Chapter 147 — The Long-Awaited...

"Certainly, I will." Huang Lin saved the number, not doubting what he had said. Since Yang Ce could get into this casino, it meant he was probably just an ordinary student, and it was only natural that his family had some local influence in Songjiang. "But you needn't call me Mr. Huang—that's far too formal. Since you're still in school, I must be a few years your senior, so I'll take the liberty of calling you Brother Yang. You can call me Brother Huang, or just use my name, Rongjin."

"Brother Huang is too bookish. I'll just call you Brother Huang," Yang Ce said with a nod and a smile.

The reason Huang Lin had said so much to Yan was that he had taken a liking to Yang Ce. Yang Ce was different from the Tian Yan of before—his behavior was a bit odd, but he did not truly treat the outcome of the wager as any great matter. Huang Lin could see that much, and this unrestrained nature of Yang Ce's suited his own tastes well.

Huang Lin was that sort of person himself; otherwise he would not have ignored the family business and preferred collecting rare and curious objects.

For more on Huang Lin, see Chapter 255, the Auction. After chatting a few more words, they took their leave. When Nie Dayu asked Yang Ce whether he wanted the chips on the table exchanged for cash or deposited to a card, Yang Ce laughed and said, "Forget it. The stake was President Nie's to begin with anyway, so let the winnings go to the casino." Only after saying this did he remember that this wager had been Tian Yan's doing in the first place, so he turned and said, "Old Tian, you won't blame me for acting on my own, will you?"

"How could I?" Tian Yan shook his head. Yang Ce had won the wager in the end, and Tian Yan breathed a sigh of relief. At least their side had not lost face, and he could step down gracefully.

At this, Nie Dayu could not help but regard Yang Ce more highly. Though the three million or so on the table meant nothing to him, to an ordinary family it was an astronomical sum, and Yang Ce did not care in the slightest. Recalling his composure at the table earlier, Nie Dayu grew all the more certain that this Yang Ce's background must be out of the ordinary.

From those few words he had just said to Huang Lin, one could tell he was a local of Songjiang and had some influence there. With a businessman's instinct, Nie Dayu immediately wondered whether he might curry some favor with him.

Though Yang Ce had declined, Nie Dayu was not so slow-witted. He shot a look at his subordinate, and someone went off to handle the matter. Before long, a bank card was placed in Nie Dayu's hand.

"Mr. Yang, this is what you just won. This credit card also serves as a membership card for our Sea Club—with it you can enjoy VIP treatment here." Nie Dayu handed the bank card to Yang Ce. An identical card was handed to Tian Yan as well, except that no money had been deposited in it.

Seeing that the matter had already been settled, Yang Ce could hardly refuse the gesture. He took the card, thanked him, and slipped it into his pocket.

To be continued.

778. Valentine's Day (Part 3) 3

778. Valentine's Day (Part 3) 3 "That's settled, then. Thank you for your hospitality, President Nie. We have other matters to attend to, so we'll be on our way. Brother Huang, call me if anything comes up." Yang Ce bade farewell to President Nie and Huang Lin.

Just as he was speaking, Huang Lin's phone suddenly rang. Yang Ce paid it no mind and made a gesture of farewell, ready to leave—but then he saw Huang Lin's expression change. "What? You're saying Xiao Ji has been seized? What do you mean, what happened?"

Yang Ce had been about to walk away. Hearing Huang Lin say this, he couldn't help slowing his steps and looking back. Plainly Huang Lin's friend had run into trouble. And since the two of them had gotten along reasonably well, it wouldn't do to leave at once. He decided to wait and see whether there was anything he could help with.

"I understand. Don't panic yet—I'll be right over," Huang Lin instructed the person on the other end of the line.

"What is it? What's happened?" Once Huang Lin had hung up, Yang Ce asked with concern.

"My apologies, Brother Yang. A friend of mine has run into some trouble, and I need to get over there right away. I'm afraid I won't have time to keep you company," Huang Lin said anxiously and apologetically.

"Do you need any help?" Yang Ce asked.

"That friend of mine is a fanatic fan of Shu Ya's. Today being Valentine's Day and all, he and his lackey bought a huge bouquet of roses first thing in the morning and went to wait at the hotel where Shu Ya was staying. He'd assumed Shu Ya wouldn't come out—but wouldn't you know it, out she came. My friend rushed up to present the flowers, and before he could even catch a glimpse of her face, the bodyguards beside her dragged him away. He's got a foul temper, so he got into a scuffle with the guards, and they've detained him, threatening to send him to the police station." Huang Lin gave a bitter laugh. "Just now his lackey called me. I'll go see if I can smooth things over with some money and keep them from blowing it out of proportion. It's nothing serious, so I won't trouble you with it, Brother Yang."

After all, this was their first meeting. Though the two had hit it off and thought well of each other's character, Huang Lin was still reluctant to impose on him directly.

"I see. All right, then—if it really can't be settled, call me." Yang Ce figured it was no great matter, and probably wouldn't even require his intervention.

Huang Lin nodded and hurried off.

It was Valentine's Day, and Shu Ya had no concert scheduled. On this particular day, much as she would have liked to spend it with Yan, she understood that Yang Ce must surely be with Chen Shutang right now—how could he possibly come to her?

There was no point in staying cooped up in the hotel. Suddenly she thought of Zhou Yanning, her one-time romantic rival. Though ever since she and Chen Shutang had gone together to see Zhou Yanning that day, Shu Ya no longer held any prejudice against her.

Shu Ya would not stoop to quarrel with someone bedridden, but she couldn't help feeling a little envious of Zhou Yanning. Be that as it may, Zhou Yanning would ultimately win Yang Ce's love through her own efforts. And what about herself? As things stood, she seemed to be worse off than Zhou Yanning.

Shu Ya shook her head in mild self-mockery. All at once she felt an impulse to go to the hospital and keep Zhou Yanning company. A rival from days past might, once Zhou Yanning woke up, even become a good friend—after all, if they were to live under the same roof in the future, better a friend than an enemy.

Without question, Yang Ce was a thoroughly domineering man. Though back in middle school his nature had not yet been as sharply defined as it was now, Shu Ya had by this point truly come to appreciate just how overbearing he could be.

So Shu Ya was not foolish enough to go in for jealous rivalries; that would only put her in a more passive position. She imagined Yang Ce would deeply loathe girls of that sort.

Shu Ya summoned her manager, Xu Li, and told her she was going to the hospital to visit a friend. Xu Li naturally had no say over Shu Ya's schedule; she merely busied herself preparing a car for her and arranged for a few bodyguards to go along.

Ji Xiaohe was a fanatic fan of Shu Ya's, frantic to the point of obsession. Of course, that fanaticism was not a desire to possess her, nor did he harbor any improper designs on her. His feelings for Shu Ya came from the heart—the kind of reverence one holds for a goddess, inviolable. The bouquet of roses he had bought for her today carried no other meaning; he merely wished to express his admiration for her.

As for his young master's frenzied star-chasing, Ji Xiaohe's lackey Wang Xili was utterly powerless to stop him. He had no choice but to crouch alongside the young master on watch outside the hotel entrance.