Huang Rongtian hurried over and bent down to look. Even Huang Xiaofei could not sit still any longer; his eyes fixed hard on the screen, and he let out an involuntary cry. "Forty billion patacas! Lele, what does your boyfriend do?"

It was the first time Huang Xiaofei had ever taken the initiative to ask about Huang Yan's boyfriend. Before, whenever she brought him up, he would cut her off with impatience.

"I don't know either. He's a university student from the mainland," Huang Yan said, shaking her head. "But he treats me very well. All this money was won from the Nancheng Casino, and he gave every bit of it to me."

"The Nancheng Casino?" Huang Xiaofei was stunned. Of course he knew what the Nancheng Casino was—the bitter rival of the Huawei Casino. But lately he had been so swamped with the Africa business that he had no energy to spare for casino affairs. Hearing Huang Yan say she had won forty billion from the Nancheng Casino, he was instantly alarmed. "When did this happen? Why did no one inform me?"

"Just a few days ago. You can call Uncle Zhang and ask him," Huang Yan said, sensing that matters might be turning in her favor.

Huang Xiaofei immediately telephoned President Zhang of the Huawei Casino in Macau and asked about the Yang Juehuan affair. Naturally, President Zhang recounted the whole course of events exactly as they had happened.

"A matter this big, and no one thought to inform me?" Huang Xiaofei, hearing that the Nancheng Casino had been defeated and driven from its original site, was delighted at heart, yet he could not help reproaching President Zhang for failing to bring such good news to his attention.

"It was Lele's boyfriend who did it, not anyone from the casino. I assumed Lele would surely tell you herself," President Zhang said. At the time he had not dared to speak up, afraid Huang Xiaofei might think he was angling for a share of the credit. So he had kept silent—never imagining that Huang Yan would say nothing about it until now.

To be continued

1062. A Sweetheart

1062 A Sweetheart "What exactly is the story with Lele's boyfriend? Tell me everything, from beginning to end." For the first time, Huang Xiaofei was taking Huang Yan's boyfriend seriously.

All along, Huang Xiaofei had never thought much of the boyfriend Huang Yan had chosen for herself. But now, hearing such staggering news, how could he not take it seriously?

Naturally, President Zhang dared not conceal anything. From Yang Ce's first visit to the casino, to his staying overnight in Huang Yan's room, all the way through the challenge to the Nancheng Casino—he told Huang Xiaofei every detail, exactly as it had happened.

"To think he could make the Heming City Casino lose so disastrously." Huang Xiaofei could not help marveling when he heard it. "This man is truly no simple character."

"Indeed," said President Zhang, who knew nothing of the trouble on the Huang family's side and assumed Huang Xiaofei genuinely admired Yang Ce. "Yang Ce is a rare talent. It's just that the man is rather mysterious—no one knows what his family does. Otherwise, if he could help manage the casino, I'd say it would only be a matter of time before our Huawei Casino became the first in Macau."

Huang Xiaofei's mouth moved, but he said nothing more, and hung up. President Zhang's words had indeed made him reassess this Yang Ce. But in Huang Xiaofei's heart, Huang Yan's best match was still Li Tianjia. First impressions die hard, after all, and the Li family's standing was visible and tangible, solid and real. So even after hearing of Yang Ce's exploits in Macau, all Huang Xiaofei concluded was that the man might just qualify to be Lele's boyfriend.

Still, these were extraordinary times, and Huang Xiaofei leaned toward Li Tianjia. The business in Africa could never have gotten off the ground without the Li family's support. If he took Lele's money and slunk away in defeat, the Huang family's face would be lost for good.

So Huang Xiaofei could not afford to lose face. When he had marched off in glory to invest in the gold mines of x-country in Africa, many eyes had been watching the Huang family. And the Huangs were a family of consequence here. If he withdrew this time with everything lost, Huang Xiaofei would have no place left in the business world.

"Lele, how about this—call Yang Ce, have him come to Singapore. If he really is better than Li Tianjia, then I'll say no more about it. If not, then you'll agree to this match like a good girl." Naturally, Huang Xiaofei did not disclose his criteria for judgment. His criterion was simple: whoever could settle the South Africa business would win; whoever could not was out.

It looked fair, but in truth it tilted entirely in Li Tianjia's favor, because it was already an established fact that the Li family could smooth things over in South Africa.

"All right." Huang Yan had no choice. Now that a sliver of hope had appeared, she was certainly not about to let it go.

When Yang Ce received Huang Yan's call, he had just gotten up and was packing, planning to go to the hospital with Xiao Qing. At that moment he was waiting in Xiao Qing's room while she did her makeup.

It was another number beginning with 0019065. This time Yang Ce did not hesitate, assuming it was Huang Lin calling again, and picked up directly. "Huang Er-ge?"

"What Huang Er-ge? It's Huang Yan." From the other end came Huang Yan's distinctive, impish voice. She sounded a little worn, but the joy in her words was unmistakable.

"Lele? You can make calls now?" Yang Puqi was startled. "Or are you calling on the sly?"

"Of course I'm allowed to call," Huang Yan said, a note of grievance in her voice. "Otherwise how would I have gotten a phone? The little fox spirit got in touch with you, didn't he?"

"Yeah. Huang Er-ge told me about your situation too." Yang Ce sighed. "Are you all right?"

"Mm, not too bad. So—have you missed me?" Huang Yan was the type to grieve quickly and brighten just as quickly. In a blink the worries of the past few days were forgotten, and the old sparkle returned to her face.

"Of course I've missed you. I was just getting ready to come rescue you in a few days," Yang Yanzhou said.

"That works out perfectly. My dad wants you to come to Singapore—he wants to meet you and have you compare yourself with that Li Tianjia, to see who's more impressive." Naturally, Huang Yan had told Yang Xutang of her father's purpose in advance.

"Compare? Compare what? Who is that idiot anyway?" Yang Ce did not give the slightest thought to this Li Tianjia. "Who has time for him? In a few days I'll come to Singapore to find you, and while I'm at it I'll help your family settle that Africa business. Tell that Li Tianjia to go find some cool spot to sit in. Don't make me ruin his family."

"Haha." Huang Yan found Yang Juehuan's words instantly hilarious. "Exactly! He's such a nuisance."

"Once I finish up what I have on hand, I'll come find you. But the passport will take a few days to process," Yang Yanzhou said.

"All right, I'll wait for you." With that, Huang Yan hung up. No doubt someone was monitoring things on her end.

Yang Jiyan did not think much of it. After all, the Huang family's troubles seemed utterly simple to him. That General Kars still needed a favor from him—and even if he didn't, a single word from Yang himself would probably have the man scurrying over to hand him the gold mine. These days, who wanted to die?

It must be said that women are always dawdling before going out. Xiao Qing was especially meticulous today; she spent over half an hour on her makeup before finally emerging from the bathroom.

When Xiao Qing came out of the restroom, Yang Ce was startled. She had abandoned her usual shoulder-length hair for a youthful ponytail, which made her look several years younger. Standing with Yan on campus, most people would probably take the two of them for classmates.