Shen Dabiao was addicted to gambling. Once he entered a gambling den, there was no such thing as stopping when he wanted to. When the urge hit, he ignored everything, even pulling the “father” card.
“I’m your dad! What’s wrong with borrowing a few hundred copper coins from you in an emergency? Consider it paying your filial duty in advance!”
Shen Qingyue replied firmly, “No.”
Shen Dabiao was both angry and frustrated, yet helpless.
His eyes were glued to the gambling table, his heart itching uncontrollably.
Just then, the gambling house’s second owner, Wang Shunfa, walked over and smiled at Shen Dabiao.
“Brother, looks like you’ve lost all your stake? If you’re in urgent need, the gambling house can lend you some money. Only ten percent interest.”
Shen Dabiao hesitated for three seconds before agreeing. “I’ll borrow one string of cash.”
Wang Shunfa took out a written IOU, had Shen Dabiao sign it, and then readily lent him the money.
Shen Dabiao stayed by the table and continued gambling.
Shen Qingyue stood to the side watching, her brows knitting tighter and tighter.
She watched with her own eyes as Shen Dabiao lost that string of cash, then went to borrow another three taels of silver.
Lose—borrow.
Lose again—borrow again.
Back and forth several times, until he had lost a full thirty taels of silver.
You had to know: even if an ordinary farming household went three years without eating or drinking, they might not save up thirty taels.
Shen Dabiao’s eyes were bloodshot with losses, nearly irrational.
“Second Boss, lend me another ten taels! Once I win it back, I’ll repay you immediately!”
Wang Shunfa gave a fake smile. “Sorry. Thirty taels is your maximum limit. Now please repay what you owe.”
Shen Dabiao’s head spun. He stammered, “I—I don’t have that much money on me.”
Wang Shunfa’s expression darkened. With a hand signal, four burly thugs instantly surrounded Shen Dabiao.
“Debts must be repaid—it’s only right. Don’t tell me you plan to default on our gambling house?”
“N-no!” Shen Dabiao waved his hands in panic, raising them in a pledge. “Give me some time. I’ll definitely repay everything, principal and interest.”
“Thirty taels isn’t a small sum. If you want to step out of this gambling house, you’ll have to leave collateral—like your house deed or land deed.”
Wang Shunfa’s voice was cold as a venomous snake.
Shen Dabiao’s face instantly turned deathly pale.
In the past he had always been cautious. Even if he lost all his money, he never thought of using his house or land as collateral.
This time… he had lost completely.
It was all over.
Shen Dabiao slapped himself hard twice.
“It’s all my fault! How will the whole family live from now on?!”
Wang Shunfa didn’t even lift his eyelids. “Hurry and call your son back to bring the house deed or land deed.”
Shen Dabiao looked toward Shen Qingyue. After hesitating for a long time, he steeled his heart and forced the words out through clenched teeth:
“Don’t worry about me—just pretend you don’t have a father like me!”
As soon as he spoke, a thug’s fist slammed heavily into him.
Shen Dabiao groaned in pain but still shouted at Shen Qingyue, “Don’t worry about me! Go—quick!”
Wang Shunfa’s eyes gleamed with cruelty. “You think it’s that easy to dodge a debt? Men! Chop off one of his hands!”
Two thugs pinned Shen Dabiao down while another raised a huge iron blade, its edge glinting coldly, about to fall.
Shen Dabiao closed his eyes in regret.
Just when he thought his arm was about to be lost, Shen Qingyue’s voice suddenly rang out.
“Wait! I’ll repay his money!”
No matter how disappointed she was in him, Shen Qingyue couldn’t just watch Shen Dabiao lose an arm.
Wang Shunfa gestured for the thugs to stop and fixed Shen Qingyue with a sharp stare.
“You want to repay it? Principal and interest together—thirty-three taels. Bring out the silver.”
Shen Qingyue didn’t have that much on her, but her mind worked fast. She immediately took out a string of copper coins and tossed it lightly in her hand.
“Second Boss, how about we gamble? If you win the copper coins in my hand, I’ll go home right away and bring the house and land deeds.”
Wang Shunfa eyed her suspiciously. “What if you run?”
Shen Qingyue spoke clearly, word by word.
“A monk can run, but the temple can’t. I can’t avoid Pingyang County forever. With the gambling house’s influence, catching me would be easy.”
Wang Shunfa agreed briskly. “Fine! Let’s gamble!”
Shen Dabiao was dragged aside by the thugs.
Shen Qingyue calmly sat down at the table.
Before the game started, she used the motion of straightening her clothes to slip a hand inside her collar. She spent 1,000 star coins in the system shop to buy a Lucky Talisman and stuck it to the inside of her undergarment, where no one could see.
Wang Shunfa didn’t think Shen Qingyue knew anything about gambling. He couldn’t be bothered to sit as the banker and merely stood aside watching.
The dealer shook the dice cup, set it down, and shouted:
“Place your bets! Big or small—once placed, no changes!”
Spectators crowded around. They had all heard about the wager between Shen Qingyue and the gambling house, and those who loved excitement began placing bets too.
Ignoring the stares, Shen Qingyue flicked out a full string of cash and slammed it on Big.
“One thousand copper coins. Big.”
With his arms restrained, Shen Dabiao shouted anxiously, “You only have a thousand coins—why bet everything on Big? If you lose, there won’t be any chance to recover!”
Shen Qingyue remained calm. “Maybe I’m lucky.”
“I was just as confident when I started betting,” Shen Dabiao cried. “Now I’ve lost everything and even owe the gambling house thirty taels!”
Shen Qingyue smiled faintly.
“Ever consider… that today I might be blessed by a lucky koi?”
Shen Dabiao didn’t believe it at all. “Don’t kid yourself. The koi isn’t stupid—why would it pick us?”
The dealer shouted and lifted the cover.
“Four, five, six—fifteen points! Big!”
Some gamblers cheered; others scowled or cursed.
Shen Qingyue’s lips curved slightly.
One string of cash became two.
System products really were top-tier.
Winning the first round—great omen.
Shen Dabiao finally let out a small breath of relief and hurriedly warned her, “Winning once just means your luck’s good. Next round you shouldn’t bet everything—leave yourself some room!”
The dealer shook again and set the cup down.
Shen Qingyue went all in.
“Two thousand copper coins. All on Big.”
Shen Dabiao looked like he was about to collapse. “All on Big again? If you lose, everything you just won will be gone!”
She didn’t want to hear him nagging.
“Close your mouth and just watch.”
Seeing that she had won money, more spectators joined in, some betting Big, some Small.
This round, the dealer revealed: two, three, four.
Shen Qingyue won again.
The copper coins in her hands turned into four taels of silver.
The dealer glanced at her casually and joked to liven the mood.
“You seem to be… that constable Zhang’s nephew, right? Pretty lucky today—better than your old man.”
In his eyes, that “nephew” was just a street punk—someone ordinary folk avoided.
Changsheng Gambling House wasn’t afraid of such riffraff.
What gambling skills could a back-alley thug have? Just a lucky streak—two rounds didn’t mean anything.
But the following games— made the dealer’s brow crease tighter and tighter, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
Shen Qingyue won nine rounds in a row.
The silver in her hands swelled to five hundred and twelve taels!
The surrounding gamblers erupted:
“Young Master Shen, you’re really blessed by fortune—winning every bet!”
“Wherever you bet next, I’m following!”
“Right! Bet with Young Master Shen and you can’t go wrong!”
Shen Dabiao had never seen so much money in his life. He was both thrilled and terrified. He knew Changsheng Gambling House had powerful backing—Shen Qingyue had already won more than enough. If she kept going, they might not even be allowed to leave.
He shouted urgently, “Qingyue, stop gambling! Quit while you’re ahead!”
Shen Qingyue tapped her fingers lightly on the table and looked at Wang Shunfa, her gaze deep.
“My luck’s pretty good today. I can not only repay my father’s debt, but also make a huge profit. How about we stop here?”