The following evening.
McLaren Bar.
"Wow!"
As soon as Adam walked in, Lily and the others let out gasps of surprise.
"Barney is doomed," Lily muttered to herself, her eyes lighting up mischievously.
Adam's natural charm was undeniable, and now, after a professional stylist had worked their magic, his outfit and overall look were top-tier. This wasn't just a simple 1+1 situation—his transformation was exponentially greater.
The effect was immediate and obvious. The dazzlingly refined Adam didn't just make Lily's eyes sparkle; every woman in the bar took notice, their gazes gleaming with interest. And it wasn't just the women...
"Barney's not here yet?" Adam asked with a smile as he took a seat.
"If I were him, I wouldn't even bother showing up. Might as well admit defeat," Ted said, his voice dripping with jealousy. "By the way, isn't this kind of cheating?"
Despite his outwardly honest and kind demeanor, Ted had, over the years, lived up to his name. His personality was strikingly similar to his brother, Teddy. (Adam's younger sister had named him early on. If she had known how that name would later be ruined, she probably would have insisted on changing it, just like Adam did.) Seeing Adam looking this good naturally triggered an instinctual sense of rejection.
"How is this cheating?" Adam shot him a look.
"You're just too rich! That entire outfit—this whole look—it's clearly something money can buy," Ted said with an awkward laugh.
"And where do you think that money came from? Didn't I earn it myself?" Adam smirked. "If I recall correctly, Barney's favorite phrase is 'Suit up!' Do you think any of his suits are cheap? A full outfit of his costs at least ten grand. Why doesn't he try picking up women in bargain-bin clothes?"
Adam recalled how, when Marshall needed new pants for his internship but could only afford to cover a hole with ink, Barney had dragged him to his tailor. Even with a supposed '30% discount,' the custom suit still cost $4,000.
Even if Barney had lied about the discount, the original price had to be over $4,000.
And that was just the suit. The shoes, the tie—none of it came cheap. Not to mention the watch on his wrist, the ultimate symbol of a man's status.
A full look worth $10,000 was a conservative estimate.
Without that kind of investment, Barney's exaggerated antics would come off as nothing more than creepy and sleazy.
With it? He was charming and debonair.
That's just how reality works.
"Exactly! The money you earn is part of your personal charm," Lily agreed. "As long as you're not directly paying for affection, it's totally fair."
Then she turned to Ted. "And let's not forget how many times Barney has literally paid for attention. Have you forgotten his 'charity work' for financially struggling college girls?"
"…I was just making an observation," Ted muttered awkwardly.
"For the next month, you all need to keep an eye on him," Adam said, smoothly changing the topic rather than continuing to argue with Ted.
Ted might be worse than a playboy in the eyes of a good woman, but as a friend, he was loyal and reliable.
Otherwise, given all the awful things he had done to good women, Lily wouldn't just be lightly punching him—she'd have cut him off completely.
Adam had every right to look down on Ted, but he wasn't a perfect person himself. He wasn't naive enough to expect his friends to be perfect either.
Because nobody is perfect.
"Don't worry, we'll keep a close watch on him," Lily immediately agreed.
Marshall also nodded with a smile.
Ted forced a reluctant grin.
"Nicely done, Adam! You actually suited up!"
Barney walked in and instantly lit up with excitement. "Ted, you see this? This is how you dress for picking up women. Sorry, but for the next month, you're relieved of your wingman duties. Feel free to do your own thing."
"I never wanted to be your wingman in the first place," Ted grumbled, clearly frustrated.
"Let's get started. Pick a woman," Adam said with a smile. "I'll let you go first. If you succeed, go freshen up in the bathroom, and I'll go after you. But if you fail, it's my turn."
"What if neither of you succeeds?" Marshall asked, curious.
"Come on~"
Barney smoothed his hand over his suit jacket, as if to say, A man who looks like this could never fail.
"I'm giving you the first move," Adam reminded him.
"See that redhead at the bar? She's my target," Barney said confidently.
"You sure?" Adam glanced at her. She was attractive, with a good figure—a solid pick.
He was playing it safe, making sure there was no room for manipulation. If Barney got desperate, he might deliberately choose someone completely unattractive just to make it impossible for Adam to follow through.
And Adam?
He had his standards.
As for Barney?
If it meant winning, there was nothing he wouldn't do.
In the future, Barney would challenge himself to seduce Marshall's law professor—nicknamed 'The Cougar'—just to help Marshall pass his finals. He would push himself to the absolute limit, ending up in the hospital, but still refuse to admit defeat, all for the sake of securing an 'A' from her.
If Barney refused to tone it down after this bet, Adam was prepared to send a few more 'Cougars' his way until he truly understood the difference between obsession and wisdom—between recklessness and enlightenment.
And who truly deserved the title of The Supreme Lord of Kidney Treasures.
"Of course."
Barney adjusted his tie. "Think of this as a senior giving guidance to a junior."
"Just don't regret it," Adam cut him off, then immediately stood up and walked toward the bar.
"The game is on…" Barney murmured excitedly.
But before he even had a chance to observe and analyze the situation, Adam had already turned back, flashing a successful gesture. He was heading to the bathroom, while the redhead picked up her purse, looking ready to leave.
"That's it? He already won?"
Barney was momentarily stunned.
"That's the power of Adam," Lily whispered in awe.
"Barney, hurry up," Ted urged. "Otherwise, you'll lose the first night's round."
"You're right."
Barney snapped back to reality, straightened himself up, grabbed his drink, and confidently walked toward the redhead. Flashing his most dazzling smile, he introduced himself, "Hey, I'm Barney."
"Get lost," she snapped, rolling her eyes. "My boyfriend is coming out any second now."
"…"
Barney's smile froze.
Adam had just met her a few seconds ago—how was he already her 'boyfriend'?!
"Well played, Adam Duncan. Round one goes to you," Barney admitted.
Seeing the sheer disdain on the redhead's face and her utter lack of interest, Barney had no choice but to return to the table. He took a sip of his drink, shrugged at Lily and the others, and—far from looking discouraged—his eyes gleamed with excitement.
To him, this game had just gotten even more interesting.
When Adam emerged from the bathroom, the redhead was still waiting for him. He flashed a confident smile, unsurprised, and walked out of the bar with her.
Before leaving, he turned back to Barney and the group and made Barney's signature two-finger-to-the-eyes gesture, signaling that Barney was officially benched for the night—self-supervision was now in effect, with Lily and the others watching him like hawks.
(End of Chapter)