Chapter 15 The Hole Cards
Chen Wan had a knack for remembering cards.
He dissected the four suits into fragments. Zhao Shengge had already disrupted the opponent's straight flush in the previous round, so Chen Wan wouldn’t let him have the Ghost King again.
It’s not uncommon for a dealer to remember cards, but to have every player’s points, scoring positions, previous hands, and playing styles memorized—that’s truly terrifying.
However, the young masters neither could nor were smart enough to notice these details. They simply found playing at Chen Wan’s table thrilling.
The Chen dealer had sharp eyes, steady hands, and a quick mind. He kept the players evenly matched, with victory depending entirely on skill.
This round, he dealt the King to Young Master Huang.
When Qin Zhaoting laughed ambiguously, Chen Wan wasn’t sure if it was for the Little King or just a bluff.
Unfortunately, Zhao Shengge was aiming for a Little King this round.
Chen Wan had a memory for cards, and Zhao Shengge had a knack for calculating them.
Halfway through, he deduced from Young Master Huang’s chase and Tian Cheng’s full house that the Little King was in Qin Zhaoting’s hand.
Zhao Shengge could have ended the round early, but he didn’t. He prolonged it, card by card, until the Little King surfaced in the pot, like a reprieve.
His hand was weak this round.
But who cared? He was ahead in points.
The MVP from the last round could draw extra cards.
Zhao Shengge looked down, focusing on the jumble of cards in his hand. Without looking up, he tapped the table with his right hand.
A pale hand slid a face-down card toward him.
Zhao Shengge turned it over.
It was another Little Joker!
God aims for fairness, but the heart can’t help but favor.
Zhao Shengge’s gaze locked onto Chen Wan. The dealer’s expression was calm and honest, flawless.
The table buzzed with noise, waves crashed, and the sky darkened. Their eyes met—brief yet intense—then looked away.
They hadn’t exchanged a single word from start to finish, yet they had already sparred hundreds of times in their minds.
Zhao Shengge calculated Chen Wan’s card distribution, while Chen Wan calculated everyone’s moves.
Zhao Shengge’s hand was weak this round, but he didn’t mind. Bad hands have their own strategies, but Chen Wan was meticulous, allowing no room for unfairness.
Those who got bad hands were rewarded with a counterweight.
This counterweight was the Little King, proving that Chen Wan had predicted the cards before the game even started.
How much would a dealer who could calculate base balance, turn probabilities, and accurately predict card sequences earn annually at Shen Zongnian’s casino?
Starting at a million, in pounds.
Chen Wan must have simulated and calculated hundreds of times in his mind, narrowing down from hundreds of possibilities to the exact combination and sequence of each card.
The dealer had only three minutes to deal, including shuffling, distributing the cards, and handling the players' banter.
In such a situation, he still managed to keep the win-loss probability within a tight margin of no more than five percent.
He underestimated others.
Zhao Shengge withdrew his gaze and expressionlessly tossed the little joker into the pot, ending the game.
After this round, Zhao Shengge stopped playing. He thought Chen Wan was meticulous and self-preserving, making himself seem faultless, but he couldn’t know that Chen Wan had indeed considered everything, though these were not the most important reasons.
The hand Zhao Shengge was dealt in this round wasn’t great. The cards seemed strong but were difficult to build sequences with, so Chen Wan kept a little joker.
This hidden card was, in fact, Chen Wan himself. If Zhao Shengge needed it, he would find it; if not, it would never be discovered.
Of course, Chen Wan still hoped Zhao Shengge’s path would be smooth and trouble-free.
Night had fully fallen, and Tan Youming had the poker table moved into the cabin, and everyone went to the top deck for dinner.
Chen Wan and Zhao Shengge were not at the same table and barely even saw each other.
Even on the same ship, there was too much between them.
The cruise ship was practically a 24/7 hub of activity, and after dinner, the clinking of chips still echoed across the deck.
With many people around, Chen Wan was the most sought-after dealer, moving between poker tables, calm, composed, and effortlessly graceful.
During a rare break, he went out to the deck to clear his mind. Being a dealer was no easier than being a player. It seemed powerful, but in such occasions, he couldn’t just deal the cards however he wanted.
At the table, everyone was someone important. He had to work hard to maintain the delicate balance of all parties and make the game not boring and easily predictable, keeping these young gentlemen entertained and satisfied, which was really taxing.
The sea breeze at night was very comfortable, blowing away the heat of the day, and the waves on the sea surface were rustling.
His nerves were on edge, and Chen Wan had a headache. He lit a cigarette and held it between his lips, relaxing in a daze, not knowing when someone stood behind him.
Chen Wan was startled and immediately took the thin cigarette from his lips, politely stepping aside for the other person.
This was the best viewing platform.
Zhao Shengge glanced at him and didn’t speak. Chen Wan wasn’t sure whether to leave or stay. He didn’t want to deliberately strike up a conversation, but turning away would also be impolite.
Even someone as skilled as Chen Wan found himself in an awkward situation. With no one around, the two of them were somewhat awkwardly staring at each other.
"..."
But the awkwardness was Chen Wan’s own; Zhao Shengge was never awkward, even calm and content.
Chen Wan offered a polite smile to break the ice: "Mr. Zhao has good luck." He must have won a lot today.
Zhao Shengge didn’t respond to this, took a cigarette from the box, and held it between his lips, quietly and slowly staring at him. Behind him was the night sea, and Zhao Shengge’s gaze was darker and deeper than the night sea.
After a while, he suddenly spoke: "Chen Wan."
Chen Wan was slightly startled. This was the first time Zhao Shengge called his name, not Mr. Chen, but Chen Wan.
Zhao Shengge tilted his head and said, "I didn’t bring a lighter."
Chen Wan immediately extinguished the cigarette in his hand, took out a lighter, and lit it for him with both hands, in a respectful posture, like a subordinate lighting a cigarette for his superior.
Zhao Shengge raised an eyebrow.
Lighting a cigarette can be quite suggestive. Under normal circumstances, those with ulterior motives would have already leaned in, heads touching, to light it.
Chen Wan stayed perfectly composed the entire time.
Once again, Zhao Shengge’s probing was met with resistance.
Chen Wan was still there waiting for him, one hand holding the lighter, the other cupped to shield the flickering flame from the wind. His gaze was sincere and upright, calm and clear.
The deep blue sea and moonlight bathed his face, his skin glowing white, making him look like some creature that had risen from the ocean depths.
The way he held up that tiny flame, waiting so eagerly, reminded Zhao Shengge of a fairy tale—something about a match girl. Zhao Shengge didn’t read such stories as a child and couldn’t quite remember, but Chen Wan radiated a shimmering allure, both pure and sacred, both endearing and provoking a sense of cruelty, especially in someone like Zhao Shengge, whose mind wasn’t exactly normal.
He leaned down, lowering his head, and touched the tip of his cigarette to Chen Wan’s flame.
The distance was so close that Chen Wan nearly felt himself drowning in the depth of Zhao Shengge’s dark brows and eyes.
It was at this moment that Chen Wan suddenly realized Zhao Shengge’s handsomeness was overwhelmingly striking, though it was usually concealed by his usual composure and calmness.
Chen Wan’s heart raced uncontrollably. The sea and stars in his eyes receded, leaving only the image of Zhao Shengge with his lowered gaze.
Zhao Shengge remained utterly composed, suddenly lifting his eyes, their depths as dark as ink, stirring the waves in Chen Wan’s gaze.
That top-down gaze was intensely pressuring. Chen Wan’s hand trembled imperceptibly, just as the sea breeze threatened to extinguish the flickering flame. Zhao Shengge suddenly reached out and steadied Chen Wan’s hand, asking, “Why are you shaking?”