The car door opened, and two women quickly got out.
I was very familiar with both of them.
One was Chen Xiaoxue, and the other was Su Mei.
Seeing the two of them together,
I knew right away.
It must have been Chen Xiaoxue, seeing that Boss Zheng didn't let us go,
She went back and found Su Mei, just like last time.
But unlike last time, this time Su Mei came alone.
After glancing at me, Su Mei asked with concern:
"Are you alright?"
I shook my head.
"Glad it's okay. Let's get in the car…"
I turned to look at Chen Xiaoxue and said:
"You go with Old Hei to get the car, Sister Mei and I will head back first…"
I left Chen Xiaoxue here because I wanted Old Hei to settle the money from this game with her.
After deducting expenses and the gambling den's cut,
We won a total of one hundred and ninety thousand.
Chen Xiaoxue joined later, so I had Old Hei give her fifty thousand.
I guessed,She would definitely be satisfied with this number.
I sat in the passenger seat, rolled down the window, and lit a cigarette.
Su Mei drove in silence.
After a while, she finally spoke:
"Chen Xiaoxue told me that Old Chef Zheng detained you two, why?"
"It's nothing, just a casual chat!"
Of course, I couldn't tell Su Mei about this matter.
"Master Chu Liu, I advise you. You better not come to this gambling den in Old Street…"
"Why?"
I pretended not to understand anything, which made it easier to draw out Su Mei's words.
"The boss here is surnamed Zheng, used to be a chef. Outsiders call him Smiling Tiger Old Chef Zheng. He has been operating in Harbin North for many years and is quite a figure. Initially, the Qi family wanted to take over Old Street and set up their own gambling den. By all accounts, Old Chef Zheng's strength was not on the same level as the Qi family. But the Qi family used all sorts of tactics, fighting Old Chef Zheng to the death. Yet in the end, Old Chef Zheng toughed it out. He also has a ruthless man under him, nicknamed Quick Knife Zhao Ping. That's also a character who kills without seeing blood. It's better to provoke these kinds of people less…"
I nodded slightly.
I hadn't expected this Old Chef Zheng to be quite a character.
The dilapidated Old Street was indeed a place where hidden dragons and crouching tigers lay.
"Then why did you dare to come here alone?"
I asked.
Su Mei looked ahead and answered indifferently:
"Old Chef Zheng has some connections with the Zou Family. He knows I'm Xiao Xian's person. He would still give me some face when I come…"
Qi family, Zou Family.
The small Harbin North was indeed a place full of dragons and snakes, with numerous factions.
Seeing that I didn't speak, Su Mei continued:
"Do you have anything else to do later?"
I shook my head.
"Then can you do me a favor today, is that okay?"
"Tell me!"
"Come with me to the casino, help me keep an eye on the individual players in the main hall…"
"What's wrong? Is someone cheating?"
I asked.
Su Mei shook her head.
"No, that's not it. It's just that these past two days, we've taken in two groups from out of town. A lot of gambling customers have come, and we're short-staffed in the casino. We've called over quite a few undercover security from other areas, but we're still overwhelmed. Sigh, I've only slept less than three hours these past two days…"
I nodded slightly.
No wonder this morning, when I ran into Su Mei at the elevator,
Her eyes were dark-rimmed, her face weary.
Just like before.
Su Mei and I entered the casino one after the other, separately.
She even specifically got me fifty thousand in chips,
Letting me disguise as a gambling customer.
This would also make it easier for me to observe if anyone was cheating.
Su Mei wasn't exaggerating at all.
The casino was almost bursting at the seams.
Every gambling table was surrounded by a throng of people.
Even the roulette and fan-tan tables, which were usually less popular,
Were now packed with people.
Under such circumstances, it was harder than climbing to heaven to spot cheating.
Because you simply couldn't see the gambling table, let alone squeeze into the crowd.
With no other choice, I could only go to the rest area, find a place to sit, and take a break.
I lit a cigarette.
Before I could take a couple of puffs,
I felt someone staring at me from not too far away.
I turned my head and saw my old acquaintance Hou Jun.
Standing there, staring straight at me with his eyes.
His gaze was still as sinister as ever.
Since the last time I caught cheating in this casino, I hadn't seen him again.
This time, his vest was a different color, a light black.
It seemed he had been promoted.
Seeing me looking at him, he immediately turned his head away.
I ignored him and continued to smoke in silence.
After a while,
I was about to finish my cigarette.
Suddenly, someone patted me from behind.
I turned around.
And saw a face full of wrinkles, smiling at me.
This person was Old Wu.
He looked almost the same as the last time I saw him.
His silver-white hair was tied into a ponytail.
He was still wearing that Tang suit with the "wealth" character on it.
In his hand, he still held that half-moon purple clay teapot.
Looking at me, he chuckled and said:
"Kid, where's that black youngster? Don't you two always stick together? Why didn't he come?"
"He's got something to do…"
I answered indifferently.
"What's your name?"
"Chu Liu!"
"And the black youngster?"
"Old Hei!"
"What the hell kind of names are those?"
Old Wu grumbled dissatisfiedly.
Actually, I really didn't know Old Hei's real name.
Of course, in the world of wanderers,
A name is just a code.
Maybe today in Harbin North he's called Old Hei,
Tomorrow in another place, he might be called Little White.
However, I quite liked Old Wu.
He was carefree and optimistic.
He gave off a sense of seeing through the world and playing the game of life with ease.
Old Wu held up his half-moon purple clay teapot in front of me, showing off with a chuckle and asked me:
"Little Liu, what do you think of my little treasure?"
Little Liu?
This nickname made me feel a sense of warmth.
For so many years, only Master Liu had called me that.
"Not bad!"
I didn't understand purple clay and casually responded.
"Guess what's inside?"
Old Wu's face was full of mystery.
In his mystery, there was also a hint of pride.
I was about to speak,
But Old Wu immediately stopped me, saying:
"Wait, wait, don't guess yet. Let's make a bet. How about it?"
"What are we betting on?"
"Five hundred bucks, guess what's inside. Do you dare to bet…"
"I don't bet!"
"Don't be scared, isn't that what you come to the casino for? It's only five hundred bucks. Come on, bet…"
Old Wu, confident of his victory,
Started to incessantly persuade me.
"Are we really betting?"
I asked again.
"Of course we're betting! Quick, guess, what's inside?"
Old Wu stared at me, full of anticipation.
As if the moment I opened my mouth,
He could win five hundred bucks.
"Chips!"
I said leisurely.
Huh?
Old Wu was stunned for a moment.
His mouth agape, eyes wide,
He looked at me, utterly baffled.
"Impossible, absolutely impossible. How did you know? Can you see through things? No, that's nonsense. Or maybe you, kid, have been secretly watching me, right?"
Old Wu asked me eagerly.
I felt like laughing inside,
But I didn't answer.
Actually, whenever Old Wu moved the teapot while talking to me,
There would be a rattling sound from inside.
This was a casino, and the only thing that could make that sound
Was chips, what else could it be?
Opening the teapot,
Inside were indeed chips of various colors.
I glanced at them.
There were no large denominations, the largest was only a thousand.
He shook the teapot, showing off triumphantly:
"Am I not impressive? It's my first time at this casino. Just with two hundred in capital, I've won almost five thousand!"
"Impressive!"
Old Wu took out a five hundred chip and slapped it into my hand.
"This is for you! Take it…"