Reborn to Redeem: Their Abusive Love-Chapter 135: Chip

"Otherwise, just say I’m your friend," Xu Si lowered her eyes, fidgeting with a slightly oversized ring. A female companion didn’t necessarily have to be a lover.

Just like the male companions she had on Hong Kong Island, a role always filled by her assistant, Anshi.

A friend? she thought. What a good excuse, an all-purpose excuse.

Pei Zhen glanced at her through his silver hair, twitched his fingers, and remained silent, watching the road ahead with an enigmatic smile.

After a moment, he said, "It seems we’re too late."

Xu Si faltered slightly. "What do you mean, ’too late’?"

The words had barely left her lips when she heard the sharp screech of tires against the pavement and turned to look out the window.

The car slowed to a halt before a church that blended Gothic styles, reminiscent of visual art imported from distant shores to Central Europe during the Middle Ages.

Cars already packed the area outside the church. The surroundings were unfamiliar.

Representatives from various gangs had gathered, standing in separate groups. The motley assembly created an intimidating atmosphere. These gangs, often in conflict and ruling their own territories with mutual disdain, rarely assembled in one place. Their current gathering was a show of respect for the deceased, yet no one could guarantee that new conflicts wouldn’t erupt.

When the Triad Society’s car arrived, all eyes fell upon its distinctive license plate.

The Green Union Gang, whose leader had died, was now a dragon without a head. The underlings were ostensibly filled with sorrow—though whether their grief was genuine was debatable. At the very least, their faces were as somber as icebergs, etched with defeat and despair.

As the hosts, the Green Union Gang’s second-in-command personally hurried out from the church. Wiping his eyes twice, he approached the parking area. He seemed unsure whether to greet the guests with a smile or with tears. His expression shifted several times before he finally lowered his head, obscuring his face.

From a distance, his voice, hoarse and strained, carried over.

"Lady Fei Yi, Madam."

Xu Si, from behind the car window, tilted her head to look at him, then her gaze shifted to Pei Zhen. She instantly understood what he had meant by "too late."

But this form of address... isn’t quite appropriate, is it?

Pei Zhen disembarked first and said coolly, "My condolences."

The driver then handed a white envelope to the Green Union Gang’s second-in-command. The second-in-command received it with both hands, his head still bowed.

Pei Zhen, without so much as a glance at the assembled crowd, opened Xu Si’s car door and extended a hand to help her out.

The area was brightly lit, and music played. At first glance, it resembled a ball more than a funeral. Looking into the church, she saw card tables had even been set up. Attractive men and women, acting as servers, continuously poured tea and whisky at these tables, while underlings from various gangs congregated at the entrance.

Xu Si cooperatively placed her hand on Pei Zhen’s offered arm and slowly followed his steps toward the main card table, centrally located in the hall. Her skirt billowed in the night breeze, making her resemble a wild, dew-kissed rose radiating light. Every gesture drew attention.

Whispers could be heard:

"That’s the seldom-seen Mr. Fei Yi."

"Oh, so the woman beside him is the Triad Society’s Lady Boss? What was her original status? She seems to have quite the background."

"Who knows? This is the only time she’s been seen in public. I heard she only arrived in the Underground City recently. Do you think she’ll actually become the Triad Society’s lady boss?"

Some cast several glances at Xu Si, as if trying to discern the identity hidden beneath her beautiful exterior. Everyone knew she wasn’t from the Underground City. People from there didn’t possess such a pristine aura.

Xu Si paid no heed to the surrounding gazes. She and Pei Zhen sat at the dimly lit card table, discreetly scrutinizing their surroundings.

A few men who had been sitting there, smoking leisurely with their legs crossed, grew uncharacteristically tense at the sight of the Triad Society members. They all had one thing in common: no one bothered with polite inanities when addressing the Triad Society’s leader. Rumor had it that this mysterious leader possessed an eccentric personality. Saying too much often led to mistakes; it was better to say nothing at all.

According to custom, once the seats were filled, the game would begin. A formally dressed dealer sat on a high stool, ready to deal the cards.

Xu Si was wondering what game they were about to play.

Hei Shi, dressed in a black suit and white gloves, and visibly stained with ink, rushed in from outside. He carried a briefcase identical to Xu Si’s, which, when opened, revealed stacks of chips exchanged for a large sum of US dollars. The specific denominations of the chips were unclear, but the sheer volume drew some sidelong glances. The total sum was undoubtedly vast.

Pei Zhen tilted his head slightly, leaning closer to Xu Si, and asked in a cool voice, "Do you want to play?"

Xu Si glanced at the strange card game on the table and shook her head. "I don’t know how. I’ll watch for now."

Pei Zhen slowly caressed the ring he had received in their exchange. "If you want to play, I’ll teach you."

"Okay."

Xu Si agreed, withdrawing her gaze from the church’s architectural features to focus intently on the card game.

The rules of this peculiar card game weren’t actually complex. It was a variation on a familiar theme; to some extent, it was simply about comparing values and relying on luck. Each player held a different hand. After receiving their cards, they would try to predict how their opponents would play their suits. As long as the card played was higher than what an opponent revealed, it was a win.

After one round, Pei Zhen had barely spoken. The reddish-brown whisky in the glass beside him slowly diminished, while the pile of chips before him steadily grew.

Xu Si sat beside him, unsurprised. Her captivating, almond-shaped eyes seemed to hold a hint of laughter as she lazily observed the miserable expressions on the faces opposite them, as if they had swallowed something bitter.

This is practically cheating, she thought. Pei Zhen definitely possesses an ability ordinary people lack. In psychological games, he can see right through his opponent’s thoughts, cheating flawlessly and leaving them with a sense of despair, as if victory is impossible.

After watching a few rounds, Xu Si understood how to play. Pei Zhen passed the cards to her, letting her try a hand.

Xu Si wasn’t burdened by the same status considerations as Pei Zhen. She didn’t need to maintain such a lofty demeanor and would occasionally say a few words. The atmosphere immediately became much more relaxed. The gang leaders even dared to smack their lips occasionally.

Perhaps it was beginner’s luck, but she won more often than she lost. With the back-and-forth of the game, her interest was piqued.

When she encountered a card she didn’t understand, Xu Si would glance at Pei Zhen. Each time she looked back, she met his unwavering gaze. It was as if, from start to finish, nothing else had captured his attention; his eyes remained solely on her.

After several more rounds, Xu Si held her cards, frowning slightly as she studied them. She noticed another unfamiliar pattern on one of them.

Just as she was about to look for Pei Zhen, a dark shadow loomed over her from behind—heavy, exuding an intense pressure.

Pei Zhen’s slender fingertips rested on the card table, effectively caging her in his arms. His perfectly shaped lips drew close to her ear, his other hand brushing aside a strand of her hair as his gaze meticulously focused on her cards.

"Which card don’t you understand?"

Under everyone’s watchful eyes... Such close proximity... Such an intimate tone...

Xu Si’s hand, clutching the cards, grew slightly damp. She caught a faint, pleasant scent. Her lips curved into a composed smile as she pointed to the Deity Card in the center. "This one."

The leaders, who had lost heavily, kept their heads bowed. Though their eyes were shrewd and mature, their ears seemed to strain, practically wishing they could fly over to eavesdrop on the explanation of the card.

Pei Zhen lifted his gaze and slowly swept it over them.

Then, he leaned in even closer, his lips almost brushing her earlobe, and began to explain softly and slowly. His breath, a mix of warmth and coolness, carried his words. Though the explanation itself was proper, it silently, sensuously teased the curve of her ear.