Everyone held their breath, watching as the female croupier slowly lifted the dice cup. The numbers of the three dice beneath it were revealed under everyone's gaze.
"1, 1, 3! I guessed right again!" Chen Hao shouted, raising his arms in triumph.
The people surrounding the table couldn't help but let out exclamations of surprise, then cast envious and jealous glances at Chen Hao. Those sitting on either side of Chen Hao also laughed heartily and congratulated him.
Chen Hao first couldn't help but laugh foolishly in excitement, thinking that now he could repay the money he owed Xie Xiaofeng's family. Then, pretending to be calm, he suppressed his smile and kept his eyes on the dumbstruck female croupier. He slowly stood up, complaining, "Looks like tonight's supper needs an extra youtiao, and also a century egg! You, you, your heart's too wicked, always trying to fatten me up!"
The croupier looked at Chen Hao, her face flushed and at a loss for words. If it hadn't been for the ten thousand Yuan tip Chen Hao had given her, she would have been even more on the verge of tears.
Chen Hao took fifty thousand Yuan from the mountain of cash in front of him, shoved it into his trouser pocket, then raised his hand to signal to a nearby casino attendant, "Pack up these six hundred thousand for me, and make it quick. My girlfriend is waiting for me to take her out for supper."
Two attendants nodded blankly and then made their way through the crowded room to Chen Hao's side, quickly stuffing the six hundred thousand Yuan on the table into a black duffel bag.
"Handsome, you're not playing anymore?" asked a chubby middle-aged man sitting next to Chen Hao.
"No time today. I'll come back another day when I'm free!"
The fat man pursed his lips in disappointment and lamented, "I was planning to bet on the next round by following your lead. Why are you leaving now!"
At that moment, the attendant reverently presented the bag stuffed with six hundred thousand Yuan in cash to Chen Hao. Chen Hao reached out with composure, but his body still shuddered slightly as he took hold of the bag's handle.
"Truly deserving of six hundred thousand! It's so heavy!" Chen Hao exclaimed inwardly.
Leaving the gambling table, Chen Hao immediately carried the heavy bag out of the underground casino as if he were flying. According to the scenarios he had seen in movies and novels, after winning money in an underground casino, this would be when the casino's behind-the-scenes boss would send some thugs to reclaim the winnings.
As Chen Hao stepped out the door of the casino, he saw two men in suits and sunglasses following him out, and some shady figures lurking in the alleys on both sides of the street. Fortunately, a taxi was conveniently stopped at the door of the casino, and Chen Hao quickly ran towards it.
It wasn't until the taxi had gone a distance away that Chen Hao finally let out a sigh of relief. He clutched the bag containing the six hundred thousand tightly to his chest, his eyes drifting towards the world lit by neon lights outside the window, alternating between foolish smiles and a dazed expression. Twenty minutes later, Chen Hao arrived at Xie Xiaofeng's house.
Standing in front of Xie Xiaofeng's gate, he banged on the door rudely with his fist, like a debt collector. Soon after, the door was opened, and it was Xie Da who answered.
Seeing it was Chen Hao, the initially angry expression on Xie Da's face instantly shifted to surprise, and he asked with a furrowed brow, "Haozi, what's going on? Why are you here so late to see Grandpa?"
"Old fox!" Chen Hao first cursed Xie Da, then tossed the heavy bag in front of him and said coldly, "Here's six hundred thousand Yuan. From now on, our family no longer owes your family any money!"
"You!" Full of confusion, Xie Da said, "Haozi, where did you get so much money? And Grandfather Xie didn't say..."
Before Xie Da could finish, Chen Hao burst out, "None of your damn business, old fox! Are you surprised and disappointed that my family can repay this debt, so you can no longer step on us? Let me tell you, old fox, our Chen Family will one day live better than your Xie Family!"
After finishing, Chen Hao stretched out his hand and demanded, "Give me back that original IOU signed by my grandfather!"
"Haozi, ah!" Xie Da's face turned gloomy, his wrinkles squeezing together, making them look crumpled. "There must be some misunderstanding here. Grandfather Xie never intended to press your family for money!"
"Bullshit! Stop your pretense, old fox!" Chen Hao spat out, "After seeing what your precious grandson did, you still have the face to say it's a misunderstanding? Never mind the IOU. The money's paid, and my conscience is clear. If someone from your family dares to harass mine again, watch me set your house on fire!"
Having said that, Chen Hao turned and strode away.
"Hey, Hao! Hao!" Xie Da followed Chen Hao out the door, trying to persuade him to stay, but Chen Hao walked too fast. Xie Da, being older, could only watch helplessly as Chen Hao's figure grew more distant until it vanished into the night.
After returning home, Xie Da went straight to Xie Xiaofeng's room, holding the bag of money Chen Hao had left behind and knocked on the door.
When Xie Xiaofeng opened the door and saw Xie Da standing in front of him with a grim face, he asked somewhat guiltily, "Grandpa, were you looking for me?"
Xie Da threw the bag onto the floor with anger, gasping for breath he asked, "Didn't I tell you to find Hao this morning, to tell him that the six hundred thousand he owed our family didn't need to be repaid? And to give him the IOU. Why did he just come over to repay the money and also call me an old fox? What on earth is going on? And where is that bank card with two hundred thousand on it that I asked you to give him?"
"Chen Hao really repaid the entire six hundred thousand?" Xie Xiaofeng's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Hmph!" Xie Da snorted angrily and raised his hand to slap Xie Xiaofeng across the face. Without needing Xie Xiaofeng to say more, his reaction alone told Xie Da that Xie Xiaofeng had demanded the money from Chen Hao.
Xie Xiaofeng was stunned, realizing things had escalated. Before he could explain to Xie Da, another slap landed on his handsome face.
"You good-for-nothing! The centuries-old friendship between the Chen Family and the Xie Family has been destroyed by you!"
Xie Xiaofeng glared at Xie Da, grinding his teeth with a resentful expression. Seeing his obstinate look, Xie Da grew even angrier. After coughing twice, he slapped Xie Xiaofeng's face yet again.
Not until Xie Xiaofeng's mouth was bleeding did Xie Da stop. He kicked Xie Xiaofeng hard and roared, "Call your father, mother, and your younger brother to the living room. We're having a family meeting!"
...
After returning the money to Xie Da, Chen Hao got back to his home around nine at night. Walking up to the fifth floor with a spring in his step, he reached out to knock on Ye Yuqiao's door. Oddly, Ye Yuqiao's door was not locked, and it swung open with a light touch from his fingers.
Upon entering, Ye Yuqiao was sitting emotionlessly on the sofa. Chen Hao walked over and sat down beside her, smiling as he took her hand and excitedly asked, "Why didn't you lock the door?"
"You were the one who left without locking it!" Ye Yuqiao explained.
"Oh!" Chen Hao laughed sheepishly, then leaned in closer to Ye Yuqiao's ear and excitedly said, "Let me tell you something, I've already paid off the entire six hundred thousand I owed to the Xie family."
Then, Chen Hao described his experience at the casino to Ye Yuqiao. Although he told the story with dramatic flair, Ye Yuqiao listened calmly, neither excited nor impatient.
After he finished, seeing that Ye Yuqiao merely gave a nonchalant "Oh" without any reaction, Chen Hao laughed awkwardly, then laughed again awkwardly until he felt truly foolish and stopped smiling.
You could at least pretend to be very happy for my sake. I look so stupid otherwise, Chen Hao thought.
After a brief silence, Chen Hao continued, "Although I've paid off the debt to the Xie family, I still need to work and earn money. So I'll have to rely on you. Only when you get work can I, as your assistant, make some income."
"Haven't you found a better and faster way to make money? Going to the casino seems to be a quick win. Being my assistant is so tough and terrible, isn't it?" Ye Yuqiao looked at Chen Hao and questioned.
Chen Hao glanced coldly at Ye Yuqiao and said, "Are those the same? Living off gambling is a delusional hope for unearned gain, and what I did was still cheating. Money earned through one's own labor, no matter how little or tiring it is, can be spent with a clear conscience. I've said before, there are many things in this world more important than money. If it hadn't been for dire necessity, I wouldn't have set foot in a casino. Ever since I woke up from that car accident, I've sworn to make myself better, to make Grandpa proud of me, you understand?"
Hearing Chen Hao say this, Ye Yuqiao was taken aback. The man she saw as lacking ambition suddenly speaking these words forced her to see him in a new light. After a moment, she came back to her senses, turned her head toward Chen Hao, and gave him a genuinely sweet smile.
"You look really beautiful when you smile!" Chen Hao was mesmerized by Ye Yuqiao's sudden radiant smile.