Chapter 004: Cheating at Cards?

Li Huan had originally recommended a mid-range bottle of liquor, but the shoulder-length-haired girl refused it outright. Judging by her demeanor, she was no stranger to Western spirits, and her question left Li Huan dumbstruck.

“I heard you sell Remy Martin Louis XIII here?” Her tone was calm, not even asking about the price, as she ordered some fruit platters.

Li Huan’s surprise wasn’t because someone ordered Louis XIII; most of the wealthy women who frequented this place could easily afford it. To them, a bottle of liquor was nothing—a mere trifle to buy happiness. In fact, these rich women often spent money more boldly than men.

But for three young girls to order such a drink—this was a first for Li Huan. The newest Louis XIII was priced far above the market rate at Dancing with Wolves: twenty-eight thousand per bottle, 700ml, the highest grade of aged brandy available!

Li Huan hesitated but ultimately selected and delivered the bottle himself. His reluctance wasn’t doubt about their ability to pay, but rather a pang of regret—choosing the most expensive liquor just because they were displeased, these second-generation rich girls burned money in ways that were utterly outrageous!

Nevertheless, a bottle of Louis XIII would earn Li Huan a twenty-five percent commission—a tidy sum. Working here, there was no need to feel sorry for the customers’ wallets; they didn’t care, so why should he?

Settling into his seat, Li Huan expertly opened the exquisite packaging, extracting a handcrafted crystal glass bottle. The red liquor refracted through the glass under the dazzling lights, making one’s mouth water at first glance.

“How do you want to play?” Li Huan glanced at the shoulder-length-haired girl, soon learning her name was Su Ci. The long-haired girl was Zhang Xiaocao, and the round-faced one was Sun Li—all locals, and all first-time customers at Dancing with Wolves.

Su Ci frowned, a peculiar expression flickering across her beautiful face. She glanced at Li Suman, who, with a flourish, produced a deck of tarot cards from her purse. “Shall we do a reading?”

The other two girls shook their heads in unison. Li Suman turned her gaze to Li Huan, but he shook his head as well—he’d never seen anyone play tarot cards here; fortune-telling had nothing to do with drinking.

Li Suman pouted, but put the cards away. Li Huan considered his options, deciding against any flirtatious games involving physical contact—it was their first time here, and both Su Ci and Sun Li seemed reserved. As for Li Suman, Li Huan thought she was a bit scatterbrained.

Time would prove him right.

“Why not play dice?” Li Huan reached under the small cabinet and took out a dice cup, shaking a handful of dice. He explained the rules: “Three dice, guess the total. Whoever guesses right drinks. I’ll be the dealer—you play.”

His intentions were clear: the dealer sees the result, shakes the dice, and doesn’t drink. With such an expensive bottle, first-time customers seldom share their liquor with the staff, and Li Huan wasn’t about to take advantage.

Li Suman disagreed immediately, frowning at Li Huan with a peculiar look, her lips pouting as she protested, “No way, that’s too easy for you! Why should only we drink? What’s your angle?”

She instinctively hugged her not-so-full chest, eyeing Li Huan warily, as if he planned to get them drunk and take advantage. The other two girls simultaneously turned to look at Li Huan, their gazes carrying a meaning only they understood.

“What do you mean, too easy for me? Damn, what could a liquor salesman possibly do?” Of course, Li Huan kept these thoughts to himself; in this business, you played by the customer’s mood. If they were pleased and offered you a drink, you had to knock it back in one go—otherwise, you’d offend them, and there were countless ways they could make your life difficult.

“I just think the liquor’s too expensive…” Li Huan said offhandedly; he’d had it before and knew it tasted excellent. But Li Suman’s next words nearly made him faint.

“Who said you’d be drinking that? Have some whisky!” Li Suman looked up, spotting Xiao Yu passing by, and waved her over. “A bottle of Royal Salute!”

She flashed Li Huan a triumphant smile. He could tell she wasn’t a regular at nightclubs—probably had just heard about it and ordered whatever came to mind, without bothering to ask the price.

Xiao Yu, too, was surprised, but she brought over a bottle of Royal Salute along with a bill for the girls’ orders, casting Li Huan a glance as she handed it over.

Su Ci frowned visibly, looked up at Xiao Yu with disdain, and said coldly, “Afraid we can’t afford it? Here…” She signed the bill, pulled out a Platinum Member card for Dancing with Wolves, and ignored Xiao Yu, turning to Li Huan. “You must be quite the drinker. Let’s begin!”

Li Huan glanced at the Platinum Member card in surprise—he’d never seen them here before, but he didn’t dwell on it. With two bottles of imported liquor before him, he was set to earn a handsome commission, and the entire bottle of Royal Salute would be his.

Not that he was particularly obsessed with Western liquor, but anyone would feel a bit dazed by such good fortune. The dealer’s rule was to drink a glass first, so Li Huan filled his glass, tipped it back, and then shook three dice.

The lowest possible total for three dice was three, the highest eighteen. Guessing the middle, Li Huan, as the dealer, peeked—three sixes, totaling eighteen. His heart skipped a beat—if they played high-low, he’d already hit the ceiling, guaranteed to win!

On the left, Li Suman spoke first, a sly smile on her lips as she boldly guessed a number that stunned Li Huan.

“Eighteen!” Li Suman smirked at Li Huan and chuckled. “I don’t believe you got all sixes. Otherwise, I’ll eat the dice!”

Li Huan smiled without comment, picked up three dice and handed them to Li Suman. “Are you sure you can swallow them?”

He then lifted the cup—the dice all showed six. Li Huan pushed them toward the girls. Li Suman gaped in disbelief—this was uncanny! Had she jinxed herself?

Su Ci’s gaze was amused; she said nothing. Sun Li grabbed a die and tried to shove it into Li Suman’s mouth, calling, “Open wide…”

Li Suman finally snapped out of it, leaning back, clutching her mouth with both hands, her voice sweet and coy, “No way, I was just joking!”

“Are you cheating? Pulling a fast one?” Li Suman quickly shifted blame to Li Huan.

“I’m not! You all watched—I couldn’t have rigged it!” Li Huan calmly faced her accusation. In truth, it was mostly luck; only seasoned gamblers could use skill and acute hearing to estimate the outcome, but even they couldn’t be one hundred percent accurate.

Li Suman was sporting; Li Huan poured her a glass of Louis XIII, which she tossed back in one gulp. Soon, her cheeks were flushed with drink.

Li Huan’s skill at this game was average, relying on luck. He lost a few rounds, and ended up drinking the most—after all, he couldn’t spend the whole night entertaining these three ladies. The commission for this table was high, but he had regulars to attend to; the sooner he wrapped up, the more he could earn.

To foster rapport, Li Huan worked to enliven the atmosphere, aided by Li Suman and Sun Li. Yet Su Ci seemed disinterested, focused solely on her drink, ignoring Li Huan’s jokes. Eventually, banter was left to Li Suman and Li Huan alone.

Perhaps bad moods bring bad luck; Su Ci ended up drinking five glasses, the other two girls each two. Soon, most of the Louis XIII was gone, only a little left, but Su Ci wasn't ready to stop—she ordered another bottle to keep the party going, seemingly intent on drinking herself into oblivion.

Li Huan’s bottle was half full; he frowned at the girls but quickly relaxed. Just as he was about to speak, noise erupted at the entrance. Looking up, he saw two young men in their twenties stride in, scanning the hall before fixing their gaze on his table. Their faces were thunderous as they strode over.

Li Huan was momentarily stunned. Dancing with Wolves catered mostly to successful women, rarely seeing male customers—unless they were gay, in which case the security would usually stop them. But these two had forced their way in. Later, he learned they'd brought a group, distracting the guards at the door so these two could slip inside.

The commotion drew the girls’ attention; they turned to look. Su Ci’s body visibly tensed, while Li Suman’s anger flared, cursing, “Damn, how did that little bastard find us?”

Li Huan winced—this girl was fierce! He quickly realized the two men were here for the girls, furious, and the leader’s eyes were locked onto Li Huan, cold as a snake, oozing cruelty.

The two men strode over; the leader was tall, about Li Huan’s height, dressed in black leather, strikingly handsome—like a TV drama heartthrob, but his gaze was icy, fixed on Li Huan, sharp and merciless. Without a word, he grabbed a bottle off the table and swung it straight at Li Huan’s forehead.