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*Chapter 281: Adam's Revenge*
🕑 Added 2025-05-16 17:12:28 +0000 UTCNew York.
McCallan Bar.
Adam and Matthew were drinking and chatting.
“Well, well, isn’t this the best man himself, Adam Duncan?”
Barney, dressed in a suit, walked in, his eyes lighting up when he saw Adam. He greeted him in an exaggerated tone.
“Well, well, isn’t this the man with no principles, Barney Stinson?”
Adam shot back in an even more exaggerated tone.
“We’re all friends here.”
As always, Ted tried to mediate.
“But some people don’t treat me as a friend.”
Adam cut in, “Even after I warned him repeatedly, he still tried to ruin my best friend’s bachelor party. Do you think a simple ‘we’re all friends’ can just erase that?”
“Barney, that was too much!”
Lily immediately got angry upon hearing this.
“Come on.”
Barney waved it off. “I just wanted to give him an unforgettable bachelor night.”
“This is my friend’s bachelor night—why do you get to decide what it should be like?”
Adam sneered. “Oh, right, you’re the kind of person who thinks, ‘I don’t care what you want; it’s all about what I want.’ Selfish, self-centered, completely egotistical.”
“Barney, you really went too far this time. Apologize to Adam.”
Matthew tried to mediate.
“Adam, aren’t you overreacting a bit?”
Ted spoke up on Barney’s behalf.
“Overreacting?”
Adam scoffed. “Oh, you think this is overreacting? Ted, Ted, Ted… this is just the beginning. Before, I kept reminding him over and over, but for someone as egotistical as Barney, words don’t work. So do you think I’m just going to keep talking?”
“What are you going to do?”
Barney smirked.
His pride, insecurities, and self-respect had long been shattered by his first love. The person he had become was modeled after the very kind of elite scumbag who had destroyed his pure-hearted love.
Playing games with life was his attitude—he didn’t care if others wanted to play, didn’t care if they got hurt, and didn’t even care if he himself got hurt.
When someone reaches a certain level of shamelessness, they become untouchable.
At this moment, Barney Stinson was indeed in that untouchable zone.
Though Matthew and the others were his chosen friends, they had only known each other for less than a year. Their bond wasn’t strong enough to make him change his lifestyle.
In fact, even nine years later, he still wouldn’t change for them.
The only one who could change him was that woman…
“I heard you love a good challenge.”
Adam noticed Barney’s indifference, but he was prepared for this. Without hesitation, he threw out his proposal: “And you never back down from one?”
“That’s right.”
Barney’s eyes lit up. He adjusted his tie and said confidently, “Barney Stinson never turns down a challenge.”
“Then I’m challenging you.”
Adam grinned. “Do you have the guts to accept?”
“Bring it on!”
Barney declared with confidence.
“Great.”
Adam said, “The challenge is in your area of expertise—picking up women. For the next month, each night, you’ll randomly pick one woman, and we’ll both approach her. Whoever succeeds the most times wins.”
“Interesting!”
Barney’s eyes sparkled. He looked at Adam with newfound appreciation. “I knew it, Adam—you and I are the same kind of person!”
“What’s the wager?”
Ted asked.
“The loser has to make a crown for the winner and publicly say, ‘I was wrong, I admit defeat,’ a hundred times.”
Adam grinned. “Both a material and a mental wager. How about it?”
“I accept the challenge!”
Barney agreed without hesitation.
He loved challenges.
“This is a fun bet.”
Lily chimed in. “But I want to add one condition.”
“What is it?”
Barney asked.
“Since we have material and mental stakes, I want this bet to also settle past grievances. After this, we put all previous issues behind us.”
Lily smiled. “After all, we’re all good friends, right?”
“No problem.”
Adam smiled.
His feelings toward Barney were complicated.
Deep down, he didn’t actually dislike Barney. In fact, he rather liked him.
But Barney’s reckless behavior at Chandler’s bachelor party had really pissed him off. He needed to teach him a lesson to get over it.
And once that lesson was delivered, Adam believed Barney would learn to rein himself in a bit.
“I’m fine with that too.”
Barney also recognized Lily’s good intentions.
“One more rule.”
Adam added, “Each night, we can only pick one woman. If the loser fails, they cannot approach anyone else—not even strippers. Breaking this rule means automatic forfeiture.”
“Heh.”
Barney couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’re really confident, huh?”
He was an experienced player, and he saw right through Adam’s hidden agenda.
Adam clearly believed he would dominate Barney in this contest—so much so that he was setting a secondary punishment: forcing Barney to go without women for an entire month.
For guys like Barney and Ji Xiaolan, going without certain activities for a single week, let alone a month, was torture.
This punishment was worse than saying “I admit defeat” a hundred times in public.
Because it wasn’t just physical suffering—it was a brutal mental blow. It was a direct taunt: You think you’re the best at this, but you’re actually not.
As for crafting a crown? That was just money, a trivial thing for both Adam and Barney.
“Do you dare to bet?”
Adam raised an eyebrow. “Or are you going to back out, like last time, when you agreed but then secretly cheated?”
“…”
Barney froze. Adam’s blunt taunt suddenly made him regret his past dishonesty.
Adam had just proven himself to be someone worth playing with—someone he respected.
At least, compared to Ted. Ted only passively accepted Barney’s challenges. He never initiated anything this fun himself.
It would be a shame if Adam kept looking down on him because of his past actions.
“Of course, I dare to bet!”
Barney said seriously. “And I won’t cheat this time. Lily and the others can be witnesses—I stake my honor on it!”
“Good.”
Adam smiled. “Then the bet is official! Tomorrow night is game on.”
“Fantastic.”
Barney was thrilled, rubbing his hands together. “I have a feeling this is going to be legen—wait for it—dary! Legendary!”
“I believe it.”
Adam smirked. “But whether you’ll be the legend… or the loser, we’ll see.”
“This is getting exciting.”
Lily’s eyes glowed with anticipation.
“Yeah, I’m hyped.”
Matthew was getting into it.
“Heh.”
Ted, on the other hand, had a forced smile.
He had always disapproved of Barney’s games. He only ever participated reluctantly.
But now, watching Barney and Adam get along so well, he suddenly felt a little left out.
(End of Chapter)
