Chapter 85 Wang Shunyang Honors the Wager

Past the midpoint of the Si hour, atop the main city tower.

After waiting for an entire hour, Ning Yongqiang, Li Changsi, Zhao Han, and the others finally saw Wang Shunyang arrive.

Wang Shunyang climbed up to the main city tower, his face swollen and resembling a pig’s head, and immediately, Ning Yongqiang and his group surrounded him.

“Wang Shunyang, you promised to come on time at the Si hour, and now it’s already half an hour past. You're really not punctual!” Ning Yongqiang complained.

Zhao Han nodded, “That’s right, Young Master Wang. The sun is so fierce today, we’re practically being roasted out here.”

Wang Shunyang replied irritably, “Ning Yongqiang, I told you not to choose today, but you refused to listen. With so many people heading to the market, the carriages couldn't move at all. I had to walk here!”

Ning Yongqiang retorted immediately, “Don’t give me that. You did this on purpose. Would it kill you to leave earlier?”

Seeing the two about to quarrel, Li Changsi hurried forward, “Come now, you two, don’t argue. It’s late already. Let’s not keep everyone waiting any longer!”

“Exactly, let’s not keep everyone waiting!” Ning Yongqiang nodded in agreement.

He promptly had someone bring over a gong and beckoned, “Come on, Wang Shunyang!”

Wang Shunyang frowned at the gong in Ning Yongqiang’s hand, “What are you doing with that?”

Bang! Ning Yongqiang struck the gong. “I’m going to beat it!”

With a mischievous grin, Ning Yongqiang said, “Young Master Wang, I’ve waited so long for this day. I can’t let you just gloss over it. I need to make a scene, so everyone below can witness it... Isn’t that right, everyone?”

At his words, Li Changsi and Zhao Han nodded enthusiastically, laughter rippling among them.

Wang Shunyang was seething with resentment but helpless—after all, he was the loser today.

Truth be told, a month ago, when Splendor Restaurant was still far ahead of Delicacy Pavilion, Wang Shunyang had already begun preparing for this day.

He had imagined hiring a drum and gong troupe to parade and shout his victory, buying loads of firecrackers to set off, and even crafting a story about this wager, waiting only to invite a storyteller to narrate it.

But fate had not granted him the ending he hoped for.

Ning Yongqiang, holding the gong, walked to the parapet of the city tower and began striking it vigorously, “Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang...”

The sound of the gong quickly drew the attention of the crowds below; people began looking up.

Many in the crowd had come specifically for this spectacle. Excitement bubbled over as they pointed at the tower, exclaiming, “It’s starting, it’s starting...”

In the nearby teahouse, Xu Mo and Ning Yaxin also watched the happenings atop the city tower.

After beating the gong for a while, Ning Yongqiang pressed his hand to its face, then shouted loudly, “Ladies and gentlemen, three months ago, the eldest son of the Wang family, Wang Shunyang, made a bet with me...”

He briefly explained the origins and terms of the wager.

Then, striking the gong once more, Ning Yongqiang called out, “As the saying goes, a gambler must accept defeat! Now, let us invite Young Master Wang Shunyang to admit before everyone that he is a failure!”

Bang, bang, bang, bang...

Having spoken, Ning Yongqiang quickly beat the gong, inviting Wang Shunyang to step forward.

The townsfolk below, caught up in the rhythm, applauded and cheered, some blowing whistles.

At that moment, the atmosphere around the city tower rivaled that of the lantern festival.

When the gong fell silent, Wang Shunyang walked to the parapet. Now the crowd below could see his upper body.

“Hey, look, why is Young Master Wang’s face covered in wounds?”

“Yeah, what happened to him?”

Sharp-eyed bystanders immediately noticed something was wrong.

Someone nearby remarked, “Isn’t it obvious? Looks like Old Master Wang gave him a beating. If my son embarrassed me like this, I’d do the same!”

This comment was met with widespread approval; everyone found it reasonable.

On the tower, seeing Wang Shunyang hesitate, Ning Yongqiang urged, “Wang Shunyang, what are you stalling for? Shout it out already!”

“Why rush me? There’s no time limit. Even if I stand here till nightfall, you’ll have to wait!” Wang Shunyang replied, his brows furrowed in irritation.

Ning Yongqiang had no retort for that and could only nod, “Fine! Stand there then. Let’s see how long you can drag it out!”

Li Changsi and Zhao Han, seeing this, stopped urging him and started chatting quietly with Ning Yongqiang, occasionally bursting into laughter.

Some of the crowd below soon lost patience and began shouting up, urging Wang Shunyang to hurry.

“Come on, Young Master Wang, hurry up!”

“Yeah, stop daydreaming and get it over with!”

“Don’t fall asleep, Young Master Wang. You can sleep after you’re done!”

Suddenly, Wang Shunyang shouted, “I am a failure!”

But his voice was faint, and only those nearest the tower could barely hear.

“Can’t hear you, can’t hear you!”

“Too quiet, we can’t hear!”

The crowd immediately began to jeer and shout.

A chorus of similar complaints rose from below, filling the air.

On the tower, Wang Shunyang, after shouting, was about to leave, but Ning Yongqiang blocked him.

“Wang Shunyang, you’re cheating! We agreed it had to be as loud as possible—what you just did, how can you call that your loudest?” Ning Yongqiang protested.

Li Changsi and Zhao Han also insisted the voice was too quiet and demanded a do-over.

Ning Yongqiang now struck the gong several times and provocatively called down, “Did everyone hear that? Should he do it again?”

The crowd below instantly erupted with cries for a repeat, the uproar growing.

Helpless, Wang Shunyang had no choice but to brace himself.

After taking a deep breath, he shouted at the top of his lungs, “I! Am! A! Failure!”

He nearly tore his throat, his voice breaking on the final word.

When he finished, the crowd below burst into raucous laughter.

Those who hadn’t had enough fun shouted, “Can’t hear you, too quiet!” and similar things.

Even Xu Mo and Ning Yaxin in the teahouse couldn’t help laughing.

Wang Shunyang ignored the crowd below and turned, furious, to Ning Yongqiang and the others. “Is that enough for you?”

“Enough! More than enough! Young Master Wang truly keeps his word!” Ning Yongqiang laughed, his smile stretching almost to his ears.

Zhao Han and the others laughed heartily as well—such merriment was rare, and it felt even more delightful than a lantern festival.

Li Changsi, though he smiled, quickly subdued it and stepped forward to comfort Wang Shunyang, “Young Master Wang, it’s just a game among friends. Winning or losing doesn’t matter. Don’t take it to heart.”

He patted Wang Shunyang’s shoulder, hoping to help him calm down.

Ning Yongqiang immediately chimed in, “Young Master Li is right. It’s just a game, why get so worked up? If it were me, I wouldn’t mind at all, haha...”

The more Ning Yongqiang spoke, the angrier Wang Shunyang became. For a moment, he felt as if his lungs might burst from rage.

“Hmph!” Unable to bear it, Wang Shunyang flung his sleeve and prepared to leave.

But Ning Yongqiang wasn’t about to let him go easily. He followed, banging the gong and calling out:

“Bang! Farewell, Young Master Wang!”

“Bang! Please take care, Young Master Wang!”

“Bang! Watch your step, Young Master Wang!”

“Bang! Come again next time, Young Master Wang...”

Laughter rang out once more atop the city tower.