Chapter 13: Truth or Dare

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Upon hearing the answer, Bai Yu frowned, feeling a bit suspicious. The private dining room was equipped with a constant temperature and humidity system, so how could it be cold? Suddenly, she glanced at the man opposite her, whose aura was lazily noble and aloof—such a presence could easily rank among the elite even in the entertainment industry. Inspiration struck her. Her good friend was probably experiencing the stirrings of spring, having taken a liking to Chu Linchen sitting across from her and now acting coquettish. But just looking at this man’s appearance alone, he completely outshone that scoundrel Si Qinyu by a mile, not to mention his status... Hm, familiar face, yet Bai Yu just couldn’t recall exactly who he was.
“Qiqi, what’s his background?” Bai Yu whispered.
“Chu Linchen.”
Lu Qiqi parted her red lips and uttered the three words. Bai Yu’s body stiffened instantly; she remembered who he was—Chu Linchen! Anyone who followed financial news even slightly would know of him. As a lawyer herself, Bai Yu was well aware that Chu’s family cases were usually off-limits. She couldn’t avoid respecting that. Immediately, her gaze toward Chu Linchen grew warmer. He was wealthy, handsome, and had maintained a spotless reputation all these years. Such an ascetic-type man—if Lu Qiqi could end up with him, not only would it be a perfect match, but it would also be a crushing defeat for Si Qinyu. Thinking this, she pressed her lips together to suppress a smile and leaned toward Lu Qiqi’s ear, lowering her voice. “Good eye. Leave it to me!”
“Ah?”
Lu Qiqi was taken aback and didn’t quite understand what she meant. Her eyes widened, lips parted slightly like a startled kitten. Chu Linchen, observing this, felt as if a feather lightly brushed his heart.
“Hmm, just eating is a bit dull. How about we play a game—Truth or Dare? Everyone’s young here, no reason to be so solemn, right?” Bai Yu enthusiastically proposed.
Lu Qiqi hesitated; she felt that playing such a game with Chu Linchen might be a bit awkward, but she couldn’t let down her good friend’s face. So she said, “I have no objection. Let’s see what Mr. Chu thinks.”
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She was sure Chu Linchen wouldn’t be interested in such childish games. Sure enough, Chu Linchen showed no enthusiasm. Even sitting with three beautiful women in a private room, he exuded an aura of coldness that kept strangers at bay. Upon hearing Bai Yu’s suggestion, his expression remained completely unchanged.
“You all go ahead, I won’t...”
Before he finished, Qin Xi tugged on his sleeve, acting coquettishly.
“Brother Chen, don’t be like that. Come join us! I really want to play with you. Besides, we can’t let Bai Lady and Miss Lu lose face, right? Please~”
Qin Xi was hoping to use this chance to deepen her connection with Chu Linchen. In the room, Lu Qiqi was already married and posed no threat. Bai Yu was just a junior lawyer with no real competition, so Qin Xi didn’t take her seriously.
Seeing the hopeful, slightly reddened gleam in Qin Xi’s eyes, Chu Linchen’s heart softened somewhat. Perhaps that night when he had bullied her, she had looked just like this.
He relaxed against the chair, lips parting slightly. “Alright, how do we play?”
Bai Yu thought for a moment and called the waiter over to bring some red wine. While waiting, she announced the rules.
“I’ll be the judge. When the bottle’s neck points to someone, that lucky person must choose truth or dare. If they fail, they have to drink as punishment. No quitting, and no lying—deal?”
She glanced at everyone, and seeing their nods of agreement, she smiled secretly and winked at Lu Qiqi, signaling “Leave it to me.”
The wine arrived. Bai Yu randomly spun a bottle on the table. The neck pointed at Qin Xi.
“Truth or dare?” Bai Yu asked.
Qin Xi glanced at Chu Linchen, cheeks flushing, but still smiled coyly. “Truth.”
“Are you single?”
This was Bai Yu’s biggest concern. She had noticed how clingy Qin Xi was with Chu Linchen. Though no one had heard of him having a girlfriend, what if they had just started dating? Bai Yu wanted to match Lu Qiqi with Chu Linchen, so this was a crucial bottom line; any misunderstanding would be disastrous.
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Qin Xi’s expression changed slightly upon hearing the question. Her hand clenched tightly beneath the table. She quickly glanced at Chu Linchen, wanting to deny it but hesitating.
After some hesitation, her sparkling eyes filled with hope and affection fixed on Chu Linchen as she whispered, “I’m still single for now, but I do have someone I admire.”
Bai Yu breathed a sigh of relief. She raised an eyebrow—so it was unrequited love after all. That made sense; someone like Chu Linchen was an untouchable beauty, not easily won.
“Let’s continue. Mr. Chu, truth or dare?” Bai Yu pressed on, spinning the bottle again, which stopped pointing at Chu Linchen.
He poured himself a glass of red wine, swirled it lightly in his hand, and said calmly, “Truth.”
Seeing this, Bai Yu’s mind raced to think of the perfect question. Chu Linchen’s status and appearance were impeccable, and he had maintained his integrity all these years. Surely no hidden issues?
Tsk tsk, exposing scoundrels was important, but her friend’s happiness came first. With a mischievous smile, she asked a somewhat bold question, “May I ask how many times a night?”
“Cough, cough...” Lu Qiqi almost choked on her drink. She hadn’t expected Bai Yu to be so fierce, unleashing such a big question right away. Afraid Chu Linchen would get angry, she quickly tugged Bai Yu’s sleeve and tried to save face for her. “That’s a bit too much. How about a different question?”
“What’s there to change? We’re all adults playing a game. It’s not like anyone can’t handle it, right, Mr. Chu?” Bai Yu laughed confidently, unfazed and even a bit provocative.
Lu Qiqi looked at Chu Linchen and saw his eyes narrowing, body leaning slightly forward like a coiled leopard, radiating a dangerous aura. She suddenly felt nervous, worried he might take offense to her friend, and she pleaded silently with her gaze.
Being asked about such a private matter displeased Chu Linchen, but when he met Lu Qiqi’s glistening, imploring eyes, a vague familiarity stirred within him.
Unconsciously, he spoke a number—the very count from that night.
Lu Qiqi’s body stiffened for a moment as the memory of that night flashed through her mind. Her face paled briefly, and her nails dug deep into her palm.