Chapter 64: If You Can't Handle Losing, Don't Play

Zhang Shen had no idea what Tong Wei was after, so he asked, “What is it?”

“You really are playing dumb while knowing full well. I want Wang Ying.”

Zhang Shen hadn’t expected Tong Wei to be such a depraved scoundrel, capable of harboring such shameless, lecherous thoughts toward a young female student.

“Teacher, it’s not that I don’t understand, but that I refuse.”

Tong Wei was surprised by Zhang Shen’s response. In all his experience, no one had ever dared to refuse him like this.

“You refuse?”

“Yes.”

Zhang Shen’s answer was composed and dignified.

But this only spurred Tong Wei on. Instead, it ignited a determination in him that he would not rest until he possessed Wang Ying. At this moment, he found the game all the more entertaining and felt an urge to gamble with Zhang Shen, eager to see him defeated and utterly convinced.

“Young man, let me give you some advice: don’t act on impulse. Take a good look at yourself—do you really think you’re a match for me? You’re like a pig trying to play the elephant. Who are you pretending to be?”

Since descending the mountain, Zhang Shen had never encountered such brazen verbal abuse. People had doubted his medical skills before, but the truth always spoke for itself. Yet Tong Wei was deliberately slandering him out of malice.

Now, Zhang Shen thought there was no better time than the present to seize the opportunity and play Tong Wei’s game.

“I know my own worth perfectly well. But as for you, Teacher, I have no idea how much you weigh.”

Tong Wei bared his teeth in a grin. “That’s easily solved. Just let Wang Ying come here, and you’ll see for yourself. She’ll tell you in person.”

Zhang Shen ignored the filth spewing from this beast’s mouth and continued, “There’s no need to call Wang Ying over. Just by looking at you, I can tell there aren’t many healthy cells left in your body. It seems you don’t have long to live.”

Hearing this, Tong Wei’s face turned red with anger. He thought, This brat dares to challenge me? How utterly reckless.

“Kid, dare you make a wager with me?”

“What kind of wager?”

Zhang Shen didn’t shy away from Tong Wei’s suggestion; instead, he met the challenge head-on. Tong Wei said, “It’s simple. I assume you know how to play poker?”

“Yes,” Zhang Shen nodded, indicating his understanding.

“Good. Then let’s draw lots and leave our fate to the heavens, shall we?”

“Fine.”

In truth, Zhang Shen had no fear of whatever tricks Tong Wei might employ, for he possessed the Soul-Reading Art, allowing him to see through all things. But such a mysterious ability was reserved for special circumstances.

“Very well. Let me explain the rules. I’ll take four aces and one joker from a full deck of cards. Then I’ll shuffle them. If you draw the joker, you win. If not, you must stay out of Wang Ying’s affairs from now on. How does that sound?”

“No problem.”

Zhang Shen’s crisp reply filled Tong Wei with glee. In his mind, Wang Ying was already washed clean, lying naked on the bed, waiting for him. After all, this trick had helped him defile many innocent girls in bars and nightclubs. Using it on this youth seemed like overkill.

Tong Wei then produced a deck of cards he’d prepared in advance. He took out four aces and a joker in front of Zhang Shen and began to shuffle. But his shuffling was slow and deliberate, like a decrepit old woman; his movements seemed clumsy, but in fact, he placed the shining joker right in front of Zhang Shen.

“All right! You can choose now.”

As Tong Wei spoke, he realized it was Zhang Shen’s turn to perform. This choice seemed to determine whether Wang Ying’s innocence would be spared from Tong Wei’s depravity.

Zhang Shen knew well that Tong Wei wouldn’t simply place the joker before him for the taking. If so, everything he’d done would have been in vain.

“Hurry up! Stop dawdling. Isn’t this an easy choice?” Tong Wei grew impatient.

Zhang Shen ignored him and reached for the card in front of him. Tong Wei smiled, certain that Zhang Shen, like so many naïve girls before him, had fallen into his trap.

But as soon as Zhang Shen’s hand touched the card that appeared to be the joker, he remarked, “This isn’t it.” With that, he flipped the card over.

Sure enough, it wasn’t the joker!

Both of them saw it clearly.

Tong Wei realized that Zhang Shen was playing tricks, and he must have seen through the deception from the start, deliberately choosing that card first.

“No rush. The bet was that you had to draw the joker. You haven’t drawn it yet, have you?”

Zhang Shen knew Tong Wei wouldn’t let him off so easily. So, as he continued to pick cards, Zhang Shen feigned anxiety, but each time he revealed a card, he did so with complete calm.

One by one, Zhang Shen turned over four aces. Only one card remained.

“Well, Teacher Tong, should I flip over this last card?”

Now it was Zhang Shen’s turn to toy with his opponent.

Tong Wei finally understood that Zhang Shen was no ordinary youth. If this last card were turned over, it certainly wouldn’t be the joker. He’d already swapped it out. Now, preventing Zhang Shen from revealing the last card was imperative.

Seeing Tong Wei’s hesitation, Zhang Shen said, “It seems, Teacher Tong, that you’re not willing to give up until the bitter end. In that case, allow me to oblige.”

Just as Zhang Shen reached for the last card, Tong Wei stopped him in time.

“Looks like your luck’s pretty good. No, I should say Wang Ying’s luck is pretty good. Since we made this agreement, I won’t go back on my word. I’ll keep my distance from her from now on.”

Zhang Shen knew that a treacherous villain like Tong Wei would never give up so easily. It wouldn’t be long before another storm would break.

At this, Zhang Shen decided not to entangle himself any further and said, “Since you’ve said so, Teacher Tong, I’ll pretend this never happened. I hope you’ll keep your word.”

With that, Zhang Shen turned and walked out of the room.