"I'll just borrow one million," Liu Yuemei said. She wasn't a habitual gambler—she still had some sense left.
"A million? Can't your husband just send it over? We checked—his debt ratio is high, but his cash flow is substantial too," the staff member said, looking at her with disdain.
Liu Yuemei scratched her head awkwardly.
"Fine, I’ll take 10 million then."
Soon, the loan was processed, and Liu Yuemei returned to the tables with 9 million in chips.
At the gambling table, the dazzling colors slowly consumed her vision.ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ N(o)vᴇl(F)ire.nᴇt
She won more than she lost—but her wins were small, while her losses were devastating.
Bit by bit, her 10 million dwindled to almost nothing.
Only then did she snap out of her daze, a cold sweat breaking down her spine.
A young man nearby spoke up."Big sis, I think this casino might be rigged."
"Rigged?"
"Yeah. Look—everyone here wins when they bet small but loses big. So I was thinking… why don’t we team up and slowly win it all back?"
Liu Yuemei realized he was right.
She wasn’t stupid enough to outright accuse the casino of cheating.
Anyone who could run a place like this wasn’t to be trifled with.
"Alright, let’s do it. But I’m out of money—can you lend me some?"
"Sis, what are you saying? Gambling pits even fathers against sons—let alone siblings. Just take out another loan. We know the pattern now—we’ll win it all back in no time."
Liu Yuemei thought it over and agreed. She borrowed another 10 million.
Only then did Brother Dao send Lin Ran a message:
"The fish is hooked."
Half an hour later, Liu Yuemei lost again.
The thought of having already lost over 20 million terrified her.
Then, a man claiming to be a professional cheat approached her.
"Madam, I’m exposing the casino’s scam. Want to help me?"
"How?"
"Place a bet for me. I’ve found a loophole, but I need the dealer to slip up to catch her. So this next round, we’ll have to lose."
"But I don’t have any money left."
"Take a loan."
Liu Yuemei hesitated. Was this really okay?
But then she remembered the 20 million she’d already lost—and her hesitation vanished.
If she kept going, she might still turn things around. But if she quit now, how would she repay the loans?
Another half hour passed, and Liu Yuemei was stunned once more.
"My apologies, madam. This old man misjudged earlier—I didn’t catch their trick."
"You—!" Liu Yuemei was furious.
Then another man stepped forward.
"Old Xu, I actually spotted it. But I’ll need your cooperation."
...
By midnight, Liu Yuemei was beyond reason.
Again and again, she fell deeper into the trap—until she owed a staggering 100 million.
What she didn’t know was that the entire casino had been working against her alone.
Soon, reality hit her like a brick wall—she couldn’t borrow another cent.
"I… I took out a hundred million here?"
The staff pulled out the contract and pointed at her signature.
"See for yourself if you don’t believe it."
Liu Yuemei scanned the documents, her heart sinking with every line.
The truth dawned on her, leaving her numb.
Just then, Brother Dao reappeared.
The moment she saw him, Liu Yuemei begged.
"Brother Dao, please—just a little more. I’ll win it all back!"
Brother Dao shook his head.
"You’ve hit your limit. Now it’s time to repay."
"Repay what?"
"The rules—all loans must be settled before leaving. Of course, many can’t pay after losing. If you can’t, have someone bring the money. Otherwise… I’ll have to take something from you. An arm buys you three days."
Though meek in front of Lin Ran, everyone knew Brother Dao was a notorious figure in the underworld—a man who’d committed half the crimes in the penal code.
Liu Yuemei stammered, "I… I…" but no solution came to mind.
Finally, her eyes flickered, and her tone shifted.
"It’s you! You’re the ones cheating!"
Brother Dao’s expression darkened instantly. He gestured around the room.
"Interesting. Lose money and blame me? I run an honest business. In all these years, no one’s ever caught me cheating. Go ahead—check. If you find proof, I’ll refund you 100 million. But if you don’t, not only do you repay the debt, you’ll compensate me too."
Trembling, Liu Yuemei had no choice but to search for evidence.
But how could she find any? Even a professional cheater wouldn’t spot anything—because there was no cheating.
Her losses came from the setup and sheer gambling, not tricks.
A seasoned player might’ve avoided the trap, but for an amateur like Liu Yuemei, it was foolproof.
She should’ve been honored—so many people orchestrating a scheme just for her.
Defeated, she returned.
"Well? Find anything, Ms. Liu?"
Of course, she hadn’t. All she could do was plead.
"Brother Dao, please… don’t tell my husband."
Brother Dao wasn’t about to indulge her.
"Sure. You’re my guest—repay the debt, and you’ll still be welcome here."
"But I don’t have that kind of money! You… why don’t you help me collect what’s owed first? Once I have the money, I can win back what I lost!"
Brother Dao nearly laughed. Was this woman insane?
Instead of repaying, she wanted to gamble more?
"The money is already mine. As for the remaining 50 million—you’re paying it back."
This was all part of Lin Ran and Brother Dao’s plan. The moment Liu Ruxue leaked to Wang Bao that Lin Tianba had repaid his debt, Lin Ran had foreseen this.
Did the Liu family really think they could keep what they’d taken?
Dream on.
Liu Yuemei’s eyes widened.
"That’s my money! How is it yours?"
Brother Dao slapped her hard, shutting her up instantly.
"You dare argue with me when you’re the one in debt?"
Liu Yuemei didn’t fight back. Terrified of men like Brother Dao, she could only sob and beg.
"I really don’t have the money… please, let me go."
Seeing her on the verge of breaking, Brother Dao prepared his final move.
"No money? Then I’ve got another way for you to repay me."
"What way?" A glimmer of hope flashed in her eyes.
"This place isn’t just for gambling. Upstairs, you can earn money too. Want to try?"
Liu Yuemei frowned, sensing something ominous.
"How?"
"By doing #!@%…"