Lin Hai hadn’t fully woken up yet when his phone started ringing.
“Boss, I need to report something to you. Yesterday, together with the Meimeida Cosmetics Company…”
“Stop, stop, stop!” Lin Hai quickly cut off Chen Yan’s words. “From now on, don’t report things like this to me. You can just make the decisions yourself.”
Lin Hai didn’t know the first thing about doing business, and he really couldn’t be bothered to worry about it.
“Well, Boss, there’s also something about the promotion budget for the new facial mask…”
“Oh, alright, alright. Just remember one thing: except when it’s time to split the profits, don’t come looking for me at any other time. You can make all the decisions on your own.”
After saying that, Lin Hai hung up the phone directly.
All he had to do was wait for the money, right? As for everything else, who cares? Anyway, he and Ye Ziyu were splitting the earnings—if Ye Ziyu made money, so did he; if Ye Ziyu lost money, well… it didn’t seem like he’d lose anything himself.
Turning over, Lin Hai got ready to go back to sleep.
“Holy crap!” Lin Hai turned his head and got the shock of his life.
There was Chu Liner, holding her chin in both hands, gazing at him with affectionate, mesmerizing big eyes, blinking softly, as tender as water.
“What are you trying to do? Let me tell you, even if you try to force yourself on me, big brother here won’t give in.” Lin Hai crossed his arms over his chest, pretending to look scared.
“Oh, stop it.” Chu Liner wasn’t annoyed at all. Instead, she shot him a charming, seductive glance.
Whoa, if something’s out of the ordinary, there’s definitely something fishy going on!
“Hey, what exactly are you up to? Let me tell you, don’t try any tricks on big brother!”
“Lin Hai, big brother,” Chu Liner pouted her little lips and called out in a sweet, affected voice.
“Oh my god, that gave me chills.” Lin Hai broke out in goosebumps all over.
“Hey, can you talk normally? The way you’re acting right now is really creepy.”
“Lin Hai, big brother, could you do me a favor?” Chu Liner said, acting coy.
“What kind of favor? If it involves sacrificing my good looks, don’t even bother asking.” Lin Hai said with a wary look on his face.
“You don’t have any good looks to sacrifice!” Chu Liner was so angry inside that her teeth itched, but she really needed Lin Hai’s help, so she had to hold back for now.
“Lin Hai, big brother, I don’t want to play Gomoku anymore. Can you get me a different game?”
“Whoa, so you’ve finally gotten tired of it.” Lin Hai was shocked. Just yesterday, she was hopelessly addicted, and today she’s already bored.
“It’s mainly because I have no opponents left. A master is lonely.” Chu Liner shook her head.
Pfft!
Seriously? No opponents? A master feeling lonely?
Did you even ask big brother before saying that?
Lin Hai immediately felt offended.
Big brother here is known as the Little Prince of Gomoku in class. I’ve beaten every single girl in class without losing once. And even I haven’t dared to say anything about a master being lonely. You’ve only been playing for a few days?
Besides, you’ve just been playing against bots—those are all brain-dead opponents. At best, you’re the best among the brain-dead.
“Hey, you’re pretty cocky, aren’t you, little miss?” Lin Hai sat up straight, no longer planning to sleep.
“I’m telling the truth. Starting from the second day I played, I haven’t lost a single round.” Chu Liner proudly puffed out her little chest.
“So, do you dare to play a round with big brother?” Lin Hai shot her a provocative glance.
“Play with you? How would we play?” Chu Liner looked confused.
“Play online?” Lin Hai said, looking at her like she was clueless.
“What does ‘online’ mean?” Chu Liner was even more baffled.
Pfft!
“You… you don’t know what ‘online’ means?” Lin Hai’s eyes went wide as saucers.
Chu Liner shook her head, her face full of bewilderment.
Geez, no wonder this girl was having so much fun playing against bots every day. She didn’t even know about playing online.
“Give me your phone.” Lin Hai held out his hand.
“Oh.” Chu Liner thought Lin Hai was going to install a new game for her, so she quickly handed over her phone obediently.
Lin Hai directly opened Gomoku and created a game room.
“Here, take it.” Lin Hai tossed the phone back to Chu Liner, then grabbed his own phone, opened Gomoku, and entered the room.
“Come on, let’s start.” Lin Hai said to Chu Liner.
“Huh? Isn’t this ‘Little Carefree Wanderer’ you?” Chu Liner looked at the name of the person she was playing against and was amazed.
Lin Hai rolled his eyes. “Obviously, I told you I’d play a round with you. Who else would it be?”
“Oh, wait, let me see what your name is?” Lin Hai suddenly looked like he’d discovered a whole new world.
“Gentle, Cute, Adorable Little Liner?”
Pfft!
Lin Hai burst out laughing.
“Hahaha, that’s hilarious. Let me ask you, sis: in what way are you gentle or cute? And ‘adorable’? Oh my god, I can’t take it…”
“Hey, are you done or not? In what way am I not gentle? In what way am I not cute? I am adorable, you know.” Chu Liner put her hands on her hips, pouted her little lips, and said angrily.
“Alright, alright, you’re adorable, adorable…” Lin Hai said while laughing.
“Hmph, you annoying jerk!” Chu Liner wrinkled her little nose at Lin Hai. “Didn’t you want to play against me, Your Highness? Hurry up and start!”
Lin Hai had a thought. This Chu Liner had only ever played against bots. Winning against her would be almost certain. If he didn’t add some stakes to the game, it would be a waste.
“Princess Liner, aren’t you claiming to be unbeatable? How about we make a little bet before we start?” Lin Hai squinted his eyes and coaxed her like a sly old wolf.
“Sure, sure! What are we betting?” Chu Liner’s eyes lit up with excitement.
Lin Hai thought, wow, looks like this girl is a gambler at heart.
“How about this: if I win, you’ll give me a treasure from your Underworld.”
“And if I win?” Chu Liner tilted her little head.
“You win?” Lin Hai shook his head. “Kid, you’re dreaming too big.”
“Hey, what do you mean by that? Are you looking down on me, Your Highness? I’ve won hundreds of rounds in a row without losing. There’s no way I can’t beat someone as obviously dim-witted as you.”
Lin Hai’s face darkened. Who the hell said big brother looks obviously dim-witted?
“Fine, if you win, that means your Gomoku skills have reached master level, and I’ll get you a new game.”
“Yay, that’s great! Start, start!” Chu Liner urged excitedly.
Less than five minutes later.
Lin Hai: You lost.
Chu Liner: Hmph, this round doesn’t count. Let’s play again!
Another five minutes later.
Lin Hai: You lost again.
Chu Liner: I, Your Highness, wasn’t paying attention. This round doesn’t count either. Let’s go again.
Still less than five minutes later.
Lin Hai: You’ve got nothing to say this time, right?
Chu Liner: Ah, you’re driving me crazy! You’re too sneaky, so this round doesn’t count. Let’s restart.
Lin Hai was sweating profusely!
Seriously? That’s just cheating! Every time she loses, she wants a do-over. When will this ever end?
…
An hour passed.
Lin Hai lay on the bed, yawning.
Lin Hai: So, Princess Liner, what’s the excuse this time?
Chu Liner: I, um, suddenly missed my mom, so I got distracted. This round doesn’t count. Let’s start over.
“Oh, brother.” Lin Hai held his forehead in frustration. Seriously? That works too?
“Fine, bring it on! Do you think I’m scared of you? Big brother will beat you until you have nothing to say!” Lin Hai’s stubborn side kicked in.
A moment later.
“I just missed my dad. Doesn’t count.”
“I just missed my aunt. Let’s restart!”
“I, um, missed my auntie again. This round doesn’t count either.”
…
“I, um, missed my fourth aunt’s second uncle’s third cousin’s seventh brother’s sister-in-law…”
Pfft!
Lin Hai sprayed out a mouthful of blood.
There’s no way to keep playing like this.
