money player

Pushing open a soundproof door and climbing the stairs to the second floor, the noise was instantly forgotten. If the first floor was dynamic, then the second floor was quiet. A few people stood in the corridors and hallways, chatting in twos and threes with wine glasses in their hands, keeping their voices down so as not to disturb others.

There is no main hall on the second floor, only a series of private rooms, which are blocked by frosted glass doors, so the interior cannot be seen.

Sin Yiu-man didn't have anyone in particular he was looking for tonight. He just came to soak up the atmosphere and hopefully meet someone, but it wouldn't matter if he didn't.

He walked down the corridor but couldn't find any private room doors open, so he gave up and stood by a window where no one was around, thinking about something.

The weather has been clear for three days, and he's been out and about for three days. If he doesn't contact Kong Lingwei tomorrow, he won't have a plausible excuse left. The three million worth of goods are probably almost sold out; the delay has definitely had an effect. Let's meet then.

Recalling rumors about Kong Lingwei and female attackers he had met, he once again attempted to sketch out Kong Lingwei's personality.

I briefly drifted off to guess who would be the attacker between Cheryl and Sally Scott.

The tranquility surrounded by noise was destined to be short-lived. Just as half of his face was outlined, the clatter of high heels stopped nearby.

Following the sound, he saw a pair of black flat-toed high heels, and also noticed that the instep of the foot was not wearing stockings and showed a slight tendency to be deformed. Among his acquaintances, only one had this foot shape. Moving his gaze upward, he saw the plain gray cheongsam skirt. This style of dressing was definitely Gu Zhengqiu.

His gaze quickly shifted upwards, not lingering in the lecherous area, and met Gu Zhengqiu's eyes. "Boss Gu."

Gu Zhengqiu smiled sweetly, "When did Mr. Xian start judging people by their feet?"

"Just now, I was reminiscing about a story about feet, and it was a subconscious reaction."

"What's the story? Can you tell me?" Gu Zhengqiu handed over the wine glass in his left hand. "I saw you as soon as I came upstairs, so I ordered you a drink."

"Thank you." Xian Yaowen took the wine glass and placed it on the windowsill. "There is a nobleman in France who does nothing but travel around. The West likes to call such people travelers."

Once, a traveler was traveling in the desert when he met a fellow traveler whose boots were very worn out. Sand easily got into his boots, and every now and then he would stop, laboriously and painfully take off his boots, look inside, and empty them.

The traveler kindly gave his fellow traveler a new pair of boots, but ever since the traveler put on the new boots, he stopped to take them off more and more frequently, eventually stopping every ten steps or so.

"Are the boots not fitting properly?"

Sin Yiu-man nodded. "Yes."

"Is this a fable?"

"It depends on how Mr. Gu interprets it; perhaps it's just a boring story written by a poor writer."

Gu Zhengqiu chuckled, "Mr. Xian is that lousy writer?"

"Yes, I just heard the sound of high heels and suddenly wondered if the feet wearing shoes were beautiful, so I looked at Mr. Gu's feet first. Who knew Mr. Gu would ask that? I had to make up an excuse. And who knew Mr. Gu would keep asking? I had to make up a story on the spot."

Gu Zhengqiu smiled and said, "Since you've already made up a story, why did you confess without being asked?"

"After telling the story, I realized that my behavior just now wasn't vulgar. I can just openly admit it, Mr. Gu, your feet aren't pretty."

Gu Zhengqiu rolled her eyes at Xian Yaowen, "You don't have to say the second half."

"I'll be more careful next time."

Gu Zhengqiu shook the cup in his hand. "Mr. Xian isn't at home with Mrs. Xian, but instead comes here to be a thinker."

Sin Yiu-man pointed to the clock face. "This is Bao-shu's card-playing time. She'll be happy if I accompany her once in a while, but if I keep buzzing around her like a fly, she'll only get annoyed."

Going back a little later will give us some alone time. She'll show me her results: she didn't touch the three of wan, didn't change her waiting position, and will win by self-draw in the next round. If I had known that the eight of bamboo was easy to lose, I shouldn't have taken the risk.

Like this, I'll offer her advice, but she'll still make the same mistake next time.

"No wonder Madam Xian's complexion is always better than the last time I see her. Mr. Xian dotes on her so much, Madam Xian's happiness is so evident on her face." Gu Zhengqiu's words were tinged with sourness, as if there was a hint of resentment in them.

Sin Yiu-man chuckled and said, "What I say may not be true. Unless there is irrefutable evidence, which murderer would voluntarily confess to murder? Men always claim to be good husbands."

“If Mr. Xian says that, he must be treating Mrs. Xian very well.” Gu Zhengqiu lit a cigarette and occupied half of Xian Yaowen’s window. “I’ve been here many times, but I’ve never stood here to look at the scenery outside.”

"Is Mr. Gu here to make friends, or is he looking to do some business?"

Gu Zhengqiu frowned slightly, then relaxed. She suddenly felt a bit disgusted with Xian Yaowen. They had reached an atmosphere where they could talk about their feelings, but he had forcibly dragged them away.

She didn't believe that Xian Yaowen couldn't sense it; he just didn't want to get too close to her. The reason... was something both of them knew perfectly well. Alas, true friends are hard to find.

"I sometimes come here to sit after a performance. It's always good to make more American friends. I have a few friends over there, want to come over and sit together?"

I'll come over and bother you later.

"Excuse me for now. I'll see you later."

"See you soon."

After watching Gu Zhengqiu leave, Xian Yaowen did not revert to his Thinker form. Lucas came out of a private room and spotted him immediately.

"Hi, Adam."

"Hi."

Lucas walked up to Xian Yaowen and punched him in the chest. "Why didn't you contact me when you came back?"

“I don’t like your chest hair.” Sin Yiu-man gestured toward Lucas’s chest with his lip.

Lucas looked down and saw a shirt button had popped open. "Damn it, wait a minute."

He quickly returned to the private room, and came back a short while later, wearing a casual coat.

"Having a great time?" Sin Yiu-man joked.

“We always need to have some fun,” Lucas said, standing next to Sin Yiu-man. “Coming to see me?”

"No, let's see if there's any fun in it."

"Would you like Chinese food or American food?"

"I spent a few days in Hollywood, and every night I was with you actresses who were whistling at the screen."

"Betty Grubble? Lana Turner? Rita Hayworth?"

"uh-huh."

“Holy shit,” Lucas yelled. “Adam, I want to shoot you dead.”

"Don't be jealous, I can send you a stack of their posters, brand new, just enough to cover your underwear."

"Fuck you." Lucas laughed. "I'll have a few days off soon and want to go to Hong Kong. Any recommendations?"

"American soldiers love Wan Chai; women, beer, poker, drugs—they have everything they want."

"Please, I'm not a sailor who just came ashore."

Someone will take care of you.

“That’s what I was waiting for.” Lucas suddenly lowered his voice. “There are 1500 tons of steel bars at the dock that haven’t been included in the Material Adjustment Committee’s quota.”

“I don’t do that kind of business. There are so many women here; you can give them the information.”

Lucas shrugged. "The women here are too greedy; they're prone to causing problems."

“Lucas, Taiwan imports less than 10,000 tons of steel bars a year. 1500 tons is too much, and you won’t make much money from it. Unless it’s for work, I suggest you don’t get involved.”

Reconstruction is underway around the world, and there is a global steel shortage. Almost every country has adopted a quota system for steel bars. Taiwan is short of steel bars everywhere, but it cannot import more. The steel bars entering the island must be closely monitored. Anyone who dares to touch steel bars is practically eating poison. They have the honor of witnessing what fairness and impartiality really mean.

Lucas shrugged. "None of my business."

“That would be best.” Sin Yiu-man took a piece of chocolate out of his pocket and handed it to Lucas. “It’s my own brand, and it will soon be available in Taiwan.”

"Moutan, that's a good name."

"You actually know that? I thought you only knew Peony."

"Adam, I am a high achiever."

"Wow, not bad. If you can secure the import of cocoa powder, you can get a 15% stake."

"Only 15%?"

"It's not a difficult thing; 15% is already a lot."

Lucas tore open the chocolate wrapper, broke off a piece, and tasted it. "It tastes a bit like Hershey's Kiss. ​​How many do you think you can sell in a year?"

"The cost is not cheap, the selling price will not be too low, and not many will be sold in a year, but Peony will launch a series of products around cocoa powder, such as Mars' horse."

"Snickers?"

"Hmm, have you ever eaten rice cakes?"

"Eat."

“Rice gluten coated in chocolate becomes Taiwan’s Snickers.” Sin Yiu-man patted Lucas on the arm. “Selling snacks doesn’t have high profit margins, but the profit margins are stable and sustainable. Your shares can definitely be left to Leonardo as an inheritance.”

"Adam, I am still young."

“Alright, young Mr. Charlotte, use your advisory group’s channels to get the cocoa powder. I don’t want to see Taiwan open up to cocoa powder imports anytime soon.”

"Cocoa powder is not a staple food for Taiwanese people, and imports will not be allowed in the short term."

Sin Yiu-man shrugged. "That's why I want to produce chocolate. A monopolistic business isn't too difficult."

“Want to have a drink to celebrate in advance?” Lucas laughed.

Why not?

After having a couple of drinks with Lucas, Sin Yiu-man went downstairs and was met with a commotion.

After chatting with a beautiful socialite for a while, he turned to Liang Saizhen, and the two sat down on a sofa in a corner.

"Won't it be boring?"

Leung Sai-chun leaned on Sin Yiu-man's arm. "Every day I sleep until noon, eat lunch, go to a bar on Zhongshan North Road to play a few rounds, have dinner at 6:30, and then come here to stay until 11:00."

“Your life is quite regular,” Sin Yiu-man chuckled.

"If this continues for a while, I'll have to get used to this kind of life."

"Gambling addiction is bad; it seems you need to make some changes to your life."

"how to change?"

"It's normal to come here often for something. You've been here for so long, you should have gained something. Why don't you open a shop and sell some in-demand items?"

“The women here deal with transactions worth tens or hundreds of thousands of US dollars, with commissions ranging from 5% to 15%. Each transaction brings in at least several thousand US dollars. It wouldn’t make sense to just open a shop, would it?”

"Whether it's working for the public or creating opportunities for private individuals, it's all shady. Private individuals fatten themselves up and then slaughter them, while the public inevitably uses its resources for personal gain. A weak woman might think she's crucial and can maintain a balance between the two, but in the end, she'll inevitably be silenced."

You've gotten yourself into this mess. If you can emerge untainted, then your ambitions are far-reaching and worth investigating. Opening a shop is a good idea; even if you make a mistake, it's not a major one. At most, you'll face fines and confiscation.

Liang Saizhen shuddered. "Sir, are you saying that all the women here are going to die?"

"My expression was inaccurate. Being silenced does not necessarily mean death. If you have a good pillow talk, you can still leave for a distant place and live in anonymity."

"No one can die a good death?"

“How could there not be? You’re the exception.” Sin Yiu-man put his arm around Leung Sai-chun’s waist. “You’re either flirting with people or being flirted with. It must be hard for you to keep yourself in line, right?”

"What do you think?" Liang Saizhen said resentfully, "I'm not some naive girl who hasn't seen the world."

"Don't take your anger out on me. I'm just being respectful and caring. I don't need you to sell your body. I'm not forbidding you from having lovers. You're a middle-aged woman, a seasoned nightclub regular. Do I need to teach you how to keep a gigolo?"

Can I get reimbursed for keeping a gigolo?

"Yes, you can. The minimum is 108. We won't report anything less."

Leung Sai-chun poked Sin Yiu-man in the chest and said, "Why are you being so mean? If you're not going to report it, then don't."

"Hehe." Xian Yaowen chuckled twice. "You don't need to come here too often in the future. Just come every few days. Go to the teahouses in Dadaocheng more often and listen to what the businessmen in the province are talking about."

"They always discuss important matters in private rooms. What could I possibly find out?"

"I'm not asking you to be a spy. Just listen to everyday conversations. There's a lot of information hidden in those complaints, which might be very useful to me."

"understood."

Sin Yiu-man whispered in Leung Sai-chun's ear, "Tell me, are there any new people here?"

"Sir, would you like to flirt with someone?"

"It's all here."

"Try to flirt with me, I'm easy to flirt with," Liang Saizhen said with affection in her eyes.

"We're too familiar with each other, I can't bring myself to do it."

Liang Saizhen chuckled, "After the typhoon, quite a few new people came here, but they're all unfortunate souls. Are you still interested, sir?"

"Poor people who can't even afford to eat?"

"more or less."

"let it go."

Waiting for the rice to cook means needing to earn money as soon as possible, and getting through the novice period is particularly fast.

"I was just kidding. Two girls I've never seen before came today. I recognized one as a dancer at a glance, and the other seemed to come from a good family, but I'm not sure if she just came out."

"Which one?"

He left a quarter of an hour ago.

"Believe it or not, I'll kill you."

Liang Saizhen laughed heartily, "I don't believe it."

Sin Yiu-man pulled his arm away from Leung Sai-chun, glanced at her, and said, "You're spoiled and arrogant. If this happens again, I'll really get someone to deal with you."

"I am waiting."

Sin Yiu-man nodded to Leung Sai-chun, then got up and left amidst her loud laughter.

Once outside and inside the car, Xie Tingyun turned on his DIY reading light, picked up a newspaper, and Xie Zhanran stepped on the gas.

Less than four seconds later, Xie Zhanran suddenly slammed on the brakes. His body swayed slightly, and once he was steady, he asked, "What happened?"

Xie Zhanran's gaze was fixed on the window, one hand on his waist. "Just as I was about to turn, a woman on a bicycle rushed out and fell down."

Xie Tingyun looked to the other side, his hand on his waist.

Sin Yiu-man glanced at the rearview mirror. "Is there a problem?"

"A baseball cap, a knitted sweater, harem pants, high-end fabric, and a Maruishi multi-speed bicycle," Xie Zhanran said succinctly and quickly.

"Oh, on purpose?"

"Six out of ten suspects," Xie Tingyun said. "Clear."

Xie Zhanran: "Clear."

“If someone is truly suspicious, their motive is very clear. I'll get out of the car and take a look.”

As he spoke, Sin Yiu-man took out a pen from the inside pocket of his suit jacket, unscrewed it, and placed it diagonally in his right pocket before pushing open the car door and getting out.

Upon reaching the front of the vehicle, I saw a bicycle lying about a meter away, with a woman sitting next to it, looking down at her right hand, which was being held in her left hand, as if her right hand was injured.

A quick scan from top to bottom revealed that everything from hats to shoes, including a bicycle, was expensive. The possibility of assassination or kidnapping was far less than setting up a trap to befriend someone.

If so, she's most likely a very ambitious young lady from a wealthy family, but she's a naive and inexperienced girl who's resorting to extortion. This poor, reclusive scholar who writes plays has really done her a disservice.

"Damn it, I don't even know which part of the script is it that I'm supposed to act out?"

Just as he finished complaining, Xian Yaowen was already standing next to the woman. He adjusted his posture, taking advantage of the dim light and moonlight to illuminate the angles of his face. He slowly leaned down and said in a magnetic voice, "Miss, are you alright? Are your hands alright? Is your waist alright? Is your thigh alright? Is your knee alright? Is your calf alright? Is everything alright?"

The woman slowly tilted her head back, looked at Xian Yaowen with her chin, and said pitifully, "My hand is cut, it hurts so much."

His tone and expression were a bit stiff, lacking experience in feigning helplessness, and he probably wasn't someone who could act pitiful. His head-tilting posture was also lacking, suggesting he hadn't received systematic physical training.

When I tilted my head back, the hat wobbled a bit. It didn't fit my head shape, and the position of the brim was also a bit awkward. I don't usually wear baseball caps. Was there a special purpose in wearing one today?
Sin Yiu-man squatted down, took the woman's hand in his hands, pressed his thumb against the distal phalanx of her index finger, and blew air into the small wound on her palm. He rubbed his thumb twice, and it felt very smooth, not like he had pulled a trigger. He slid his palm and rubbed the metacarpal bone, and it also felt smooth, not like he had practiced boxing or palm techniques.

Yes, your hands are very smooth and have a beautiful shape.

"This wound is nothing serious, it will heal in two or three days. Does any other part of your body hurt? Is it numb? Is there any part of your body that you can't feel?"

"I think I twisted my left ankle."

Upon hearing this, Sin Yiu-man released the woman's hand and looked at her right foot. He saw three long, white, striped scratches on her ankle, indicating that she had likely rubbed her ankle against the ground. There was no bleeding, so it wasn't serious.

"Miss, let me pick up your feet and examine them."

The woman pulled her foot back. "No, it's not necessary."

Sin Yiu-man glanced at the woman's face and saw that she was genuinely resistant.

The woman speaks with a Hokkien accent, comes from a well-to-do family, and is traditional at heart. It's more likely that her family has been living in Taiwan for many years than that they just came here in the last two years.

"Why would a family from this province want to befriend me?" (End of Chapter)