Deadly Trap.

Chapter 47. A Thousand Pieces of Gold to Win a Beauty's Smile

The third day after New Year's Day.

Su Li lifted the car curtain. Immediately, the woman's hand swiftly pulled the curtain shut for her. She didn't have time to see anything, only a dense, blurry blur in the night.

Su Li and Lulu sat facing each other in the nanny van.

After the banquet, Su Li was worried that Gu Mufei was still being hunted down and couldn't eat or sleep for several days. Unexpectedly, today, Lulu almost begged Su Li to come and play cards with her.

A lapis lazuli-blue Suzhou-embroidered cheongsam enveloped Su Li, a pearl-embellished brooch draped over her shoulders—she hadn't intended to dress up. If Lulu hadn't insisted, she wouldn't even have felt like wearing the brooch.

Lulu peeks at Su Li:
She's in deep trouble this time. Although the boss told her to cheer up Su Li, that's simply impossible...

Who could possibly be happy playing mahjong in a group of wives' clubs?

...Seeing this, Su Li clenched her hands tightly.

"The boss won't be coming tonight. Don't overthink it. He just said that you'll be more relaxed without him."

"Don't worry: the wives are all very free and just entertain themselves."

Smiling, Lulu took Su Li's cold hand:
"Thanks to you for being willing to stay with me..."

"When you go in, just say you're my friend."

"Lulu, you're also... a 'wife'?"

Thinking back to the "wife circle vying for attention" she usually reads about, Su Li couldn't help but ask a question.

After all, she doesn't have a husband to give her face.

"Oh, thank God, I'm not."

Lulu breathed a sigh of relief and laughed heartily.
"I'm just familiar with the wives."

Raising her eyebrows, Su Li sensed a hidden meaning in Lulu's words.

The car passed through countless doors; after getting out, the two of them walked through countless corridors and steps.

Soon, Su Li heard a few laughs, which were quickly suppressed. The laughter sounded like suppressed anger clashing between the two.

Immediately afterwards, Su Li was introduced by Lulu to Mrs. Yang, Mrs. Fu, and a dozen or so women of varying heights. In the center of the crowd was none other than Mrs. Sheng Chunqiu—

Perhaps, Su Li thought, she was just a female companion.

Mrs. Ke Sheng acted as if she were at home, taking the first turn to draw cards. A murderous glint appeared on her refined, well-bred face, though she remained impassive.

"...Lulu, is this your 'new friend'?"

Glancing at the ladies around him, the slender Mrs. Yang on his right spoke first with a smile. Her jade bracelet was smeared on the plaque, and her gaze lingered on the tip of Su Li's chest beneath her cheongsam, slowly scrutinizing her.

A gentle breeze, sweet and intoxicating, Lulu smiles:

“I brought her to meet the ladies.”

"...Tch. How could I even sit at this table without pestering Mr. Gu?"

Behind them, someone was smiling smugly.
"...I heard she sat directly on Mr. Gu's lap at the mahjong table. A mistress, huh..."

Smiling, Su Li gave a clear response:
“My surname isn’t Gu, it’s Su. My name is Su Li.”

"...Oh, so arrogant? May I ask about Miss Su's family—"

Fu Tai, on the left, immediately joined in the mockery.

"Seriously? They haven't even played the cards yet, and they're checking our backgrounds first?"

Lulu interrupted the attack, but her tone remained sweet and lazy:
"I'm not coming either. I'm not worthy. Next time you play cards, don't complain about the lack of new players... If you want to see her lose, don't say it out loud."

Everyone laughed.

Seeing that the cards had already been pushed to her side, Su Li couldn't help but glance at Lulu.

"Really?"

"Of course we'll fight."

Lulu winked at her:

"Didn't we come here to have fun?"

Su Li sighed...

At the banquet, Gu Mufeng coaxed and tricked her into teaching her personally; now, however, he has the heart to throw her into a pack of wolves!

For some reason, when they first met, the sight of his hand teaching her how to count cards caught her eye. The calluses on his fingertips gently brushed against the back of her hand, carrying a slightly warm temperature, before quickly withdrawing...

A mixture of anger and longing welled up within her:

Hmph, Gu Mufeng is definitely good at playing games. He and the wives were chatting away—

...Who says Su Li can't live without him?
Gritting her teeth, Su Li stood tall beside Lulu, refusing to admit defeat.

Then, quickly, she was forced into retreat.

"...Hey, do you even understand how to play cards?"

Fu Tai's sharp criticism.

"It seems she really doesn't know how."

Lulu covered her face. The boss clearly said Su Li's Texas Hold'em was a case of "pretending to be weak to catch a tiger"—

"Aren't graduate students supposed to be...very smart?"

As if on command, Fu Tai led the attack.

"...These days, being a mistress doesn't mean you have to gamble?"

Behind the scenes, who knows who is plotting against them?

When it comes to playing mahjong, Su Li only really understands the hand patterns.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, she should have been terrified and embarrassed. But strangely, with each loss, she felt a sense of satisfaction.

It seemed as if Gu Mufeng had personally offered it to her, allowing her to throw his money away like a flood, becoming more and more unrestrained with each dab.

Every zero is a form of revenge against Gu Mufeng's aloofness towards her...

Her lips curled into a joyful smile.

Lulu's forehead was covered in cold sweat:

No way.

Did the boss know from the beginning—

From feeling depressed to smiling, Su Li forgot her worries, and a lively and resilient spirit reappeared in her eyes.

A thousand pieces of gold are worth more than a beautiful woman's smile.

Gu Mufeng, he truly understands Su Li.

But the ladies exchanged glances, and their words took a different turn.

"I heard... ah, that person... sneaked out to a strange woman's house after New Year's Day?"

"How could that be? He's so cold, unlike your husband who's prone to cheating. Did you see him?"

"I didn't have the ability to see it. But who there wasn't eyeing his handsome looks? Men, you know, even widows..." "Not necessarily."

Mrs. Fu said sarcastically:
"Perhaps it's just... 'a concubine is not as good as a stolen one'."

Su Li clenched her knuckles, and with a "click," a wrong card fell to the ground.

Gu Mufeng was tormented day and night, solely to arrange Yiheng's affairs after his death. Were these women just making things up to provoke her?
"Wow—a perfect firework display!"

Mrs. Yang flattered Mrs. Sheng, who was quiet and focused on playing cards. She immediately turned her head:

"You lost again."

Quietly, Lulu's palms were already sweating. She was worried that Su Li would really turn on her, but she couldn't help but calculate how much her boss was willing to spend tonight just to let Su Li indulge in her extravagance...?
The boss is really generous.

“Again. This Miss Su is interesting. Lulu, why don’t you teach her some more?”

Yang Tai urged.

From behind, Lulu first ordered a cup of tea for Su Li. She whispered softly in Su Li's ear:

"Are you okay?"

Lulu's tone was low and slightly nervous.

Unexpectedly, Su Li's eyebrows lifted slightly:

"Sister Lulu, I've always believed... I have to win, I can't lose."

"I only realized this today—"

Her tone paused, and she became unusually relaxed, letting out a soft laugh:
"...I think I'll get addicted to letting Mu Fei lose."

Lulu was taken aback.

After saying that, a glint flashed in Su Li's eyes:
"However, I still prefer us to win."

With a light lift of her head, Su Li picked up the cards again.

She recalled Gu Mufeng's cold voice as he carefully taught her the principles of card counting. His hand was warm, as if it were holding her fingers tightly, guiding her through each card.

Texas Hold'em has 52 cards, and Mahjong triples the bet. Mu Fei, will it be much more difficult?

Ten thousand, thirty thousand, sixty thousand, ninety thousand, a total of thirteen.

……

Push with both hands.

The cards were flipped over in front of Su Li.

"Pure Seven Pairs, self-drawn".

Su Li spoke calmly.

The ladies, who had been taking turns mocking each other, were suddenly speechless with disbelief. Mrs. Yang, in particular, was so shocked that her face almost matched the size of her jade bracelet.

Lulu, standing next to her, was completely stunned, then her lips curled up in a wide smile.

"Pear Blossom, you've figured us out so quickly."

Intentionally, Lulu patted Lulu on the shoulder and praised her.

Su Li smiled lightly and was about to get up when she heard familiar and calm footsteps behind her.

Everyone turned around at the same time.

The moment the door opened, the butler was about to announce his arrival when he flicked his black gloves—

The air froze for a moment; the clamor and mockery vanished swiftly. No one spoke again, not even a glance was cast away. Because—

Gu Mufeng stood at the door, his black coat casually draped over his arm. His expression was indifferent and calm, a slight smile beneath his blond hair, his gaze fixed solely on Su Li.

Then, Danfeng's cold eyes slowly swept around—a warning hidden in her half-smile.

His tone was calm:
"Su Li, are you happy?"

The ladies' expressions changed slightly, especially Mrs. Yang and Mrs. Fu. Their earlier sarcastic remarks, rumors, and provocations had all turned into a sense of unease among them.

"Mu Fei?"

With a gentle parting of her lips, Su Li's eyes flashed with surprise and undisguised joy.

Gu Mufeng slowly approached, his black coat casually draped over her shoulders, his fingertips seemingly brushing against her collarbone unintentionally.

Su Li trembled, her heart pounding.

"Sorry, I'm late."

His voice was deep and warm as he spoke close to her ear, his breath warm and tinged with a hint of apology, which instantly softened Su Li's heart.

"No... I had a lot of fun."

She was doing everyone a favor. Forcing herself to remain calm, Su Li answered softly, leaning lazily against the card table. When Su Li looked up, she met his deep gaze.

Her peach blossom eyes looked away. Her earlobes were burning hot.

Sensing Su Li's little scheme, Gu Mufeng's lips curled into a satisfied smile.

Extremely charming yet aloof, with a gentle tone, he addressed the entire audience:
"Since the ladies have enjoyed themselves, Mrs. Sheng, I owe you a lot of thanks. I'll be leaving with my people now."

"Tonight's bill is on me. But if Su Li wins, the ladies..."

He glanced at them indifferently:
Please make sure you settle the account.

After saying that, he didn't linger. He gently took Su Li's hand and led her straight out of the room.

Lulu shook her head, wisely choosing to linger:

This person is willing to show themselves even at the risk of being hunted down... Doesn't he care at all?

Behind him, a chorus of envious sighs rippled through the room.

Stepping outside, Su Li felt a mix of emotions. She looked up at Gu Mufeng, deliberately mimicking the ladies' tone, and teased them softly:

"Mr. Gu, weren't you unwilling to come tonight?"

"What, Miss Su, do you really think I'd let you sit at the card table alone?"

Though his tone was calm, Gu Mufeng kept his eyes fixed on the two of them. But their hands were entwined with a deep tenderness, their fingers intertwined tightly…

It seems the ship is about to dock in the harbor.

The harbor lights were dim, and the sea was calm. All the turmoil would be left behind by the night for the two of them...

>>>>>
Next chapter: Power

[Author's Note | Chapter 47]

To put Su Li at ease, President Gu spared no expense... letting Su Li throw things around as she pleased.

Lulu: I knew I was part of your fun!
The world of fame and fortune in Minzhou is truly awful. However, not only did Su Li successfully make her comeback, but Gu Mufeng also arrived in time to protect his wife.

Will their little boat finally find safe harbor?
How will Yi Heng's death and Gu Mufeng's shady dealings end?

Come and guess! Tell me in the comments!
Don't forget to bookmark, follow updates, and vote—it makes the author look forward to it too!


(End of this chapter)