Youthful nobles of Wuling in the eastern markets, Silver saddles and white horses ride the spring breeze. Chapter 131: Journey to the Treasure Isle (4)

The next day, Fang Yu slept until noon before waking up to the sound of Xia Churan’s calls. With no serious business on the agenda, most of the group had slept in, planning to enjoy their free time in the afternoon.

"Get up, you lazy bum! I want to go see the ocean!" the girl said, decisively pulling off his duvet.

He rolled out of bed sluggishly to wash up and put on the new shirt he had bought. Xia Churan, beaming like a newlywed bride, happily adjusted his collar and hem.

"Hee hee, doesn't it look great? I told you my taste wouldn't let you down."

Fang Yu had almost never worn couple’s outfits in his life, but the novelty was refreshing enough that he didn't have the heart to spoil the girl’s enthusiasm. He simply spread his hands and let her have her way with him.

Once they were ready, the two left the hotel to head toward the Old Street in search of food.

Most of the others had their own plans for the day. Lu Zhen and Zhao Bin both had their dividends from him, and without their girlfriends around, their pockets were burning with cash.

In the Taoyuan of 2006, the roadside was filled with "Betel Nut Beauties" dressed in revealing outfits. Lu Zhen’s eyes lit up, clearly wishing he could dive headfirst into the white, billowy cleavage on display.

Zhao Bin, however, wasn't interested in that. As he put it, since they had come all this way, they had to sample the local delicacies and the famous Shawan pearl milk tea.

As for Cheng Chen, he had taken Li Jing out early in the morning. No one knew where they had gone, and Fang Yu couldn't be bothered to care; a grown man wouldn't just go missing.

Shen Molan was the most low-maintenance; a wealthy young lady on a trip naturally had to buy some luxury goods. After lunch, she hailed a taxi and headed toward Wanbei 101.

Left alone with Xia Churan, Fang Yu took a car to Taoyuan Old Street. The dazzling array of stalls was overwhelming, and the constant chorus of hawkers rivaled the night markets back on the mainland.

The March weather was still a bit chilly, so few tourists were swimming; most just wandered along the shore.

Fang Yu’s mood felt unusually relaxed. Like a pair of lovebirds, he and Xia Churan strolled from one end of the Old Street to the other, constantly swapping local snacks and eating until their mouths were glistening with oil.

"Ooh, I'm stuffed! Fang Yu, shall we go for a walk on the beach?" The girl grabbed his hand and tugged him along.

As evening approached, the slightly salty sea breeze caught the girl's long dress, drawing glances from passersby—it was quite a picturesque scene.

He smiled faintly, not refusing. With his fingers interlaced with hers, they wandered along the soft sand in silence, like long-time lovers.

"Fang Yu, why are you so quiet?" Xia Churan tilted her head, looking at him with curiosity.

"Hmm, I’m just too full. Letting my food settle," he replied with a vague wave of his hand.

In truth, Fang Yu felt a sense of poignancy. Having lived thirty-five years, he likely would never have seen such scenery if not for this inexplicable rebirth.

Though his original eighteen-year-old self had been passionate and bright, he was just an ordinary person then. Now, he had future titans like Zhang Hao working for him, and a charming, lovely girl secretly harboring affection for him right before his eyes. He was, by all accounts, a winner in life.

After walking a long loop along the beach with Xia Churan, he took out his phone and dialed the number of the local SIM card Cheng Chen had purchased.

"Where are you? What’s the plan for dinner?"

It was noisy where Cheng Chen was, and the guy rambled on incoherently.

"Hey, Fang Yu, I’m busy. Playing pachinko. Can’t talk now, I’m on a winning streak!" With that, he hung up.

Fang Yu’s face darkened. Since his rebirth, he had almost forgotten about Cheng Chen’s gambling addiction.

Cheng Chen’s vice was innate. Back in college, he couldn't help but play poker with like-minded friends, nearly losing his phone as collateral. After he started working, he only got worse, losing two cars and a small apartment. If not for his family's deep pockets, a few million wouldn't have been enough to cover his reckless behavior.

Thinking of this, he quickly dialed back. This time, Li Jing answered.

"Hey Fang Yu, Cheng Chen is playing pachinko. He said he’d be back a bit later."

"Hmm, keep an eye on him. Don't let him get carried away. Losing money is fine, but don't let anything happen to him!"

"It's fine, it's fine. Cheng Chen is actually really good! He's already won over a hundred thousand," Li Jing’s voice sounded cheerful.

Fang Yu breathed a slight sigh of relief. A hundred thousand would convert to about twenty thousand mainland yuan. It seemed Cheng Chen was having a stroke of good luck.

Unable to find Cheng Chen, he had no choice but to continue wandering the beach with Xia Churan until 9:00 PM. When the night wind picked up, the two returned to the hotel to rest.

As they entered the lobby, they saw Lu Zhen and the others drinking coffee and chatting.

"Boss Fang, you're back?" Lu Zhen said with a grin, offering him a local cigarette.

"Hmm, how was your day?" He sat down on the sofa.

"Heh, it was great! This place is much more open than the mainland," Lu Zhen said with a lecherous smirk.

"I tried a few milk tea shops today. Damn it, Xianlin must be cutting corners; the taste isn't even close," Zhao Bin complained, grumbling about the Xianlin milk tea brand.

Shen Molan was busy admiring her day's acquisitions while on the phone with her father—likely begging for more money since she had hit her credit card limit.

Just as Fang Yu was about to head to his room, his phone rang. It was Cheng Chen.

"Fa-Fang Yu, it's bad! Help! Save me!" Cheng Chen’s voice on the other end was stuttering and trembling.

"Damn it, what did you do? Speak slowly, no need to rush." He felt a surge of tension; heaven only knew what kind of trouble Cheng Chen had stirred up.

"I-I'm at Wanhai Road. I lost a lot of money, and they won't let Li Jing and me leave. You have to come here quickly!" Cheng Chen sounded truly terrified, his teeth chattering.

Fang Yu couldn't sit still anymore. He shot to his feet.

"Damn it, didn't I tell you to show some restraint? This isn't the mainland! What the hell are you doing?"

"A-alright, Fang Yu, just come quickly! If I can't pay, they're going to take my hands!"

He took a few deep breaths, his voice turning cold.

"Huff... Don't panic. Give me the address, I'm coming now!"

"Ah, okay, okay. The address is 250 Wanhai Road, a pachinko parlor. There's a big doll out front, something called Dodo," Cheng Chen stuttered as he explained.

After hanging up, Fang Yu signaled for silence and said with a stern face, "Cheng Chen is in trouble. I'm going to get him out. He lost a lot of money at a pachinko parlor. You all stay in the hotel and don't go wandering around, you hear me?"

Xia Churan couldn't stay put either. "What? Is Li Jing with him? Is she okay? I'm coming with you."

He shook his head immediately. "No. This isn't a game. Shawan has organized crime syndicates. Cheng Chen likely messed with the wrong people; you’d only be in the way."

The girl wanted to argue, but Shen Molan spoke up instead. "Senior, let's not make things harder for him. Fang Yu, I have some credit limit left; if you don't have enough money, I can ask my dad to back you up."

He gave the young lady a grateful look. "Thanks. You all get some rest. I’ll be back soon."