Chapter 249 - Where's The Fun?

The couple took a few minutes to wind down and feel like their stomach could have space for air again. They slumped together on the booth. She was hugging his arm and his hand was on her inner thigh.

"When we get old, you're going to grow fat too, like your Father," she said.

Qing Chen smiled. Before, he would've said that the was highly unlikely. But now… "Yeah, I guess I will be just like him."

His father and him have a lot more things in difference than in common and maybe that was why he wanted to add more on the latter list.

He tugged on her thigh. "Are you ready to go?"

"Okay."

**

Feng Xuan's feet were killing her. It was as if they were not yet done punishing her even though she rested them for a few hours.

"Do you want a pair of slippers?" Qing Chen asked when he noticed that she was leaning heavily on him and her steps were wobbly. It was not that he minded, but he would want her in comfort.

"I'm fine," she said even though she knew that she would not be. Her feet like a huge bruise and every step hurt. But she bought these shoes and she was going to suffer in them. She just kept visualizing herself on the mirror earlier that day. She was so happy with how she looked that she posted it on social media with #firstday. A lot had admired the shoes and she was wearing it for all the people who could not afford them. 

They walked to the end of the restaurant where a heavily dr.a.p.ed doorway was. Surprisingly, it was space that lead to multiple doorways. It was brightly lit with tiled floors. The touch of the hotel was finally back.

"So you really had to pass through the restaurant before you get here?"

"You're not allowed to eat meals in any of these rooms," Qing Chen said. "So which way do you want to go first?"

There were three paths. Feng Xuan pointed on the leftmost one. Thankfully, the hallway was not that very long and before they could reach the entryway, Feng Xuan could already feel the heavy bass on her toes. "Is this a club?"

In answer, Qing Chen lead her inside. There were tall poles in the middle of the room--around five of them and women skillfully climbed and held themselves on the metal. They were in the second floor and that was how tall the poles were. A few tables cl.u.s.tered around the polls and men cheered, throwing bills in the air. The second floor were more quiet with private spaces like the one in the restaurant. 

"You're right, it was just like the other part of town. Just richer," she observed. A waitress passed and Feng Xuan noticed that she had a beautiful face. Even the ones on the poles were above average. None of these pretty faces could be seen on a club like Lovely's.

"Do the girls get promoted based on their faces?"

"Sad reality, but yes. But there were a lot that climbed the ranks with skills. You won't imagine the absurd requests we get from the customers here sometimes."

"Like what?"

"One asked if we could dress the girls with cow-like patterns in their clothes."

Feng Xuan's face twisted. "Ew, do you think he has a thing for cows?"

"Hopefully not. There are karaoke rooms at the side. This is the place where most of the violations happen."

"It's not that hard to figure out," she said as a girl's leg spread in the air and she dropped around a few feet to the bottom of the pole, her bottom jiggling at the contact.

He looked around and saw that nothing seemed to be out of place. "Do you want to check the other room?"

Feng Xuan already got her first-hand experience with strip clubs. It was a fun experience but she had hit her limit for the month. "Yes, let's go."

The second hallway was a lot quieter. "It's a casino?" she guessed.

"Yes, it is. The mafia business does not really have much on its list in the current times. Not many, but it pulls in a lot of money."

The casino was much brighter and grander. It was like the normal casino in the hotel with its sloping curls on the ceilings but the tables were lined with black, making the rectangular ch.i.p.s stand out. 

"Should I even ask how much those cost?"

"There are only four colors," Qing Chen explained. "Red for five hundred thousand, bronze for a million, silver for two million, then gold for five million."

Feng Xuan was rich but she never thought of wasting that amount of money on a gamble.

"You win big, you lose big, then you're in debt."

"Loansharking."

"Of course." Like the other room, they were on the second floor and the grand staircase was attached to the wall, waiting for them to descend. "The bigger the money they borrow, the higher the interest."

"What if they could no longer pay?"

"The mafia takes what it owns. It might not be the exact amount but it's going cripple you until you can pay—until you have nothing."

"Cripple literally or figuratively?"

"It varies."

"Enigma bankrupts people."

"Their risk, not ours. It was not like we told them to go here."

Feng Xuan leaned against the banister, a smile creeping to her lips. "Amongst all the businesses, this is the one that you like?"

"Wife," he said and leaned next to her, "gambling is a smart person's game. It's not our fault some of them are stupid enough to throw their money here. Gambling is a choice. I don't see any harm here."

"Well, you're feeding a mental illness for some."

"It's an addiction that could cause damage to mental health. It's all about choosing to live a better life. But where's the fun when you are always safe?"