Chapter 61: The SpongeBob Pattern

After dozens of intense rounds of show-hand, the chips repeatedly shifted back and forth between the two, each contending for the upper hand. Yet, their conversation was nothing like the tension at the table. To an outsider, it might have seemed like two old friends catching up, laughing and chatting about trivial matters.

After battling for over an hour, Xiao Li started to feel fatigued. With a smile, he said, “Mr. Lu, at this rate, we might not see a winner even after three days and nights.”

Lu Ye nodded in agreement. “How about we go all in on the final hand?”

“That’s just what I was thinking.”

Both Lu Ye and Xiao Li pushed all their remaining chips into the pot...

Half a minute later, Lu Ye grinned and revealed his cards. “Sorry, I have a straight flush.”

For Xiao Li, a hundred million in chips was nothing but pocket change. He smiled indifferently. “Mr. Lu, your skill surpasses mine. I’m impressed.”

The chips all slid over to Lu Ye’s side. Just as he was about to stand and leave, an unexpected turn of events unfolded!

The young dealer, who had been handling the cards, suddenly drew a slender stiletto blade from the ruler used for pushing chips. With a flash of cold steel, he aimed directly for Xiao Li’s throat!

Swish!

At that critical moment, a playing card spun through the air, slicing across the dealer’s wrist. The blade clattered to the floor, torn from his grip.

Clutching his bleeding wrist, the dealer stared at Lu Ye in shock.

Only then did Xiao Li react. He kicked the stiletto far across the room, seized the dealer by the collar, and demanded, “Why did you try to kill me?”

Seeing his assassination attempt had failed, the dealer sneered, defiant. “There’s a fifty-million bounty on your head in the underworld. Who wouldn’t want to claim it?”

It was clear now—the dealer was a disguised assassin.

Xiao Li’s identity was exposed; he was a senior executive at the main headquarters of the Hongying Society. His name was explicitly listed on the bounty board of the Xu family in the capital.

Suddenly, the private room’s door burst open, and a group of men in black suits surged in, dragging the assassin away.

Xiao Li looked at Lu Ye with a complex expression, attempting to downplay the situation. “I must have offended someone in business recently. I never thought they’d go so far as to hire a killer.”

“Mr. Lu, thank you for saving my life. Your skill with flying cards is truly remarkable!”

Lu Ye deliberately put on a startled expression, as if his lifesaving throw had been a mere reflex, completely oblivious to the assassin’s talk of a fifty-million bounty.

Xiao Li genuinely believed he had been frightened. Relieved, he patted Lu Ye’s shoulder. “It’s all right now, brother.”

Lu Ye let out a long sigh, mumbling, “I usually toss playing cards for fun, never thought this little trick would save my life. If you’d been killed just now, that assassin would likely have silenced me too. Thinking about it now, I’m still shaken.”

As he spoke, Lu Ye even wiped imaginary cold sweat from his forehead—exactly the response of an ordinary man.

After this ordeal, Xiao Li’s opinion of Lu Ye improved greatly. With conviction, he promised, “Brother Lu, I’ll have my men interrogate the assassin thoroughly and get to the bottom of this for you.”

Lu Ye shivered and muttered, “Forget it. I think I’d better leave.”

As the Art of War says: feign retreat to lure the enemy. The more he appeared reluctant to be involved with Xiao Li, the more at ease Xiao Li felt.

Sure enough, Xiao Li immediately tried to persuade him. “It might not be safe outside right now. Why don’t I have someone prepare a room for you and Mrs. Lu upstairs so you can rest?”

“All right, thank you, Boss Xiao.”

“No trouble at all.”

Lu Ye’s natural performance made Xiao Li drop his guard completely. Originally, Lu Ye had hoped this game would pique Xiao Li’s interest, but the effect was minimal—Xiao Li had remained cautious the entire time.

Unexpectedly, the dealer’s assassination attempt had become the perfect opportunity for Lu Ye.

Of course, with Lu Ye’s skills, he could have easily captured Xiao Li on the spot. But taking him was one thing; prying secrets about the Hongying Society from his lips was another. Even if Xiao Li talked, there was no guarantee he’d speak the truth.

Unless absolutely necessary, Lu Ye didn’t plan to use such drastic means. If he and Luo Ying could extract the information they needed by trickery, that would be ideal.

The commotion caused by the black-suited men dragging the assassin from the private room quickly spread through the hall. Su Qianqian, her face drained of color, stood anxiously among the crowd. Though she knew the “little rascal” was capable, she couldn’t help but worry.

When she saw Xiao Li supporting a dazed and pale Lu Ye out of the private room, she rushed forward. “Are you all right? Did you get hurt?”

Xiao Li reassured her, “Don’t worry, Mrs. Lu. Your husband was only frightened. I’ve arranged a room for you—take him up to rest.”

“Thank you, Boss Xiao.”

“I should be the one thanking you. Your husband just saved my life.”

Xiao Li had arranged for them to stay in a presidential suite.

As soon as she closed the door, Su Qianqian was about to ask what had happened when Lu Ye pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply on her soft, trembling lips.

The suddenness of it left Su Qianqian both embarrassed and furious. She wanted nothing more than to push Lu Ye away and slap him a dozen times, but no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn’t escape.

Lu Ye leaned close to her ear, whispering so softly it was barely audible, “Play along. There’s a camera hidden in the chandelier.”

Su Qianqian shivered, shocked by the revelation. “But how do you want me to play along?”

With a sudden effort, Lu Ye lifted her off the ground. “Hold on tight. Let’s get to the bed first.”

“Oh, this is so humiliating!”

Clinging to Lu Ye like a koala, Su Qianqian let him carry her toward the massive three-meter-wide bed, their movements an intimate display.

They tumbled onto the soft mattress, and Lu Ye quickly pulled the quilt over them, concealing themselves completely.

Just on the other side of the wall, Xiao Li and Luo Ying were watching the monitor intently.

The quilt rolled and twisted, the movements wild and passionate, like a raging fire.

Suddenly, a pair of boxer shorts flew from under the covers and landed perfectly on the chandelier, coincidentally covering the hidden camera.

On the monitor, SpongeBob SquarePants grinned down at them. Xiao Li and Luo Ying exchanged glances.

“Could he have spotted the camera?” Xiao Li wondered aloud.

Luo Ying quickly tried to smooth things over. “Maybe it was just luck.”

But in her heart, she couldn’t help but marvel once more—Captain Lu truly was worthy of being Sister Cheng’s son. His keen observation and vigilance were unparalleled.

Xiao Li thought it over and found it plausible. After all, the couple had been at it since they entered—how could they possibly have noticed the camera hidden in the chandelier?

Inside the presidential suite, Lu Ye crawled out from under the covers, his face marked with several bright red handprints.

Even knowing he had his reasons, Su Qianqian’s thin skin couldn’t handle it.

Besides, he’d used his SpongeBob boxers as an improvised weapon—who could endure that?

Under the covers, Su Qianqian sobbed uncontrollably.

Lu Ye tugged at his own ears and dropped to his knees at her bedside. “Old lady, I was wrong, I beg you, please stop crying!”

“Your wailing sounds like the wraiths of the underworld—are you trying to kill me?”

Thunk! A pillow flew at his face—was she venting her anger or just being coy?

Wiping away tears, Su Qianqian poked her head out, still sniffling. “This time I’ll let it go since you had your reasons, but don’t let it happen again!”

She didn’t even know why, but after throwing her tantrum and masking her embarrassment, she wasn’t really that angry anymore.

Lu Ye had no idea what she was thinking. For now, he just kowtowed and thanked her for not crying, as if he were her most obedient servant.

“Never again, never again!”

Over an hour later, Xiao Li figured they must have finished and came to knock on the door himself.

“Brother Lu, why don’t we have dinner together?”

A weary voice answered from inside, “Boss Xiao, your invitation comes at the perfect time. I desperately need to replenish my energy.”

Xiao Li mused to himself: Tch, who told you to marry such a beautiful wife? Of course you’d need to regain your strength.

After some time rustling about, Lu Ye finally emerged, wearing a bathrobe and looking utterly spent.

Xiao Li asked, “Where’s your wife?”

“She’s sleeping.”

Xiao Li grinned knowingly. “So you’ve got the stronger stamina, eh?”

Lu Ye laughed heartily. “Of course.”