Back at the hospital, Ethan Chen placed the briefcase beside his mother's bed.
"Mom, got my pay."
Lydia Chen glanced at the case. "Looks like it was a decent amount."
"Yeah." Ethan sounded a bit troubled. "With the bonus and commissions, I made eight million, eight hundred thousand this month."
Lydia didn't react strongly to the figure. She simply asked about the casino's revenue flow during this period.
Ethan, being responsible for this area, reported it in detail.
After listening, Lydia commented, "Based on that revenue, The Boss's split with you is fair, standard. But for a venue that just opened, and in a city like this, even with The Boss running it, the revenue shouldn't be this high."
She thought for a moment, then asked Ethan, "What's on your mind?"
"Feeling unsettled," Ethan answered truthfully.
Lydia smiled. "Thinking of quitting?"
Ethan's face showed his internal conflict.
Lydia reached out and gently touched her son's hair. "That's why I say, once you step into this circle, it's hard to leave. It's not just that others won't let you out; you yourself can't leave. The money comes fast, you get a taste of the high life... In this world, how many people can truly remain unmoved by that?"
"Those who get disillusioned and quit voluntarily don't leave because they don't want to play the game anymore, but because they don't dare to, or can't anymore."
"As for you, you need to think it through yourself. My words still stand: either don't do it, or if you do, be the best at it!"
"My son, Ethan Chen, is second to none. Whatever you decide, Mom will support you."
Looking at his mother in the hospital bed, Ethan realized he wasn't actually afraid. Had the past month been dangerous?
By his own assessment, yes, it had.
But compared to his old life, it somehow felt more stable. At least now people didn't casually try to bully him for no reason, didn't try to assert their dominance over him, or see him as an easy target.
Ethan wasn't afraid because his life before had been worse than this.
His only real concern was his mother.
"Alright, son, you reek of alcohol. You must have had quite a bit to drink today. Get some sleep."
"Okay. Goodnight, Mom."
The days that followed were relatively平淡 (peaceful) for Ethan.
School, after-school, the casino.
Mulan dropped by the casino to see Ethan every few days, sometimes alone, sometimes with Fang Si and their group of young matrons.
Compared to her initial reserve, later visits often involved Mulan being the one urging Fang Si to drink.
One day, a very drunk Fang Si grabbed Ethan's hand and said, "Little handsome, you've completely brought our Lanlan out of her shell! I have to thank you. Seeing how she was before, always getting pushed around, broke my heart!"
"But, ah, looks like you and I just aren't meant to be. Lanlan specifically told me not to keep such a close eye on you. See, see? I've only talked to you for a minute, and she's already coming over to guard her prize." Then, Fang Si was pulled away by Mulan for more drinks.
At the casino, Ethan saw Victor Mu twice more. The man just stared at him; they didn't exchange any further words.
Ethan guessed the man probably felt it beneath his status, being from the Mu family and twenty years his senior.
Before he knew it, New Year's was approaching.
"Ethan, what are your plans for the New Year holiday?" Serena He asked, bringing two beers over. She handed one to Ethan, then sat down beside him, leaning back-to-back.
"Just be here, I guess." Ethan hadn't given it much thought. "New Year's Eve should be pretty lively here too."
"Not New Year's Eve, the actual Lunar New Year," Serena clarified, taking a large swig of her beer. "The holiday is early this year. New Year's Eve is in January. We've only got about a month left. Are you going back to your hometown or what?"
"Just staying here," Ethan smiled. "It's the same every year. Have a meal with Maya's family. Maya's my neighbor. Her mom passed away early, and her family has it tough too. Our two families getting together makes it feel a bit more festive."
"Then I'll come over to your place for the meal!" Serena tilted her head back, resting the back of her skull on Ethan's shoulder. "I'm always alone for the holidays."
"Sure thing." Ethan nodded. "I have money this year. We'll buy lots of fireworks to set off. In previous years, I'd always watch other families set off fireworks and think, when will I be able to afford to buy and set some off myself? But they were too expensive. Those display shells cost hundreds each, gone in a minute."
"Really?" Serena's eyes lit up. "You're not kidding?"
"Why would I kid about that?" Ethan looked exasperated. "Do I seem like that kind of person?"
"Ethan!" Serena turned and threw her arms around his neck. "You're the best!"
"Of course," Ethan patted his chest. "You've been good to me too!"
He still remembered clearly how, during the attack at the night market, Serena's first instinct after being stabbed was to push him away.
Serena squinted her eyes. "So we're good brothers, then?"
"Brothers who've been through life and death!" Ethan raised his beer bottle. "Cheers."
Serena picked up her bottle, clinked it lightly against his, took another big gulp, then grabbed his arm and draped it over her shoulders.
They sat there like that, arms around each other.
Serena leaned against Ethan. "Since we're brothers who've been through life and death, you'll definitely come to my birthday party, right?"
"When is it?"
"Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Ethan was startled. "So sudden? I haven't even prepared a gift!"
"So what? You have a whole day." Serena laughed.
"Such short notice." Ethan sighed. "I've never really given anyone a proper gift before. You have to let me think about what to get. If I really can't think of anything, I'll just have to give you the most precious thing I have at this stage in my life."
"Oh?" Serena looked intrigued, her beautiful eyes scanning him up and down. "And what's the most precious thing you have?"
"Five Years of College Entrance Exams, Three Years of Simulated Tests!" (A notoriously thick and difficult test prep book series in China).
"Go die!" Serena's small fists pummeled Ethan's chest as she got up and walked away. "It's Friday tomorrow. I'll pick you up after school!"
Ethan shook his head, pondering what gift to get for Serena. After thinking for a long time without an idea, he asked some of the girls working at the casino.
"A gift for a girl? Manager Chen, are you chasing someone? That's too much trouble. Just give me thirty thousand a month, I'll be very well-behaved."
"A bag! A designer one, expensive is best!"
"Ten gold bars! 'Ten Golds Show No Ambiguity'—proves she won't get暧昧 (ambiguous) with other men!"
After asking around, Ethan found no inspiration from these women and decided to ask at school the next day.
The next morning, right after first period, Ethan approached the prettiest girl in his class, Hannah Zhou, also one of the school's recognized beauties. As far as Ethan knew, Hannah changed boyfriends four or five times a semester. She received love letters daily from boys at their school, other schools, even guys already working, and plenty of fights had started over her.
"Hannah, can I ask you something? If a guy were to give you a gift, what would you want most?"
"I'm not picky," Hannah said in a sweet voice. "What he gives doesn't matter. The most important thing is the thought behind it!"
The class bell rang before Ethan could get a concrete answer.
In the afternoon, Oliver Wu suddenly sat down next to Ethan. "I heard you're trying to chase after Hannah Zhou?"