If my guess was correct, the sole purpose of Young Master He’s invitation to meet me tonight was one thing.
A test!
Young Master He was testing me, seeing if I could be of use to him.
If I could, then I would be bombarded with a barrage of sugar-coated bullets.
If not, then it would inevitably lead to a confrontation, and he would be eager to eliminate me.
As for the underlying meaning behind this test, it was most likely to accelerate his plan of splitting the family and seizing power.
It seemed that the conflict between Mr. He and his son had escalated to a point of irreconcilable animosity.
I just wasn't sure if, under these circumstances, Mr. He had made adequate preparations and left enough contingency plans to deal with it.
If not, and if that Young Master He succeeded in seizing power, my situation would become extremely precarious.
Forget about using this situation to get revenge; I might even face the threat of death at any moment…
Not long after I returned to my room, Mr. He’s call came through.
Once the call was connected, Mr. He got straight to the point and asked, “I heard he sought you out earlier?”
“Yes!” I replied concisely.
“That unfilial son, what did he say to you?” Mr. He pressed further.
Upon hearing this, I recounted everything Young Master He had said, truthfully.
After hearing that I had returned unharmed, Mr. He on the other end of the line visibly relaxed.
But immediately, he cursed in an enraged tone, “That scoundrel!!! I’m not so decrepit that I can’t manage things, yet this unfilial son is solely focused on splitting the family and taking control!?”
“Does he really think I’m a toothless tiger, all show and no substance!?”
After a pause, Mr. He changed his tone and said, “Don’t worry, Chen Xiang. That unfilial son isn’t capable of doing whatever he pleases!”
“As long as I am alive, no one in the entire Macau dares to touch my people!!!”
Although the old saying goes that even a dead tiger has its prestige, and Mr. He hadn’t reached that point, I couldn’t really believe what he said.
His words were akin to making a dramatic declaration, sounding intimidating and sincere, but in reality, they were quite useless.
Countless movies and television shows have proven that whenever someone says, “I’ll quit after this job,” or “I’ll be back to accompany you after work,” or “No one can escape under my nose,” or “No one dares to touch my people,” they immediately face a downfall.
Movies and television use these plot twists to engage the audience, creating a strong sense of contrast through the unexpected turns of events, thereby increasing viewership.
Even though reality doesn’t have viewership ratings, the arrogant and rebellious nature of that Young Master He is undeniable.
It was entirely possible that he would order someone to sneakily come after me.
If Mr. He was merely speaking words without intending to act on them, I feared that after tonight’s test, my life would be far from peaceful.
Hearing my silent response, Mr. He on the other end of the line seemed to realize something and immediately asked, “Are you worried?”
“Yes!” I replied without hesitation. “I’ve heard about Young Master He’s affairs and know that he always follows through with his words, so I am a little concerned.”
Upon hearing this, Mr. He didn’t reply immediately. After a moment of thought, he finally said, “That unfilial son, he… he does act rather ruthlessly, but don’t worry!”
“With me backing you, you’ll definitely be fine! For now, you just need to focus all your energy on the finals tomorrow night!”
Heh heh~ “Definitely be fine”?
Honestly, I was afraid that before tomorrow night even arrived, that Young Master He would have already arranged for someone to deal with me.
Just as I was silently grumbling to myself, Mr. He on the other end of the line suddenly added, “Oh, right, Chen Xiang…”
“If you’re still not at ease, I’ll send someone to protect you right now!”
After a slight pause, I heard Mr. He say to someone beside him on the phone, “Ah Zhong, have Wen Ting take a few people to protect Chen Xiang!”
“Tell Wen Ting, and make sure she understands it’s my direct order, that she herself must provide Chen Xiang with twenty-four-hour, constant close protection!”
“If anyone tries to harm Chen Xiang, regardless of whose subordinate they are, she has my authorization to act first and report later!”
As soon as Mr. He finished speaking, I immediately heard the person named Ah Zhong loudly respond, “Yes!”
Merchants pursue profit.
I knew very well that Mr. He valued me so highly solely because of my performance in the King of Gamblers competition.
He knew that as long as he could completely win me over, truly win my heart, the profits I could generate for him would far exceed his investment in me!
However, this twenty-four-hour, constant close protection truly startled me.
If that Young Master He found out about this, wouldn’t he hate me to the bone and try every means to get rid of me?
With this thought in mind, I quickly said, “Mr. He, you’re truly putting me in a difficult position by doing this!”
“If Young Master He finds out about this, he will definitely hate me even more!”
“And if it further exacerbates the discord between you and your son because of me, wouldn’t I become a sinner for all time?”
Hearing this, Mr. He immediately replied, “The fact that you think this way shows great personal awareness! But then again.”
“Even if I didn’t do this, the conflict with that unfilial son has already reached an irreconcilable point!”
“That heartless beast, all he thinks about day and night is splitting the family and seizing power. I no longer hold any hope for him…”
“Therefore, I want to use you to indirectly tell those fair-weather friends who have switched allegiances for temporary gain, to see clearly that I will treat those who are truly loyal to me generously!”
Since Mr. He had spoken his mind so clearly, I naturally wouldn’t refuse any further. I immediately changed my tone and expressed my gratitude.
“You don’t need to thank me; thank yourself!” Mr. He said earnestly. “In the martial world, one is not their own master!”
“The protection I offer you is only temporary. If you want others to not look down on you or bully you, you can only rely on your own hard work and struggle!”
“I rose from a mere bookie to where I am today by relying on my own wits and my own two hands!”
“Chen Xiang, remember this: only when you become strong enough yourself, and establish a certain status and influence in the underworld, will others hesitate to lay a hand on you!”
“So, you must work even harder for the finals tomorrow night, aiming to win the championship!”
To be fair, Mr. He was quite skilled at brainwashing and changing the subject.
First, he appealed to my emotions and reason to persuade me to work hard, then in a few words, he steered the conversation back to the King of Gamblers competition.
By the time I finished my call with Mr. He, the woman named Wen Ting had already appeared outside my room door…