She retorted sarcastically, her tone not at all appropriate for a subordinate addressing a superior. The man gave Callie a few more glances.
“Go get two boxes of chips and bring them over,” Nelson said, signaling Callie to follow.
He walked quickly, and Callie tugged at his coat, a bit scared. “Are we really going to play?”
Seeing her frightened expression, Nelson found it amusing and spoke softly, “No need to worry here.”
The game in the private room had already started. Chips were piled up in front of several people waiting for the dealer to deal the cards. Their casual demeanor suggested they were either rich second-generation heirs or some big leaders.
One of them, with sharp eyes, recognized Nelson in the dim light and immediately stood up. “Nelson, what brings you here today?”
Everyone looked over. The man had his hands behind his back and a barely noticeable smile on his lips. “Does your father know you’re having fun here?”
“I’ve been abroad for years, always thinking about your place. Can’t I play a few games to satisfy my itch?” The young man, likely a young master from some family, was of a lower generation compared to Nelson.
Nelson patted his shoulder. “Come ride horses at my place someday. Let me see how fit you are.”
The young man agreed, then noticed Callie and joked, “Is this your new assistant? Why is she wearing a mask?”
In the midst of the hazy lights, Nelson turned slightly. “Nash Blair.”
Callie quickly understood. “Mr. Blair, hello. I’m wearing a mask because I have a bit of an allergy on my face, not convenient to show.”
Nash seemed to understand but didn’t care much. “Nelson, do you want to play? I’ll give you my seat.”
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone started cheering. They were all young and knew the weight this man carried; none dared show disrespect.
Nelson didn’t refuse and sat in Nash’s seat. “I’ll play a couple of games.”
“Sure!”
“Get Mr. Oconnor some coffee.”
Fortunately, Callie had memorized Nelson’s preferences from last time. She turned and instructed the waiter, “Get a cup of cappuccino latte for Mr. Oconnor.”
“Studying abroad these past few years must have been tough,” Nelson said casually as he played a card, asking Nash beside him.
“Yeah, my dad wouldn’t let me come back, saying he wanted me to settle abroad. But I didn’t want to; I think Ylosea is better,” Nash complained irritably while staring at his cards.
“Your father means well.” The person across played a King, and Nelson followed. “How’s his health lately? He didn’t seem to attend this year’s economic forum.”
“His health is okay; he’s just always talking about stepping down. After so many years as a leader, I guess he’s tired.” Nash spoke with a hint of pride.
“When it’s time to step down, he should step down. The situation changes too quickly; your stepmother could easily get into trouble.”
“Speaking of which, she went to meet someone without permission a few days ago. When she came back, my dad slapped her twice. It scared me so much I didn’t dare say anything.” Nash seemed to trust Nelson or perhaps felt he wasn’t revealing anything significant.
The waiter brought the coffee. Callie took it and handed it to Nelson, but the light was too dim. As she withdrew her hand, she stumbled, spilling the coffee on her hand, which quickly turned red.
Nelson squinted slightly and said in a calm tone, “Go take care of it.”
Callie apologized and quickly retreated, running to the restroom to rinse with cold water.
Inside the private room, Nelson played two rounds and won both. Nash enjoyed watching him play and urged him to play a few more rounds. However, Nelson had already stopped and instructed the waiter, “Divide these two boxes of chips among yourselves and have fun tonight.”