He had clearly seen Li Mo's ear twitch—that was his signal for learning the dice points. How could this happen…?
He instinctively glanced at Su Xiaoyu and saw her head lowered, but with a faint, almost imperceptible smile at the corner of her lips.
It turned out that at the critical moment, Su Xiaoyu had used their collision to flick a peanut with her finger, hitting the dealer squarely in the calf.
The dealer, startled by the pain, jerked his hand, causing the controlled dice to shift and change their points!
Naturally, Li Mo received the wrong information.
The smug expression on Li Mo's face instantly froze, transforming into shock and disbelief.
He abruptly looked up, his gaze as venomous as a snake's, glaring coldly and dangerously at the dealer.
The dealer turned pale, sweating profusely, and dared not meet his eyes.
Xiao Jingxuan didn't understand the details, but a win was a win! Overjoyed, he swept the silver toward himself and taunted Li Mo arrogantly, "Well? Li Mo, who's relying on luck now? This is skill!"
Li Mo's face darkened like the bottom of a pot. He slammed his fist on the gambling table. "You only won one round. What's there to boast about? Dare to continue?"
"Continue it is! Do you think I'm afraid of you?"
Xiao Jingxuan was now brimming with confidence. Though he himself was somewhat confused, he refused to back down in terms of momentum.
Soon, a new round began.
The dealer shook the dice again, this time with even greater caution. Li Mo focused intently, ready to catch the subtle sounds.
But just as the dice cup was about to land on the table—
"Achoo…!"
Su Xiaoyu let out a sudden, loud sneeze, sharp and clear, instantly drowning out all other noise.
Li Mo, disrupted by the unexpected interference, furrowed his brows in annoyance.
He shot an angry glare at Su Xiaoyu.
Xiao Jingxuan, inspired by a stroke of intuition, guessed "odd."
The cup opened: two, two, three—seven points, odd!
Win!
Li Mo's expression grew even darker, as if shrouded in storm clouds. "Again!"
He refused to believe that Xiao Jingxuan could be this lucky every time!
The dealer shook the dice cup once more, deliberately slowing his movements this time.
Just as the dice were about to settle—
"Clatter!"
Su Xiaoyu "accidentally" knocked over an empty cup on the nearby table. The cup hit the floor, shattering with a crisp sound.
Li Mo's concentration was broken once again.
Seizing the opportunity, Xiao Jingxuan guessed "odd."
The cup opened: one, one, five—seven points, odd!
Another win!
The next few rounds turned into Su Xiaoyu's "solo interference show."
Every time the dealer shook the dice, she would either suddenly cough or "slip" and bump into the table.
Even Xiao Jingxuan, slow as he was, began to suspect there was some trickery involved.
In the end, without Su Xiaoyu's help, he started making noises to "interfere" at critical moments himself!
Stripped of his cheating advantage and forced to rely solely on luck, Li Mo was no match for the unstoppable Xiao Jingxuan.
"Even—win!"
"Odd! Win again!"
"Hahaha! Still winning!"
Soon, the silver piled up like a small mountain in front of Xiao Jingxuan. He grinned from ear to ear, feeling utterly euphoric.
Zhao Rui and Sun Wei cheered him on from the side, forming a stark contrast to Li Mo's ashen face.
In the end, Xiao Jingxuan not only won back all the silver he and Sun Wei had lost but also made nearly five hundred taels off Li Mo!
Li Mo stared at his empty table, then at the delicate-looking servant beside Xiao Jingxuan, and finally understood what had happened.
So it was all "his" doing!
His venomous gaze swept over Su Xiaoyu, then he glared fiercely at the incompetent dealer before squeezing out vicious words through clenched teeth:
"Fine! Very good! Xiao the Second! And you, brat… we'll see about this!"
After saying this, Li Mo left Thousand Gold Stage covered in dust and radiating hostility.
"Hahaha! Satisfying! So satisfying!"
Xiao Jingxuan was so excited he nearly jumped up.
He turned and slapped Su Xiaoyu's shoulder with such force that she nearly stumbled.
"Xiaoyu! You're truly my lucky star! Come on, I'm treating today – we're going to the finest restaurant in town!"
In Xiao Jingxuan's eyes now, Su Xiaoyu was no longer just an ordinary maid or follower, but a lucky cat that could bring him good fortune!
She was his personal mascot!
Su Xiaoyu rubbed her slightly sore shoulder, but her eyes instantly lit up when she heard they were going to a restaurant.
"Really, Second Young Master?"
Having lived this long, she'd never eaten at an ancient restaurant before and wondered what it would be like.
It must be much better than the pre-made dishes in modern hotels.
"Would I lie? I said I'm treating. You all come too."
Zhao Rui and Sun Wei naturally had no objections.
Thus, the group made their grand procession to Jingcheng's most famous restaurant – Drunken Immortal Inn.
The moment she entered, Su Xiaoyu was stunned.
Instead of the gaudy, ostentatious style she had imagined, the establishment exuded elegance everywhere.
Carved window lattices, ink wash paintings with profound artistic conception hanging on the walls, the air permeated with faint aromas of wine and food. The waitstaff wore clean clothes, moved with light steps, and their greetings were warm but not noisy.
Su Xiaoyu marveled inwardly, her curious eyes scanning everywhere.
In high spirits and flush with his several hundred taels of silver winnings, Xiao Jingxuan boldly requested a street-facing private room on the second floor.
Soon, exquisite dishes were served in succession: chicken slices with egg-white, steamed pork meatballs with crab roe, Longjing tea shrimp…
Each dish was a feast for the eyes and nose, making Su Xiaoyu's mouth water.
The three young masters clinked cups and drank freely. After a few cups of wine, they grew talkative, excitedly recounting their triumphant sweep at Thousand Gold Stage.
"Hahaha! You should have seen Li Mo's face at the end – green as a turtle's shell!" Sun Wei laughed heartily while slapping the table.
Zhao Rui chimed in: "Thanks to Xiao the Second's clever follower here! If not for those sneezes and coughs distracting that scoundrel Li Mo, we would've been done for today!"
As he spoke, he raised his cup toward Su Xiaoyu, who was heartily enjoying her meal in the corner:
"Come! Little brother, let me toast you! You rendered great service today!"
Su Xiaoyu, who had just stuffed a piece of chicken drumstick into her mouth, was startled and waved her hands repeatedly, mumbling:
"N-no need, Young Master Zhao. This servant… I don't drink."
Xiao Jingxuan, caught up in the excitement, waved his hand dismissively: "Ah! Just one cup! Try it – this is Drunken Immortal Inn's signature 'Pear Blossom White.' It's sweet and won't make you drunk!"
Unable to refuse, Su Xiaoyu carefully picked up the wine cup and took a small sip.
Indeed, it tasted clean and sweet with the fragrance of pear blossoms. But after swallowing, a wave of warmth quickly rose up, instantly painting two rosy clouds on her fair cheeks.
Her fair skin and delicate features were now tinged with a rosy flush under the lamplight. Her almond-shaped eyes glistened with the effects of alcohol, and the oversized servant's robe she wore accentuated an androgynous fragility and refinement about her.
Zhao Rui and Sun Wei stared in stunned silence.
"Hey! Xiao Jingheng, your little attendant here is quite the looker! Those eyes, that complexion—even more exquisite than the top courtesan at Baihualou! If this were a girl, I'd surely take her as my concubine!"
Sun Wei, thoroughly drunk, chimed in boisterously, half-joking, "Exactly, Xiao Jingheng! Aren't we brothers? If we are, lend me your attendant for a couple of days! I promise to return them unharmed!"
The three young masters continued their raucous banter, the scent of liquor and their loud voices drifting out the door.
Next door, Xiao Jingheng happened to be bidding farewell to a few colleagues. As he passed by the entrance, he caught the familiar voices.
His steps halted abruptly!