Chapter 89: Small Amount of Gambling is Entertaining
Tevez was finding any opportunity possible to demonstrate his superiority to Xu Cheng. Whether it was playing cards and running casinos, or luxury cars and demeanor, he was always declaring to Xu Cheng that they were not on the same level, and he wanted everyone to feel this as well.
From Xu Cheng’s behavior, Tevez felt that he had succeeded. He wanted Xu Cheng to feel inferior and incompetent, and make him realize that he did not belong in the same world as Lin Chuxue and to learn to give up.
Lin Chuxue knew Tevez’s goal, and she also tried hard to make Xu Cheng feel included, just so that he didn’t feel awkward and left out.
If it was before, Xu Cheng might have. But now, he wasn’t the same as before anymore. The years in the military taught him how to be humble yet confident. Although he failed to join the Dragon Division, he was able to gain fortune from misfortune, with his body undergoing mutations that filled him with confidence. Now, no matter how Tevez ridiculed Xu Cheng, his heart would remain calm like a lake.
Xu Cheng smiled. “It’s fine, you can play.”
Tevez still wanted to pull him into this. He thought Xu Cheng was a newb so he was willing to try and win all of Xu Cheng’s money. The best case scenario would be getting him to put his real estate up for collateral. Of course, that would be his dream.
“A small amount of gambling is entertaining. It’s fine, just play a few rounds.” Tevez laughed.
“Cheng, it’s fine, sit down and join us,” Lin Guiren said.
“Just a few rounds is fine.” Lin Chuxue didn’t want other men to share too many interests with her dad, so her man should at least play with her dad for a few rounds.
Xu Cheng nodded. Tevez, since you are so enthusiastic about inviting me, then you can’t blame me for what’s about to happen.
“Do you know how to play?” Tevez asked Xu Cheng.
Xu Cheng nodded. “Nope, how about Golden Flower Bomb? Oh, my bad, I don’t think you guys play this in Europe. I don’t know the games that only became popular during these years, so I don’t know how to play the game at this table.”
Xu Cheng’s implication was clear: You came to our country and you want me to play your game? Nope. Since you came to Huaxia, then you should adapt yourself to the local customs.
Tevez immediately interrupted him. “Since I run the casino, I obviously studied the likes of people in Huaxia. Whether it’s Fight the Landlord or Golden Flower Bomb, I’m familiar with both.”
“Oh, then that’s nice. My dad’s roots are in Huaxia, and he knows how to play Golden Flower Bomb as well. Shall we go for a few rounds?” Xu Cheng smiled.
“Yeah, let’s go! I haven’t played it for a while,” Lin Guiren laughed and replied.
Tevez gestured to the dealer to begin giving out cards, and the dealer then took out a brand new deck and spread it out to show the guests. “Please check this deck. Although we definitely wouldn’t hide any tricks in our cards, to show respect to our honorable guests, please take a look.”
Now, with technology being so advanced, it was possible to rig the cards. However, large casinos or tournaments only used designated cards to play, since they simply didn’t have the balls to bear the risk of being exposed. The moment it got exposed, they would be ordered by the regulator to cease operation, and they also didn’t need to be greedy for some short term profit to risk their long term business. A casino’s worst fear was having a bad reputation. After all, it wasn’t like there was only one casino in Shangcheng. It would be hard to detect if someone installed some tricks into the dice roller, but rigged poker cards could be easily identified with a simple scanner.
So, there really wasn’t a need to check the cards. Xu Cheng let the dealer start dealing the cards right away.
Then, seeing Xu Cheng jumping into the pit he dug, Tevez specifically called over a veteran gambler of the casino. On the surface, the guy seemed to be just a regular patron, but he was secretly a pro hired by the casino.
Tevez invited him over because he was quite good with reading cards and people’s emotions, so with him supporting, it would be a piece of cake to make Xu Cheng lose.
“Sorry, I just thought it would be a bit boring to play with just three people, do you guys mind if my friend joins us?” Tevez smiled and asked Xu Cheng.
Lin Guiren didn’t really care since he wouldn’t get all serious and stuff when playing with a bunch of youngsters. Of course, Xu Cheng didn’t mind as well.
Very soon, Tevez’s friend, Tim, a foreigner in a jacket, sat down and joined them.
A deck of cards wouldn’t be cleared every round, and the cards used in previous rounds would be set aside. So, it would need participants to try to remember the cards left and try to guess the cards in their opponents’ hand.
The starting bid was 50 thousand yuan, and each increase shouldn’t be less than 50,000 each time.
After each of them were dealt three cards, Xu Cheng checked his card, and then he casually looked at Tevez’s. The latter smiled and replied, “You don’t have to look at me, you won’t find my cards on my face.”
Xu Cheng just smiled in return. Silly, I was just looking at your cards, no one’s interested in your face.
Then, he casually took a look at Tevez’s friend, Tim’s cards as well. Of course, he just skipped looking at Lin Guiren’s.
Xu Cheng had an 8, a 9, and a 10. His hand was not too small, nor too big, but he had a decent chance with it, especially when he saw Tevez’s 5, 6, and 7 of different suits, so he thought the first round would be easy. Tim just had 2 Kings, so that was basically useless.
“Mr. Lin, please place your bet,” the dealer reminded Lin Guiren.
Lin Guiren bitterly laughed and directly chose to fold.
When it was Xu Cheng’s turn, he threw in 50 thousand yuan in chips.
Tim also threw in 50 thousand, and Tevez directly put down 200 thousand on the line.
“Reveal?” Xu Cheng asked.
Generally, whether or not to reveal depended on how many players were still placing down bets. They wouldn’t be able to call the reveal when there were still 3 or more people placing down bets. When there were just 2 people, one of them could double his current bet to force a reveal.
Tevez shook his head. “Nope.”
Xu Cheng thought for a moment and directly chose to fold. He revealed his cards, and when Tevez and Tim saw the 8-9-10 combo, they laughed.
“Do you really know how to play? Why would you fold when you have a combo this big?” Tevez looked a little contemptuous.
Even Lin Guiren looked at Xu Cheng, a bit shocked, and said, “You could go for a bit longer with that hand.”
Xu Cheng just laughed brightly. “I know Tevez and Tim are both pros, and they might have good hands.”
“That’s why I said gambling also needs wisdom and courage.” Tevez seized the chance to teach Xu Cheng another lesson.
Xu Cheng didn’t talk back but just nodded. “Let’s go for the second round.”
The dealer dealt another round of cards.
This time, Xu Cheng got a really crappy hand, just one Ace. He looked at Lin Guiren’s hand – a pair of 5s; Tim had a pair of 9s, and Tevez had a pair of 8s! Everyone’s hand wasn’t the best, especially Xu Cheng. That hand of his could be directly thrown into the trash can already. But, he smiled.
“50 thousand.”
This time, Lin Guiren wanted to bluff and he also followed with 50 thousand.
Tim also followed.
Tevez obviously wouldn’t want to back down, so he followed as well.
Then, Xu Cheng directly threw in 200 thousand yuan in chips,
Lin Guiren hesitated. He really didn’t have any advantage with that pair of 5s. After a long “Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,” he chose to fold.
Not only him, Tim and Tevez also hesitated. But, Tim also followed with 200 thousand yuan, Tevez thought for a moment and also followed. When it was Xu Cheng’s turn again, he directly threw in a million, and Tim and Tevez were immediately dumbfounded.
Thinking back to just last round when Xu Cheng was being so careful even when he had a good combo, they concluded that this guy definitely got an even better hand this time! Otherwise, he wouldn’t be this fearless.
Thinking of this, Tim folded.
Tevez, with a pair of 7s, also folded.
Xu Cheng smiled. He stood up and gathered all the chips on the table to his side. Lin Chuxue who was sitting beside him couldn’t suppress her curiosity and flipped over Xu Cheng’s hand. When they saw that the biggest play he had was an Ace out of the three cards, Tevez almost coughed up blood!
Lin Guiren directly burst into laughter right away. This brat! He just said he didn’t know very well how to play this game, yet he immediately tricked all three of us! And, the money he just won was a lot more than he lost last round! That face-slap must’ve hurt for Tevez!
