One million, two million, three million...
On the way back to the Cooking Room, Meari was happily counting her money.
According to the rules set earlier, Ruribird Nadeshiko had not balanced the scales, so she had to give Meari one million.
Adding the six million won from the final gamble, even after deducting the money she lost to Ruribird and the money she borrowed from Kurume, Meari still made a net profit of 4.8 million from this gamble!
She hit the jackpot!
This amount of money was more than enough to buy a dormitory room, or even to stay in the school's hotel like Ayanokoji.
"We're back!"
Meari pushed open the door of the Cooking Room with a beaming smile and glanced inside.
It seemed the gambling here was over. Ibuki Jotaro and the Dealers had all left. Only Ayanokoji and Hanatemari remained in the room.
The two of them were sitting at opposite ends of a table, seemingly discussing something.
Meari asked curiously, "Why are only the two of you sitting here? Have all the challengers left? What was the gambling result?"
"Oh, I've already won on my side. You've come at a good time."
Ayanokoji replied casually, his expression natural as he glanced at Meari and Kurume Laiwei, who had just entered behind her, and said in a calm tone, "Tell me, where did you two go? I was just asking Hanatemari about your whereabouts."
Meari felt guilty upon hearing this, her eyes darting around as she feigned ignorance, "Kurume and I just went out to play, we didn't go anywhere special..."
Ayanokoji interrupted her, "Don't hide it. You went gambling, didn't you? Did you win or lose?"
Seeing Ayanokoji expose her lie with a single sentence, Meari's expression became awkward.
Hanatemari Kazura walked up to Meari, lowered her head, and whispered, "Meari, I'm sorry, I just told Ayanokoji your information..."
Meari suddenly understood. No wonder Hanatemari was alone with Ayanokoji in this room. So he was asking about her whereabouts...
"It's okay, I don't mind. After all, Ayanokoji asked you, and I don't blame you." Meari hadn't expected Hanatemari to keep it a secret for long anyway. She smiled and ruffled Hanatemari's hair.
What I'm sorry for isn't just this...
Hanatemari apologized to Meari internally, then looked up with a shy smile and whispered, "Meari, you two chat. I need to go help next door. Togakushi is waiting for my help."
She seemed embarrassed to face Meari, so she lowered her head and quickly scurried out of the room.
What on earth did Ayanokoji tell Hanatemari?
In Meari's mind, this question only lingered for a moment before she quickly dismissed it.
She went to Ayanokoji's side, placed all the money she had won on the table, rested her chin on her hands, and said happily with a radiant smile, "I also won 4.8 million this time! It looks like we both have good luck today!"
Meari looked expectant, seemingly waiting for Ayanokoji's praise.
"This is all thanks to Kurume! If she hadn't helped me connect, I wouldn't have won so much!" Meari didn't forget to give Kurume credit.
"Don't thank me, this is your own money," Kurume pouted. She wasn't so shameless as to claim credit for herself.
Meari didn't know, but she knew very well.
She had originally intended for Meari to lose money and drag her down, which was why she had let her gamble with Ruribird Nadeshiko. She hadn't expected Meari to earn so much in one go, which was far from what she had initially predicted.
However, she had at least achieved one goal—making Ruribird Nadeshiko suffer a huge loss.
She hoped this crushing defeat would teach Ruribird Nadeshiko a lesson and make her less conceited.
Kurume still felt like laughing when she thought of Ruribird Nadeshiko's reluctant expression as she pulled out the money. Kurume had even specifically taken a photo of that expression, a mix of grievance and unwillingness, almost on the verge of tears.
Whenever she got smug again, she would put that photo in front of her to mock her.
This was "good sisters."
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka looked at Meari with some surprise, winning 4.8 million in a single gamble.
This was her best record so far; although this money was nothing to Ayanokoji, for Meari, it was an unimaginably huge sum.
No wonder she had been grinning happily ever since she returned to the Cooking Room.
Seeing the money Meari placed on the table, Ayanokoji swallowed the "lecture" he originally intended to give.
When someone wins money, no matter how reasonable your words are, the other party will not listen to you at all, only treating it as wind through their ears.
Even Meari was the same; lecturing her at this moment might even backfire.
Only when she experienced a crushing defeat might she be able to listen to advice.
Now Ayanokoji Kiyotaka no longer thought of advising her, but instead showed an approving smile.
"As expected of Meari, well done, you did great!"
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka did not stint on his praise, and just as Meari was getting embarrassed by the compliments, Ayanokoji suddenly asked, "Tell me, how did you win?"
"Why even ask, of course it was..."
Kurume Laiwei rolled her eyes and was about to start recounting Meari's all-in gamble, when Meari quickly interrupted, "Of course it was me, with a sure grasp of victory, steadily and surely, seeking victory in stability, using my superb gambling skills to win it very easily!"
She had been with Ayanokoji for over a month, and of course she knew Ayanokoji disliked borrowing money to gamble. She didn't want Ayanokoji to know that she had borrowed money to gamble after losing disastrously, and then made a miraculous comeback while heavily indebted.
Meari wanted to gloss over it, but didn't Ayanokoji understand her?
If Meari truly had a sure grasp of victory as she claimed, she would definitely be talking at length, eager to vividly describe the process of her winning the gamble to Ayanokoji, instead of trying to cover it up nervously like this.
Ayanokoji tapped the table in front of him and slowly asked, "Alright, Meari, let's not say such empty words that none of us believe. Tell me, how many times did you lose before you won?"
Meari looked at Kurume Laiwei with pleading eyes, hoping she would speak up for her.
Kurume did help her.
Kurume affectionately pushed Meari's shoulder, guiding her to sit in front of Ayanokoji, a joyful smile on her face.
"Alright, since Ayanokoji asked you, then sit down and tell him slowly. Don't worry, if there's anything you can't remember clearly, I'll be sure to correct you..."
Meari didn't expect to be "stabbed in the back" by her good sister, and her face showed despair...
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