Chapter 58: When the Men Started Throwing Money at Me
Seeing that Fu Yue only had two chips left in front of him, Shen Junnian immediately leaned over.
“Tsk, losing this badly?”
Without a word, he pushed more than half of his chips to Fu Yue’s hand. “Take them. If you lose, it’s on me. If you win… just treat me to a meal.”
This was standard operation for a childhood friend, so Fu Yue didn’t refuse.
The system said he didn’t need to speak.
Then he would lie flat.
As Fu Yue didn’t respond, Ji Hanmo, opposite him, spoke up indifferently: “Manager Shen is quite generous.”
His gaze swept over the table. “If Fu Yue needs it, I have even more chips here.”
Shen Junnian raised an eyebrow. “Chairman Ji must be joking. I’m just giving my own little friend a bit of pocket money to play with since he’s short on cash. You needn’t interfere with such a small matter.”
Shen Junnian’s tone was calm, but he had perfectly imitated the tone of an Official Wife from a palace drama.
The subtext was clear—I’ll look after my own person; what does it have to do with you?
Ji Hanmo’s eyes darkened, clearly understanding the declaration in Shen Junnian’s words.
He picked up a chip and tapped it on the table. “If Fu Yue truly needs something, I think he’d rather ask for it himself than passively accept someone’s pocket money, right?”
Fu Yue, who was watching them bicker, was suddenly called out. He couldn’t help but complain inside: You guys are having a kindergarten argument, why drag me into it?
The dealer in the VIP room had incredibly high emotional intelligence. Seeing the situation, he chose the critical moment to flip over three community cards and signal for bets, rescuing Fu Yue from the awkwardness.
Ji Hanmo’s long fingers pushed a stack of high-value chips into the pot.
Fu Yue understood that Ji Hanmo was about to begin his performance.
Shen Junnian didn’t give an inch: “Chairman Ji is in such a hurry? The good show is only just starting.”
As the two of them raised the pot again, Pei Luomian remained refined and elegant.
He adjusted his glasses and chose to fold.
Fu Yue nodded inwardly.
Hmm, Director Pei is still the most normal one. Even though I feel like he has some good feelings toward me, at least he isn’t like those two, writing ‘I want to pursue you’ all over his face. To me, he’s the most harmless one.
During the interval of shuffling, Ji Hanmo picked up his glass. “Director Pei seems to be in high spirits today; it’s quite rare. Usually, a card game like this wouldn’t be able to invite you.”
Pei Luomian smiled. “As I said before that point—everyone will compete fairly, each by their own ability, right?”
Fu Yue was completely lost listening to this.
He couldn’t figure out what riddle this was.
Two nights ago in the box, Fu Yue had fled in panic, so he naturally didn’t know that after he left, Pei Luomian had officially declared to Ji Hanmo that he would compete for him.
Pei Zhen wouldn’t come to gossip in front of Fu Yue, and Monica and Ji Linye certainly wouldn’t tell him.
The only one who could have tipped Fu Yue off, Chen Bai, was unconscious from drink at the time.
“It’s your turn,” Shen Junnian reminded Fu Yue.
“Oh.” Fu Yue had been so lost in analysis that he almost forgot about playing.
He said casually, “Call.”
At this moment, Pei Luomian spoke softly.
“Fu Yue, it seems they’ve forgotten that the original purpose of a card game is entertainment.”
He seemingly unintentionally pushed a large stack of chips in front of Fu Yue. “Take these. Play as you like. If you lose, I’ll top you up again.”
Ji Hanmo glanced at Pei Luomian and suddenly folded his cards. “Bad cards; I’m out.”
Shen Junnian almost simultaneously let out a cold laugh and also folded his cards. “Director Pei, how could Fu Yue lose? You underestimate him too much.”
The following game turned completely into a “battle of the gods.”
Ji Hanmo’s style of play was full of pressure. He kept using chips to apply pressure with a clear goal—he wanted to use money to smash Shen Junnian and Pei Luomian off the table.
Shen Junnian wasn’t that easy to deal with; he calculated every move and didn’t give an inch.
Pei Luomian was like the coolest hunter, remaining silent and expressionless.
Occasionally, when those two were fighting most fiercely, he would strike precisely to reap the benefits.
After winning, Pei Luomian would push half of the chips in front of Fu Yue. “Fu Yue, it seems I borrowed your luck just now; this is the split.”
His handsome face was like ice, leaving Fu Yue a bit stunned.
I understand why Shen Junnian gives me chips; he wants to pursue me.
I understand why Ji Hanmo gives me a pass; he also wants to pursue me.
But even you, Director Pei?
Fu Yue found himself sitting at the center of a storm.
However, just as the system said, he didn’t need to do anything.
He only needed to lean back in his chair and watch these three men fight to the death.
In one round, Ji Hanmo and Shen Junnian went at it again, and the chips in the pot were terrifyingly high. Finally, when the cards were shown, Ji Hanmo once again pushed his cards away.
“I fold this round.”
Shen Junnian didn’t show any weakness either, not even looking at the cards: “I also fold.”
Even though they were folding and losing, they acted as if they were fighting for an important project worth hundreds of billions.
The dealer was speechless. He could only use the chip rake to move that massive, mountain-like pot under Fu Yue’s name.
“…Good things like this still exist?” Fu Yue looked at the huge pile of chips that suddenly appeared in front of him.
Then, he concentrated on organizing them.
He sorted those multi-colored plastic pieces by color and value into neat stacks in front of him.
It was like playing with Legos.
He discovered a pattern.
These three men weren’t playing cards at all.
They were using chips as weapons, with the goal being to make the chips in front of Fu Yue, the bystander, stack higher and higher…
Finally, the game ended in a harmonious atmosphere. Fu Yue happily counted his “spoils of war.”
“Fu Yue,” Shen Junnian was the first to speak.
“Hmm, I’m treating you to a meal, right?” Fu Yue didn’t look up. “We’ll go to the ramen shop downstairs once we leave; I’m hungry too.”
“No.” Shen Junnian tapped the table with a serious expression. “Stay away from Jiang Ying. Don’t be fooled by his beauty again; beauty is a blade.”
After saying that, Shen Junnian pointedly glanced at Ji Hanmo and Pei Luomian.
“…”
Fu Yue couldn’t help but grumble in his heart; he made it sound as if Fu Yue were a lecherous wolf.
He was currently avoiding these wolves and tigers as much as possible; how could he take the initiative to provoke them?
Ji Hanmo pondered for a moment before speaking, “Fu Yue, Jiang Ying probably has impure intentions. You should be careful.”
“Ha,” Shen Junnian suddenly laughed. “In terms of intentions, who here is ‘pure’?”
Fu Yue nodded vigorously in his heart.
Ji Hanmo frowned and glanced at Shen Junnian, not responding to the provocation, saying seriously, “I’ll find an opportunity to warn him and tell him not to try anything.”
Just then, Pei Luomian, who had been silent most of the time, spoke up.
“I’ll go talk to him.”
Hearing this, Shen Junnian showed a look of approval. “Good. After all, you saved his life back then. He should listen to you.”
Fu Yue continued counting his chips, his ears pricked up the whole time.
That’s a lot of information!
Sav… saved his life?
Could it be that legendary time he jumped into the river?
After Fu Yue finished counting his “windfall,” the three men seemed to have reached a consensus, and the topic ended quickly.
Fu Yue was in no hurry to analyze it on the spot; since he was going to eat ramen with Shen Junnian in a bit, he could ask while they ate.
—
Early the next morning, amidst the melodious sound of the steam whistle, the cruise ship slowly docked.
Dream Mist Island, as its name suggested, was as beautiful as an unreal dream.
In the center of the island, verdant mountains rose and fell in a continuous chain.
Volcanic rocks had been carved into natural works of art by the wind and waves of a thousand years, with dark green vines hanging from the crevices of the rocks.
“Mr. Fu, we’ve arrived.”
the first shuttle bus in the lead stopped in front of the Dream Island Hotel.
The hotel was located halfway up the mountain and was a true ancient castle. It had grey-black stone walls, with soaring towers and spires pointing toward the clouds.
The waiter respectfully led him through a hallway lined with large oil paintings and ancient suits of armor.
The room was on the third floor.
When the waiter opened the heavy wooden door for him, he caught a glimpse of the room next door.
The door next door opened almost at the same time, and Ji Hanmo was standing there watching him.
Their eyes met.
Fu Yue understood instantly.
The person next door knew long ago.
However, he still subconsciously hid the suitcase behind his back.
As if by not doing so, that maid outfit would jump out on its own.
But to be honest, this environment and atmosphere truly did match that piece of clothing quite well.
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