Tempest of the Battlefield
chapter-42

Chapter 42: Hu Yangxuan's Ploy

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Tehrn

"What an uncouth clown."

"He looks like someone from our school… Golly gee! I think he is!" a girl exclaimed with surprise.

"Your school couldn't set its bar lower. No need to take your study too seriously, babe. Try to have fun first. If you are with me, you won't need to worry about finding a job in the future anyway."

"After I graduate, I will have to be counting on you for everything, you better not forget that."

The conversation had disturbed Wang Tong's peace and forced him to agree with Samantha's scathing methods. This scene of decadence was a stark contrast to Ayrlarng's former glory, in which graduates had been nothing but elites of the society. In a fit of uncontrollable anguish, Wang Tong stood up to interrupt the couple's conversation, but someone else was one step ahead of him.

"Mister, be careful of what goes in and out of your mouth, no one wants to smell that bad breath." He then turned toward the girl. "Do you know me?"

"Hu Yangxuan?" The girl was pleasantly surprised. The man beside her tasted envoy in his mouth and asked, "Babe, who the hell is this guy?"

"Fellow sister, why lower your standards and settle for a sugar daddy? He is not going to look after you for the rest of your life. Ditch him now, I will help you find a job." Hu Yangxuan wore a broad and candid smile.

"Hey, who the hell are you? Do you know who I am? Have you heard of the Real-Big? That is my dad's company!"

"Real-Big!" Hu Yangxuan feinted a gasp as if he was shocked by the name. Mr. Real-Big Jr. took the bait and allowed smug to creep onto the comers of his mouth.

"No, never heard of it," Hu Yangxuan suddenly changed his tone and snipped away Mr. Real-Big Jr.'s budding ego cold turkey. He then tossed a business card on the table, "Take this, fellow sister, as a token of my promise. "

"What a garbage..."Mr. Real-Big Jr.’s wrath was cut short by the girl as she quickly snatched up the business card which in itself would worth over ten thousand credits. Compared to Hu YangXuan's family business, there was nothing big about the Real-Big. Mr. Real-Big Jr. had caught a glimpse of a few letters on the card: "KC Corp.", and he choked back his pride immediately.

"You know where the door is, get out before I want to bankrupt you," Hu Yangxuan said it seemingly lightheartedly. Mr. Real-Big Jr., on the other hand, had turned gloomy; he knew Hu Yangxuan could do it if he really wanted to.

"I had enough of this women; you can have her if you want." Mr. Real-Big Jr. shriveled like a deflated balloon.

Hu Yangxuan ignored him. Instead, he turned to the girl and said, "Fellow sister, if you want to make a spectacle of yourself, don't drag Ayrlarng's name with you. Have some self-respect please."

Hu Yangxuan let the matter rest as he watched the girl scurried out of the restaurant, still holding his business card tightly in her hand. He would deliver his promise and help her find a job, but it would be up to herself to improve her moral bearing.

It was a welcoming sight to Wang Tong as he sat down to enjoy his feast once again.

"Wang Tong, do you mind if I join you? All that venting had made me forget how hungry I was."

"Ha! Not at all. You are lucky today, it's all on me! Don't miss this rare opportunity!" Wang Tong smiled. After seeing what had just happened, Wang Tong's feeling toward Hu Yangxuan had improved significantly.

"I am honored, thank you!"

Hu Yangxuan started to help himself with the meal, although he was eating as much as Wang Tong, his table manner was more polished thanks to the cultured environment in which he grew up.

Two of them picked the table clean in just ten minutes. Wang Tong rubbed his mouth and patted his bulged belly, "That was a good show you put on, and rightfully so."

"I am glad you liked it, would you consider a kind donation then?" Hu Yangxuan deflected the topic of the conversation, alluding to his real intention.

Wang Tong watched as Hu Yangxuan dappled his mouth with a piece of clean napkin, and sensed that something was lurking behind the words. Hu Yangxuan's appearance today must not have been coincident.

Wang Tong cheered up and said, "You are trying to rob a beggar."

"Just kidding. I am here today to challenge you." Hu Yangxuan's face suddenly became serious.

"Oh, what of me made you want to do that?"

"Everyone knows that I am here for Ma Xiaoru. Furthermore, I am not after her inheritance, I truly like her just the way she is. A girl like her is hard to find so I would not give up so easily. If I were in Capth or Yalden, I would have too many opponents, but here in Ayrlarng, I have only one." Hu Yangxuan stared directly into Wang Tong's eyes.

"I am flattered. Aren't you afraid that your praise would boost my confidence, and I might as well make a move on Ma Xiaoru, even though I might have never thought of it?"

"Haha, Wang Tong, I wouldn't be here if you hadn't thought of it. Don't overlook my ability to pick up on things."

"Fine, I did think of making a move on her, but the fact that you knew it wouldn't deter me the slightest. You might as well assume that I do and keep it to yourself."

"Hehe. To assume is to make an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me'. I never liked guessing games, neither could I keep anything to myself. You would know that if you knew me well. Anyhow, lately I have felt as if I have come to a dead end, competition might shake things up a little bit. A change is as good as a rest after all."

Wang Tong felt that what he said seemed convincing; almost too convincing. As far as Wang Tong knew, only children and fools told the truth, but Hu Yangxuan was neither.

Hu Yangxuan's strenuous efforts had failed to draw Ma Xiaoru's attention. He, therefore, decided to shift gear and publicly compete with Ma Xiaoru's current interest, Wang Tong. Hu Yangxuan was convinced that he has everything that Ma Xiaoru was looking for: strength, personality, talents, and look. In comparison, Wang Tong's only advantage was his mysterious façade which would eventually fade away over time.

"I won't give up what I have started." Wang Tong threw a searing glance at Hu Yangxuan. Ma Xiaoru had already won his heart, not because of her glaring family name, but her personality. She seemed meek at first glance, but her words were often laced with rebellious spirits. She perhaps was innocent to the bone, but the effect of the Tactics of the Enchantress had shrouded her actions under a veil of mystery. She was the embodiment of a tantalizing riddle, enchanting in her unique ways. Not to mention her angel's face and devil's body which would make any boy's heartache.

Generally speaking, there would be only two types of reactions to a girl like her among the male students: admiration and the feeling of inferiority. The first would drive them into action, and the second would make them crying over their slim chance. Most male students in Ayrlarng had chosen the latter; they worshiped Ma Xiaoru but dared not to approach her. On the contrary, Hu Yangxuan had chosen to be proactive thanks to his self-confidence. However, Wang Tong was neither. Although he acknowledged the gap between him and Ma Xiaoru, he also wondered if Ma Xiaoru would truly live up to her reputation. He would not care the difficulties nor the differences, as long as she could prove herself worthy.

After having escaped the death's clutch on Norton, Wang Tong learned to measure people on a much deeper level.