Jin Yan's words were brief, but I gleaned two crucial pieces of information from them.
First, her experience in the martial world was insufficient.
Second, all the heavyweight figures were present at today's birthday banquet.
Extrapolating from these two points, the gambling stakes after the banquet tonight would likely exceed a hundred million!
If I could play the role of a pig and eat the tiger, I dared not think further.
Success is found in taking risks, and fortune in danger!
To have a high probability of winning nearly a hundred million in stakes, I decided to steel myself and go for broke!
After parking, Jin Yan and I walked up the mountain side by side.
As far as the eye could see, from the mountainside to the summit, the mountain paths were lined with lush, vibrant greenery.
Ten minutes later, we reached an open space. The ground, marked with lines, was a parking lot.
Directly in front of the parking lot stood a manor built into the mountainside, its sheer size beyond any words to describe.
The manor was surrounded by mountains, with a man-made clear lake at its center.
Such a mountain landscape, when viewed from afar, offered no clear view of the entire picture, only glimpses of scattered corners.
Only by venturing deep into the mountain forest could one discover the hidden wonders within, a different kind of vibrant life and charm.
………………
As we approached the manor's outer perimeter, a crowd had already gathered on both sides of the entrance. Most were dressed in formal attire with ties.
At this moment, Jin Yan suddenly spoke, "They say gamblers are best at manipulating people's hearts. From this moment on… please firmly remember your identity and role!"
"The game of playing the pig and eating the tiger has officially begun!"
I didn't reply, but nodded heavily.
Seeing this, Jin Yan beckoned me to follow closely, and casually linked her arm with mine.
As we walked across the spacious parking lot, a woman in the crowd ahead recognized Jin Yan at a glance and waved, calling out, "Yan Yan, over here, over here!"
Hearing this, Jin Yan, with me on her arm, walked towards the woman.
Upon getting closer, I realized she was another alluring and captivating vixen!
Despite the heavy makeup, her incredibly voluptuous figure lent her a uniquely captivating and breathtaking beauty.
After meeting the woman, Jin Yan immediately called out, "Hello, Sister Rong!"
Then, she pulled me over and introduced me.
Upon hearing from Jin Yan that I was her boyfriend, Sister Rong's gaze immediately fixed on me, appraising me from head to toe several times.
Afterward, Sister Rong began to playfully banter with Jin Yan.
While the two women were engaged in their playful exchange, I cast my gaze towards the direction of the manor.
It was only then that I noticed a high wall within the manor grounds. Beyond this wall lay the true entrance to the manor, leading to a five-story Western-style mansion.
The entire mansion was adorned with festive "Fu" (fortune) and "Shou" (longevity) characters, with lanterns and colorful decorations, creating a lively scene.
Judging by its exterior alone, this five-story mansion featured a stylish European design. The renovation costs alone were estimated to be in the millions, perhaps even tens of millions!
Based on this, I had no doubt that Master Hong, the owner of the mansion, had the means to buy an entire mountain!
It seemed that regardless of one's profession, whether on the right path or a crooked one, as long as one could climb to the pinnacle, they could amass immeasurable wealth!
One day, if I could establish myself at the very top of the gambling world, perhaps I too could enjoy a retirement as splendid as Master Hong's.
But the prerequisite was to find ways to safely leave the table from every treacherous gamble…
As I withdrew my gaze, I heard Sister Rong say to Jin Yan, "Yan Yan, your boyfriend is quite handsome and spirited. What does he do?"
Sister Rong's casual question instantly caught Jin Yan off guard.
"Uh, Liang Kuan, he's that…"
After stammering for a while, Jin Yan finally managed to squeeze out a complete sentence, vaguely deceiving Sister Rong.
However, I was bewildered because when Jin Yan introduced my identity, she claimed I was a small business owner who had moved from the south to the north.
………………
As more people gathered, acquaintances began to form clusters, with groups of three or five.
Almost everyone was gathered around the parking lot outside the manor. I wasn't sure if it was too early to enter, or if they were waiting for some important guests.
Time, second by second, slipped away.
Under the setting sun painting the sky with rosy clouds, a refreshing cool mountain breeze blew down from the summit, carrying with it rustling fallen leaves, creating a symphony of whispers in the vast parking lot.
For a time, the air was filled with the continuous rustling of wind-blown leaves and the chatter of casual conversation.
Standing like a statue at the manor entrance for nearly half an hour, I found myself growing restless.
I wanted to smoke, and I needed to urinate.
However, firstly, I was in unfamiliar territory, and it would be awkward to ask strangers where the restroom was. Secondly, smoking in certain public places was considered impolite.
Therefore, I could only endure.
There was no other way! I had to cooperate with the identity Jin Yan had fabricated for me.
A small business owner who traveled extensively for business wouldn't possibly be unaware of such etiquette, would they?
As if sensing my predicament, Jin Yan, who was chatting with Sister Rong, suddenly turned to me and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
"I, I… need to use the restroom."
I had intended to hold it, but with the continuous mountain breeze, my urge to urinate grew stronger. So, I disregarded my embarrassment and quietly asked Jin Yan.
Seeing this, Jin Yan simply nodded slightly and said, "Alright, follow me!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Jin Yan led me and turned towards the manor gate.
The moment I stepped inside, I discovered that the luxury within the manor far exceeded my imagination!
Without exaggeration, this was a mountain paradise, a celestial realm!
As Jin Yan led me in search of the restroom, a middle-aged man suddenly approached from ahead.
As we passed each other face-to-face, I noticed the middle-aged man's footsteps momentarily pause, and he quickly glanced sideways at Jin Yan.
Jin Yan's expression also changed slightly, and she rapidly scanned the middle-aged man with her eyes.
After a brief exchange of glances, the middle-aged man's lips curved upwards, revealing a peculiar arc, and he then quickly walked away.
As soon as the middle-aged man left, Jin Yan whispered into my ear, "Liang Kuan, that man just now is one of the participants in tonight's gambling. He's also my nemesis. His name is Wu Qiming!"
"Tonight, you don't need to go all out against others, but when you face Wu Qiming… I want you to win all his money!!!"