Post by xiulan zhou on Apr 15, 2022 23:00:00 GMT -7
July 2018
Macao
Macao
Aloysius wasn't much of a gambler. There was a certain hubris exhibited by the men in their social circle, and Xiulan considered herself fortunate that her husband had never gotten caught up in it. A few drinks in and a game of dai siu later, however, and he was seated at a blackjack table at the top magical casino in Macao. Xiulan stood behind him at a short distance, along with the others in their party who had gathered around the semicircular table to see how it would play out. To the right of Aloysius was a heavyset gentleman with the family name Li, about ten years his senior. Beside the Mr. Li was Andy Ip, who had been one of Aloysius's friends from his school days.
Beside Xiulan stood Andy's wife, Grace. Originally from Shanghai, she easily fit the image of a businessman's wife, but Xiulan found her easy to get along with despite having her origins in Beijing. (Grace had told her once that she seemed more Shanghainese than she was, though Xiulan had politely laughed it off.) The two of them exchanged glances at one another as they watched their husbands' attempts at blackjack.
"…Andy is going to win," Xiulan commented to Grace as the game began, her voice low enough so as not to throw the players off.
Grace turned her head to look at Xiulan, who was still looking intently at the back of Aloysius's head. It was better than saying that Aloysius was going to lose; it was more polite that way. "Julia! Are you counting cards?" Grace hissed, sounding both curious about and slightly repulsed by the idea.
Xiulan shook her head and rearranged her hair so that one of the pins holding her bun in place was more firmly secured. She wasn't counting cards, but she knew what the outcome was going to be. "It's why I don't play here," she remarked, sidling closer to Grace but still speaking at a whisper. "They'd kick me out." Allowing a Seer to play a game that she could predict would lose the casino money, and Xiulan knew that they wouldn't approve of that. Gambling wasn't purely about luck, however much people tried to convince themselves that it was.
Having taken in what Xiulan had said, Grace looked impressed but also slightly appalled. Xiulan wasn't too surprised by that reaction, considering that she had just told her that her husband would be winning at blackjack. "No," she added with enough speed that Grace probably thought she practiced Legilimency on the side, "I don't know how much." Maybe that was a good thing.
Beside Xiulan stood Andy's wife, Grace. Originally from Shanghai, she easily fit the image of a businessman's wife, but Xiulan found her easy to get along with despite having her origins in Beijing. (Grace had told her once that she seemed more Shanghainese than she was, though Xiulan had politely laughed it off.) The two of them exchanged glances at one another as they watched their husbands' attempts at blackjack.
"…Andy is going to win," Xiulan commented to Grace as the game began, her voice low enough so as not to throw the players off.
Grace turned her head to look at Xiulan, who was still looking intently at the back of Aloysius's head. It was better than saying that Aloysius was going to lose; it was more polite that way. "Julia! Are you counting cards?" Grace hissed, sounding both curious about and slightly repulsed by the idea.
Xiulan shook her head and rearranged her hair so that one of the pins holding her bun in place was more firmly secured. She wasn't counting cards, but she knew what the outcome was going to be. "It's why I don't play here," she remarked, sidling closer to Grace but still speaking at a whisper. "They'd kick me out." Allowing a Seer to play a game that she could predict would lose the casino money, and Xiulan knew that they wouldn't approve of that. Gambling wasn't purely about luck, however much people tried to convince themselves that it was.
Having taken in what Xiulan had said, Grace looked impressed but also slightly appalled. Xiulan wasn't too surprised by that reaction, considering that she had just told her that her husband would be winning at blackjack. "No," she added with enough speed that Grace probably thought she practiced Legilimency on the side, "I don't know how much." Maybe that was a good thing.
