At The Edge Of The World | YiZhan ✓

Part 29

It was loud and unruly, the air stuffy from the smoke of cigars and cigarettes being held by the hands of sin. Indistinct murmurs and soft whispers were all around, some talking behind someone's back while others calculated their chances.

This was a big playground for the rich and sometimes the troubled, to satisfy their desires and juggle their chances by gambling the most important thing for mankind; money. The bells and the whistles of the slot machines seemed enough for most, betting what they had on calculated algorithms programmed to make them lose. Meanwhile, others were playing with their own chances, eyes plastered on the roulette wheels as red and black rushed to land on a spot with each spin.

And Zhan happened to be one of those people today, deciding to win out his luck by playing blackjack, gaze plastered on the dealer who whirred the cards in his hands, flipping them open with every start of a game.

All bets were in, no way out without winning. And loosing, was never an option.

Yibo in the meanwhile was behind him, watching Zhan win the fourth time in a row. Many were baffled just as he was, not having guessed that he'd be so good at counting cards.

He slowly leaned his head forward and whispered into his ear while his eyes skimmed around the room to make sure no one was listening. "To think that you were so good gambling. You did live an orderly life no?"

Zhan chuckled as he raised his head slowly up and spoke back with a gentle voice. "You forgot that I did gamble against my father. And the aftermath of that is engraved on my arm right here." Yibo gave the arm he had risen a glance, his brows furrowing at the reminder of his scars.

"..." He didn't have much to comment on, but having gone against Xiao Jun was a deep scar in itself, having been engraved into him just as much. His mark was just not the visible one compared to Zhan's. "Do you even count those?"

Zhan sucked in his breath unsurely. "Well... I do try but after the first couple ones my mind goes in the bag. I'm not a math wiz." Yibo laughed. "Right. So it's just your luck that's good." Zhan grinned. "Can't argue with that."

Just then, Yibo's eyes caught a sight of someone familiar in the back. Feeling stressed, he nudged Zhan's arm and cleared his throat. "Don't be surprised- but that bastard is coming this way. Just--" Before he could continue to tell who it was, the man in question stepped into the game and spoke up instead. "To think I'd see you in here. Wang Yibo."

Yibo irked his face while Zhan simply glared from where he was seated. "Rong..." Hao Rong smirked while Zhan rose his hand up to pause Yibo's words and spoke in his stead. "Aren't you shameless to be gambling your ass of when your financial state is in shambles?" Rong's face turned red from anger while Yibo pursed his lips in an attempt to hold his laugh back.

"You assume too much." Zhan shook his head while his hands continued to play the game. "It was your reputation that got tarnished for being a snitch no? I can only come to the conclusion that you're low in cash since you having left the entertainment business. Must've been quite a loss I believe."

Many whispered in mockery at that while Yibo pinched Zhan's arm. "Not that strong." But Zhan didn't listen and continued to mock the latter with his harsh glares which resulted in Rong to yell back. "And what about you? Loosing a whole ass company as the son of the most influential in the whole of China. Must've felt pathetic to fall so low as to be the owner of a pathetic entertainment company such as Wang Yibo's. The old president died too didn't he? Isn't it suspicious that you took the place of a dead man after the fall of Xiao Jun's business? Seems too convenient to me."

Zhan scowled. "And what are you getting at?"

Rong shrugged, now laughing. "That your obsession with that bastard is as clear as day! Weren't you the one who chased him down that day at the beach? Three more could testify to that with Yibo himself included." He then scoffed. "Disgusting gay bastard."