After he finished speaking, the gamblers around him who were watching the excitement also echoed him in hushed tones, nodding in agreement, and their gazes toward Ginger became more scrutinizing and filled with a kind of ambiguous eagerness.
After all, the title of "Canary" on this ship was, to some extent, a symbol of status.
The awkwardness was quickly and perfectly concealed by Ginger's superb professionalism; she swiftly adjusted her facial expression.
She put on an even more charming and alluring smile, and even leaned forward, her body almost touching Draco's arm.
Taking advantage of the opportunity offered by the fat man, Ginger successfully closed the distance between them, as if the previous incident had never happened.
"Look at what you're saying," Ginger said coquettishly, giving the fat man a sidelong glance before her eyes returned to Draco. Her voice was even softer than before, carrying just the right amount of grievance.
"It's nothing to call me a celebrity or not. It's just that my friends are giving me face. This gentleman looks unfamiliar, so it's probably his first time here. It's normal that he doesn't recognize me." As she spoke, her gaze swept over the $10,000 chip in Draco's hand.
Ginger was clearly very confident in her assets; she believed that no normal man could resist such a visual impact.
"A beautiful woman by the card table can bring good luck, you know. I wonder if you would do me the honor of playing a game with me?" She launched a new, even more blatant offensive.
Draco did indeed follow her movement, his gaze sliding from her face to the exposed expanse of white scenery.
But his eyes were calm.
"Your perfume is too strong," Draco said, wiping his nose. "I have rhinitis, and I can't stand it. Could you please sit somewhere else? Or stand a little further away?"
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.
Ginger's alluring smile froze instantly, then cracked little by little, and the tenderness in her eyes vanished in an instant.
Unexpectedly, her proud appearance and carefully cultivated charm became an annoying burden in front of this man with rhinitis, leaving Ginger at a loss.
Her cheeks flushed a burning red, her fingers curled involuntarily, and her eyes churned with shame, anger, and embarrassment.
Constrained by the stares of the many guests present, Ginger had no choice but to force herself to maintain her last shred of dignity, remaining frozen in place.
Neither advancing nor retreating is an option.
The guests exchanged bewildered glances, then realized what was happening. They pursed their lips, their shoulders trembling as they suppressed their laughter, and lowered their heads, some staring at the gambling table, others at their wine glasses.
She was afraid of meeting Ginger's gaze, which would only make her more embarrassed.
Some people covered their mouths, their shoulders twitching as they secretly chuckled, while others deliberately coughed a few times to cover up the awkward atmosphere.
The dramatic contrast in this scene is simply too strong.
A stunning beauty, the center of attention at the cruise ship casino, threw herself at him, engaging in extremely seductive acts, only to be asked to leave by this man using the excuse of having rhinitis...
This is a hundred times more hurtful than simply saying "I'm not interested in you."
Lack of interest might be a ploy to win someone over, or it might be feigned aloofness, but rhinitis equates Ginger's charm with a physical discomfort, an odor that needs to be eliminated.
Everyone present secretly wondered, sizing up Draco and thinking: Is this young master some kind of Liuxia Hui? It's truly rare to find someone so beautiful offering themselves up without being tempted.
For a moment, no one in the room stepped forward to smooth things over.
Ginger could feel countless gazes fixed on her; it was an utter humiliation. However, she couldn't afford to give up, as a complete breakdown in relations wouldn't benefit anyone.
So she could only suppress the shame and anger surging within her, stiffly straightening up, covering her neckline which had almost revealed her private parts, and then creating some distance.
He turned and quickly retreated to the bar in the corner of the casino, finding a dimly lit and relatively secluded spot to sit down.
Her gaze remained fixed on Draco, her eyes filled with resentment, but he seemed completely unaffected.
Ginger had never been so disheveled in her entire life.
In the casino on this cruise ship, striking up a conversation is always a sure thing, but today I've been tricked by a stubborn, black-haired young man who appeared out of nowhere!
Seeing Draco's nonchalant demeanor, Ginger's resentment grew stronger. She gulped down her red wine.
He stared at Draco with a sinister look, cursing inwardly:
"Stop pretending to be so high and mighty. Just wait and see. I'll make sure you lose all your chips, then we'll see how you act all high and mighty. Then... hmph..."
She seemed to imagine Draco losing all his chips.
"What's wrong with me..." Ginger pressed her icy hand against her burning cheek, a glimmer of clarity returning to her resentful eyes. She said, "He's just a man with a bit of money... Is it worth me losing my temper like this?"
Just now, she was indeed too impatient.
The man's disdain for the title of "Canary" ignited her competitive spirit, so she habitually used her most direct and skillful methods: seduction with her beauty and figure.
But I never expected to run into rhinitis.
Moreover, in order to stand out in the noisy casino, her perfume was indeed a bit stronger than usual today.
As for that sequined dress that deliberately accentuated her figure... perhaps it seemed too cheap in the other person's eyes?
Yes, that must be it.
It wasn't that her charm had lost its power, but rather that she chose the wrong weapon and used the wrong dosage. Perhaps the other person didn't appreciate overt beauty, but rather admired understated elegance, or something else entirely?
With this thought, Ginger's inner turmoil dissipated considerably, and her eyes regained their resolve. She refused to believe that she couldn't win over this man with her own methods. This setback was just a minor incident; she would adjust her strategy, and there would always be a time when she could move his heart.
Thinking of this, Ginger put down his empty wine glass, completely suppressing all the out-of-control emotions on his face, and put on a seemingly calm mask that actually concealed a turbulent inner turmoil.
Then he walked towards his room.
The dealer extended a third invitation to the crowd. "Texas Hold'em, capped at $2,000 per round, is still one player short. Interested guests, please take a seat."
Perhaps drawn by Ginger's earlier interruption, or perhaps because the table was finally full and ready to start, a man wearing glasses hesitated for a moment before slowly walking over and sitting in the far right seat.
Now, all six of them are finally together.
The standard table Texas Hold'em game can begin.
The group, who had been somewhat bored, suddenly perked up.
The gamblers who had been watching the excitement from outside the table also moved closer, waiting for the game to begin. The slightly awkward atmosphere brought by Ginger was largely dispelled by the upcoming game.