A round of cards meant half a year's salary in winnings or losses; this was the norm for gamblers.
Win, and it was feasting, drinking, and debauchery.
Lose, and it was crying to parents, beating one's chest and stamping one's feet.
Of course, whether winners or losers, they would invariably show up at the card table again in a couple of days to continue gambling.
If you asked them why, the winners would tell you it was out of politeness, an inability to refuse, or that small bets were harmless fun, and so on.
In reality, all of that was utter nonsense! At its core, it was an inability to control oneself.
As for the losers, it was even more straightforward. They would most likely comfort themselves by thinking, "It's not the suffering of losing that's scary, but the interruption of gambling."
This meant that no matter how miserably they lost, as long as they didn't stop gambling, there was still a chance to win back their money. Read books, read books.
This is a gambler! This is the gambler's mindset! Whether winner or loser, once at the card table, they would fall into that vicious cycle of win-loss theory, sinking deeper without realizing it.
Step by step, and then another step…
In the end, most gamblers without families lived lives worse than humans or ghosts, gradually becoming burdens on their parents.
Those with families were generally ruined, their wives and children scattered, their homes destroyed!
………………
Zhang Wei, the man with glasses, spoke, causing the young man from the underworld named Shi Ge to turn cold. He lit a Yuxi cigarette and smoked silently, saying nothing.
At this moment, a bald man, older than the others at the table, suddenly interjected, "How about… we call it a day here?"
A young man with a buzz cut sitting next to the bald man said coldly, "No! I disagree. Zhang Wei said he lost over ten thousand, but I lost nearly ten thousand too!"
"He doesn't want to win back, but I do!"
"If he leaves, how can we continue playing?"
As soon as the buzz-cut youth finished speaking, the bald man fell silent, lit a cigarette, and turned his gaze to Zhang Wei.
As a detached observer, this scene immediately led me to judge that the bald man most likely wanted to continue playing.
At the card table, apart from cheaters, no one truly wanted to stop midway.
This was because gamblers were most unwilling to accept and face the outcome of cutting their losses.
Therefore, in their perception, it was either losing until they were numb and dead, or facing death to find new life!
Of course, not all gamblers were mindless brutes who pressed on despite knowing it was futile.
Take this man with glasses, Zhang Wei, for example. Although he lost the most, he still retained some reason.
It was at this moment that the beautiful young woman suddenly said with a chuckle, "Oh! It's not even time yet, why is Boss Zhang leaving?"
As soon as the beautiful young woman spoke, everyone's gaze involuntarily turned to her.
In those bloodshot eyes, countless emotions flashed and vanished.
There was undisguised greed and heat…
There was half-hidden admiration and infatuation…
There was also indifferent detachment devoid of desire…
Undoubtedly, the beautiful young woman's appearance successfully drew everyone's attention.
Even I, standing behind her, was scrutinized at least ten times by the three tables of gamblers upstairs!
Before Zhang Wei, the main player, could even reply, the bald man next to him quickly said, "Don't mention it! Old Zhang lost all his inventory money today! He has no money now and wants to leave."
Shi Ge, who had been silent all along, glanced at the beautiful young woman, then at me behind her, and smiled, "Sister Ran, are you here to bring us a new card player?"
Upon hearing this, the beautiful young woman, addressed as Sister Ran, immediately shook her head and replied, "Don't talk nonsense! He was introduced by Xiao Diao."
"It's his first time here, I'm taking him around to have a look."
Sister Ran's words silenced Shi Ge and the others.
Zhang Wei, who had been intent on leaving, saw Sister Ran approach and suddenly frowned, changing his tune. "I know you all haven't had enough. How about this?"
"I still have over four hundred yuan in my pocket. I'll play one more round with you."
"This is the peak time for the chess and card room. One round is enough for Sister Ran to find a new card player for you."
"After the round, no matter how much you win or recoup, I'll leave then. How about it?"
As soon as Zhang Wei finished speaking, Shi Ge and the bald man said nothing, only the buzz-cut youth sneered dismissively, "What do you mean, 'how about it'? Four hundred yuan to play one more round with us? Stop kidding yourself!"
"How can I possibly win back anything with that? If you don't want to play, don't force it! Just say it directly!"
"I don't want to play?" Zhang Wei's emotions were instantly ignited, the anger he had suppressed for a long time surging, and he shouted excitedly, "Son of a bitch! I've lost twelve thousand!"
"You think you're the only one who wants to win back? I only have over four hundred left, how can I win back? Huh?! Tell me… how?!"
"If it weren't for Sister Pan's sake, I would have left long ago! Why would I still be wasting my breath with you here?!"
Friends who have played "Zha Jin Hua" (a Chinese card game, similar to poker) should know that it requires at least 4 players, with 5-6 being optimal. Any more becomes less interesting.
And in a four-player game, the biggest loser trying to recoup twelve thousand yuan with only four hundred is simply impossible.
Because it's completely unrealistic!
Therefore, Zhang Wei chose to cut his losses.
I thought that the seemingly aggressive buzz-cut youth and the man with glasses, Zhang Wei, would surely start arguing after being confronted.
If they argued fiercely, a physical altercation wouldn't be out of the question.
But what I didn't expect was…
"Forget it, forget it. I just said it casually. Since you really have no money, then… if you don't play, you don't play."
With an awkward smile, the buzz-cut youth mumbled and then lowered his head to light a cigarette.
Looking at the buzz-cut youth's actions, and combining them with his previous behavior, I already had a vague feeling.
This card game was likely not as simple as it seemed!
Unfortunately, Zhang Wei, who was in the midst of it, was unaware.
"Let me take a break first! I'll talk about it later! I'm leaving."
At this moment, Zhang Wei, after uttering these words, left in a huff, filled with annoyance and regret.
Although I didn't know what business Zhang Wei was in, I thought… he would likely disappear for a long time.
After all, 12,000 yuan in 2008 was quite a sum.
True bosses who did big business and made big money, let alone looking down on small sums of ten thousand or eight thousand, would probably not come to such places to gamble.
Only those small business owners who ran small ventures were the main force in the chess and card rooms…
Seeing the four-player "Zha Jin Hua" game about to break up, the bald man suddenly looked at me and said to Sister Ran, "Sister Ran, since this young brother is Xiao Diao's friend, why not… let him join in and replace Old Zhang?"
Hearing the bald man's words, Sister Ran first withdrew her smile, then turned to look at me.
The beautiful young woman's gaze deepened, and she appeared to be in deep thought.