Chapter 1021: Show-off

"You're right..." Chen Jun Nan mumbled. The two continued to stare at each other's fists, and just as they were about to release their grip, Chen Jun Nan suddenly shouted, "Wait a minute!"

Tian Tian and Yan Zhi Chun both jumped in surprise, staring at Chen Jun Nan.

"Sis Chun..." Chen Jun Nan said, "I'm a bit scared... You're the one I'm entrusting my heart to, so you wouldn't give me a hair clip, would you?"

"A hair clip...?"

Yan Zhi Chun smiled after hearing that, then withdrew her left hand, took a hair clip from the back of her head, waved it in front of Chen Jun Nan, and clipped it back in place.

"Now do you believe me?" she said. "Do you have any other questions?"

"Well..." Chen Jun Nan knew Yan Zhi Chun was no ordinary person, so he had to be extremely cautious. "Sis Chun, swear to me that the thing in your hand is a 'zi'?"

"I swear," Yan Zhi Chun said.

"It's a 'zi' that can be used in this game and earns points," Chen Jun Nan added. "If it's not, you'll gain sixty *jin*."

Yan Zhi Chun hadn't expected Chen Jun Nan to act like a child, resorting to making poisonous oaths.

"Fine, I agree," Yan Zhi Chun said with a helpless expression. "But you're the one who's least trustworthy. What if what's in your hand is a chain?"

"How could that be..." Chen Jun Nan said.

"Don't move your right hand," Yan Zhi Chun said. "I want you to take out all the chains you had before, except for the one hanging from your right hand, one from Wen Qiao Yun, and one from me—at least two. As soon as I confirm what's in your hand isn't a chain, we'll make the trade."

"Okay... just a second..." Chen Jun Nan finished speaking, reached into his pocket with his left hand, pulled out two chains, and threw them on the ground. Then he patted his pocket, and there was no sound. "See, my pocket's empty. I've returned all the other chains. If I'm lying, I'll shrink sixty centimeters."

"Good." Yan Zhi Chun nodded. "Let's make the trade."

The two placed their fists in each other's palms again, then slowly opened them, while Tian Tian held her breath.

Two gray-black metal pieces fell from their fists into each other's palms.

As they clenched their fists, they both felt that what they held was indeed a "zi"!

In this game, neither of them had lied.

The "zi" in their hands had been warmed by the other's grip; the hard texture with its sharp edges was undoubtedly real!

"Sis Chun!" Chen Jun Nan said with wide eyes, "You're a woman of honor! The green mountains never change, and the green waters flow forever—we'll meet again!"

Yan Zhi Chun furrowed her brows, clenched her fist without a word, turned around, opened the door, and left.

"Tian Tian, let's go!" Chen Jun Nan said, gripping his fist. "We've got the other side's 'zi'. Hurry back to find Lao Qi!"

"Ah... okay!" Tian Tian nodded. "But what 'zi' is in your hand...?"

Chen Jun Nan didn't open his fist; he just gripped it tightly and said, "It feels all twisty and turny... not like 'ma' or 'che'... Could it be...? Let's hurry!"

The two quickly exited the room, passed through another door, and arrived at the "Bei Zhan Qu".

Qi Xia had just seen off Qiao Jia Jing when he noticed Chen Jun Nan's expressive face as he pulled Tian Tian back.

"Lao Qi!!" Chen Jun Nan yelled. "I... I..."

Without another word, he quickly raised his right hand in front of Qi Xia and opened his palm.

"Look!"

In his palm was a "zi".

A "zi" he never could have imagined.

"Bao".

The air fell into an unprecedented silence.

A few seconds later, Qi Xia stared at the "zi" in Chen Jun Nan's hand and asked, "What did you say happened to you?"

"I..."

Chen Jun Nan looked at the "bao" in his hand, his expression even more dramatic than before.

"I bought a 'bao' last year..."

Tian Tian covered her mouth nearby, not sure why she felt like laughing, but also thought Chen Jun Nan was really unlucky, so it felt impolite to laugh now.

Chen Jun Nan's attempts had resulted in either chains or "bao". For anyone else, it would be devastating, but for him, it somehow felt fitting.

"Strange," Qi Xia said after a pause. "Generally, when you snatch someone's 'zi', you should grab them all at once. I didn't expect anyone could snatch back just half. How did you do it?"

Chen Jun Nan was silent for a moment, then said, "Lao Qi, if I told you this 'zi' wasn't snatched but traded... how would you judge that?"

"I wouldn't judge it," Qi Xia said.

"Good job," Chen Jun Nan said. "Really good job. I traded my 'shuai' for a 'bao'. Now I'm not handsome anymore, but I have a 'bao'."

"Pfft..." Tian Tian finally couldn't hold back and was about to burst out laughing.

"I can't take this anymore... I'm furious," Chen Jun Nan said. "I have to go find her and cause trouble..."

"Wait..." Tian Tian grabbed Chen Jun Nan. "What are you doing...?"

"That Sis Chun tricked me! That's so unsportsmanlike..." Chen Jun Nan said. "I've heard of being handsome enough to eat, but not trading handsomeness for a 'bao'!"

"But you agreed with her..." Tian Tian said. "As long as what she gave you is a 'zi' that can be used in this game and earns points, the trade is done..."

"Huh? Did I say that?" Chen Jun Nan stared at Tian Tian.

"You... didn't say that?"

After hearing that, Chen Jun Nan's expression completely deflated: "Not only did I trade my 'shuai' for a 'bao', but I also blocked my own way out?"

"From what I see, that's exactly what happened..." Tian Tian nodded. "The trade was your idea, and the conditions were yours. Going to bother that girl now might make you look in the wrong..."

"This..." Chen Jun Nan handed the "bao" to Qi Xia and said, "Can this be used...?"

"It's not impossible," Qi Xia said. "But we already have a 'bao' ourselves."

Qi Xia took the "bao" and placed it on the "Feng Huang Xian Shu Tai", earning a point.

Total: ten points.

"It's still early," Qi Xia said. "No matter what 'zi' we lost, it doesn't matter. 'Zi' can't be stored in the 'Bei Zhan Qu' anyway; they'll have to bring them out eventually. So, don't worry—we just need to create more 'zi' than them in the final minute to win."

Chen Jun Nan thought for a moment and asked, "Lao Qi, are two 'bao' considered 'zi'?"

"Even if they are, how would you pronounce them?" Qi Xia said. "I just tried with my fist, and guessing the wrong pronunciation deducts points."

"This..."

"Don't worry," Qi Xia said. "Now we know exactly what 'zi' Yan Zhi Chun has. She left a 'shi' and took the 'shuai'. Next time we see her, we can figure out a way to take the 'zi' from her."

Chen Jun Nan slowly rubbed his forehead: "Lao Qi... I really am not cut out for thinking."

"Oh?" Qi Xia looked at him. "So?"