LABMY CH129

The warm sunlight streamed through the transparent window, casting a layer of gentle shadows on the floor inside. The person on the bed furrowed his brows slightly, raised an arm to shield his eyes, and felt his forehead throbbing. Under the increasingly glaring light, Pei Yao finally woke up.

He rubbed his temples and sat up in bed. His head felt heavy, and his hair was messy and sticking up in all directions. Pei Yao glanced around the room, then looked down at himself. His suit shirt was still on, his jacket had been taken off, and his pants were properly worn.

Sleeping in his clothes all night left his body sore. Memories of last night slowly returned, but only up to the point when Jian Yuanbai took him away from the table.

As for what happened afterward, Pei Yao had no recollection at all. Judging from the situation, Jian Yuanbai must have brought him home. He wasn’t even sure if Jian Yuanbai had left yet.

Just as he was thinking this, the door to his room was pushed open. Jian Yuanbai walked in carrying a bowl of porridge. Seeing that he was awake, he asked, “You’re up?”

Pei Yao stared blankly at the man who looked completely at ease, as if he were in his own home. He was momentarily stunned and didn’t respond.

Unexpectedly, the man naturally sat down on his bed and handed him the bowl of porridge. “Eat something first. Does your stomach still hurt?”

Jian Yuanbai reached out, seemingly wanting to check Pei Yao’s forehead. His movement finally snapped Pei Yao out of his daze, and he turned his head away to dodge the hand.

He smoothed out his muddled thoughts, still clouded by the hangover, and said, “You saw it yourself yesterday. I’m not some ‘Film Emperor Pei’ anymore. I really don’t have any job opportunities to offer you.”

“All I can do is give you some money so you can find your own way.”

Jian Yuanbai asked, “Aren’t you mad that I dragged you away last night and made you miss out on a movie role?”

He had considered all kinds of scenarios when Pei Yao woke up, but he hadn’t expected the first thing Pei Yao would say to be about his future.

Pei Yao chuckled, but there was a hint of bitterness in his smile. “I wasn’t guaranteed to get that role anyway.”

“In fact, I should thank you. If you hadn’t taken me away, I might have woken up in a hospital bed instead of my own home.”

He made no mention of how much he had wanted to fight for that movie role, nor did he talk about his current situation, where he couldn’t appear on screen. Instead, he simply expressed gratitude toward Jian Yuanbai, who had taken him away against his will.

Jian Yuanbai said, “Since you want to thank me, then drink this porridge.”

Pei Yao took the bowl. A hazy memory of Jian Yuanbai spoon-feeding him porridge last night suddenly surfaced in his mind. He wasn’t sure if it had actually happened or if it was just a hallucination from drinking too much.

He stared at the porridge for a couple of seconds, then looked up at Jian Yuanbai but ultimately didn’t ask.

As he drank the porridge, Jian Yuanbai said, “I’m not leaving. Didn’t I say yesterday? I’m your assistant and bodyguard.”

The forcefulness in his words made Pei Yao frown. He paused, holding the spoon, and said seriously, “I already told you, I don’t have any job opportunities for you.”

“You might not understand my situation right now, so let me be direct.”

Pei Yao’s expression showed a hint of impatience, but he held it back and continued, “I’m being hated by the entire internet. Because of my scandals, I have to terminate contracts with brands and pay compensation. My agency has shelved me. I have no opportunities left.”

“As a public figure, there are some expenses I can’t avoid. I didn’t have much money to begin with, and after settling all the compensation, I might not even be able to support myself. Do you understand?”

“Even this house I’m living in—I’ll have to sell it soon because I can’t afford the maintenance costs.”

Jian Yuanbai replied, “As long as I have a place to stay, that’s enough. I don’t need a salary.”

Pei Yao was stunned, staring at him dumbfounded.

Jian Yuanbai found his dazed expression somewhat amusing. He gave a somewhat reasonable explanation. “I believe you’ll make a comeback one day, so I don’t mind working for free.”

“In the future, just remember to pay me back.”

Pei Yao rubbed his temples, his frustration barely concealed. “Jian Yuanbai.”

“My relationship with your sister isn’t good. I don’t know if you still remember things from ten years ago, but your sister claims she raised me.”

Pei Yao paused, then let out a cold laugh. “Even a cat or a dog would have had a better life than I did.”

“I don’t want anything to do with your family anymore. Do you understand?”

From their first meeting until now, Pei Yao had always remained calm in front of Jian Yuanbai. But this was the first time he openly expressed his deep resentment toward the ‘home’ he had once lived in.

Jian Yuanbai furrowed his brows. He wasn’t too sure about what had happened between Pei Yao and this body’s sister, nor what their relationship truly was. Instead of pressing the issue, he asked, “What do you plan to do next?”

Pei Yao: …

He felt a bit frustrated. He was obviously trying hard to drive the person away, so what was wrong with this guy? How could he just keep talking to himself like that?

Pei Yao understood in his heart that at that time, Jian Yuanbai had only been a child. He had done nothing wrong. But Pei Yao could never forget what Jian Yuanbai’s sister—his so-called foster mother—had done to him back then. Because of that, he didn’t want Jian Yuanbai around him.

Besides, given his current situation, Pei Yao truly had no time to take care of Jian Yuanbai.

With a cold face, Pei Yao said bluntly, “Sell the house and switch to voice acting. My face is no longer fit to be seen in public. The security here is good enough that I don’t have to keep wearing a mask and hat. If I move somewhere else, I’ll just have to stay indoors all the time.”

Jian Yuanbai responded, “Alright. Eat your meal and get some rest. I have something to take care of.”

With that, he turned around and left, not giving Pei Yao any chance to speak.

Left behind, Pei Yao was stunned. He stared wide-eyed at the closed door in front of him, as if trying to glare a hole through it.

What was with this guy?

Was this his house or mine?

Downstairs, Jian Yuanbai grabbed the coat from the sofa and headed straight out the door, not forgetting to pocket a key on his way out.

He took out his faded old pager and searched for a contact labeled “Sis” before dialing the number.

The call rang for a long time, but no one picked up. Jian Yuanbai kept redialing on his way to the mobile phone store, but even when he arrived, the call still went unanswered.

With no other choice, he sent a text message to the aunt who had messaged him before.

Stepping into the store, he was greeted warmly by a sales clerk. Jian Yuanbai didn’t spend much time picking; he casually bought a basic phone for a little over a thousand yuan and then sat down in the store, using the WiFi to browse online.

Suddenly, the clerk spoke up. “You’re looking at news about Pei Yao?”

Jian Yuanbai looked up at her. “Yeah.”

The clerk, a young woman in her early twenties, sighed, “The internet is full of dirt on Pei Yao right now. He was supposed to have a bright future. What a pity.”

Jian Yuanbai continued scrolling as he replied, “You think it’s a pity?”

There was indeed a flood of negative news about Pei Yao online. Clicking on any article led to a comment section filled with insults. The two most criticized allegations were:

One, an actress in the entertainment industry claimed that Pei Yao had sexually harassed her.

Two, after she came forward, an eighteen-year-old male actor also accused Pei Yao of attempting to coerce him into a casting couch arrangement. When he refused, Pei Yao allegedly pressured the director into cutting his screen time.

Compared to these allegations of sexual harassment and abuse of power—targeting both men and women—claims of diva behavior and uncooperativeness seemed trivial.

Hearing Jian Yuanbai’s response, the clerk said indignantly, “Of course, it’s a pity! Because I don’t believe it. I don’t believe Pei Yao would do such things.”

“He’s a really good person. He treats everyone warmly, works hard, and puts in real effort.”

“As for that actress, I won’t even mention her. But that male actor? He should take a good look in the mirror—does he really think he’s attractive enough for Pei Yao to go after? That accusation is laughable.”

Jian Yuanbai asked, “You like him?”

The clerk shook her head. “Not in a fangirl way. I just think he’s a good person.”

“And besides, those two people’s accusations don’t have any solid evidence. Their statements are vague at best. But Pei Yao’s agency apologized the moment the scandal broke, which made a lot of people believe it. Now the whole internet is dragging Pei Yao through the mud.”

Suddenly, Jian Yuanbai said, “Can you do me a favor?”

After leaving the phone store, Jian Yuanbai didn’t return to Pei Yao’s place. Instead, he hailed a taxi to another location.

While searching for Pei Yao’s scandals online, he had come across something that caught his interest.

The grand lobby of the Jinxiu Hotel was eerily quiet, but the underground casino was lively and bustling. Every kind of gambling was available—card games, slot machines, fishing games, roulette.

The gamblers stood at the tables with bloodshot eyes, staring nervously at their cards. The noisy crowd milled about. Some might have just come to watch, but anyone who stepped into a casino had already left their names behind. Here, they were only known by one title—gambler.

Becoming a true gambler took just one moment of weakness.

Jian Yuanbai didn’t have to search long before spotting his target—a man he had just met yesterday: Director Cheng.

Director Cheng’s love for gambling was no secret. He wasn’t at the level of top directors, so he didn’t earn that much money, which meant the casinos he frequented weren’t so high-end that Jian Yuanbai couldn’t get in.

Unsure if Director Cheng would recognize him, Jian Yuanbai put on a mask. When the director’s opponent left the table, he seized the opportunity to take a seat.

Jian Yuanbai had always preferred to settle grudges on the spot. Yesterday hadn’t worked out, but now that he had his chance, it wasn’t too late.

Director Cheng glanced at the person across from him and sneered. “Wearing a mask in a place like this—do you think you’re some big shot?”

Jian Yuanbai replied, “Cut the crap. Are we gambling or not?”

Director Cheng waved a hand at the dealer, signaling for the cards to be dealt.

The female dealer, dressed in a sleek black uniform, smiled at both men and dealt the first card.

Director Cheng picked up his card and glanced at it. Jian Yuanbai, however, didn’t move.

The dealer then dealt the second card. Director Cheng checked his again, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, while Jian Yuanbai still didn’t look at his cards.

This made Director Cheng glance at Jian Yuanbai twice, his fingers tapping on the table pausing for a moment.

When the third card was dealt, Director Cheng glanced at his hand, smiled, and raised an eyebrow at Jian Yuanbai. “You’re not going to look at your cards?”

Jian Yuanbai shook his head. “No need to look.”

His confidence made Director Cheng’s smile falter slightly. He pushed forward two chips worth a thousand each. “Are you following?”

Jian Yuanbai seemed to consider it. “I’ll raise.”

With that, he pushed forward a stack of thousand-value chips.

Director Cheng frowned, studying him for a moment before also pushing forward a stack. “Showdown.”

The cards were revealed—Director Cheng had a diamond 2, 6, and 9, a flush, while Jian Yuanbai only had a pair of fives. Director Cheng won.

As the dealer moved Jian Yuanbai’s chips over to Director Cheng, the latter smiled. This round, he had won ten thousand.

Jian Yuanbai seemed a little impatient. In the next two rounds, he lost another thirty thousand.

Their game had attracted quite a crowd. By the third round, two more players had joined in. It was a winner-takes-all game, and once again, Director Cheng won.

With most of his chips gone, the fourth round began.

The system in Jian Yuanbai’s mind was getting anxious. “Are you crazy? You’re gambling?”

“You borrowed all these chips from the casino before coming in, didn’t you? If you lose them all, how are you going to pay them back?”

Compared to its panic, Jian Yuanbai’s tone was unnervingly calm. “What’s the rush?”

“I’ve never played at a casino before, but I understand a gambler’s mindset. When they win, they want to win more. When they lose, they want to win it back.”

“To trap a gambler, all you have to do is let them win a few rounds first.”

The system protested, “And how can you be sure you’ll win when you want to?”

“Your luck has been bad since the first round.”

Jian Yuanbai seemed to chuckle. “Winning is easy.”

The fourth round began, with each player receiving one card at a time, until three cards were dealt in total. Out of the four players, three chose to look at their cards, but Jian Yuanbai did not.

Under the table, his fingers tapped leisurely against his knee, a relaxed posture hidden from the others.

Director Cheng was pleased with this fool who was practically giving him money. His gaze even carried a hint of disdain. “What, you’ve lost three rounds in a row, and you’re still not looking at your cards?”

Jian Yuanbai replied, “I just want to see how my luck is.”

“When you’re at the gambling table, isn’t it all about luck? Looking at the cards takes the fun out of it.”

Since Director Cheng had won the last round, he started the betting again, pushing forward two thousand-value chips. The player to his left followed. The one after glanced at his cards and tossed them away. “Fold.”

Jian Yuanbai seemed more cautious this time and also only placed two chips forward. “Call.”

All three remaining players matched the bet, and the second round of betting began. This time, Director Cheng pushed forward a full stack. “Raise.”

The player to his left, seemingly confident in his hand, said, “Call.”

Jian Yuanbai didn’t hesitate at all, pushing forward a stack of his own. “I’ll call too.”

In the third round, no one folded, and all continued to match the bet.

By this point, each player had placed thirty thousand on the table, drawing more and more attention from the onlookers.

Director Cheng tapped his still-face-down cards. “Raise.”

The middle-aged man next to him picked up his cards for another look, his gaze shifting between Director Cheng and Jian Yuanbai’s faces, trying to discern any clues.

In a game like this, besides luck, what mattered most was composure—even acting skills.

If your opponent folded mid-game, all the chips they had placed so far would go to you, even if their final hand turned out to be better than yours.

At the gambling table, the first thing a gambler had to learn was how to control their emotions.

Even with a terrible hand, if you could bluff your opponent into folding, you could still walk away with all the money—that was also a skill.

After much hesitation, the middle-aged man finally folded. “I fold.”

He tossed his cards aside and leaned back, choosing to stay and watch the outcome.

Director Cheng grinned, looking at Jian Yuanbai. “What about you? Are you folding?”

Jian Yuanbai hesitated, or at least, he made it seem like he did. Then he said, “I’ll call.”

The fifth betting round began. After Director Cheng placed his bet, Jian Yuanbai suddenly pushed all his remaining chips forward. “All in.”

The room erupted into murmurs.

Director Cheng sat up straight, staring at the cards Jian Yuanbai had never once checked. He hesitated for just three seconds before pushing forward an equal amount of chips. “Showdown.”

To see an opponent’s cards, you had to match their bet. By now, the total pot had reached a staggering 186,000.

Director Cheng dramatically flipped over his hand—a set of three sixes, one of the strongest hands possible. “A three-of-a-kind. I refuse to believe that those cards you never even looked at are better than mine!”

Jian Yuanbai unhurriedly revealed his first card—an Ace of Spades.

Then, his fingers rested on the second card, flipping it over with deliberate slowness. The audience’s eyes were locked onto his hands.

Another Ace of Spades.

When Jian Yuanbai reached for the third card, the entire room held its breath. The card turned over—

A third Ace of Spades.

The dealer announced, “Three Aces versus three Sixes. The opponent wins.”

“Whoa!!”

“This luck is insane!”

“Three Aces—how the hell did he not even look at his cards and still get three Aces?!”

The crowd erupted in shock, but Jian Yuanbai simply looked at Director Cheng and asked, “Still want to bet?”

Director Cheng gritted his teeth. “Bet? Of course, I’ll bet! I don’t believe you can have such good luck again.”

Good. Jian Yuanbai smiled inwardly. His three rounds of acting hadn’t been in vain.

The fifth round began. When Director Cheng saw his hand, his eyes instantly lit up. He restrained himself and continued to exchange bets with Jian Yuanbai for several rounds.

Finally, when they reached the fifth betting round, he feigned hesitation and then pushed half of his chips forward. “Raise.”

His half was exactly equal to all the chips Jian Yuanbai had just won.

Jian Yuanbai pushed all his chips forward without hesitation and said flatly, “All in. Show your cards.”

Director Cheng sneered and slammed his cards onto the table. “Three Aces! What do you have to beat me?!”

Jian Yuanbai slowly revealed his cards one by one—Spade 2, Diamond 3, Club 5. “Sorry, 2-3-5. Ultimate kill.”

Director Cheng’s eyes turned bloodshot as he stared at those three cards in utter disbelief. His adrenaline surged wildly. “Again!”

By the sixth round, Director Cheng had lost all his chips. He collapsed into his chair, completely devastated. As a second-rate director with a gambling addiction, the 800,000 he had lost included funds embezzled from his next film’s investment.

Among that amount, 200,000 was money Zhao Jie had given him specifically to humiliate Pei Yao.

He had originally planned to gamble just that 200,000 for fun.

Now, pulling at his hair in despair and pounding his head with his fists, he regretted everything. He had planned to stop after losing the 200,000!

Just then, he heard the person across from him speak.

“Want to play one more round?”

“In this round, if I lose, you get back everything I won. If you lose, you don’t have to pay anything.”

Director Cheng’s head snapped up. “Really?”

Jian Yuanbai chuckled. “Of course. You just need to drink twenty glasses of high-proof baijiu. Not a bad deal, right?”

“But if you don’t want to drink, then you’ll have to pay up.”

Director Cheng slammed the table and stared at the eyes visible above Jian Yuanbai’s mask. “It’s you?!”

Twenty glasses—such a familiar number. It had happened just yesterday. But back then, he had been the one looking down on Pei Yao.

Jian Yuanbai simply took off his mask. “It’s me.”

“Thanks for your hospitality yesterday. I don’t have anything else to give in return, so I’ll just repay you with twenty glasses of liquor.”

“So? Want to bet?”

Director Cheng’s eyes fixated on the mountain of chips in front of him. His heart hardened. “Bet! But don’t you dare back out if you lose!”

Jian Yuanbai smiled. “Isn’t the dealer right here?”

He turned to the dealer. “Can you prepare twenty glasses of high-proof baijiu for me? I’ll cover the cost.”

The dealer nodded, spoke into his radio, and then looked back at the two men with a smile. “Shall we begin?”

Jian Yuanbai: “Let’s start.”

Director Cheng, eyes red with rage, didn’t even bother to sit. He stood there, sweat dripping down his forehead. “Start!”

The game ended swiftly. Director Cheng stared blankly at the cards in front of him, knowing it was all over.

Twenty glasses of high-proof baijiu were lined up neatly before him. This special gambling match had drawn an enormous crowd, all eager to watch the spectacle.

“Drink up. A bet is a bet.”

“Yeah, yeah, drink!”

“Wait, won’t drinking twenty glasses of this kill him?”

“Nah, at worst, he’ll end up in the hospital getting his stomach pumped.”

Jian Yuanbai walked up to Director Cheng and handed him the first glass. “Director Cheng, drink.”

One glass after another of burning, high-proof liquor went down. The sneering and mocking eyes around him far outnumbered those present when they had humiliated Pei Yao the day before.

By the end, Director Cheng felt like his throat and stomach were on fire. Other than pain, he felt nothing.

Completely wasted and barely conscious, Director Cheng was carried out.

In the dim night, Jian Yuanbai casually nudged the man lying on the ground like a dead dog with his foot, snapped a photo, called 120 (emergency services), and walked away without looking back.

The system in Jian Yuanbai’s mind was in utter disbelief. “How did you do that?!”

“You cheated, didn’t you?”

Jian Yuanbai let out a small, amused sound. “I already told you—I have good luck.”

“When I want a card, I get that card. Why would I need to cheat?”

The system: ……