Chapter 8: Drowning Sorrows in Alcohol, Heartbreak?
Whether it was an illusion or not, Lian Li heard a hint of teasing in his words.
But that didn’t matter.
What mattered was that Jin Shiyue knew her cards like the back of his hand, while she couldn’t fathom his hidden hand.
Lian Li was very young when she first met Jin Shiyue.
Father Lian Jingcheng, worried about leaving her alone at home when she was so young, would occasionally drive her with the employer’s permission.
The Jin brothers had a good relationship, and Jin Shiyue would sometimes ride in the same car as Jin Yan Ting.
It was just after Spring Festival, and Lian Li, with her small head bowed, was diligently counting red envelopes.
Jin Shiyue took out a stack of banknotes and told her: if she beat him at cards, the money would be hers.
Lian Li was a money grubber, her eyes lighting up at the sight of money. Hearing Jin Shiyue say the money was all hers, she nodded and agreed.
As a result, she didn’t win a single round.
Moreover, he played in a way that toyed with and destroyed you, making you lose catastrophically just as you were about to win.
It was extremely psychologically torturous.
Lian Li’s initial impression of Jin Shiyue was that he was a rich and dangerous scoundrel.
Losing every time, she was so angry she wanted to hit him, but she couldn’t. In the end, tears stubbornly welled up in her eyes, making her look as pitiful as if she had lost a hundred million.
Being young had many advantages, such as no one laughing at your weakness when you cried.
You could also get red envelopes.
…Now, she had grown up.
Pei Qingji glanced at the card table; the situation was clear at a glance.
Drawing cards relies on luck, playing cards relies on skill.
These two junior sisters seemed to possess neither, and she didn’t even have the home-field advantage.
Pei Qingji looked at Lian Li, who showed no signs of impatience and remained calm.
Zhong Yang also understood, leaning back casually against the sofa: “Master Yue, don’t scare Li Mei. If something happens to her, it won’t be easy to explain to Brother Jin.”
Jin Shiyue seemed to hear a joke, and a mocking smile curved his lips: “Foam, so easily shattered.”
He extended his arm, and with a gentle flick of his long fingers, two cards were flipped over, exposed nakedly to everyone’s view.
Lian Li’s fingers resting on the table unconsciously tapped the rim of her wine glass. Seeing Jin Shiyue’s swift and arrogant move, she suddenly looked up at him.
The man’s expensive fabric black shirt was slightly unbuttoned at the collar, giving him a languid and casual air. His eyes held a shallow smile, softening the sharpness of his features and adding a touch of roguish charm.
Pei Qingji asked Lian Li: “Do you want to reveal your cards?”
“Mm.”
As long as she didn’t lose money, Lian Li was very zen, indifferent to winning or losing. She also flipped over her two cards.
Zhong Yang, seeing the outcome, immediately extended his hands to shuffle their cards, exclaiming: “The result doesn’t matter, it’s about participation!”
Compared to Zhong Yang’s overflowing emotions, Pei Qingji’s expression was merely calm.
Jin Shiyue lightly lifted his eyelids, his gaze lazily falling on Lian Li’s face, who was deep in thought.
Zhong Yang, worried that Lian Li might be upset from losing, tried to tell a joke: “Li Mei, do you know why Fa Hai can never be a rapper?”
Lian Li snapped back to attention and cooperatively asked: “Why.”
Zhong Yang: “Because he can’t ‘rao she’ (spare the snake)!”
Hearing this, Lian Li beamed with a smile, her eyes curving like a bright crescent moon.
Seeing this, Zhong Yang proudly raised his eyebrows, like a big dog wagging its tail.
Jin Shiyue and Pei Qingji understood.
The junior sister wasn’t laughing at the joke at all, but at Zhong Yang.
At the right moment, Xue Shufan came over with a microphone to take Lian Li to sing. Lian Li said goodbye to them and left.
Zhong Yang continued: “Li Mei is still young and doesn’t play often, so she’s already very good.”
The mobile phone on the table rang.
Jin Shiyue glanced at it, picked up the phone, and as he stood up, he playfully patted Zhong Yang on the back of the head, laughing: “Blind man, go get your eyes checked.”
Then, he leisurely strolled to the quiet balcony to take the call.
“Hey!” Zhong Yang scratched his cheek, utterly bewildered. “What does Young Master mean by that?”
Pei Qingji pondered for a moment, then precisely drew an Ace of Hearts from the pile of cards, spinning it between his fingers twice.
Was her card skill truly rusty, or was she deliberately losing?
If she was indeed deliberately losing, her technique for letting go had reached the point of perfection.
Without anyone noticing.
Playing with capricious young masters, winning was impossible, but if they noticed you were letting them win, it was worse than winning.
A genuine display of letting go, leaving no room for criticism.
Even someone as sharp as Zhong Yang didn’t notice; it was truly flawless…
Pei Qingji looked in Lian Li’s direction.
Lian Li wasn’t singing; she sat elegantly on a high stool, acting as a producer, specifically helping Xue Shufan switch the audio.
“What do you want to sing?”
“A fried egg fell in love with a poached egg. It grabbed a guitar and went downstairs to the poached egg’s place to sing: This is a little love song for a fried egg~” Xue Shufan monopolized the microphone, narrating vividly.
A smile bloomed on Lian Li’s lips, and she helped her select a 《 love song 》.
As the pleasant and soothing music began, her foot tapped the ground to the rhythm. Her gaze inadvertently swept towards the balcony, and she froze.
The man leaned against the railing, cold, dark shadows flickering around him, outlining his tall, slender, and imposing figure. He held his mobile phone in one hand and a cigarette in the other, his expression indifferent, talking to someone unknown.
Faint white mist emanated from his fingertips, swirling and gradually merging with the night.
His chiseled face was hidden behind the deep night and smoke, appearing somewhat indistinct.
Frame by frame, it was like a meticulously crafted scene from a movie.
Perhaps sensing something, Jin Shiyue glanced in this direction.
His cool, indifferent gaze drifted past… he probably hadn’t noticed her.
Jin Shiyue casually raised his hand and took a puff of his cigarette. The wristwatch on his arm caught the light, shining brightly, and Lian Li’s eyes were momentarily dazzled.
For a while, there was a bright little spot in front of her eyes.
*
Pei Qingji sat on the sofa, pondering the cigarette case in his hand.
The cigarettes were made with a meticulously ground, old-fashioned technique, rarely seen… A glance from the corner of his eye caught a tall, straight figure, and Pei Qingji turned his head to look at the newcomer.
Jin Shiyue’s dark shirt sleeves were rolled up slightly, revealing two sections of his arms that were lean and strong, hinting at immeasurable explosive power.
He crossed his long legs, his feet resting on the coffee table, leaning back against the sofa, appearing utterly languid.
“Meng Dingkai is inquiring everywhere about why the Second Young Master left the military region for a piece of land. What’s the story behind this?” Pei Qingji asked, putting down the cigarette case. “What, are you really interested in taking over that L25 plot?”
Jin Shiyue glanced at him sideways, raising his left eyebrow: “Tell Meng Dingkai that L25 is a blessed land, surrounded by mountains and rivers, and it’s intended to bury him, so his descendants can enjoy the benefits.”
Pei Qingji smiled, watching him.
Setting aside the matter of leaving the military region early, L25 was such a large plot of land, involving numerous high-tech parks and industrial bases, and also included a military industry sector. If he wasn’t confident, he likely wouldn’t have let slip any hints.
Zhong Yang returned after seeing Lian Li and Xue Shufan off. He plopped down on the dark brown sofa, directly grabbed a wine bottle, poured himself a glass, and drank it down in one gulp, then poured a second.
Pei Qingji watched him drink three consecutive glasses: “Drowning your sorrows? Heartbreak?”
