The moment Qi Xiuyi heard the words “make a bet,” he subconsciously perked up.

He truly didn’t believe it.

He was the one who had communicated and interacted with the other party. Qi Wendong had only heard a small part of his retelling, so what could he possibly know?

Hmph, he just doesn’t trust my abilities and is directly blaming the problem on me!

The more Qi Xiuyi thought about it, the angrier he got. “Fine, a bet it is! If you can’t do it, you have to be my assistant for the entire exhibition!”

Qi Wendong chuckled and said naturally, “Alright.”

Seeing him agree so quickly, Qi Xiuyi cautiously added a condition: “But you have to let me follow you the whole time. I want to see with my own eyes how you make him ‘change his mind’—and you’re not allowed to cheat by asking the family for help!”

Qi Wendong said scornfully, “Do I need the family’s help for this? That’s something only you would do… Follow me.”

Qi Wendong grabbed his laptop and led Qi Xiuyi to the library.

After booking a discussion room where they could talk, Qi Wendong closed the door, turned on the computer, and had Qi Xiuyi sit beside him.

Qi Xiuyi watched in confusion as Qi Wendong opened the university’s official website, Qiandu Search, the Didu municipal government website…

Qi Xiuyi: “?”

Qi Xiuyi looked bewildered. “What are you doing?”

Qi Wendong calmly connected to the library’s printer and printed several sheets of paper.

He grabbed the first sheet and, without even looking at it, stuffed it into Qi Xiuyi’s hands. “Take a good look. B University’s undergraduate graduation requirements.”

Qi Xiuyi took it doubtfully and glanced at it.

“Oh, you’re not going to try and use extracurricular credits or volunteer hours, are you?”

Qi Xiuyi’s face darkened as he tossed the paper aside. “Damn it, no way. If we have to use incentives, there are so many people at B University we could recruit. Why must we bow our heads to him and get him to come back?!”

Qi Wendong sneered, “Don’t overthink it. Of course, this simple method is for you to use in the future. What if you get someone else to block you again?”

Qi Xiuyi fumed, “…Qi Wendong! How did you manage to grow up without getting beaten up??”

Fortunately, Qi Xiuyi had already had his fill of anger for the day, so hearing Qi Wendong’s words didn’t make him jump up and down as he usually would.

Qi Wendong shrugged. “Of course, even if we were to use this method on him, it might not work—it’s not like he absolutely has to get credits and hours from you.”

Qi Xiuyi shot a dark look at Qi Wendong, his expression saying, “Then why even mention it?” He leaned over to look at the new things he had printed.

Didu City’s “City of Museums” Construction and Development Plan…

Regarding the hosting of the “X Country (Didu) Collections Culture Month”…

The Didu Meteorite Museum will launch a full-scale… event… starting from April…

Qi Xiuyi: “?”

Qi Xiuyi was shocked. “I mention the sun is too hot, and you’re going to send me straight to the moon?”

Qi Wendong didn’t answer his question, instead asking, “I remember you telling me that if you brought out your entire collection, no one else in all of Didu could surpass you?”

Qi Xiuyi perked up at the mention of this. “That’s right! This is the one thing I’m most proud of!”

Qi Wendong clicked his tongue. “What’s there to be proud of? It seems that’s the only thing you can be proud of.”

Qi Xiuyi was very unhappy. “…Qi Wendong!”

Qi Wendong: “If you have time to yell my name, you’d be better off doing something productive. Come on, let me see your chat history. What’s his name, what’s his major, and what year is he in?”

Qi Xiuyi: “Yu Zhengling, freshman. Here, the chat history… no, look at this sentence, it’s so infuriating…”

Qi Xiuyi got angry every time he read the chat history, but Qi Wendong remained perfectly calm. After reading their argument, he opened the university website, found the list of counselor assignments for the corresponding major and year, and searched for the other party’s counselor’s name.

Then he picked up his phone and went into the hodgepodge of a university group chat: [Seeking Counselor XXX’s contact information. Reward offered, M.]

Qi Xiuyi guessed darkly, “Qi Wendong, you’re not planning to go through his counselor and have the teacher pressure him into working for us, are you?”

Qi Wendong chuckled. “If you got into an argument with someone and your counselor used their authority to pressure you into apologizing, would you do it?”

Qi Xiuyi jumped up. “In your dreams!”

Qi Wendong snorted. “There you have it.”

Offering a reward for public information in a university group chat always yields quick results.

Qi Wendong got the contact information, cleared his throat, and made a very polite and well-behaved phone call to the counselor. After asking if the counselor had time and was in their office, he directly dragged him to the office to meet the person.

Qi Wendong: “Wait outside.”

Qi Xiuyi: “Why can’t I go in?”

Qi Wendong: “Don’t get angry and affect my performance.”

Qi Xiuyi was very dissatisfied. “Am I that kind of person?”

Qi Wendong: “Heh.”

Qi Xiuyi had no choice but to reluctantly squat at the office door, secretly straining his ears to listen inside.

He only heard Qi Wendong’s polite and well-behaved voice speaking to the counselor: “…in response to the city’s call for a cultural month, we want to hold an antique and collectibles exhibition… Classmate Yu, as a member of the archaeology club… unfortunately, had a conflict with our project leader and blocked him… Yes, I hope you can help us let him know, let’s schedule a meeting for noon tomorrow…”

Hearing Qi Wendong’s always polite and gentle tone with others made Qi Xiuyi feel uncomfortable all over.

What’s the meaning of this? So he only reserves his snide remarks and sarcasm for me, is that it?

He can even pretend to be a good student in front of someone else’s counselor, hmph… he’s really an actor to the bone, Qi Wendong!

Displeasure was one thing.

But Qi Xiuyi had to admit, when Qi Wendong pretended to be a good, obedient student, he was simply invincible!

Take this counselor, for example. In just a few moments, he was completely fooled by Qi Wendong’s false front, his entire being radiating trust…

He really has no judgment of character at all, that counselor!

The counselor kindly helped Qi Wendong send a message to inquire.

While waiting for a reply, Qi Wendong pretended to ask casually with a smile, “By the way, teacher, is Classmate Yu usually not very active in class? Of course, I know that Classmate Yu is fundamentally a very responsible person…”

The counselor had a good impression of the student before him and casually replied, “He’s not a class officer or anything, usually more focused on his own things. But during the event at the beginning of last semester, he was in charge of something or other, and he did a pretty good job.”

Qi Wendong followed up by praising Classmate Yu a couple of times, condemning their impulsive project leader, and chatted about a few basic questions concerning Classmate Yu.

The counselor knew Qi Wendong wanted to apologize to Classmate Yu and, listening to him, only felt that Qi Wendong was very sincere. So he briefly shared some information that wasn’t exactly private.

For example, that he was a member of the department’s basketball team, and that he was a very romantic type who would set up a huge heart-shaped candle display in the plaza for his girlfriend…

Until a message notification sounded.

Counselor: “Oh, he replied. Tomorrow at noon is fine. But from his tone, he seems a bit reluctant. Do you want me to put in a good word for you?”

Qi Wendong smiled and said, “No need, thank you, teacher. It’s enough that Classmate Yu is willing to come out. We will apologize to him ourselves tomorrow. Thank you, teacher. Goodbye, teacher.”

After leaving, Qi Xiuyi asked very reluctantly, “What do you mean we will apologize to him… Qi Wendong, don’t tell me you want me to go and personally apologize to him tomorrow?”

Qi Wendong raised an eyebrow. “If you’re going to be there, then of course you have to apologize on the spot. Otherwise, how can my conversation with him proceed?”

Qi Xiuyi was not happy, muttering as he kicked a stone on the path, “My tone was a bit bad at the time… but isn’t he also partly at fault? Only I have to apologize? That’s so embarrassing…”

Qi Wendong let out a low laugh, as if he had heard something funny.

Qi Wendong: “Will saying a few soft words kill you?”

Qi Xiuyi: “.”

Qi Wendong: “If he really comes back to the team, guess whose exhibition he’ll be working for?”

Qi Xiuyi: “…” His expression quietly improved a little.

Qi Wendong: “He’s working for you for free anyway. What’s wrong with you offering a few soft words as payment?”

Qi Xiuyi was speechless. “…Qi Wendong, I’ve discovered that sometimes, what you say is damn pleasant to hear.”

However, when Qi Xiuyi saw Yu Zhengling the next day at noon in the appointed shop, legs crossed and coldly playing on his phone, he still regretted his promise to Qi Wendong.

Yu Zhengling clearly had an expression that screamed, “Who wants to hear your apology? I was just forced to come by my counselor!” plastered on his face.

Hearing them arrive, he coolly lifted his eyelids, didn’t raise his head, and looked back down to continue playing the MOBA game on his phone.

He didn’t even bother to acknowledge them.

The moment Qi Xiuyi saw him, fire shot to his head.

If Qi Wendong hadn’t grabbed his wrist, his cool fingers pulling him to his side with an undeniable force, he would have甩 his head and left on the spot!

What young man in his early twenties could be given the cold shoulder like this and not get angry?

Qi Xiuyi looked at Qi Wendong beside him in disbelief.

He saw that not only was Qi Wendong not embarrassed, but he also strode forward with a relaxed and natural expression, pulling him directly into the seat opposite the other person.

He greeted him warmly, “Hello, Classmate Zhengling. I’m Xiuyi’s older brother, Qi Wendong.”

Yu Zhengling didn’t look up. “Oh, hello, senior. Hold on, let me finish this round.”

Qi Xiuyi fumed, “You…!”

Qi Wendong pressed him down and said gently, “Alright. No problem, no rush. You play first.”

Then he turned and called out, “Waiter!”

The waiter came over at his call. Qi Wendong took the menu and slowly began to order. With each dish he ordered, he would ask about the flavor and texture, deliberately dragging it out until the very moment the results page popped up on Yu Zhengling’s phone.

Then, without giving Yu Zhengling any chance to start the next round, he smiled and handed the menu to him.

Qi Wendong: “Here, Classmate Zhengling, see what you’d like to eat. Order whatever you want, my treat.”

Yu Zhengling: “.”

Yu Zhengling gave the menu a perfunctory glance and put it aside. “No need.”

Seeing him finally let go of his phone, Qi Wendong picked up a gift bag from his side and, without giving Yu Zhengling any breathing room, pushed it in front of him.

Yu Zhengling: “…”

Yu Zhengling finally raised his head with a blank expression. He had no other intention; he just wanted to see what kind of person could be so thick-skinned and overly familiar.

As a result, he saw a handsome, well-behaved-looking young man with a friendly and gentle smile, looking at him sincerely. “Hello, Classmate Zhengling. I’m so sorry, what Xiuyi said yesterday was indeed inappropriate. I brought him here today to apologize to you.”

One doesn’t hit a smiling face.

Yu Zhengling held back an eye-roll for a long time, not having the heart to let it out.

But accept the apology?

Heh, who were they? After an argument, they go find his counselor to “force” him to meet, and now they want him to accept an apology?

Yu Zhengling was filled with anger. Just as he was about to push the gift back, he heard the well-behaved-looking senior across from him say softly:

“I heard from your counselor that you’re a member of the department’s basketball team, so I went to LN specifically to pick out a sports knee brace. I’m not sure if it’s to your liking.”

Yu Zhengling’s hand, which was about to push the gift away, froze.

Hearing “sports knee brace,” he subconsciously peeked into the bag.

Yo, the new model.

Yu Zhengling: “Oh, thanks…”

Wait.

That’s not right.

This is an apology gift from them. What am I thanking them for?

Yu Zhengling hesitated for a second.

…An apology gift.

Tsk, it was their fault in the first place, so they should indeed apologize!

With that thought, Yu Zhengling accepted the gift with a clear conscience.

But once he took the gift, when the other person immediately started talking, Yu Zhengling suddenly felt too embarrassed to keep playing on his phone or give this innocent senior the cold shoulder.

Damn. I shouldn’t have taken it.

He regretted it for a second, but he didn’t have the face to shove the gift he had just accepted back at them.

Qi Xiuyi: “…”

He chewed on his chopsticks with a blank face, thinking about what Qi Wendong had told him last night while picking out the apology gift: A person’s mouth is soft when they eat someone’s food, and their hands are short when they take someone’s things. Pick a gift the other person can’t refuse, and you’ve already won half the battle.

Heh.

Qi Wendong’s gift magic.

Qi Wendong watched Yu Zhengling opposite him and said in a soft, gentle voice, “Classmate Zhengling, before Xiuyi apologizes to you, I need to apologize to you first. Actually, I was the one who initially proposed this exhibition. I’ve just been too busy recently, so I handed over the organizing work to Xiuyi.”

As he spoke, the waiter brought the dishes.

Qi Wendong unhurriedly served both of them some food, saying, “I wonder if Classmate Zhengling has heard about the City of Museums project that Didu is currently developing? In fact, that was part of the reason we initially decided to prepare this exhibition… Furthermore, the cultural relic resources we have are very rich. To put it bluntly, within the entire Didu area…”

Yu Zhengling: “?”

Yu Zhengling listened as the gentle senior mentioned “city-level event,” “currently in talks with XX Museum,” and something about “planning to launch nationwide”…

It sounded impressive.

If he hadn’t seen how Qi Xiuyi had just grabbed people from the club to hastily form a team, and how they had pieced together the preparation plan, he might have actually believed it!

But now?

You’re telling me this slapdash team is preparing a top-tier cultural relics exhibition for a nationwide launch?

Please, who would believe that!

If Qi Xiuyi had been the one saying this, Yu Zhengling would have rolled his eyes to the heavens by now, not even bothering to pretend.

But the person telling him this now was just so polite and gentle. Yu Zhengling considered himself a polite person too, so he managed to muster a bit more patience, deciding to first hear what the senior had to say.

As if hearing his internal doubt.

Qi Wendong immediately continued, “In my initial plan, I wanted to use the members of the archaeology club as the core personnel for organizing the exhibition. After the application for extracurricular credits is approved, we would then recruit some more students to fill out the team. It seems Xiuyi didn’t explain this idea clearly to you, which caused some misunderstandings. I’m really sorry about that.”

Yu Zhengling finally spoke up on his own accord.

“Huh? It counts for credit?”

He was a little surprised, but then he glanced at Qi Xiuyi beside him, remembered yesterday’s frustrating argument, and immediately “tsked,” saying, “But that has nothing to do with me anymore. I made it clear to him yesterday, I don’t plan to participate in organizing this event anymore. Since there’s credit involved, it should be easy for you to find someone else to do it.”

Qi Wendong smiled gently and said, “Ah, of course. If Classmate Zhengling has made up his mind not to participate, I respect your choice. But before that, I think Classmate Zhengling might want to first hear my vision for this event—”

Without giving Yu Zhengling any time to react, Qi Wendong had already pulled out a pen and paper from somewhere.

Qi Wendong: “In my vision, the entire exhibition preparation team should be subdivided into the following teams… Each team will have a leader responsible for overseeing the corresponding preparatory work… The list of the preparation team will be displayed on the exhibition’s promotional posters, and there will also be a corresponding large display board outside the exhibition hall, listing the contributions of each person in the team… Of course, considering that this exhibition is intended for a nationwide launch…”

As Qi Wendong spoke, he simultaneously drew the corresponding organizational structure and the entire preparation flowchart on his notebook.

His handwriting was neat, and the structure and flowcharts were drawn clearly.

Even without looking at the specific content, just the appearance of it would make one subconsciously feel that this was a professional.

Yu Zhengling actually didn’t remember much of the specific content.

He stared at the boxes and lines on the notebook, and the first reaction that popped into his head was: Holy crap, he’s serious!

So much so that when Qi Wendong once again casually mentioned “launching nationwide,” Yu Zhengling’s mind finally stopped treating it as a joke.

“…As I was just saying, we plan to use the members of the archaeology club as the backbone of the preparation team… I was originally thinking, if Classmate Zhengling is willing, you could serve as the leader of the logistics team, responsible for…”

Yu Zhengling didn’t catch the beginning or the end, only noticing the sentence in the middle: “Huh? I’ll be the team leader?”

Yu Zhengling was astonished.

Qi Wendong had noticed that Yu Zhengling’s expression had flickered when he heard “listing contributions.”

Now he smiled and elaborated on this point, “If Zhengling is willing. At that time, on the list of contributions for the preparation team, the names of the team leaders will be ranked first. Of course, you can choose to use your real name or a nickname. Do you have a preference, Zhengling?”

Yu Zhengling: “Of course, my real name…”

Yu Zhengling: “No, wait. But I’ve never been a class officer or any kind of club manager…”

Yu Zhengling: “And, although what you’re saying sounds nice, I heard he didn’t get the event application approved when he went to the student union before. If the school doesn’t approve it, then what’s the point…”

Yu Zhengling: “Also, you said it’s a nationwide launch. Where will the promotion funds come from? Will the school approve it? Will the list of the preparation team be included in the promotion…”

Qi Xiuyi absently finished the bite of food in his mouth, chewing on the end of his chopsticks without moving for a long time.

He stared fixedly at Yu Zhengling.

The other person had, without realizing it, fallen into Qi Wendong’s linguistic logic. Following Qi Wendong’s lead, he had already started to find reasons for his refusal.

But the more reasons one seeks, doesn’t that just mean that the one “irresistible” point hidden within has been precisely grasped by Qi Wendong?

Qi Xiuyi recalled the few sentences Qi Wendong had said to him yesterday after coming out of the counselor’s office.

“This is a person who cares about face and loves the spotlight.”

“He’s also the easiest type of person in the world to handle.”

“For people like this, as long as you give them a bite to eat, they’ll willingly work for you for a long time for that one bite.”

At the time, he hadn’t immediately understood what Qi Wendong meant. “…What kind of food?”

Qi Wendong had looked back at him with the gaze one uses for a child, the faint smile holding something between gentleness and malice. He answered, saying, “A pie.”

…It really was a pie.

A nationwide launch? Ha, opening to people from outside the university, how could that not be called nationwide?

Responding to Didu’s corresponding construction plans? They had even printed out the documents, how could that not be considered responding?

Team leaders of the preparation sub-teams? Mmm-hmm, but whether they would have any team members under them was a story for another pie.

Thinking it over, Qi Xiuyi realized that from beginning to end, apart from the money for a gift and a meal, the only tangible thing Qi Wendong had produced was his apology and a promotional concept image that hadn’t even been made yet!

Qi Xiuyi vaguely felt that he had come to understand something.

He was lost in his own thoughts, and without realizing it, he was pushed by Qi Wendong through an apology process.

Then, without realizing it, he was led back to the dormitory building.

It wasn’t until they were about to part ways at the stairwell that Qi Wendong, unable to stand it any longer, slapped him on the arm.

Qi Xiuyi snapped back to reality. “Ow! What was that for!”

Qi Wendong leaned against the stairwell, smug and with a smile in his eyes, holding out his hand to him. “The one thousand five hundred we agreed on.”

Qi Xiuyi: “…Why do you only care about your one thousand five hundred?”

Qi Wendong was puzzled. “What else? Should I care about you? Hurry up, don’t tell me you’re going to go back on your word over this little bit of money?”

Qi Xiuyi muttered as he took out his phone, “Who’s going back on their word? I’m not that petty over this much money…”

As he opened Pafubao to enter the amount and transfer the money, his mind absently replayed the events of the day.

After the other party had completely fallen into Qi Wendong’s verbal trap, the two of them had chatted at the table for another hour about logistics preparation issues.

Guided by Qi Wendong, Yu Zhengling had actually come up with quite a few ideas for the logistics work.

Regardless of whether these ideas were mature or not, the act of “proactively proposing ideas” itself was enough to overturn his evaluation of the other party from yesterday.

…It was clearly the same person.

But how could his work attitude towards him be so different from his work attitude towards Qi Wendong?

Lost in thought, Qi Xiuyi accidentally added an extra zero to the amount. He pressed his fingerprint several times, but the payment failed.

It was only when Qi Wendong leaned over and waved his hand in front of his face several times that Qi Xiuyi snapped back to reality.

Qi Wendong: “What, you’re so impressed that you want to give me ten times the reward?”

Qi Xiuyi: “…”

If Qi Xiuyi were to say he wasn’t impressed now, it would indeed sound a bit hollow.

But he was very stubborn and couldn’t bring himself to bow down to Qi Wendong.

So his voice lacked confidence, yet he still said, “What’s there to be proud of, Qi Wendong? I’ll definitely win this one thousand five hundred back in the next exam!”

Qi Wendong let out a “ha.” “Whether you can win it back is one thing. Whether you’ll get into another argument, get blocked, and come crying to me for help in a couple of days is another.”

The smile in Qi Wendong’s eyes hadn’t faded. In the stairwell, bathed in the afternoon sun, he looked particularly alluring.

The kind of alluring that could make someone fall into a trap without even realizing it.

Qi Xiuyi wondered if he had been the one sitting opposite Qi Wendong, would he, like Yu Zhengling, have been led eight thousand miles away without realizing a thing?

Qi Xiuyi pressed his lips together tightly, looked away, and stared at the tips of his shoes, letting out a low humph. “You just wait and see, Qi Wendong. I’ll definitely make this exhibition a success! And then, and then…”

And then what?

Qi Xiuyi hadn’t figured that out either.

That night, Qi Xiuyi lay in bed, wide awake.

He tossed and turned, unable to sleep, his clear mind replaying everything Qi Wendong had done over the past two days.

Breaking it down, thinking, and then analyzing.

It wasn’t until the latter half of the night, when his mind grew drowsy and hazy.

His blurry mind couldn’t help but think, what if… he could become Qi Wendong?

If he could learn this trick of Qi Wendong’s, would the remaining people, like the Yu Zhengling who believed in Qi Wendong today, also believe in him?

His mind grew drowsier.

His mind grew blurrier.

His mind quietly drifted, recalling the way Qi Wendong spoke to others in a soft, gentle voice…

Qi Wendong…

Qi Wendong.

If only Qi Wendong could be this gentle with him too…

As the morning light first appeared, Qi Xiuyi, unsure where his thoughts had ultimately led him, finally fell into a deep sleep.