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

Malán wept like a child before Seventh Uncle, filling me with apprehension. After all, she was his daughter; having beaten her so severely, I anticipated his retribution.

Trembling, I stammered, "She struck me first; I'm injured too…"

My voice trailed off, a profound sense of humiliation washing over me. I was the victim, yet I felt utterly defeated.

Seventh Uncle, enraged, flung the documents to the floor, his voice laced with fury: "Children! Fighting! Humph…"

His words stung my conscience. My reaction had been impulsive, childish; I'd allowed Malán to goad me into irrationality.

Malán hung her head, her sobs barely audible. Màqíng strode towards me, delivering a stinging slap. "You dare hit my sister? Who do you think you are?" she spat.

I cradled my cheek, absorbing her fury. Before I could respond, Malán intervened, shoving Màqíng away with force. "You hit my man? Did you ask me first?" she roared.

Màqíng frowned, a hint of exasperation in her expression. "Sister, has she addled your brain?"

Malán's anger flared. "My man, only I may strike him. Get lost, and stop pretending to be virtuous; I know you're secretly gloating."

Her fists clenched, her beautiful face contorted with rage. Her gaze locked onto mine, and I felt a strange thrill despite her ire.

"Enough! This is utter chaos! Why? Why are you fighting?" Seventh Uncle thundered.

Guilt gnawed at both of us, a secret we couldn't reveal. Malán said, "Dad, I just felt like fighting; I need money, lend me some…"

Seventh Uncle trembled with indignation. Malán was infuriating; even I found her childish outburst unreasonable. Yet, he refrained from further reprimand, inquiring instead, "How much?"

"Father, the company's finances have only just stabilized; we don't have funds to squander," Màqíng protested.

Malán's anger escalated. "It's a loan, not a gift! All those years of university were wasted? Your overseas education didn't even teach you the meaning of 'borrow'?"

Màqíng bristled, but before she could retort, Seventh Uncle intervened: "How much do you need?"

"Eighty million…"

The sum stunned Seventh Uncle speechless. After a protracted silence, he finally spoke: "Eighty million? Humph, even my life savings don't amount to that. You're a businesswoman; with your ambition, you wouldn't be fazed by my refusal."

Malán's anger surged. "Father, it's a loan! I'll use my property and sports car as collateral. I just bought them; they're worth forty-five million; I'll pledge forty million."

Seventh Uncle waved a dismissive hand. "Go to the bank; I don't have that kind of money…"

Before Malán could respond, Seventh Uncle rose abruptly. "What have you done that requires so much money?"

His words pierced us both, leaving us acutely uncomfortable. I watched Malán, silently pleading for her not to reveal our secret; the half-slab of jade must remain hidden, or our efforts would be undone.

"If you won't lend it, forget it. I'll find a way. I'm leaving…" Malán declared hastily, departing without further ado.

I hesitated, but Seventh Uncle stopped me. He approached, his gaze fixed on me. "Zhào Fēi, your handling of the Shòuhóu matter was exemplary. Chén Xī also recommended you to join the Mǎ Gang. Although the gang is defunct, I still aspire to its revival. I consider you a talent, someone dependable and composed. I intended to invite you back when we celebrate Guāhuājiē in Dǎlà Cūn, but now… you've struck my daughter…"

I swallowed hard, surprised by his high regard and his ambition for a resurgence of the Mǎ Gang.

"I'm sorry, Seventh Uncle. My young mistress is rather…"

"Humph, however unruly she is, she's still a woman. As a man, how could you strike her? Let me tell you, Zhào Fēi, regardless of her flaws, I am the one to discipline her. Give me face, and tolerate her, will you?" Seventh Uncle's tone was firm.

My brow beaded with sweat. What could I say?

"I'm sorry, Seventh Uncle. I understand."

Seventh Uncle waved a hand. "What's the meaning of eighty million? Why does she suddenly need it?"

Panic seized me. This secret couldn't be revealed. "Seventh Uncle, the jadeite public auction is a month away. We need substantial capital to participate. And, as you know, the young mistress also enjoys gambling on jade…"

"The auction…" Seventh Uncle murmured.

Màqíng's voice cut through the air, sharp and cold. "Is it truly for the auction? Or something else?"

Her tone was laced with suspicion, making me uneasy. Suddenly, I recognized that familiar scent again. "Miss Mà, your perfume is quite unique; it's identical to a perfume worn by a woman I know, a waitress."

Màqíng bristled. "I wear Guerlain, a royal fragrance, purchased abroad. Your waitress friend may have exquisite taste, but perhaps she bought a counterfeit."

Women are fiercely protective of their perfumes; it's a matter of pride. No woman wants to admit to sharing a fragrance with someone of lesser status, not even a refined woman like Màqíng. In their hearts, all women believe themselves unique.

Màqíng's perfume was distinctive; I'd never encountered it before, except on Sāng Líng. This meant Sāng Líng knew Màqíng, and recently. Her lack of surprise at the eighty-million request, and her earlier skepticism towards me, fueled my suspicions. She knew something…

I smiled faintly. "Perhaps. Seventh Uncle, I must be going…"

I retreated, my mind racing. Downstairs, I found Malán and Wáng Guì smoking. Upon seeing me, Malán crushed her cigarette, her expression sour. "Zhào Fēi, I'll mortgage the villa and sell the sports car. I'll find a way to transfer the remaining funds to you. Later…"

I grasped her hand. "Later, just be gentler. I'll handle this. You just wait…"

I pushed her away, my tone assertive, and entered the car. Wáng Guì and Zhào Kuí looked stunned, quickly following. "Find Guāng Gē…"

The car sped off, leaving Malán standing there, seemingly taken aback by my bluntness. I chuckled; Malán was indeed childlike, and I'd been swept up in her irrationality. Yet, such a woman was preferable to someone like Sāng Líng, a thousand times over.

Our car pulled up to Qián Guāng's bar. As I stepped out, several brothers with bandaged heads greeted me. I simply nodded and entered. The interior was crowded with more injured men.

Something was amiss. Qián Guāng's establishment was clearly not at peace.

In his office, Qián Guāng was cleaning a long knife with gauze. Seeing me, he held it up, examining the blade. I smiled. "Guāng Gē, what's up? About to use that?"

Qián Guāng sheathed the knife, wiping his hands. He looked at me, asking, "Another fight?"

I shrugged. "With Malán. Nothing serious…"

Qián Guāng sighed. "I fought too. With Chén Xī."

My brow furrowed. "Guāng Gē, why? It makes no sense."

"I agree. We had an agreement: Shòuhóu dies, Ruìlì Dàshìjiè goes to him, the remaining territories to me. But when my men went to take over, Chén Xī's men refused, claiming the territory as theirs. A fight ensued. My men reported seeing Shòuhóu's men among them…"

I frowned. "Perhaps Chén Xī absorbed Shòuhóu's men, bolstering his forces. He may not have declared war, but his actions speak louder than words. We can't report this to Seventh Uncle; it's an internal conflict. Chén Xī is cunning; he used Shòuhóu's remnants against us. He's the biggest winner."

Qián Guāng nodded. "Now Chén Xī controls all of Shòuhóu's territory, manpower, and wealth. He's become immensely powerful. I can't handle him alone, especially with Seventh Uncle keeping me in check. Tell me, what should I do?"

I smiled. "Guāng Gē, money solves most problems. We should focus on making money."

Qián Guāng laughed, clapping me on the shoulder. "You're still level-headed, unlike Zhùzi, who wants me to retaliate…"

I glanced at Zhùzi, who glared at me resentfully. I smiled, then turned serious. "Guāng Gē, my jade was stolen. Eighty million is gone."

Qián Guāng's face darkened. He pointed at me. "How careless! Don't you know the auction is imminent? All the preparations… and you lose the jade now?"

I nodded. "Guāng Gē, I'll get it back…"

My tone was confident. I had a suspicion about who was responsible…

A/N

Heyy, you reading, thanks for reading this far please don't stop, support me in any way that youcan. Your reviews, your comments, your criticism, all of it, l would appreciate them. l love you.

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