Chapter 22: Defection

"Sister Wen, thank you." I bowed to her.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said indifferently, "I had a bit to drink, and my tolerance isn't great. Carried away by the alcohol, I rambled a bit. It’s rare to see Uncle Yong take a liking to a young man, so I couldn't help but show off my own insignificant insights. The path lies beneath your own feet; how you walk it is your own business."

"I truly know I was wrong this time," I said sincerely.

Xiao Wen glanced at me, sighed, and continued, "Forget it. Preaching too much makes me sound like a nag, and I can't blame it all on you. After all, you’ve just stepped out of that ivory tower called school. You think some of the things in school are cutthroat or chaotic, but compared to the real world, those petty squabbles are nothing. That guy, Guo Changxing, gathered a group of fellow Hubei natives here, backed by a local named Song Tianci. Song owns several video game parlors filled with arcade machines and gambling consoles—a very lucrative business. Guo and his thugs are just there to provide security for Song. If you hadn't rushed in to fight him, you might have been able to carve a piece of meat off his plate this time. That would have been your first step toward expanding your territory. Remember this: if you want a foothold, you must first have money. Only with money will you have power."

With that, she turned and walked away with a cool air.

"Hey!" I called out.

She stopped and looked back at me. "What? Didn't hear enough? Or do you want to scold me for being long-winded?"

"Why are you helping me like this?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes at me.

She said nothing.

She turned and continued walking.

She in front.

I behind.

Fifty paces apart.

When I got home, the light in her room was still on. I imagined her sitting at that cheap vanity, looking at those books. Something inside me began to soften. I couldn't help but wonder what kind of woman raised her, and what kind of experiences could make such a young girl as sharp and transparent as a demon.

Uncle Yong had already seen through her background and granted her freedom. With her stunning beauty, formidable skills, and this keen mind, why was she just an ordinary office worker here?

I shook my head and smiled bitterly. "What a strange girl."

Just as I was about to go upstairs, someone emerged from the shadows, giving me quite a start. It wasn't until he stepped into the light that I realized it was a friend of my cousin, Chen Jianjun—the guy wearing glasses, one lens of which had been shattered during the fight earlier that night.

My cousin had shown rare grit tonight, and his friends had all taken a beating for my sake. I felt deeply grateful and hurriedly reached into my pocket for a cigarette, only to realize I had lost it during the scuffle. I gave an awkward smile and said, "Brother, I'm out of smokes."

No sooner had I finished speaking than he held one out to me. As I placed it in my mouth, a lighter flared to life in front of me. This gesture of deference caught me off guard. After lighting up, I patted his hand and said, "Thanks, man."

"My name is Wang Chuyi. I was born on the first day of the Lunar New Year. The fortune teller said I have a very tough life. By the way, I'm from Shandong," the young man said with a smile.

I nodded. "Born on the first day of the year—not only is your life tough, but your character is fierce. You have a bright and expansive future ahead of you."

As this young man, Wang Chuyi, introduced himself, I didn't know his true intentions. I chose to flatter him first, avoiding any other topics, both to test his demeanor and to mask my own thoughts.

Hearing this, Wang Chuyi chuckled. "Brother, you know about these things? The fortune teller said I’d be the type to manage people’s food and drink. My family thought I’d grow up to be some high-ranking official, but I ended up as a server in the kitchen—I guess that counts as managing food and drink, right? I came to bother you with no ulterior motive. Even though we just met, I can tell you’re going to achieve great things. I don't have any special skills—I don't have the guts to kill or burn—but I’m more than happy to run errands for you. If you need anything, just let me know, and you can judge me by my actions."

His voice trembled slightly as he spoke, and he even blushed from nervousness.

I smoked in silence, watching him calmly. In truth, I was more excited than anyone could know. From childhood until now, no one had ever flattered me or pledged their loyalty to me.

If this were before, I surely would have grabbed his hand and said, "Brother, we'll make money together, face troubles together; brothers in heart."

But now, tempered by that "Bible" of mine, I knew that the more critical the moment, the more I had to stay calm. He came to pledge his loyalty because he believed I would succeed, having seen the "power" I projected after tonight's fight. I also knew very well who had given me that power.

There was a passage in my Bible: *When a man gains power, especially when he is intoxicated by his first taste of it, he must remember: hide your edge, conceal your wisdom, restrain your desires, reflect on yourself, seek the truth, be cautious with your words, regulate your emotions, and incline toward goodness.*

And so, the less I said, the more "power" I seemed to possess in Wang Chuyi's eyes. My silence was perceived as unfathomable depth. It worked—my silence became an intangible pressure bearing down on him; I could see sweat forming on his forehead.

Finally, as I finished the cigarette and crushed the butt, Wang Chuyi could no longer hold back. "Brother, did I say something wrong?"

"Things are done through action, not talk," I said. "Anyone can say pleasant things, but doing them is a different matter."

"Brother!" Wang Chuyi exclaimed immediately. He was eager to express something, but the words failed him.

I held up a hand to stop him and changed the subject. "How long have you been at the Awang Restaurant?"

"Two and a half years," Wang Chuyi replied.

"Are you familiar with the situation on the third floor?" I asked.

Wang Chuyi’s eyes widened. He lowered his voice. "Of course I am. I knew you weren't just here to be a security guard. Is your goal the operation on the third floor? Is this Uncle Yong’s idea?"

I smiled, neither confirming nor denying. That smile held a different meaning in his eyes.

He nodded. "I understand. I won't talk about this. Not many people in the hotel know about the third floor—even your cousin, Chen Jianjun, might not know. They start moving people in around midnight and clear out at five in the morning. The night shift and day shift staff almost never cross paths. Most of the day staff have no idea that this hotel transforms into a casino in the dead of night. The gamblers there carry cash in sacks. I only found out by accident one night."

That was all Wang Chuyi knew. The casino was excellent at keeping secrets; they had effectively split the hotel into two different worlds, day and night.

I fell into deep thought. As a day-shift security guard, how could I possibly get to the third floor? I could try to go in as a gambler, but how would I enter a casino where cash was carried in sacks?

Reality is not an epic novel. Everyone has dreams, but figuring out how to achieve them is the greatest challenge.