Su Yue still picked up the cards and played with everyone.
When she did something, she became quite focused, so she quickly stopped caring about sitting on Chen Ziming's lap.
After playing a couple of rounds, she started to get the hang of it and no longer followed Chen Ziming's every move.
"Four King Bombs," she said, pulling out a handful of cards to play against Xu Changan.
The man frowned and gently squeezed her waist where his hand rested.
"What's wrong? Is this play not allowed?" she asked, looking at him in confusion.
After a moment of silence, he shook his head. "It's fine, you play."
"One 3."
A... 3.
Ren Siyuan was the next player and was about to discard a card when Chen Ziming glanced at him.
Ren Siyuan instantly understood, smiled knowingly, and put his cards back.
"Anyone want it?" she asked the silent group, a hint of doubt in her voice.
Everyone understood the meaning behind Ren Siyuan's smile and shook their heads:
"No, we really don't want it."
This was not normal.
"A single 8?"
"No."
Ren Siyuan directly put his cards away, covered his mouth, and shook his head.
The others did the same.
No one wanted it?
She suddenly realized something and turned to look at Chen Ziming.
A faint smile still lingered on the man's lips, but as soon as he saw her looking, he composed himself.
Yet, she still caught it.
"Officer Chen, are you instigating everyone to cheat?" she asked, her face stern.
"Do you have proof?" His smile held a trace of nonchalance as he looked at her and asked.
...Proof, proof, is this a professional habit!
"I'll show you proof," she said, a laugh bubbling up from her exasperation. She turned back.
"Five Ks."
...
"Three Aces."
...
"A pair of 10s."
...
"A single 8."
...
Everyone present held back their laughter, watching her play random cards.
In the end, she was left with only two 4s, and the last hand played was a pair of 5s.
"There, I win!" She played her last two 4s, turned around, and looked at him triumphantly, as if proud of finding evidence.
"Oh really?" He chuckled. "Did you forget something?"
She blinked. "What?"
"You're the guard, and Changan is the emperor."
!!!
"Changan was about to win, and you eliminated him."
Damn, it seemed she had gotten carried away and forgotten.
She instantly looked at Xu Changan with a flicker of guilt.
"It's okay, Yueyue," Xu Changan comforted her. "I die willingly."
"Shall we continue playing then?" Ren Siyuan drawled.
Then, he lightly played a sequence of pairs.
Everyone followed suit in a well-rehearsed manner, determined not to let Xu Changan play his cards. Xu Changan simply spread his remaining two cards on the table.
Two 4s...
He had lost miserably.
"Your Majesty, it's time for you and your guard to receive your punishment, isn't it?"
Ren Siyuan took a sip of his tea and looked at Xu Changan with a sly grin.
At his words, Su Yue covered her face with her hands.
She had won the last two rounds and was happily watching them receive their punishment.
The punishment was for the guard to carry the emperor from the doorway.
But she couldn't carry Xu Changan...
"I'll do it," he said, putting her down on the sofa and getting up.
"I've been waiting for you to say that!" Xu Changan seemed overjoyed and jumped up from the sofa, happily running to the door.
Chen Ziming: ...
"You need to lose some weight," Chen Ziming frowned as Xu Changan jumped onto him, clearly displeased.
"You need to eat more healthily," the other replied cheerfully, not letting himself be manipulated.
Su Yue: ...
Did she sense he was hinting at something again?
Night deepened, and everyone said their goodbyes and returned to their respective residences.
"What did you want to say when you called my name today?"
The room lights were out. Chen Ziming held her from behind as she was drifting off to sleep. He suddenly spoke.
"Hmm? When?" She was a bit disoriented and couldn't recall.
"Before I asked you to sit facing me."
She thought hard again and finally remembered.
"I forgot," she replied.
"You forgot so soon?"
"I'm tired, I want to sleep." She rolled over and snuggled into his embrace, ignoring his question.
The man chuckled softly and asked no further questions.
Holding her, they both drifted into deep sleep.