Chapter Sixteen: Are You Ready?

Page (1/3)

Wen Jinyu hadn’t expected Huo Beihan to dodge so promptly; even just leaning on him a little would have satisfied her, yet he avoided her as if she were a plague. Why was Su Mian allowed to get close? She intended to move forward and lean in, but Huo Beihan sat closer to Su Mian instead. Su Mian was focused intently on starting the game and barely noticed Huo Beihan’s sudden proximity. The dice rattled crisply inside the cup. Huo Beihan hadn’t played in a long time and was a bit rusty; he lost the first round to Su Mian after three attempts. He regained his touch in the second round. He hadn’t studied the game deliberately, but his natural intelligence let him learn quickly; after watching a few rounds, he grasped the rules and improved steadily. This talent was envied and wished for by the others. In the second round, Su Mian performed somewhat below par because Huo Beihan’s closeness made her uneasy. Additionally, his faint breath brushed against the back of her hand, distracting her and making her glance at him repeatedly. She had never seen Huo Beihan so focused on a game before. The old master Huo had taught his children to avoid frivolous distractions, so Su Mian had always heard Lin Xiu praising Huo Beihan’s excellence and his winning various awards. She recalled once hearing Lin Xiu complain about how strict Master Huo was—he even controlled Huo Beihan’s racing with classmates in college. At that moment, Su Mian thought he was indeed outstanding but also somewhat pitiable. A life without any indulgences—where was the joy in that? Lost in these wandering thoughts, Su Mian lost the second round. The match was best two out of three, so the third round was the decider. The earlier noise from Lin Mu and the others had died down; the entire private room was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop, tension tightening the atmosphere. After rolling, the two placed their dice on the table simultaneously. Lin Mu suddenly interrupted their reveal, “Wait, how about the three of us guess? Whoever loses today’s private room pays the bill.” For them, the stakes were small change; the betting was just for fun and atmosphere. Since Su Mian arrived, Wen Jinyu felt her presence diminished and tried to blend in. “Why just the three of you? I want to guess too.” Before anyone could respond, she added, “I guess Big Brother Beihan will win.” She said it as if worried they didn’t know her heart was entirely with Huo Beihan. Shen Tingzhou was the first to voice disagreement. “I think Su Mian will win.” Wen Jinyu, seeing him side with Su Mian again, retorted, “Brother Tingzhou, are you bribed by Su Mian? Why do you keep siding with an outsider today?” They had always been a circle, and as the only girl in it, Wen Jinyu usually received special treatment at every gathering.

Page (2/3)

But today was the first and only time she felt like the outsider, as if abandoned. “It’s not about siding with anyone; I’m just being honest. Everyone can see Su Mian’s skill. She’s beaten the two of us, and her technique shows she knows the game—it’s not just luck.” Shen Tingzhou’s analysis made Lin Mu and Wen Jinbo nod in agreement. If it were just beginner’s luck, she might have won one round; winning against two consecutively was no fluke. Lin Mu quickly placed his glass before Su Mian. “This round, I bet on Su Mian. Loser buys the drinks!” Wen Jinbo also bet on Su Mian. Wen Jinyu was the only one backing Huo Beihan. She felt so out of place under their words; what if Big Brother Beihan really lost? She didn’t have money to pay. “Big Brother Beihan, do you want to reroll?” Wen Jinyu whispered at his ear. Huo Beihan ignored her, as if deliberately opening the dice cup the moment she finished speaking. Su Mian followed suit and revealed hers. Lin Mu and Wen Jinbo cheered loudly. Shen Tingzhou smiled knowingly, his admiring gaze toward Su Mian tinged with something else. But Su Mian, focused on the dice, didn’t notice. She rolled four ones and a six, while Huo Beihan had five ones. Wen Jinyu was openly dissatisfied. “How come? Big Brother Beihan can’t lose. You must be cheating.” “Or maybe Su Mian is cheating.” Her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear. Su Mian was about to explain when Huo Beihan stood abruptly, stepping toward the door. He glanced back at Su Mian with a sidelong look. “Come here, I have something to tell you.” Though puzzled, Su Mian followed him. Everyone else in the private room exchanged glances but tacitly chose not to discuss further. Once outside, Huo Beihan took the driver’s seat first, his expression inscrutable as he looked at Su Mian. She stood outside, meeting his gaze through the window before speaking after a moment. “Big Brother, what’s wrong?”

Page (3/3)

Away from the crowd, standing alone with Huo Beihan, Su Mian felt an inexplicable nervousness, an unease she couldn’t shake. Huo Beihan looked at her and seemed to sigh silently. “It’s cold outside. Let’s talk inside.” Su Mian nodded and opened the rear door, sitting in the back seat. “What did you want to talk to me about?” Although she asked, her mind raced to prepare for whatever problem might arise and how she would resolve it. After a pause, the man in front finally spoke, “Is it because of Qin Yunzheng that you begged to get investment for the Qin family?” His tone was questioning, but through the rearview mirror, Su Mian caught the certainty in his eyes. The expression puzzled her, yet she didn’t want to be misunderstood again over this matter. “No, Big Brother, you misunderstand. The Qin family’s crisis has nothing to do with me. I’m doing this for Uncle Qin and Aunt Qin—they’ve treated me well. Although I’m separated from Qin Yunzheng, I don’t want anything to happen to them.” Huo Beihan glanced at her, as if verifying the truth of her words. Then he asked a second question. “Who taught you?” Su Mian blinked, unsure what he meant. He added, “About the dice.” Earlier, while playing dice with her, he noticed that if he wasn’t careful, he might fall into her expression traps. So he paid close attention, yet still lost to her. But from what he knew about Su Mian, she rarely frequented such places before. Su Mian suddenly understood and explained, “I used to play with Qin Yunzheng’s friends at home, but I kept losing. Later, when no one was around, I secretly studied the game on my own.” It wasn’t very difficult, after all. However, she held back that last remark—after just defeating him, saying so might seem like a provocation. After explaining, Su Mian raised her eyes to meet Huo Beihan’s through the rearview mirror. Though she said nothing, her gaze seemed to ask, “Any other questions?”