Chapter 334: Chapter 332: Invincible [2nd Update]
Hudson watched as Maya was taken away, and immediately went after her, chuckling mischievously, "Third Brother, get your funds ready, Third Sister-in-law is going to spread some wealth."
"I’ll go check it out." Lucas, overhearing the mention of spreading wealth, lit up with interest. His timing was perfect to join the mahjong table.
"We can take turns playing with Maya." Asher also dashed off.
Liam, seeing Xavier standing there not moving, hands in his pockets, suspiciously eyed him and asked, "You’re being so kind? Not taking the chance to make a killing?"
"I’ll go prepare the funds with Elijah." With that, Xavier also left.
Left alone, Liam bit his lower lip, raised his right hand, waggled his index finger, unsure whom to point at, and then stuck his hand back in his pocket, smirking as he muttered to himself, "Who ends up spreading wealth is still undecided."
In the game room, Maya eyed the not-so-well-intentioned group, half-squinting as she sized them up, then blankly asked, "How do you play mahjong?"
"Sweetheart, let me tell you, mahjong is a profound and extensive discipline. The basic rules, in simpler terms, involve grouping into AAA, ABC, then pairing with a BB combination to win. It can be mixed or pure groups."
"To chow, a player can only chow from the previous player, three cards together like 4, 5, can chow 3, 6."
"For a pung, if you have two identical tiles, you can make a pung, regardless of who discards it."
"A kong requires four identical tiles. You can self-draw a kong; if you have three and someone discards one, you can also make a kong."
"To win, you need at least a pair, and others can be sequences or pungs."
"Sweetheart, do you understand?"
"Christopher, you’re amazing, so clear and concise, you could start a tutorial course." After Christopher explained the rules, Maya looked like an adoring fan, clapping and giving a thumbs up.
Maya’s praise made Christopher very pleased, flicking his hair confidently, he said, "Sweetheart, you’re flattering me."
"I think I got it, let’s start!" Maya was eagerly anticipating to play.
The group saw Maya’s eagerness to play mahjong, exchanged knowing glances that today they’d squeeze a win out of Liam, then promptly sat down to start the official game.
At the mahjong table, Maya’s pace of drawing and discarding tiles was not fast, but very cautious, and the men were quite patient.
At this moment, Christopher chuckled, saying, "Sweetheart, no rush, take your time, we’re waiting for you."
After saying this, Christopher discarded a 30,000 tile.
Seeing the tile, Hudson quickly said, "I’ll chow."
At this, Maya raised her head, looked around at the three, and cautiously asked, "Can I pung?"
"Yes, of course you can." Hudson quickly handed over his 30,000 tile.
"Thank you, Hudson."
"Pfft!" Maya’s gratitude drew laughter from Christopher and Lucas.
Hudson? Such an innocent and naive name, how could it possibly suit the cunning and sly Hudson, known for his ruthless streak among the brothers.
"Third Sister-in-law, don’t call me that! Hudson sounds so wimpy, how can the Sixth Young Master Moore be called such a girly name?" Hudson was embarrassed through and through.
"Hudson the Fool would be more fitting." Christopher teased mischievously.
"Bam!" Hudson unabashedly kicked someone and threw out a 2-barrel tile.
"I think I’ve won." Maya picked up the 2-barrel tile Hudson had discarded, her mouth curled into a proud smile.
"Sister-in-law, a great start, your luck is pretty good!" Lucas complimented.
"I admit, I admit!" Maya was modest, but inside, she was overjoyed.
"Sweetheart, how’s that, I taught you well, letting you start with a win, but I won’t be so lenient later!" Christopher stretched his arms, looking like he was ready to be serious.
"Bring it on." Maya’s momentum was not weak.
However, after two rounds and eight sets, Christopher, Hudson, and Lucas hadn’t won a single hand, all thwarted by Maya’s cautious play.
At this moment, Christopher tightly clutched an 8-bamboo in his hand, staring at Maya across the table, asking, "Sweetheart, you wouldn’t be on the verge of winning again, right?"
Maya furrowed her brow, examined her own tiles, and slowly replied, "Pretty much, I’m listening for a win."
"Brothers, should I discard this 8-bamboo?" Christopher looked left and right, seeking opinions from Lucas and Hudson.
"8-bamboo, I think Third Sister-in-law just needs this tile." Hudson, appearing calculating and crafty.
"Then I’ll discard the 5-bamboo." With a ’whoosh,’ Christopher changed his tile.
"Sorry Fifth Master Scott, you’ve given me what I need!" Maya laughed as she laid her tiles out.
"Hudson, you idiot, I shouldn’t have listened to you, you’re as dumb as a pig." Christopher cursed as he threw the mahjong tile at Hudson’s head.
"Third Sister-in-law’s a rookie, lucky streak, can’t blame me." Hudson felt so wronged he was about to cry.
"Sister-in-law, your luck is just too good." Lucas, unwilling to admit that the three of them weren’t as sharp as Maya, could only blame her streak.
"Miss Hanson has some pretty great skills!"
"Yeah, for a first time, playing this well, really impressive."
By the end of the first round, the game room was already crowded with spectators, causing Christopher and Hudson to end up fighting among themselves, as it was embarrassing that the three big guys hadn’t won a single hand.
Moreover, their skills weren’t that bad, considered unbeatable everywhere, aside from Liam and Xavier winning against them, Maya became the third.
Listening to the spectators’ praises, Maya laughed secretly to herself.
Though it was her first real mahjong match, she’d played on the computer for a long time, always winning every match. At first, she wasn’t used to it, so her moves were slow, but once she got the hang of it, she practically crushed these men.
Don’t think she didn’t notice them exchanging looks in the lobby earlier, hoping she’d lose. Once at the table, who wins isn’t necessarily decided.
"Boss, you’re here, quick, quick, quick, take over for a few rounds for me. Sweetheart’s luck is too good, after nine hands we’re still waiting to win, only you can save face for us now." Christopher, seeing Xavier arrive, immediately stepped aside, giving up his seat.
"Maya, you’re this good?" Xavier, half-disbelieving, stared at Maya.
"It’s all because Christopher and the others were going easy on me," Maya called it secretly making a fortune.
"I won’t go easy on you." By now, Xavier had already taken his seat at the table, while Christopher sat aside to watch.
As the mahjong table shuffled the tiles, Christopher suddenly rallied the spectators: "Come on, come on, everyone gather around, we’re starting the bets now, I’m betting on Young Master Graham to win this round."
Christopher’s antics made the game room’s atmosphere more lively.
"I’ll bet on Miss Hanson."
"I’ll bet on Sixth Young Master Moore."
"I’ll bet on Second Young Master Shaw."
Instantly, Christopher had turned the mahjong game into a ’gambling match.’ Beside him on the coffee table were the personal items of the four players, each with their bets in each player’s designated area.
Based on the record from the previous nine undefeated rounds, Maya’s bets temporarily held the lead.