"What are you doing? Let go of our brother Qiang!"
Two enforcers shouted as they ran down the corridor, but Xiao Ming didn't even look at them, his knife-wielding hand started moving, jabbing the tip of the blade between Liu Jianqiang's outstretched fingers.
"This game is very simple, don't struggle, and you can call it quits anytime within five minutes.
If I injure you, or if you last more than five minutes, I'll immediately return two hundred thousand to you.
But if you call it quits before time's up, our debt is settled. How about that?"
While talking, Xiao Ming didn't stop his actions, and the speed was gradually increasing, the 'tick tick tick tick' sound seemed to be hammering directly onto Liu Jianqiang's heart.
He swallowed his saliva with a tough yet fearful tone, "Kid, you're courting death! Let me go now, and I can pretend nothing happened."
Xiao Ming wore a smile, said nothing, but his hand movements became faster and faster.
"Brother Qiang..."
"Don't come over!"
Liu Jianqiang stopped his underlings behind him and watched the watermelon knife blade between his fingers start to blur, his heart leaping to his throat, sweat rolling down his forehead.
Tick tick tick tick...
A minute passed, and he could no longer see where the knife was; it felt like four knives were at any moment going to chop off all five of his fingers.
Most crucially, Xiao Ming had been staring at his face since the beginning, the smile on his face chilling him to the core.
Finally, he became frightened and said with a trembling voice, "Stop! Stop now!"
Xiao Ming maintained his speed, "Bring the IOU."
"What the hell are you waiting for, want to see me dead?" Liu Jianqiang roared at his underlings.
The IOU was quickly brought over, Xiao Ming confirmed it was correct and ordered them to burn it, just as he was about to stop, a seductive female voice came from above.
"I like this game; I want to play too."
Xiao Ming looked up and saw a tall, short-haired woman descending from the third floor.
The woman, not yet thirty, had long, slender eyes and slanting eyebrows that reached into her temples, dressed in a white blouse, wide-leg trousers, and high heels, exuded a powerful aura and a dashing air.
Liu Jianqiang stood up, "Sister Bai, this guy..."
Bai Xuechao raised her hand to stop him and sat opposite Xiao Ming, her phoenix eyes scanning the four small holes made by the knife points on the table, then placed her fair hand on them.
"Mr. Xiao, would you mind playing another round?"
Xiao Ming smiled, "It seems Sister Bai doesn't really give me a choice."
Bai Xuechao lifted her other hand, a cigarette was promptly placed between her fingers and lit.
"My men broke the rules earlier; the IOU is burnt, so it's burnt. Let's start over, same rules, but the bet is just one hundred thousand.
If you win, you can leave anytime; if you lose, just repay the hundred thousand in principal.
That's not bullying you, is it?"
Xiao Ming shrugged, "Although it's laughable, for people like you, Sister Bai is definitely the reasonable type.
Deal! If we are to play, let's make it big. Do you agree, Sister Bai?"
"What kind of big?"
Xiao Ming placed the knife in front of Bai Xuechao and stretched out his five fingers onto the table.
"Bai Xuechao, you handle the knife and we keep to the five-minute time limit.
If you win, not only will I repay the money immediately, but regardless of the cost, I'll accept my fate tonight.
If you lose, you must do something for me."
Bai Xuechao's expression changed slightly, she sat up straight and looked deeply into Xiao Ming's eyes, "What is it?"
"I heard Sister Bai has a meat processing plant under her control, monopolizing most of the meat market in North City. I want you to help me bring in a batch of pork within the next week, four million worth, and I can pay one million upfront as a deposit."
Bai Xuechao was stunned. She had never expected Xiao Ming's demand to be simply a business deal, and moreover, a big one.
After a moment of contemplation, she said, "I want to know, if Qiang hadn't given you a hard time today, what would you have done?"
"Sister Bai is indeed very discerning."
Xiao Ming smiled, "I would have repaid the full amount with interest and then asked to meet you to talk business."
"Why me?"
"Because I am an individual without the qualifications to trade in pork, and it's too late to apply for a license now."
"Too late? Last year was a good year, this year the pig farming has boomed everywhere, and pork prices have been dropping. What's the rush, Mr. Xiao?"
"That's my problem, Sister Bai doesn't need to worry."
Bai Xuechao pursed her lips, "Since you don't have a license, there's no point in a contract agreement, aren't you afraid I'll take your one million and deny the account?"
"Not at all."
"Why?"
Xiao Ming leaned forward, looking closely into the depths of her eyes, "Because, I trust you!"
Bai Xuechao's heart skipped a beat involuntarily avoiding his gaze, and grabbed the watermelon knife on the table.
"Within one week, four million worth of pork, how do you want it delivered?"
"Keep it in the cold storage of your meat processing plant for now, wait for my instructions. Also, I have another condition, the source of the pork must be legal and traceable, and must not come from North China or the southeastern region."
"Hand over the money."
"Not playing the game anymore?"
A glint flashed in Bai Xuechao's eyes, "You're a tough one, worth treating specially."
Xiao Ming's mouth curved into a smile, "That's a wise decision, you won't regret it."
After transferring the account, Xiao Ming stood up to leave, and Bai Xuechao saw him to the bottom of the stairs.
Just before parting, Xiao Ming said softly, "I once owed a favor to one of your elders.
So, if recently you've offended someone you can't afford to provoke, you can tell them you know me."
This comment almost made Bai Xuechao laugh out loud, and the bit of odd feeling she had for him turned into disdain.