Chapter 37: Lost and Forced to Bark Like a Dog

The small bar quickly filled with people. Chen Yang took a look; the number of supporters for the two teams was roughly the same, each with a dozen or so. After the game, they could still make an appointment for an offline match.

While everyone was chatting idly, the large LCD TV on the wall also lit up, playing a preview of the World Cup final. Two CCTV commentators talked at length, sharing their views on the two finalist teams.

"Chen Yang, who do you think will win the championship?" Liu Shijie had already learned from Liu Qingqing that Chen Yang had won a big prize on the sports lottery. Now he also wanted to test Chen Yang's level.

Chen Yang replied: "Brazil!"

As a Brazilian fan, Liu Shijie was very satisfied with that answer, but he also felt Chen Yang's reply was too perfunctory. He then asked: "Why do you think Brazil will win the championship?"

Chen Yang, to provoke Zhang Jun and Tang Kun, deliberately patted his chest jersey and said: "As a Brazilian fan, not supporting Brazil's championship—could it be that you support the German team instead?"

Zhang Jun and Tang Kun, upon hearing this, both lowered their heads quietly, afraid Chen Yang would expose them in person as spies planted in the German team.

Liu Shijie originally thought Chen Yang would give a wonderful long-winded speech, but after hearing his answer he was both amused and exasperated.

At that moment, the beautiful waitress at the bar took a stack of cards and handed them out to each booth one by one. Chen Yang glanced at them and realized they were betting slips for the match. The gameplay was like overseas sports betting: you could bet on win/draw/loss, as well as on half-time/full-time results and score goals.

"Chen Yang, want to give it a try?" Liu Shijie saw Chen Yang seemed interested in betting and asked casually.

"Is it legal?" Chen Yang hesitated a bit, after all, sports betting is prohibited domestically.

"Whether it's legal or not, it's up to people to say." Liu Shijie patted Chen Yang's shoulder and laughed: "In East River, this place is very safe!"

Having said that, Chen Yang couldn't help but feel tempted. After all, he knew the final answer. This was pure, easy money!

"Brother Shijie, how does it work?"

"The minimum bet is one million, with no upper limit, depending on your financial strength."

Chen Yang sighed regretfully, wishing he hadn't bought so many houses earlier. If he placed his bet here first and then bought, he could afford an extra unit!

"A country bumpkin can't even come up with one million, let alone ten thousand!" Zhang Jun's booth was adjacent to Chen Yang's group; he had been secretly eavesdropping on Chen Yang and Liu Shijie's conversation. Hearing Chen Yang sigh, he immediately seized the chance to mock him.

"Zhang Peng, keep your lackey in check. This is Worry-free Residence, not your dog kennel." Chen Yang was someone Liu Shijie had brought along; after being repeatedly provoked by Zhang Jun, Liu Shijie's temper also flared.

"Manager Liu, my cousin's right—your friend is just a country bumpkin who came out of the countryside. This kind of high-stakes game is beyond him." Then the young man in a flower‑patterned shirt gave Liu Shijie a cold smile, added with a hint of mockery: "I doubt you can afford to play either, Manager Liu."

Liu Shijie snorted coldly: "Whether I can afford to play is not for you to decide."

Seeing the two men beside her being looked down upon, Liu Qingqing's anger rose as well. She stood up, pointed at Zhang Jun and shouted: "You Zhang‑surname trash, why don't we make a bet? If Brazil wins tonight, you'll have to get on the ground and bark like a dog for three minutes."

Zhang Jun froze for a moment, not knowing how to respond. After all, he also thought Brazil would win. Just as he was at a loss for words, the flower‑shirted youth Zhang Peng spoke up first: "No problem—if Germany wins, you'll also have to bark like a dog for three minutes."

Their commotion stirred the emotions of the others. A middle‑aged man wearing a Brazilian jersey quietly sat down beside Liu Shijie, looked serious, and asked: "Shijie, do you really think Brazil will win?"

"General Manager Wang, I'm not sure either." Liu Shijie gave a wry smile, pointed at Chen Yang, and told the middle‑aged man: "It's my brother who's confident Brazil will win."

The middle‑aged man immediately turned to Chen Yang, curious, and asked: "Little brother, could you share your opinion?"

Chen Yang wasn't acquainted with him and didn't want to waste breath explaining, so he put on a mysterious air and said: "I'm just guessing."

Hearing that, the middle‑aged man's expression fell with disappointment. Not only him, but Liu Shijie and Liu Qingqing felt the same.

"Senior, we won't really have to bark like dogs, will we?" Liu Qingqing suddenly worried.

"If Germany really wins, we'll just have to accept the loss." Chen Yang also admired Liu Qingqing a lot. In front of all those business elites, she actually made a bet to bark like a dog. Those three idiots opposite were oddballs, yet they took the challenge. If you like to play, then play. Anyway, he's not going to lose.

"How are you planning to bet?" Liu Shijie lowered his voice on purpose so the Zhang brothers wouldn't disturb them, and asked Chen Yang.

"Brother Shijie, I don't have enough cash; could you lend me some?"

"How much do you want to borrow?"

"How much can you lend?"

"Given our relationship, ten million!"

"Brother Shijie, our relationship isn't that solid yet! Then let's borrow ten million."

"……."

Liu Shijie never expected Chen Yang to be so bold—he went straight for ten million. Knowing Chen Yang's finances, daring to place such a heavy bet showed he had great confidence.

"Go ahead, tell me how to bet, and I'll place it for you!"

"Well, put it all on a half‑time draw."

Liu Shijie fell silent again. He stared at Chen Yang seriously and asked once more: "Brother, are you sure?"

Chen Yang nodded very firmly.

Liu Qingqing is someone who loves to join in the fun; she had previously bet on matches with Liu Shijie, losing more often than winning. This time, seeing Chen Yang place his bet, her enthusiasm suddenly returned.

"Brother, buy one million for me too."

Liu Shijie hesitated over the betting slip for a while, then finally filled in a bet amount of twenty‑one million.

The middle‑aged man called General Manager Wang saw Liu Shijie fill out the slip, then quietly walked over to take a look. When he saw the bet amount, his pupils instantly dilated.

Although he didn't know Chen Yang's background, he was aware of Liu Shijie's financial situation. To place a twenty‑one million bet on mere intuition—no ghost would believe it!

General Manager Wang had no hesitation returning to his seat, where he filled in ten million on the half‑time draw on the betting slip.

Of course, not everyone liked to follow the flow like General Manager Wang. Most of the people present still had their own ideas: some bet on Brazil to win, some on Germany to win, some on over‑goals, some on under‑goals.

The only awkward one was Zhang Jun. He was actually more optimistic about Brazil winning, but because he'd made a bet with Liu Qingqing, he could only bet on the German team. To minimize his loss as much as possible, he placed only a one‑million bet.

Compared to Zhang Jun, Tang Kun—who wasn't eligible to bet—was in much better spirits. His only worry was that if the German team lost, he'd have to bark like a dog in public.

Of course, if Tang Kun could decide on this bet, he would absolutely refuse to take it.

Anyone who knows a little about football knows Brazil's overall strength is superior. Yet Zhang Jun's idiotic cousin‑in‑law likes the German team. And Zhang Jun himself, who clearly shares the same optimism for Brazil, doesn't even remind his cousin. What a bunch of useless teammates!