Chapter Five: What Does He Really Want?
When the notification popped up that her resignation email had been successfully sent, Cheng Yin was sitting on a plastic chair in the hospital corridor. The cold light from the screen reflected the deep dark circles under her eyes; three consecutive days of caring for her had left her spine feeling like it was filled with lead.
Xu Chen was still asleep, his arm in a cast awkwardly resting on his chest. The doctor said he had two broken ribs and a slightly ruptured spleen, and needed to be observed for another three days.
Three days is enough time for Lai Yiu-tung to come up with new content for his "vernacular lessons".
My phone vibrated; it was a text message from Li Yaodong: "3 PM, 3306."
Cheng Yin checked the time; it was 10 a.m.
There was a half-finished glass of water and some leftover painkillers on the bedside table.
Cheng Yin poured out the water, poured herself a fresh, cold glass, placed it back in the same spot, and left a note: "Going out for a bit, will be right back."
The Gapper Hotel was much warmer than the hospital.
Voices could be heard coming from inside, a mix of Cantonese and English, along with the clinking of glasses. Cheng Yin withdrew her hand from the door and stood quietly on the hallway carpet. Her shadow, cast by the wall lamp, was long and thin, like a reed about to break.
The conversation lasted for nearly an hour. Cheng Yin's ankle began to ache, but she didn't move, only occasionally shifting her weight.
When the door to room 3306 finally opened, three men in suits filed out without even glancing at her.
When Li Yaodong, the last to emerge, saw her, he raised an eyebrow: "How long have you been waiting?"
Cheng Yin glanced at her watch: "One hour and seven minutes."
Li Yaodong's expression subtly shifted, and he stepped aside to make way: "Come in."
The suite was even more cluttered than yesterday, with wine glasses and documents scattered on the coffee table and the ashtray overflowing with cigarette butts.
Li Yaodong went straight to the wardrobe, took out a dark blue suit, and changed into it. Cheng Yin stood at the door, unsure of what to do.
"There's been a change," Li Yaodong said, fastening his cufflinks. "I need to go out for a bit."
Cheng Yin nodded: "I can wait here."
Li Yaodong fastened his tie and suddenly turned around to look at her.
Cheng Yin was wearing yesterday's jeans and T-shirt, and she was sleeping on the hospital's companion chair with her wrinkled collar drooping limply.
"Come here." Li Yaodong beckoned.
Cheng Yin walked up to him, and Li Yaodong dialed the internal line and quickly said a few words.
Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang, and a waiter pushed in a coat rack with a dark green velvet dress hanging on it.
"Change into this." Li Yaodong picked up his suit jacket. "Come with me."
After the locker room door closed, Cheng Yin mechanically took off her clothes.
The dress fit her remarkably well, as if it had been tailor-made. The woman in the mirror was pale and thin, her collarbones protruding as if they were about to pierce her skin.
The dark green color made her eyes appear even deeper, like two stagnant pools of water.
Li Yaodong was waiting for her in the living room. When she came out, he nodded slightly: "Not bad." He handed her a velvet jewelry box. "Put this on."
Inside the box was a diamond necklace. The main stone was not large, but it was exquisitely cut and reflected a cool fire under the light.
Cheng Yin didn't ask about the price; she simply turned around obediently and let Li Yaodong fasten the clasp for her.
The metal felt cold to the touch, like a snake coiled around my neck.
"Let's go." Li Yaodong gently placed his hand on her waist, guiding her out the door.
As the casino's golden doors opened before her, Cheng Yin's pupils contracted slightly.
The crystal chandelier in the center of the hall was three stories high, its refracted light making each gambling table seem to float in a dream. The air was thick with the scents of perfume, alcohol, and money, creating a dizzying atmosphere.
Li Yaodong led her through the crowd, and people nodded to him from time to time. Cheng Yin noticed that there was no clock or any windows; time seemed to be deliberately blurred.
They eventually stopped at a VIP table, where the dealer respectfully greeted Lai Yiu-tung.
"Sit down." Li Yaodong pulled out a chair.
Cheng Yin sat down quietly, placing her hands folded on her knees.
The game had already begun, and colorful chips were piled on the table. She couldn't understand Cantonese, but she could distinguish the English words "call" and "raise".
As the game ended, the woman in the red evening gown pushed over the chips in front of her and let out a frustrated sigh.
"How much did she just lose?" Li Yaodong suddenly asked in Mandarin.
Cheng Yin looked at the chips that had been taken away: "About...one million?"
"One million two hundred thousand dragon banknotes," Li Yaodong corrected, "Two minutes."
Li Yaodong observed her reaction, then suddenly leaned close to her ear and asked, "Want to play a game?"
Cheng Yin shook her head: "I can't."
"I'll teach you."
"I have no capital."
"If you lose, it's on me."
Cheng Yin turned her head and looked him straight in the eyes: "I don't want to owe you anything more."
Li Yaodong smiled, a smile that appeared particularly dangerous under the casino's dim lights: "A clever girl." He beckoned a waiter over and exchanged a small pile of chips. "Consider it... extracurricular practice."
For the next half hour, Li Yaodong taught her how to play Texas Hold'em.
His palm rested on the back of her hand, guiding her to bet, raise, or fold. She mechanically followed Li Yaodong's instructions, winning small chips and losing large ones.
In the end, they had very few chips left.
"Tuition fees." Li Yaodong casually pushed back his chair. "Are you hungry?"
The restaurant was on the top floor of the casino, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a dazzling night view of the Macau skyline. Cheng Yin ate her steak in small bites, finding it tasteless.
After hanging up the phone, Li Yaodong suddenly asked, "Have you been staying at the hospital with your child these past few days?"
Cheng Yin nodded.
Where are you staying?
"Hospital."
Li Yaodong tapped his fork lightly on his plate: "Didn't you book a hotel?"
"I don't have any extra money," Cheng Yin said truthfully.
Li Yaodong took a sip of red wine: "Stay tonight."
Cheng Yin's knife and fork froze in mid-air. She looked at the medium-rare steak on the plate, blood seeping out and spreading a pale pink hue on the white porcelain plate.
"Okay." She put down her knife and fork.
On the way back, Li Yaodong suddenly asked, "How do you say 'What's your name?'"
"What's your name?"
"That's right." Li Yaodong nodded. "'My name is Cheng Yin'?"
Cheng Yin tried hard to recall yesterday's lesson: "'My name is Cheng Yin.'"
Li Yaodong's lips curled into a slight smile: "Did you do some pre-reading?"
Cheng Yin looked at the neon lights rushing past the window: "Hmm."
She followed Li Yaodong back to 3306, stood in the center of the living room, and awaited further instructions.
Li Yaodong took off his suit jacket, loosened his tie, and pointed to the bathroom.
"Go take a shower."
The bathroom was larger than Cheng Yin had imagined, with a full set of toiletries neatly arranged on the marble countertop.
She mechanically took off her dress and carefully removed the diamond necklace, placing it in a dry place.
As the hot water poured over her body, she stared at the old scars on her pale skin, realizing that this was why she wasn't worth 870,000.
When I stepped out of the bathroom, the main light in the suite was off, leaving only two dim wall lamps by the bedside.
Li Yaodong leaned against the headboard, a book in his hand. He glanced up at her, then pointed to the other side of the bed: "Go to sleep."
Cheng Yin stood there, unsure if she had misunderstood.
Li Yaodong closed the book, his tone calm: "I said I'd stay tonight. I didn't say what I was going to do."
Cheng Yin slowly walked to the bedside, lifted a corner of the quilt, and lay down. The mattress was so soft that she had the illusion of sinking into it.
Li Yaodong continued reading, occasionally folding a corner of the page.
Cheng Yin stared at the ceiling, waiting for the possible invasion that might come at any moment, but nothing happened.
"You can't sleep," Li Yaodong suddenly said, not in a question.
Cheng Yin gave a soft "Mmm".
"Because of fear?"
"I'm not used to it."
Li Yaodong put down his book and turned to her: "What are you used to?"
"The bed," Cheng Yin answered truthfully, "is too soft."
Li Yaodong was silent for a moment, then asked, "Where do you usually sleep?"
"A hospital chair. Or..." Cheng Yin paused, "...the floor."
"Why?"
"Xu Chen needs a hospital bed."
Lai Yiu-tung's expression was not clearly visible in the dim light.
He reached out and turned off his bedside lamp: "Go to sleep. We'll continue tomorrow."
Cheng Yin kept her eyes open in the darkness.
Li Yaodong's breathing quickly became even and long, and his silhouette formed a blurry outline in the night.
The neon lights outside the window cast a changing band of light on the ceiling through the gaps in the curtains.
She gently turned over, the silk pajamas making a soft rustling sound.
Li Yaodong did not move.
Cheng Yin closed her eyes and listened to Li Yaodong's steady breathing.
The clamor of the casino still seemed to echo in my ears: the arc of millions of chips tracing on the green table, the cold touch of the diamond necklace, the blood seeping from the steak... These fragments swirled in my mind, ultimately coalescing into an unsolvable question:
What does he really want?
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