Destined

The word "bet" took everyone by surprise. Boss Yang furrowed his brow and said, "Young Madam, are you certain?"

"Certain," Liu Yuru took a deep breath. "Since my husband says to bet, he must have his reasons. I trust him."

Her words inexplicably put Zhou Ye at ease as well. He took a deep breath and spoke up, "Count me in too."

Gu Jiusi turned to look at him. Zhou Ye said seriously, "If Brother Gu loses, I, Zhou Ye, will go bankrupt alongside you to repay the debt."

This made Gu Jiusi laugh. He waved his hand dismissively, "No need, no need. I know my limits."

With that, Gu Jiusi turned to Boss Yang. "Boss Yang, San De Gambling Hall welcomes all guests. You've said it yourself—rules are rules. Now I want to bet on horses with you. If you won't gamble, please find me a dealer. I'll bet with San De Gambling Hall instead."

Gu Jiusi spoke without a trace of hesitation. Boss Yang pondered silently, not daring to respond.

The rule of the gambling hall was clear: if a guest wanted to bet, they had to continue. Quitting while ahead would ruin San De Gambling Hall's reputation.

The onlookers grew uneasy. Old Crow cautiously said, "Boss..."

"What?" Gu Jiusi chuckled. "Has Boss Yang, who has dominated the gambling scene for so many years, become afraid of a young lad like me?"

At this point, refusing to accept the challenge would mean losing face entirely.

Boss Yang took a deep breath, stood up, and gestured, "After you."

He then led Gu Jiusi and his companions out into the main hall. The moment the crowd saw Gu Jiusi and Boss Yang emerge together, they erupted in excitement, eagerly asking what had happened.

"Gu Jiusi is going to bet on horse jumping with Boss Yang."

"Horse jumping? He's insane! That's just a scam for outsiders. Who in Yangzhou City would ever bet on that?"

"His father is going to beat him to death this time."

Yang Wenchang and Chen Xun were still gambling when they heard Gu Jiusi's name. Their expressions changed instantly. They followed the crowd and saw Gu Jiusi calmly take a seat with Zhou Ye. Yang Wenchang squeezed through the crowd and anxiously asked, "Jiusi, they say you're going to bet on horse jumping?"

"That's right," Gu Jiusi replied casually. Chen Xun fretted, "Are you crazy?! If you lose, your father will beat you to death!"

"No matter," Gu Jiusi waved his hand. "I know what I'm doing. I usually fool around, but this time I'm betting seriously."

"You..."

"Ninth Master, please sign the contract first."

Old Crow brought over a contract detailing the rules of horse betting. Liu Yuru reviewed it first before handing it to Gu Jiusi. He skimmed through it quickly, then signed his name with a flourish.

His handwriting was so atrocious that Liu Yuru couldn't help but twitch her eyelids. Her first thought was—they really needed to hire a calligraphy tutor.

Horse betting was a rare event. The entire gambling hall buzzed with excitement upon hearing that Gu Jiusi and Boss Yang were starting a game. Everyone gathered around. After Gu Jiusi signed the contract, attendants handed hot towels to him and Boss Yang. Once they had wiped their hands, Boss Yang said, "According to the rules, since you're the challenger, our gambling hall should decide the terms. But Young Master Gu is young and can be considered my junior, so I'm willing to concede this round. You decide, Young Master."

"No need," Gu Jiusi waved his hand. "Anything is fine. I don't care."Boss Yang looked at Gu Jiusi and couldn't help but laugh. "Young Master, it's better to be cautious."

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi seemed somewhat resigned. "If you say be cautious, then cautious it is. How about betting on big or small?"

Boss Yang raised his hand, and someone nearby brought the dice. Gu Jiusi suddenly said, "Hold on."

With that, Gu Jiusi stood up and walked over to the dice. He picked them up, weighed them in his hand, and then smiled. "No problem." He then returned to his seat.

Boss Yang remained expressionless. "Young Master, you worry too much. I would never resort to such underhanded tricks."

"The stakes are high," Gu Jiusi said with a smile. "Naturally, I must be cautious. Since San De Gambling House values its reputation so much, how about this?"

He pointed to Liu Yu Ru beside him. "You shake the dice."

Liu Yu Ru was taken aback, and Boss Yang frowned. Gu Jiusi smiled faintly. "My wife is a noble lady from a prestigious family in Yangzhou and has never been exposed to such things. Surely, Boss Yang can trust her?"

Boss Yang fell silent. Compared to the seasoned hands in the gambling house, Liu Yu Ru's background did indeed seem more reliable.

Liu Yu Ru did not protest or shrink back. She stood up gracefully and took her place at the gambling table. Gu Jiusi looked at Boss Yang and said, "Boss Yang, let's set a rule today: we play seven rounds, and no one may forfeit midway. If you forfeit, not only will you write off this young master's debt, but you will also pay an additional fifty thousand taels of silver as an apology. If I forfeit, it counts as a complete loss, and tomorrow you may send someone to the Gu Family to inventory our assets. If both of us last until the end, we'll settle based on the final wins and losses. How does that sound?"

"Jiusi!"

Chen Xun grew anxious, but Gu Jiusi raised his hand to stop him.

Boss Yang remained impassive, merely gesturing. "Please."

Everyone then turned their attention to Liu Yu Ru. She took a deep breath and lifted the dice cup. She seemed to lack strength, so Gu Jiusi demonstrated, shaking his hand. "Swing it like this, use more force! If your hand is weak, use your whole body! Shake it hard to make the dice move!"

Hearing this, Liu Yu Ru's nervousness and worries vanished instantly. She rolled her eyes, lifted the dice cup, and began shaking it with steady, forceful movements.

As soon as she started shaking the dice, Boss Yang closed his eyes. Gu Jiusi's ears twitched slightly. He turned his head and whispered to someone nearby, "Bring me a plate of honeydew melon."

His voice was soft, but everyone was focused on him and Boss Yang. Liu Yu Ru gritted her teeth, feeling the urge to grab his ear and yell at him.

"Wake up!

You're gambling with your family's entire fortune!

If you lose, your family is finished, completely finished!"

She kept shaking the dice without stopping, waiting for Gu Jiusi to turn back and listen carefully to the dice. But when he did turn back, it was only to wait attentively for his melon. Liu Yu Ru continued shaking until her arm muscles ached from exhaustion. Finally, Gu Jiusi's honeydew melon arrived. He took a bite and couldn't help but say, "Haven't you shaken it enough yet?"

Liu Yu Ru had had enough. With a loud "clunk," she finally set the dice cup down.

She felt utterly exhausted and drained.

Gu Jiusi spat the melon seeds into the plate and casually tossed his jade token onto "small." Boss Yang slowly opened his eyes and placed his jade token on "big."

"Open it," someone urged.

Liu Yu Ru lifted the lid.

According to the rules, a total below ten was "small," and above ten was "big."

Three, three, five.

Eleven.Liu Yu Ru's face was deathly pale, and Zhou Ye didn't look too good either. Boss Yang breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, saying, "It seems I've won this round."

Gu Jiusi, who had been eating melon seeds, seemed somewhat surprised as well. He forced a smile and said, "Boss Yang is indeed more skilled. Come, let's continue."

In the second round, Gu Jiusi looked serious, as if he had started paying close attention. Liu Yu Ru felt somewhat reassured.

This time, they were bound to succeed.

Both Liu Yu Ru and Zhou Ye were brimming with confidence.

When the bets were revealed, Boss Yang smiled and said, "It seems I've won again."

A trace of worry appeared on Gu Jiusi's face. "I never expected Boss Yang to be so formidable. I truly regret this..."

Boss Yang completely let down his guard against Gu Jiusi. For a moment, he thought Gu Jiusi was nothing but a fool, likely swept up by a momentary sense of chivalry to make this bet.

As he relaxed, the next three rounds were won with exceptional ease.

Gu Jiusi always managed to place his bets precisely on the losing side—betting small when the outcome was big, and big when the outcome was small.

Boss Yang won smoothly all the way, his mood lifting considerably. He called for a cup of tea and said to Gu Jiusi, who was resting his chin on his hand with a troubled expression, "Young Master Gu, why not admit defeat early? If it really comes to the seventh round, I'm afraid even pawning the entire Gu Family won't be enough to cover the debt."

"Since we've come this far," Gu Jiusi sighed, "we might as well keep going. At worst, I'll spend the rest of my life here repaying the debt. I’ll have to rely on Boss Yang’s generosity in the future."

Boss Yang smirked mockingly and gestured for Liu Yu Ru to start the sixth round.

But Liu Yu Ru didn’t dare.

If she lost the sixth round, the debt would amount to 4.2 billion. The Gu Family would truly be finished. She didn’t know what Gu Jiusi was scheming, but losing continuously like this was something she couldn’t afford. She was too terrified.

She looked up at Gu Jiusi, her lips trembling. But before she could speak, Gu Jiusi raised a finger to his lips, signaling for silence.

In that moment, his expression was unusually calm and composed, exuding a confidence that inspired trust. But in the blink of an eye, he reverted to his troubled demeanor and asked, "Yu Ru, are you too tired to shake the dice? Hold on a little longer—just two more rounds."

Boss Yang had been watching Gu Jiusi closely, observing his every move. He couldn’t help but frown.

Liu Yu Ru took a deep breath and lifted the dice cup again. At that moment, Zhou Ye, who was beside her, could no longer contain himself. He stood up as if to speak, but Gu Jiusi pressed him down firmly. Leaning in, Gu Jiusi whispered into his ear, "Don’t panic. I have a plan. After I leave, pretend as if you’ve discovered something and act calm, but try to conceal it. Don’t show any panic."

With that, Gu Jiusi straightened up and began listening intently to the sound of Liu Yu Ru’s dice. He listened carefully, and when she set the dice cup down, he looked up at Boss Yang and said with a smile, "Boss Yang, your turn."

Boss Yang remained silent, his gaze fixed intently on Gu Jiusi.

Something was wrong.

Years of life in the underworld had made him suspicious and sensitive. His intuition had saved him from life-and-death situations countless times.

He had been riding high on his winning streak, but at this moment, it suddenly dawned on him—something was amiss.Not long ago, Gu Jiusi had openly berated Wang Shanquan on the road. While ordinary folks might not grasp the situation, he understood perfectly well what had transpired. How could a young master who deftly navigated such a crisis be a mere good-for-nothing?

If he wasn’t incompetent, why would he recklessly engage in such a high-stakes gamble out of mere chivalry?

His participation meant he had a plan. He had inspected the dice, replaced the dice-shaker with his own man, and now it was the fifth round—the fifth round already…

Yet he hadn’t won a single time!

Boss Yang’s expression shifted abruptly.

He knew Gu Jiusi’s gambling skills well. Even if this young master couldn’t win consistently, he would never lose five rounds in a row without a single victory! Unless… unless he knew exactly how to win each time and deliberately lost!

Boss Yang’s breathing quickened.

If Gu Jiusi truly had the ability to win, why would he lose? To keep him at the table, preventing him from leaving early. To lull him into complacency, letting him grow overconfident.

Until the seventh round.

The sixth round had already reached 4.2 billion taels of silver. The seventh round would be a bet for everything Yang Longsi owned—a bet for his very life!

If he stopped at the sixth round, he would forfeit Zhou Ye’s debt and lose an additional fifty thousand taels. But if he proceeded to the seventh round… if he gambled on the seventh round…

Cold sweat beaded on Boss Yang’s forehead.

His mind raced with calculations.

Was Gu Jiusi genuinely losing, or was it an act?

Why did Liu Yuru, after intending to give up, relent at a single gesture from Jiusi? What agreement did they have?

Why did Zhou Ye suddenly calm down after his breakdown? What exactly had Gu Jiusi said to him?

Was Gu Jiusi bluffing, or had he truly… truly set a trap for him?!

Yang Longsi remained silent, sweat trickling down his temples. Gu Jiusi watched him, his seemingly worried expression masking eyes that held a mocking glint. At first, Yang had genuinely believed Gu Jiusi was flustered, but now that fluster felt artificial and contrived—utterly unconvincing.

At the very least, he still had the leisure to eat honeydew melon, nibbling on it as he urged, “Boss Yang, place your bet.”

“You…” Yang Longsi’s breath hitched. “You go first.”

“Oh?” Gu Jiusi chuckled. “Are you sure you want me to go first?”

Yang Longsi nodded urgently. “You go first.”

Gu Jiusi leaned back in his chair and casually tossed his jade token onto “Big.”

Liu Yuru took a deep breath and lifted the lid.

Small.

Still small.

He had lost six rounds in a row!

Yang Longsi’s breathing grew labored. Gu Jiusi sighed, feigning helplessness. “Lost again. Come on, let’s move to the seventh round.”

“Wait!”

Yang Longsi stopped Liu Yuru. Everyone turned to look at him. Old Crow appeared bewildered, completely unaware of what was happening. Gu Jiusi lifted his gaze to Yang Longsi. “Boss Yang, what’s wrong?”

If he won, it would mean the entire Gu Family fortune.

If he lost… it would mean… utter ruin!

And would he lose?

Gu Jiusi had lost six rounds in a row—six rounds where he accurately bet on losing. That could only mean he knew how to win and deliberately lost!

He hadn’t shown his true skill at all. He was luring him in, step by step, into the seventh round, only to turn the tables and bankrupt Yang Longsi completely!

Surrendering now would only cost him fifty thousand.

But if he lost after the seventh round… then… then…Yang Long Si’s face turned pale, but he had already reached a conclusion in his heart.

He raised his head and said slowly, "I admit defeat."

The crowd erupted in an uproar. Gu Jiusi’s face showed a trace of shock, and then, as if flustered, he stood up and said, "Master Yang, there’s only one round left…"

Hearing such a plea, Yang Long Si immediately confirmed his conclusion. Having lost so badly, how could he dare to continue to the seventh round if he wasn’t certain of winning?

So he promptly said, "Wu Ya, count the silver for Young Master Zhou and see them out. I concede this round."

After speaking, Yang Long Si stood up and quickly led his men back to the rear courtyard.

Everyone was somewhat bewildered. Chen Xun, standing behind Gu Jiusi, was still completely dumbfounded and asked in confusion, "He just… admitted defeat?"

"What… what happened?" Yang Wenchang also couldn’t quite understand.

Wu Ya released the young man, and Zhou Ye hurried over to check on him. Shortly after, Wu Ya brought out the silver notes and handed them to Zhou Ye.

Gu Jiusi finished the last bite of his melon and, seeing that the matter was settled, bid farewell to Chen Xun and Yang Wenchang.

Chen Xun whispered, "What’s your situation now? We haven’t been able to see you. Can I drop by your place for a visit?"

"Come," Gu Jiusi whispered back. "Bring some books and say you’re here to study with me."

Chen Xun: "…"

After saying this, Gu Jiusi stretched lazily, waved to Liu Yu Ru, and said with a smile, "Wife, come here."

Liu Yu Ru had just relaxed; she was drenched in sweat and utterly exhausted. She walked over to Gu Jiusi, who stood up, placed his hand on her shoulder, exchanged a few words with the others, and then led Zhou Ye and the young man surnamed Fan out.

"Young Master Gu, you are truly remarkable."

Zhou Ye praised him endlessly, saying, "That old scoundrel Yang must have realized your gambling skills are extraordinary and didn’t dare to face you. With such a rare talent, Young Master Gu is no ordinary person. Gu…"

They hadn’t gone far, just entering an alley, when Zhou Ye’s words were cut short as Gu Jiusi’s legs gave way. Zhou Ye and Liu Yu Ru quickly rushed to support him.

Everyone was taken aback. Liu Yu Ru asked anxiously, "What’s wrong with you?"

"My legs… my legs are weak…"

Gu Jiusi stammered, "I can’t hold on anymore. Can someone carry me back to the carriage? I really can’t walk."

Zhou Ye, Liu Yu Ru, and Young Master Fan: "…"

As the only strong and capable man among them who could carry Gu Jiusi, Zhou Ye took on the responsibility without hesitation, carrying Gu Jiusi onto the Gu Family carriage. Seeing that Zhou Ye was about to leave, Liu Yu Ru quickly asked, "Young Master Zhou, were you planning to depart today?"

"That was the original plan."

Zhou Ye sighed. "But after all this, I’ll rest for a day and leave in a couple of days."

"Then why not come to the Gu residence for a meal?"

Liu Yu Ru said with a smile, "We haven’t had the chance to thank you properly for last time. My husband and I have long wanted to invite you for a meal, but his injuries have been slow to heal, so it’s been delayed until now."

Zhou Ye hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "Then I shall impose on your hospitality."

Zhou Ye had his own carriage, so he took the young man with him and followed behind the Gu Family carriage.

Once Gu Jiusi was in the carriage, he collapsed completely, rubbing his stomach and saying, "I’m absolutely stuffed.""What made you eat until you're this stuffed?" Liu Yu Ru wiped her own sweat as Gu Jiusi sighed: "Didn't you see me eat an entire melon?"

"Wasn't that because you wanted to eat it?" Liu Yu Ru found it strange. While Gu Jiusi had indeed eaten a lot of melon, she hadn't thought he'd force himself. Gu Jiusi waved his hand, looking pained: "It was all because of nerves. If I didn't eat some melon, I was afraid I couldn't keep up the act."

"Hey, tell me," Liu Yu Ru became energized at this topic, "are you actually exceptionally good at gambling?"

"If I were truly that skilled at gambling, wouldn't my father have let me stay in the gambling den to become a gambling god?"

Gu Jiusi rolled his eyes. Liu Yu Ru found it odd: "Then how were you able to lose six times in a row?"

"That wasn't my skill," Gu Jiusi said directly, "it was Yang Long Si's ability. In those six rounds, he placed his bets first three times, and I only needed to bet against him. If I were really listening to the dice, I might occasionally win twice, but guaranteeing a win would be nearly impossible. Yet Yang Long Si could do it—back in his gambling days, he could discern the dice by sound, winning ten out of ten rounds with almost no mistakes."

"What about the other two times?"

"One time I watched his expression and combined it with my own listening to place the bet," Gu Jiusi explained. "The other time, which was the sixth round, by that point winning or losing didn't matter to me anymore. If I lost, he'd think I was a gambling expert deliberately setting a trap for him; if I won, he'd believe I was starting to turn the tables and intentionally mocking or threatening him."

"The reason he's reached his current position is because he always anticipates risks. This bet was too high-stakes, the psychological pressure was immense, and coupled with his inherent suspicion—always thinking I was laying a trap—he naturally considered it carefully and simply paid us fifty thousand to send us away."

Listening to this, Liu Yu Ru understood Gu Jiusi's entire strategy.

From the moment he first touched the dice, had her shake them, and called for honeydew melon to eat—it was all to disrupt Yang Long Si, to keep him guessing about what kind of person he was dealing with.

Then, based on Yang Long Si's judgments, he placed bets that made him lose consecutively, exceeding normal win-loss patterns.

Next, through details like exchanging glances with her and conversing with Zhou Ye, he used their reactions to give Yang Long Si the illusionary hint that "he has a method."

Under such immense pressure, faced with a choice that could lead to losing everything, Yang Long Si would naturally opt for the safer solution.

And all of this, of course, was achieved based on Gu Jiusi's understanding of Yang Long Si.

Yang Long Si was gambling on the dice; Gu Jiusi was gambling on human nature.

Realizing this, Liu Yu Ru suddenly saw everything clearly.

She couldn't help but sigh: "Gu Jiusi, you always exceed my expectations."

Unexpectedly kind-hearted; unexpectedly intelligent.

Gu Jiusi waved his hand, looking pained: "I can't do this again. You have no idea how fast my heart was racing. My legs were actually weak when I sat in that chair—I was truly afraid he'd go to a seventh round and make me lose. I think Gu Lang Hua would genuinely uphold justice over family ties and deliver my head to his doorstep."

Liu Yu Ru laughed and tapped him with her round fan: "Stop talking nonsense. You make your father sound so terrible."

"I'm not talking nonsense—you just don't know him well enough."

Gu Jiusi quickly added: "Really, if you knew all the cruel things he's done to me before, you'd understand he's hardly a real father."

"Stop saying such foolish things."

Liu Yu Ru pushed him: "Your father dotes on you dearly.""Forget it." Gu Jiusi rolled his eyes. "He's only ever known how to hit me since I was little."

"Um..." Liu Yu Ru hesitated. "Actually, I heard your parents doted on you very much."

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi fell silent. Only after a long while did he speak again: "That's just people in Yangzhou City making excuses for my behavior, that's all."

"People are strange," he said with his hand resting on the windowsill, watching the bustling crowd outside, speaking lightly. "When they see someone with eccentric behavior, they always assume that their parents must have spoiled them, which is why they act so lawlessly. Many people believe that if a child is disobedient, a beating will fix it. If a child does something wrong, it must be because they weren't beaten enough."

"I despise that kind of thinking," Gu Jiusi said mockingly. "So, the more he beat me, the more I went against him. The more I defied him, the more people outside spread rumors that he wasn't strict enough with me. And so, it became a vicious cycle. When I was young, my health was poor. Every time he came to beat me, my mother would desperately try to stop him, and the whole house would be in chaos."

"Then why not just obey?"

Liu Yuru found it puzzling. Gu Jiusi gave her a look as if she were a fool. "Are you stupid? If he beats me and I obey even once, he'll think beating is effective. From then on, whenever he encounters a problem, his first reaction will be to think that a beating will solve it. Do you know where those people who believe beating can teach a child properly get their ideas? It's because after they beat their children, the children endure the humiliation and act obediently. They always think, 'Look at my child, his child—they turned out fine. If your child doesn't obey after being beaten, it must be because you're too indulgent and unwilling to be harsh.'"

"Let me tell you, many inexplicable feelings in this world have their reasons. Do you know why young people all go through a phase of rebellion and defiance? It's because something deep within our bones tells us that we must use this method to teach them—beating me is useless, don't use beatings to educate me. So, one time, my father was so furious that he accidentally broke one of my ribs, and I still didn't yield. I can only improve on my own; it absolutely cannot be because you forced me."

Liu Yuru was left dazed by Gu Jiusi's words.

Seeing her utterly bewildered expression, Gu Jiusi waved his hand in front of her face. "What are you thinking about?"

"Oh," Liu Yuru snapped back to reality. "I just feel that your way of thinking sounds bizarre, yet there's some logic to it."

"I've always been logical."

"But," Liu Yuru asked curiously, "if beating you is useless, then why did you let me force you back from the Brothel to study?"

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi stiffened, turned his head away somewhat awkwardly, and muttered softly, "It's not that... It's not that I felt sorry for you and was afraid you'd die of anger..."

He wasn't afraid of bloodshed at the Brothel—with his skills, if a fight broke out between the two of them, it certainly wouldn't be him who got hurt.

What he feared was that Liu Yuru, with her stubborn mind, might actually slit her own throat or hang herself at the entrance of the Gu Family estate!

Hearing this, Liu Yuru was momentarily stunned. She looked at the seemingly embarrassed and awkward person in front of her, and for some reason, a saying suddenly came to her mind—A gentleman can be deceived by righteousness but cannot be misled by unrighteousness.

She didn't know why, but an absurd thought suddenly rose in her heart.

In her short life of over a decade, among all the men she had encountered, including those strictly disciplined sons of the Ye Family, not a single one had truly embodied this saying as thoroughly as Gu Jiusi did.Gu Jiusi, this profligate son long scorned as a wastrel, seemed to be practicing his inner code of gentlemanly conduct in an unspoken manner incomprehensible to ordinary people.

He clung steadfastly to his personal principles yet yielded to responsibility. Thus it wasn't that she had disciplined Gu Jiusi, but rather that Gu Jiusi had conceded, ultimately teaching her.

She felt this person had miraculously planted a seed within her heart—depositing his defiance of conventions and his inexplicable quirks deep within her consciousness where they took root and sprouted. Like an intruding observer in his world, she quietly watched him, understood him, and excavated his depths. Gu Jiusi was an unexpected treasure trove; each time she dug deeper, she discovered more marvels.

Turning with a smile, she gazed at the vendors hawking their wares outside Yangzhou's city walls and said softly, "Then I thank you."

As she spoke, she lifted the carriage curtain with her round fan. Sunlight fell upon her elegant face, illuminating its gentle serenity as she raised her eyes to watch sparrows take flight from the eaves, their wings silhouetted against white clouds and blue sky that complemented each other perfectly.

"For giving me a new beginning."

A genuine, tumultuous, yet unrestrained new life—

Author's Note: Gu Jiusi: Me, a treasure of a man.