Chapter 16 So Damn Good-Looking

Chapter 16 So Damn Good-Looking

Chen Wan's heart was pounding.

"No," he said, still composed.

The flame in his palm flickered in the night, dancing in the boundless darkness, like the hidden currents beneath a calm sea, turning their quiet, mutual gaze into a thick, azure painting.

Zhao Shengge's expression was slightly mocking as he directly took the lighter from Chen Wan's hand. The cigarette had already gone out during their silent exchange. He lowered his head, frowning as he relit it.

The sea breeze whipped his shirt around him, outlining his tall and superior figure. His hair was slightly disheveled, standing by the railing like a cocky, untouchable superstar from a 90s Hong Kong movie.

Damn, he’s so good-looking, Chen Wan thought expressionlessly, though he only glanced once before looking away. He politely stepped back half a step, keeping a safe distance.

But it didn’t help.

Zhao Shengge held the cigarette between his lips, giving off a faint scent. Chen Wan didn't know what it was, but it was like a deadly rosemary, throwing his mind into chaos and scattering his thoughts.

Zhao Shengge played with Chen Wan's lighter, even examining it closely for a few moments, with no intention of giving it back.

His personal property taken without explanation, Chen Wan didn't ask why, secretly wishing he’d brought a fancier one.

A Cartier felt too cheap for Zhao Shengge.

After lighting his cigarette, Zhao Shengge ignored him, leaning on the railing with both elbows, calmly staring out at the night sea.

Chen Wan was still wondering if he should leave when Qin Zhaoting appeared, smiling, "Couldn't find you anywhere, turns out you’re both here."

His words made it sound like they had planned to sneak out together. Chen Wan smiled, calmly replying, "Just came to clear my head and bumped into Mr. Zhao."

His tone was very polite, not hinting at any closeness with Zhao Shengge.

Only when facing Zhao Shengge alone would Chen Wan show subtle fluctuations, those small cracks made him seem a bit more real, less artificial.

But once in the presence of others, his consciousness and body would automatically switch to an impeccable standard mode, his polite smile flawless and appropriate, leaving no room for criticism.

Qin Zhaoting’s playful grin widened as he said, "If you’re done resting, come back. Youming is urging everyone to the table."

The card deal was timed precisely. Once midnight passed, the second half would begin.

Chen Wan moved to go inside when Zhao Shengge said indifferently, "What's the rush? Can't even let me finish my cigarette?"

"..." Chen Wan was once again rooted to the spot.

In truth, Zhao Shengge's words weren't harsh, but his status and methods imbued his every word and action with an overwhelming presence. The calmer he was, the more he inspired awe.

Qin Zhaoting raised an eyebrow, "Isn't it inauspicious to miss the hour?"

Going to sea involves a lot of feng shui, and even more so at the gambling table—seat orientation, auspicious times.

Zhao Shengge didn't care about these things. In the face of absolute strength, feng shui could be disregarded. He stood there firmly, unmoving, like an iceberg in the ocean, causing whales to retreat and ships to give way.

With him saying so, Qin Zhaoting didn't leave either, and neither spoke.

"..."

Chen Wan brought out his amiable smile again, smoothing things over, "Mr. Zhao has taken too much of the luck tonight, leaving some luck for the rest of us."

Qin Zhaoting turned directly to him, "And what about you, Mr. Chen?"

Zhao Shengge also turned his gaze to Chen Wan.

One was pushing to leave, the other holding back.

Chen Wan didn’t want to offend Qin Zhaoting, but he leaned toward Zhao Shengge’s side: "I’m here to soak up some of Zhao Shengge’s good fortune. Let’s see if it works on the card table later, how about that?"

At that, Qin Zhaoting chuckled: "Alright, let’s see if it works later."

It was hard to tell if Zhao Shengge was pleased with the response. He simply leaned on the railing, leisurely finishing his cigarette, then watched the sea for a while, tilting his head, looking completely at ease.

Chen Wan waited quietly by his side.

As the game progressed, the energy in the room ramped up. Chen Wan had just claimed he was borrowing Zhao Shengge’s luck, so naturally, he couldn’t lose. But he knew how to navigate the situation. After winning a few rounds, he began to downplay his skills again, even preemptively smoothing things over—Zhao Shengge’s luck was steadfast; no one else could steal it. He was fortunate to catch a little, and now it was used up.

Qin Zhaoting couldn’t argue with that and burst into laughter.

Chen Wan was willing to lose, and everyone was happy to take advantage of him, winning from him continuously.

Money was secondary; it was all about the luck. Businessmen in the seaside city valued this greatly.

But the young masters played without restraint. One or two had no concept of money at all. In the later rounds, someone got swept up in the gambling frenzy, like those drunkards who loudly urge others to drink, and they clamored for Chen Wan to take off his watch.

Just playing with money was no fun—money was worthless to people like them.

The watch on Chen Wan’s wrist wasn’t a famous brand, but he had worn it for many years. It was a personal item, and removing his watch at the table felt like a slight humiliation. This round, he didn’t plan to go easy.

Setting boundaries was the first lesson Chen Wan learned at nine, back in Xiaolan Mountain.

The group chattered noisily. Zhao Shengge, annoyed, lifted his eyelids and lazily pushed all the chips, declaring he would be the banker.

The clatter of gold chips was deafening. Everyone looked over, all saying they wanted to follow the banker.

Zhao Shengge gestured with an open hand, signaling them to proceed.

There were four people at the table. The two opposite had already paired up in the previous round, so this round they were to play against each other and couldn’t follow. The remaining Chen Wan could either follow Zhao Shengge or set up his own bank.

Zhao Shengge didn’t hear anyone speak for a while. Without looking up, he casually asked, "Are you following?"

Chen Wan hesitated; he hadn’t intended to follow. He didn’t have many chips left, and following wouldn’t do much for Zhao Shengge. But he wouldn’t refuse Zhao Shengge in front of so many people, so he said he would follow.

People under the table could follow without a care, but once on the table, it was different. Zhao Shengge called him out directly, his tone calm but his words firm: "Chen Wan, if I play, I play to win."

Chen Wan was instantly transported back to that summer in Xiaolan Mountain, a decade ago.

He obliged with a graceful smile and a polite "please" gesture, exuding both gentlemanly indulgence and confidence: "Of course."

When two sharp minds teamed up, they were unstoppable. Chen Wan and Zhao Shengge, the two of them together had at least eight hundred tricks up their sleeves. They tacitly understood each other and went on a killing spree.

When drawing cards, their fingertips accidentally touched, like an electric current—a moment, then each moved away.

Their card play felt like a dance—predicting each other, chasing and following, acting and counter-killing, covering for each other. It made others envious, sighing that they were a perfect match, a natural pair.

Chen Wan wouldn’t dare take such compliments. Who in the seaside city dared to say they were a pair with Zhao Shengge? He humbly credited Zhao Shengge’s generosity, saying he was lucky to get a share of the soup.

Others at the card table were envious, but only Chen Wan secretly smiled bitterly. Zhao Shengge’s bank wasn’t easy to follow. His mind was unpredictable, his card play was wicked, and when he got carried away, he even ate his own people’s cards.

Anyway, he had enough chips; he didn’t care about one or two small fry.

While Zhao Shengge was thoroughly enjoying himself, Chen Wan was left struggling. Without some tough mental fortitude, he couldn’t handle his cards.

Zhao Shengge is cunning. He’s never been able to decipher Chen Wan’s strategies, so he doesn’t want Chen Wan to figure out his either.

If Chen Wan is supposed to be untouchable, Zhao Shengge will expose his every weakness.

When Chen Wan is about to be defeated by the next player, Zhao Shengge swoops in like a savior, toying with him like a cat with a mouse, deciding whether to push forward or pull back, to win or lose, to live or die—all at his whim.

By the end of the game, Chen Wan’s mental energy is nearly spent, but he feels it’s worth it because he senses that Zhao Shengge is quite enjoying himself.

Zhao Shengge holds two hands of cards, one for the land of Jiaoxi Building and the other for the building of Shengtian Land.

The opponent’s expression is already strained, and Chen Wan stifles a laugh.

Playing alongside Zhao Shengge is mentally draining, but it’s also incredibly thrilling. It’s like sparks igniting from rapid-fire thinking, trading overt and covert strategies, then backing each other up. It’s the thrill of facing a worthy adversary, clashing head-on yet standing together against outsiders, and the rush of adrenaline coursing through Chen Wan’s veins.

As the night grows darker, the ship ventures deeper into the sea.

Zhao Shengge has an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips and glances at the newly dealt cards in his hand. He nonchalantly plays a spade, and Chen Wan swiftly counters with a diamond Ace. Before the next player can react, Zhao Shengge builds on Chen Wan’s lead and plays a “Queen,” courteously saying to the person, “I want Qiongxi Manor.”

He’s so courteous, as if he’s brokering a deal.

The opponent’s expression shifts instantly—it’s the person who earlier asked Chen Wan to take off his watch.

He hesitates, weighing whether to make a last-ditch effort, but Chen Wan swiftly plays his trump card, the King of Clubs, to suppress the “King,” cooperating with Zhao Shengge’s flush.

Chen Wan goes all out to fulfill Zhao Shengge’s every desire.

They play their cards without exchanging glances or words, each fulfilling their role, each holding their position, swift and ruthless, like predators at the gambling table, scheming and strategizing.

And just like that, the game is decided.

With Zhao Shengge around, Chen Wan plays freely and wins a lot, so his watch naturally remains safely on his wrist.

Someone tentatively jokes about exchanging a shop in Wangchun Corner for it, but Chen Wan smoothly declines.

The shop isn’t large, and its location isn’t particularly great, but it was won by Zhao Shengge in the previous round, and the cards just happened to fall to Chen Wan, so it’s his now.

Although Zhao Shengge did it casually, without any intention, Chen Wan plans to take it as a gift from Zhao Shengge.

The gambling session doesn’t end until past one in the morning, and Chen Wan wins quite a bit, treating everyone to a late-night snack.

Zhuo Zhixuan goes with him to order, asking why he didn’t take Zhao Shengge’s Knight card in the last round.

Zhao Shengge and Shen Zongnian never play the Knight card outside.

“Such a waste, don’t you know how many people were staring?”

The Knight card is a convention in the world of romance; receiving someone’s Knight card allows you to make a request of them.

It’s a matter of social exchange in the business world, where the gambling table also values trust and camaraderie. Many partnerships are forged at the gambling table, much like the culture of the drinking table.

Chen Wan shakes his head: “It’s not appropriate.”

Too ambiguous.

There are different types of Knight cards, and the last one left was the King of Hearts. Those who play outside understand that it’s a card often used by casino girls, carrying some sexual innuendo, which isn’t appropriate.

Even if it were placed on him, it would be seen as climbing the social ladder.

Zhuo Zhixuan rolls his eyes: “You’re overthinking it. Zhao Shengge wouldn’t care at all.”

They’ve been through these kinds of situations countless times, and it would be endless to nitpick every detail. Moreover, the business world is all about networking and building relationships. The culture around drinking and gambling is just the same. Zhuo Zhixuan, having grown up in the world of officialdom, knows this all too well, and Tan Youming and Zhao Shengge are even more so.

"But I’d take it seriously," Chen Wan stopped and turned to look at him, with a calm look that held a hint of dark obsession. "That’s not what I mean."

"I don’t mess with ambiguity either."

Chen Wan was firm, patting his shoulder, and gave an inappropriate and impossible metaphor to show his determination: "Not even as casual partners." He didn’t know if Zhuo Zhixuan could understand it this way.

Zhuo Zhixuan: "..."

"Haven’t you always thought I’m a little off?" That’s why Monica came to his side.

Chen Wan didn’t want his relationship with Zhao Shengge to involve feelings beyond ordinary friendship. A patient can’t control themselves, and who knows what they might do.

If they really crossed the line and opened that door, he would never, ever let Zhao Shengge go, whether Zhao Shengge loved him or not.

Zhuo Zhixuan looked at his calm expression and felt a chill run down his spine.

But he also felt it was an excuse: "What’s so mysterious about it? Monica said that with proper treatment, your situation isn’t hopeless. You just—"

Chen Wan still shook his head, telling him to stop.

There’s nothing to discuss about this.

"..."

Chen Wan is a person who is very gentle to others but cruel to himself. He seems easygoing, but he has unshakable principles about love and behavior that he won’t compromise.

Zhuo Zhixuan, who grew up in such circles, has never seen anyone like this around him.

True obsession isn’t about losing your mind over someone, but the self-control and rationality beyond the limits of desire, and the almost masochistic way he lives with the pain of unattainable desires.

But Chen Wan has always been self-assured, knowing exactly what he wants.

What he wants is not Zhao Shengge’s love.

Author's note:

"Damn, so beautiful": Damn! That’s fucking gorgeous!!

Here, "damn" is not internet slang, but a dialect, meaning very exciting.