Feicui, who was sitting beside Old Madam Guo helping her watch her cards, saw Zhou Shaojin play the Three of Coins and quickly called out “Claim it!” before Old Madam Guo could make any move.
Old Madam Guo glanced at her own cards and immediately smiled as she threw out a pair of Three of Coins and discarded a Two of Coins.
Nanny Lü glanced at Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin was staring intently at the cards in her hand, forming sequences one by one. How could she pay attention to the cards on the table or what others had played?
Nanny Lü smiled faintly, claimed the Two of Coins, thought for a moment, and played a Four of Bamboo.
Zhou Shaojin sat to Nanny Lü’s right.
Cheng Chi called out “Claim the card.”
Zhou Shaojin held one Two of Bamboo, one Three of Bamboo, one Four of Bamboo, one Five of Bamboo, one Six of Bamboo, and one Seven of Bamboo. If she got another Two of Bamboo, Five of Bamboo, or Eight of Bamboo, she could win. In other words, she was already waiting to win.
She glanced at Cheng Chi.
Cheng Chi’s face showed no expression.
She quickly asked in a low voice, “Which one should I play?”
Zhou Shaojin didn’t dare ask which card to claim, fearing the other three players would catch on.
Cheng Chi said, “Play the Seven of Bamboo.”
Not Two of Bamboo, Five of Bamboo, or Eight of Bamboo, but just Five of Bamboo alone?
Zhou Shaojin felt the chances of completing her hand this way were too slim.
But with Cheng Chi telling her to play the Seven of Bamboo in front of so many people, how could she make him lose face?
Zhou Shaojin played the Seven of Bamboo.
Biyu, to her right, looked at the cards on the table, then at the cards in her hand, pondered for quite a while, and also played a Seven of Bamboo.
Old Madam Guo’s expression was no longer as relaxed as before.
The old lady thought for a moment and very carefully also played a Seven of Bamboo.
Without thinking, Nanny Lü played another Four of Bamboo.
Old Madam Guo frowned and said, “Why are you breaking up pairs to play?”
Nanny Lü said aggrieved, “I’ll show you my cards in a moment! The cards I wanted to claim as triplets just wouldn’t come out. Who knew that as soon as I broke them up, Second Young Cousin Miss would play them.”
Old Madam Guo said nothing.
Zhou Shaojin drew a card.
It was actually a Five of Bamboo.
She was dumbfounded, looking at Cheng Chi, then at Old Madam Guo.
Old Madam Guo asked sensitively, “What’s wrong?”
“I… I won by self-draw!” Zhou Shaojin stammered as she laid her cards on the table.
“She could actually draw that!” Biyu pulled out the sequence with Five of Bamboo from her hand. “I thought something was off when Fourth Master told Second Young Cousin Miss to play the Seven of Bamboo. I broke up a sequence to follow suit, but didn’t expect Second Young Cousin Miss to actually draw it.”
Zhou Shaojin was even more confused.
According to what everyone said, she had drawn the only Five of Bamboo.
How did Cheng Chi know she would definitely win after claiming Nanny Lü’s card?
She glanced sideways at Cheng Chi.
Cheng Chi’s face showed complete lack of interest.
Zhou Shaojin lowered her head to shuffle the cards.
Biyu covered her mouth and laughed, reminding her, “Second Young Cousin Miss, it’s Nanny Lü’s deal.”
Zhou Shaojin felt embarrassed.
Nanny Lü teased her with a smile, “Second Young Cousin Miss, this won’t do! You’ve already lost four consecutive rounds and now you want to steal my deal.”
Old Madam Guo and the others laughed heartily.
Zhou Shaojin’s face turned red.
After starting fresh, Cheng Chi continued standing beside her, guiding her play.
Inexplicably, she won six consecutive dealer rounds. On the seventh round, she actually assembled a large hand of all pairs.
Old Madam Guo couldn’t help herself and said reproachfully, “Fourth Son, if you have nothing to do, why don’t you join us in playing!”
Zhou Shaojin’s face burned like fire. She quickly stood up and said, “Fourth Uncle Chi, let me play for you!”
Biyu also cleverly stood up and said, “Fourth Master, this servant doesn’t play cards well. Old Madam has scolded me several times. If there wasn’t a shortage of players, Old Madam would have already driven me from the table. Please take my seat! Otherwise, when I lose money, Old Madam will complain I’m losing too slowly.”
Everyone laughed again.
But Cheng Chi pulled out his pocket watch to check the time and said, “I have matters to attend to later. I’m just wandering around here. Don’t mind me.”
Since he said this, everyone couldn’t very well force him. They sat down again to play.
Only this time he said nothing more, just sat leisurely to the side watching.