CHAPTER 86: CHAPTER 86: PLAYING THE DIVA

Demonstration is over, the game begins.

The staff dragged up a big pile of cards for everyone to draw randomly.

Yu Xia quickly drew nine cards, dragging them back to her seat like pulling firewood.

Because the cards were too large to hold up, she simply placed them on the ground, stealing peeks like a thief.

When Xie Qingci returned, he tried to lean down and ask her a question, but she shot him a glare and immediately pressed her cards down.

"What are you doing? Trying to sneak a peek at my cards?"

"...I’m not."

She looked completely unconvinced.

On her right, Wei Yaoyao huffed as he returned, saw what was happening, and followed Yu Xia’s lead, crouching on the ground and using both hands to cover his cards while sneaking a look.

Luckily, these "big cards" were still within the realm of paper, able to bend a little, so they didn’t have to raise them entirely to see.

The posture of the two resembled pigs snuffling about, which made Xie Qingci’s expression complicated.

Yu Xia checked each of her nine cards one by one, then sat and pondered with her arms crossed.

Well, this game of "Fight the Landlord" is quite special; she currently had no leads.

She wondered if making up a few stories on the spot might convince that unsocial electronic friend.

She was baffled, and so were the others.

When it comes to poker, who hasn’t played it? But everyone was flummoxed by their cards.

No spades or hearts, no numbers or letters, not even Joker cards—just vastly differing images on the cards, hard to connect.

At this point, the electronic voice had already chosen the first player.

The screen zoomed in on the name of the lucky one: Pei Lu.

He thought it over, hesitated, and played his first card.

"Old Brother Barbecue."

Yu Xia craned her neck to look.

The card showed a neon sign with the words "Old Brother Barbecue"—that was all.

According to the clockwise order, the next player was Yu Kuang.

He hesitated even more, looked at "Old Brother Barbecue," then his own cards twice, and asked, "Can I skip?"

The staff: "Yes."

The play moved to Song Xi.

He played a card depicting chrysanthemum tea.

"Chrysanthemum Tea."

Everyone was perplexed, so he explained, "Barbecue can cause heatiness, have a cup of chrysanthemum tea, clear heat, detoxify; good for the body. There’s an order to this."

Others: "???"

Wei Yaoyao: "Is that valid?"

Soon the electronic voice confirmed: "Connection established, pass."

Song Xi earned a point.

Wei Yaoyao widened his eyes: "Really?!"

Yu Xia secretly clenched her fists in determination: "I understand how this is going now, bring it on."

Next was Shu Ran, who also decided to skip, curious about how Yu Xia would play.

The turn came to Wei Yaoyao, and he chose to play a card.

"Chocolate."

"After drinking chrysanthemum tea, isn’t it time for some dessert? I love pairing chrysanthemum tea with chocolate; it’s an unparalleled delight."

Yu Xia leaned to the left, casting a complex look his way.

"Who would have thought you had such a refined taste, eating like this all alone in the world? You must be lonely."

Others laughed while holding their cards, the hair whipped from Yu Xia’s turn swept across Xie Qingci’s cheek, causing him to lean back and look at Wei Yaoyao’s curly locks.

"..." Wei Yaoyao insisted, "Of course not, plenty of people eat like this, go check online, some even pair red wine with spicy sticks!"

Everyone clapped for him.

"Your peculiar preferences are really special."

Then the electronic voice affirmed the connection.

Yu Xia widened her eyes: "Really?! Even this bizarre connection works?"

Yu Kuang eagerly chimed in: "So can I just grab a card and make up?"

Others quickly riffled through their cards for ones that could support a story.

It was Yu Xia’s turn.

She resumed her intense scrutiny of her cards, laboriously pulled out the last one from the bottom.

"Abs."

Others: "???"

Wei Yaoyao was shocked: "What’s the connection between abs and chocolate?"

"What’s not connected?" She pointed at the card with righteous indignation, "I counted, your chocolate has six pieces, and my abs here have eight!"

Wei Yaoyao instinctively looked down, counted, and indeed, eight-pack abs.

Shu Ran: "Wow, you managed to force that connection."

Who knew? The "Abs" card is bigger than the "Chocolate" card.

"This... this can’t be counted right?" Wei Yaoyao looked at the screen.

Electronic voice: "Connection established, pass."

"Is this really valid?!!"

Yu Xia was still feeling the ab card triumphantly, raising her chin in defiance: "Don’t question the dealer’s ruling, or face suspension."

Xie Qingci gave her hands a cursory glance, a chilly breeze brushing past her neck.

Unaware, she turned to him gleefully: "Xie Qingci, your turn."

Displays the proud face of "I challenge you to outdo my cards."

Xie Qingci hesitated for a moment and chose to skip.

The audience had already predicted his reaction.

[Couldn’t think of anything to counter even with my brain strained]

[Abs beat chocolate hahahaha! Never dreamed of such comparison/By the way, whose picture of abs is this?]

[This screen from Zhipu Electronics is so fun! Want one!]

[I searched, and indeed, there are those pairing red wine with spicy sticks, even coriander juice with popping candies! Human antics have truly surpassed my imagination]

[Make it up, everyone keep improvising, I want to see more hilarious "Fight the Landlords"]

[Successfully gained a party game, next company gathering we’re playing this]

[This advertisement is done well, makes me want to buy it]

[I can’t wait to see, just how absurd can your cards get]

The truth proved, there’s no most absurd, only more absurd.

After Xie Qingci, it was Guan Yang’s turn; he played "Family Reunion."

"There are ten people gathered at this table, two more than your eight abs."

Indeed, it’s quite silly.

Electronic voice affirmed the connection, Yu Xia reluctantly accepted defeat.

Next was He Mingjie, he hesitantly played "Abstract Dog."

Stubbornly explaining the relationship: "Ten people eating together afterward, isn’t it time to feed the dog? Leftovers and whatnot need to be handled by the dog."

Wei Yaoyao: "He, you’re pressuring the dog."

"..." He Mingjie wanted to laugh but could only suppress it—it’s his card—he said, "I think it’s reasonable."

Yu Xia thought it over: "Dogs likely wouldn’t agree."

Just as she finished, the electronic voice announced: "Connection not established, next player."

Wei Yaoyao repeated: "Dogs probably wouldn’t agree, Little Zhipu disagrees, Yu Xia, are you..."

Yu Xia: "Quiet, I won’t allow you to speak that way about our show’s sponsor."

Electronic voice coldly spoke: "Yu Xia, Wei Yaoyao attempting to insult the impartial dealer, receives a yellow card warning."

Yu Xia, Wei Yaoyao: "!"