The Next Day.

This time, Zhang Jingshan didn't rush to get up early.

After all, the stone gambling venues in the western suburbs didn't get lively until the afternoon.

So, when the Range Rover appeared at the intersection of Dongpu Avenue, it was already midday.

As Ye Chen had expected, since Zhang Jingshan wasn't driving his flashy red Porsche Panamera, he must have brought Li Changfeng along.

"Mr. Ye!"

The moment Ye Chen got into the car, the two men turned their heads and greeted him with smiles.

"Mr. Zhang, Mr. Li, about yesterday—thank you!" Ye Chen said as soon as he sat in the back seat.

"Mr. Ye, there's no need to thank us. Putting aside the fact that you saved my life, Wang Tao's behavior had long crossed the line with me. I had tolerated him for the sake of family ties and because I couldn't find the right opportunity to make him leave. Yesterday's incident gave me both the opportunity and the reason!" Li Changfeng said with a smile.

"Old Zhang, this is the smartest decision you've made since I've known you. That fool—if you didn't get rid of him, he would have ruined you sooner or later!" Zhang Jingshan said casually while steering the car.

Li Changfeng chuckled but didn't dwell on the subject.

Changing the topic, he asked, "Mr. Ye, have you had any experience with stone gambling before?"

"Not really. I've joined the crowd a few times but never actually placed a bet," Ye Chen replied.

In the past, he had indeed joined in for the fun a few times.

The reason he hadn't placed bets wasn't that he didn't want to—it was because he couldn't afford it. After all, the stones often cost tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, far beyond what someone in his position could afford.

He only went along to enjoy the atmosphere and broaden his horizons.

"Then why this time?" Li Changfeng asked curiously.

Zhang Jingshan perked up, his ears pricking at the question.

Ye Chen shook his head and smiled. He knew what they were thinking.

"That's exactly why—since I've never tried it before, I thought I'd give it a shot!"

Hearing this, Zhang Jingshan and Li Changfeng might have been puzzled, but the calm expression on Ye Chen's face piqued their curiosity.

They truly wanted to see if his instincts were as miraculous as they had heard.

After some light and casual conversation, they arrived at the western suburbs.

The car stopped outside a large, plain building that was far from luxurious.

Dozens of vehicles of various types and price ranges were parked there: Ferraris, Porsches, Mercedes, Land Rovers—and even cheap economy cars worth only a few thousand yuan, alongside some taxis.

As the Range Rover came to a halt, the well-acquainted Zhang Jingshan led Ye Chen and the first-timer Li Changfeng into the building.

"Hey, Mr. Zhang is here!"

"Zhang Gongzi, long time no see!"

"Mr. Zhang, when are you going to introduce me to some of those gorgeous streamers from your company, huh? Haha!"

"Mr. Zhang!"

"Mr. Zhang!"

As Zhang Jingshan appeared, the crowd, full of all sorts of characters, greeted him with smiles.

"Huh? Damn, Ye Chen, is that really you? I thought I was seeing things. Since when did you start hanging out with someone as important as Mr. Zhang?"

Suddenly, a thin man approached after confirming he wasn't mistaken.

"Mr. Ye, is he your friend?" Zhang Jingshan asked in surprise.

"An old card-playing buddy," Ye Chen explained briefly.

Ye Chen wasn't surprised by this gambler's appearance. On this exact day in his previous life, he had come here with the same man.

"Oh, okay. You two catch up. I'll go greet a few people, and we'll meet up later," Zhang Jingshan said.

After patting Ye Chen on the shoulder, he and Li Changfeng walked deeper inside.

"Damn, Ye Chen, how did you get to know someone like Mr. Zhang? He's the boss of Yunshan Network, the grandson of a former municipal party secretary, and the heir to Yong'an Construction. And you, a broke gambler who can't even afford a proper meal—how did you manage that?"

The gambler, nicknamed Old Huang, exclaimed in disbelief.

"What do you mean, a broke gambler who can't afford a meal? Are you that much better off?" Ye Chen retorted, rolling his eyes.

"Cough, we're in the same boat. We're both struggling!" Old Huang coughed awkwardly, then continued with a serious tone. "But seriously, you've got a golden opportunity now. Hanging around a big shot like Mr. Zhang—even as a runner or a lackey—your future is bright. So, stop gambling and dreaming of striking it rich at the tables. Over the years, we've both been through hell, and all we've got to show for it is broken families and nothing else. So, make the most of this chance. Turn your life around. Quit gambling and drinking!"

"Old Huang, what's gotten into you today? Did you have too much to drink? Hearing this from you feels so strange," Ye Chen said, bewildered.

He had known Old Huang for years. While they weren't deeply connected—he didn't even know the man's full name—they knew each other well enough. They were both cut from the same cloth.

For someone like Old Huang to say these things truly surprised him.

Besides, on this exact day in his previous life, he hadn't noticed anything unusual about Old Huang.

"Do I smell like alcohol? The reason I'm saying this isn't because I've been drinking. It's because I see hope for you to start over! If you were still the same as before, I wouldn't bother. Why? Because people like us are the leftovers the Jade Emperor forgot about. To put it poetically, we're outside the Three Realms and the Six Paths—nothing but scum and waste!"

"To be honest, we all understand the truth. But we just can't control our hearts or hands. The poorer we get, the more we want to gamble. And the more we gamble, the poorer we get. It's an endless cycle."

"But you're different now. You've got a golden opportunity. Follow someone like Mr. Zhang, and you'll never have to worry about a thing. If you work hard, he won't mistreat you. So, hold onto this chance and turn your life around. Once you've made it, don't ever go back to gambling. There's no good end in it. I've got no hope for myself anymore—gambling or not, I'm doomed either way. So, I might as well keep going till the end," Old Huang said sincerely.

"Alright, enough of that!"

Ye Chen shook his head with a wry smile, his emotions conflicted.

Feigning ignorance, he asked, "So, what brings you here this time? Hoping to strike it rich through stone gambling?"

In his past life, he had come here with Old Huang for fun. But Old Huang had gambled his entire fortune.

Of course, in his past life, Old Huang had lost everything, down to the last penny.

Ye Chen had been curious about how Old Huang suddenly managed to come up with tens of thousands of yuan.

But in the end, he hadn't asked. He only remembered Old Huang's despairing and lifeless face as he slumped to the ground.

The last image Ye Chen had of him was his hollow, zombie-like gaze as he left the stone gambling venue.

No matter how much Ye Chen called after him, Old Huang never responded or looked back.

From that day on, he never saw Old Huang again.