King of Gamblers: Growing from a Student to a Jade King

In the small wooden house, Xuanling tenderly cleaned my wounds with warm water. Outside, I could still hear Wang Gui cursing at the two brothers who had been tailing us. They were still there, but due to the mountainous terrain, the phone signal was lost.

Xuanling's tears hadn't yet dried, and the water in the basin had turned red repeatedly as she washed my wounds. Afterward, she carried the basin out of the room.

Zeng Hong glanced around. The house was built in the traditional stilt style, with wooden walls and a lot of dust. Even the scent of sandalwood couldn't mask the damp, musty odor in the air. The room contained only a bed and a desk, on which a row of books sat—Xuanling's bedroom and study combined.

Compared to Zeng Hong's expectations, this place seemed like a poor shack in a slum. Yet, Zeng Hong said nothing. She simply looked around, uneasy, as if afraid to make a wrong move and cause me to misunderstand her.

I hadn't shared what had happened with Xuanling. I only asked why she had suddenly returned home. Xuanling explained that her sister was getting married, and so she had come back. Her phone and ID had been stolen, so she had planned to take a taxi, but then she met Huahua, who was headed toward the Lancang River for leisure and offered to give her a ride. Thus, she ended up in Huahua's car and returned home.

I felt helpless. Huahua was indeed a formidable woman. Everything had been her trap, carefully orchestrated. From the phone and ID theft to the smallest details, she had planned it all out. She hadn't intended to harm Xuanling—she was simply playing me.

She deliberately made it so Xuanling couldn't contact me, creating the illusion that Xuanling had been kidnapped. Through words and silence, Huahua had used her tactics to unsettle me, step by step, until I lost my composure. Unable to contact Xuanling, I had no choice but to believe she had been abducted by Huahua. In reality, Xuanling had only taken Huahua's car to attend her sister's wedding.

It was all so simple, and yet I had complicated the matter. My deep concern for Xuanling had led me into Huahua's trap. But I didn't regret it; as long as Xuanling was safe, that was all that mattered.

Xuanling returned with a piece of gauze, wrapping it around my head. She asked gently, "Tell me, okay?"

Hearing the rasp in her voice broke my heart. I had made her worry. I held her hand and replied, "On the way here, I was approached by some people asking for cigarettes. I'm not the groom, so I didn't give any. They got upset and started fighting. It's nothing. When I'm your groom, I'll give them all the cigarettes they want."

Xuanling didn't believe me. Her tears were still welling up in her eyes, but she didn't press further. At that moment, an elderly couple entered. They were in their sixties, wearing traditional Yao clothing, and they greeted me warmly. Xuanling introduced them as her parents. I politely greeted them, and they, too, showed great care, asking if I needed to go to the hospital. I reassured them that I would be fine with some rest.

Later, the elderly couple prepared three rooms. They gave Zeng Hong and Xuanling one, while I took another, and the remaining brothers shared the last room. They had already set up the bedding, explaining that the dowry, including gifts of cattle, sheep, chickens, and ducks, had been sent by Xuanling's sister's husband. Originally, they had planned to take the items back when visiting her, but since I had arrived, they allowed me to use them first.

Life in the mountains was harsh. Having worked away from home for years, the family had few possessions. Even a blanket felt like a rare treasure. Although Baoshan didn't experience winter, the mountains still remained chilly, and the nights were damp and cold.

Once the rooms were ready, Xuanling made a meal for us. Because her sister's marriage had brought an abundance of gifts, the table was filled with rich dishes—beef, lamb, chicken, and duck. As we sat at the table, Wang Gui and Zhao Kui were in no mood to eat, their tempers worsened by the scolding their subordinates had received. Nobody reached for their chopsticks.

I said, "Come, everyone, let's eat..."

Only then did the two subordinates begin to eat, though Wang Gui muttered, "Damn it, how can they still have the face to eat?"

I replied, "Enough, it's in the past. Let's eat. Don't waste it—this is the local wild game."

I took a bite, and I must admit, Xuanling's cooking was excellent. The others followed suit, eating without further protest. Zeng Hong, however, seemed picky, carefully selecting what she would eat. I didn't scold her—it was natural for her not to be used to it, given her background as a young lady.

I said, "Thank you, Zeng Hong..."

She seemed surprised by my words but quickly responded, "It's nothing. Your matters are my matters. We're friends, after all."

Xuanling, watching our exchange, gave a helpless smile. She knew nothing of what had been said, so she appeared somewhat naïve, her face showing signs of anxiety and discomfort. Suddenly, Zeng Hong took Xuanling's hand and said, "Xuanling, everything I've done to you before—it was my fault. I'm sorry. Can you forgive me? Can we be friends from now on?"

Xuanling was a little taken aback, pulling her hand away but nodding without saying anything. The atmosphere became awkward, but I said nothing, quickly finishing my meal. I was exhausted. After the anxiety and fear, my nerves needed some rest to recover.

Xuanling began tidying up, and I could hear the sound of washing from outside. The environment here was hard to imagine. Having lived in big cities for so long, it was difficult to fathom that such a place still existed.

There was no internet, no phone, no TV—only a dim light flickering, casting long shadows. The air was thick with the scent of dampness, but it was also filled with the rustic charm of the countryside.

Zeng Hong remained in my room, sitting silently. She glanced at me, then took off her shoes and climbed into my bed, a note of complaint in her voice as she choked out, "I want to stay in your room. This one is too dilapidated. The other room is full of dirt. I don't want to go in there."

I knew Zeng Hong had been holding back for a long time. She had refrained from voicing her discomfort to avoid seeming overly picky, but as time wore on, she could no longer suppress her feelings. When it was almost bedtime, she finally spoke her mind.

I smiled and said, "Alright, you can stay."

I covered her with clean blankets and felt her cold hand. She pouted and snuggled into my embrace, seeking warmth. But I recoiled slightly—it was Xuanling's home, and I didn't want to get too close to Zeng Hong. While I had forgiven her and felt grateful, it didn't mean I had accepted her fully.

"I'm so cold…" Zeng Hong murmured.

Her words were soft and heartwarming. I relented, pulling my hand back and letting her lie down, her body pressing against mine. It felt warm, almost suffocating.

"This place is so hard. Do you really want to be with Xuanling? Do you really want to live here for the rest of your life?" Zeng Hong's voice was gentle. "I don't mean to belittle Xuanling, but life here is so difficult. I know you want to change it, but it won't be easy. The burden on your shoulders will crush you, Zhao Fei. Sometimes, it's not wrong or shameful to consider the material conditions. People naturally seek better places, don't they?"

I smiled, standing up and tucking her back into the bed. "The bed's warm now. Sleep. You've had a hard day."

As I tucked her in, she grasped my hand, her eyes filled with unshed tears, not wanting me to leave. I touched her forehead, then tucked her hand back under the covers. "Sleep, don't think too much."

I walked out, finding Xuanling sitting by the well. She had already finished washing the dishes, but she remained there, unmoving. I approached her, hearing two faint coughs from the cowshed. Looking over, I saw Xuanling's parents sleeping in the cowshed. Seeing this stirred something in me, and I almost wanted to cry. For the sake of making room for us, they had given up their own bed. They were so kind-hearted. I choked up, realizing how deeply Xuanling's goodness ran, and that her parents must be equally kind.

I walked over and squatted in front of Xuanling, taking her icy hand in mine. She cupped my face, and the coldness of her touch pierced through me. Tears welled up in her eyes again, and her face showed an expression of quiet grievance.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Xuanling asked through her tears.

I smiled and wiped away her tears. "When I see you, it doesn't hurt anymore