My Unconventional Online Dating - Chapter 58

Lian Qiushui pondered seriously, “The champion of the other competition is also eligible. Do you want to try?”

“I never said I wanted to cancel the deal!” Yin Peilan panicked. She knew that aside from the champions of the two competitions, three lucky individuals had also obtained qualifications. She didn’t dare gamble on whether Xiao Nianyuan would find another way.

“I was just talking nonsense earlier. I wasn’t looking down on you…” Yin Peilan backed down.

“We know,” Xiao Nianyuan shifted the tone, “but you don’t trust us.”

“I don’t—”

“You just don’t.” Xiao Nianyuan cut her off. “By the last day, you’d probably regret it again, thinking we didn’t properly entertain you.”

These words struck right at the heart of the matter. Given Yin Peilan’s temperament, it was indeed possible she might change her mind at the last moment.

Yin Peilan was nothing to Xiao Nianyuan. She had patience once or twice, but if it happened too often, she’d make sure the other party knew she wasn’t some pushover.

Yin Peilan’s expression shifted repeatedly before she finally made a solemn promise, “I absolutely won’t.”

“How can you guarantee that?” Xiao Nianyuan countered.

“Now it’s you who doesn’t trust me!” Yin Peilan said indignantly, her eyes glistening as she stared at Xiao Nianyuan.

“That’s right, I don’t,” Xiao Nianyuan met her gaze without a hint of softening. “At first, I did trust you. It was your fickleness that destroyed that trust.”

Yin Peilan was left speechless. After a long silence, she asked quietly, “What do I have to do for you to believe me?”

Xiao Nianyuan gave her a choice, “If you genuinely want to earn our trust, you can hand over the invitation to us right now.”

“Impossible!” Yin Peilan blurted out.

This reaction was within Xiao Nianyuan’s expectations. It would’ve been strange if Yin Peilan had agreed. Seeing her like this, Xiao Nianyuan fell silent again.

But Yin Peilan stammered, “C-can’t we really discuss this further?”

Xiao Nianyuan shot back, “How do you want to discuss it?”

The question circled back to square one. Yin Peilan took two deep breaths and steeled herself, “Fine, I’ll give you the invitation first when the time comes. Is that acceptable?” Her tone was more petulant than sincere, but she couldn’t care less—right now, she just wanted to convince Xiao Nianyuan to continue the deal.

She didn’t even consider whether Xiao Nianyuan and the others might abandon her after getting the invitation. Thinking about it, Yin Peilan realized she had brought this on herself. Why had she been so careless with her words earlier, saying she didn’t trust Xiao Nianyuan? That was what made Xiao Nianyuan want to back out.

Truthfully, she had really enjoyed playing alongside Xiao Nianyuan and Lian Qiushui.

Xiao Nianyuan nodded without hesitation, “Alright, then give it to me now.”

Yin Peilan: “…”

Reluctantly, Yin Peilan had no choice but to hand over the invitation first. After some maneuvering, an invitation appeared in Xiao Nianyuan’s inbox—originally sent to Yin Peilan by the company, it was now transferred to Xiao Nianyuan.

Once this invitation reached the company, it would automatically take effect. It wasn’t restricted to the original recipient; anyone holding it could gain entry.

“Did you get the invitation?” Yin Peilan asked. “Now will you keep playing with me?”

Xiao Nianyuan studied her for a moment. “Weren’t you the one who didn’t trust us? Aren’t you afraid I’ll just block you after getting it?”

Yin Peilan grew frantic, “You can’t do that!”

Xiao Nianyuan countered, “Why not?”

Yin Peilan hesitated, “Aren’t you a good person?”

“Since when did I ever say I was?”

Yin Peilan had her reasons: “I can sense you’re a good person. If you weren’t, you’d have asked me to hand over the invitation first before blocking me. You wouldn’t even be asking now if I’m afraid of being blocked by you.”

These words left Xiao Nianyuan momentarily speechless. Just minutes ago, Yin Peilan had doubted her integrity, yet now she was calling her a good person.

Xiao Nianyuan stopped teasing her and said seriously, “I keep my promises. I don’t know why you agreed to the deal but remain so suspicious, but we’ve done nothing to wrong you. If you keep thinking we’ll betray you, there’s no point in continuing.”

“I won’t, really, I won’t!” Yin Peilan repeatedly assured her. “I won’t doubt you again.”

Xiao Nianyuan hadn’t meant to make her grovel, so she softened her tone. “Alright, I’m not blaming you.”

“Really? You’re not upset?” Yin Peilan was surprised. Xiao Nianyuan’s earlier demeanor hadn’t seemed like a joke—she had genuinely been ready to drop her and find another trade partner.

“Of course not. I just have the right to choose who I deal with.”

Xiao Nianyuan wasn’t sure if others would give up their visitation slots, but she couldn’t tolerate Yin Peilan’s erratic attitude.

With just a few words, Xiao Nianyuan had convinced Yin Peilan to hand over the invitation first. Lian Qiushui, who had been listening nearby, had initially been jealous that Xiao Nianyuan was only focused on talking to Yin Peilan. Now, all she felt was admiration. Xiao Nianyuan was as capable as she’d imagined—able to achieve whatever she set her mind to.

After obtaining the invitation, Xiao Nianyuan didn’t rush to the company. Instead, she continued spending time with Lian Qiushui and Yin Peilan as usual. Yin Peilan wasn’t malicious—just uneasy about the fear of being abandoned at any moment.

Still immersed in the game, Xiao Nianyuan was suddenly pulled out of it when someone called her name. Dazed, she looked up at Ji Rongxue.

Ji Rongxue pointed at her phone. “Your phone’s ringing.”

Xiao Nianyuan found Ji Rongxue’s urgency odd. She pulled out her buzzing phone—the screen displayed an incoming call from Pu Pengdan.

Her mother’s call.