“Ha, you’re betting just for that kind of talk?”

“Of course. If my ‘Third Month Third Day’ can speak, it means even your old man is smaller than me.” Qiao Jiajin tossed a “Dao” onto the table.

“Twisted logic.” Earth-Monkey said.

“I call.” Qi Xia was the first to throw a “Dao” onto the table.

Hearing Qi Xia speak, Earth-Monkey glanced at his cards: “Your cards are ‘seven points.’ Why don’t you fold now?”

“Not folding.” Qi Xia said with somewhat unfocused eyes. “Do you dare to call?”

Earth-Monkey looked at Qi Xia’s expression, thought for a few seconds, then decisively placed down a “Dao.” He had “First Month First Day”—right now he appeared to have the best chance of winning. There was simply no reason to back down.

After Chen Junnan also bet one chip, Qiao Jiajin began considering the possibility of raising further. But after thinking it over, he felt his cards would be hard-pressed to beat Earth-Monkey’s, so he could only wait quietly for the next opportunity.

During this time, he kept glancing at Qi Xia from the corner of his eye, only to discover that Qi Xia’s figure was swaying unsteadily, as if forcing himself to hold on.

“Brother Junnan, deal the cards first.” Qiao Jiajin said. “We’ll consider ‘raising’ next round.”

“Alright.” Chen Junnan nodded and began dealing “hole cards” to each person.

First himself, then Qiao Jiajin, Qi Xia, and Earth-Monkey.

Since this game only required dealing nine cards total, a full twenty-seven cards remained in the deck. Trying to deduce what cards opponents might draw based on the cards people held seemed to have become rather unrealistic.

Chen Junnan took the paper card in hand and slowly lifted one corner.

“This young master has been unlucky his whole life. Can’t I catch a break this time…?”

Chen Junnan blinked somewhat puzzled. Looking through all twenty-four solar terms, he couldn’t think of which character started with a left-falling stroke.

Could a miracle truly have appeared?

He slowly lifted the card face with a joyful expression. Three seconds later, his entire person showed an expression of wanting death but being unable to obtain it.

“Double Ninth Festival.”

“Ninth Month Ninth Day.”

Not counting any other cards, he had already “busted” with just this one card alone.

This card’s face value was “eighteen.” If he hadn’t miscalculated, “Double Ninth Festival” should be the largest single card among all cards. Apart from it, no other card could reach “eighteen” on its own merit. This was a living, breathing “bomb.”

Adding his previously drawn “Beginning of Spring” and the community card “She Day,” his hand cards reached a full fucking twenty-nine points—nearly double “sixteen”!

“This young master is truly convinced…” Chen Junnan worked hard to control his expression, struggling not to show a collapsed appearance.

What could he do next?

Now it wasn’t a question of whether he could win or not, but that continuing to gamble would inevitably lead to failure.

If that was the case, what else could he do?

After a few seconds, the corners of Chen Junnan’s mouth slowly rose. He seemed to have been overthinking things…

In this gambling match, his goal from the very beginning had never been to “win.”

“Whooo~~~~~~~~”

The cheerful voice once again cut through the silent casino, causing Earth-Monkey to slowly furrow his brows.

“I’ve got an incredible hand again!!” Chen Junnan shouted loudly. “Brother Monkey! This time I really want to bet with you!!”

After hearing this, Earth-Monkey impatiently glanced at Chen Junnan and asked: “What do you want to bet?”

Chen Junnan thought for a few seconds, then slowly spoke: “Can I bet on the color of my butt?”

“What…?!” Earth-Monkey’s nose nearly twisted in anger. “What the fuck kind of bet is that?!”

“Meaning if this young master wins, my future will be white with a rosy glow. If you win, you’ll… at least look like a person.”

“Fuck!” Earth-Monkey was clearly truly angry. He slapped the table and pointed viciously at Chen Junnan. “You’re dead today, kid. Even if the game ends, I won’t let you off.”

“Hey, don’t worry. I estimate I won’t live to see the game end.” Chen Junnan smiled.

“You…”

“What, can’t bet on this?” Chen Junnan helplessly shrugged. “How about you all chat first, and I’ll just listen.”

Qiao Jiajin brought his hand cards before him, gently flipped them to look, then raised his eyebrows.

“Rain Water”!

He quickly calculated in his mind. This year’s Rain Water was “First Month Twenty-First,” or “one-two-one.”

He held a “Shangsi” card of “Third Month Third Day.” The two cards added together totaled “ten.” Even adding the “She Day” in the center of the table, the sum was still “fourteen.”

This hand not only hadn’t “busted,” but actually had a certain degree of competitiveness…

It just depended on what Earth-Monkey’s “hole card” was.

As long as he wasn’t “fifteen” or the maximum “sixteen,” this round was already won.

In this “Full Moon rule,” each person’s cards had a high probability of “busting.” Being able to stabilize one’s hand was already quite difficult, let alone obtaining a number as large as “fourteen.”

Qiao Jiajin expressionlessly put the cards back properly, then turned his head to look at Qi Xia.

He wanted to know approximately what cards Qi Xia held, and also wanted to know if he could go all-in against Earth-Monkey.

But Qi Xia never looked at his own cards. He just kept his head raised, continuously staring at the “hole card” in Earth-Monkey’s hand.

Earth-Monkey carefully picked up the “hole card,” then looked at the text on it, and afterward set it down expressionlessly.

A few seconds later, he slowly revealed a trace of a smile: “Does anyone want to ‘raise’?”

Qiao Jiajin knew the arrow was already on the string. He hurriedly cast a help-seeking gaze toward Qi Xia, only to discover that Qi Xia’s line of sight had never left Earth-Monkey’s card, as if wanting to see through that “hole card” with his eyes alone.

Following Qi Xia’s gaze, Qiao Jiajin also looked at that card in the near distance. After a few seconds, he discovered something unusual.

At the same moment, Chen Junnan also discovered something.

None of the three spoke. They just silently remained in place.

Was this coincidence or powerful luck…?

With the help of the flickering dim lights in the casino, everyone clearly saw that the “hole card” Earth-Monkey had placed before his eyes was stained with several barely visible blood spots.

“Tss…” Chen Junnan reached up to stroke his forehead, lowering his head to rapidly turn his brain.

Blood spots… blood spots…

Speaking of “blood spots”…

Wouldn’t they come from Zheng Yingxiong, who had just had a nosebleed?

After he had a large nosebleed, he immediately tilted his head back, causing the blood to flow back into his windpipe. He then coughed out the blood, and those blood droplets sprayed everywhere, splashing onto the cards in front of him.

“This is bad… just now Zheng Yingxiong’s cards were…?” Chen Junnan slowly closed his eyes, imitating Qi Xia’s method of rapid thinking.

The card Earth-Monkey now held was one of Zheng Yingxiong’s hand cards from the last round…

Chen Junnan slowly opened his eyes. Zheng Yingxiong’s cards from last time suddenly surfaced in his mind.

“Beginning of Autumn,” “Seventh Month Eighth Day.”

“Great Heat,” “Sixth Month Twenty-First.”