Chuck Foster and Kenny Jones nodded, agreeing with Isaac.
Hazel blushed, and she hurriedly said, "Actually..."
"You just hit the jackpot! Isaac, what do you want from me?" Joshua grabbed Hazel's slender waist and gave her a gentle pinch.
Hazel was speechless, and Joshua purposely wanted them to misunderstand.
"It's nothing," Kenny said truthfully. "We need a last player for the poker game."
Hazel had no idea, she had thought that they were looking for Joshua regarding business.
"But since Hazel is here, you can go," Isaac said as he began to push Joshua toward the door.
"Well, we haven't played Texas Hold'em with our sister-in-law yet," Chuck suggested. "Why don't we let her play? She gets what she wins, and Joshua will pay if she loses."
Hazel said, somewhat embarrassed, "But I can't..."
"Really?" Several people looked at her. "You can't play Texas Hold'em? Then what do you do on vacation?"
"My family seldom had the chance to be fully reunited," Hazel said.
Her parents were always very busy because of their occupations as a doctor and a policewoman. This year they had a lot of free time, which was rare, but her brother was busy.
"Then I'll play two rounds for you and teach you how to play," Joshua suggested, taking Hazel and sitting down at the table. "When you master the rules, you'll play."
Isaac said, "It seems that Master Joshua is offering some pocket money to us for the Christmas vacation. I'll thank you first."
"Why are you so cheeky?" Joshua frowned.
"Of course, I am." Isaac laughed.
"Joshua, I really can't," Hazel whispered in an uneasy voice.
"It doesn't matter." Joshua whispered, "As long as we have fun, it doesn't matter whether we win or lose."
"You are happy only when you win, right?" Hazel murmured.
"Uh?" Joshua looked at her.
"Nothing." Hazel quickly waved her hand. "Don't blame me if I lose."
"Sure." Joshua agreed with a smile.
They all sat down around the table to play, the first two rounds were played slowly. Isaac, Kenny, and Chuck all cooperated while Joshua carefully explained the rules to Hazel, she listened and kept all of it in mind.
"Hazel should master it." Isaac urged, "Joshua, you need to disappear now. We can't let you win like this."
"That's it." The other two echoed.
Joshua gave up the position to Hazel, who was still a little nervous. They weren't just playing a friendly game of cards, each round including betting a large amount of money.
"Hazel, you can rest assured that I will give you the best cards." Isaac wanted to attract her attention again.
Hazel sighed, as it seemed that they were planning to go easy on her. She took a deep breath and felt a lot less pressure.
The three of them did plan to go easy on her, but Hazel got a card and turned to Joshua, he looked surprised.
"Dear sister-in-law, you still do not know how to play?" Kenny asked.
Isaac said, "Master Joshua will be quick to help..."
"She doesn't need my help." Joshua interrupted and calmly showed Hazel's cards. "Straight Flush."
"What the f.u.c.k?" The three of them looked at Hazel's cards in disbelief. "In God's name, how did you manage to get these cards?"
"Beginner's luck?" Hazel was flabbergasted.
"Come again." The three of them said, "We won't go easy on you this time."
Hazel won the next few rounds as well, they all looked at Hazel in a stupor, they could not comprehend how she was winning.
"Hazel, did you lie about your skill?" Kenny said, somewhat depressed.
"It's not like you can't play cards!"
"She is really a beginner," Joshua said lightly.
He sat next to Hazel, and naturally, he could see clearly. Hazel still understood the rules at first, but then she got better and better at the game.
"The luck of the sister-in-law is phenomenal." Kenny sighed.
"She's really lucky." Joshua said, "But more importantly, she's very good at calculating. You all looked down on her."
Hazel's cheeks were red. She didn't expect that Joshua saw through her.
"I think you must have played some secret trick!" Isaac looked at Joshua.
"Do you think I need to do that?" Joshua frowned, "Just to win that little bit of money?"
"Little money?" Isaac instantly exploded. He took something out of his pocket and threw it on the table, "Come on, I don't believe it. Try betting on that!"
"Master Isaac is really great," Kenny said with a smile.
Hazel glanced at the table in amazement. Isaac took out a key ring.
She could not help guessing, "Is this keyring really expensive?"
"Beat him." Joshua smiled lightly, "Convince him that you can win."
Hazel nodded.
However, her luck seemed to continue, and she won again. Isaac didn't care much and threw the keyring directly to Hazel.
"Take it, it's yours now!" He snarled.
Hazel picked it up, wondering why Isaac was irritable about losing a key ring. It turned out it was not just any key ring, there was a key for a sports car attached.
"No way!" Her hands shook, "You should take it back. I didn't know it was a car key..."
"That's what you won, so you just take it and go ahead," Joshua said calmly.
"If I remember correctly, you have your driver's license?"
"Yes..." Hazel still hesitated.
"Hazel, don't cause me any more pain." Isaac said, "A good gambler knows to accept loss or victory. I accept my defeat. Now you take it."
Joshua already put the car keys in Hazel's hands. She looked at the key in her hand and was shaking from all of the emotions she felt. Hazel looked at Joshua and said, "I need to go to the bathroom. You play now."
"Good." Joshua nodded.
Hazel went to the bathroom, turned on the tap, and washed her face. The more she thought about it, the weirder things felt. It was almost too easy to win the key, but the more mysterious aspect of the whole situation was that Joshua easily got jealous before, and this time he didn't.