Chapter Sixty-Five: What Cards Does Young Master Ye Hold?

Basement Level One
Ye Qing sat to the side, while the dealer, holding the dice, stood tall at the main position.
His hand began to shake the dice rapidly, then stopped, slamming them heavily onto the table.
“Please place your bets, everyone.”
Countless people crowded around, but only a few actually placed their bets.
Suddenly, all eyes focused on Ye Qing.
Shangguan Renran calmly pushed her chips toward the “small” side.
The crowd followed suit, placing their bets.
“Two, three, five—small.”
The staff quickly exchanged double chips for the winners.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
The dealer started shaking the dice again.
Though Shangguan Renran appeared indifferent, her ears were attuned to the rhythm and the weight of the dice’s fall.
“Please place your bets, everyone.”
Shangguan Renran again pressed her chips to “small.”
The others followed.
“One, two, six—small.”
The staff swiftly exchanged chips for the winners, and more players joined in.
“Four, four, five—big.”
…
“One, one, two—small.”
…
“Three, five, six—big.”
…
The manager, sitting in front of the surveillance monitors, was growing anxious. Good heavens, have you forgotten this is your own casino? Even if you’re going to ruin the family fortune, this isn’t the way!
It was as if Shangguan Renran heard his thoughts, deliberately betting wrong on the last round.
“Three, four, five—big.”

The crowd watched, puzzled, as some chips were pushed away.
Shangguan Renran soothed them, “We’ve won so much already, shouldn’t we lose a round too?”
Everyone nodded, agreeing with her logic.
The manager…
Shangguan Renran moved upstairs to the first floor to play blackjack.
In poker, blackjack is the highest hand. An ace can count as 1 or 11; if you draw an ace and a ten, that’s the best hand. If the cards exceed 21, the ace counts as 1, and the face cards (J, Q, K) all count as ten points.
Along with Shangguan Renran, four others joined the game. Everyone on that floor dropped their own games to crowd around, and spectators from other floors gathered as well.
Players placed their chips in the center. The dealer dealt two face-up cards to each player, and for himself, one face-up and one face-down card.
If a player’s total is less than 21, they can request another card.
Shangguan Renran’s two cards: 2 and 7. The others had 5 and 8, 3 and 7, 6 and 6, and ace and 9.
The dealer’s face-up card was a queen (worth 10). “Would anyone like another card?”
Shangguan Renran spoke first, “I’ll take one.”
The others also requested cards, except for the last player, who already had 20 and wisely declined.
Shangguan Renran examined her new card—it was an 8, bringing her total to 17.
The others took two cards, one card, one card.
“Ah, I busted!” cried the one who took two cards.
His new cards were 4 and king, totaling 27, which exceeded 21. He lost and had to leave the game, his chips going to the dealer.
If your two initial cards don’t make 21, you can keep drawing, but if you go over, you lose.
The other two drew a 5 and a 2.
With the loser gone, the remaining four—Shangguan Renran included—had 17, 15, 14, and 20 points.
“Would you like another card?”
Shangguan Renran said, “I’ll take one.”
“We will too.”
Shangguan Renran drew a 4, making exactly 21.
The other two drew a jack and a ten, totaling 25 and 24.
The last player still had 20, having refused another card.

In other words, the other two had busted as well.
Now only Shangguan Renran and the final player remained.
“Would either of you like another card?” the dealer asked.
“No, reveal your card,” Shangguan Renran said coolly—she already had 21.
Unless the dealer’s hidden card was an ace, making blackjack (a ten and an ace), she would win.
The dealer revealed a ten; combined with the queen, his total was 20.
Shangguan Renran won.
“And what about Young Master Ye’s hand?” the dealer asked. Unless it was 21, he would win.
Shangguan Renran flipped her two cards: 8 and 4, exactly 21.
The crowd cheered, even more delighted than if they had won themselves. The other player tied with the dealer, which didn’t count as a win.
When Huang Pu Shenqing arrived at the basement level, he witnessed this thrilling scene. His gaze lingered on her, filled with tender affection and adoration.
The casino manager approached Shangguan Renran and whispered, “Young master, someone is causing trouble on level minus four.”
Shangguan Renran raised an eyebrow, “Do they know the rules here?”
“They should, and it seems they came prepared.”
“Let’s take a look.”
The crowd watched Ye Qing head to the fourth basement level and quickly followed, not wanting to miss any excitement tonight.

Basement Level Four
Here, a dozen men stood armed, each one tall and intimidating.
The casino never searched its guests, which was one reason for the Ye family’s casino’s rapid rise—they treated every guest with respect.
“So you’re the manager here, Ye Qing or whatever?”
“Yes. Are you unaware of the rules here?” Shangguan Renran, masked, spoke quietly, but her aura was so commanding that even the burly men were momentarily cowed.
“Whether we know or not doesn’t matter. What matters is that one of your own, that guy, just cheated. All my brothers saw it. So, what are you going to do about it?” The leader shouted, his tone arrogant.
He pointed at the dealer at the table.
“Oh? He cheated? Should we chop off his hand then?” Shangguan Renran’s icy gaze locked onto the ringleader, completely ignoring the dealer.
Her demeanor was deadly serious, her aura cold as frost, sweeping over him as if he were already a corpse.