money player

Xian Yaowen frowned deeply, a bad premonition growing stronger. He was probably only getting involved in the power struggle, and Jiang Hua would most likely drag him into it as well, afraid of neglecting him.

That bastard Lucas is an intelligence agent!

On the other hand, Chen Jinxuan was very methodical. She entrusted her son, Lin Zhiwei, to a neighbor and went to Longshan Temple to ask the temple keeper who was selling houses. She obtained two listings for houses for sale. Then she went to Wan Yi Hang in Dadaocheng, a real estate agency, and someone took care of her house search.

Before noon, she found her ideal house, a luxurious villa on Guanqian Road in front of the Presidential Office Building, covering an area of ​​55 pings, with a two-story reinforced concrete structure and a Japanese-style wooden truss pitched roof.

Having secured the house and arranged for its transfer in the afternoon, she rushed home, grabbed her son, hailed a rickshaw, and headed straight for Prince Enterprises.

Sitting in the back of the truck, Chen Jinxuan said to Lin Zhiwei, "Zhiwei, your mother is taking you to see an Uncle Xian. When you meet him, you should call him Dad."

Lin Zhiwei lowered her head and whispered, "Dad is with Abao."

Ah Bao is a well-known brothel madam in Bao Tou, who runs businesses involving prostitution, gambling, and drugs. In Mengjia, people simply call her establishment Ah Bao.

Upon hearing this, Chen Jinxuan frowned. Zhiwei was still young and wouldn't know anything about Abao. Someone must have been gossiping and Zhiwei had overheard it.

"You can call Uncle Xian 'Father,' and you'll have meat and candy to eat every day from now on."

Lin Zhiwei grabbed Chen Jinxuan's wrist and shook it, her eyes shining brightly, "Mother, can I eat meat?"

"Yes, my Zhiwei can eat meat every day."

Xian Yaowen did not give any instructions to the front desk. He went down the stairs to the first floor and saw Chen Jinxuan standing by the front desk with a child in her hand, looking at the stairs. At first glance, the two looked at each other and Chen Jinxuan's face lit up with a reassuring smile.

Sin Yiu-man pointed to the gate, but instead of walking towards Chan Kam-shuen, he walked straight out the gate.

First it says "He's five years old and can take care of himself," then it says "He runs around." This contrast isn't contradictory, but it feels a bit deliberate. Clearly, the child, Lin Zhiwei, is being presented as a prop.

A woman comes to your door with her child; you can easily tell the plot of an 80-episode family drama without any padding.

As soon as Sin Yiu-man stood outside, Chan Kam-shuen and her son arrived.

Chen Jinxuan gently pushed Lin Zhiwei's back, "This is Uncle Xian, greet him."

"Father."

Lin Zhiwei's voice was clear and crisp, not at all dull, as if it had been lubricated by the oil of braised pork.

Sin Yiu-man opened his mouth slightly and grinned warmly, "Oh, Zhiwei is such a good girl, let Uncle give her a hug."

He took a step forward, picked up Lin Zhiwei, and gently stroked her head, "Zhiwei, what do you want to eat? Uncle will take you to eat."

"I want to eat meat."

"Okay, Uncle will take you to eat meat." After replying, Xian Yaowen looked at Chen Jinxuan and asked, "How long has it been since Zhiwei has eaten meat?"

"It's been over a month." Chen Jinxuan's face was filled with undisguised relief.

"Let's go to the halal restaurant on Hengyang Road for hot pot and lamb skewers. It's not too oily, so let Zhiwei's stomach get used to it first. If he doesn't get diarrhea, we'll have Dongpo pork for dinner."

"Ah."

Sin Yiu-man lifted Lin Chih-wei high onto his shoulders, then shouted and ran forward, "Let's go, let's eat meat!"

Following behind, Chen Jinxuan slowly exhaled a breath of stale air; her adventure seemed to have been a success.

The Beijing Halal Lamb Restaurant isn't far; it's just a few minutes away.

As you climb the creaking wooden stairs to the second floor, you see a red lantern at the entrance with the words "Halal" written on it, and the room is filled with the aroma of charcoal.

We ordered a few mutton buns quickly, a small hot pot of mutton, and four mutton skewers. The wooden menu on the wall said mutton skewers were 1.2 yuan each, so the skewers were definitely going to be big.

The taste of meat is irresistible to children who haven't had it in a long time. As soon as the mutton buns were served, Xian Yaowen picked one up to test the temperature. It wasn't too hot, so he handed it to Lin Zhiwei.

Lin Zhiwei lowered her head and wolfed down her food.

Chen Jinxuan patted Lin Zhiwei's head and said to Xian Yaowen, "We've found a place. It's on Guanqian Road, it's a..."

Xian Yaowen waved his hand, "No need for introductions, just do what you like. How much?"

Thirty-two thousand.

"An empty house?"

“There is a bed. I saw it. It is made of fine camphor wood and inlaid with rosewood.”

“Oh, furniture is ridiculously expensive these days.” Xian Yaowen said, counting on his fingers, “A five-drawer chest, a desk, a dining table, and all sorts of other things need to be bought. I need a budget of 15,000.”

A refrigerator, radio, electric fan, electric iron, and some light bulbs will cost another 15,000.

Pots, pans, and other miscellaneous items add up to eight thousand.

That makes exactly 70,000. I'll give it to you after we finish eating.

"Too much, I'm afraid they'll steal it if I carry it all." Chen Jinxuan was both delighted and surprised.

When was the agreed-upon time for the transfer?

"afternoon."

"I'll go with you, and we can look at furniture and appliances while we're there."

"Ah."

Chen Jinxuan enjoyed her lunch very much, not because the lamb was particularly delicious, but because of the atmosphere that felt like a family of three.

She was happy all afternoon.

Back in the car, the man gave her 70,000 yuan. He negotiated all the way down to the point where their already generous budget was reduced to 14,000 yuan. But he didn't take it back; instead, he told her to keep it for daily use.

In between, the man would take Zhiwei to buy snacks, popsicles, notebooks, pencils, and a whole stack of comic books.

For dinner, we ate Jiangzhe cuisine. Zhiwei ate a large piece of Dongpo pork, splattering oil everywhere.

At the dress shop, the man ordered more than a dozen dresses for her in one go, and five for Zhiwei as well. The man said that children grow quickly, so it's not good to order too many at once, or they won't be able to wear them all.

At the department store, the man helped her choose watches, gold jewelry, and leather shoes, from head to toe, one item after another. He bought her everything she could think of and everything she couldn't imagine.

The man is good at buying, good at choosing, and knows a lot; he buys everything she desires.

Zhiwei also has a wide variety of items, including leather shoes, rubber shoes, shirts, milk powder, floral water, soap, and toys—too many to count.

The man was tireless; all the way here, Zhiwei was either carried or carried on his back.

She was physically exhausted from walking so much, but her spirits were high.

The water spraying from the showerhead resembled a string of sparkling pearls. She held it in her left hand and a brush in her right, carefully scrubbing every corner of the bathtub.

"Alone at night, I keep watch under the lamp, the breeze blows against me. I am seventeen or eighteen and still unmarried. I meet a young man, who is indeed handsome and fair-skinned. I wonder whose family he is. I want to ask him, but I am surprised by his appearance. My heart is filled with unease."

At this moment, she was very happy. A song called "Looking at the Spring Breeze," which contained a hint of melancholy but also sweetness, became both sentimental and vulgar when she hummed it.

I didn't go home; I'll make do at the new house tonight.

Zhiwei had already gone to bed in his room on the second floor. The man was in the kitchen fiddling with the gas stove, and he must have been sweating a lot.

She quickened her pace.

Sin Yiu-man had already installed the gas stove. At this moment, he was staring warily at the bucket in front of him. The bucket contained a high-tech product called the Watt heater, which was developed by a Hong Kong manufacturing group over a day and a half with painstaking effort. Its internal code name was "Quick Heater".

The one in front of us is a version specifically modified for the low-end market. The outer metal tube is very thin, and the thermal insulation layer inside the tube is filled with magnesium oxide and quartz sand. While taking safety into consideration, the cost has been compressed again and again, resulting in a high risk of electric shock and a probability of explosion.

He had been working on the rice cooker for a long time and had successfully developed it. He had also overcome the technical difficulties of the pulsator washing machine. The next step was to work on the commercial electric water heater, which was relatively simple in terms of technology.

Electric water heaters will soon celebrate their centenary, but their commercialization has not been very successful. A Hong Kong manufacturing group plans to start with immersion heaters and gradually enter the field.

Add a water storage tank, a toilet inlet device, a thermometer, and a ground wire to an electric water heater, and you've got a high-tech electric water heater all set. Leave the rest to the marketing department.

Great, the Watt heater is doing a good job; fine bubbles are already appearing on the surface of the water, and there's no sign of it exploding.

suddenly.

A clattering sound rang out as Chen Jinxuan, wearing wooden clogs, walked into the kitchen and hugged Xian Yaowen from behind. "The water's ready."

Sin Yiu-man reached out and unplugged the appliance, turned around, grabbed Chan Kam-shuen's plump buttocks with both hands and lifted her up, sitting her on the stove with her in his arms. "When it's just the two of us, you call me Dad."

"Hate."

"Shout or not?"

"not called."

"You will call out."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xian Yaowen lightly touched Chen Jinxuan's lips twice, as if these two touches were a battle cry, and Chen Jinxuan launched a fierce counterattack.

Smokers have foul breath, with a sour, bitter, and sweet rotten smell, as well as the smell of rotten eggs and decaying flesh. If it's morning, their acid reflux is compounded by the smell of sewers.

Chen Jinxuan only endured it on her wedding night; afterwards, she kept avoiding him, not daring to get too close even when speaking to him. The pungent, sweet, and fishy smell lingered for five minutes after Lin Mingxuan spoke.

The next day.

She opened her eyes, stared at the ceiling, and let out a sigh.

These past two days have been her most fertile days. She wants to conceive a child with the man, but she doesn't dare to be too hasty and can only watch helplessly as the man squanders his money.

The days of poverty were too hard; things are good now, and she doesn't want to go back to the past.

When Xian Yaowen returned home, Fei Baoshu, who was having breakfast in the dining room, came to greet him and immediately took over the task of taking off his suit.

"You stayed at a hotel last night?"

As soon as Fei Baoshu uttered those words, her eyes gave the answer "no".

The master's shirt was dirty and he hadn't changed it.

She sniffed and smelled the scent of a strange woman.

"The master has met a new woman?"

"Ah."

Fei Baoshu hung the suit jacket on the hanger, walked around to Xian Yaowen, and helped him unbutton his shirt. "Why didn't you go to a hotel to spend the night? Was it a romantic encounter?"

"They must be lovers."

"Just one day?"

"One day and two nights, I guess."

"Didn't you go to a restaurant for business the night before last?"

"It's exactly what you think."

"Oh, is she special?"

"A little, but mainly because of their special status."

"Oh." Upon hearing this answer, Fei Baoshu did not ask any further questions, but instead said, "Yesterday, my sister and I went to the Security Command. The people there were very easy to talk to. They told us that if we were short, we could make up for it later when we returned to Taiwan. They were willing to issue the exit permit on the spot, but my sister declined."

In 1951 Taiwan, it was extremely difficult for officials' families to leave the island. Officials had to write a guarantee that their families would not leak secrets, participate in political activities, or return to Taiwan on time. If they failed to return on time, they would accept military punishment and bear all responsibilities.

Once the guarantee is written, it is sent to the personnel department of the relevant agency for approval and stamping. Then, the family member writes a pledge to return to Taiwan, which is essentially the person's guarantee to return to Taiwan. Both documents are submitted to the Security Command, and then you wait for the review.

Generally speaking, the personnel department does not approve documents easily; if a position involves confidential information, it will be rejected on the spot.

The Security Command is even more difficult to get through, with an on-the-spot rejection rate of over 90%. Even if it enters the review stage, there is still a 50% chance of it failing the review. For the remaining 50%, getting a result in ten days to half a month is considered fast.

"My brother-in-law has such a big influence that even the Security Command has to give him face."

"My sister said my brother-in-law doesn't have that kind of face."

"I see." Sin Yiu-man said thoughtfully, "Have you received your exit permit?"

“I got it, but my sister is quite worried. She doesn’t know who should be credited for the favor.”

"They'll find out eventually." Xian Yaowen unbuckled his belt, took off his trousers, and handed them to Fei Baoshu. "Has the person arrived?"

"He's here, in the dining room." Fei Baoshu casually put his trousers aside. "He arrived yesterday afternoon. He seems quite capable; he quickly struck up a conversation with everyone else."

"You played it at home yesterday?"

"Yes, your older sister, Chen Lulu, and Madam Zhang, whom your older sister brought, are officials' wives. They didn't introduce who her husband is."

"Haven't you played cards with Chen Lulu in a long time, have you?"

"Ever since I found out that she was connected to the secret service, I haven't liked dealing with her. Yesterday, she called to arrange a meeting, and I couldn't refuse."

Sin Yiu-man patted Fei Po-shu's wrist. "When you go back to Hong Kong this time, you can also go and check on the mahjong parlor construction site. I haven't paid attention to it since the money was allocated, so I don't know how the project is going."

"I'll be there."

Xian Yaowen patted Fei Baoshu's arm. "What do you want to eat for breakfast?"

"Water noodles, iced soy milk."

"Water noodles, I've seen people selling them at the entrance of Longshan Temple, but I've never tried them before. Are they good?"

"It's quite good, perfect for this weather."

"I'll save some for later."

Xian Yaowen went back to his room to change his clothes, made up for his morning exercise, and sat in the dining room at eight o'clock sharp. Next to him sat Chen Hua, codenamed "Hair Washer Girl".

"Have you gotten your identity card yet?"

"got it."

"There is one advantage to becoming an American: if something happens here, there is room for maneuver, and at least your personal safety is guaranteed."

"Sir, you have been very considerate of me."

Xian Yaowen chuckled, "This is the first time I've heard someone refer to themselves as 'this humble servant' in front of me. It's quite good. Do you know Shi Jingyi?"

"know."

"She's the person you're dealing with in trade. Don't contact her outside of work, and within work, minimize contact and meetings. As men get older, they have to start thinking about succession."

Chen Hua smiled warmly, "I am honored by your kindness, sir, to assign me such a challenging task right from the start."

"Don't complain. This job isn't actually that difficult. With your abilities, it's not hard to handle things properly."

Chen Hua nodded noncommittally.

"Besides maintaining trade relations, what you need to do is socialize, not monitor anyone or use any means to extract intelligence. What you need to do in the future is fundamentally different from what you did before."

Your previous approach to business was essentially about harming others for personal gain, while the essence of business is equal exchange. If you want to gain something, you must be prepared to give something in return.

Xian Yaowen put down his chopsticks, took a sip of iced soy milk, and said unhurriedly, "You, first with Yang Hu, then with Boss Dai, were nominally lovers, but in reality, you were just playing the role of a social pawn. You were very capable, and from the Blue Shirts Society to the Lixing Society, and then to the Military Intelligence Bureau, you made great contributions to Boss Dai."

However, you don't get much in return.

According to Mosquito, the reason for this is because you're a very individualistic woman who can't get along with colleagues, can't lead a team, and can only act independently.

Chen Hua lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. "Sir, you've put a lot of effort into studying my information?"

"In terms of personnel management, my principle is to make the best use of everyone's talents. It's not good to assign work without a thorough understanding of the situation. You are a solitary person, which I guess is related to your childhood experiences, but you are also very good at socializing, which is very contradictory."

Xian Yaowen placed his right hand on the back of Chen Hua's left hand and patted it twice. "When you're socializing, do you enjoy the thrill of manipulating people, or do you suppress your disgust and hold your breath while waiting for the outcome?"

Instead of answering, Chen Hua asked, "And you, sir?"

"I have a complex personality, with all sorts of emotions. Let me give you an example that's happening right now. There's a woman from Zhangzhou named Chen Jinxuan. She's not particularly pretty, but she has a certain charm that I quite like."

She got married; her husband was from a collateral branch of the Banqiao Lin family. She said he was a heavy opium addict, indulging in all five vices: drinking, gambling, whoring, and smoking.

Sin Yiu-man waved his hand, "That's not important to me. I only care about the surname Lin. I slept with her in less than an hour. It was kind of half-hearted. She didn't actually resist."

For reasons I still don't understand, the Lin family lost. She became a hostess at Cai Jintu's Qingfeng Restaurant. Before the restaurant officially opened, I was her first customer.

She probably saw me as a lifeline to escape her misery. And she's not stupid; once she grasped me, she couldn't bear to let go.

Sin Yiu-man recounted in detail the entire process of his time with Chan Kam-shuen yesterday.

“At first, she made her son call him ‘Dad,’ but in bed she wanted to get pregnant with his child. Chen Jinxuan’s intentions were obvious.” Chen Hua sighed, “I admire her courage and decisiveness.”

"I can guess what she wants, and she will get what she wants, more than she imagines, but not in the way she thinks she will get it. I'm pretty casual with women, but not casual with having children."

Sin Yiu-man paused for a moment and said, "She got what she wanted, and I got what I wanted. That's what I consider an equal exchange. I didn't have any intention of playing with her. I enjoyed the process. Among the women I've been with, she and I are among the most compatible."

"Is her kung fu exceptionally good?"

"No, no, no." Sin Yiu-man raised his middle finger and shook it. "Only men who have never seen the world are obsessed with so-called kung fu. I'm long past that stage. What I want is a feeling."

I enjoy the process and also pursue the result; this is my normal way of interacting with others. Of course, there are more pleasant situations and less pleasant cases, but they never reach the point of being disgusting or silently enduring them.

Back to you, you are the most beautiful girl in the military, and many people have heard about your past experiences. When you are socializing, no matter how skillful you are, for many men, what you use to exchange for something in return must include your body.

That's why I need to understand your feelings. If it makes you feel disgusted, then we're done with this socializing. You can take care of other work, endure a few more years, and you can still get enough for your retirement from me.

Chen Hua chuckled, "I'm almost forty, and you still think I'm very charming?"

"There is no doubt about that, otherwise you wouldn't be in Taipei. I would have you become a teacher and go to chicken stalls and shack areas to find good talents for training."

Chen Hua said cheerfully, "To be honest, I don't resist having sex with men, but some men are disgusting, and I feel like vomiting as soon as I get close to them."

“Very good.” Sin Yiu-man nodded. “My ambitions are huge. The business here in Taiwan is just a drop in the ocean. Doing business is like being a person; you need a good reputation. If people spread rumors that I, Sin Yiu-man, am making my business by sleeping with women, it won’t sound good.”

So, unless absolutely necessary, please keep your belt tight.

I'm not doing business with the intention of making huge profits from small investments, nor do I expect others to help me for free. If I receive something, I will naturally give something in return. Some things shouldn't be used as tools to break through impasses, but rather as the last line of defense above the bottom line. Do you understand?

"Thank you for your thoughtfulness, sir. I really won't let you down." A warm smile bloomed on Chen Hua's face, perhaps because his sincerity was valued, or perhaps because of his familiar accent.

“Ah Ruan is practically my roommate, she’ll definitely keep an eye on you.” Sin Yiu-man patted Chan Wah’s hand twice more, then withdrew his hand, picked up his chopsticks, and asked, “Do you like playing cards with women?”

"The kind from yesterday?"

“Don’t let Bao Shu’s age fool you; she’s still quite young in some ways. She’s going back to Hong Kong in the next couple of days, but the card games can’t stop. If playing cards is a pastime for you, I hope you can take over for her.”

"I can."

"You met Wang Youjia yesterday?"

"The gentleman's elder sister."

"What older sister? She wanted to find a new backer. I was interested in her connections, that's all. But the news that we've become siblings has already spread, so she is my older sister."

She's a smart woman and won't act recklessly, but there's always a chance something might happen. You should be careful.

Chen Hua nodded. "Although Wang Youjia is a bit older, she is an absolute beauty. Why don't you win her over, sir? Is it because she doesn't give you the feeling you're looking for?"

Xian Yaowen chuckled, "It's because I'm busy. By the time I have time, she and Tang Jishan will probably have broken up, and she won't be very attractive to me anymore."

"Oh." Chen Hua suddenly realized, "Sir, you are not only romantic, but also vulgar."

"The meaning is expressed accurately, but the words are unpleasant. Reorganize your language and say it again."

Chen Hua laughed heartily: "Sir, you are a man of strong character."

"Very good, be careful with your wording in the future."

"Hahaha." Chen Hua laughed heartily.

After having breakfast, Xian Yaowen went to the pavilion, but his seat was taken and Jiang Yiying was sitting there.

He waved her over, signaling her to move aside. Once she was moved, he fanned himself with a newspaper and plopped down on the floor.

"Don't take my seat anymore. Go buy some Egyptian cotton fabric to make underwear. It'll be more comfortable to wear, with less friction, so your butt won't get so hot."

Jiang Yiying blushed and said, "I'm hot."

"Oh, not going out?"

"I do not want to go out."

"Your vacation is almost over, so hurry up and have some fun."

"I'm not done playing anymore, I can start doing something now."

Sin Yiu-man flipped through the newspaper. "If they say it's a few days off, it's a few days off. Even if you don't go out, there are plenty of ways to pass the time and find some fun for yourself."

"I just want to find something to do."

Sin Yiu-man gestured towards the potted plants, "The sun is strong today, so we'll move them to a shady spot at noon and then move them back to their original place at four o'clock."

"it is good."

"Also, when feeding the birds, don't feed them too much, or they'll get overfed."

"I just fed the watermelon."

"Do you not want to go out because you ran into someone you know?"

Jiang Yiying's eyes flickered for a moment, "Yes."

"The men in Baodou are not of any class. To be troubled by them is to degrade yourself. They are all pitiful. If they are lucky enough to marry a wife, they will have the opportunity to show their authority and swagger in front of their children. Otherwise, they will hardly have a chance to show their superiority in their lifetime."

Xian Yaowen patted Jiang Yiying's hand, "Consider this a good deed for the day, so that his life as a beast of burden has something worth remembering."

Jiang Yiying chuckled softly, "It seems like that's the only way to think about it."

"What has happened cannot be changed, so don't dwell on it. Just like when you're engrossed in listening to the radio, you make some tea."

"it is good."

the other side.

Cen Peipei and Camilla boarded a flight to London, planning to stay briefly before heading to Dubai.

Rashid wanted to hold a formal meeting to discuss the Free City project, and before that, Cen Peipei went to pave the way and discuss the details. (End of Chapter)