Fujimoto (the author) has a lot of experience with this. The more anxious the other person is, the less likely they are to get in the way. You have to slowly guide their attention to the maximum extent. The more anxious they are, the easier it is to get started.
Fujimoto stayed at the Tengchong Hotel arranged by the China Merchants Group. However, he refused the personal tour guide provided by the group and instead hired his own, using the opportunity of sightseeing to whet their appetite.
Unexpectedly, she ran into her nemesis, Zhou Xuan, at the hotel!
Could this pose a threat to them? Fujimoto was startled for a moment, then regained his composure. Zhou Xuan wasn't a god; how could he possibly know they were scamming?
Running away or disguising himself wasn't a good solution. It would be better to give Zhou Xuan a heads-up beforehand, find out his intentions, and then make a plan. No matter what, Fujimoto wouldn't believe Zhou Xuan knew their background and was there to ruin their plans! Ito Kinji harbored even greater resentment towards Zhou Xuan. After escaping from the bottom of the American sinkhole, he had both his fingers cut off, leaving him half-crippled. His junior sister had abandoned him, and he hadn't even gotten his money. All of this was inextricably linked to Zhou Xuan's escape. Thinking about it, he was naturally furious, and now, suddenly seeing him, he was startled, yet also somewhat envious.
Fujimoto composed himself, then stood up and walked over, smiling broadly, saying, "Mr. Zhou, what a coincidence to meet you here again!"
Volume 1, Chapter 151: The Crazy Stone Gambling (1)
Si Shang deliberately slowed his pace, avoiding the young man from Xiang Gong whom Fujimoto had asked for. There was a hint of a smile on his face, but it was clearly insincere.
Fujimoto knew perfectly well what was going on, and withdrew his hand with a smile.
Meanwhile, the girl who was talking with Ito Kinji looked at Zhou Xuan and Fujimoto Sai with some surprise, wondering if this person knew these two Japanese people.
What surprised Zhou Xuan even more was that the receptionist had told him online that she had introduced a tour guide to the two Japanese guests, but unexpectedly, Zhou Xuan knew these two Japanese people! Zhou Xuan smiled and then asked with narrowed eyes, "Mr. Fujimoto, may I ask what brings you to Tengchong?"
"Haha!" Fujimoto chuckled dryly. He said, "I don't have any particular business here; I just came to visit and have some fun!" He paused, then asked, "Mr. Zhou, is your visit to Tengchong also for sightseeing?"
Zhou Xuan focused his mind and immediately devised a plan. He laughed heartily, "Playing is secondary, making money is the main thing! Haha, making money, making money, who would come here if they didn't make money!"
Fujimoto's smile froze for a moment, and he forced a laugh, saying, "Yeah, yeah, it's all about making money. Who would come if they didn't make money? Heh heh..."
After a pause, Fujimoto tentatively asked, "Mr. Zhou, what ways of making money have you planned?"
"You've come all this way to Tengchong, surely you know what this place is?" Zhou Xuan said casually. "I think you all understand what this place is for, right?"
Fujimoto was taken aback, then looked around. Lowering his voice, he whispered, "Mr. Zhou, we are legitimate business people. We don't do anything illegal!"
"You won't do anything illegal?" Zhou Xuan almost wanted to punch him in the face. Look at him, he's doing illegal things, but he won't do anything legal!
Was this guy implying he was a drug dealer? Zhou Xuan immediately understood. This was one of the most rampant drug trafficking areas in the country. Fujimoto's statement clearly indicated he wasn't unaware of Zhou Xuan's other intentions, but rather deliberately steered the conversation away from the topic. This further fueled Zhou Xuan's suspicion that these two guys weren't up to any good in Tengchong. If he hadn't encountered them, he would have let it go, but if he had, he would never let these two bastards get away with it. How could he allow them to run rampant on Chinese soil!
"Hehe, what illegal things? I never do those things," Zhou Xuan said casually. This guy was deliberately putting on airs, so he just went along with it. "What's Tengchong most famous for? Hehe, Fujimoto, don't get the wrong idea. It's the most famous jade gambling place in the country!"
"Jade gambling?" Fujimoto was taken aback. Tengchong was a major base for wholesale jadeite rough stones. He had thoroughly investigated this before coming. But he also understood the concept of jade gambling. While it could lead to overnight riches, it could also bankrupt one just as easily. And since no one could see into a stone, who could be sure which stone contained jade?
Since Zhou Xuan said that, he was deliberately leading them astray. To outsiders, gambling on stones is of course a trivial matter, but after experiencing the exciting atmosphere of gambling on stones, everyone who saw the lucky winners was excited by the dream of becoming rich overnight!
Of course, the chances of winning big in jade gambling are extremely slim, and it's not easy to attract the attention of someone who knows nothing about this industry. But Zhou Xuan understands that for anyone who loves gambling, any method of gambling is the same; the key is to let the gambler witness a lucky moment and get them caught up in the excitement. Whether they become tempted or not is irrelevant.
It seems that Fujimoto and Ito Kinji were also people with the mentality of getting rich overnight. They had both set up a trap in the United States to lure Lawrence into it. If it weren't for them, Lawrence would have fallen for it. Even earlier, at the bottom of the sinkhole, Ito Kinji wanted to keep all the treasures inside for himself. He even risked his life to give Lawrence a chance to escape. But man proposes, God disposes, and he ultimately failed to make his fortune and get what he wanted.
If Zhou Xuan was still somewhat naive and incapable of ruthlessness back then, the Zhou Xuan of today is not the same Zhou Xuan as before. His cunning, shrewdness, and methods are far beyond what a novice could match. From the moment he saw Fujimoto and Ito Kinji, he was already thinking about how to trap these two Japanese devils and make them suffer a great loss.
However, to trick someone and lure them into a trap, you have to take it one step at a time.
Zhou Xuan smiled and said, "After returning to China, I didn't have much money. I have a large family to support, so I can't afford not to earn money. That's why I scraped together some money to gamble on jade in Tengchong. I'm trying my luck; maybe I'll strike it rich!"
Fujimoto nodded, a smile plastered on his face, and said repeatedly, "Yes, yes, yes, if you want money, you have to gamble. Life is just like a gamble!"
"Let's head to the wool market now. Mr. Fujimoto, would you be interested in coming along? Hehe, let's broaden our horizons and join in the fun, how about watching me become rich overnight?"
Zhou Xuan intentionally and slowly tempted Fujimoto, but he never mentioned gambling to them. He only invited them to watch him gamble on stones. Whether they gambled or not was irrelevant; it was up to them, and no one would force them.
Fujimoto originally wanted to avoid Zhou Xuan as quickly as possible. He only went up to talk to Zhou Xuan to try and find out his intentions. Now he understands that Zhou Xuan is just here to gamble on stones. As long as he's not here to find fault with them, that's fine.
Fujimoto was relieved and no longer in a hurry to separate from Zhou Xuan. Anyway, there was nothing to worry about, so he figured he might as well go with them and take a look. As long as he didn't get involved, there would be no problem. He had heard of the jadeite rough market here, and it was a legitimate and legal business with no danger.
While Fujimoto was still pondering, Zhou Xuan turned around and said as he walked away, "It's up to you whether you go or not. I'm going to my room to get something, and I'll be leaving as soon as I come out."
He then ignored Fujimoto, a classic example of playing hard to get.
As Zhou Xuan waited at the elevator, he smiled slightly at Zhong Qin, who was waiting for him on the sofa.
Down.
Upstairs in the room, Zhou Xuan woke Zhao Lao Er. Zheng Bing and Jiang Jin came over without being called.
They were keeping a close eye on Zhou Xuan at all times. Even things like Zhou Xuan asking Zhong Qin to be his tour guide and talking with Fujimoto were all noticed by them. As elite special forces soldiers, they dared not neglect their superiors' orders and were always keeping a close watch in secret.
Zhou Xuan asked, "Company Commander Zheng, have your vehicles arrived yet?"
Zheng Bing nodded and said, "We've arrived. I saw that you hired a tour guide, so you're probably going out. That's why you asked Zhang Shan and Wu Feng to wait outside."
"Alright, let's go down now." Zhou Xuan said, then added, "Company Commander Zheng, since you witnessed what happened to me in the hall, then..."
Zhou Xuan's voice was calm yet chilling as he continued, "Those two Japanese devils have a grudge against me and are no good. I reckon they didn't come to Tengchong for any good. Company Commander Zheng, I want you all to keep your military identities secret. You can't force me to follow you, but you can't ruin my plans!" Zheng Bing immediately replied, "Please rest assured, we will never ruin your plans. Our responsibility is to protect your safety. We understand everything else."
Zhao Lao Er had just slept for a while, his eyes still blinking. He wasn't feeling well at all, and didn't seem to hear what Zhou Xuan was saying, just yawning as he followed behind.
Upon arriving at the reception desk in the lobby, Fujimoto Aya, Ito Kinji, and their hired female tour guide were waiting.
Zhong Qin was still sitting on the sofa, holding the bag in her hands, still somewhat dazed. What had just happened wasn't exactly sudden, but what Zhou Xuan said and did felt too sudden to her, and she still felt like she hadn't been able to process it yet.
When they saw Zhou Xuan and his group come out of the elevator, they quickly stood up and went to greet them.
Zhou Xuan certainly wouldn't mention Fujimoto and the others in a very conspicuous way. The less he emphasized them, the less suspicious Fujimoto and the others would become.
Upon entering the hall, Zhou Xuan merely nodded slightly to the few people from T. Then, he turned his smile to Zhong Qin, who came to greet him.
Zhou Xuan smiled and introduced Zhao Lao Er, Zheng Bing, and Jiang Jin: "Little Zheng, Little Jiang, Lao Er, this is Miss Zhong Qin, my newly appointed tour guide and assistant. She's very familiar with the Tengchong raw material market; she'll make all the decisions about where we go!"
Zhao Lao Er was still half asleep a moment ago. But as soon as he saw Zhong Qin's short, clever, and pretty face, he immediately lost all sleepiness and became energetic. He quickly stepped forward, took Zhong Qin's small hand, and said, "Miss Zhong, hello, hello, my name is Zhao Junjie. I'm here with Zhou Xuan to do some rough jade business. Please take care of me, please take care of me!"