Chapter 244: The Consequences Will Be Severe

"You said what? You're not competing anymore? Don't forget, you promised me! You bastard!" Ren Jun couldn't hold back her fury. The university basketball match was just days away, and yet, at this critical moment, the man she had placed such high hopes on suddenly announced his withdrawal. Wasn't this outright betrayal?

Although his decision spared her from facing the embarrassing wager that would follow a victory, for reasons she couldn't quite grasp, Ren Jun felt a surge of dissatisfaction and even burning resentment.

"My hand might not recover in time. Do you really want to see me permanently injured?" Xiang Ri explained, though this decision had come after much inner turmoil. Between the alluring wager and Miss An, the latter was clearly far more important.

"I don't care!" Ren Jun's stubborn streak flared as she snapped angrily. Her frustration mounted, her fury building with every passing second. She had already steeled herself to sacrifice a woman's most precious first time, and here he was, casually backing out as if she were nothing. Was she that disposable to him?

"I really have something important that day," Xiang Ri tried a different excuse, realizing his plea for sympathy had failed. He figured that as long as he stayed away from the match entirely, he could avoid trouble. True, he wouldn't be there to cheer for Miss An, but at least he wouldn't be playing for the opposing team.

"I don't care what you have to do! You'll go that day, no matter what!" Ren Jun's tone was absolute, her eyes glaring daggers at him.

"Are you really this heartless?" Seeing her determination, Xiang Ri decided to play his ultimate card. He had originally avoided saying this to spare her embarrassment, but now it was unavoidable. 

"I'm doing this for your sake. You know if I step onto the court, victory is certain. And after that... you'd have to... you know..."

"If that's how it is, then so be it!" Ren Jun blurted out, only realizing the implications of her words afterward. Flustered, she blushed furiously but pressed on, saying, "I'll just treat it like being bitten by a mad dog, that's all!"

"Is it really that dramatic?" Xiang Ri sighed in exasperation. It was becoming clear that this bamboo pole of a woman was dead set on forcing him to compete. But one thing puzzled him—did winning really matter more to her than a woman's first time?

"It's exactly that dramatic!" Ren Jun seized the advantage, refusing to relent. "We made an agreement. Unless you want to be branded as a dishonorable liar!"

"A liar? I don't mind. I've never considered myself a gentleman anyway," Xiang Ri replied lazily. "Besides, I'd rather be called a liar than a heartless man."

"Heartless?" Ren Jun froze, not understanding why he had brought this up. "What do you mean?"

Seeing how persistent she was, Xiang Ri decided to come clean. "Let me be honest with you. One of my girlfriends happens to be the assistant coach of Hai University's basketball team. Now you understand, right? If I win the game for you, it would break her heart. So, I can't do it."

"Is that so?" Ren Jun stared directly at him, searching his face for any signs of deceit. But all she found was sincerity, devoid of anything suspicious.

Then, as she mulled over his words, a crucial flaw in his reasoning struck her. A sly smile tugged at her lips as she asked with supreme confidence, "Xiang Kui, are you *sure* you won't play for me?"

With a meaningful glance, Ren Jun fixed her eyes on the man. Her confidence was not unfounded. Upon learning that his girlfriend was an assistant coach for Hai University's basketball team, she knew she had grasped an invaluable hold over him.

Xiang Ri, oblivious to the schemes running through her mind, saw her confident expression. Though puzzled by its source, he replied indifferently, "I believe I've made myself quite clear, haven't I?"

"So, you're refusing?" Ren Jun elongated her words deliberately, her tone laden with subtle intent. "If I recall correctly, your girlfriend's name is Chu Chu, isn't it?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Xiang Ri asked, though he had already guessed the reason for her newfound confidence. Clearly, she intended to use this information to threaten him. But could someone of his unparalleled intellect truly be so easily cornered?

Seeing him feign ignorance, Ren Jun erupted in anger. "Isn't it obvious? Let me spell it out for you—if you don't win the match for me, I'll tell Chu Chu you're seeing other women behind her back!"

"Are you trying to threaten me?" Xiang Ri's face remained impassive. "Think about it—if I dared to tell you in the first place, why would I fear such a trivial threat? Besides, Chu Chu isn't my only girlfriend. There's also Shi Qing—surely you've heard of her? Heh... I might as well let you know, Chu Chu is already aware of all this. Go ahead, tell her. Let's see what you can do."

Xiang Ri delivered his brazen words with practiced ease, betraying not the slightest hint of unease. Besides, his claims weren't entirely fabricated—Chu Chu and Shi Qing were indeed out in the open. There was nothing to expose, no fragile facade to shatter.

"You... you're shameless!" As expected, Ren Jun was momentarily stunned by his unruffled demeanor. Pointing at him, she was so incensed that words failed her. Her heart burned with indignation. "And you call yourself faithful? You have so many girlfriends already!"

Xiang Ri sneered dismissively. "Let's get one thing straight—I've never abandoned any of them. How does that make me unfaithful? At most, I'm guilty of being a bit fickle. But I do love each of them sincerely."

"You—!" Ren Jun was on the verge of losing her mind. She had encountered shameless men before, but never one who flaunted his shamelessness as a virtue. 

"Enough with the dramatics," Xiang Ri said lazily. "As for Sunday's basketball match, do as you see fit. I won't be helping you." With that, he turned to leave.

"Stop right there!" Ren Jun, unwilling to let him off so easily, shouted in a shrill voice.

Xiang Ri glanced back. "What now?"

"I'll ask you one last time—are you going to play for me or not?" she demanded through gritted teeth, her reddened eyes glaring fiercely.

"Not interested," Xiang Ri replied coldly, his patience for her persistence wearing thin.

"Fine! Fine... just fine!" Ren Jun spat out the word "fine" three times in rapid succession before abruptly turning on her heel and storming off without warning. "We'll see who has the last laugh!" 

Now it was Xiang Ri's turn to be surprised. This didn't seem like her usual style—was she plotting something else?

Just as he was about to ponder further, the ringtone from his pocket interrupted his thoughts.

Reaching for his phone, he realized it was the alarm he had set. Apparently, his attempt to clear things up with the bamboo pole girl after school had taken far longer than expected. He needed to pick up the pace, or someone else was bound to be furious. And then—the consequences would be dire.