Chapter 31: Do You Dare to Bet Against Me
The safe house was perched on the face of a cliff, surrounded by empty space, with nothing to grab onto for climbing.
To get up there, they’d have to free-climb.
The nearly fifty-meter-high vertical rock wall made everyone hesitate.
[This production crew won’t stop until someone dies—who could possibly climb something this high and sheer?!]
[Maybe a monkey could. Wonder if the Monkey King is around.]
[Don’t joke. Even professionals with full gear would struggle here. Chi Qian’s just a teenager, no way she can do this.]
[My legs are already shaking like a sewing machine.]
Chi Qian had woken up, still yawning like she hadn’t slept enough.
“Now that you’re awake, get down. I carried you all the way here,” Chi Fengxiao said grumpily. “So lazy—at home, the old man would chew you out for this.”
Chi Lisen hated lazy people the most.
And Chi Fengxiao couldn’t encourage her habits.
Chi Qian stuck out her tongue and slid down from his back.
“Little Chi, Qian Qian, look—there are tools here!” Shen Jing had spotted a tool bag hidden in the grass, but there were only two sets inside.
“At least there’s safety gear.”
Chi Fengxiao rubbed his chin. “I did rock climbing for a while before, I’ve got experience. I’ll climb up.”
“Is your leg okay?” Chi Qian suddenly asked.
He froze, his right hand instinctively moving to his knee. “How did you know?”
Chi Qian tucked her hands into her sleeves. “Ever since you came out of the water, you’ve been rubbing your knee. I figured it might be joint pain from rheumatism.”
“It’s nothing serious. I just carried you this whole way without a problem.”
He’d injured his knee before; after being in cold water too long, the pain always came back.
But it was bearable.
Shen Jing said, “Let me do it. I don’t have much experience, but I’m the most suitable.”
“Chi Qian, dare to bet with me?”
The voice of Ling Qian came panting from behind.
Chi Qian turned her head and said flatly, “And you think you’re even worthy to bet with me?”
Ling Qian choked, then said even more provocatively, “We’ll bet on who gets to the top first. If you win, you can ask me for anything. But if I win, you’ll have to bow to Gu Hua in front of the entire livestream audience and apologize. How about it?”
Gu Hua looked at Ling Qian with teary gratitude.
Chi Fengxiao immediately cursed, “No way! If you want to lose your mind, fine, but don’t drag my niece down with you.”
But Ling Qian ignored him, staring only at Chi Qian. “What’s wrong? Afraid? Then I’ll take that as your surrender.”
Chi Qian rolled her eyes. “I’ve always believed no one can go through life without being stupid sometimes. But being stupid enough to go down in history as a nationally protected species? That’s a first for me.”
“In my dictionary, the words ‘I surrender’ don’t exist.”
“If by the end of this I haven’t carved ‘You are my son’ onto your forehead, then my name isn’t Chi Qian.”
Ling Qian cracked his knuckles. “Let’s see how long you can keep acting tough!”
Gu Hua smirked in her heart.
That idiot Chi Qian. Rock climbing was Ling Qian’s specialty—he’d even taken second place in the national rock climbing championship.
And this little weakling dared challenge him?
Chi Fengxiao grabbed her arm, but Chi Qian calmly said, “Uncle, don’t worry. I’m the Monkey King.”
Her badly timed joke almost made him choke with laughter.
He had no choice but to let her go.
If she fell, he’d throw himself under her as a cushion.
Ling Qian strapped on his gear, then sneered when he saw Chi Qian still empty-handed. “It’s not too late to admit defeat now.”
“You need safety gear just to climb a wall? And still dare to bet with me when you’ve only got one life?” Chi Qian’s tone was airy, almost bored. “Trash.”
Ling Qian snorted. “Heh, you’re all talk. Don’t come crying later.”
At Qin Yue’s shout of “Start!” the two began climbing simultaneously.
At first they kept even pace, but gradually Ling Qian surged ahead, pulling far above her.
The wind gusted against the cliff, adding an invisible layer of difficulty to the extreme climb.
[I can’t watch! She’s going to lose!]
[Forget it—an apology isn’t that bad. Qian Qian should stop before she gets hurt. Safety first!]
[Where are all you Sister Qian fans now? Didn’t you say your little princess was amazing? She can’t even keep up.]
[Go, Young Master Ling! Defeat Chi Qian and avenge Hua Hua!]
Chi Qian’s face wore a bold, arrogant smile as she suddenly sped up.
Her grip was steady, fingers locking onto every crevice, each foothold chosen with precise calculation.
In the blink of an eye, she overtook Ling Qian—and kept climbing higher and higher.
It was as if she’d deliberately let him get ahead just to toy with him.
Ling Qian’s eyes widened in shock as she pulled further away, nearing the safe house.
He couldn’t lose.
Not when his manhood was on the line!
With a low growl, he scrambled upward with all his strength.
But then Chi Qian suddenly stopped. One hand gripping a crack in the rock, she tilted her head down, almond-shaped eyes gleaming with disdain.
“You’ve lost.”
With that, she flipped over the ledge of the cliff, stood, dusted off her hands, and walked toward the safe house.
The sunlight stretched her slender figure long, her steady steps carrying her forward without a glance back—like a victorious king striding off to claim her spoils.
[Qian Qian!!! That was so badass!!]
[She beat Ling Qian! She really did it! I’m actually crying!!]
[There’s nothing she can’t do! Nothing!]
[She’s crazy and confident—damn it, that’s so attractive.]
Chi Qian got hold of the safehouse’s comm phone, spotted a loudspeaker on the ground, and picked it up as she walked outside.
Ling Qian had climbed up as well, sitting on the ground and panting, his expression not the same as usual.
To be beaten in the field he was best at—and by the person he once hated the most—no one could stomach that.
And he had even worn protective gear.
Chi Qian, meanwhile, had climbed up barehanded.
Ignoring the fallen “prodigal dog,” she went straight to the cliff’s edge, raised the loudspeaker, and called down:
“Chi Qian, mic test. Chi Qian, mic test.”
“Attention down below, attention down below.”
“Ling Qian lost! Ling Qian lost! Ling Qian lost!!”
The utterly defeated Ling Qian nearly jumped up, glaring daggers at her.
Was this how one humiliated people?!
Once wasn’t enough—she had to repeat it three times!
At first, the people below couldn’t quite hear the echo.
Until—
“Family, huge news, huge news!”
“Ling Qian, that dog of a son, lost! Everyone remember to bear witness— from now on I’m his dad!”
Now everyone heard loud and clear.
Chi Fengxiao and Shen Jing, father and son, grinned so wide their ears practically touched.
Gu Hua’s group: “……” Was Chi Qian insane?!
That wanton, brazen scene up on the cliff was frozen against the backdrop of the setting sun.
The moment the climbing footage was released, Chi Qian blew up across the internet!
Extreme sports challenge the nerves—human nature is to worship strength.
The champion of the last national climbing competition even @-ed her on Weibo: Impressive. You did what I didn’t dare. I hope we can share a stage one day.
Chi Qian’s fan count skyrocketed past five million, making her the most-followed guest of the season.
Her fanbase, “Qian Qian Fans,” erupted in celebration!
That afternoon, the production crew’s helicopter picked up all the guests.
Back in Xiaohe Village, after a short rest, they had one last “warm moment” before the episode ended.
But with two groups bristling at each other, there was no way it could feel warm.
Everyone sat around a round table, sharing reflections and takeaways.
Ling Qian, likely too crushed, managed only one line: “I’ll take it back sooner or later.”
Whether he meant his pride or something else was unclear.
Chi Qian just turned to Chi Fengxiao: “Someone can’t afford to lose, and hasn’t even paid the bet.”
Ling Qian glared at her, veins throbbing in his temples. “What do you want?”
If she wanted him, he’d rather die!
