How can I justify myself as a Magnate if I don't indulge myself?

Chapter 94: Chapter 81 If You're Still Human, Don't Gamble

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Playing Golden Flower doesn't require any skills.

Although Gu Heng had never played before, how does that saying go?

Haven't eaten pork but haven't seen a pig run?

Once all six players had placed their initial bets and the game was officially announced to start...

The way Golden Flower is usually played is that the dealer shuffles and deals the cards, which leads to a frequent situation of sleight of hand, cheating.

But even though this was just an ordinary mahjong parlor, the rules were quite complete; none of the players were allowed to touch the cards, with the shuffling and dealing process fully managed by the mahjong parlor's owner...

Watching the owner's proficient dealing speed, Gu Heng suddenly remembered the kind of advertisement often seen at the beginning of certain movies...

"Sexy dealers, dealing online..."

Seeing Gu Heng staring at him, the mahjong room owner immediately explained with a smile, "Young man, don't worry. My mahjong parlor has been open for twenty years. I've been dealing Golden Flower all this time, and in these twenty years, no one has ever raised any objections here. You can play with confidence."

Li Haibin also whispered in Gu Heng's ear, "You can trust Uncle Liu's dealing, there definitely won't be an issue! He's my great-grandfather's uncle; he wouldn't cheat me."

Gu Heng smiled at that...

He hadn't expected that just by looking a little longer at the owner, they would think so much...

But when he thought about it, it made sense—it was a classic issue of perspective.

Actually, even if Gu Heng lost all of his fifty thousand yuan, he wouldn't be heartbroken, but others didn't see it that way...

How would they know that his half a year's savings was just pocket money for others to have fun with... They just thought that Gu Heng, playing so big, was bound to be more cautious.

....

....

After all six players' cards were dealt, Gu Heng, as the newcomer at the table and the first to speak...

Tore off the band from a stack of neatly arranged banknotes and tossed a single note into the middle of the table.

"Stake a hundred."

Looking at Gu Heng's nonchalant gaze, the other players at the table couldn't help but exchange glances...

Although the last round had a pot over twenty thousand, which was big, it was still rare...

It probably wouldn't happen more than a few times in a whole day's play, and now Gu Heng started with staking a hundred—if they checked their cards and found them good, they would have to come up with two hundred. How could they play?

Thinking this, the player next to Gu Heng hurriedly said, "Hey man, we can't play like this, you're aiming for the cap right off the bat, that's not fun."

Gu Heng just smiled and replied, "Didn't you all say that the cap was a hundred? I shouldn't have broken any rules, right?"

"That's what you say..."

But before his neighbor could finish speaking, Li Haibin interjected loudly on the side, "Stop spouting crap. If you're playing, then follow the bet, if you're not playing, then leave the table. Just quit the bullshit. You were grinning when you were winning my money just now, and now you're scared to bet?"

Provoked by Li Haibin like this, the guy didn't say much more. He looked at his cards, which were just an average pair.

If it was a bet of a few tens of yuan, he could follow for a hand, but if he followed, it would cost him two hundred...

A mere small pair, not worth his two hundred.

After reassuring himself, he promptly tossed his cards away...

Clearly, he wasn't the only one with that mindset; the others did much the same, tossing their cards away after checking them.

Once the round was complete, aside from Gu Heng, everyone had thrown away their hand...

Li Haibin, grinning, helped Gu Heng to gather the one hundred and twenty yuan of scattered cash from the middle of the table to his own space, saying, "These cowards, they're afraid of you who hasn't checked the cards, it's just hilarious."

Hearing Li Haibin's mockery, the others didn't look happy, but they didn't react.

However, when they saw Gu Heng reveal his bottom cards to be nothing more than a high 10 of mixed suits, they all started to regret their decision...

Especially Gu Heng's neighbor, who only realized after checking everyone's cards that his pair was the biggest in the hand. He didn't say anything to show it, but he was kicking himself inside.

...

The card game continued.

Gu Heng had no fancy plays at all.

He just sat quietly in his seat, repeating the move from the first hand...

As soon as the owner dealt the cards, he would stake a hundred.

However, this manner of play only scared people for the first few rounds; later on, they gradually started to be more daring, with nearly every round someone following Gu Heng's bet.

Staking high without checking could win money fast, but in the end, it wasn't as steady as those who checked their cards. Losses could come just as swiftly...

Half an hour later, Gu Heng's original fifty thousand yuan dwindled quickly to just over twenty thousand...

The other five at the table had all won something from Gu Heng, and although their glances were friendly, inside they were laughing at him for being a money-doling simpleton...

Even Li Haibin, who had been watching on the side, became anxious and said to Gu Heng, "Hengzi, if you don't know how to play, don't play at all. Who plays like that? You're just giving away money."

Gu Heng, looking at Li Haibin's urgent expression, just smiled faintly at him and signaled for him not to worry.

.....

In another new round, Gu Heng continued to stake a hundred, but this time, the atmosphere at the table was clearly off...

Out of the six people at the table, apart from one who folded early, the other four seemed quite serene, throwing their cash onto the table as if it were worthless paper...

Experienced card players knew that this round was a clash of strong hands, with everyone likely having significant cards.

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