Evening, Seven o'clock.

Lin Cheng had been seated in the bookstore for seven hours straight. He hadn't moved from his spot except to switch books. Occasionally, the bookstore staff refilled his disposable water cup.

At last, after finishing her tasks, Litchi arrived at Lin Cheng’s side, still in her office attire. She waved her hand in front of him. Lin Cheng looked up.

"What are you reading?"

"Gu Cheng’s poetry."

"It seems that scumbags often find common ground," Litchi remarked disdainfully, clearly holding Gu Cheng in contempt—a man who ultimately killed his wife and himself, seen as no better than a giant baby.

"You look distant when you gaze at me, but close when you look at the clouds," Lin Cheng said, closing his book. "We can’t deny his poetic achievements just because he was a scumbag. Though, he was indeed a damned scumbag."

"What’s with this distant and close talk?"

"Gu Cheng’s sense of distance and closeness."

Lin Cheng’s expression was unusually earnest. His eyes gently rested on Litchi’s face, observing the beads of sweat on her fair forehead. He softly said, "You’ve worked hard."

Litchi turned her face away, seeming a bit uncomfortable with his gaze. She muttered, "I didn’t know you actually care."

"It’s rare to see you dressed like this. Are those stockings ultra-thin? May I touch them? Just a touch." Lin Cheng said as he set the poetry book aside and slowly reached towards Litchi’s slender legs covered by black stockings. However, before he could touch her, Litchi turned back and pulled a book from the shelf, lightly tapping him on the head with it.

"Go to hell."

Lin Cheng withdrew his hand, looking disappointed.

7:30 p.m.

Lin Cheng and Litchi were in the surveillance room. In front of Lin Cheng was a bowl of ramen.

He checked several times, "This ramen wasn’t cooked by you, was it?"

"No."

"Good." Lin Cheng happily picked up his chopsticks and began slurping the noodles. He had previously experienced Litchi's cooking, and given that she had earned an advanced degree by the age of fourteen, her culinary skills were, to say the least, lacking.

The surveillance screens showed scenes from the casino on the top floor. Though it was only 7:30, the casino was already lively. Men in suits and women in elegant attire, their bright eyes moving through the crowd, and waitresses dressed formally, all created an intriguing scene with the piled-up chips and the varied expressions of disappointment and joy on the gamblers' faces.

"Let me see the previous surveillance footage of Xu Wanyue."

Lin Cheng accessed the earlier footage featuring Xu Wanyue. She appeared to be around twenty-one or twenty-two, with finely sculpted features. Each time she visited, she wore something provocatively stylish—ultra-short shorts, tiny tank tops, backless evening gowns, pleated skirts, lace-trimmed strapless dresses—all of which invariably drew the attention of many gamblers. As Lin Cheng watched her move through the casino while eating his noodles, Litchi sat nearby, her legs encased in black stockings crossed beneath her pencil skirt.

"Did you spot anything?"

"Nothing." Lin Cheng finished the last of the soft-boiled egg. "But it’s a great complement to the noodles."

"We’ve already lost thirty million," Litchi said, her gaze somber.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"But this year’s revenue is two hundred million. We still have plenty to lose," Lin Cheng replied casually. His monthly expenses were covered by Litchi—five thousand a month. When he ran out of money, he could request more, as long as he provided a reason.

Litchi was particularly meticulous about these matters. However, since it was a rule they had set, Lin Cheng didn’t mind. After all, a true master is always adept at making the most of situations.

"Have you figured out how she was cheating?"

"She wasn’t cheating." Lin Cheng shook his head. "At least, I didn’t see any evidence of cheating."

"I refuse to believe that... Statistically, it’s almost impossible," Litchi said, her brows knitting together in frustration.

As a probability expert and a skilled gambler, Litchi knew just how improbable it was to turn twenty bucks into thirty million within three days.

"She was just extremely lucky."

"That’s absolutely impossible."

"No, what I mean is..." Lin Cheng chuckled, belched, leaned back in his chair, and his voice took on a slightly enigmatic tone.

"Her luck was extraordinary."

Litchi was about to argue further but suddenly fell silent. It took her several seconds to regain her composure. "So... that’s how it is."

"So, how do we get our money back?" Litchi asked Lin Cheng. Lin Cheng stretched lazily and replied, "According to the rules, she won that money through her own skill. We shouldn’t take it back. After all, the casino should abide by its own rules."

"Are you a stickler for the rules?"

"I believe I am."

"Win against her, and I’ll let you touch my black stockings."

"Deal!" Lin Cheng sprang to his feet, his earlier lethargy giving way to sudden enthusiasm. His eyes locked onto Litchi’s slender calves, slightly raised, her toes gently tapping in her black high heels.

"Stop drooling, hehe..."

Litchi shot him a disapproving look.

----------------------------------------

8 PM.

In the surveillance footage downstairs, Xu Wanyue, the Alliance adjudicator, appeared as scheduled. She stepped out of a taxi, and upon seeing her, Litchi's frustration was palpable.

"She really has the nerve to come back."

"Disappointing," Lin Cheng remarked, his gaze critical of her outfit.

Xu Wanyue was tall and well-proportioned, dressed today in a white tank top. Her slightly wavy black hair cascaded over her shoulders, revealing her delicate collarbone and an endearing belly button. However, her loose-fitting denim jeans concealed her long, graceful legs.

Lin Cheng turned to Litchi, noticing her annoyed expression. "It’s odd. Why are you so upset?"

"When she won five million, I played Texas Hold’em with her all night."

"And you lost?"

"Even though her every expression was so clear and readable, I still lost five million."

"That makes sense."

Lin Cheng and Litchi had been friends for years. Litchi, proud and exceptionally skilled at Texas Hold’em, would understandably be particularly irked by a loss in her area of expertise.

Lin Cheng's eyes finally revealed some interest. “My name is Lin Cheng. Today, I’ll be your opponent. I suppose you could say I’m a skilled player hired by the casino.”

“What are we betting on?”

Litchi had already set up the box, arranging the chips in front of Lin Cheng. The stack was a billion chips high, forming a small mountain.

“I’m open to anything. The choice is yours,” Lin Cheng said with a grin.

“I’m flexible too. You decide.”

“Very well. Before we start, I’d like to ask you a question, Miss Xu Wanyue.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you believe gambling is a game of luck?” Lin Cheng asked, his smile never fading as he looked into her eyes.

Xu Wanyue tilted her head thoughtfully. “I suppose so.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Lin Cheng pushed one of the two dice cups on the table toward Xu Wanyue. “Let’s roll the dice and compare our totals. Each of us will use five dice. The highest possible total is thirty, and the lowest is five.”

Xu Wanyue frowned slightly. “What’s the point of a game if I can’t be sure you’re not cheating? I’ve heard that seasoned gamblers can easily manipulate the dice.”

“I understand your concern.” Lin Cheng tapped the table lightly. “So, you’ll be the one to roll the dice. We’ll simply compare the sum of the totals. The highest total wins. If it’s a tie, we move to the next round. Each round’s stake is ten million.”

Xu Wanyue studied Lin Cheng for several seconds, her expression a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

“Are you sure?”

“The dice are yours to inspect. You can roll both sets and choose which one you want to use. I’ll use the remaining set. If you have any other requests, feel free to mention them.”

Xu Wanyue’s only concern surfaced. She looked up slightly, biting her lip. “If I win all your chips, will I be able to leave here safely?”

“Of course. The Alliance behind you is our trusted partner. We would never harm a friend. Besides, cheating gamblers goes against the rules.”

Lin Cheng leaned forward slightly, his fingers interlocked, his gaze unwaveringly fixed on her.

“Alright,” Xu Wanyue said, narrowing her eyes slightly. “Let’s begin. I’m eager to see where your confidence truly lies."