Lin Xuan Qi didn't expect Old Shao to be so direct.

It was something that he hadn't considered.

Things were going along fine between him and Xue Cong.

On top of that, he had so many things to take care of for the time being.

So many things might be changed if he married Xue Cong.

He remained silent for a moment while trying to help Old Shao with the sawing of the wooden board.

Old Shao didn't press on, and he also kept quiet while he worked.

For a short while, there was only the sound of wood being sawed and the breathing of Old Shao and Lin Xuan Qi.

Finally, Lin Xuan Qi said, "Old Shao, I'm sure you are still young and going strong. It's not a hurry."

"I guess you are right." Old Shao nodded his head and kept on working.

It took a while for the fifty-two wooden boards to be done.

Lin Xuan Qi picked up one and inspected it.

It was not as thin as he would have wanted, but it would be sufficient for the time being.

He brought the wooden boards to the study room where Ah Di was waiting for him.

Ah Di had cut out the paper to the designated size for them to be pasted onto the wooden boards.

They worked together with Ah Di brushing the glue, made of glutinous rice flour, onto the back of the wooden boards and Lin Xuan Qi pasting the paper onto it.

After doing so, Lin Xuan Qi picked up his brush and painted patterns onto the paper.

For the Kings, Queens, and Princes, he had to change it to gold taels, silver taels and copper coins.

He did so to avoid being accused of being disrespectful to royalty.

"Master Lin, what are these for?" Ah Di asked while waiting for the glue to dry.

Lin Xuan Qi took a step back, marveled at his painting skills and said, "It's something to pass the time.

"We can play many types of card games with it.

"Don't worry, I will teach you how to play it when it's dry."

Ah Di was excited when he heard that it would be for games.

He was still young and still interested in such affairs.

"I think they are dry." Ah Di said after touching the surface of the paper.

"Come, let's learn and play it with the others." Lin Xuan Qi said, and Ah Di stacked the cards together, bringing them to the main hall.

When he entered the main hall, he was glad to see that Xue Cong, Yue Jie, Yue Xin and Liu Shi Shi were there.

"Great. Everyone is here." He said and gave them a sheepish smile.

He figured that he would be able to win them easily with his experience.

"Master Lin, what do you need from us?" Xue Cong asked, fearing the worst.

Lin Xuan Qi glanced at Ah Di, and he placed the deck of cards onto the table.

"This is what I call poker cards. It's great for passing the time and let me teach you how to play what is called Blackjack."

"Poker cards?" Xue Cong frowned and didn't know what to expect.

Yue Xin was eager to know more when she heard that it was for playing.

"Quick, show us." Liu Shi Shi was interested in finding out what Lin Xuan Qi had come up with.

Yue Jie was already amazed at him.

She was impressed that he had always been able to come up with new ideas and inventions out of nowhere.

If he were to use his talents for the imperial examinations, she was sure that he would come out tops.

But Master Lin was just Master Lin.

He didn't seem interested in gaining power from it.

And she was glad for it, after witnessing what had happened to her father and her family.

Lin Xuan Qi went on and explained to them the rules of Blackjack.

They were able to understand it, and they started to play with him as the banker.

The game wasn't played with money but with papers that were rolled up with things one could demand those who lost to do written on them.

Everyone had a turn to write some of the 'punishments'.

After dealing out a round of cards, he was full of smiles when he saw the gloomy looks on Xue Cong, Yue Jie and Yue Xin when they glanced at their cards.

Liu Shi Shi was the only one that looked confident.

As the banker, the odds were on his side if only one of them won.

"Do you want another card?" He asked Xue Cong, and she shook her head.

The same thing happened with Yue Jie and Yue Xin.

He figured they might be worried about going bust.

Liu Shi Shi shook her head before he asked.

When Lin Xuan Qi looked at his cards, he had nineteen points.

It wasn't worth the risk for him to take another card.

"All right, open up your cards."

When Xue Cong opened her cards, his smile lessened.

She had an Ace and a ten, which was Blackjack.

When Yue Jie and Yue Xin opened their cards, he gained some of his smile back.

They had seventeen and eighteen points respectively.

"What? I thought you would be having fewer points." Liu Shi Shi frowned when she saw their cards.

She opened her cards, and it was only sixteen points.

Lin Xuan Qi gave her a huge grin and opened his cards.

"Nineteen points." He said and took his winnings.

"It must have been the seat." Liu Shi Shi protested and changed her seat to be next to Xue Cong.

Lin Xuan Qi glanced at Xue Cong and asked, "You got Blackjack, why were you looking so gloomy?"

"I... Err.. I didn't know if it was nice to win... especially winning against you." Xue Cong lowered her head and said with shyness.

Yue Jie and Yue Xin also nodded their heads.

Lin Xuan Qi didn't know whether to be glad that they was thinking of him all this while or be mad about it.

He gave Xue Cong her winnings, gave her an 'I shall win next round' glance and dealt out another round of cards.

Ah Di watched with amusement by the side.

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