Chapter 56 Playing Cards?

That's amazing!

Fino and Kaka looked at each other in bewilderment.

Gazzetta dello Sport is getting more and more outrageous; they can interpret a simple video of someone playfully scratching an itch like this!

Fortunately, both Kaka's comment section and the comment section of Gazzetta dello Sport were full of jokes, and no one took the bait.

“I bet there are already reporters staking out outside…” Fino said helplessly.

Kaka went up to the second floor with a "thump thump thump" sound. Looking out from the second-floor balcony, she saw reporters, and quite a few of them.

Seeing Kaka walk down dejectedly, Fino knew he had guessed correctly.

"There's no way to go to the supermarket to shop like this. Whatever you have at home, just grab something to eat," Fino said, shrugging.

Kaka was somewhat unwilling; this was Fino's "compensation" for him. He had originally planned to have a big meal, but now it had all been ruined by the reporters lying in wait.

Just then, Kaka's phone rang; it was Nesta calling.

“Ciao, Sandro.”

"Ciao, Ricardo. Is Finney at your house?"

Kaka thought Nesta had come to confront him, and he broke down shouting, "The Gazzetta dello Sport is talking nonsense! Fini and I were just joking around!"

“Who asked you that? I’m not stupid.” Nesta chuckled. “Dinner includes two more people. Andrea and I are going to eat too!”

Kaka was initially reluctant; this was Fino's "compensation" for him. Why should Nesta and Pirlo have to come and freeload?

But then a brilliant idea struck him: he could have Nesta and the others go and make the purchases!

“Oh, that’s great, but we don’t have enough ingredients. You’ll have to go to the supermarket first. Finney will send you the shopping list in a bit.”

"no problem!"

After hanging up the phone, Kaka turned to Fino and smiled smugly: "Solved! Sandro and the others will deliver it to our door."

Fino gave him a thumbs up.

When Nesta and Pirlo arrived at Kaka's house after shopping, they were greeted by reporters waiting outside the door.

While waiting for Kaká to open the gate, reporters frantically banged on the car windows, hoping they would roll down the windows for an interview.

"Pirlo, what do you think of Kaká and Cabrini's 'two-player game'?"

"Nesta, are you guys joining in too? Is this a 'four-person date'?"

Will any other teammates come? Will they invite pretty models? Is this a party?

...

Nesta felt completely overwhelmed. Kaka hadn't mentioned any reporters blocking the entrance, had he?

The moment the gate opened automatically, Nesta slammed on the gas and sped inside, with Pirlo's car right behind him.

Nesta breathed a sigh of relief as he got out of the car, seeing the gate slowly close and blocking the reporters' view.

Fino and Kaká were standing not far away waiting for them. Nesta's expression of escaping death was so funny that Fino and Kaká both laughed.

Fino's laughter was more restrained, but Kaka's was much more exaggerated; his body trembled violently, and he could only lean on Fino's shoulder to maintain his balance.

Nesta was furious. He strode over and slapped Kaká on the back several times.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch! Sandro, be gentle!" Kaka grimaced in pain; Nesta's grip was too strong.

Nesta still feels a chill run down his spine when he recalls being surrounded by reporters. "If I had known there were reporters outside, I wouldn't have come."

"If you hadn't come, we wouldn't have had a big meal tonight." Kaka flashed his pearly white teeth, his smile radiant.

"Why are you getting more and more mischievous?" Nesta reached out and ruffled Kaka's hair, making a mess of it.

Just then, Pirlo came over carrying the groceries, and Fino immediately stepped forward to help him with the weight.

Pirlo avoided Fino's outstretched hand: "Heavy."

He placed the items in his hands directly into Kaka's arms, and Kaka hurriedly and clumsily caught them.

Pirlo gave Kaká a "you just wait" look. He knew he would teach Kaká a lesson sooner or later. What to do when the kid is too naughty? A beating will do the trick.

While preparing dinner, the four of them had different tasks, but everything was done in an orderly manner. Fino was in charge of Chinese food, Pirlo was in charge of Italian food, Nesta baked pizza, and Kaka would also prepare a Brazilian barbecue.

The four of them were busy chatting when Kaka suddenly remembered something.

"Should we call Pippo over? He was the only one missing from the last Chinese food team."

Fino paused for a moment while picking vegetables, then continued.

“Sure, this will give Pippo a taste of what it’s like to be cornered by reporters asking about a ‘four-person date’,” Nesta said eagerly.

But Pirlo dismissed their idea: "If you dare to invite Pippo, the tabloids will change 'a date of four' to 'a date of five in part,' do you believe it or not?"

Kaka and Nesta shuddered, shook off the goosebumps, and gave up on the idea.

Dinner was sumptuous, a feast Kaka had been dreaming of. In addition to the originally planned Chinese dishes, Pirlo's Italian cuisine was surprisingly excellent, earning Kaka a thumbs-up.

After dinner, it was still early, so the four of them decided to find something to do to pass the time.

Playing video games is out of the question. Fino and Kaka are far inferior to Nesta and Pirlo; they would be completely outmatched. Besides, video games can only be played by two people.

They decided to play a card game, and Kaka found a deck of cards.

In Italy, there is a popular card game called "Braco," in which four people are divided into two teams to compete against each other.

Nesta and Pirlo both played very well, Kaká had played a few times and understood the rules, while Fino had absolutely no idea how to play.

Ideally, Nesta and Pirlo should each lead a rookie, so that the two teams can be evenly matched.

After a draw, Nesta and Kaká were paired together, and Pirlo and Fino were paired together.

Nesta initially thought he and Kaká had it in the bag, since Fino was a complete novice while Kaká had played a few times before. However, the actual gameplay was quite different. Fino quickly grasped the rules, gradually got the hang of it, and cooperated very well with Pirlo, while Kaká was constantly holding them back.

Nesta seemed to dislike Kaká and kept saying he wanted to switch teammates with Pirlo, but Pirlo firmly refused.

What a joke! It seems like all of Kaka's cleverness has been absorbed by football and pranks. He's a complete idiot in every game now. I don't want to be in a group with Kaka.

Kaka looked innocent, feeling rejected. He also wanted to be in a group with Fino because Fino never looked down on him.

Nesta and Pirlo's bickering went on and on, making the game completely unplayable.

Fino suddenly remembered a Chinese card game called "510K", which is a single-player, point-based game where four people can compete against each other, and it's more fun to play.

Fino then suggested playing "510K" and explained the rules.

This game is point-based. You'll have time to develop your points in the beginning, accumulating points in each round. Once the first-place player's score exceeds 150 points, the punishment will be activated: a turtle will be drawn on their face.

A turtle requires seven strokes to draw: the torso, head, tail, and limbs. After the first player accumulates 150 points, the player with the lowest score in each round will have a stroke drawn on their face. The game can end when someone finishes drawing a turtle and start over, or the player can continue drawing a second, a third, and so on.

This punishment method is so interesting; Kaka, Nesta, and Pirlo are all very interested.

“Don’t reset it, keep drawing it, and see how many turtles will be on Richie’s face in the end!” Nesta laughed.

Kaka retorted defiantly, "This is the first time any of the three of us have played this game. We're not sure who will lose the worst!"

"How about we raise the stakes a bit higher and take a picture of the final result and post it on social media?" Pirlo suggested with ill intent.

Kaka and Nesta both nodded in agreement.

Fino had no objection; after all, he wouldn't be the one to be embarrassed, and if the three of them wanted to be embarrassed, he would let them have their way.

In "510K", 5 represents 5 points, 10 and K each represent 10 points, and a deck of cards has a total of 100 points. In a game, the first person to run out of cards gets an extra 20 points, the last person gets an extra 20 points, and the second and third place players receive no points. If someone is particularly lucky, the penalty might be triggered at the end of the second round. However, this is rare; it usually takes four or five rounds for someone to accumulate 150 points.

In the fifth game, Fino was the first to break 150 points, while Nesta was ranked the lowest, with his score already in the negative.

Kaka drew an oval on Nesta's face to represent the body of a turtle, then proudly pulled out his phone, turned on the camera, and showed Nesta what he looked like.

Seeing Kaka's smug smile, Nesta was speechless: "Ritchie, you only have 20 more points than me, what's there to be so proud of?"

"20 points isn't even the lowest score," Kaka chuckled.

After the next game, Kaka was behind, and Nesta personally drew a turtle shell on him as well.

Kaka doesn't laugh.

If the points keep accumulating and never being reset, the gap between the top and bottom place will widen. By midnight, Fino and Pirlo's faces were still clean, while Kaka and Nesta's faces already had several turtles on them.

Fino was yawning from exhaustion. According to his schedule, he should have been asleep by now, but Kaka and Nesta, those two noobs, were already engrossed in the game, both trying to outdo each other in having fewer turtles on their faces and refusing to end the game.

Unbeknownst to the four, the reporters staking out the door were still there, growing increasingly excited as time went on. It was already past midnight, and Kaka's house was still brightly lit. What on earth were the four of them up to? The reporters waiting outside scratched their heads in bewilderment.

Netizens also started speculating – indeed, every now and then, Gazzetta dello Sport posts a social media update on Kaká's family situation, accompanied by suggestive captions.

Netizens are now joking that the four of them are having an inpart at Kaka's house!

[Rational discussion: What are these four grown men doing staying out so late at night?]

I can't be rational; my mind is filled with images that Jinjiang (a Chinese online literature platform) wouldn't allow.

Perhaps, playing cards?

[Which type of card game are you referring to, the one upstairs?]

It's the kind of card game where you "bang bang bang" (a loud, rhythmic sound).

Every card game involves "clapping" or "slapping" sounds! Be more specific.

[To be more specific, this chapter will be locked in red.]

...

It was three in the morning, and the online public opinion was becoming increasingly outrageous, even alarming Maldini.

Maldini went online for a look, then his vision went black, and he immediately called Kaká.

At this moment, Pirlo was drawing the fifth turtle leg on Nesta's face, Kaka was smiling broadly beside him, and Fino's eyelids opened and closed repeatedly.

"Ciao, Paul, what's up?"

What are you four doing right now?

"They're playing cards!"

"What time is it? Still playing cards? End it now, then post on social media to clarify the online comments!"

"Beep beep..." Maldini hung up the phone!

Kaka glanced at the clock and realized it was already past 3 a.m. Time really flies.

After logging into his social media account, he suffered his second social media attack during the holiday.