225: Where has my luck gone?

When Song Zhen heard Li Shengyuan’s voice, he was first stunned, then overjoyed: “Li Dage! Why are you here?”

He turned his head and saw Li Shengyuan holding a folding fan. Although his face was obscured, his familiar aura couldn't be faked.

“I came out for a walk. I’m also surprised to see Junior Brother Song here,” Li Shengyuan said with a smile.

Song Zhen’s chubby round face crinkled into a smile as he said, “Bai Xiang Tower’s headquarters are in Jiangnan, and their business intersects with my father’s, so I also have a Supreme VIP card given by their Mistress. That’s why I often come to play!”

“You know their Mistress, Bai Yurou?” Li Shengyuan asked with some surprise.

“Yes!” Song Zhen nodded with a smile, “I’ll introduce her to Li Dage when there’s a chance!”

“That would be excellent!” Li Shengyuan smiled slightly.

Song Zhen, beaming, grabbed Li Shengyuan’s sleeve: “Let’s go, let’s go! Li Dage, accompany me to gamble a few rounds! Eldest Senior Brother only thinks about not drinking and won’t accompany me. With you here today, I’m sure I’ll win!”

Li Shengyuan was dragged upstairs by him, a smile playing on his lips: “Oh? Junior Brother Song is so confident today?”

Song Zhen patted his chest: “Of course! Meeting Li Dage proves that today’s luck must be good, and I’m sure to win!”

After bidding farewell to Chu Chunqiu, who was not far away, Song Zhen excitedly pulled Li Shengyuan upstairs.

Chu Chunqiu, sitting by the window, sipping wine and watching the dancers’ elegant movements, saw the two going upstairs and a hint of an amused smile appeared on his lips.

“Li Shengyuan, the Chancellor said that your luck is abundant now. I wonder if your luck will be absorbed by Junior Brother Song if you meet him…”

Thinking this, Chu Chunqiu’s interest was piqued. However, remembering the last time he just stood next to Junior Brother Song and watched for a few moments, followed by a continuous string of misfortunes, Chu Chunqiu shook his head, thinking it was better to forget it…

It was better to sit here, drink some wine, watch the beauties, and wait for the results.

“Li Shengyuan, I hope you don’t fall into a ditch after leaving Bai Xiang Tower…”

At this moment, Li Shengyuan and Song Zhen went up to the third-floor gambling room. Pushing open the door, the room was brightly lit, filled with the scent of sandalwood, and bustling with people. Several gambling tables were already surrounded by many.

Song Zhen, familiar with the place, pulled Li Shengyuan to a “Tianjiu” card table and sat down, excitedly rubbing his hands:

“Li Dage, let’s play this!”

Li Shengyuan nodded: “Alright, I’ll play a few rounds with you.”

He had played this card game a few times with Liu Zhen and others when he was on duty at the Demon Suppression Division, so he was quite familiar with it.

The dealer was a charming woman. Seeing the two sit down, she smiled sweetly:

“Gentlemen, please place your bets.”

Song Zhen grandly slapped down a stack of chips: “Let’s start with one hundred taels to test the waters!”

For ordinary people, one hundred taels, if used sparingly, could last for several years.

But for Song Zhen, spending or earning it was a matter of minutes.

Li Shengyuan casually threw down a few chips and smiled: “Junior Brother Song is generous, so I’ll bet a little less.”

The game began, and the dealer shuffled and dealt the cards.

Song Zhen eagerly grabbed two cards and flipped them open — a “Heaven Card” paired with an “Earth Card,” a top-tier combination!

“Hahahaha! A good start!” Song Zhen was so excited he almost jumped up, sweeping the chips on the table into his possession.

“I won, I really won, Li Dage, the first time I came with you, I really won!”

Li Shengyuan also flipped open his cards — a “Miscellaneous Five” paired with a “Miscellaneous Seven,” as bad as it could get.

“Tsk, bad luck,” Li Shengyuan shook his head and chuckled softly.

However, he secretly frowned. What was going on?

Even without cheating, just normal drawing of cards, it shouldn’t be this bad, right?

Where did my luck go?

The next instant, Li Shengyuan’s eyes narrowed. He felt a special aura surging into his body from Song Zhen and the other gamblers!

Song Zhen excitedly said, “Li Dage, you really are my lucky star. The first time I came with you, I won the first hand. It seems today is my home game!”

“I’ll cover all of Li Dage’s expenses!” Song Zhen grandly patted his chest.

Li Shengyuan accepted with a smile, a guess forming in his mind, but he still needed to play a few more times to confirm it.

In the second round, Song Zhen drew a “Human Card” paired with a “Harmony Card,” winning another round.

Li Shengyuan, on the other hand, again had the worst cards, losing two hands in a row…

The third round, the fourth round… Song Zhen grew bolder with each round, almost always getting good cards, and the chips in front of him piled higher and higher.

Meanwhile, Li Shengyuan seemed to be plagued by bad luck, always drawing terrible cards, losing everything.

“Li Dage, your luck isn’t so good today!” Song Zhen laughed so hard his eyes disappeared, finally getting his moment of triumph.

He had been here for so long, and today he finally turned things around. He would have to bring Li Dage with him in the future… Song Zhen thought gleefully.

The other card players who saw Song Zhen winning all night also found it quite strange.

Li Shengyuan feigned helplessness: “It seems Junior Brother Song is blessed with good fortune today. I admit defeat.”

In reality, he was overjoyed. If his guess was correct, he had just exchanged the bad luck on the gambling table for the good luck of the winning players!

Was Song Zhen like this before?

So, he could absorb others’ luck, making those around him lucky. No wonder the Chancellor took him as a disciple!

It’s just, why do I also have Song Zhen’s ability today? And I even absorbed his… Li Shengyuan was filled with curiosity.

Although playing like this was a bit costly, for Song Zhen, money was the least of his concerns!

No wonder his father supported him in gambling. The Song family had a vast enterprise, and perhaps it was partly due to his son, who only knew how to eat, drink, and play…

Song Zhen proudly swayed his head: “That’s right! I, Song Zhen, also have a day to turn things around!”

The other people around the gambling table also looked over, discussing amongst themselves—

“Isn’t this fatty famous for always losing when he gambles? How is he so strange today?”

“Exactly, everything I won from him the other day, I lost back in one night. He wouldn’t be cheating, would he?”

“Shh, keep your voice down. I heard his background isn’t simple…”

“…”

Listening to the whispers around him, Song Zhen held his head even higher, a look of triumph on his face.

Just as he was about to start another round, suddenly, the door of the gambling room was pushed open, and a middle-aged man who looked like a manager walked in. His gaze swept over Song Zhen and Li Shengyuan, then he smiled:

“Young Master Song, on behalf of my master, I congratulate Young Master Song on your excellent luck today. May you return with a full harvest!”

“It’s nothing, it’s all thanks to Li Dage,” Song Zhen said with a chuckle.

The middle-aged manager then bowed with clasped fists and said, “My master would like to invite both young masters upstairs for a chat. Would you be so kind as to grace us with your presence!”