Chapter 141 — Old Buffon's Origins
Years of Heartflutter · Page 19 of 214
Well, a shill was fine. That hardly mattered. The key was that the man had not exposed him, which spared him embarrassment in front of Zhao Ying. True, whom he came with had little to do with Zhao Ying, but deep down Yang Juehuan still did not want to spoil the mood.
"Want to give it a try?" Yang Ce turned and asked Zhao Ying.
"I'd better not," Zhao Ying said, shaking her head. "I'm a little scared. But I'd like to watch you climb."
"All right, then. I'll win you a big prize," Yang Yuting said with a nod.
"Bragging," Zhao Ying said, unconvinced. "I saw the introduction on TV. It's very hard. Hardly anyone can make it to the top."
"That's not certain. Isn't that right, boss?" Yang Heng said, turning to the organizer beside him.
"Ha ha, that's right. Who knows, the gentleman may well take a big prize," the organizer said with a smile and a nod.
"Then I'll take you at your word," Yang Ce said. He signed the agreement with the organizer, then went to warm up.
The first moment Wang Daguang laid eyes on Yang Juehuan, he recognized him. He looked at Yang Ce, then at Zhao Ying beside him, and a wave of irritation rose in him for no reason at all.
Damn it. So what if you're a bit capable? You can't come here every day. Isn't this just putting on a show? And with a different pretty girl every damn day.
Wang Daguang was exactly the kind of man who could least bear to see another do better than himself. And because of Yang Ce's performance yesterday, today he had not only shelled out two hundred yuan but had to suffer here on top of it.
So he aimed all his fury and resentment at Yang Juehuan. If not for Yang Ce, he would not be enduring this misery here.
Watching Yang Ce limber up his hands and feet over there, Wang Daguang grew angrier still. Damn you. You're so good, are you? Just you wait.
When it came time to climb, Wang Daguang chose the wall beside Yang Ce's. Why? Because the descent rope ran along the edge of that wall. In Wang Daguang's mind a nasty plan took shape.
Since you made my woman force me into this miserable business, I'll give you one go and let you learn the fate of a show-off struck by lightning. Of course, he dared not provoke the man openly; he could only pass it off as an accident.
Driven by the resolve to teach Yang Juehuan a lesson, Wang Daguang actually scrambled up quite briskly, zip zip. He felt smug—it seemed he really did have a talent for climbing.
Yang Ce climbed above, and Zhao Ying began to worry. A moment ago she had only been in a playful mood, wanting to see Yang Ce climb for her. But now that she was truly there on the spot, watching Yang Ce directly overhead, she could not help being afraid.
How could she have sent Yang Ce off to play such a dangerous game? Zhao Ying felt somewhat guilty. She could have just watched how other people did it—why send Yang Ce up?
Just as she was worrying, a sight more hair-raising still unfolded. The other climber beside Yang Ce—Wang Daguang—suddenly let his hand slip, then pitched downward.
But Wang Daguang had planned it all in advance; the whole thing was an act. In an instant he seized the rope at his side and swung toward Yang Juehuan. "Ah! Help! Help!" Feigning panic, he flailed his hands at Yang Ce, his legs kicking back and forth without pause—every grab and every kick aimed straight at Yang Ce. "Yang Ce!" Zhao Ying was frantic now. What was wrong with this man? If you're going to fall, just fall—why grab at Yang Ce? Do you mean to drag him down with you?
In her alarm she forgot the danger and rushed toward Yang Ce. At first Yang Ce truly thought the fellow beside him had lost his grip and was about to fall, and he made ready to help him. But in the next instant he sensed something was wrong.
There was no panic in the man's eyes—only excitement, a perverse excitement, and beyond that, jealousy and gloating. And when he saw that every grab and every kick came straight at him, Yang Ce understood it all.