gnovel Chapter 5 Gambling Addiction
Chapter 5 Gambling Addiction
Liu Bei, Wu Yong, and Liu Tang rode away from Shijie Village.
Speechless all the way.
Liu Tang opened his mouth several times, wanting to say something, but seeing Liu Bei's calm profile, he swallowed his words back.
He couldn't hold back any longer until the official road became wide enough.
"Brother, I still don't understand. What if... what if Ruan Xiao Wu couldn't resist?"
Liu Bei looked straight ahead, his tone calm.
"Then we only lost ten taels of silver."
Liu Tang was puzzled: "But we're missing a skilled swimmer!"
"A person who can't control himself is no good fighter; he's a source of trouble." Liu Bei reined in his horse and turned to look at him. "If we discover this now, we've only lost ten taels of silver. But if we'd only discovered it after we'd taken action, we would have lost everyone's lives. Can you do the math?"
Liu Tang was speechless when asked the question, his face turning red and white in turns.
Wu Yong spoke up from the side, his voice tinged with admiration.
"Brother's actions are not only a test for Ruan Xiaowu, but also a test for Ruan Xiaoer and Ruan Xiaoqi."
Liu Bei gave him an approving look.
Wu Yong continued, "The Ruan brothers have always been united. If Ruan Xiaowu makes a mistake, we need to see whether his two older brothers indulge him or restrain him. If they can help their brother get through this, then these three brothers will truly be united as one and can be entrusted with important responsibilities."
Liu Bei spurred his horse forward again.
"Scholar, it's good that you understand."
He paused, then said, "After this matter is over, you will set off. Go to the vicinity of Liangshan to gather information and find a pretext to contact Lin Chong."
Wu Yong straightened his expression and said, "I understand."
"Remember, be humble and sincere. Tell him that the world is about to fall into chaos, that Wang Lun is not a wise ruler, and that Liangshan is about to face a great calamity. I, Chao Gai, respect him as a hero and cannot bear to see him perish. I am willing to find him a safe haven and help him through this difficult time."
"I've got it." Wu Yong replied solemnly.
The three reached a fork in the road. Wu Yong headed towards Jizhou Prefecture, where he needed to buy some clothes and then find a way to meet up with Lin Chong.
Liu Bei and Liu Tang then returned to Dongxi Village.
Meanwhile, in the thatched cottage of the Ruan family in Shijie Village, the atmosphere was somber.
Ruan Xiaowu sat blankly on the ground, clutching the silver ingot in his hand.
He seemed to be holding a ball of fire.
"Wulang, put the silver away." Ruan Xiaoer's voice was a little hoarse. "Put it in the box, and I'll keep the key."
Ruan Xiaowu did not move.
He could almost hear the sound of dice clashing in the casino in Lijia Ferry.
"Fifth Brother!" Ruan Xiaoqi exclaimed anxiously from the side, "Second Brother is right! Quickly put it away! We can't let Brother Chao Gai look down on us!"
Ruan Xiaowu's body trembled slightly.
He looked at Ruan Xiaoer, then at Ruan Xiaoqi.
Then, with a sudden grit of his teeth, he stuffed the silver into Ruan Xiaoer's hand.
"Second brother, you keep it!"
Ruan Xiaoer took the silver, quickly walked to the corner of the wall, put the silver into a dilapidated wooden box, and locked it with a copper lock.
He put the key into the deepest pocket of his pocket and pressed it hard.
Night fell.
The three brothers quickly ate some fish soup and then went to bed.
Ruan Xiaoer and Ruan Xiaoqi soon started snoring; they were exhausted today.
Only Ruan Xiaowu remained awake, his eyes wide open, showing no signs of sleepiness.
He tossed and turned, feeling as if countless ants were crawling all over his body.
That familiar longing seeped out from the very marrow of his bones, making him itch all over.
His mind was filled with dice and dominoes.
Just one win, just one, and I'll win back everything I've lost...
Do not!
Brother Chao Gai said that the money was a test for me!
But... I'll just go take a look; I don't gamble.
He quietly sat up and, using the moonlight streaming in through the window, looked at Ruan Xiaoer, who was sleeping not far away.
The key was in his arms.
As long as I quietly take it, open the box, and glance at it... just one glance at the silver ingot, and then put it back...
Once the thought arose, it could no longer be suppressed.
His palms were sweaty, and his heart was pounding like a drum.
He tiptoed off the ground and moved step by step toward Ruan Xiaoer.
Just as his hand was about to touch Ruan Xiaoer's clothes, he remembered Liu Bei's words.
"Tomorrow, will he sell all our heads to the authorities for a few taels of silver?"
A chill rose from the soles of his feet, instantly extinguishing the evil fire in his heart.
Ruan Xiaowu abruptly withdrew his hand, staggered back two steps, and sat down on the ground with a thud.
He dared not stay in the house any longer, and rushed out of the hut as if fleeing, and came to the water's edge.
The cold night wind blew against his bare upper body, giving him goosebumps.
He knelt by the water and splashed cold water hard on his face.
Under the moonlight, his distorted face was reflected on the water, making him look like a ghost.
……
The next day, just as dawn broke, Ruan Xiaoer woke up.
The first thing he did was touch the keys in his pocket; they were still there.
He breathed a sigh of relief, got up and saw Ruan Xiaowu sitting on the threshold, her eyes red, as if she hadn't slept all night.
"Goro."
Ruan Xiaoer walked over.
Ruan Xiaowu didn't turn around, but whispered, "Second Brother, let's set sail."
"it is good."
Ruan Xiaoqi also woke up. The three brothers didn't say much and tacitly began to pack their fishing gear.
They wanted to occupy all of Ruan Xiaowu's energy with heavy labor.
The small boat glided into the reeds, where they cast and hauled in their nets, emptying baskets of fish and shrimp into the hold.
Ruan Xiaowu worked silently, putting in more effort than ever before, as if trying to squeeze every last drop of energy out of his body.
However, his heart was not there.
The small boat drifted downstream, and in the distance, the outline of Lijia Ferry could be seen.
Ruan Xiaowu stopped moving, straightened up, and looked in that direction.
His breathing quickened, and his grip on the oar tightened involuntarily.
Ruan Xiaoqi noticed his unusual behavior and quickly said, "Fifth Brother, let's go to that fork in the river to the west; there are many fish there."
Ruan Xiaowu did not respond, but stared intently at Lijia Ferry.
Ruan Xiaoer walked to his side and placed his hand on his shoulder: "Fifth Brother, think about what Brother Chao Gai said."
Ruan Xiaowu's body trembled violently.
Casino or family, how to choose?
He closed his eyes in pain.
Finally, he turned around abruptly, picked up the oar, and rowed forcefully in the opposite direction, away from the tempting ferry crossing.
In the evening, the three of them dragged their tired bodies back to the hut.
Ruan Xiaowu barely spoke all day, his face was gloomy, and his eyes were bloodshot.
Just as they were preparing to cook, a weasel-faced rascal sauntered over.
"Wulang, I heard you got ripped off by Li the One-Eyed yesterday?" the rogue said, winking. "Don't go there, that guy's got shady dealings. I know a new place, on the back street of town. Let's go there, I guarantee you'll make your money back."
A glint of light flashed in Ruan Xiaowu's eyes: "A new place?"
"roll!"
Ruan Xiaoer came out of the house and stood in front of Ruan Xiaowu.
The idler was startled and took two steps back.
"Ruan Er, what are you doing? I'm just trying to give Wu Lang a message..."
"I told you to get out!" Ruan Xiao'er's eyes reddened as he raised the cleaver in his hand. "If you don't leave, I'll chop your head off and stuff it inside a fish!"
The scoundrel was intimidated by his imposing manner and left cursing.
But at this moment, Ruan Xiaowu was stunned.
New location, break even...
The second night was even harder to endure than the first.
Ruan Xiaowu lay on the straw mat, feeling hot all over.
He felt he was sick, a kind of illness that only casinos could cure.
He sat up abruptly.
This time, his eyes were filled with utter madness.
He approached Ruan Xiaoer silently and reached out his hand with trembling hands.
the last time.
He took the money, went to that new place, won back what he had lost, and then never gambled again.