Chapter 7: The Gambling Father and the Sick Mother
The sound of the school bell signaled the end of the day, bringing excitement to the students.
"Finally, school's over!"
"Let's hit the arcade—there's a new one on West Mountain Road."
"I'm starving; time to head home for dinner."
Among the bustling crowd, Yang Dongqing left the classroom silently,
deep in thought. Since he had gone to the restroom during the first
class, his expression had remained grim.
As Yang Dongqing reached the school gates, Cui Hao, bruised and
battered, had already gathered dozens of people, waiting for him.
Without much resistance, Yang Dongqing was dragged away by Cui Hao's
group.
Meanwhile, Su Mu, unfazed, climbed into a luxury car and drove off.
The car soon arrived at a residential building. Under the guidance of
Zhao Chaoyao, the second-in-command of the Viper Gang, Su Mu headed to
the top-floor apartment.
The room was sparse, containing only a chair and a telescope by the
window. Alongside these were two burly men in black and a timid-looking
girl in a cheap dress, her face pure yet apprehensive.
The sight of two gang members and a fragile young girl easily evoked unsettling scenarios.
Ignoring the others, Su Mu sat on the chair as Zhao Chaoyao carefully adjusted the telescope for him.
"Lower it a bit."
"Yes, boss," Zhao Chaoyao responded, promptly adjusting the device.
Through the telescope, Su Mu's gaze fell upon a cramped alley crowded
with people—it was where Cui Hao had cornered Yang Dongqing.
Cui Hao stood arrogantly, pointing at Yang Dongqing and hurling insults, backed by his mob, some wielding baseball bats.
"Yang Dongqing! Weren't you acting tough earlier? Now that my boss is here, let's see you try that again!"
Surrounded by dozens of people, Yang Dongqing showed no fear. His
brows furrowed slightly, and his eyes revealed concern, as if he were
worried about something else.
"Hey, Haozi, don't scare him too much," said a man in ripped jeans, a
denim jacket, and a cigarette dangling from his lips. He patted Cui
Hao's shoulder casually.
"Boss, this is the guy who hit me!" Cui Hao exclaimed excitedly.
The man, referred to as "boss," smiled faintly and nodded, exuding
confidence as he approached Yang Dongqing. Without even making direct
eye contact, he lazily puffed his cigarette and patted Yang Dongqing on
the shoulder.
"So, you're Yang Dongqing?"
"Take your hand off me," Yang Dongqing said coldly.
The man's hand paused, his smirk darkening. "Ah, the arrogance of
youth—reminds me of myself back in the day. But you should know, being
too headstrong—ahhh! Let go! Let go, damn it!"
Before he could finish, Yang Dongqing had twisted his arm behind his back, snapping it with a loud crack.
"Aahhh!!"
The boss's piercing scream echoed through the alley as he collapsed in pain, his face pale.
"Damn it! What are you all standing around for? Take him down!" he roared.
Startled at first, the gang members soon charged at Yang Dongqing, shouting curses.
Yang Dongqing sneered. "Unlucky for you all—I'm in a bad mood today."
He launched himself into the mob like a human tank, striking down his
attackers with ease. His punches left them bloodied and incapacitated,
while the bats that struck him produced metallic clangs instead of
injuries.
Su Mu withdrew his gaze from the telescope, a hint of curiosity
forming in his mind. Deciding he had seen enough, his attention shifted
to the girl in the room.
The girl trembled, her timid face transforming into a fawning smile.
"Is this the person you found?" Su Mu asked Zhao Chaoyao, his tone flat.
"She's called Jasmine, boss. The top hostess at Fengyue Club. Jasmine, greet the boss!" Zhao Chaoyao urged.
The girl, Jasmine, forced a more seductive smile. "Hello, boss."
Su Mu frowned. "Lose the gaudy charm. I want pure and naive—the kind
of innocence that resembles untouched moonlight. Do you understand? It's
not as simple as changing clothes."
"Didn't I make myself clear?" Su Mu's gaze turned cold.
Zhao Chaoyao broke into a cold sweat, immediately kneeling. "Boss, I followed your instructions to the letter!"
"Oh?" Su Mu's calm yet dangerous eyes fell on him. "So you're saying the problem lies with me?"
Zhao Chaoyao trembled. "I wouldn't dare! Jasmine, I told you to act like a student—what's this mess?"
Panicking, Jasmine stammered, "I…I've only played a student before. I
never actually went to school. The club just markets me that way…"
"You!" Zhao Chaoyao seemed ready to explode.
"Forget it," Su Mu sighed. "I should've known someone with your muscle-for-brains wouldn't fully grasp my instructions."
Turning to Jasmine, he asked, "Do you know your mission?"
Jasmine nodded quickly. "Yes, yes! My job is to gain Yang Dongqing's
trust and, ideally, make him fall for me. Don't worry, boss—I've done my
homework. I've even written a character backstory and script!"
"Let's hear it," Su Mu said, intrigued.
"I'm a dropout working to support my family. I've always dreamed of
becoming a singer, but my father's a gambling addict, and my mother is
ill. I also have a younger brother in school. To pay off debts, cover
medical bills, and support my brother, I dropped out and started working
at a bar as a singer and hostess. One day, a patron forced drinks on me
and tried to abduct me, but I encountered Yang Dongqing and begged for
his help. He rescued me, and then—"
"Stop." Su Mu raised a hand to his forehead. "Clichéd. A gambling
father, a sick mother, a schooling brother, and a broken girl—it's
utterly uninspired."
Zhao Chaoyao's expression darkened, and Jasmine paled, realizing the
power Su Mu wielded. He could order her death as easily as squashing an
ant.
"However…" Su Mu's tone shifted, making Jasmine hold her breath.
"Classics endure for a reason. If everyone uses this formula, it must still work—good enough to fool a naive student."
Jasmine exhaled in relief, knowing she had passed the test.
"But," Su Mu added, "you need to embody the role better. Someone who
has faced such hardships yet clings to her dreams should exude a mix of
resilience, defiance, and vulnerability. Got it?"
"Yes, yes!" Jasmine closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she reopened them, her demeanor had completely transformed.
Her previous coquettishness vanished, replaced by a determined
fragility. Though tears glistened in her eyes, she no longer avoided Su
Mu's gaze. Her expression was one of quiet defiance, like a blade of
grass enduring a storm—small but unyielding, full of life.
In her eyes sparkled the hope of overcoming her plight, like the brightest star piercing through a dark sky.
"Not bad," Su Mu remarked, genuinely impressed.
Overjoyed, Jasmine reverted to her earlier ingratiating smile.
"Maintain that state," Su Mu instructed. "You—take her for further preparation."
"Yes, boss!" Zhao Chaoyao, visibly relieved, quickly ushered Jasmine out for training.