Chapter 213: Despair Casino (10)
The casino restaurant offered a buffet. Yan Qiao bought two tickets and led Ji Ning inside to fill their stomachs.
Though younger than her, he was decisive in both speech and action. She wondered how he had grown up in his past life to develop this kind of disposition.
"How did you know I was going to play the King?"
After collecting their food, the two found a secluded spot to sit. Yan Qiao's first words were to ask Ji Ning.
Ji Ning had already skewered a piece of steak on her fork. She answered briefly, "Because I felt you'd rather lose than end up stuck with just a single King." She then stuffed the meat into her mouth, closing her eyes in delight at its deliciousness.
If he played Peasant and she also played Peasant, the two cards would cancel out, leaving him with only a single, helpless King. Even without playing that card, his defeat would already be set.
Yan Qiao's pupils sharply contracted before returning to normal. His hand, clutching his fork, poked at his plate and speared a piece of fruit to put into his mouth.
Ji Ning could sense the shift in his mood after she said that.
He didn't speak to her again after that, nor did he eat much. He was as uncomfortable as a wild animal whose territory has been invaded by a stranger.
Ji Ning paid him no mind, filling her stomach as she pleased. After eating her fill, she even drank a large glass of peach oolong tea.
Yan Qiao's gaze, with nowhere to go besides looking at his food, had no choice but to land on Ji Ning. This relaxed manner of hers in front of him was something he had practically never seen before.
It struck him as novel and made him even more curious to see how she would react when she fully grasped his more vicious side.
After the meal, the two returned to the casino floor and continued playing "King, Peasant, Slave."
Over several rounds, Ji Ning got the King as well as the Slave, but she could feel Yan Qiao playing more and more seriously. In six rounds, she had only managed to beat him once.
The slightly low win rate made her increasingly nervous, forcing her to think for a long time before each play.
However, losing once only cost her one or two black chips. Besides the pressure of the game itself, there was no pressure of losing money.
Yan Qiao naturally didn't go easy on her and continued his verbal assault.
"I'm guessing you're ready to go with the Slave on the very first card."
"You've hesitated this long, that card isn't a Peasant, is it? Want to use a King to eat my card?"
As he spoke, his smile was roguish. Though his voice was pleasant, his tone was mocking, making it easy for one to not only feel apprehensive but intensely on edge.
But Ji Ning had long seen past the surface to a sliver of his true nature. She knew he only appeared to have ill intentions, and was not truly bad deep down.
Otherwise, how to explain him giving her the money first before having her agree to the condition? If he really coveted her body, as the party with absolute leverage, he could have just forced her to go through with it and not cared after, as there were no rules governing that anyway.
So, in her heart, she had already equated Yan Qiao with the Doberman raised at her aunt's house—terrifyingly fierce in appearance, but never harming its own.
With this in mind, Ji Ning could steady her mind, feeling neither fear nor grievance.
Since Yan Qiao played tricks to stimulate her, she learned to do the same.
"How about we both play a Peasant next round? I won't go Slave, and you don't go King either."
"I'm playing the King this next time, oh! Hurry up and take the Slave to swallow me up."
…
The two probed, misled, and provoked each other, turning a simple card game into something thrilling and dangerous. Both became increasingly absorbed.
Ji Ning's win rate also improved. After fifteen rounds, not counting the initial two-million in chips, she had earned another five million from Yan Qiao: one Slave victory netting two million, and three King victories netting one million each.
At present, Ji Ning's chips had stockpiled to ten million three hundred thousand. She just had to take them to the front desk, exchange them for money, and leave the casino to complete the mission.
According to Yan Qiao, he still had fourteen million. Ji Ning wanted to dig up two million more to act as insurance for Song Weiyang.
Yan Qiao also said to continue, so the two proceeded to yet another round of rock-paper-scissors.
"Ning-Ning!"
A low call was anxious and worried.
Song Weiyang rushed up, grabbing Ji Ning's raised hand and protecting her in his embrace. "What are you doing? What are you doing with him?"
Upon hearing this, Yan Qiao's previously smiling face froze over in an instant. The corners of his upturned lips silently fell until only one side remained, curving into a sarcastic line.
Ji Ning looked up at Song Weiyang, patting his hand and explaining softly, "Don't panic, it's fine. Yan Qiao is making me money. I've already met my mission goal. How much are you still short? I'll help you make it up."
"No need, I'm almost there. I won't fail. You don't need to worry about me." Song Weiyang was extremely anxious. "Did he threaten you? How could he just give you money for no reason?"
Ji Ning was just about to reassure Song Weiyang by saying a few kind words about Yan Qiao to prevent the harmonious relationship she'd worked so hard to build with him from breaking, when Yan Qiao on the other side had already heard enough.
He stood up, forcibly grabbing Ji Ning's hand and pulling her away. He spoke coldly, "You've taken seven million from me. Time to fulfill your promise. Come up and let me screw you enough to get my money's worth."
The moment this statement came out, there was nothing Song Weiyang couldn't understand.
He instantly flared with rage, holding firmly onto Ji Ning's other hand and not letting go, growling in a low voice, "Yan Qiao, you animal, using money to coerce my woman?"
Livestream comments:
"Hahahaha Little Sun with the reverse assist."
"Wolf-dog and golden retriever are about to fight for a mate."
"Ning-Ning: Stop fighting, you guys!"
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