Gu Heng was now extremely timid in front of Qin Zhao. He quickly said "Nothing" and turned his head to bury his head in his book.
Jing Li was left alone to face the situation. He could only watch Qin Zhao walk out of the room and put his arm around his shoulders.
"Tell me, where are you going?"
Jing Li pursed his lips and subconsciously hid the thing in his hand behind him.
Qin Zhao naturally saw his little action.
In front of the students, Qin Zhao did not argue with him, but turned his head to Gu Heng and said, "Recite the article I asked you to recite again, and then you can leave."
Gu Heng nodded quickly.
"Also, the county exam will be held in three days. Don't study anymore during these days. Go out and relax more." Qin Zhao instructed again.
Gu Heng: "Yes, I know."
Qin Zhao retracted his gaze, took Jing Li's hand and pulled him out the door.
After the two men left the house, Gu Heng looked up and said with lingering fear: "It's just an appointment to go to the gambling house, this is so sour..."
Qin Zhao took Jing Li back to the bedroom in the backyard.
The little fish was lying on the bed, sleeping soundly with the quilt in his arms.
Children of this age sleep a lot, and it takes energy for the little fish to transform into a human form, so they need to sleep for at least seven or eight hours a day.
Qin Zhao tucked in the quilt for Xiao Yuzai, but when he looked back he saw Jing Li still standing outside the room obediently, and he couldn't help laughing.
It's been such a long time, but I still act like this when I feel guilty about doing something wrong.
He lowered the curtain beside the bed to block the kid, then turned and walked back to Jing Li.
"Do you have anything to tell me?" Qin Zhao said, helping Jing Li unbutton his coat.
Jing Li had been walking outside for too long, and the cold air on his coat was very strong. Jing Li was worried that the cold air on his coat would be transmitted to him, so he subconsciously hid.
But considering the situation, it seems a bit guilty.
Qin Zhao smiled as he helped Jing Li take off his coat. He then took the thing that he had been hiding in his hand and said, "You are here to buy a book, so what is this?"
"This is..." Jing Li swallowed and whispered, "Gambling cup."
The thing wrapped in oil paper was indeed a gambling cup.
There are three dice inside.
Qin Zhao put the things on the table and said helplessly: "I won't scold you, so why do you have to ask me this? What do you buy these for?"
"I just... I just wanted to play." Jing Li lowered his head and didn't dare to look at him, and lied guiltily, "I saw someone selling this when I came here just now. I've never played it before, so I wanted to try it."
Qin Zhao asked: "You didn't dare to let me go, so you went to find Gu Heng?"
Jing Li murmured "hmm" softly.
Qin Zhao didn't answer, he just lowered his head and fiddled with the gambling cup.
He played with these things a lot when he was young and energetic. Of course, he didn't play them for money. Now that I think about it, these hobbies at that time were just to vent the suffocating pressure of political affairs.
Qin Zhao skillfully put the dice into the gambling cup. He looked up and saw Jing Li still standing by the table as if he was punished. He smiled and said, "Come here. How can I beat you like this?"
Jing Li was stunned: "Don't you dislike me playing these games?"
"It's not that we can't play." Qin Zhao said, "It's just that we are living in such a tight situation now, and you have such bad luck. If you lose all the family property, how will you support your son?"
Jing Li: “…”
This is also what Jing Li is worried about.
Although he can improve the fortunes of those around him in some ways, he himself has always been very unlucky.
He even suspected that it was because he had not been unlucky for too long that Boss Chang's bookstore suffered this unexpected disaster.
"But, there's nothing wrong with just playing around."
Qin Zhao stuffed the gambling cup into Jing Li's hand.
He gently held Jing Li's hands from behind and held the gambling cup: "... You must press it tightly like this, hold it firmly, and then shake it slowly..."
Qin Zhao had been staying in the room, his palms were warm, which made Jing Li's fingers look cold.
Jing Li smelled the faint medicinal fragrance on him and felt the slight vibration of his chest when he said "I" in a low voice, and he actually felt a little distracted.
They have been together for so long that they should be used to the most intimate actions. But this action inexplicably reminded Jing Li of the time when they were still in Linxi Village, when Qin Zhao also held his hand like this every day and helped him practice calligraphy.
Jing Li tilted his head to look at Qin Zhao's profile.
The other person's jawline was clearly defined, and his thin lips opened and closed constantly as he spoke, with the corners of his lips always slightly curled up, soft and gentle.
"Distracted again?" Qin Zhao noticed Jing Li's gaze and said helplessly, "I asked you to look at the gambling cup, why are you looking at me?"
"I'm thinking about important things." Jing Li said.
Qin Zhao: "What's the matter?"
Jing Li: "Think about why I like you so much."
Even someone as calm as Qin Zhao was caught off guard by this straight shot from his young husband.
He was stunned for a moment, then chuckled from his nose and asked in a low voice: "Have you figured out the conclusion?"
"No." Jing Li leaned in Qin Zhao's arms, looking a little distressed. "After thinking about it, the only explanation is that you are a charming little goblin."
Qin Zhao: “…”
Qin Zhao pinched his waist and said, "Who is the demon, little fish demon?"
Jing Li was tickled by him, twisting left and right uncomfortably, but he couldn't avoid being suppressed by someone's height. During the play, the gambling cup fell lightly on the table, and the dice fell to the ground.
The two of them stopped moving at the same time.
The two fathers held their breath and looked into the room. The bed, which was completely covered by the curtains, was quiet. The two men stared for a moment before they breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ever since this little bastard came along, everything he does is like a thief." Jing Li muttered and complained.
He turned his head and quickly kissed Qin Zhao on the lips, whispering: "But no matter who you are, I still love you very much."
Love him so much that I am willing to give him all the best.
I am also willing to become a better person for him.
Qin Zhao chased after him and kissed him back, pressing his nose against his cold nose, with a smile in his eyes: "This is what you said, you must keep your word."
He let the man go, bent down and picked up the dice scattered on the ground: "Do you still want to learn?"
"study!"
Jing Li dragged Qin Zhao to cram for a whole day to learn how to play the gambling game. The next day, he found an excuse to sneak out.
He first went to the bookstore to call Boss Chang, and the two of them went to the gambling house together.
It was only morning, but there were many people in the gambling house. The environment here was extremely noisy. It was Jing Li's first time to come to such a place, and he frowned at the smell inside.
The two asked the waiter to inform them, and they were soon led to a private room upstairs.
This gambling house has three floors in total, and all the floors above the second floor are private rooms.
However, gambling is all about the atmosphere, so there are very few guests coming to the private rooms on weekdays. It is more of a place for guests who play all night to rest.
There was a gambling table in the middle of the room, with a few chairs beside it and a small table for tea and chips. A faint scent of sandalwood was lit in the corner, and once the door was closed, the noise and smell of tobacco were instantly diluted.
The waiter just asked Jing Li and Boss Chang to wait in the room, then he closed the door and left.
As soon as the person left, Boss Chang suddenly became a little restless: "Mr. Zhaoli, do you really want to bet with that Ji guy?"
Jing Li was unsure, but he managed to keep a calm face: "If I don't bet, your bookstore will be taken away by Ji Zhifei, right? If I bet, there is still a chance to win it back, so this business is not a loss, right?"
"Can… "
Boss Chang looked at the young man beside him and sighed in his heart.
This gambling game is like a Hongmen Banquet. Even if they really win, will Young Master Ji really return the bookstore
Nowadays, when something is in the hands of the powerful, how can ordinary people ask for it
Jing Li comforted him, "Don't worry, I still have to make money from publishing books, I won't let him be so arrogant."
As I was talking, the door of the private room was pushed open.
Ji Zhifei walked in surrounded by people.
This time, following him were not only the guys from the gambling house, but also a few people dressed like rich young men, who were obviously his cronies.
Jing Li had seen many wealthy young men in the city, but he had never seen those present.
This is normal.
Most of the people Jing Li could meet were Gu Heng's friends. Gu Heng didn't like this Mr. Ji very much, so he naturally wouldn't introduce him to him.
In fact, when Ji Zhifei proposed the gambling game to embarrass Jing Li, Jing Li had thought that if Gu Heng had a good relationship with him, he could ask Gu Heng to mediate. Unfortunately, Gu Heng and this person didn't like each other, so it was unlikely that he would mediate.
We can only take one step at a time.
Ji Zhifei sat down across from the gambling table and yawned lazily: "You came quite early."
They all looked a little sleepy, but they seemed to be in good spirits, obviously after a whole night of fun.
"Mr. Ji, is this the little beauty you were talking about, the one who dared to talk back to you in the street?" Someone leaned close to Ji Zhifei's ear and asked with a smile.
The man covered his mouth with his hand and pretended to whisper, but his voice was not lowered, causing people around him to laugh.
Ji Zhifei patted him on the shoulder and said, "Shut up and stop talking about messing around."
"Oh, you're here to protect me right away." "Master Ji, you're really worried!" "Shut up, everyone. Call me sister-in-law tomorrow and show some respect."
Jing Li: “…”
It’s really hard to describe the dandy young men in this city.
Jing Li didn't care about the other party's verbal advantage, and interrupted: "Master Ji, don't waste time, how do you want to bet?"
"Okay, I'll start now." Ji Zhifei asked someone to bring two gambling cups and said, "I'm afraid you don't know how to play complicated things, so let's compare the size. You and I will throw five rounds together, and the one with the biggest score in the end will win. If you win, you can take the bookstore back, but if you lose..."
Jing Li asked: "What about losing?"
Someone interrupted and said, "If you lose, don't leave today and play with us to your heart's content."
This made everyone laugh again.
Boss Chang sat next to Jing Li and gently pulled Jing Li's sleeve: "Sir, let's go. They have other intentions..."
"Shut up!" Ji Zhifei shouted at Jing Li, "Don't listen to them, there is no such rule."
Ji Zhifei pushed a gambling cup in front of Jing Li, looked at the uneasy boy in front of him, and lowered his voice: "Play first, and talk about it after you lose. I won't make it difficult for you."
Jing Li was too lazy to pay attention to him and raised his hand to take the gambling cup in front of him.
In fact, he was not sure either.
Jing Li spent the entire afternoon yesterday learning how to roll the dice from Qin Zhao, and he had mastered most of the techniques. If his luck wasn't too bad, it shouldn't be difficult for him to beat Ji Zhifei.
But he has always had bad luck.
Jing Li pursed his lips, raised the gambling cup and began to shake it.
His movements were awkward, and it was obvious that he didn't play often. Seeing him like this, Boss Chang shook his head silently, while the rich young man opposite him, who had already lost his temper, started laughing.
Jing Li ignored all of it and just shook the gambling cup seriously.
盅.
Three, five, four.
The number was not too big. Jing Li thought to himself that something was wrong and looked up at the other person.
—Three ones.
Jing Li: “…”
Boss Chang: “…”
A playboy: "..."
Ji Zhifei felt a little embarrassed.
The gambling house was nominally the property of the master of the Ji family, but in reality it had always been managed by Ji Zhifei. He had been in the casino for a long time and understood that gambling was 50% skill and 50% luck.
But no matter what, getting three ones in a game of odds and evens is astonishing.
Ji Zhifei forced a smile and said, "Come again, come again."
In the second game, Jing Li shook out thirteen points.
Ji Zhifei... Five o'clock.
The third and fourth rounds...
Ji Zhifei's face became more and more ugly, and he felt puzzled in his heart.
Why is my luck so bad today
"Come again!"
After Ji Zhifei finished speaking, he wanted to shake the dice again, but neither the dealer nor the other party made any move. Someone tugged at his sleeve, and hesitated to speak: "Master Ji, this amount..."
Only then did Ji Zhifei go to look at the dealer's records.
They had already played four rounds, and the opponent played mediocrely, but Ji Zhifei lost miserably every time. After four rounds, he unexpectedly ended the game early.
Even if Ji Zhifei rolled three sixes in the next round, he would not be able to turn the game around.
Winner.
Jing Li let out a long sigh and fell into a chair. When he came to his senses, he found that there was a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.
After watching the first game, Boss Chang thought to himself that there was hope. At this moment, he finally stopped hiding his joy and praised, "Sir, you are lucky."
"It's okay. The other party just had bad luck." Jing Li drank a sip of water weakly.
After saying that, he looked at the person opposite him and said, "Can I return the title deed?"
Ji Zhifei's face turned pale.
Boss Chang's shop has a good location, and his father had set his eyes on this place a long time ago. Ji Zhifei bought the shop from Chang Laoer this time just to make a contribution in front of his father.
As for the gamble, it was just an accident.
Ji Zhifei thought he was not a person who coveted beauty, but after meeting this little beauty in the bookstore yesterday, he was not calm enough. When he came to his senses, the bet had already been made.
Ji Zhifei did feel a little regretful afterwards, but relying on his usual good gambling skills, he was not afraid of a seemingly harmless young boy.
Besides, this is his gambling house and he has the final say on everything. Even if he really loses, he has a way to not return the shop.
—Although today’s loss was a bit ugly.
Ji Zhifei thought so in his heart, and slammed the gambling cup on the table: "No, the previous one doesn't count, you have to play a few more rounds with me."
Jing Li frowned: "Why? I've already won!"
"Is this your first time here?"
Jing Li: “Yes.”
"You were able to win four games in a row in your first try. Who knows if you cheated?" Ji Zhifei said righteously, "Do you know what the consequences are of cheating in my gambling house?"
"I didn't..." Jing Li was about to laugh at him, "Why don't you admit your defeat?"
"If you beat me fair and square, of course I would recognize it. But now you won unclearly, how can I recognize it?" Ji Zhifei raised his head and asked the people around him, "Tell me, in all these years in the gambling house, have you seen a newcomer like him who won several games in a row?"
"It's indeed a bit strange..."
"Besides, Master Ji was just playing with us, so his luck isn't that bad."
“… Is there really some manipulation?”
The other party kept talking to each other, and Jing Li was speechless.
He had never seen such a scoundrel.
Ji Zhifei asked: "How about it, are you willing to continue?"
"If you don't follow the rules, why should I continue?" Jing Li now fully understood the man's intention and said angrily, "If I win, you say I won unfairly. If I lose, you will take away Boss Chang's shop. How come you won't suffer any loss? I don't want to play anymore."
Jing Li picked up Chang Ban and turned to leave, but was stopped by the gambling shop's clerk.
Ji Zhifei asked: "Did I let you go?"
He stood up and walked to Jing Li, leaning a little closer, and whispered in his ear: "Little beauty, can you tell me the rules?"
"This entire gambling house belongs to me, so the rules should naturally be set by me. How about this, since you don't want to continue gambling, I'll give you another way." Ji Zhifei lowered his eyes to look at him, and said with a smile, "You and I will write off everything that happened before, and I will return the shop to Boss Chang. What do you think?"
"..." Jing Li said, "Then return the land deed first."
"If you promise first, I will pay you back." Ji Zhifei hid his joking expression and said seriously, "To be honest with you, I really like you a little bit. My family is one of the best in the city. You should follow me in the future. It's better than making money by writing books."
Jing Li: “…”
What's wrong with this person
Jing Li didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and asked, "Master Ji, do you know who I am?"
"I don't care who you are." Ji Zhifei said, "Anyway, my family is rich, it doesn't matter if you get married. Follow me, I won't treat you badly. You—"
Before he finished speaking, someone knocked on the door.
The door of the private room was pushed open, and a young man dressed elegantly walked in surrounded by the crowd: "Hey, you are having fun."
Someone in the house recognized him: "Master Gu, Master Gu!"
Gu Heng ignored the people in the room, and didn't even look at Ji Zhifei. He walked straight to Jing Li and smiled at him: "Sister-in-law, didn't you make an appointment with me? Why are you playing here?"