A Rebellious Bet

“Teacher, there’s no need to persuade me further. I know exactly what I’m doing. As the saying goes, a forced melon isn’t sweet. Besides, I’m a bit rebellious; the more I’m told not to do something, the more I want to do it.”

Jiang Zhe spoke with utmost seriousness, his words firm and resolute. His demeanor clearly indicated he wouldn’t be led astray, causing Wang Yi a considerable headache.

He had finally encountered a promising talent, only for them to be in the throes of rebellion.

Neither threats nor temptations could force his compliance.

This simply wouldn’t do!

Ever since discovering Jiang Zhe’s extraordinary nature, Wang Yi’s heart had burned with fervor. No matter how many obstacles lay ahead, they wouldn’t deter his progress.

Even if there was no path, he would make one.

Seeing Wang Yi about to speak again, Jiang Zhe suddenly raised a hand, stopping it mid-air. A smile played on his lips, silencing Wang Yi, who could only listen as Jiang Zhe said, “However, we could both take a step back.”

Jiang Zhe’s unexpected softening, however, completely bewildered Wang Yi. He couldn’t fathom what this boy truly wanted.

Was he agreeing, or not?

“Tell me more.”

“Let’s make a bet! For this month’s monthly exam, if I can rank first, then no matter what happens at school, Teacher must stand by me without question until I graduate. If I don’t get first place, I’ll obediently listen to you and enlist in the military directly after junior high, skipping high school.”

Having carefully analyzed Wang Yi’s personality, coupled with the man’s persistence, Jiang Zhe didn’t believe a simple refusal would suffice. Moreover, he was loath to let this potential ‘talisman’ slip away.

Thus, after much deliberation, a bet seemed the most convenient and swift solution.

It would temporarily deter Wang Yi from taking extreme measures and also secure significant benefits for himself. At this moment, the need to conceal his fighting prowess was trivial; it could simply be considered a convenient bonus.

Upon hearing Jiang Zhe propose a bet, Wang Yi’s large, bell-like eyes narrowed instinctively. He tsk-tsked twice, his hands clasped behind his back, as he paced around Jiang Zhe.

Earlier today in the gymnasium, Wang Yi had heard other students mention Jiang Zhe, including the news that Jiang Zhe consistently ranked last in academics. Clearly, he was an absolute academic bottom-feeder.

And now, he was using academics to bet against him…

Regarding Jiang Zhe’s penchant for making bets, Wang Yi, as one of the observers, had witnessed how Jiang Zhe dealt with Cheng Li. He felt as though he, too, was becoming prey in a trap set by Jiang Zhe.

He just couldn’t figure out what Jiang Zhe was trying to get from him.

Based on the conditions presented, protecting Jiang Zhe within Fenghua High wasn’t a difficult task. To Wang Yi, Fenghua was merely an ordinary, dull private high school filled with pampered youths who couldn’t endure hardship.

He could easily take on ten of them with one punch.

Given Jiang Zhe’s demonstrated strength, he could escape even if he were ambushed by a group.

Why would he need Wang Yi’s protection?

Accustomed to the strict discipline of the military, Wang Yi hadn’t yet readjusted to the complexities of civilian society. His head throbbed with confusion, so he decided to stop overthinking and instead returned to Jiang Zhe’s proposed wager, seriously considering its feasibility.

Emotionally, he had to accept the bet.

Logically, he also had to accept the bet; there would be no second chance like this. It could lead to Jiang Zhe obediently fulfilling the wager and joining the military.

Intuitively, however… he had a strange feeling that Jiang Zhe was a bit cunning, as if he had a trick up his sleeve, making him hesitant to agree too readily.

After a careful analysis, a three-to-one ratio, Wang Yi ultimately compromised.

The cake laid before him was simply too tempting; he would suffer if he didn’t take a bite!

However, he still had another question: “I have one more question: the basketball bet with Cheng Li today, you did that on purpose! But, did you not consider what would have happened if I hadn’t agreed to let you compete?”

Jiang Zhe smiled faintly at Wang Yi’s inquiry, feeling that a slight leak of information, rather than complete concealment, would make the other party more invested.

“When the class bell rang and the teams gathered, I briefly observed Teacher’s emotions and demeanor. I noticed clear signs of agitation, as if a volcano was about to erupt, needing a suitable outlet.”

“…”

The moment Jiang Zhe spoke, Wang Yi’s eyes widened instantly.

He had considered countless possibilities, but never imagined that Jiang Zhe would be so observant and his analysis so accurate!

He was indeed agitated about being a teacher at the school, feeling as though Fenghua High had become his prison.

“Therefore, I was eighty percent certain that Teacher would agree to my proposal. Of course, Teacher chose to suppress his agitation rather than yell or curse, maintaining his role as a teacher in front of the students. This shows he is a person with extremely strong self-control and discipline towards others. That’s why I didn’t suggest continuing the fight, but opted for a civilized and harmonious way to resolve the issue.”

“However, even if my estimation was wrong and Teacher hadn’t agreed, I naturally had backup plans. One shouldn’t put all their eggs in one basket, much like a cunning rabbit has three burrows.”

Jiang Zhe’s smiling demeanor was gentle and harmless, yet Wang Yi, at this moment, dared not be deceived by his appearance, no longer believing that this half-grown boy standing before him was truly innocuous.

Not only did he possess a calculating mind, but he also understood how to observe and analyze, displaying both boldness and meticulousness. This was truly remarkable!

The military needed exactly this kind of person!

If Wang Yi’s resolve to have Jiang Zhe join the military had been one hundred percent before, it had now evolved to one thousand percent.

“Alright, kid, whatever your purpose for this bet, I’m in!”

Wang Yi gazed at Jiang Zhe with delight, growing fonder the more he looked. He pondered why he didn’t have a suitable daughter; otherwise, he could play matchmaker and secure such a fine young man as his son-in-law!

Wait, he might not, but the Wang family had plenty of eligible girls!

Whether Jiang Zhe preferred cute lolis or mature older sisters, he was sure to find a suitable match within the Wang family. Wouldn’t it be even better to strengthen their ties through marriage?

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However, these thoughts could wait. For now, Jiang Zhe’s enlistment was the priority.

“Okay, Teacher can’t go back on his word either. There are ten days until the monthly exam, so the winner will be decided quickly. Let’s leave it here for today. Tomorrow evening, during my break, I’ll come back to the gym to exercise.”

With the new bet established and victory seemingly within his grasp, Jiang Zhe didn’t press his advantage. He needed to quickly create some distance.

Maintaining an air of mystery would keep Wang Yi captivated and intensely curious.

Wang Yi’s attention would remain fixed on him.

The monthly exam was still some time away. The priority now was binding the characters, and Jiang Zhe still needed to quickly make a lottery box with a hidden mechanism to lure Ning Ran, that easily agitated cat, into his trap.

Pondering these things, Jiang Zhe bid farewell to Wang Yi. Ignoring the other’s reluctant gaze, he turned and left directly.

This time, he didn’t return the way he came, but exited through another gate of the small courtyard to avoid encountering other students.

His victory in the gymnasium had left the witnesses buzzing with excitement, and they were all searching for Jiang Zhe, the person of interest.

“Hey, kid, pretty impressive, daring to spar with Wang Yi.”

Just then, a light, teasing voice suddenly echoed from atop the nearly two-meter-high wall. Jiang Zhe paused, then looked up to see a boy in an ill-fitting school uniform grinning at him.

His phoenix eyes sparkled, and the red mole at the corner of his eye struck Jiang Zhe as strangely familiar.

The background music of his niece’s screams seemed to ring in his ears. Jiang Zhe’s mouth twitched, and he immediately identified the speaker: Gong Qiu, one of the game’s male leads and the school bully