Chapter 143: The Third Lottery

Li Zheyu wanted to swear loudly right then. But he held back because he didn’t dare. He never, even in his wildest dreams, imagined that someone he saw as dirt-poor could be so important. A Cai seemed really wary of this guy. Who the hell was he?

“Hiss. The exact amount, I’m not sure. About two hundred thousand. I won’t ask for double. Just give me two hundred thousand.” Li Zheyu said timidly, his neck still gripped by A Cai. He didn’t dare act tough now.

Tang Chen hummed in acknowledgment. He then pulled out a checkbook and the pen he had bought. Casually writing one million, he grabbed Li Zheyu’s hand and stuffed the check into his palm.

“Two hundred thousand? Felt short? This Young Master gives you one million. Take the leftover money to buy a new car. When you go out to show off next time, remember this: don’t bring shame by driving a Chery. Idiot.” As Tang Chen said this, he slapped Li Zheyu across the face again. The sight of this idiot just annoyed him.

Li Zheyu didn’t dare yell or curse back. Once A Cai let him go, he stared dumbly at the check. He counted the zeros after the one. Then he stood there, completely stunned.

It really was one million! He’d never seen this much money in his whole life. And this guy just gave it to him? No wonder he said driving a Chery was shameful. Who’d still drive one with one million?

“Thank you, Big Brother! Thank you! I’ll get lost now.” Li Zheyu was thoroughly intimidated by Tang Chen’s wealth. He immediately groveled. Faced with one million, few could hold onto their so-called pride.

“Wait. Did I say you could leave?” Tang Chen’s voice was icy cold. He shot forward and threw a hard punch at Li Zheyu, sending him crashing face-first to the ground.

“You think you can just walk off with my money?” Tang Chen sneered. The curl of his lips held a dark amusement.

“Ow! Big Brother… no, no. Sir! Didn’t you tell me to take the money and scram?” Li Zheyu felt like crying. He deeply regretted bringing his crew here to cause trouble.

Tang Chen walked closer, looking down at him. “The money? This Young Master won’t take it back. A measly million is just a number to me. But lowlifes like you? You’ve got no credibility. What if I give you the one million, and tomorrow you backtrack? What if you say my mother-in-law never paid you back? What then?”

Li Zheyu’s heart skipped a beat. That’s exactly what he’d been thinking. He frantically shook his head. “N-No! I wouldn’t renege! I swear on my life!”

BANG!

Tang Chen’s foot kicked against Li Zheyu’s face. “That dog life of yours isn’t worth a million. Fine. This Young Master said he wouldn’t make things hard for you. He keeps his word. Write a receipt. Say this Young Master has paid the rent. State you’ll never demand money again. Then you can go.”

Hearing such a simple request, Li Zheyu quickly nodded. But he looked troubled. “Could you… Big Brother… get me paper and a pen? I’ll write it now.”

“Paper? Pen?” Tang Chen’s voice was merciless. “Trash like you doesn’t get to waste my mother-in-law’s supplies. A Cai, make him bleed. His shirt’s nice. Make him write on it.” His tone brooked no argument.

A Cai shouted, “Yes, Sir!” Tang Chen’s words were his command now. He didn’t want to anger Tang Chen, so Li Zheyu became his target.

A Cai signaled two underlings. They stripped the white shirt off Li Zheyu’s upper body. Then A Cai pulled a knife from his belt and sliced three fingers on Li Zheyu’s right hand. Li Zheyu had to use his own blood to write a receipt on the shirt.

Gritting his teeth, Li Zheyu muffled his scream. He endured the pain and finished the receipt, finger smearing blood on the shirt.

Tang Chen snatched the shirt away with a cold smile. He didn’t mind the blood and carefully folded it. Then he kicked Li Zheyu hard in the backside. “Scram! If I ever see your face again? This Young Master swears, I’ll end you!”

Li Zheyu whimpered, “Mhm, mhm!” Then he scrambled to his feet and bolted. This demon-like man would likely haunt his nightmares for years to come.

“You take your people and leave too. This Young Master is pleased with today.” Tang Chen smiled, patting A Cai’s shoulder. This guy handled things well. He liked that.

A Cai bowed deeply. “It was my duty, my duty! Then, Young Master Tang, please attend to your business. I’ll leave with my men immediately.” With that, A Cai waved his arm sharply. He and his underlings fled the scene as if escaping.

Tang Chen turned to Yang Mi and Mother Yang. He handed her the blood-written shirt-receipt. “Auntie? Was my handling of this satisfactory? Not too violent? And it solved your future worries.”

Mother Yang sighed. Knowing her prospective son-in-law wasn’t ordinary was one thing. But seeing his actions today still shocked her. After all, it was the first time she’d seen a receipt written in blood on a shirt.

The matter was settled. Mother Yang didn’t blame Tang Chen too harshly. Come evening, Yang’s father returned. This straightforward middle-aged man actually got on well with Tang Chen’s temperament. They laughed and joked during dinner. It genuinely felt like a family gathering. Tang Chen hadn’t felt that warmth in a long time.

That night, after Tang Chen and Yang Mi ate, they stayed at her parents’ home. Yang Mi’s family lived near a hutong entrance. The city apartment was only about two hours’ drive away, but Tang Chen considered Yang Mi hadn’t come home often. He let her spend the night there.

Tang Chen didn’t sleep in the same room as Yang Mi. Her parents were present. He dared not cross the line. Sleeping on the hardboard bed, he addressed the System: “System. I’m free now. Hand over the item rewards you owe me.”

The System took a long time to reply. “Respected Host, don’t you know disturbing others’ sweet dreams is unethical?”

Tang Chen’s face darkened. Angrily, he cursed, “Cut the act! You damn system! What sleep do you need? Unethical? Have you seen me do anything ethical? Quit the crap! Fetch my rewards. I remember one was some gum, right? And the other was a random lottery draw. Stop trying to wriggle out!”

The System said arrogantly: “Respected Host, have you forgotten? Didn’t you use one reward item yesterday when exchanging for the Medical Sage Secret Manual? So now, you only have one chance to draw.”

The corner of Tang Chen’s mouth twitched. His face spasmed. “System! You goddamn piece! Playing me? During the exchange for the Medical Sage Secret Manual, you clearly said it was swapped with a guitar! You didn’t use my gum at all! You just don’t want to give it to me!”

Reader brothers, look! This is the ‘awesome’ system you like! How shameless! How underhanded! Damn it, it’s totally messing with me!

The System remained calm. “Respected Host, this is your misunderstanding. Do you think an epic object like the Medical Sage Secret Manual would cost just measly gum? You thought too highly.”

Damned cheap-system! Tang Chen took a few deep breaths. But he couldn’t be bothered arguing more. Instead, he said flatly, “Fine. Consider that one forsaken. But this lottery reward, you will grant to this Young Master. Start the lottery wheel. Now!”

“Ding! The System rewards the Host one random lottery item. Wheels spinning now!” The prompt tone rang. This was Tang Chen’s third lottery. He felt way calmer than the first two times.

The giant wheel manifested in his mind. Like the first time, it had blank spaces and various small items.

“Start!” Tang Chen couldn’t wait to test his luck. He ignored what treasures might await and commanded the draw outright.

“Ding! Lottery begins! Wheel spinning!”

The wheel spun furiously. Tang Chen shut his eyes. After a moment, he opened them and shouted: “Stop!” The pointer instantly halted. Landing precisely on a white grid showing a bottle-like object.

Tang Chen asked curiously, “System, what’s this junk? Giving me calcium pills as a reward?”

The System seemed baffled too. Its tone odd, it said, “Respected Host? Regarding this… this System doesn’t quite know how to explain. Perhaps you should see for yourself.”

“Ding! Congratulations, Host! You drew one pill of strong effect Viagra! Upon receiving this reward, the Host must take it immediately! Grants sustained peak physical performance! Note: Within three minutes of consumption, the Host must find a partner! Failure will result in permanent loss of functionality!”