"Not bad, good kid, honest and straightforward." Xu Dalong looked at Ye Fan with a satisfied smile, "Unlike these two kids from my family, always trying to trick their uncle, wanting you to drink hot water while I drink the liquor, hoping to knock me out this way. They’re concerned about you, but not about their uncle."
Actually, Xu Dalong was fully aware of Mengyao and Biyao’s actions, but he didn’t mind. He just wanted to drink to his heart’s content, and letting the two sisters accompany Ye Fan was fine by him. Indeed, his alcohol tolerance was quite impressive, so Mengyao and Biyao’s worries were understandable. What he didn’t expect was that Ye Fan would outright reveal the sisters’ well-intended deception.
Ye Fan wasn’t worried at all. Defeating Xu Dalong was no challenge for him, and he hadn’t expected that Mengyao and Biyao were afraid he’d get drunk, leading them to come up with this trick.
"Uncle, I’ll drink with you." Ye Fan removed the hot water, placed the cups together, and filled them all with liquor.
"Good." Xu Dalong became even more satisfied, gazing at the two sisters, "See, this is what a real man is like. You two girls, step aside."
"Uncle, you’re a liquor lover. Ye Fan can’t outdrink you; isn’t this just bullying?" Chu Biyao pouted.
"This girl, you have a point." Xu Dalong seriously pondered for a moment, looking earnestly at Ye Fan, "How about this: if I lose, I drink two glasses; if you lose, you drink one. Just keep me company for a while, chat a bit."
"No need. However much I lose, I’ll drink," Ye Fan said nonchalantly.
"Oh, got a bit of a temper, huh? I like it," Xu Dalong laughed slyly.
"Can you handle it?" Mengyao asked worriedly.
"Don’t worry," Ye Fan replied confidently.
"Ladies, tell the waiter to bring the dishes. You can sit on the side and watch how I teach your man a lesson. Trying to outdrink me is asking for trouble." Xu Dalong laughed heartily, "And, never ask your man in front of others if he can handle it. It’s humiliating for him, isn’t it, Ye Fan?"
Ye Fan glanced at Mengyao, smiled silently, then drew a card and placed it on the table, "Ten of spades, your turn, Uncle."
"Alright, haha, King of diamonds. You lose, drink." Xu Dalong laughed.
Ye Fan and Xu Dalong thus began drawing cards, the one with the lower card drinks, going back and forth.
Mengyao and Biyao exchanged a glance, both sisters shaking their heads helplessly.
"What do we do now? We know Uncle’s tolerance. Can Ye Fan keep up?" Biyao worried.
"Probably, maybe, shouldn’t be a problem." Mengyao answered uncertainly, not quite sure about Ye Fan’s tolerance. If Ye Fan got drunk, he’d still have to treat Uncle later. It’d be troublesome.
"We’ll just have to watch. I’ll have some sober-up medicine ready." Biyao prepared just in case.
"That’s a good idea." Mengyao nodded.
Yet seeing Uncle and Ye Fan getting along so well, she was quite happy.
Ten minutes later, Xu Dalong’s face had a slight flush, intoxication was starting to show. He widened his eyes, "Ye Fan, not bad, you’ve got a nice tolerance."
"It’s okay, not quite on par with you, Uncle." Ye Fan replied.
"That’s right." Xu Dalong grunted proudly.
Then, Xu Dalong shuffled the cards, secretly moving a few big cards he noted earlier.
In this, he was an old hand. No one would notice his little manipulations.
Originally, he hadn’t planned to use tricks. But in front of a younger person, losing just wasn’t an option. It wouldn’t do to let that happen; he was already somewhat intoxicated, whereas Ye Fan seemed unaffected. It couldn’t go on ; he had to knock Ye Fan out first, or how else could he brag about his drinking prowess?
Ye Fan’s memory was extraordinary, far superior to Xu Dalong’s at keeping track of cards, destined to be a great advantage.
Earlier, it was all luck. Now it came down to skill and strategy.
The sisters relaxed a bit, noticing Ye Fan’s tolerance was quite impressive; it seemed Uncle might not be a match after all.
Xu Dalong put down the cards, glanced at them, pondered for a moment, then flipped one over, smiling, "Jack of hearts."
"Queen of hearts," Ye Fan flipped a card as well.
"Uncle, a bet is a bet. Drink up." Chu Biyao called out.
"Wow, such luck," Xu Dalong muttered suspiciously, downed his glass, and thought, "Next card, I’ll flip a queen of spades. He’ll have to drink, no way his luck’s that good."
"Sorry, I have a king of spades," Ye Fan said.
"Uncle, you lost again." Mengyao chuckled.
"Something’s off, how come his cards are just a bit higher than mine every time, and the suit never changes? Could he be a pro?" Xu Dalong pondered as he nursed a drink, "Nah, just a fluke, surely."
"I refuse to believe this," Xu Dalong stared at the cards for ages, then with a forceful flip, shouted, "King of diamonds!"
"Ace of diamonds," Ye Fan replied easily.
"Uncle, you lost again, hurry up and drink, no cheating allowed," the sisters cheered, happy.
"Me, cheat? What a joke, am I that type?" Xu Dalong grumbled, secretly thinking, "He’s gotta be some kind of card-playing master."
After drinking another glass, they continued. This time, Ye Fan lost.
"I told you, he’s just lucky. Definitely not a pro," Xu Dalong reassured himself.
From then on, Xu Dalong drank three or four glasses for every one Ye Fan drank.
In this way, Xu Dalong was nearing drunkenness.
Another ten minutes trickled by.
Xu Dalong’s body swayed unsteadily, eyes blurry, pointing at Ye Fan, "Ye Fan, why do you have two heads?"
"Uncle, I’m quite tipsy too. I see you with three heads," Ye Fan fibbed.
"Ye Fan’s so wicked, tricking Uncle like that. But it’s good; Uncle’s almost down, and that’s what counts," the sisters resisted laughter, glancing at the rock-steady Ye Fan and then at their wobbling uncle on the verge of passing out, feeling bemused.
"Hic." Xu Dalong hiccupped, releasing a puff of liquor-laden breath; he was close to blackout, head whirling uncontrollably, but inside he was clear, quickly thinking, "I see two Ye Fans, and he sees three of me. That means he’s almost out while I can still hold on a bit longer."
"Drink." With this thought, Xu Dalong raised his glass with a laugh and downed it with gusto.
Without even flipping cards, neither knew who should be drinking, but he just went ahead and drank.
"Ye Fan, you little rascal, dare to contest me with alcohol? You’re not qualified. Look, you’re already drunk, aren’t you?" Xu Dalong said, and then his body went limp, collapsing.