Chapter 17: Thanks for the TV, old buddy

A person's life will pass through countless alleys and enter countless doors.

In the physical sense, not biological.

But Zhai Da had to admit that he hadn't expected tonight's development.

Originally, he thought Lu Wei had come to this old Big Mao residential area to deliver some documents to a coworker.

But after winding around to the single-story house area at the very back, this was the scene.

The edge of the old residential area suddenly had light. Wires were pulled from inside the house and wrapped around a tree, tying up a huge light bulb.

A group of men, some shirtless and some in black short-sleeved shirts, were playing cards in a haze of smoke.

Quite a few of them had tattoos.

The surrounding single-story houses seemed to have been bought or rented, enclosing a relatively closed space. Several oil-stained tables were set up in the empty space in the middle, smoke swirling like immortal mist.

"Straight flush! Winner takes all, pay up, pay up!"

A tattooed brawny man laughed and gathered the fifty and one-hundred-yuan banknotes on the table in front of him.

This was a hidden gambling den. Looking at the setup, it wasn't temporary, but long-term.

A gaunt middle-aged man in his forties threw his hand of cards on the table in annoyance, irritably opened his cigarette pack, only to find it empty. He turned his head and happened to see the two people who seemed to have wandered in by mistake.

One of them was wearing a school uniform, completely out of place here.

The gaunt middle-aged man beckoned, but Lu Wei shook her head.

So he had no choice but to get up and walk over: "Where are the cigarettes?"

Lu Wei handed over the Grey Liqun from her palm.

While unwrapping and lighting the cigarette, the gaunt middle-aged man looked at Zhai Da, his eyes full of scrutiny, but in the end, he said nothing.

After taking a puff, he said:

"Didn't you get paid today? Where's the money?"

Lu Wei took a thin envelope from her pocket and handed it to him.

The gaunt middle-aged man opened the envelope, took a look, spat, and said, "Why is it only five hundred? Isn't it 1300 a month?"

Lu Wei's voice had no fluctuation: "The probation period only pays 80%. I ruined a plate, so I was fined a bit, and I kept 300 for myself."

The gaunt middle-aged man scoffed, waved his hand, and said, "Go, go, women are bad luck, my luck is gone."

Lu Wei stood still until Zhai Da pulled her hand and turned around.

He had already felt some scrutinizing gazes.

The gaunt middle-aged man just watched Lu Wei walk back into the darkness.

His gaze fell on their joined hands, thoughtful.

Not until they had completely left the area with light did Zhai Da say, "Is that your dad?"

Lu Wei nodded.

Zhai Da sighed, his tone very serious.

"You shouldn't have done this?"

"What?"

"You could have told me in advance, even if it was just to let me wait when we were almost there, instead of letting me see it with my own eyes. This makes things difficult for me, and it's not safe."

Lu Wei was silent for a long time, only responding with one sentence.

"I'm sorry."

Why do people always forget... that one can only show their good side...

The way back seemed even darker, but Zhai Da didn't take Lu Wei's hand again.

Lu Wei's footsteps also silently fell a few steps behind Zhai Da.

Until she heard Zhai Da say:

"If I report them like this, they'll suspect if a high school student did it tonight..."

Lu Wei:...

Zhai Da took out his phone: "I'll say it first, I have always been incompatible with gambling and drugs, and I hate evil. Even if it's your dad, I won't let go of this opportunity to make money... I mean, to clear up the unhealthy trends."

Lu Wei stood blankly on the spot, her little brain seemingly having crashed.

"You don't have any objections, right? After all, you don't want your dad to gamble anymore, do you? I'll help you get him inside to sober up for a few days, it's for your own good!"

If it were an ordinary student, they would probably be scared weak at the sight of tattoos.

But Zhai Da wasn't. He only knew that waiters in restaurants in big cities, delivery guys, barbers in hair salons, and pure-love warriors in matchmaking clubs all had tattoos.

And their service attitude was very good, and they smiled very sweetly.

Tattoos were not a sign of ferocity; tattoos were just traces of desolation.

Of course, that wasn't the point.

According to the rules of the scattered province that reporting gambling is rewarded, one phone call from him could earn him a reward of 3-6% of the seized gambling funds, with a minimum of 500 yuan.

He didn't know how much money was in the pot in this small place...

The only regret was that he had accidentally shown his face just now. If it was reported immediately, they would probably associate it with him.

In Zhai Da's eyes, this wasn't a gambling den at all, it was his own little treasury...

Thanks to the old buddies for the TV.

Zhai Da pulled Lu Wei aside and whispered, "How about this, I'll wait two days before taking action, don't let the news leak."

Lu Wei finally returned to normal, and Zhai Da saw a shocked expression for the first time.

As if saying: Can it be done like this?

"Remember, keep it secret."

Lu Wei nodded heavily:

"I will never tell anyone else. Dad really should... calm down."

Zhai Da nodded: "This place might not open a pot every day. We'll keep in touch. When your dad comes again, you come find me, at my home or at the school gate. I'll take eight and you take two, your share won't be missing."

Lu Wei shook her head: "I don't want money..."

Zhai Da said, "Don't pretend, you poor thing!"

As for the "support" relationship between Lu Wei and her dad, Zhai Da didn't say much.

It was nothing more than a cowardly mom, a gambling-addicted dad, and a broken her.

He had seen too many such people and heard too many such stories.

The indifference of adults is because they know that reasoning can't save anyone, and actual action requires too much cost.

If Lu Wei still took that little salary to give to her dad for gambling...

Then just report it again!

As long as the contact with Lu Wei doesn't break, and Lu Wei's arm is pulled to his side...

The little treasury directly becomes a mobile ATM.

The TV finally had a lead; he had almost gone to do low-quality entrepreneurship...

The corner of the alley was too dark, and Zhai Da couldn't see Lu Wei's expression.

Nor could he see the smile on the corner of Lu Wei's mouth as the ice melted.

On the way back, Zhai Da gave some precautions to his "partner." As for the darkness, he was no longer afraid.

His heart was now full of the light of the righteous path.

Unknowingly, his right hand was picked up by a slightly cold, slender hand.

Zhai Da: "What? Afraid of the dark now?"

Lu Wei held it in for a long time, then blurted out: "Lecherous..."

Zhai Da: "... You know that humor can't be copied, right?"

"I know now..."

This girl who lacked emotional fluctuations was occasionally a bit off-the-wall~

The way back was much faster than the way there.

At the entrance of the residential area, Yu Xiaoli was still there, but a taxi was parked in front of her, and she was bargaining with the driver.

"Why is Sun Ma Village 20? 15 is about right. You take Xintian Road, turn right at Xingfu Road..."

Seeing the two come out, Yu Xiaoli smiled, while Zhai Da silently broke free from Lu Wei's hand.

"Xiao Lu, there happens to be a taxi going to Sun Ma Village. It's so late, don't wait for the bus, it's not safe."

Lu Wei shook her head: "Taking a taxi is too expensive."

Yu Xiaoli: "It's fine, I've already negotiated, only ten yuan, no meter."

The taxi driver tried to speak up, but finally gave up.

In the end, Lu Wei couldn't refuse and got into the taxi.

Yu Xiaoli didn't forget to add: "Driver, be careful on the road. I've already noted down your license plate number, don't raise the price halfway."

Zhai Da silently gave a thumbs up. ===== CHAPTER 18 =====