Chapter 106: I'll Win You Back!

Chapter 106: I'll Win You Back!

How does Bumblebee walk in *Transformers*?

Clang, clang, clang—

The bald man was no machine, but a human, yet he managed to walk with the same imposing, heavy-footed swagger.

The corridor was carpeted in a dull brownish-red. With every step he took, it seemed as if countless specks of dust were squeezed out of the fibers, dancing frantically in the dim light.

Bai Su felt a wave of disgust just looking at the place. Yet, countless people squeezed in here every day with feverish excitement, as if they were digging for gold.

Emerging from the claustrophobic corridor, the space before Bai Su suddenly opened up.

It was a spacious hall filled with table after table. Men and women crowded around them, some playing mahjong, others playing cards, while two tables were dedicated to the frenzied betting of dice players.

The casino's environment was shoddy, but for low-to-mid-tier gamblers, it was fully functional.

The bald man did not linger in the hall. Instead, he skirted along the wall, made a turn, and finally stopped in front of a door labeled "General Manager's Office."

Knock, knock—

The bald man tapped gently on the door and called out in a surprisingly soft voice, "Brother Long, Old Ghost Bai's daughter is here to see you."

It was a comical sight for such a hulking brute to behave so delicately.

"Come in," a shrill male voice rang out.

Only then did the bald man push the door open, bowing as he poked his large head inside, his face split in a sycophantic grin. "Brother Long, I've brought her."

"Go guard the door. We're at capacity today, don't let anyone else in," a mustached man sitting in a large swivel chair said with a wave of his hand.

"Yes, Brother Long. I'll watch it right now, not even a fly will get through," the bald man flattered, bowing and scraping as he backed out. He didn't forget to pull the door shut behind him.

Standing at the doorway, Bai Su sized up the mustached man. He was in his thirties, small and skinny, resembling an oversized monkey.

A scar ran across his face, looking as though it had been stitched up, leaving the flesh puckered and lumpy.

He wore a dark teal suit with a tie, a thick cigar clamped between his teeth. He squinted as he puffed, looking thoroughly self-satisfied.

Seeing him, Bai Su was reminded of a saying: *Even in a dragon robe, he looked nothing like a prince.*

The man wore designer clothes, a luxury watch, and smoked a cigar, yet he looked nothing like a member of high society. Instead, he exuded a thoroughly vulgar air.

"Miss Bai? We meet again," the mustached man greeted her with an affected mob-boss swagger, flicking the ash off his cigar.

"Cut to the chase. How much does he owe you this time?" Bai Su said impatiently. This wasn't her first time dealing with them, but every time felt just as humiliating as the first.

She loathed them to the core, but they clung to her like maggots on rotting flesh, refusing to let go. It left her exhausted and utterly helpless.

"Miss Bai, still as fiery as ever," the mustached man laughed, slapping the armrest of his swivel chair. His laugh only made things worse; when he smiled, the scar on his face wriggled like an earthworm, a sight so stomach-turning it made one want to heave.

"If you don't want the money, I'm leaving," Bai Su said, turning to depart.

"Miss Bai, what's the rush?" the mustached man called out. "Why not let your father tell you the exact amount himself?"

Bai Su stared coldly at him. "I've already told you, he doesn't have any money—not a single cent. Stop lending to him. This is the absolute last time. I won't pay back another penny for him ever again."

"I only remember what I need to remember," the mustached man chuckled. "Old Ghost Bai might not have money, but he has a wealthy daughter. I hear you're some celebrity manager... what was the group's name? The Butterflies? Oh, I like them."

He picked up the phone on the desk, using it as a mock microphone, and sang in a screechy voice, "Butterflies with broken wings, that's my wounded heart... Tsk, tsk, truly beautiful. Oh, by the way, I like Zhang Heben. So fair and tender, she must feel amazing to touch."

"If you dare insult them again, don't blame me for getting rough," Bai Su warned coldly.

"Oh, I'm so scared," the mustached man said. He tapped his foot against the floor, sending his chair gliding backward, then tapped again to slide back. "Tell me, if the media found out that the manager of the Butterflies, Miss Bai Su, has a father who is a degenerate gambler drowned in debt... would that hurt their reputation?"

"I've paid off every single debt he owed you!" Bai Su roared in anger.

"Yes, yes, I remember now," the mustached man nodded repeatedly. "It's precisely because your credit is so excellent that we will continue to lend to Old Ghost Bai—oh, sorry, I should call him Mr. Bai. He's our Supreme VIP Crown Customer, so we will keep lending to him indefinitely."

"..." Bai Su fell silent. She knew her demand was futile. The root of the problem lay with her father. If he didn't want to gamble himself, could anyone force him into it?

These casino operators only cared about money; it was their livelihood. How could they possibly turn a customer away?

"How much?" Bai Su asked again. She just wanted to resolve this quickly and get him out. If possible, she hoped never to step foot in this place again.

"Don't be in such a rush," the mustached man said. He clapped his hands, and a hidden door in the room opened. Several men marched out, escorting a tall, thin old man.

The old man's face and forehead were bruised; he had clearly suffered in there. Seeing Bai Su at the door, he cried out in relief, "Susu, you're here?"

Then, he turned to the men behind him and grumbled, "I told you my daughter would come, she would definitely come—see, isn't she here now?"

The thugs chuckled but didn't bother to answer.

The mustached man gestured to the old man. "Old Ghost Bai, your daughter is asking how much you owe me. I think it's better if you answer that yourself. Right? We run a fair casino here, honest dealings with everyone. Tell her yourself, how much do you owe me."

"Well..." The old man looked up at Bai Su, then quickly averted his eyes, stammering, "That... I..."

"How much?" Bai Su pressed. She wanted to settle this immediately; she didn't want to stay here for another second.

"It's not money I owe this time," the old man mumbled.

"Not money?" Bai Su froze. "If it's not money, what is it?"

"Well..."

Bai Su lost her temper. "If you don't spit it out, I'm leaving. No one else is going to care whether you live or die."

"No, Susu, you can't leave!" the old man cried out in panic. If Bai Su left, these people would surely stuff him into a sack and throw him into the river.

"Are you going to tell me or not?"

"It's... you," the old man said guiltily, his voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz.

"What did you say?" Bai Su didn't catch it.

"It's you," the old man repeated, raising his voice slightly.

"What do you mean, me?" Bai Su snapped. "What about me?"

"Sigh. Looks like I'll have to translate for you," the mustached man said impatiently. "Here's the deal. Old Bai came here to play but had no capital, so he wanted to borrow from me. I lent him five hundred thousand. He lost it all in no time. Unwilling to accept defeat and wanting to win it back, he came back to borrow a million. As you know, borrowing over a million requires collateral. I asked him what he had to offer... he thought about it for a long time, and then he said he'd use you as collateral."

Hearing this, Bai Su nearly fainted on the spot.

"If it were anyone else, I would never have agreed to this deal. What woman is worth a million? It's not like it's made of gold. If I went to a nightclub, a thousand bucks could get me two. But if that woman is Miss Bai Su... I'm willing to pay that million. Why? Heh, I've played with plenty of women, but never one of such high class. A celebrity manager... tsk, just thinking about it gets me excited."

"You are truly vicious," Bai Su said, staring at her father with venomous eyes. "But I suppose I should thank you for helping me make up my mind."

She turned to the mustached man. "I'm washing my hands of this. He owes you, so deal with him. From this moment on, I am not his daughter."

With that, she turned to walk away.

"Want to leave? I'm afraid it won't be that easy." The mustached man waved his hand, and the thugs lunged at Bai Su.

Instead of retreating, Bai Su lunged forward.

She leapt into the air, kicking one thug away. As she descended, she drove a fist straight into another thug's chin.

Crack—

His jaw dislocated, and he dared not move.

The remaining three thugs hadn't expected her to be so formidable. They surrounded her to block her escape, but none dared to step closer.

"Beautiful. Truly beautiful," the mustached man cheered, his eyes shining. "I didn't expect Miss Bai Su to be so skilled in both brains and brawn. Just from those moves, I can tell you'd be capable of any position in bed."

He drew a pistol from his jacket, aimed it at Bai Su's head, and flipped the safety off. "But don't force me to ruin such a pretty flower."

"I don't believe you dare shoot," Bai Su sneered.

"I might not. But your father would—what if I shoot you dead and then shove the gun into his hands? What do you think he'd do then?"

"..."

Knock, knock—

Someone was knocking at the door.

"Who is it?" the mustached man called out.

Creak—

The door swung open, and a handsome youth dressed in a black suit and a fedora walked in.

"What are you doing here?" Bai Su cried out in shock.

"I came to gamble," Tang Chong said with a grin, looking at Bai Su. "Don't be scared, girl. I'll win you back."