Reborn As Super Heiress

Chapter 923: Chapter 919: Bet a Pair of Eyes

Hattori Keiko spoke in Chinese, and the shop was full of Dongyang people, few of whom understood Chinese, so although everyone was curious about what Hattori Keiko meant, no one actually asked aloud.

Nara Nigawa, on the other hand, was a bit surprised. He clearly heard that woman mention Huo Sining’s name just now, but Nara Nigawa didn’t understand the meaning behind Hattori Keiko’s words.

A contest? A contest of what, stone gambling? A puzzled look flashed in Nara Nigawa’s eyes. He instinctively leaned toward Huo Sining and curiously asked, ”Mr. Huo, do you know this lady?”

Huo Sining neither confirmed nor denied it, directly ignoring Hattori Keiko’s side.

Seeing this situation, Nara Nigawa understood most of it. Obviously, that Dongyang woman and Huo Sining seemed to be old acquaintances, but Huo Sining did not greet her, and her expression seemed to show a bit of impatience.

Nara Nigawa was a smart person and naturally saw that Huo Sining was not friendly towards this woman.

As Nara Nigawa pondered, his gaze unconsciously lifted toward Hattori Keiko, and a hint of confusion appeared in his eyes.

This Dongyang woman seemed familiar to him. However, upon thinking it over, Nara Nigawa couldn’t recall from where. She looked familiar, but there was no deep impression in his mind.

Nara Nigawa shook his head helplessly, tossing the thought aside, and turned back to line up, preparing to cut open the raw material in his hand.

Huo Sining wasn’t particularly combative by nature and didn’t have much enthusiasm for gambling, so even though Hattori Keiko’s provocation was obvious, Huo Sining planned to ignore it.

Unfortunately, sometimes when you try to avoid trouble, some people don’t necessarily give up just because you forbear.

Seeing that Huo Sining acted as if she hadn’t heard anything, Hattori Keiko felt annoyed, and her expression darkened. She snorted coldly and continued to ask loudly:

”What, giving up already? I remember Miss Huo was quite the rising star in Huaxia’s stone gambling circles this year. At the Ruili gambling table, Miss Huo even defeated the granddaughter of Gambling King Liu Chongren, being hailed by countless people in Huaxia Country as the Jade Queen. But now in Dongyang, is Miss Huo showing cowardice? Or is it that your reputation is just an empty name, afraid of being exposed, so you’re unwilling to compete with me?”

As soon as Hattori Keiko said this, everyone in the room couldn’t help but look up, first glancing toward Hattori Keiko, then following her gaze, they turned in surprise toward Huo Sining.

Huo Sining didn’t understand Hattori Keiko’s previous words, but seeing everyone’s reaction, she subconsciously felt that Hattori Keiko hadn’t spoken kindly. She frowned and looked at Nara Nigawa beside her: ”Mr. Nara, what did she just say?”

Nara Nigawa was equally astonished. He hadn’t anticipated that the Huaxia girl who seemed like a high school student in front of him was actually a renowned stone gambling expert in Huaxia Country. Moreover, from Hattori Keiko’s tone, this girl’s stone gambling skills had surpassed the ordinary, earning her the title of Jade Queen—a distinction not easily attained by just anyone.

Though stunned, Nara Nigawa translated Hattori Keiko’s words verbatim, as requested by Huo Sining.

Huo Sining heard Hattori Keiko’s words, and inside, she couldn’t help but smirk coldly.

This woman indeed had some nerve, using reverse psychology to force her into the match.

Huo Sining deliberated, knowing that with Hattori Keiko’s temperament—being vengeful and mean-spirited, especially after having suffered at her hands, as well as those of Hattori Masano before—there must be a follow-up plan behind this blatant challenge.

Huo Sining was undoubtedly aware that Hattori Keiko was picking a fight to settle scores, but if it was about stone gambling, Huo Sining felt confident. In this business for so long, she had never feared anyone.

Huo Sining unconsciously glanced at the unobtrusive footstone under the rack of goods in the shop’s corner. She looked back calmly, with a half-smile, giving Hattori Keiko a glance:

”Since Miss Hattori sincerely wants to gamble, as a guest, I can only oblige. Tell me, how do you propose we compete?”

Hattori Keiko was taken aback, only intending to provoke Huo Sining, not expecting her to accept the challenge. Initially, she thought if Huo Sining ignored or declined her invitation, she could shame her verbally, using it as leverage, possibly turning the event into a scandal back home with a little help, potentially bringing Huo Sining’s downfall.

But now hearing Huo Sining accept, Hattori Keiko couldn’t be happier. On her own turf, employing some tricks wasn’t difficult. As long as Huo Sining dared to accept, she would be stepping into a trap of her own design—in this contest, she was sure the Huaxia woman would lose!

”Let’s select a stone from the ones in this shop. Within half an hour, we each choose one and assess it based on color, translucency, and Jadeite size to see whose stone is worth more. How about it?”

Hattori Keiko glanced at the fat woman nearby, an ambiguous look in her eyes, before turning back to Huo Sining, raising her voice to speak.

Huo Sining smiled. She had also noticed the exchange of glances between Hattori Keiko and the fat woman, suspecting something was amiss. However, she didn’t shrink back, instead smiling as she nodded and asked Hattori Keiko: ”Since it’s a bet, what’s the stake?”

Hattori Keiko, having initiated the challenge, clearly had plans and wouldn’t omit setting stakes, so Huo Sining wasn’t surprised at the prospect of excessive demands.

However, despite being prepared, when Hattori Keiko expressed her desired stakes, Huo Sining was startled by the demand, instinctively raising her head to look at Hattori Keiko.

Because her brother had offended the person before her, he was used as an experiment subject, helplessly sacrificing his body for the Iga-ryu. Thinking of her brother’s tragic fate of having his eyes hollowed out before death made Hattori Keiko’s heart twinge, a vicious glint flashing in her eyes. She looked up at Huo Sining and stated the rules:

”I’ve heard that stone gambling is a field that demands keen eyesight. Without a pair of discerning eyes, one can’t continue gambling with stones.”

With that, Hattori Keiko let out a soft laugh, her gaze coldly fixed on Huo Sining.

”Why don’t we bet on these eyes? Whoever loses will have their eyes gouged out and never gamble with stones again. What do you say, Miss Huo?”