CHAPTER 305: CHAPTER 305

While Ye Chen was lost in thought, Si Lin was busy getting everyone to change into their outfits to start today’s hunting activity.

Ye Chen had changed into his camouflage gear, and when he came out, a girl actively approached him: "Young Master Ye, can I be in the same team as you for this hunting activity?"

The girl had a curvy figure, and even in the camouflage gear, her curves were pronounced; her face, however, looked youthful, just the type that mature men liked.

Seeing that Ye Chen was looking at her and raising his eyebrows without speaking, the girl quickly introduced herself: "My name is Shu Yani, I’m Young Master Si’s distant cousin."

Ye Chen immediately understood that she was one of the marginal figures in the wealthy circles, trying to cling to centers of power through gatherings like these.

"You know, I brought a female companion with me today," Ye Chen initially couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to Shu Yani.

But at that moment, he saw Yu Dingding glance unintentionally towards this corner.

"But Young Master Si said that we can form teams of three, and I’ve never touched a gun before. If I don’t find someone who knows how to shoot, what will I do if I really come across a bear?"

Shu Yani boldly acted coquettishly, even intentionally moving forward to hook Ye Chen’s arm, pressing her soft body into his chest.

Ye Chen did not push her away, but looked at Yu Dingding with a smile that was not quite a smile: "Darling, she wants to join our team, what do you think?"

Yu Dingding responded with a sarcastic smile: "Then you can be on her team, I will just team up with Moxi."

Ye Chen’s eyes turned as cold as frost, and the aura exuding from his body noticeably chilled.

Even Shu Yani realized something was wrong and started to hesitate to continue holding onto Ye Chen’s arm.

But just as Shu Yani was about to let go, she suddenly heard Ye Chen squeeze out a few words through clenched teeth: "Then I’ll be in a team with Yani, if you come across a bear, don’t cry."

"If we come across a bear, Moxi will protect me," Yu Dingding still spoke nonchalantly, as if it didn’t matter to her who Ye Chen was with; it couldn’t make any waves in her heart anymore.

Jiang Moxi sensed the almost palpable tension between Ye Chen and Yu Dingding and wanted to say something for a moment.

However, at this moment, Si Lin suddenly said with a wicked smile: "Miss Yu, I want Xixi to protect me too. How about this, we’ll all be on one team."

Yu Dingding nodded, and Jiang Moxi had no objections; no difference who she teamed up with.

Seeing Yu Dingding not even slightly rejecting Si Lin’s suggestion, the corners of Ye Chen’s eyes also took on a touch of coolness.

"Young Master Si, a big man like you needing Xiao Moxi’s protection, aren’t you afraid that it would be embarrassing to say out loud?"

Si Lin laughed carelessly: "What’s there to be embarrassed about? Anyway, I don’t mind being the man behind a successful woman."

Ye Chen glanced coldly at Shen Ruyi, who had put on her camouflage outfit and was looking upset and indignant, and asked Si Lin playfully: "What about your girlfriend though? You brought her here and now you’re just leaving her be?"

Shen Ruyi was actually wanting to ask Si Lin the same, but was worried that after their previous spat, saying this now might create an awkward situation she couldn’t extricate herself from.

Ye Chen asked for her, giving Shen Ruyi the feeling that she had been backed up, and she looked at Si Lin with a face full of grievance: "That’s right, Si Lin. I’m your girlfriend; you should be teaming up with me to protect me."

But Si Lin was a tough nut to crack, with no real principles, and nobody could hold him to anything.

"Who says I have to protect my own girlfriend? She’s not my wife; I can replace her anytime. Besides, it was made clear before this party that the theme is hunting. If you don’t have the ability and still came to participate, it’s your own incompetence if you get killed."

This was spoken harshly, and almost everyone noticed Si Lin’s indifference towards Shen Ruyi.

As a result, the looks people gave Shen Ruyi were mixed with cold indifference, laughter, and a trace of pity.

Shen Ruyi felt those gazes, her eyes turning red.

She knew that for people like Si Lin and Ye Chen, having a girlfriend was no different from collecting stamps.

But Si Lin had been bringing her along to meals these past two days, so she thought that she was different to Si Lin.

However, Si Lin’s words were like a blow to the head.

But Shen Ruyi was not content.

She still harbored fantasies about her love and hoped to become the only one in Si Lin’s heart, squeezing out the bothersome Jiang Moxi.

So, she held back her tears and said, "Since it’s a competition, how can one pick their own team members? That’s not fair at all!"

Ye Chen indeed wanted to ignore Yu Dingding, but thinking about how Jiang Moxi was just a young girl in her early twenties, unlikely to protect Yu Dingding, he didn’t want to wait until Yu Dingding got hurt to regret it, so he also spoke up.

"I think so too. Let’s decide the team members by drawing lots."

When he said this, Ye Chen’s gaze fell on Yu Dingding.

No matter how much Yu Dingding resisted him, he would not let her come to harm.

Yu Dingding knew the reason behind Ye Chen’s suggestion, but her feelings for him had already been ground away.

No matter what Ye Chen did now, it couldn’t cause any ripples in the calm lake of her heart.

At that moment, Si Ruo came out dressed in camouflage gear, her short hair adding to her valiant appearance.

"I think Brother Chen’s proposal is good. Since it’s a competition, we should aim for it to be fair and transparent."

After finishing her sentence, Si Ruo raised her gun and made a shooting gesture at Jiang Moxi, "I certainly don’t hope for certain people to muddle through and win the big prize."

Si Lin immediately brushed aside Si Ruo’s gun barrel, "Ruoruo, stop causing trouble."

"I’m not planning on causing trouble; I just hope the competition can be a little fairer." Si Ruo obviously had a point to make.

Si Lin, who always doted on Si Ruo, and also confident about teaming up with Jiang Moxi, then said, "Alright, we’ll draw lots."

Si Lin called over the service staff of the estate and asked them to bring a deck of cards, removing one from each suit, the remaining ones to pair up as team members as long as they drew the same suit.

Si Ruo, full of certainty, was the first to draw, with the others following suit in drawing cards.

Ye Chen followed closely behind Yu Dingding, saw that Yu Dingding drew a King, and quickly glanced at his own hand, which was a five.

He immediately circulated behind the others who had finished drawing, just in time to see Yuan Zhou had drawn a King. Ye Chen swiftly snatched Yuan Zhou’s card and stuffed his five into Yuan Zhou’s hand.

Yuan Zhou understood Ye Chen’s intention and naturally said nothing.

Then Ye Chen, with the King in hand, sauntered over to Yu Dingding.

"Baby, look, you drew a King, and I also drew a King. It seems heaven itself sees us as a perfect match." He affectionately called Yu Dingding, eyes gentle as if all prior displeasure had ceased to exist.

But Yu Dingding merely glanced at him and said, "Did you think I didn’t see you switch cards just now?"

Ye Chen’s smile stiffened for a few seconds, then quickly resumed smiling, "Then you should also see that I’ve overcome all odds to be with you."

Yu Dingding sneered, "Young Master Ye, a melon forcefully twisted off its vine is not sweet."

Ye Chen, however, tightly encircled her slender waist, "Who says I like sweet melons? I prefer unsweet ones, picked and dipped in sugar to eat!"

Yu Dingding muttered ’pervert’ under her breath, and Ye Chen just beamed.

As long as Yu Dingding was willing to show him even a hint of emotion, even if it was cursing him, it would make him feel a bit more at ease.

Meanwhile, Jiang Moxi drew the Ace of Spades.

Si Lin glanced at the King in his hand and surveyed the people around him, just in time to see Shu Yani had drawn an Ace. He approached and snatched the Ace from her hand, forcibly exchanging it with his King.

Shu Yani was somewhat displeased with Si Lin’s aggressive behavior, but when she caught sight of the card in Ye Chen’s hand, which happened to be a King, she hurriedly gave Si Lin a grateful look.

But Si Lin didn’t spare her a glance, instead directly approached Jiang Moxi with the Ace, pretending to inquire what she had drawn, then revealed his own card, feigning great surprise.

Si Ruo, watching Si Lin’s performance from afar, couldn’t help but mock inwardly: Some acting skills there, but not much.