Due to the limited space, there were only three tables arranged in a triangle formation, so that guests could move around more freely. Although all the tables were filled with players and spectators, Nicole and Zhaoyi had no trouble guessing which table Director Li was sitting at. Because, not long after they stood there, cheers and applause were heard continuously calling Director Li's name.
Nicole and Zhaoyi immediately turned their attention to the table where a half-bald old man with horseshoe haircut had just finished playing and out as the winner. "Looks like the game is just getting started," Zhaoyi said with a hint of enthusiasm as he walked towards the table, leaving Nicole standing there alone.
As Zhaoyi joins the crowd there, Nicole scans the room as if observing her surroundings. The basic structure of the building made from mountain stones gives off a cave-like vibe with minimal lighting and simple decorations. It's not surprising, considering the location.
Turning her head towards the other direction, she saw a long bar table filled with neatly arranged alcoholic drinks and a busy bartender making drinks for a line of people waiting in front of him. After discreetly observing them all, Nicole raised her head and checked the position of the CCTV cameras installed in the room while turning her body around. When she reached the entrance again, she stopped in her tracks and fixed her gaze seriously, possibly even more serious than before.
Various souvenirs and trinkets of different sizes were hung up in a somewhat disorganized manner, giving the area a bustling and cluttered appearance. Nicole glanced briefly at the scene in front of her, knowing it would take quite some time to thoroughly examine each and every item hanging there. The frames used for display were not proportionate at all, making it difficult to focus on any one thing. Nevertheless, there were a few objects that caught her eye and she found herself walking over to get a closer look.
"Shan
While the girl appeared enthusiastic, Nicole remained unresponsive and silent, simply gazing at the figure in front of her.
"It's Janice. Do you remember me? We met a few years ago in Paris." She asked in a cheerful tone, as if finally meeting someone she had been eagerly waiting for. "Did you come here by yourself, or are you with someone else?"
Janice may have been oblivious to the hostile and unfriendly expression that Nicole directed towards her, or perhaps she was pretending not to notice. But for Nicole, her memory immediately flashes back to the terrible time when she almost lost her life because of that woman.
Just as Nicole was about to answer Janice's question, Director Li's voice could be heard calling someone from the table where he had been playing games earlier.
"Just a moment, Director Li." Janice said while waving one hand towards the middle-aged bald man.
As Nicole watched the closeness and interaction between the two of them, she realized that she and Zhaoyi were a few steps behind Janice. It seemed Director Li had already made his choice to be on Lai Ting's side instead of Wei Sheng's. But one thing Nicole also realized, that from that moment on she had decided to win Director Li over from Janice.
Where in the end the battle was no longer just between Wu Seng and Lai Ting, but also between her and Janice.
"Director Li, let me introduce you to someone."
Janice took Nicole's hand and stopped in front of the table where Director Li was sitting. From the looks on everyone's faces, it was clear that they thought the two of them were close friends. "This is Nicole," Janice introduced her. "My poker mentor."
Director Li turned his gaze towards Nicole and nodded his head as if responding to Janice's words. However, in just a matter of seconds, his eyes shifted back to Janice and he sounded excited, "Quick.. Quick.. Janice help me play with them again."
Nicole could understand Director Li's preference towards Janice, as they had known each other for a long time. But for some reason, that night, Nicole's competitive spirit resurfaced and she decided not to just accept her fate. "Director Li, allow me to join you in this game."
An uncomfortable and confused expression was seen on Director Li's face who was silent for a long time hearing Nicole's invitation. He then turned his gaze towards Janice, as if asking for her help.
"Shan Jie~." Janice turned around and called Nicole's other name, "If you want to play, I'll join too."
Nicole gazes back at Janice, her voice firm as she responds. "Since you want to play, what do you want to bet?"
Janice's position which was previously a bit clingy with Nicole, leaving a noticeable distance between them. The two women now faced each other, their body language indicating that the situation had become more serious. "I believe I should hear your thoughts first. What are you proposing?"
"What about the acquisition of 10% of Wei Sheng's shares?" A male voice interrupted their conversation, causing everyone to immediately turn their attention to Zhaoyi who slowly walked over and took a standing position beside Nicole.
Janice was taken aback when she saw the man standing in front of her. "Director Wu?" she said, clearly surprised. "What a nice surprise to see you here." She couldn't believe she was finally meeting the famous person she had only ever seen on television since she was young.
Although, Wu Zhaoyi has retired as a professional athlete since a few years ago and joined his father's company, which meant that Janice should have met him often since they were in the same industry. In fact, she had never met him at any party, until now.
Being able to see and talk to him from this close distance really gave Janice goosebumps. However, seeing Wu Zhaoyi standing next to Nicole like this gave her a strange feeling. "You know each other?" She asked with a suspicious expression and probing eyes towards the two.
"Yes, of course." Zhaoyi immediately replied, "Nicole is my partner tonight." As if to emphasize this, Zhaoyi raised one hand and held Nicole's shoulder, then pushed the woman's body closer to him, so that there was no more space left.
Zhaoyi kept his eyes on Janice the entire time, carefully observing the changes in her facial expression. In just a few moments, he could tell that the relationship between the two women was not as close as it appeared, and they may not even be considered friends at all.
While Zhaoyi could clearly see the bad mood on Janice's face, he could not see the look of horror on Nicole's face, which was like a kitten betrayed by its owner. But, he could feel the shock from Nicole's shoulders that tensed in his hands.
"You two seem to have a close relationship," Janice said softly, forcing her lips into a smile, as if she had concluded their relationship from what she saw with her own eyes.
"Then, may I ask how much you bet?" The man cut straight to the point without acknowledging Janice's statement.
"Let's make this fair. If Director Wu agreed to put 10% of Wei Sheng's shares on the table, then I would also offer up 10% of my own shares in Lai Ting." Janice attempted to maintain a calm expression, but inside she was determined not to appear weak in front of Wu Zhaoyi. Also, her desire to defeat Nicole only grew stronger with each passing moment.
"That's the deal," Zhaoyi said, closing the discussion with a grin on his lips. "Now, let's play."
Even though Nicole was the one playing, Janice couldn't shake the feeling that her real opponent was Wu Zhaoyi. He seemed to be protecting and supporting Nicole, but why? Did it make sense for Wu Zhaoyi, who was known for his cold temper and dislike of interfering in other people's affairs, was acting like this? What bothered Janice the most was how transparent this attitude was, as if it was being deliberately shown to everyone.
Nicole and Janice took their seats across from each other, with Nicole facing the entrance and Janice facing the bar behind her. Director Li sat between them, rising from his chair as if he wanted to give the two women space to play. Yet, before he could make a move, Wu Zhaoyi's voice cut in and halted him.
"Director Li, why don't you act as the Dealer's assistant?"
The half-bald man looked at Zhaoyi then raised his index finger towards himself, "Me?" he asked in a slightly surprised tone.
"If one of them wins, won't you share in the prize?" Zhaoyi pointed out, not bothering to mask the old man's favoritism towards Lai Ting. "And if one of them loses, you won't lose anything. Isn't that a benefit for you?"
Zhaoyi knew that his offer was something Director Li couldn't refuse, because the old man immediately sat back down after hearing his words. "Should I?" Then came a burst of amused laughter.
The bait has been cast, now we just have to wait for the fish to bite. Will it be one or two at once? His attention shifted to Nicole, who sat with her back towards him. But amidst all this, there was one thing that mattered most to Zhaoyi. He didn't want to see any harm come to his woman because of someone else.
The game started with three players sitting on chairs around a table, while a woman stood on the other side holding the players' cards and chips. "My name is Han Yao, and I will be your Dealer for this game," She introduced as she went over the rules of poker to all of them. Then, she proceeded to deal out the first cards to the two players.
Nicole and Janice placed their initial bets when they were dealt their cards. They played for over an hour, taking turns winning and losing in each round, keeping the game even. However, after two hours had passed, one side of the table had a towering stack of chips while the other side was completely empty. It was clear that one of them had emerged as the victor.
"Shan Jie~, do you still want to continue playing?" Janice asked with a wide smile on her lips, which she tried to hold back but couldn't because Nicole's table was almost empty. "Or do you want to continue betting on something else?"
As Janice's eyes traveled past Nicole, they landed on Zhaoyi who stood calmly with his hands in front of his chest. He stood behind the woman and hadn't made any noticeable movements, but his eyes were fixed on their game.
The words and expression Janice used towards Zhaoyi were enough for Nicole to surmise her hidden intentions. This made Nicole feel irritated and she was sure anyone in the room could see it. Maybe it was because she was tired or hadn't eaten dinner yet, but witnessing the incident in front of her only heightened her annoyance.
Janice was about to declare the game over, but Nicole cut her off mid-sentence. She snapped her fingers and beckoned someone over with a gesture. After whispering instructions to the employee, who promptly left the room, Nicole turned back to Janice with a sly grin. "Let's up the ante," she suggested.
The room was already packed and it looked like it was about to get even more crowded. With a bigger bait, she would surely catch a bigger fish. Nicole couldn't help but smirk at Director Li as she thought about her next move.
***