After Justin left to stall them, I cracked a bag of biscuits, walked to the front of the village, and sat down on the stone bench where the village women gathered to gossip.

Within an hour, I had Buck's whole operation figured out.

"Buck Lansing is a real actor. He runs around with a bunch of thugs, targeting young men who come back from working in the city. A few drinks in, and he's already figured out how much they made all year.

"All those people watching the games? Every single one of them is his.

"A whole year of hard work, gone in one night. What a sin.

"My son came back this year. I grabbed him by the ear and didn't let him go out.

"Same here. My husband and son handed all their money to me before coming home, just in case they got targeted.

"I wonder which unlucky fool walked into it this year. Last year, the Hsu family's boy sold his old house to pay off his debt."

…

Listening to all this, I would not help feeling uneasy.

"This is basically gambling, isn't it? Aren't they afraid someone will call the police?"

The woman next to me shot me a look.

"Girl, you really are naive. The police? See those people posted along the road outside the village? Lookouts. The moment a police car shows up, they get word immediately. There's nothing left to catch.

"And even if they did catch something, who would admit it? Losing money is one thing, getting arrested means jail."

After hearing all that, my heart sank.

At the same time, I understood…

This year, Justin was the target.

From the very beginning, when Buck came to our house drinking and eating, he had been fishing for information, trying to figure out how much we made.

That old b*stard.

By the time I had what I needed, it was getting dark.

Justin still was not back. I left the child with my mother-in-law, grabbed what I needed, and headed straight to Buck's place.

Calling it his house was generous. It used to be a grain storage shed.

Now it had been turned into a gambling den.

When I went in, Justin was already red-eyed from losing, shouting:

"I still have money! Our family in Cratertown…"

"Justin!"

I cut him off immediately. He stopped mid-sentence.

When he saw me, he froze. Only then did he remember what I had told him before he left.

Buck chuckled when he saw me.

"Well, if it isn't the nephew's wife. Women shouldn't be coming in here. Let the men have their fun."

"Yeah, Mae. Justin finally got a chance to relax, let him enjoy it."

"Don't kill the mood."

The condescension was obvious.

I did not waste time. I walked over, pulled Justin out of his seat, and sat down in his place.

"Uncle Buck, I'm your nephew's wife. You've been so focused on Justin, but you don't know, I enjoy this too."

I gave him a look and tapped the table.

"Come on, I'll play a few rounds. We've been working hard all year. Can't we relax a little?

"How do you play? Tell me the rules."

I rolled up my sleeve, revealing the jade bracelet on my wrist. Bright green. Buck's eyes immediately locked onto it.

"Don't joke around. You know how to play?"

"You underestimate me, Uncle Buck. Ask Justin, he learned from me."

Justin quickly backed me up.

"Yeah! Mae's right! She loves this stuff. Back in Cratertown, she'd go play mahjong every afternoon and wouldn't come back until dinner!"

Buck laughed.

"Fine. But we play for money here. If you don't have any–"

I showed him my account balance. His eyes lit up.

"Alright then, Mae, join us.

"Come on, shuffle.

"I'll tell you, we're playing Three-Card Brag.

"Three of a kind is highest, then straight flush, then straight, then pair."

Once the rules were clear, I was ready.

"Let's start."

Now I would see exactly how they cheated right under my nose.

I had Justin stand right behind my chair, half because I needed eyes on the room, half so the watchers had to pick a side of the table to crowd.

A woman alone in there was meat.

Buck did not say anything. He glanced at the man across from him, his fingers moving fast over the deck.

My head was running.

He dealt three to me. I tucked them in, lifted a corner. I had what I needed.

"First time playing with us, niece. Easy on the bets."

"It's nothing. I can afford a little fun."

I let myself look careless. He grinned. He laid down a pair.

I opened mine. Predictably, I lost.

Buck chuckled. "Mae, maybe ease into it."

"Uncle Buck, you really don't think I can play?"

I pulled a stack of bills out of my coat and put them on the table.

"I told you, I have money. I'm just here for fun."

Buck sat up. "All right, then. We play for real."

I made my face look greedy. The room around us went serious at the same time.

So the gossip had been right. Everyone around me was on his side.

No matter what I was dealt, Buck already knew what was coming. By the third hand, I had lost a thousand.

Justin shifted uneasily. "Babe, maybe…"

I cut him off. "Sit down. You blew thirty thousand last night and that was fine. I want my turn."

"In Cratertown, they call me the Queen of Cards.

"That's right, Mae!" someone next to me chimed in. "Women can hold up half the sky!"

I laughed and pulled Justin down into the chair beside me. My eyes stayed locked on Buck.

Fourth hand.

I checked my cards. A two of spades. The other two were also spades. This one was steady.

"Uncle Buck, show."

Buck's mouth twitched. He revealed his cards–two twos. He grinned, cigarette between his teeth, convinced he had already won.

I turned over my second card, three of spades.

His expression changed instantly. His eyes flicked past me, toward someone behind me.

I stayed calm. "Last card, Uncle."

Buck frowned. He flipped his final card.

A ripple of noise went through the room. It was just a pair.

"Sorry, Uncle. Looks like my luck's turned."

I laid down my third card.

"Spades two-three-four. Straight flush."

I pulled the money toward me and looked at Buck, deliberately provocative.

That one hand wiped out my earlier losses.

"Again."

This time, Buck straightened up.

Fifth hand.

He flipped his first card and glanced sideways again.

The man behind me made a small gesture. Buck's fingers twitched in response.

So that was how they were doing it.

I glanced at the backs of my cards, then at his. I understood.

"This time, we play big. Uncle, one hand to settle everything. Dare?"

"Niece, don't regret it."

"I came to win back that thirty thousand. No regrets."

"Raise."

He looked down on me. One win, and I was already going all in, clearly overconfident.

He followed.

I smiled. I did not rush to reveal my cards. I brushed my thumb across them, then flipped the first.

King of hearts.

I carefully peeked at the second, just a sliver.

My heart sank.

I pressed it back down onto the table.

"What's wrong, niece? Lost your nerve?"

He grew more arrogant.

"I told you, this isn't a game for women like you. Go home and make buns.

"Mae, stay out of it. You've overplayed your hand."

Justin was getting anxious. "You ridiculous woman, you're–"

He moved to grab the cards, but the others stopped him.

Buck's face darkened. "Justin, you're family, but rules are rules."

Justin flushed red.

I held him down. "Relax. It's not decided yet."

"Uncle Buck, this hand counts."

"Of course."

I smiled slightly, then flipped the last card.

"Three kings. Trips."

"Impossible!"