
Lin Luxi smiled. “Do you want to pursue Yue Xinghe or not?”
Elisa: “…”
“If you do, then stop wasting time.”
Elisa: “…”
Still smiling, Lin Luxi added, “Come on, let’s exchange comm IDs. That way we can keep in touch.”
Elisa hesitated, then gave him a warning. “Remember what you said. Don’t get any funny ideas.”
Lin Luxi chuckled to himself. To be honest, if it weren’t for the fact that she’d eventually spiral out of control when she couldn’t handle the rejection, he’d have plenty of witty retorts ready.
But whatever. No point in holding a grudge against a girl. Let them chase after the male lead, what did it have to do with him anyway?
After exchanging contact details and saving them, Elisa got a call and had to leave.
Not even a few seconds later, someone else arrived.
Lin Luxi raised an eyebrow. What is this, open house day? Everyone’s showing up.
It was Gao Keyun. She had done herself up meticulously, dressed and made up to ensure she looked more glamorous and eye-catching than anyone else.
The gemstone necklace around her neck practically made Lin Luxi squint. He gave her a faintly dubious look. “What are you doing here?”
Gao Keyun’s face went pale for a moment, her eyelid twitching as if the memory of her swollen cheek still stung.
Yue Xinghe’s standout performance in the individual finals had already spread like wildfire. His match videos were everywhere online.
Gao Keyun knew that once the finals ended, even more factions would try to recruit him. If she waited any longer, it would be too late.
The gentle approach hadn’t worked, and now she was getting desperate, starting to consider other methods.
“I’m here to see Yue Xinghe.”
Gao Keyun didn’t want to talk to Lin Luxi, but since he was blocking the door, she had no choice.
Lin Luxi responded with a nonchalant “Oh,” and then asked, “So you’re also here to ask Yue Xinghe out?”
“Ask him out?” Gao Keyun’s expression shifted slightly. “Besides me, who else has come to see Yue Xinghe?”
She should have anticipated this; she had been careless. But for someone to seek out Yue Xinghe even before the finals spoke volumes about how exceptional he was, far beyond her expectations.
It was all that wretched Chen Jing’s fault, forgetting where she had placed her necklace and wasting her precious time.
A glint of mischief flickered in Lin Luxi’s eyes. “Not too many, just a few. Elisa just left a moment ago.”
At the mention of Elisa, Gao Keyun’s expression instantly soured.
Before Elisa arrived, Gao Keyun had been the undisputed campus beauty, with a fanbase that could rival the biggest celebrities in the entertainment industry. But once Elisa appeared, she siphoned away a significant share of the attention. Although Gao Keyun remained a campus beauty, the prefix “tsundere” had been tacked on, considerably diminishing the weight of the title.
She regarded Elisa as her lifelong rival. So when she heard that Lin Luxi had exchanged comm IDs with Elisa and even offered to feed her information, Gao Keyun’s face cycled through shades of pale and red as she clenched her fingers in frustration. Through gritted teeth, she finally proposed, “Let’s exchange comm IDs too.”
Lin Luxi watched her expressions shift with quiet amusement, unable to resist a little teasing. “Are you sure you want to? You don’t mind that I was the one who knocked you out of the arena?”
The mention of that match instantly made Gao Keyun’s face, stomach, and even her throat ache. The sour, bitter taste that had lingered in her mouth that day came rushing back.
“Heh.” Gao Keyun forced a stiff smile. “It’s just a competition, injuries are unavoidable. Normal. Why would I mind?”
Lin Luxi said, “That’s good, we’re connected now. Before you do anything, give me a call, and I can help check if he’s available.”
Gao Keyun nodded and added, “Also, let me know about any other girls coming to see him and what they’re doing.”
Lin Luxi assured her that as long as the information fee was sufficient, everything would be fine.
Mentioning money didn’t upset Gao Keyun; in fact, it put her more at ease. After all, her relationship with Lin Luxi wasn’t great. If he were helping her for free, she’d suspect he had ulterior motives.
“As long as you do your job well, you’ll be rewarded.”
Gao Keyun had intended to wait longer for Yue Xinghe, but standing next to Lin Luxi was too much of a test of her patience. She left after barely two minutes.
When Yue Xinghe finally came out after changing, the hallway was empty except for Lin Luxi. He assumed Elisa had grown impatient and left, but since he didn’t care, he didn’t ask.
With a short break before the next match, Lin Luxi smiled and watched Yue Xinghe walk away.
As Yue Xinghe stepped into the sunlight at the end of the long corridor, he suddenly sneezed, as if something unexpected was about to happen.
Back in the contestants’ seating area, Chris, who had been arguing heatedly with Qin Hao about whether Yue Xinghe could win the championship, suddenly turned to Lin Luxi. “Weren’t you going to the lounge? Where’s the water I asked you to bring?”
Lin Luxi, empty-handed, paused for a moment before sitting down. Pressing his lips together, he said hoarsely, “Don’t ask.”
The truth was, he had completely forgotten.