Chapter 97: A big game (1)

We are following Minister Kim to go into the elevator and come to the casino in the top floor of the hotel. It is obvious that Minister Kim is a frequent guest here, because I know that the elevator leading to the casino is exclusive for special members, and ordinary guests are absolutely unable to enter.

It’s daytime and there seems to be few guests in the casino, but all the security guards and staffs are still well trained to stick to their positions. I look around and can’t find Yumi. Even the beautiful women who are in charge of guest service seem to be much less than at night. Many tables are even empty.

It seems that there are very few guests during the daytime.

“In fact, it’s not opened during the daytime.” Minister Kim is saying with laugh, “But when people are addicted to gambling, it happens no matter day or night. Now I’m feeling itchy! If I don’t play cards, I’m afraid I can’t sit still!”

Winson doesn’t respond, just shows a faint smile. Then he says something to Nongda Park in Korean. I can’t understand it.

“Minister Kim…” Nanny shows a little unhappy from her eyebrows.

“Oh, Miss Fang,” Minister Kim is laughing and whispering to her, “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to delay. In fact, cooperation documents, these two ladies have already brought with them. To be honest, our final bottom line has been given. It seems that our differences are still on the last five percent. But I personally have a little interesting suggestion that you might be interested in.”

“What is it?” Nanny has a cold face.

“I’m a gambler. Or you may say I have a gambler character.” Minister Kim is smiling meaningfully, “In fact, our cooperation, that 5% price, neither to you, nor to me, is only a small number. Both sides refuse to compromise just because of business principles, right?”

Nanny doesn’t respond. But I can see from her eyes that she really doesn’t seem to care too much about the money.

In fact, many big shots negotiate business are all the same. Often, they get stuck in some very fine prices and refuse to give in to each other. In fact, for these people, the money is really nothing. But in business, this is a business principles issue. At that moment, people are not fighting for the price, but for the principle!

“My proposal is…” Minister Kim is deliberately slowing down a few steps and then ending up with Nanny. Then he whispers, “My two friends are very good gamblers. I have been getting know them for many years, but I have never won them. As long as Mr. Chen Yang can win them, let me see their loser faces. I will be very, very happy! Five percent, I’d like to take it on my own! What do you think?”

Nanny stops her step and looks surprised. I’m also so surprised, looking at Minister Kim with confuse. Winson bursts out laughing and saying: “You such a crazy guy, don’t you worry that we’ll be angry to hear this?”

Minister Kim’s indifferent look: “I never think of hiding from you. You always look confident. When you lose, you must have a wonderful expression! Chen Yang is the most extraordinary poker player I have ever seen, although I don’t know whether he can win you. But just try him anyway, and it won’t hurt me. If he fails, I’ll be laughed at by you for a while at most. If I succeed, then I only throw out around one million, but I can see you and Mr. Park suffocating faces, which is enough for me to laugh at you in the future. It’s a good business!” His eyes are twinkling and he looks with an easy grace.

But I can’t help muttering in my heart. A master’s game? Can I make it?

If I depend on the ring, I may have a lot more of confidence. The key is, today is not my fortune luck’s day. In the morning, I just mesured with the measuring device. Today, my peach blossom luck is strong, but can it be used to play cards?

Gloomy is full of my face.

“Chen Yang…” Nanny is looking at me. There’re some expectations in her eyes.

I sigh. What I can do is just give it a try. I say nothing but just nod slightly.

Minister Kim would not play in the hall. He asks the staff to take us directly into a VIP room. There’s a big round gambling table with a green suede counter. When we come in, a young woman in a shirt and tie comes in too. She looks very upright and has a professional smile on face. When we sit down, she immediately asks to send some brand-new poker cards.

Minister Kim is sitting on my left, Winson is sitting on my right, and Nongda Park, the Korean master, is sitting opposite me.

Two Korean beauties have followed in. One is sitting next to Minister Kim and the other is about sitting next to Nongda Park. But Mr. Park has a dark face and says something to her. Her expression suddenly becomes a little stiff. Winson sighs and waves to her.

Nanny is sitting a little behind me, frowning slightly as if she is a little upset.

“What’s up?” I ask her.

“That Korean said that men are doing business, woman just goes away!” Nanny looks down upon him, “Is gambling a formal business?”

I’m slightly surprised: “Do you know Korean?”

She nods: “A little.”

“How awesome you are!” I pause for a moment, then smile and say, “In fact, gambling may not be the bad thing to some specific people. For professional gamblers, gambling is their job and their means of making money. Is there anything more important to them than gambling?”

Nanny is stunned when she hears my words. She glances at me charmingly, but does not argue with me.

Minister Kim is laughing aloud: “Good saying! For a man like me who is very gambling, when gambling addiction comes up, there’s really no any big thing that does matter much with playing cards!”

Then the young woman with a tie, who’s also the dealer of the gambling table, is speaking. Her voice is very clear and feeling capable: “Ladies and gentlemen, what are you going to play with? How much chips do you need to prepare? I need to point out that no matter how big the gambling you play, casino will draw certain fees and handling fees from the final gambling money. If the checks need to be verified, our company will verify it for you on the spot!” Then she’s smiling and saying, “Do you have any further questions?”

“No!” Minister Kim waves and rolls up his sleeves with laugh, “How big are we playing today?”

Winson shrugs his shoulders: “Old rule, one million dollars in chips, maximum one million dollars to raise.”

I immediately object: “I’m sorry, I don’t think it’s fair.”

“Well?” Winson is looking at me with smile.

I speak in a very flat tone and say with a calm smile: “I don’t think it’s fair.” I take out my cigarette, light it without hurry, and smoke.

My calm attitude, let the eyes of all the people in the room focus on me, and then I slowly open my mouth: “Excuse me, now all men here, Mr. Kim is rich. Winson, you are from the giant business family. Mr. Park, presumably also have a lot of money. I’m just a small worker. I don’t have that much money to gamble with you.”

The dealer looks at me in surprise, and I immediately stare back. My tone is cold: “What’s wrong? You think it’s strange? You must be thinking now, how can an ordinary people like me qualify for this table? But I can tell you very clearly that I’m not rich, and I don’t have much money.”

I put both hands on the table: “Gentlemen, so I don’t think it’s fair.”

“But… Minister Kim is laughing, “But you have Miss Fang around you. You bet on her behalf. Miss Fang won’t be unable to take out a million dollars.”

“It doesn’t make sense.” I shake my head and laugh sly, “Miss Fang is willing to pay, that money is still not mine. What if I lose? That’s her one million dollars. Do I have to pay back the money? Even if Miss Fang is my boss, she does not ask me to pay back, but I have to bear a great psychological burden. I don’t think it’s called gambling. You’re driving ducks on the shelf, and I’m the duck.”

Speaking of this, I’m regretting immediately. Damn it, how can I say myself a duck?

Fortunately, all the people here do not notice the different meaning in my words.

Winson thinks it over very seriously, nods and agrees: “Yes, I think Chen Yang’s words are very reasonable.” He looks at Minister Kim and says, “What do you think?”

Before Minister Kim has spoken, he adds: “If there’s more wealthy people here today who asks for at least $100 million in gambling money, would it not feel the same to us as Chen Yang now?”

Minister Kim thinks better of it carefully and says with a bitter smile, “Damn, you mean you don’t want to play that big. OK, OK! After all, I invited you to come, and I should respect guest’s opinions.”

He speaks to Nongda Park. Park frowns. After they talk for a while, Minister Kim frowns at me and says: “Chen Yang, then which standard do you think we should set the bets on? How much can you acceptable? If it’s too little, there’ll be no fun to play.”

“How can it be no fun?” I smile, “We just need to set a certain limit on the gambling money, who lose, who out! In this way, even if the gambling money is very small, it will also be very interesting.”

After that, I take out all the cash in my wallet, count it, and laugh: “I have more than 1300 here. Well, I have to leave 300 to refuel the car and have lunch. So how about we set the bet on one thousand?”

Minister Kim is so surprised that his eyes are about falling: “One thousand?”