Chapter 1 The First Day of Debt Collection
The first day of debt collection yielded good results, with the principal of forty thousand yuan and over two thousand seven hundred yuan in interest collected.
Following Hao Ge's instructions, the interest money was to be divided equally among the four of them. However, expenses such as meals, accommodation, and fuel during this period were to be deducted from the interest. Therefore, the collected interest was uniformly managed by Si Xi, and distribution would occur after the debt collection concluded.
Yang Jian didn't quite understand Hao Ge's decision. Since the primary purpose of lending money was to earn high interest, why was Hao Ge willing to give the interest to the four of them?
He inquired with Si Xi, who vaguely brushed it off, mentioning that Hao Ge didn't primarily focus on lending money, and these loans were intended to liven up the establishment.
This explanation was clearly unconvincing, but Yang Jian didn't press further.
The third person to be collected from was a woman named Yu Feng. Si Xi mentioned she was wealthy. The next day, when they found her, she was at a small gambling venue playing "Zha Jinhua" (a poker game), located in a luxurious hotel.
This scene was very familiar to Yang Jian; it was where he had lost two hundred thousand yuan playing Zha Jinhua.
"Brother Si, wait here for a moment. I'll play a few more hands."
Yu Feng, who was playing cards, showed no surprise upon seeing Si Xi and the others and greeted them warmly.
Si Xi was equally accommodating, "No problem, play to your heart's content. We're not in a hurry."
Since they weren't in a hurry, Yang Jian stood behind Yu Feng and observed, remembering what Song Jianmin had said about Zha Jinhua being prone to cheating. He wanted to see how he himself had lost money.
Yu Feng was a beautiful young woman, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. Seeing Yang Jian standing beside her like a tower, she offered him a cigarette with a smile.
"Thank you, I don't smoke."
Yang Jian waved his hand to decline.
Yu Feng casually placed the cigarette in her mouth without lighting it and began looking at her cards, not making any effort to shield them from Yang Jian.
She had a straight flush, seven, eight, nine. Yang Jian saw it clearly.
He was very familiar with the rules of Zha Jinhua. Each player received three cards. A "baozi" (three of a kind) was the highest, with three Aces being the highest.
Next was a straight flush, meaning cards of the same suit in sequence, with QKA being the highest.
Then came cards of the same suit, like AKJ being the highest.
Following that were straights of different suits, pairs, and single cards, ranked in descending order.
Yu Feng and the others played with high stakes. With five players, each person had to ante two hundred yuan per round. If they won, the profit was at least a thousand yuan.
The stakes at the table were far higher than a thousand yuan. In this hand, Yu Feng won over twenty thousand yuan.
"Handsome guy, you brought me good luck as soon as you arrived. Here, take this for tea."
Yu Feng slipped five hundred-yuan bills into Yang Jian's hand, subtly tickling his palm.
It was clear Yu Feng was flirting with him. Yang Jian's face instantly flushed, and he looked at Si Xi somewhat helplessly.
Si Xi nodded at him, "Take it, Sister Feng has plenty of money."
Yang Jian knew Si Xi hadn't noticed Yu Feng's subtle gesture, so he put the bills in his pocket. He had intended to look at other people's cards, but now he felt too awkward to leave and could only continue standing beside Yu Feng.
Perhaps Yu Feng's luck had truly turned, as she won two more hands in a row.
"Handsome guy, you sit here. I'll treat you to a big meal tonight."
Yu Feng excitedly stood up and moved a chair for Yang Jian, inviting him to sit beside her.
Having won over fifty thousand yuan in three hands, Yang Jian was a bit perplexed. He had watched closely, and Yu Feng hadn't cheated. She hadn't dealt, cut, or switched cards; she had won purely through luck.
Afterward, Yu Feng didn't continue winning consecutively but still managed to win a hand occasionally, maintaining an overall winning streak.
Two hours later, Yu Feng left the table after winning seventy thousand yuan.
"Brother Si, here's twenty thousand yuan of the principal, and this is three days' interest. Please count it."
As soon as they left the hotel where the game was played, Yu Feng returned twenty thousand yuan of the gambling debt to Si Xi and handed him eighteen hundred yuan in interest.
"Sister Feng is in good spirits. You'll win big money this year. Come to the provincial capital to help Hao Ge with his stake when you have time."
Si Xi handed the cash to Biao Biao and Liang Liang for verification. The probability of counterfeit money appearing in casinos was high, so caution was necessary.
In the gambling world, "good spirits" meant good luck. Yang Jian now understood this jargon. When someone won money in a casino, if you exclaimed that a certain boss was in good spirits, they might happily give you a few hundred yuan as a red envelope. Si Xi had told him this would be useful in casinos, and a spotter inside could earn extra income this way.
"Brother Si, I'll treat you to a meal. What's this handsome guy's name? I haven't seen him before."
Yu Feng was clearly familiar with Si Xi and the others, indirectly trying to get acquainted with Yang Jian.
"This is Yang Jian, he's a comrade of Jianmin and just joined our team a few days ago. He's a virgin, so Sister Feng, don't have any ideas about him."
Si Xi burst into laughter after saying this. He had clearly noticed the woman's interest in Yang Jian.
Yu Feng's eyes sparkled as she looked at Yang Jian, "Handsome guy, you were in the army? Judging by your physique, you must be very capable. Come on, I'll treat you to a meal."
As if afraid Yang Jian would run away, Yu Feng linked her arm through his and walked towards her red car.
This was the first time Yang Jian had been in such close proximity to a woman. He felt the impact of her soft body against him, his heart pounding. His face turned even redder, and he involuntarily followed her into the car.
Si Xi and the other two followed behind in their car. No one would refuse a meal invitation.
"Yang Jian, I've never won so much money playing Zha Jinhua before. You're my lucky star. Can I have your phone number? Let's keep in touch often. I'll come to Jiangcheng to visit you when I have time."
Seizing the opportunity to be alone with Yang Jian, Yu Feng drove without restraint, teasing him.
"Sister Feng, winning money today was your luck; it has nothing to do with me."
Feeling indebted for her generosity, and while being modest, Yang Jian still gave her his phone number.
"What luck do I have? I've lost at least several hundred thousand yuan in the past few years. This is truly the first time I've won so much money. You're handsome and, by your appearance and demeanor, a person blessed with fortune. I'll surely gain some good luck by being with you."
"Ahem, Sister Feng is joking. I'm just a small subordinate of Hao Ge right now, and I still have over a hundred thousand yuan in debt. How can I be considered lucky?"
"Really? What about the hundred thousand yuan debt? Can you tell me about it?"
Yang Jian didn't hide anything and recounted how he lost money at Cat Ge's establishment. He had approached Yu Feng precisely to understand how Cat Ge had cheated him. This woman clearly knew more about Zha Jinhua than Song Jianmin and the others.
"You played with Cat Ge? No wonder you lost so much money. He's a 'mianhuake' (a cheat), specializing in 'killing pig' scams to fleece people. We don't play with him."
"Mianhuake" meant a cheat. Yang Jian finally confirmed Song Jianmin's suspicions.
"Sister Feng, do you know how to cheat at Zha Jinhua?"
"I know a little, but I'm not an expert. I can only guarantee that I won't be cheated. There are many ways to cheat in Zha Jinhua. The main ones are either tampering with the poker cards or using sleight of hand. It's hard to explain the specifics verbally. How about I demonstrate it to you privately tonight?"
Yu Feng realized she had found another opportunity for a private meeting with Yang Jian.