King of Gamblers: Growing from a Student to a Jade King

The call connected quickly. I remained silent for a moment, not speaking. The background noise on the other end was chaotic, but amidst the din, I caught a familiar voice—sharp and high-pitched. It sounded like Skinny Monkey. I chuckled softly; perhaps they truly were conspiring.

After a while, I heard the sound of a door closing. I asked, "Is it convenient to talk now?"

"Go ahead…" came Si Yan's dry, withered voice.

I could never forget his face—thin and small, framed by long hair, his frail body always giving off an air of meekness, as though he was someone anyone could bully. Yet, in truth, he was a cunning and ruthless figure. Betraying his boss was something he had done without hesitation; what else could he not dare to do? Though he had once seemed weak, I believed that after surviving that incident, he would have grown much stronger.

Si Yan was the kind of person whose usefulness came with complications. The more he was used, the greater the risks. But Qian Guang would inevitably dispose of him before those risks became uncontrollable. Qian Guang was simply waiting—waiting for Si Yan's ambition to outgrow his restraint.

"I don't have much to discuss. Just wondering if there's a good time for me to visit for tea. Could you arrange that?" I asked.

"Wednesday at the end of the month, after midnight. I'll have some free time once I wrap up my shift," Si Yan replied.

I hung up, glancing at the date—it was tomorrow. Putting my phone away, I pondered what Si Yan, Chen Xi, and Skinny Monkey could be plotting. Whatever it was, it wouldn't be good. I'd find out soon enough.

Returning home, I was greeted by my mother's displeased expression. Her face was stern, and she looked visibly upset.

"What's wrong? Why the long face?" I asked.

"Zhao Fei, where have you been? Why weren't you home all morning?" she demanded.

I glanced at Xuan Ling. She shook her head slightly, looking worried. Surprised, I replied, "I… went out with a friend."

"What friend?" My mother's tone turned sharp.

Her sternness caught me off guard; I'd never seen her like this before. "An… old friend, Mom," I stammered.

"Is it Zeng Hong, the daughter of Boss Zeng?"

Her words startled me. How had she found out? Trouble loomed. My mother didn't like Zeng Hong. She'd once thought well of her, but after the way she treated me, my mother couldn't stand her. If she knew I'd been out with Zeng Hong, it would only deepen her displeasure. And I couldn't let her know I was merely using Zeng Hong.

My mother's glare intensified as she placed Xuan Ling's phone on the table. I glanced at the screen and frowned—it displayed a photo of Zeng Hong and me, looking overly intimate.

"You have no self-respect, do you? Have you forgotten how she treated you? Or how she treated me? Why are you still entangled with her? And what about Xuan Ling? How can you face her?"

Her words made me look at Xuan Ling. She appeared aggrieved, and my mother immediately added, "Xuan Ling was washing vegetables when her phone rang. I saw the photo. What? Do you think you're in the right here?"

Kneeling down, I said, "Mom, there's nothing between me and her. I didn't know she would post such photos. It won't happen again."

"You still think there will be a next time?" my mother asked, disappointment evident in her voice.

I looked at her and promised, "There won't be a next time. I won't see her again. I only met her today because there was something important I had to resolve."

My mother seemed ready to scold me further, but Xuan Ling intervened. "Auntie, I believe Zhao Fei. He must've had an important reason to meet her. Please don't blame him," she said gently.

My mother glared at me. "You can let me down if you want, but don't ever let Xuan Ling down. Or I won't forgive you."

I felt grateful as I turned to Xuan Ling. "Let's head back to school," I said softly.

Pulling her out the door, I could still feel my mother's stern gaze on my back. As we descended the stairs, I could sense Xuan Ling's displeasure. Though she was always kind and understanding, it was only natural for her to feel upset about this incident. If she weren't upset, I'd have been even more worried.

Reaching out, I took her hand. She didn't pull away but kept her head down. I wrapped an arm around her, but she resisted slightly. "I'm sorry…" I murmured.

She lifted her head to look at me, saying nothing. "I didn't know she would post that photo," I explained. "She forced me to take it. If I'd known, I would've stopped her."

Still, she said nothing. Her silence unnerved me; a woman's quietness was always the most terrifying thing. I gazed at her and pleaded, "Xuan Ling, you chose to trust me. Please, trust me completely. Can you do that?"

At the bottom of the stairs, she finally spoke. "I trust you, and I won't doubt you. But I don't want Auntie to be upset. She has a heart condition, you know. Seeing that photo upset her so much she had to take medication."

Her words struck me deeply. She wasn't worried about herself—she was worried about my mother. I pulled her into my arms and said, "You and my mother are my only family. I promise, I won't make either of you worry again."

She gave me a light slap and said with a pout, "Your cologne smells awful. I don't like it. Next time…"

I frowned, releasing her. "There won't be a next time. I don't like it either. But I needed her help with something important."

"Zhao Fei," she interrupted softly, "don't tell me. I don't want to know. I won't ask about what you do outside. I only ask that you stay safe. When I see you again, I want you to be whole and unharmed. No more bloody fights or reckless pursuits. Even if you don't make a name for yourself, remember—there will always be two women waiting for you at home. Understand?"

Her words, like sunlight in spring, melted the ice within me. In that moment, I realized that in this world, the only woman worth cherishing was Xuan Ling. She truly loved me, understood me. Yet, I knew there might be times when I'd let her down. To rise above, I had no choice but to press forward.

After dropping her off at school, I watched her walk away alone, a pang of guilt twisting in my chest. While others accompanied their loved ones with flowers and sweet gestures, I could only watch her leave. Most of the time, she walked back alone, without me.

It was a bitter feeling, but I couldn't dwell on it. I had bigger responsibilities, a future to build. To give her the life others couldn't, I had to bear tenfold the weight they would never know.

Leaving the school, I drove straight to Ruili. It was time to begin the first step.

At the stroke of midnight, we arrived. Exhausted from traveling between cities, I didn't head to the bar but went straight to the hospital instead.

In the ward, I found Wang Gui awake, flipping through a magazine and smoking. When he saw us, his spirits lifted.

"Brother Fei, visiting this late?" he said with a grin.

Lighting a cigarette, Zhao Kui leaned against the wall. I sat by the bed. "I was worried you'd feel lonely. How's the injury?"

"Nothing serious. The bone's almost healed. I want to leave this place—it's driving me crazy. Can't smoke, and the nurses are ugly as hell. Bored out of my mind," Wang Gui complained.

I chuckled. "Fine, prepare to be discharged. We've got something big coming up, and we'll need you to cut the stones. Think you're up for it?"

Wang Gui's eyes lit up with excitement. "Don't worry, Brother Fei. I've got this!"

His enthusiasm reassured me. For this plan, Wang Gui's involvement was indispensable. Everything needed to be flawless.

The pit, the hunters, and the stray dogs were ready. All that remained was to drive the prey into the open.

After spending the night at the hospital, we forcibly discharged Wang Gui the following morning, despite the doctor's objections.

Leaving the hospital, I headed straight to Brother Guang's bar. Inside, a group of his men were gathered. Entering his office, I found Qian Guang cleaning a blade, meticulously running a cloth along its edge.

"Brother Guang," I greeted.

He glanced at me, nodding as he set the blade aside. "You're back. Skinny Monkey's been stirring up trouble lately—attacking people and fighting with the Ningdao group. But something feels off."

I frowned. "What feels off?"

"He approached Si Yan to help move product, which means he's ignoring Lord Qi's orders and still dealing powder. His current skirmishes are just a smokescreen. But what kind of deal gives him the confidence to act so boldly?"

Qian Guang's words made sense. If Si Yan weren't one of us, we wouldn't have known Skinny Monkey was defying Lord Qi. Since we did, precautions were necessary. If Skinny Monkey dared to provoke Lord Qi openly, he must have something backing him.

Pacing the office, Qian Guang lit a cigarette, his tone grim. "I'm worried Skinny Monkey is planning a coup."

I was stunned. "Would he dare? Lord Qi's caravan may be disbanded, but he still commands a thousand men. Skinny Monkey couldn't possibly take him on."

"Not directly. But it's the underhanded moves I fear. If Skinny Monkey teams up with Chen Xi and Si Yan, they could ambush Lord Qi. And no one could stop them."

I rubbed my chin, considering his words. He wasn't wrong. But I replied, "Let them fight. If Lord Qi does fall, it'll be your chance to rise. You'd have a legitimate reason to step in. With your skills, you wouldn't fear them. Especially with Si Yan working for us on the inside."

Qian Guang shook his head slightly, muttering under his breath, "Not yet. Lord Qi can't fall. Not yet."