Translator: Henyee Editor: Henyee
In a casino in City W.
Lin Jiao was sitting in front of a mahjong table, dressed in expensive brand clothes, wearing thick makeup and red lipstick. At this time, she had already lost all the money she brought with her in gambling, but she didn’t seem to care as she spoke while holding the cards. “Go on. Look at my clothes! Do I look like the kind of person who will owe you money?”
The others present were familiar with Lin Jiao, as they frequently played mahjong with her, and she was usually generous so no one doubted her words. A chubby middle-aged woman curled her lips and asked in Mandarin with a City W accent, “Miss Lin, where are you from? What does your husband do? You gamble every day and still wear so well. I guess your family must be very rich.”
She asked this because Lin Jiao rarely won in mahjong games. Although she didn’t lose much every day, she would still lose money. With the money she lost in a month, she could even buy a 100-square-meter house in City W.
Lin Jiao smiled at the question as she waved a hand and replied, “Didn’t you hear me calling someone? I tell you, my sister is rich. Her family owns a big company in City A. Do you know Xiao’s Group? My brother-in-law is the president.”
The chubby woman’s eyes lit up upon hearing the name Xiao’s Group and she remarked, “Oh, that’s a big corporation,” then she continued, “Furao International is a company under Xiao’s Group and I have a nephew who works over there. That corporation is really upscale. Does it really belong to your brother-in-law?”
Lin Jiao smiled and raised her eyebrows. “Of course. The big star Xiao Jinning is my niece. She gives me an allowance from time to time, so I don’t care about money.” With that, she threw a mahjong tile onto the table.
Another well-groomed middle-aged woman gave Lin Jiao a disdainful look and with a faint smile, said, “Ms. Lin, you’re really someone. Completely relying on your sister and brother-in-law, you still enjoy your life.” She took a mahjong tile, threw another one onto the table and then added, “But I heard Xiao Jinning isn’t the child of the Xiao Family but a bastard.”
Lin Jiao’s face immediately changed. As she was about to speak up in response, the chubby woman immediately turned to the well-groomed woman and asked excitedly, “Do you mean that big star? Isn’t she the daughter of a rich man? Oh, I remember she is just from that Xiao Family!” She turned back to Lin Jiao and continued to ask in surprise, “Isn’t that Xiao Jinning your sister’s daughter? Alas, then doesn’t that mean your sister has been raising a stranger’s kid for decades?”
Lin Jiao smiled awkwardly in silence. The well-groomed woman gazed at Lin Jiao with a twinkle in her eyes, saying, “Yes. And oh, I heard that they found their own daughter, but she was framed by that Xiao Jinning so they couldn’t reunite, and their daughter could only live in her uncle’s home.” She tutted before continuing, “So it’s really dangerous to have an actress at home. You won’t know when she’ll stab you in the back.”
Lin Jiao’s face turned dark and she said coldly, “Mrs. Chen, I didn’t know you were such a gossiper! Are you going to play mahjong or not?”
Mrs. Chen smiled and glanced at Lin Jiao. “My, Ms. Lin, why are you so angry? We were criticizing that ungrateful Xiao Jinning, but we didn’t mention you. Why are you so angry? Besides, since Xiao Jinning dared to do such a thing, would she be afraid of being talked about? And If she is, then why did she do it?”
Lin Jiao pushed down the mahjong tiles in front of her. “I quit. I don’t want to waste time with you!”
Mrs. Chen sneered with raised eyebrows as she stared at Lin Jiao and said coldly, “Since Ms. Lin doesn’t want to play, please clear your debt before leaving. You lost five rounds. That’s sixty-eight thousand yuan. Pay up before you go.”
Lin Jiao stared at Mrs. Chen, who was playing with the mahjong tiles in her hands, and asked coldly, “Do I owe so much? I remember I only lost…”
Calculating the money she had lost today, Lin Jiao pursed her lips. “I didn’t bring so much money today. I’ll bring the money to you when I come here to play mahjong tomorrow. What’s the big deal? I tell you, my mom and dad are asking my sister for money, and she will give them at least 10 million yuan. When the money is paid, I’ll get at least half of it…”
Mrs. Chen smiled and raised her eyes from the mahjong tiles to look at Lin Jiao. The corners of her mouth still turned up, she said, “But I need to see sixty-eight thousand yuan in cash right now. If you can’t give me the money today, Ms. Lin, I’m afraid you’ll have to pay a little price.”
As the boss of this casino, Mrs. Chen had the final say here.
The chubby woman pulled at Mrs. Chen’s hands while gazing at Lin Jiao and said, “Mrs. Chen, didn’t she say she’s the sister-in-law of Xiao’s Group’s boss? Let’s go to Furao International and ask for money.”
Hearing this, Lin Jiao hurriedly nodded as if grasping at a life-saving straw. “Yes, yes, just ask your men to go to Furao International and ask for money. Say my name, Lin Jiao, and they’ll definitely give you the money!”
Mrs. Chen eyed Lin Jiao as she uttered coldly, “You’re as disgusting as a maggot. I feel truly sorry for your sister for having a sister like you.”
Lin Jiao immediately became angry at Mrs. Chen’s scornful words, but she did not dare to act rashly as the bouncers of the casino had already surrounded her. She could only restrain the anger in her heart and say, “Mrs. Chen, you just want the money, don’t you? Just send your men to Furao International to get the money and let me go.”
“There’s no hurry.” Mrs. Chen regarded Lin Jiao as she leaned back in her chair. “As long as my men get the money, we’ll let you go.” With that, she winked at a bouncer, who immediately turned and left.
Mrs. Chen said to the others, “Don’t look at us. Play your mahjong.” Then she called another man to come over and play the game with them. She began, “My daughter is studying in City A and she happens to be in the same class as that real daughter. She really is an excellent girl. According to my daughter, she’s not only beautiful, but also ranks among the top in grades.”
Then she seemed to have thought of something interesting and continued, “My daughter didn’t like studying foreign languages before, but now she tells me that she wants to learn from that Xiao Rou and grasp the languages of ten countries.”
Hearing Mrs. Chen’s words, Lin Jiao sneered, “Can that country bumpkin speak the languages of ten countries? I’m afraid she didn’t even learn ten letters since she grew up in such a poor family!”
