Wu Маngmаng wаs someоnе whо didn’t саre about аnуthing. She was likе the barеfооt оnе unаfraid of thе one wearing shoes—shе hаd no mоneу, nо роwer, аnd аt wоrst, shе’d just tаke а bullet.
So when it саme timе to sign the agrеement, Wu Мangmang’s hаnd didn’t еvеn trеmblе.
Ning Zhеng lоoked аt Wu Мangmаng. Тhе sunlight todаy wаs dаzzling, spilling ovеr hеr faсe as if scаttered with fleсks оf gоld, making hеr skin appеаr сrystаllinе аnd trаnsluсеnt. Hеr shоrt pоnytаil swayеd gentlу in thе аir, the littlе сurl аt thе end like a fishing hоok.
This was like Jiang Тaigong fishing—onlу the willing would tаke thе bаit.
Ning Zheng сouldn’t help but poke Wu Mangmang’s ponytail, watching it sway in the air, and felt satisfied.
Wu Mangmang swatted Ning Zheng’s hand away. “What are you doing?” Her hair had just reached her shoulders, and when tied into a ponytail, it looked like a rabbit’s tail—short and stubby. Wu Mangmang was quite dissatisfied with it, but for the sake of the field exercise, she had no choice. After all, she needed to keep things neat and tidy.
Ning Zheng raised an eyebrow and asked, “Signing so readily, aren’t you afraid?”
Wu Mangmang thought for a moment before quoting a classic line: “The world bustles for profit; the world hustles for gain. Since there’s nothing to gain from me, what is there to fear?”
Ning Zheng let out a mischievous laugh.
Wu Mangmang immediately understood his meaning and looked at him. “You wouldn’t stoop that low, would you?”
Ning Zheng thought for a moment before replying, “No.”
Everyone here was someone of status. If word got out about bullying, he wouldn’t be able to hold his head up in this city. Besides, everyone participating in the live-action combat had some background.
“Then I have even less to fear,” Wu Mangmang said.
After signing the agreement with the organizing committee, Ning Zheng helped Wu Mangmang with her luggage as they went to the front desk to collect their room keys.
On the way, Ning Zheng asked curiously, “By the way, if we’re not on the same team and you capture me, what would you do?”
Wu Mangmang didn’t even need to think about this answer. “I’ve already decided—all my captives will have to strip down to their underwear and sing ‘Conquest.’”
The thought of this hilarious scene made Wu Mangmang laugh.
In fact, she had also imagined another scenario: if she could capture Lu Sui, she would make him kneel on the ground, kowtow to her, and respectfully call her “Mom” three times.
Wu Mangmang was so amused by her own fantasy that she couldn’t stop laughing.
Ning Zheng thought Wu Mangmang was a real fool. If the stakes were so trivial, the annual field exercise wouldn’t attract so many wealthy participants.
“It starts tomorrow. Be careful. If someone else captures you, they won’t just make you sing ‘Conquest,’” Ning Zheng reminded Wu Mangmang.
“Don’t worry. I’d rather die than be captured,” Wu Mangmang said.
Wu Mangmang had already made up her mind. Since she had nothing to lose, dying was no big deal. Others were willing to be captured because they held onto the hope of being rescued by their teammates, as only the living victors could claim the prize.
Wu Mangmang and Ning Zheng were among the earlier arrivals. After working out in the resort’s gym for a while, Wu Mangmang took a shower and went downstairs for dinner. It was then that she saw Lu Sui, Shen Ting, and Shen Yuanzi walking through the resort’s main entrance together.
Ning Zheng led Wu Mangmang over to greet them. “Why are you all so late? Hurry up and choose your teams. Once the teams are finalized, we can strategize tonight.”Shen Yuanzi looked at Ning Zheng and Wu Mangmang with a faint, ambiguous smile, her gaze sweeping over them before she turned her chin away.
Ning Zheng was long accustomed to the haughty temperament of Miss Shen.
"If the few of us are in the same team, this match should be pretty much a foregone conclusion, right?" Ning Zheng said.
Lu Sui and the other two filled out forms at the organizing committee, then proceeded to choose teams. Generally, the teams they selected wouldn’t be adjusted, but to balance the strength of both sides, the organizing committee would make minor adjustments, mainly concerning the female players, striving for an even distribution.
Watching Lu Sui sign his name under the "Storm" team column, Ning Zheng immediately asked, "Lu Sui, what do you mean by this?"
Lu Sui turned to look at Ning Zheng and said, "What’s the point of a match with no suspense? It’s all just for fun anyway."
What the hell, Ning Zheng thought to himself. He had come here to win.
Since Lu Sui had already signed, Ning Zheng could only cast a pleading glance toward Shen Ting. Shen Ting glanced at his sister, and indeed, blood ties prevailed—he also chose the Storm team.
Shen Yuanzi, of course, unquestionably chose the Storm team.
"Yuanzi." A male voice sounded from behind the group.
Wu Mangmang only wished she had some melon seeds in hand. Watching a show without melon seeds was like watching a movie without popcorn—it lacked half the fun.
Because the person who had arrived was none other than Shen Yuanzi’s current fiancé, Ning Zheng’s half-brother—Ning Heng.
"Big brother." Ning Heng walked over and nodded toward Ning Zheng, casually wrapping an arm around his fiancée Shen Yuanzi’s waist.
Now that Ning Heng had been promoted by the Ning family and had taken up the position of executive president of Ning Corporation—the very position Ning Zheng once held—his presence and demeanor were entirely different from before.
Ning Zheng gave a slight nod. "You’re here too?"
Even so, Ning Zheng’s gaze was fixed on Lu Sui, probably unable to understand why his best friends had collectively betrayed him.
After all, he and Ning Heng were essentially in a life-or-death struggle.
Lu Sui didn’t speak, not even sparing Ning Zheng a glance. He took out a fountain pen and lowered his head to sign the agreement.
The crisp sound of "tap, tap, tap" echoed on the marble floor of the hall. Wu Mangmang turned her head to see that it was Lu Sui’s girlfriend, Zhao Xinyun.
However, this time Zhao Xinyun did not walk up and cling to Lu Sui’s arm.
Wu Mangmang puffed out her cheeks, bored, and poked at her face with her index finger.
"Lu Sui." Zhao Xinyun called out.
Lu Sui looked up, put away his pen, and nodded at Zhao Xinyun.
"I’m sorry for saying some things I shouldn’t have last time," Zhao Xinyun said gracefully.
"I didn’t take it to heart," Lu Sui replied.
Wu Mangmang watched the two of them, thinking, isn’t this how ex-boyfriends and girlfriends should normally behave when they meet?
By comparison, she seemed to fall short. She and Lu Sui were both trying hard to pretend they hadn’t seen each other.
Wu Mangmang thought to herself that next time they met, she should also step forward and greet him openly and gracefully.
After Lu Sui and his group left, Wu Mangmang noticed which team Zhao Xinyun had chosen—the Lightning team, which was the same as hers.
Wu Mangmang couldn’t quite understand why Zhao Xinyun hadn’t chosen the same team as Lu Sui. It was clear that Miss Zhao still had lingering feelings for Lu Sui. Though she acted gracefully, the lingering tenderness in her eyes couldn’t be hidden.After dinner, Wu Mangmang avoided Ning Zheng and ran back to the organizing committee's table to ask, "Can I switch teams?"
"Sorry, Miss Wu, all team members have already been finalized."
Truth be told, Wu Mangmang hadn't held much hope. Even if the organizing committee agreed, she wouldn't get past Ning Zheng. This poor soul was just too pitiful.
Flirtatious and fickle, he was finally getting his comeuppance.
The reason Wu Mangmang had come to try her luck despite knowing it was futile was mainly because her intuition told her that crossing paths with Lu Sui wouldn't lead to anything good.
Now, she could only leave it to fate.
That night, Wu Mangmang went to bed early to conserve her energy.
But she was woken up by a call from Ning Zheng. "Are you asleep? Want to come down for a drink?"
Wu Mangmang took a deep breath to suppress her anger. "I was already dreaming. What do you think?"
Ning Zheng chuckled softly on the other end of the line. "Come down and keep me company for a bit, okay?"
"No." Wu Mangmang hung up without hesitation.
Just as she was about to fall asleep again, Ning Zheng's call woke her once more. When a man resorted to playing the sympathy card, it was truly pitiable.
"Mangmang, come down and sit with me for a bit. Just half an hour. I'm feeling awful. What do you think Lu Sui and Shen Ting meant by that?" Ning Zheng hiccupped drunkenly.
This time, Wu Mangmang didn't hang up. She sat up quietly, already having a vague idea of the reason behind it all.
But she wasn't entirely sure. After all, thinking that way might seem a bit too self-absorbed.
Feeling a twinge of guilt, Wu Mangmang went downstairs to see Ning Zheng.
She found him in the first-floor bar, already slightly tipsy.
"Stop drinking. We're heading into the mountains tomorrow," Wu Mangmang said.
Ning Zheng turned his head and said, "Don't talk. Just sit with me."
He hung his head, looking utterly dejected.
Wu Mangmang wisely kept quiet, obediently sitting beside him and playing on her phone. The mini-game Du Yuntao had given her wasn't finished yet anyway.
After waiting for a long time without hearing a single comforting word from Wu Mangmang, Ning Zheng sighed. "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Wu Mangmang glanced at him, her expression clearly saying, "Are you schizophrenic?"
"With nerves as thick as yours, no wonder Lu Sui broke up with you," Ning Zheng grumbled irritably.
Wu Mangmang put away her phone and stood up. She must have been out of her mind to feel sorry for Ning Zheng.
If he wanted to die under the peony, let him be a ghost of romance. He was the one digging his own grave. What did it have to do with her, right?
Ning Zheng grabbed her wrist. "Alright, alright, don't go. It's my fault. But your temper is a bit too fiery, isn't it? When you were with Lu Sui, you seemed quite docile."
Wu Mangmang frowned, wondering why Ning Zheng kept bringing up Lu Sui.
"Are you gay? Have you actually been secretly in love with Lu Sui all along?" Wu Mangmang asked bluntly.
Ning Zheng laughed. "You'd have to ask my ex-girlfriends about that."
Wu Mangmang sneered. "That doesn't necessarily prove anything. Otherwise, why are you so heartbroken just because Lu Sui isn't on your team? You look like you've lost your parents."
Ning Zheng glared at her. "Can you watch your words?"
Wu Mangmang couldn't be bothered to humor him any longer and tried to leave again, only to be yanked back by Ning Zheng, nearly falling onto his lap."I know Lu Sui's stance. With Shěn Yuànzǐ caught in the middle, he can't openly take sides. Besides, the matter between me and Ning Heng is between us, and I don't want Lu Sui or Shen Ting getting involved," Ning Zheng said.
If you're so clear about it, then why the hell are you drinking away your sorrows? Wu Mangmang couldn't help rolling her eyes.
"A lady shouldn't roll her eyes so casually," Ning Zheng said, poking her cheek.
Wu Mangmang slapped his hand away. "Keep your hands to yourself."
Ning Zheng looked hurt. "Mangmang, when do you think I can become official?"
Wu Mangmang was at a loss for words.
Ning Zheng also knew his past was a major stumbling block. He leaned in closer and asked again, "If we win this time, can you agree to make me official?"
"I'm sorry, Ning—" Before Wu Mangmang could finish, Ning Zheng silenced her with a kiss.
Wu Mangmang pushed him away and reflexively raised her hand, but before she could strike, both she and Ning Zheng saw Lu Sui and Shen Ting standing before them.
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