Shang Yan hesitated for two seconds before stepping into the elevator. She didn’t have much time; her heartless guardian had beaten her for three hours but only given her a morning off. She had to leave for school at 7:10 the next morning.
And this place only opened at 11:00 PM, forcing her to sneak out under the cover of darkness. It was 11:30 now, and she needed to be back to sleep before 2:30, otherwise she would definitely be late tomorrow.
A taxi ride back would take about an hour, leaving her with less than two hours, but that was enough.
The unpleasant smell of smoke filled her nostrils, and Shang Yan felt like vomiting as soon as she entered. She couldn’t help but click her tongue. Perhaps due to the effect of her click, the person smoking threw their cigarette on the ground and stomped it out.
“Little friend, are you here to see an adult?”
a flirtatious yet magnetic voice asked.
Shang Yan turned her head and saw a young man in a burgundy shirt with a charming smile speaking to her. Two buttons of his collar were undone, and with the slightest movement, his collarbone was visible beneath his clothes.
Show-off.
Shang Yan made her judgment at a glance.
Cui Heyuan’s beautiful eyes curved slightly, and he deliberately softened his tone when speaking to the young woman.
But she glanced at him and then turned her head away, completely ignoring him. Quite individualistic, aren’t all teenagers like this?
Cui Heyuan wasn’t annoyed; instead, he was more interested in continuing the conversation. “This isn’t a fun place. Did you come to the wrong place?”
Shang Yan remained silent.
Seeing her cold attitude, Cui Heyuan pursed his lips and winked at the man on the far left.
Xie Heng glanced at him, then looked away, his eyes downcast as he scrutinized the girl, who was clearly a student. His eyes, hidden in shadow, were unreadable.
The elevator doors opened, and Shang Yan quickly stepped out.
The three people behind them came out closely, and the store manager immediately came forward to serve them.
Cui Heyuan put his hand on Xie Heng’s shoulder, couldn’t help but smile, and asked curiously, “Hey, you’re saying that underage girls like to come to casinos these days?”
“Do you think that’s possible? An invitation wouldn’t be given to a minor.” Wei Yansi rolled his eyes at him and walked confidently upstairs with his arms crossed.
“How could I not know? I’m just curious how that kid got in.”
Xie Heng glanced in the direction Shang Yan had left and whispered to the manager to check her invitation. The manager, upon receiving the instruction, hurriedly left.
As the largest underground casino in Beijing, Guangming Casino’s environment was no less impressive than famous casinos. It offered more than twenty different games, and every table was crowded with people.
The air was filled with the mingled scents of perfume and cigars, the crisp clinking of glasses, the clinking of glasses, and the vibrant men and women in brightly colored clothes floating among the crowd. Dazzling jewelry and glittering watches all showcased their wealth.
Everywhere you looked was an excessive feast for the senses. Crystal chandeliers radiated heat, bathing the rosy-cheeked players in light. The decor could be described as magnificent, and the entire hall was bathed in a brilliant and imposing light.
Shang Yan hadn’t been to a casino in a long time, and standing there now, she had a strange feeling of returning to her old haunts.
She only had 20,000 yuan, probably the poorest person in the entire Guangmingli area. After exchanging all her money for chips, she walked to the roulette table and stopped.
Just then, a game ended. Amidst excited cheers and frustrated sighs, the pretty dealer, with a gentle smile, quickly cleaned up the mess and signaled that everyone could place bets for the new round.
As Shang Yan walked inside, many people frequently glanced at her. Her mask and hat made her stand out in the crowd, and coupled with her demeanor and figure, she looked like a student at first glance, so the scrutinizing gazes never stopped around her.
Roulette is a type of game in casinos. The slots are numbered from 0 to 36 in green, alternating between red and black. A ball is launched by a dealer into a spinning wheel, and eventually, the ball will randomly land in one of the slots.
The betting options included single bets, where you bet on only one number with the highest payout of 35 to 1. Other options included multiple bets, where you bet on several numbers, or on red/black, odd/even, or big/small; the payouts decreased with each bet, as the difficulty level decreased.
Many people were already betting, while others were still observing. Shang Yan belonged to the latter group, as she planned to bet on the most difficult and highest-paying option.
Shang Yan had a full 20,000 in her hand; if she lost, she would be penniless, but if she won, she would have 720,000. This was a reckless and extremely bold choice.
The ball, manipulated by the dealer, landed in the roulette wheel and began to spin. As the wheel and ball spun, Shang Yan ignored the surrounding noise and calmly calculated in her mind.
Soon after, she placed all her chips on the black 33 on the tablecloth. Those around her stared at her as if she were a fool, because on the first floor, few dared to bet like that.
For safety and stability, most experienced players choose corner betting. Even the few bolder ones only play street betting, which is just any three numbers. Betting a single number right away is simply unwise.
“Wow, someone actually bets straight! Hahahaha, they’re throwing money away!”
“How did this little girl sneak in? She looks like a minor. She probably doesn’t know how to play and is just betting randomly.”
“If you don’t know how to play, just stand aside and watch. What are you doing here causing trouble? You’re messing up my concentration.”
“I didn’t realize, this young girl looks so young, but she’s got incredible gambling courage. Has she been watching too many movies at home and come here to play?”
There were many loud voices mocking or teasing her, but seeing that Shang Yan didn’t have many chips, they just watched as a spectacle.
Shang Yan ignored these voices. In another place, she would have already cursed back, but in a casino, she chose to be cautious.
After all, she was there to win money; she couldn’t cause trouble. Being able to successfully take the money out was also a skill in itself.
“Girl, is this your first time here? Let me tell you, you can’t win at roulette without some tricks. Don’t try that next time.”
A man, seeing Shang Yan’s young age, assumed she was brought by an elder and kindly reminded her. Small amounts of money are money, and it’s fine to try it out, but it’s pointless to just lose it all.
Shang Yan glanced at him and nodded, seemingly heeding his advice. The man looked pleased, certain of his guess.
Upstairs in a private room, besides drinks, there were complete gaming facilities, far more luxurious and refined than downstairs. From the window, one could see most of the casino.
Wei Yansi, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, casually tapped the window frame with his fingertips. Suddenly, his gaze stopped on a certain spot, and he squinted, a look of surprise on his face.
“Hey! Come quick, look what I just saw!” He hurriedly pulled Cui Heyuan, who was busy pouring wine, to the window, his movements incredibly rushed.
Cui Heyuan was impatient; he had only taken a sip of wine. “You’d better let me see a beautiful woman, or I’ll beat you up!”
Following Wei Yansi’s pointing finger, Cui Heyuan immediately spotted Shang Yan standing by the gambling table. His eyes widened, and he was so nervous that he couldn’t utter a word for a long time.