ease the relationship

The atmosphere was incredibly awkward. I kept apologizing to Charles incessantly. I hadn't meant to spray him just now. Fortunately, he didn't say much, though his expression was somewhat embarrassed.

Truth be told, I knew that if it weren't for his concern about my acquaintance with Dirk, he would have definitely thrown a punch right then and there. I wouldn't have been able to hold back either, especially in front of a few girls. A man's pride is his most crucial asset, after all.

Monica and Shirley were both laughing, but I could clearly sense them gritting their teeth in secret. I had no idea what I had done to offend them. Then I looked at Sonia, who was standing there with her arms crossed, as if just here to enjoy the spectacle.

Seeing Sonia, I had a feeling in my gut that something was amiss. There was an underlying plot, for sure. Why else would they be wearing those ambiguous smiles as they looked at me? Could it be that the incident at the hotel had come to light?

"Jim! Heard you still don't have a girlfriend?" Shirley looked at me with that sly smile. In an instant, I broke into a cold sweat. This dinner was anything but easy.

I quietly swallowed and refrained from speaking. I had no clue what she was implying. If she wanted to settle a score, today was going to be a rough day. Honestly, I hadn't really done anything significant – just some harmless teasing…

"Definitely not. Jim just transferred here recently. Shirley, want to introduce someone to him?" Bill chimed in, shamelessly currying favor. But he was immediately met with a fierce glare from Shirley that silenced him. He dared not speak again.

The atmosphere grew incredibly quiet. The contrast between the liveliness elsewhere and the stillness here was stark, almost as if time had frozen.

"What about you, do you have a girlfriend?" Shirley's smile seemed to be carved from gritted teeth as she looked at me, her voice seemingly squeezed through clenched jaws. I felt a chilling sensation throughout my body. What had I done to attract this lady's attention?

"No, I don't…" Honestly, my palms were sweaty. Shirley's words seemed to hold more meaning than met the ear. Everyone was acting so out of character today. It was strange.

"Jim, have some wine and try this grilled tripe. Let's see how it tastes at this place." Bill poured wine and handed me some skewers, all while being the perfect brown-noser.

My uncle used to say that dragons give birth to dragons and phoenixes give birth to phoenixes, but a mouse's son knows how to dig a hole. I felt like Bill had inherited a skill from his deputy director father, always ready to flatter, and always impeccable about it.

Everyone's eyes were locked on me. I had no idea what was going on. It felt like there was some underlying matter at play.

Suddenly, my phone rang, its eerie ring startling everyone. I had no idea why the ringtone had changed on its own, but it was a lifesaver in this situation.

Glancing at my phone, I saw it was my uncle calling. I felt a certain helplessness, but I walked aside and discreetly hung up the call. I then pretended to be on a call, occasionally stealing glances to eavesdrop. I wasn't sure what they were discussing, but it seemed like they were all looking at me.

A sense of impending doom gnawed at me. After some dawdling, I returned to my seat and picked up a skewer, pretending to nonchalantly speak, "Dirk just called me. He wanted me to hang out tonight, but I told him I had other plans."

Saying that, I smoothly changed the topic without a word. Charles handed me a cigarette and even lit it for me, behaving as respectfully as one could imagine. Adrian was there with a cheerful smile as well. I sensed they were definitely up to something.

"Jim, who would've thought you're Dirk's brother. Don't take what I did before to heart." Charles seemed genuinely relieved. It seemed he was afraid I might cause trouble for him.

Adrian and Bill also seemed cautious, as if they were afraid Dirk might come after them. It finally dawned on me why they invited me to dinner today and even brought along Shirley and her group – they wanted to discuss this matter!

I waved my hand dismissively and said, "No worries, After all, we're all from the same school. It's better not to let things escalate and strain our relationships.."

The atmosphere suddenly lightened up. Charles and the others seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. They kept toasting me, and even Shirley and Monica didn't bother me any further. It appeared their question about having a girlfriend was just a smokescreen.

But I noticed something subtle in Shirley's gaze. It was oddly gentle yet intimidating. When she looked at me, it was as if she were staring at a little lamb. I deliberately avoided meeting her eyes, as staring would only make me feel more uneasy.

"It's no wonder you're so skilled at playing poker. Did you learn it all from Dirk?" Monica curiously asked, while everyone looked at me. I nodded gently.

From Monica's tone, it seemed like she knew Dirk. If her family indeed had some connections, that wouldn't be surprising. But if she found out the truth, I would be the laughingstock, wouldn't I? How could I survive in school after that?

"Actually, Dirk doesn't want me to mention his name at school. He doesn't want me to pick up bad habits. But he does occasionally take me to the Casino." I deliberately threw a smoke bomb, so even if Monica actually met Dirk someday, she wouldn't find any inconsistencies in my story.

I couldn't help but admire myself. I had never thought the card-playing techniques my uncle taught me would come in handy like this. Dirk ran a gambling den, so it was natural for him to know some tricks of the trade. Teaching me a few tricks was probably quite normal for him!

Shirley patted my shoulder and chuckled, "No wonder you play cards like a gambling deity. You've hidden it so well! If Charles hadn't mentioned seeing you at the Casino, who knows how long you could have fooled us."