money player

Sin Yiu-man lightly plucked the guitar strings with his fingertips, and the melody slowly unfolded. He then spoke fluent Korean: ",".

A deep voice, warmed by the guitar, gently echoed in the study.

As Wang Xiamin slowly plunging the bellows of her accordion, melodious notes immediately followed. She softly sang in standard, clear, and affectionate Mandarin: "In the dead of night, I long for dawn."

The slow, deliberate tone of Korean intertwines with the gentle, melodious tones of Chinese, accompanied by the steady guitar and the soothing accordion. The two languages ​​and the two vocal styles blend together in a unique way, their sounds intertwining and swirling.

",."

"The hillsides are covered in azaleas."

"Azaleas bloom all over the ridge."

Wang Xiamin gently closed the accordion, lightly pressed the keys with her fingertips, and smiled, saying, "This song is more suitable for accompaniment with the guqin."

"Just playing around." Xian Yaowen replied casually, leaning the guitar against the table and looking up to ask, "Did Peipei give any instructions?"

Wang Xiamin gestured towards the neatly stacked pile of documents on the desk: "They're all here."

As soon as she finished speaking, she naturally sat on Xian Yaowen's lap, picked up the top document, and whispered to him the key points.

"According to Sister Lizhen, the People's Anti-Communist Self-Defense and National Salvation Army, which is lurking in the mountainous area bordering Nankang, Dayu, and Chongyi, and the Anti-Communist Free Army, which is lurking in the border area of ​​Anyuan, Yudu, and Ganxian, may be making a big move recently. The target is likely to be an attack on the tungsten ore transport convoy on the Dayu Meiguan section of the Gan-Yue Highway."

Is the news reliable?

"What they mean is that it's reliable."

What's the weather like in Dayu this month?

"Sunny and hot with little rain, a mild spring."

Which system do the two teams belong to?

"The People's Anti-Communist Self-Defense and National Salvation Army is the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, and the Anti-Communist Free Army is Chiang Ching-kuo's Youth Army."

"After the outbreak of the Pacific War, in order to protect its Burma colonies, Britain proposed to form a joint commando force with China. The Special Operations Executive Bureau formed the 204th Military Mission (codenamed Tulip Force), which established a camp in western Jiangxi and trained many commando units."

Later, for some unknown reason, the plan was abandoned; the British withdrew, and the trained commandos were never sent to Burma.

Wang Xiamin asked suspiciously, "Is this related to the current spies?"

"At that time, southern Jiangxi, northern Jiangxi, and western Jiangxi belonged to three forces and should not have much to do with each other. However, for a commando team that was infiltrating behind enemy lines, fighting guerrilla warfare, and carrying out assassinations and sabotage, the weather was life and death. The British must have studied the weather conditions in Ganzhou back then."

How many people know about this?

"I don't think many people know about this, but that's okay. We can let everyone know, at least let Londoners know."

"The attack happened during a rainstorm?"

Sin Yiu-man nodded slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Rainy days tend to exacerbate pessimism."

He had barely finished speaking when the phone on the table rang.

"Hello, where is this?"

"I play at three o'clock, and I'm short a right winger," Little Griffiths laughed on the other end of the phone.

Sin Yiu-man frowned slightly. "So, this is how Great Britain uses its resources?"

"Adam, do not be presumptuous... presumptuous about what?"

"Unfairly demeaning oneself."

"Yes, don't underestimate yourself. I believe many companies have opened files for you."

"Thank you, but I'm not honored at all. Same place as usual?"

"uh-huh."

"OK."

After hanging up the phone, Xian Yaowen glanced at the wall clock and said to Wang Xiamin, "I'll look at the documents tonight. I'm going to the office of Jin Fugui Holdings."

"Send a fax to Singapore?"

"No need, I'm on the plane and will arrive in Hong Kong this evening."

In an instant, Sin Yiu-man appeared on Queen's Road Central, on the lower floor of Yunwen Real Estate's office, in the office of Kim Fu Gui Holdings.

The entire floor was divided into two offices—the assistant's office and the manager's office. The assistant was Liao Kexin, Zhou Xiaoyun's wife. She managed the secretarial office, which had four secretaries. Their workstations were opposite the assistant's desk.

He had just stepped onto the stairs when he heard the roar of a helicopter rotor overhead. He paused, then quickly retreated down the stairs, rushed to the street, and looked up.

A Sikorsky S-51 was hovering in the air a dozen meters above the ground, with a Stokes stretcher being slowly lowered from under its belly.

This was a drill to prepare for the possibility that Zhou Ruoyun might encounter an emergency and not have time to travel by land.

He stood still and watched quietly as a person posing as a pregnant woman was strapped to a stretcher, and then the helicopter, carrying the stretcher, steadily flew off in a northwest direction.

The roar of the rotors gradually faded into the sky, and an ambulance sped up, its doors swung open with a "whoosh." Several medical staff rushed out, hurrying past him and heading straight for the stairwell.

Three minutes later, a stretcher was carried downstairs by several people and quickly loaded into an ambulance. A doctor in a white coat, holding a walkie-talkie, quickly walked to the side and contacted the speedboat waiting at the dock.

Just then, two trucks covered with heavy tarpaulins slowly drove up. The tarpaulins were patched with small pieces of tarpaulin, which subtly concealed the firing ports hidden on the trucks.

The distinctive low rumble of the Catalina seaplane echoed through the sky as the fuselage swerved to the left, its 12.7mm heavy machine gun positioned at the waist of the aircraft, its barrel cold and ready to unleash a torrent of fire.

On the flying club's tarmac, two P-51 Mustangs had already warmed up their engines, which were humming smoothly and ready to take off at any moment. In less than a minute, they would reach the engagement zone and join the battle.

On the roof of a building, a Soviet-made AST artillery observation scope was mounted.

"You bastard, you bastard, it's Jinlian. Marker 225, right 055, Drought Demon, one shot, Fire."

"Minus five on the scale, move 005 to the left, Fire."

"All you dead devils, fire two shots at once, Fire!"

"The dead are gone, the rooster bowl is ready to serve."

The two groups of the Chicken Bowl team, Group A and Group B, occupied the rooftops of two different buildings. Each person held a broom and performed a set of tactical movements that looked comical yet serious to outsiders, but their posture was anything but ambiguous.

On the beach of Lamma Island, several wooden M101 howitzers were first hacked to pieces with axes, and then doused with gasoline and set ablaze.

Several deep tire tracks remained on the beach, and not far away, a cargo ship with a slightly strange appearance was slowly sailing away from the sea.

As the noise subsided, Sin Yiu-man walked back down the stairs. At the end of the second-floor corridor, he bumped into four men dressed in black five-pointed star security uniforms, all wearing sunglasses and black masks, and each carrying a tactical chest bag.

He nodded slightly to the group and stepped into his assistant's office.

Liao Kexin was sitting in her executive chair, fiddling with a diamond necklace in her hand, when she caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye.

Xian Yaowen's gaze immediately locked onto her. She had changed; the old-fashioned, dull-colored cheongsam she used to wear was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, she wore a cream-colored cheongsam in a formal style, with delicate silver thread embroidered on the neckline, which made her skin appear even whiter. She wore a thin shawl in the same color over it, and the tassels swayed gently with her raising her hand. She had shed some of her former restraint and gained a more gentle and elegant demeanor.

Whether it was accidentally lost or a deliberate choice to be unique, she only wore a single pearl earring on her left earlobe, hanging alone, which added a touch of casual charm.

Her complexion was slightly dull and yellowish, exuding a listless weariness, and her eyes also showed signs of fatigue. There was still a red dot on her lower left jawline, as if she had just squeezed a pimple.

Anyone with a basic understanding of health preservation could tell that she hadn't been intimate for a long time, her estrogen levels were low, and her endocrine system was disordered. Coupled with her emotional distress and liver qi stagnation, she exuded a sense of pent-up frustration and exhaustion.

As Ruoyun mentioned before, Zhou Xiaoyun has stopped pretending and brought his mistress home. It seems he's forgotten his old flame for a new one, and his wife, who shared his hardships, has been completely relegated to the sidelines.

"Scumbag." Xian Yaowen silently cursed in his heart, walked slowly to Liao Kexin's desk, and softly called out, "Sister-in-law."

"Yaowen." Liao Kexin looked up and replied, "Just got back from Taipei?"

"I just arrived at noon. Is Ruoyun inside?"

"exist."

"I'll go see her first."

"it is good."

He knocked lightly on the door twice, and after receiving permission, Sin Yiu-man pushed the door open and walked into the executive office.

Zhou Ruoyun leaned lazily against the sofa, holding a ripe persimmon in her hand, a straw inserted between the flesh, and gently sucking on it in small sips.

Hearing footsteps, she glanced at him but didn't say anything. She continued to slowly sip the sweet juice from the persimmon, her cheeks slightly puffed out, exuding an undisguised air of languor and nonchalance.

Xian Yaowen closed the office door behind him, glanced at her indifferently, and asked calmly, "Which one are you going to eat?"

Zhou Ruoyun paused, still sucking on the straw, then lazily shrank further into the sofa, like a cat too lazy to move.

"The second one." Her voice was soft, carrying a sweet persimmon scent. "It's too sweet, I can't resist."

Xian Yaowen strode over, plopped down on the armrest of the sofa, and pulled her into his arms. He reached out and snatched the persimmon from her hand, his tone carrying a hint of unyielding reproach: "Persimmons are cold in nature. You're heavy-set. One is enough to satisfy your craving. If you eat too many, you'll definitely have an upset stomach tonight."

Zhou Ruoyun squirmed in his arms, like a little girl throwing a tantrum, and rubbed her nose against his clothes, muttering, "No way."

As he spoke, he reached out to snatch the persimmon, but his fingertips had barely touched the peel when Xian Yaowen grabbed his wrist.

He looked down at the girl in his arms, whose face still held a touch of childishness, and gently stroked her wrist with his fingertips. His tone softened, "I'll eat the rest. I'll pour you a glass of warm water to cut through the sweetness."

Zhou Ruoyun pouted and stopped arguing. She obediently leaned against him, watching him take a sip of the persimmon she hadn't finished. She couldn't help but smile and mutter softly, "It's okay to eat two, right?"

The persimmons were small to begin with, and Zhou Ruoyun had sucked most of the flesh out. When they reached Xian Yaowen's hands, he sucked out the remaining sweet juice in one bite and casually threw the shells into the trash can next to him.

He got up and walked to the wine cabinet, poured a glass of lukewarm water, then quickly walked back to the sofa, held the glass to Zhou Ruoyun's lips, and said in a softer tone, "Here, drink some water to wash away the sweetness in your mouth and warm your stomach."

Zhou Ruoyun obediently opened her mouth and let him hold the cup and feed her two mouthfuls. The warm water slid down her throat, dispelling the coolness of the persimmon and diluting the sweetness on her tongue.

She leaned closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder. Her voice was soft and sweet, with a hint of childlike naiveté: "Master, the water you poured is very sweet."

Xian Yaowen chuckled and reached out to ruffle her hair. "You're so sweet-talking."

He gently brushed his fingertips across the top of her hair, his gaze falling on her slightly pale cheeks, his tone becoming more serious, "You're not allowed to secretly eat more than you need anymore, understand?"

Zhou Ruoyun blinked, not agreeing directly, but snuggling closer into his arms, muttering softly, "I know, but my mouth feels tasteless."

"Shall I peel an apple for you?"

"No."

"Sydney?"

"No."

"What would you like to eat?"

"I don't want to eat anything." Zhou Ruoyun gently shook her head, tightening her arms around his waist, and nuzzled her head against his shoulder. Her voice was soft as if warm water, with a hint of cautious pleading, "I don't have anything to do this afternoon, so why don't you stay here with me, Master?"

Xian Yaowen looked down at the girl in his arms, whose face was still pale. He gently stroked the ends of her hair with his fingertips. A trace of guilt flashed in his eyes. He spoke in a very soft tone, but still truthfully said, "I have to leave at two o'clock. Little Griffiths asked me to play football."

Zhou Ruoyun's eyes darkened instantly, and the corners of her mouth drooped slightly. She released her hands from his waist, gently tugged at the edge of his clothes, and said nothing more, just lowered her eyes, like a kitten that had lost interest.

Seeing her like this, Xian Yaowen's heart softened instantly. He reached out and pinched her cheek, his fingertips brushing against the faint dark circles under her eyes: "Don't be irritable. After I finish playing football, I'll come home to be with you and take you for a walk, okay?"

"Oh no, there's a cocktail party tonight that I can't attend. It would be best if you could go, sir."

"What kind of cocktail party?"

"At the beginning of the season, at the Gloucester Hotel, the master brought his wife along for the cocktail party."

"Oh, who's hosting this time?"

The beginning-of-season cocktail party or the opening banquet of a season were banquets that foreign firms held year-round. The purpose of these events was to kick off the season's trade—foreign firms and traders to connect on their needs and to maintain relationships with banks, shipping companies, insurance companies, compradors, and Hong Kong government officials.

"Jardine House, Swire."

"Still the usual time?"

"Yes, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m."

“Time is a bit tight.” Xian Yaowen frowned slightly. “It’s not appropriate for my sister-in-law to be my female companion. I’ll invite another female companion, and the three of us will go together.”

"Who?"

"Sally."

"Sir, are you unaware that Jinji Trading Company is one of the organizers?"

“Of course I know.” Xian Yaowen asked deliberately, “Is Sally on the invitation list?”

"She attended on behalf of Jinji Trading Company."

"I'll find someone else."

Because of Sally's preconceived notions, Zhou Ruoyun lost the will to ask who it was. She gently changed her position, burying her head deeply in his chest, her nose touching the faint scent on his clothes.

"Master, how many days can we stay this time?"

"Flying to Tokyo the day after tomorrow."

"Can't we stay a few more days?"

"Probably not." Xian Yaowen gently stroked Zhou Ruoyun's swollen belly, his tone becoming a bit somber. "I'll stay with you for twenty days next month during your pregnancy. A lot of things will be delayed, and I might not be able to come back for next year's Spring Festival."

Zhou Ruoyun raised her hand and placed it on the back of Xian Yaowen's hand, saying softly, "We'll take good care of the child. As for the master outside... I just hope he's safe and sound."

"I'm sorry I can't spend more time with you, I'm not good..."

Zhou Ruoyun hurriedly reached out and covered his mouth, her eyelashes trembling slightly, her voice soft but firm: "Master, don't say it, you're fine."

"Okay, I won't say."

After spending some time with Zhou Ruoyun, Xian Yaowen called Peninsula and invited Judy to be his companion.

2:50.

When Sin Yiu-man arrived at the Flower Market Stadium, he found a number of British men in suits and military uniforms standing on the sidelines.

Looking at the players on the field, they were divided into two teams. One team wore dark blue jerseys and white shorts, and included both British and Chinese players. The other team wore dark red jerseys and black shorts, indicating that today's match was a friendly between the military and the army, and that Griffiths's presence on the field was merely a pretext.

He glanced around but couldn't find Griffith Jr., so he slowly walked to the edge of the field and stood alone in a quiet, empty spot.

The match wasn't really that exciting. The Army team is a top team in the First Division League, and the Hong Kong Red Devils are only one step behind South China in terms of momentum this year. The Police team is a mid-to-upper-tier team. If it were a training match, they could beat the opponent 7-0. In a friendly match, they would have to save face and win 3-0 at most.

The army team is composed entirely of British players, relying on power and aerial ball play, with high efficiency in crossing from the wings and scoring with headers; the police team is mainly Chinese with some British players, focusing more on technique and fast counter-attacks, able to run but lacking in physicality, and their rhythm is easily disrupted.

He loves football, but he's always been picky. Even the World Cup couldn't keep him watching every single game, let alone a match like this, which was mediocre and whose quality he could probably still improve on. It didn't excite him at all.

If I had known, I would have asked and postponed the meeting to the evening; otherwise, we would have been in such a rush.

He was momentarily distracted when the whistle suddenly blew. Looking in the direction of the sound, he saw that the whistle was blown by a person wearing a police uniform—there was no official referee, so it was clearly just an ordinary training match.

It seems that the Army team will play against the Sing Tao team this weekend. The two teams are very close in points, and if nothing unexpected happens, they will compete for the runner-up position in the 1951/52 season.

He suddenly thought of Liu Rongju; football betting odds were actually quite profitable.

"Adam".

As soon as he finished speaking, a rich aroma of cigars wafted over on the wind.

Little Griffiths has arrived.

He put his arm around Sin Yiu-man's shoulder and said in a low voice, "If you have something important to say, let's go talk over there."

The two went to a secluded spot, and Griffith Jr. got straight to the point, "There is a sum of money, £1000 million, which I'm entrusting you to manage for two years. When the term is up, you will have to repay £1850 million."

Sin Yiu-man chuckled and said, "A 15% commission?"

"Yes."

"Can't you pay it back?"

"Then you're in big trouble."

Can I pretend I didn't hear that?

"No."

Sin Yiu-man remained expressionless, coldly uttering only, "Fuck you."

Little Griffith's smile remained unchanged. He lightly flicked the ash from his cigar, his tone casual yet carrying an undeniable pressure: "You must take this money."

After a moment of silence, Sin Yiu-man asked, "Are there any legal problems?"

"No."

"No restrictions?"

"No, you can use it as you please."

"cash?"

"Five countries, thirty-seven accounts."

"Give me cash, 300 million to London, 200 million to Hong Kong, and 500 million converted to US dollars to New York."

"can."

How many people know this?

"No one will disclose this information to the outside world."

Sin Yiu-man fell silent again, and after a long while, he said, "My reward."

"Friendship, the friendship of British intelligence agents." (End of Chapter)