287: It's so hard to choose!

Atapong wanted to see what kind of tricks Su Cha and the others could pull within this one minute.

Only one minute!

Atapong's words rang in Su Cha's ears like a death knell.

One minute!

Sixty seconds!

What should he do?

Su Cha was so anxious that he bit his lip, the taste of blood spreading in his mouth.

He forced himself to calm down. Think of something, fast!

But his mind was filled with nothing but blankness and fear; how could he think of any solution?

Subconsciously, he turned his pleading gaze toward his wife, Pinya, who had been silent all along.

Pinya was equally anxious, but she was slightly more composed than Su Cha.

She understood her husband's intent and realized that Lei Jun's suggestion to swap players might be their only lifeline.

She also noticed the sickening look in Atapong's eyes when he looked at Lei Jun.

A bold idea quickly took shape in her mind.

For her husband, for this family, she had to step forward and take the risk!

Just as Atapong was looking at his phone with a cruel smile on his face, preparing to count down the final ten seconds and declare victory—

"Wait!"

Pinya's crisp and firm voice rang out.

Everyone's eyes instantly focused on her.

Pinya took a deep breath.

"Atapong, the money... we will definitely find a way to match it. We won't go back on our debt."

"But... my husband, Su Cha, is emotionally unstable right now, and his hands are shaking. I'm afraid he won't be able to play properly. Could you... make an exception and let... let Miss Lei take his place and play this round with you? The stakes remain the same; it's just a different person drawing the cards. What do you think... is that okay?"

The courtyard instantly erupted into a commotion.

"Swap players? You can swap players in the middle of a golden flower game?"

"The rules don't seem to explicitly forbid it, but usually, it's not allowed. It depends on whether the opponent agrees."

"Would Atapong agree? He's about to win, so why swap in a young girl who probably knows even less about the game? Unless he's lost his mind!"

"Exactly! Atapong is as sharp as a monkey. How could he agree to such a clearly disadvantageous request?"

"But... don't you find it strange? Why are Su Cha and the others so insistent on swapping? And for that silver-haired girl? Does she actually have some trick up her sleeve?"

"Who cares! This makes it even more interesting! I just want to know what Atapong will say!"

Hearing Pinya's request, Atapong was first stunned, then a ridiculous expression appeared on his face.

"Swap players?"

"Let Lei Jun replace Su Cha?"

"What the hell are Su Cha and the others up to? Are they at their wits' end? Resorting to desperate measures?"

His first thought was that this was a trap!

"Su Cha must feel he's bound to lose and wants to disrupt the game, or he's hoping this beautiful girl has some kind of luck or special ability?"

He instinctively opened his mouth to refuse.

"You've got to be kidding me!"

The stakes on the table were practically in his hands; why would he invite complications? What if... although he thought the possibility was extremely low, what if Lei Jun really had some trick?

However, as the refusal reached his lips, he inexplicably swallowed it back.

Because his gaze involuntarily fell upon Lei Jun once again.

Her silver hair was like snow, shimmering with a cold luster under the courtyard lights. Her skin was fairer than snow, and her features were as exquisite as if carved by the most masterful craftsman, without a single flaw.

Her figure was well-proportioned and slender; even in simple clothes, she couldn't hide that cold and transcendent aura, as if she were a being far removed from the mortal world.

"Beautiful!"

"So beautiful!"

Breathtakingly beautiful, so beautiful that it made his heart itch with desire!

The wicked fire in Atapong's heart flared up again.

If... if he just declared himself the winner and the game ended, wouldn't he lose the chance to have close contact with this silver-haired beauty, or even... to get a taste of her?

Just thinking about it made him feel restless, as if the meat already in his mouth had lost its flavor.

And then... another thought occurred to him, and a strong sense of confidence and superiority rose in his heart.

His hand was three Queens, and with an Ace and a King already on the table, the odds of three Aces or three Kings were incredibly slim.

Thinking of this, he felt very secure.

Since he was already guaranteed to win, it wouldn't hurt to let a beauty like Lei Jun play in Su Cha's place.

Anyway, Lei Jun looked very young, seventeen or eighteen at most.

Someone that young probably barely knew how to play golden flower.

Even if she did know how to play, she wouldn't be any good and certainly couldn't beat him.

So, letting Lei Jun play for a bit wasn't out of the question.

This way, he would have more opportunities to interact with Lei Jun.

At this point, Atapong hesitated, not knowing what to do.

On one hand was the tempting, massive stake, and on the other was the chance to interact with the silver-haired beauty.

"It's a hard choice, such a hard choice!"

Looking at her hesitating husband Atapong, Nala was a bit puzzled.

She didn't understand why Atapong was hesitating.

It was obvious that Su Cha was finished; if Atapong refused Su Cha's request, he would almost certainly win.

All the stakes on the table would be theirs.

Anyone would be envious of that much money.

So, what did Atapong have to hesitate about?

She couldn't figure it out.

But after following Atapong's gaze to Lei Jun and seeing her husband's lecherous look, she knew exactly why he was hesitating!

"Damn Atapong, he wants more contact with this Lei Jun and actually wants to let her take Su Cha's place at the table!"

At this realization, Nala instantly flew into a rage, pointing at Atapong's nose and cursing him out.

"Atapong! You shameless scoundrel! What are you staring at? Your eyes are practically popping out! You're hesitating just because they asked to swap players? What else is in your head besides those filthy thoughts? Huh?"

She got angrier as she spoke.

"Is it because that girl is pretty? Has she bewitched you? Have you forgotten about the money and the house on the table? I'm telling you! You're just a fool who can't move when he sees a woman! You brainless, lust-driven waste!"

"This is clearly a honey trap! It's a setup! Can't you see that?! And you're still hesitating? Hesitating my ass! Refuse them right now! Do you hear me?"

Nala's merciless scolding laid Atapong's dirty thoughts bare for everyone to see, and the courtyard immediately erupted in enlightened and contemptuous laughter.

"Oh! So that's it! I was wondering why Atapong was hesitating on a sure win! Turns out he's blinded by lust!"

"Haha, Atapong really is like a dog that can't stop eating crap! He can't move when he sees a beautiful woman!"

"If you ask me, money is more important! All those stakes are much more real than a woman you can see but can't touch."

"You can't put it like that. That Lei Jun really is so beautiful she doesn't seem real... If it were me, I'd also... hehe."

"Can beauty put food on the table? Is it worth more than over a million? If Atapong really agrees to the swap for the sake of beauty, he'd be the ultimate fool!"

"Exactly! It's clearly Su Cha's scheme to distract him! How can he not see that?"