Power and Wealth

Chapter 1248: Lost everything

Inside the VIP room.

It smells strongly of cigarette smell.

Everyone was resting. Some smoked, drank water, and went to the restroom. They were resting for the games later.

“You want to play?” Zhang Longjuan looked at Dong Xuebing and smiled.

Dong Xuebing nodded. “Yes.”

Shen Xiaomei and Shen Xiaomei were surprised. They did not expect Dong Xuebing to say this.

Zhang Longjuan shook her head. “Haha… What can you do?”

“I can help you win.” Dong Xuebing paused for a second and said. “I know a bit.”

“Save it. I think you don’t even know the rules of the game.” Zhang Longjuan smoked and thought nothing about it. “Poker is not easy. You need experience, mind games, and luck. You are too young.”

Dong Xuebing insisted. “But I can still win.”

Zhang Longjuan looked at him. “How can you be so sure you can win?”

Dong Xuebing replied. “I cannot tell you, but I can surely win.”

Zhang Longjuan shook her head again. “Let’s talk about it later.”

“Sis Zhang, let me try one round.” Dong Xuebing said.

Zhang Longjuan agreed reluctantly. “Let me play the next round, and you can try after that. Haha… deal?”

“Deal?”

“Ok. I am going now.”

Dong Xuebing said nothing after Zhang Longjuan agreed to let him play. He relaxed. He is confident of winning if he is playing. When he was Deputy Public Security Bureau Chief at Yan Tai County, he had infiltrated a gambling den. He won until the casino’s slot machine stopped. Although the payouts were much lower, it was the same.

Shen Xiaomei looked at Dong Xuebing. “Do you know how to play poker?”

Dong Xuebing replied. “A little.”

“You know a little and want to play with them?” Shen Xiaoyan almost fainted. She reminded him. “That is Ms. Zhang’s final asset. If she loses, she…” Although luck was not on Ms. Zhang’s side, and she lost a lot, they still felt she was better than Dong Xuebing. He might lose all her money if he played.

Dong Xuebing replied. “I know.”

“But…” Shen Xiaomei said.

“Let’s see how she does in this round.”

The twins sighed and did not try to persuade him.

Zhang Longjuan returned to her seat. Ms. Leng, who went to the restroom, returned. Mr. Wei and Song Yuhu snubbed their cigarettes.

“Is the break over?”

“Ok. Let’s start.”

“Sure. Deal the cards.”

Everyone composed themselves as the next round started.

The dealer threw away the old deck of cards and opened a new deck. He lets them examine the cards before shuffling and dealing the cards. Poker bets are higher, and the casino will take a cut from the winnings. They do not care about throwing the cards away after each round as the cost is nothing compared to the hundreds of thousands of USD on the table.

One card…

Two cards…

Three cards…

The dealer continued to give out the cards.

The first card faced down, and the second card faced up.

Dong Xuebing and the twins saw Zhang Longjuan’s hidden card was nine hearts from where they were sitting. It was not a big card, but it did not matter. Her following two cards were nine spades and ten clubs. She got a nine-pair.

The other three players were ordinary.

Ms. Leng did not get a good hand, and she folded.

Mr. Wei looked at the cards on the table and raised one hundred thousand USD.

Song Yuhu thought for a while and called. Zhang Longjuan did not fold. She also followed.

The fourth card was dealt.

Mr. Wei hesitated and raised two hundred thousand USD. His opened cards were a King, a Queen, and a ten.

Song Yuhu got a pair of Jacks. But he called too.

Zhang Longjuan got another nine. She had three of a kind, and she called too.

About half of Zhang Longjuan’s chips were gone.

The fifth card was dealt. The three players were staring at the cards.

Mr. Wei got five diamonds.

Song Yuhu got Six Clubs.

Zhang Longjuan got an ace.

Mr. Wei shook his head and folded. He did not continue as he did not get a ‘straight.’ He looked disappointed as he had bet a lot.

Zhang Longjuan smiled. “It’s between us now, Mr. Song.”

Song Yuhu smacked his lips. “My hand is not quite good. Should I raise?”

Zhang Longjuan laughed. “I don’t believe you. I might not follow if you raise.”

Song Yuhu laughed. “I think you got a good hand. I don’t dare to raise.”

They were playing mind games and guessing each other’s hand.

Song Yuhu looked at Zhang Longjuan after a while. “How many chips do you have left, Ms. Zhang?”

“Haha… not much.” Zhang Longjuan had lost a lot.

Song Yuhu hesitated for a second and said. “I will bet your remaining chips. Is it seven hundred or eight hundred thousand USD?” He asked the dealer to count his chips and pushed everything to the center of the table.

Zhang Longjuan’s eyelid twitched. “You are too generous.”

Song Yuhu laughed. “This will save us time from counting the chips.”

Dong Xuebing thought nothing about this round, as Zhang Longjuan agreed to let him play the next round. He was confident of winning, and she had three nines. Three-of-a-kind is a good hand.

However, Song Yuhu made a big bet. He is betting all of Zhang Longjuan’s remaining chips.

Dong Xuebing is not afraid of Zhang Longjuan losing.

He can win it back for her.

Dong Xuebing is afraid she will lose everything. His bank cards could not change chips on board the ship as they only accept USD cash. If she loses everything, he cannot help her make a comeback.

Their bets are too big.

Song Yuhu is going all out against Sis Zhang.

He is going to win all her money.

Dong Xuebing wanted to stop Zhang Longjuan, but it was too late. She pushed all her chips forward.

Swoosh…

Sis Zhang called.

The pot was almost three million USD.

The dealer looked nervous. Mr. Wei and Ms. Leng's eyes were on their cards.

Zhang Longjuan will be penniless if Song Yuhu wins.

If Zhang Longjuan wins, she will recoup most of her capital. She can continue to play without restraint.

This round will determine a lot of things.

This was the biggest pot tonight.

Shen Xiaomei and Shen Xiaoyan held their breaths.

Dong Xuebing was nervous. Song Yuhu has a pair of Jacks and looks like he got a better hand than Sis Zhang. But Sis Zhang has three nines. She will lose if Song Yuhu has three Jacks. But he might be bluffing and trying to scare her into folding.

This is mind games.

It boils down to their guts.

Sis Zhang is fearless, and she called.

They turned over their covered cards.

Zhang Longjuan flipped her card. Nine hearts. Mr. Wei and Ms. Leng looked toward Song Yuhu.

Song Yuhu smiled.

His expression made Zhang Longjuan frown.

Dong Xuebing and the twins had terrible feelings.

Song Yuhu turned his card. It’s Jack clubs. He got three Jacks!

Time seemed to freeze.

Zhang Longjuan lost.

She lost everything.

Mr. Wei laughed. “Mr. Song is lucky today.”

Song Yuhu looked at Zhang Longjuan. “Are you continuing, Ms. Zhang?”

Continue? How is she going to continue? Zhang Longjuan does not even have a 1,000 USD chip. She is out of the game.

Dong Xuebing’s face changed. They had no chance now.

Shen Xiaomei and Shen Xiaoyan looked at each other. They saw the worries in each other eyes.

Zhang Longjuan was more composed than Dong Xuebing, Shen Xiaomei, and Shen Xiaoyan. She smiled and shook her head. “It seems like it is not a good day to gamble. You all can carry on. I don’t have money now. Haha… I feel more relaxed without money.”

Zhang Longjuan walked to Dong Xuebing and said. “I got no more chips. Let’s go.

Dong Xuebing asked. “Not even some chips? I can help if you have…” He can turn the tides if he has a few hundred thousand USD.

Zhang Longjuan smiled. “I lost everything.”

The suitcase is empty.