I was caught off guard by his question and stood there stunned. I had never considered that I might have to pay, and I also didn't have much money. Now that everyone was here, wouldn't it be embarrassing for me if they found out I didn't have enough?
But facing Dirk's intense presence, I didn't dare to say anything. All I hoped for now was that he'd help me deal with this situation. If he could just send Charles and the others away, that would be enough to save my face.
"You, planning to buy me off with a cigarette?" Dirk's tone turned colder as he looked at me. I quickly shook my head.
"Well... Dirk, I mean... I..." I stammered, unable to find the right words. Looking at the Cigarettes in my hand, I felt too embarrassed to suggest that giving him a smoke would be enough to appease him.
I also reached into my pocket and found a few hundred dollars. It was the living expenses my uncle had given me. But if I used this money now, how could I face my uncle?
Sophie approached me and whispered, "Even though you're Danny's nephew, you can't just break the unwritten rules of this world. You can't expect to ask for help without offering something in return."
In an instant, I felt incredibly uncomfortable, almost as if I had been played all over again. I had never anticipated that my uncle's influence wouldn't be enough and that seeking Dirk's help would require money.
"Oh, I didn't realize that at first..." A mixture of emotions surged within me. It was as if my pride had been stomped on.
No, I had to call my uncle!I quickly dialed his number, relieved when he answered. If he didn't pick up, I'd be in serious trouble.
"Uncle, it's Jim. I'm at the gambling den, and there are people here threatening me. Please come and help me!"
"What? What the hell are you telling me? People at the gambling den are after you? What's going on?" Hearing my uncle's concerned tone, I felt a glimmer of hope. After all, family could be relied upon in times like these, when no one else could be trusted.
I recounted the situation in detail but intentionally avoided mentioning that I had provoked them. Instead, I made it sound like I had been cornered by the school's boss and his gang. I knew my uncle wouldn't help me if he knew I wanted Dirk to intervene.
"Alright, give the phone to Dirk. I'll talk to him." My uncle's words calmed me completely. After passing the phone to Dirk, I stood there obediently.
I wasn't sure what my uncle and Dirk had discussed, but from Dirk's cheerful demeanor and his reassurances, it seemed things were sorted out. He kept saying things like "No problem" and mentioned our relationship, saying that if I was Danny's nephew, then I was like a nephew to him too. Honestly, my heart felt warm.
Even though my uncle had been unreliable in the past, he had never let me down in critical moments. When I saw him again, I'd definitely express my gratitude. After all, he was my real uncle, and blood was thicker than water.
Dirk handed the phone back to me, his smile intact, and continued to smoke without saying a word. Just then, a head poked in through the entrance of the gambling den. It was Bill, the skinny monkey. He looked around but didn't enter immediately. Finally, his gaze landed on me.
I arrogantly flipped him off, making sure he saw Dirk behind me. Even if they were given a hundred and twenty guts, they wouldn't dare touch me!
True to form, Bill quickly retreated. I felt inexplicably pleased with myself. I silently thanked my uncle in my heart. From now on, who at school would dare to lay a finger on me? However, I was generally low-key and didn't like showing off.
Dirk glanced out the window and then turned to me, asking, "Those guys at the door, are they here for you?"
"Yeah! That's them!" I nodded emphatically, hoping they wouldn't be scared off. Tonight, I needed to show them who was in control. Opportunities to act tough like this were rare!
"So why are you just standing there? Go out quickly. When kids fight, they should do it away from here. Don't cause a ruckus in my place. Otherwise, I won't be able to conduct my business."
"Hold on, Dirk! Didn't we just agree...?"
Dirk casually replied, "Of course, your uncle just told me that if I help you, it'll lead to a falling out between us."
Seeing that Dirk wasn't joking, I was taken aback. I never expected this outcome. In an instant, I felt like a stampede of a million grass-mud horses ran over my heart, trampling it into pieces.
What surprised me even more was that my uncle had once again deceived me. Timing-wise, he was so consistent. He chose this crucial moment to play a trick on me. It was as if he was signing my death warrant.
"Dirk, can I pay instead?" I asked in a hushed voice. I was willing to eat dirt for the next half month if necessary. After all, I was stuck with such a bastard for an uncle. While protecting one's family was common, it was much rarer for family members to stab each other in the back.
"It's too late. Why didn't you act sooner? If you'd spoken up earlier, I would have handled it. But now that your uncle has spoken, I won't help. No one here will help you."
Dirk's words made me shiver with anger. Sophie consoled me, "We all know Danny's temper. Don't say anything. Just hurry and leave through the back door."
In that moment, I felt an indescribable sense of injustice and embarrassment. I had never expected things to turn out this way, nor had I anticipated that my uncle would manipulate me so ruthlessly. He didn't care about my feelings at all. I hated him immensely!
Following Sophie, I walked step by step toward the back door. It felt like everyone was watching me, everyone was laughing at me behind my back. I felt so uncomfortable, and I silently vowed to myself that I wouldn't allow myself to be in such a sorry state again. I would never let anyone control me like this in the future.
Leaving the back door with my head hung low, tears streamed down my face. I felt a deep sense of injustice and complexity in my heart. I had never felt so embarrassed before. I felt like a dog...