That night.
As I was resting in the special room provided for contestants by the competition…
Knock, knock, knock!
A rapid and dense series of knocks sounded.
Opening the door, I saw a completely unfamiliar middle-aged man’s face.
The man didn’t enter but stood at the doorway looking at me, coldly saying, “Chen Xiang, is that you? Young Master He wants to see you!”
Here it comes! It’s finally here!
Ever since I advanced, I had been speculating in my mind.
My name and identity might not be very familiar to others, but that Young Master He, who was intent on leveraging the family division to gain power, had no reason not to pay attention to me.
Especially after learning that I had advanced to the finals tomorrow night, he would surely make a move. As expected, my guess was right!
In front of the He family in Macau, no one could keep any secrets!
It now seemed that this statement was not just baseless gossip.
After delivering the message, the middle-aged man turned and left without waiting for my reaction or consent.
However, it was the walk of a guide.
Judging by his demeanor, he clearly hadn’t considered the possibility of me refusing.
To be honest, if it weren’t for the chance to meet that He Chenguang, even if Young Master He had personally invited me, I might not have accepted.
Following the middle-aged man out of the Grand Lisboa Entertainment City, we stopped on a street not far from the Grand Lisboa, in a spot that couldn’t be captured by the surveillance cameras around the entrance.
On the roadside where the middle-aged man and I stopped, a black Rolls-Royce was parked.
The rear window of the Rolls-Royce was open, and inside sat a man who looked to be only in his early thirties.
The man was handsome, dressed in a luxurious suit, with the most fashionable flat-top hairstyle, holding the latest Nokia phone, wearing French-style glasses, and looking at me with a smile.
I figured he must be that Young Master He.
Seeing me arrive, Young Master He kindly extended his hand from the car window and said, “Chen Xiang, is that you? You know who I am, right?”
Upon hearing this, I nodded slightly.
“Good!” After speaking a string of English, Young Master He continued, “Don’t be nervous. I had someone call you out simply because I want to have a few words with you in a completely safe environment.”
“Young Master He, if you have something to say, please be direct!” I replied, neither subservient nor arrogant.
“I know your gambling skills are excellent, especially with poker cards, and you’ve even made it to the finals tomorrow night. I wanted to ask if you’re interested in working with me?”
Before I could even answer, Young Master He continued, “Don’t worry, Chen Xiang! As long as you’re willing to come and work with me, houses, cars, money, girls… you can have as much of these trivial worldly possessions as you desire. I guarantee I won’t treat you unfairly in the slightest!”
After speaking, as he withdrew his hand, Young Master He took the opportunity to pat my shoulder.
Seeing that there was no one else in the Rolls-Royce besides Young Master He and the driver, I instantly lost interest in continuing the conversation.
After a moment of feigned contemplation…
“I am deeply honored and extremely grateful for your regard, Young Master He, but…”
Changing the subject, I looked directly at Young Master He and said, “Your father, Mr. He, has already reached an agreement with me. So, in a strict sense, I am Mr. He’s man now!”
“Unless Mr. He no longer intends to use me, it would be like lighting a lamp in a latrine – seeking trouble – if I were to leave his side and jump to yours!”
When facing this Young Master He, I tried my best to refuse him婉转ly, using a tone that was not sharp and had a touch of lively humor.
There was no choice; one must bow their head when under another’s roof!
Society is stratified, and so are people.
In Macau, the He family is the heaven and the earth, their power far exceeding that of local emperors!
Even though Mr. He and this Young Master He are publicly at odds, they are, after all, blood relatives.
Even a tiger does not eat its cubs, let alone Mr. He, whose prestige has plummeted and who has entered his twilight years.
Although I had agreed to Mr. He, which meant I stood on the opposite side of this Young Master He and was in a different camp, I had to show the respect due in all aspects.
After all, who could guarantee that father and son wouldn’t reconcile in the future?
…
Hearing me say this, the smile on Young Master He’s face instantly froze, and his tone turned cold.
“Chen Xiang, are you saying that even though I’ve personally invited you to join my team, you refuse to give me face!?”
The face of a superior is like the weather in June, changing instantly!
One moment he was smiling amiably, appearing to be courteously inviting subordinates, and the next, he immediately put on a dramatic change of expression, staring at me with fierce eyes.
Seeing this, I quickly tried to explain, “Young Master He, that’s not what I meant!”
“Then what do you mean?”
The moment his words fell, Young Master He’s aura exploded, and the sternness in his brows was filled with an aggressive aura, creating a strong and immense sense of pressure on me.
I knew he was forcing me to retract my words.
But I have always been someone who responds to kindness rather than coercion, and my head is also very stubborn. I never easily change my mind once a decision is made.
Under the powerful pressure of Young Master He’s aura, I calmly and composedly replied, “Young Master He, a forcibly twisted melon is not sweet; you should know this principle!”
“Besides, I’m not the only one who has advanced to the finals. Why waste your time on me?”
Seeing that I could refuse him without changing my expression or skipping a beat, Young Master He suddenly let out a cold laugh for no reason.
That laugh sent a chilling sensation down my spine.
As the cold laughter gradually subsided, Young Master He began to roll up the car window, saying in a detached tone, “I have a rule: anyone who is unwilling to be my subordinate will be marked as an enemy!”
“And the best way to deal with enemies is…”
Just as Young Master He was about to reach a crucial point in his words, the middle-aged man standing beside him suddenly drew a short knife from his waist and swung it down at me with a fierce chop.
Fortunately, after refusing Young Master He, I had remained vigilant.
The moment the middle-aged man drew his knife and swung it at me, my instinct was to dodge to the side, narrowly avoiding the cold blade.
I thought that after missing with the first strike, the middle-aged man would attack me again.
But to my surprise, he stopped immediately, looked at me with a cold expression, and said, “That was just a lesson for you. No one can refuse Young Master He! You… just wait to die!”
After saying this, the middle-aged man immediately opened the car door and got in.
Then, the Rolls-Royce roared to life, speeding away like an arrow.