In Port H, which has been dry for a long time, due to the torrential rain brought by the "Agenas" typhoon, the climate suddenly felt cool. After the radius of the storm passed, the rain continued to rain continuously. This is great news for the residents of Port H, at least the plants in the vegetable garden will not wither and be reborn. The veteran detective Gu Piaoping, who has retired for many years, sat in front of the window with a pipe in his mouth, as if he was enjoying the rain scene after a long absence and also as if he was waiting for some friend to visit. At noon, an old friend who had been away for many years called to say that he had an important matter to visit him, but the friend did not come until the evening.

Gu Piaoping is a retired old civil servant, many things can't arouse his interest, his heart is still like water, decades of police detective career, he has gone through countless adventures, and now he recalls it like a passing cloud. The only thing that made him feel gratified was that his children had grown up, married and established a small family of their own, but on the contrary, this old man had no one under his knees, and no one to accompany him in the loneliness of old age. The rain on the eaves, like teardrops, kept dripping against the glass window, blurring the scenery outside the window.

When it was time to eat dinner, the doorbell rang, and the servants reported to him that an old gentleman surnamed Song asked to see him. Gu Piaoping ordered: "Just invite him in!" After a while, a white-haired, dark-skinned and thin old man walked into the living room. He shook the nylon raincoat he was wearing and handed it to the servants to hang on the hanger. There was no smile on his face. Obviously the mood is very heavy. "Mr. Song, you came just in time for dinner. It's so lonely to eat alone all the time!" Gu Piaoping said. Song Sanjiang's nickname was "Three Masters", and some called him "Half Timely Rain". He sighed, shook his head, and said, "Oh, how can I still eat!"

"What troubled you? Didn't you 'wash your hands' for many years? Could it be that you have formed a new grudge with a friend on the road?" Song Sanjiang took out his handkerchief, wiped off the rainwater hanging from his cheeks, even drained his gray mustache, and said, "No, it's a long story, it's really hard to describe!" "I heard that your son is engaging in 'peripheral gambling' again. Can he inherit his father's business? Alas! You have been engaged in this kind of illegal business all your life, and you don't have much money left. Your son Song Qi has received a good education. He can find some legitimate things to do, and he can become a good citizen in the society in the future, so why do you let him "gamble on the periphery"?"

"It's not like that, there are so many things, I don't know where to start!" Gu Piaoping looked at this old Jianghu figure nicknamed "Half a Timely Rain" and "recovered mountains" for a long time, and knew that he had indeed encountered great difficulties. Although he was tired of ordinary criminal cases in society, but It was rare that such an old friend came to catch up with the past, and said, "If you can't eat, how about I buy you a glass of wine?" "Alright!" Song Sanjiang said cheerfully. "Has your arteriosclerosis been cured?"

"Oh, I just can't get away from what's in the cup, or I really don't know how to pass the day!" So Gu Piaoping ordered his servants to remove the food, ordered some more side dishes to go with the wine, and opened another bottle of aged Napoleon brandy. "Half a timely rain" Song Sanye has always been famous for his booze.As soon as the servant filled the glass with wine, he drank it immediately. "Brother Gu, I don't know if you are willing to help me with this? After thinking about it, I have no choice but to ask you for help!" He said solemnly.

"Don't be in a hurry, let's study the matter in detail!" Gu Piaoping said. Song Sanjiang scratched his scalp and frowned, as if he was thinking about where to start the conversation.He drank another glass of wine, suddenly made up his mind, and said, "That old woman of mine should start the conversation!" "Oh! I forgot to greet you, is Mrs. Sister still healthy?" "Well, it's just that she is too unhealthy, so it caused a series of strange, mysterious and incredible things; the story should start from last year, the old woman felt unwell, and the doctor diagnosed it as cancer, and she had to be removed by surgery. You know, I've been 'washing my hands' for many years, 'sit and eat', and because of my nickname, it's called 'Half a Timely Rain'. A little brother came to reach out and had to send it away. It's a joke to say that the old woman's surgery fee is still We have to raise money..."

Gu Piaoping said: "Only I know, you won't have much money left!" "Ah! Maybe it was bad luck. I met a Mongolian doctor or something. The old woman was carried into the operating room and cut open her chest. The doctor said that the lungs were also cancer, the liver was cancer, and the stomach was also cancer. Hurry up and sew it on. There is no cure, the old woman has at most four months to live! After the old woman came home from the hospital, she knew that she was going to die soon, and all thoughts were lost. She even brought out the coffin, and taught us to take care of her funeral affairs!"

Gu Piaoping said with concern: "How is Mrs. Sister-in-law now?" Song Sanjiang spread his hands, shrugged his shoulders and said: "She is living a good life now, at least sixteen to twenty-four rounds of mahjong every day, at least it is not enjoyable!" "Has it been four months?" "No! It's been more than ten months!" "Strange, have you seen other doctors?" "Oh! It was my son Song Qi who came up with a good idea. He said: Western medicine usually treats cancer by surgical resection. Traditional Chinese medicine treats cancer as long as you take decoction, and you can still be cured. It is strange to say that the old woman is still alive, and she is alive and well!"

Gu Piaoping giggled and said, "You must believe in the 'Qihuang Zhishu'!" Song Sanjiang said with a sad face: "Brother Gu, I believe you will also understand that Chinese medicine doctors treat women's diseases with nothing more than complete supplements, ginseng, Korean ginseng, Codonopsis ginseng, angelica... I can almost recite every dose of medicine." , My little savings over the years will be exhausted!" Gu Piaoping blinked her eyes and said, "It's because of this that you have returned to your old business and dragged your son into the water, isn't it?"

"No! I don't have the mood to do this. It's Song Qi. This child is full of filial piety. He wants to raise medical expenses for his mother. He followed his uncles and engaged in 'gambling peripheral' activities. A while ago, The government took a tight grip, then relaxed for a while, Song Qi made some money, but now it has caused endless trouble and terror!" Gu Piaoping's eyes blinked, as if she was beginning to feel interested, she filled Song Sanjiang's wine glass again, and said, "Don't worry, tell me what happened in detail!" Song Sanjiang clasped his hands together, and said: "In this matter, no matter what, I need Brother Gu's help. You have been in the police station for decades and have handled all kinds of weird criminal cases. With Brother Gu's experience, I believe that as long as you step in, many Unbelievably weird problems will be solved..." Gu Piaoping shook her head and sighed, "I'm already old, that's why I retired. Song Sanye is a famous and important person in the Jianghu. He once 'overwhelmed the river' and 'chilled the wind and clouds'. What questions can stump you?" ? Isn’t it weird!” "Oh! This is the disadvantage of being illiterate!" "Tell me what happened!" Song Sanjiang raised his neck and drank the whole glass of spirits in one gulp, heaved a sigh of relief, and then slowly narrated the grotesque and terrifying incidents that his son Song Qi had encountered. The old man's mood was abnormally disturbed, and he borrowed alcohol to stabilize his mind. The rain is still pattering down without stopping, and the rain on the eaves is like a string of teardrops. The following is Song Sanjiang's account of what happened to his son Song Qi.
Every weekend, people in Hong Kong are crazy about the weekend horse racing. The book and newspaper vendors are full of "Horse Classics". "Fortune", "Lucky", "Happiness", "Slam", "Zhang San", "Li Si"...there are so many things to see, even various newspapers have published "Ma Jing Special Issue", "Crossing Clouds" "Arrow", that horse "sit second and look at one", that horse "surely wins", many, many proper nouns: such as "talent of the top three", "cold hit and hot avoid", "can compete for a seat" , "semi-cold object", "unpopular choice"... Some "Horse Classics" even pay attention to the horse master and the weather, such as "Pay attention to matching", "Pay attention to Guo Qi", "Slightly heavy", "High soft ground"... Before the end of the week, you can hear people discussing the "Horse Classic" in teahouses, restaurants, and street conversations! "Tips" are spread all over the street. Friends who are acquainted can ask for "tips", and even friends who have never met can also ask for "tips". On weekends, the race starts at 2 p.m., but before noon, there is already a long queue in front of the gate of the racetrack, and there are all kinds of people. Fortunately, the racetrack building, which can accommodate more than ten thousand spectators, has eight or nine floors, and there are Chinese and Western restaurants and tea houses inside. Guests who enter the venue early can have lunch or have a drink there. Song Qi is a good young man who has the three requirements of a man of the era: tall, black, and handsome, because of his love for sports; he has received higher education, but dropped out of school because of his poor family.In addition, his mother's illness required a lot of money for treatment. As a last resort, several uncles who followed him engaged in "gambling outside". Song Qi's father started his business by "gambling on peripherals", but when he got old, he "washed his hands and closed the mountains" and stopped doing such things. Several of Song Qi's so-called uncles, who were his father's assistants back then, after Mr. Song "closed the mountain", they inherited the stall and continued to operate. Now, Song Qi has learned from them instead. It has been ten years of feng shui. He carries the purses for these uncles, pays the bills, runs errands, does some miscellaneous things, and does hard work for a few days a week. Get medical expenses for his mother! On the weekend of this day, Song Qi entered the arena early again, and everything needed to be taken care of. "Gambling outside" is not a good business, you need to know all the channels, and you can't miss one of them. It was still early before the start of the game, and he ordered a cup of coffee in the restaurant, calculating the surplus of last week, the profit he should share, how much medical expenses his mother was short of, and how to balance the income and expenditure. While he was concentrating on it, he suddenly smelled the fragrance of orchids, and when he looked up occasionally, he saw a girl with a Nestle hairstyle, an oval face, light moth eyebrows, crystal eyes, a pointed nose, small red lips, and a foreign dress. It is also very new, topless and backless, with two straps hanging on the smooth shoulders.Her complexion is rosy white, with the color of peach blossoms, her slender hands are painted with rose-colored Kodan, and there is an emerald ring inlaid with broken diamonds on her fingers. It is obvious that she is a lady or a rich man. The family's daughter. Look at her air, proud, unhappy, a sacred and inviolable appearance. The strange thing is, she seems to have come to this place alone, without any company! She ordered a lunch and was slowly cutting with a skillful knife and fork.Song Qi was like an adult child who was attracted by the opposite sex for the first time, her eyes widened and she greedily paid attention to every part of the girl's whole body.From her hair to her face to her jade skin and her breasts, especially the deep breast... Song Qi's heart beats when she sees it. When the girl used the fork to deliver food into those two thin lips, Song Qi would almost open her lips with her, anyway, his stupid look was very pitiful. Occasionally, the girl raised her head unconsciously, and her pretty eyes seemed to be lit with electric torches. Song Qi felt the electric shock, so she immediately avoided and lowered her head. It was like this several times in a row, Song Qi's shyness and coyness may have been noticed by the girl, and she smiled sweetly, as if she was no one else around. Song Qi subconsciously felt that the girl was laughing at him, and picked up a book of horses and flipped through it uneasily.In fact, he didn't even read a single page of what was printed in the book of horses. "Little brother, borrow a fire!" Suddenly, someone called him little brother, Song Qi looked up in astonishment, and it was the girl sitting opposite, holding a gold cigarette holder about a foot long in her hand, a cigarette almost stretched out to his face The hole is on. Song Qi was a little flustered, fumbled all over her body, and then said embarrassingly: "Sorry, I don't smoke, I don't have fire..." The waiter in the restaurant was full of joy, he immediately turned on the lighter and handed it to the girl to light the cigarette for her. "Hey! Aqi! Are you still sitting here? The game is about to start. How can I not occupy a seat in the stable?" An ugly man stomped in front of Song Qi with his strange eyes wide open. say. That was Song Qi's old man, Song Sanjiang's former subordinate, Liao Erhu, nicknamed "Urinal with Rotten Eyescar", who was talking. Because of the difference in seniority, Song Qi had to call him Second Uncle. "Oh! I forgot the time, I'm going right now!" Song Qi packed up everything immediately, paid the coffee bill and rushed to the stable on the first floor. When he was about to leave, Shang reluctantly cast a last look at the girl, just in time the girl also raised her head, her eyes met, and it was like an electric shock, Song Qi's whole body was shaken.
"Gambling on peripherals" is also illegal, but sometimes the authorities hold it tight, and sometimes they turn a blind eye. Its advantage is that it is very convenient for gamblers. It is not easy to occupy a seat in the stables. There are "gambling peripherals" who serve on the field, saving you from going in and out. It is a waste of time to go to the "ticket counter" to line up, and the seat is occupied by others, and you have to waste your time talking, and maybe even quarrel. The first race started at 2 o'clock, and in front of the racetrack surrounding the green lawn was a giant electric calculation board, with numbers that were shining with lights and were constantly beating. There are five yuan as a unit of numbers, and the beating of one number means that the audience bets a coupon. There will be bets on how many horses will enter the race. There are two types of bets: "single win" and "position".Of course, there are more viewers who bet on "popular horses", but there are also those who like to bet on "unpopular horses". The numbers on the electronic scoreboard kept jumping, and it seemed that money was not considered money when it came to this place. Each ticket unit is five yuan, and the betting number will jump to ten thousand... more than one hundred thousand. Soon, the red light on the scoreboard came on, indicating that the betting was stopped, and the horses for the race also came out. The jockeys dressed in all kinds of red, green and green clothes looked majestic, and "appeared" in front of the audience. Then "gate". Since then, the audience's emotions have become tense, and friends who "gamble on the periphery" are very busy, shuttling among the audience.Zhang San buys "Shiluwei", Li Si buys "Slam", Wang Qi bets "Good Luck", Zhao Ba bets "Birthday Cake"... At the sound of the whistle, the "horse gate" opened, and seven or eight horses, under the spur of the jockey, flew out of the string like arrows, with their hooves flying and their feet dancing, scrambling for the first place. head. “Birthday Cake” Catch Up…. The audience was crazy, and some shouted "Come on"... There are also friends who have placed bets, and it is impossible to know which horse he bet on. Anyway, there is always a leading gallop ahead, and he will be eager to shout: "Win, win, win!" It's..." There are also friends who really won, because of excessive nervousness, they yelled "Come on", while tearing up the "lottery tickets" they bought in their hands until they were all torn... When the horses crossed the finish line, some were frustrated, some cheered ecstatically, some congratulated each other, and some cursed "Du Na Damn...", all kinds of weird shapes. Friends who "gamble on the periphery" are very busy. According to the calculation word "payout" of the racetrack's electric scoreboard, this is very fair, exactly, and "tips" are added. Song Qi is a college student with a higher education, and he doesn't know how to do business, but he can calculate and check out very quickly. The banknotes raised by several "grandfathers" for gambling are all in his hands, and he carries them in a travel bag. , his "grandfathers" are almost all "illiterate", if the calculation of "payout" is wrong, you have to ask him for advice. It started at 2:30, the second horse race. The "Arabic numerals" on the electronic calculation cards flashed dazzlingly, and the audience began to place bets again. "Little brother, borrow a fire!" Another foot-long golden fire ink mouth stretched out from Song Qi's back. Song Qi looked back, as if possessed by a demon, her soul was flying to the sky, she was the girl who was sitting opposite to each other in the restaurant just now. She stretched out the ruler to lengthen the gold cigarette holder, and the cigarette in the tip of the cigarette holder almost touched the tip of Song Qi's nose. The girl was sitting on a slightly higher step in the back row, leaning over. Her topless and backless dress was just in balance with Song Qi's line of sight at the low bust, but two fleshy balls were almost squeezed out of the clothes. , Song Qise gave her soul, her heart was like a deer bumping into each other, she was in a great chaos, and hurriedly groped all over her body. "I'm sorry, miss, I don't smoke, I don't have a fire..." he said nana. Fortunately, a guest sitting next to him had a jet lighter, so he automatically served the girl and lit the paper cigarette for her. "Hmph, unfortunately, I lost a hundred yuan in the first race!" the girl said with self-pity. The person sitting next to the girl looked like a dandy, wearing a suit and leather shoes, a cowboy-style bow tie, and an obnoxious mustache on his upper lip.He accosted and said: "Miss, in the first race, you should look at the signs first, don't bet too heavily, 'Anyway, if you bet, you can't lose', there is still a chance to make money!" "Which horse should I bet on in this game?" asked the girl. "'Matador'! That's 'sit back and look at the first'. It's a sure thing! Although the payout is not much, it is sure!" said the man. "How much did you bet?" asked the girl. "I'm going to bet twenty yuan!" "Since you are sure to win, why don't you make a big bet?" "The payout is not much, and it is useless to bet too much!" "Then how about ten coupons if I bet fifty dollars?" How could Song Qi care about doing business?As far as "horse gambling" is concerned, he has two generations of experience. His father was originally from "gambling outside". Before he was ten years old, Song Qi once carried leather bags for his father in the stable. He couldn't bear to look back and said: "Miss, you lost more than fifty yuan, and this horse 'Matador' will definitely not be able to escape!" The girl seemed stunned at first, then turned her head and said with a smile: "In your opinion, what kind of bet should we bet on in this game?" "'Saluwei' is a good horse, and the jockey is also paired, so it may be 'upset'!" Song Qi said. Sitting next to him, the guy in denim outfit and mustache was very unconvinced. After a while of sneering, he said, "'Saluwei' is out of order, how could he be 'upset'? Only a psychopath would bet on it! Then, he deliberately attached his head and said to the girl: "It's not a good thing to 'gamble on the periphery'. Of course they hope that the customers will lose, otherwise they will lose their money and eat the northwest wind!" That guy had a loud voice, and Song Qi could hear it very clearly. The young man was always angry, and immediately turned around to accuse the guy with his fists clenched. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, someone kicked him from behind. . That was his grandfather, "urinal with rotten eyes" Liao Erhu. Liao Erhu winked, gritted his teeth and said, "Boy, what do we eat? Who cares what bets we make? Don't cause trouble!" Song Qi was reminded, so she could only swallow her anger and feel unhappy, but the girl behind said: "Okay, I'll bet on 'Saluwei'!" When Song Qi heard that the girl was going to bet on "Saluwei", she felt like she had put a big stone in her heart; of course, horse racing is such a thing that there are always surprises, even if you have better experience, more accurate calculations, and a sharper eye, Sometimes there will be ghosts, which is the so-called "explosion". But in any case, betting on "Saluwei" is much safer than betting on "Matador". "Huh! Mr. Feng Shui has lied to you for ten or eight years, and the horse racing thing is about to be cashed out. Miss, your money has been thrown into the water!" The boy with the mustache was still talking. If it wasn't in the racetrack, Song Qi was so angry that she really wanted to beat him up. Soon, the horses for the competition appeared on the stage with the jockey sitting down. "Matador" was No. 4. It was a good horse, tall enough, with a dark and shiny coat, a vigorous look, and a majestic look. Many spectators applauded it. "Saluwei" is "No. 11". This horse seems to be very inferior and doesn't listen to the jockey's command, so he put on a blindfold to block the sight of both sides. Well, look at its size, it's a little thin, its coat color is brown, and it's not shiny. Song Qi was suddenly worried, what if the horse couldn't get out? "Miss, what's your last name?" the mustache guy suddenly asked. "Gorida!" said the girl. "Usury? Is it a 'usury' loan?" Mustache asked again. "Bullshit! It's the beautiful 'Li', Fendai's 'Dai'!" the girl reprimanded. "Oh, sorry, I'm a loan shark for a living, so I got it wrong..." When Song Qi heard the words Gao Lidai, it was as if she had taken a dose of "coolant". He felt that these three words were very pleasant to hear!At least, now he can know the girl's name. "Where does Miss Gao live?" the dandy asked again. "Why are you asking so many questions? We're betting on horses now!" Gao Lidai gave that guy a slap in the face. Soon, the horse entered the gate and the race started. When the gate opened, dozens of horses were off their strings like arrows. From a distance, the jockeys' clothes were all colorful, and it was hard to tell who was who, and the colors of the horses were not much different. "'Matador' leads..." some audience shouted. "'Student Prince' is chasing after..." "The 'Sharp Archer' has caught up with the 'Student Prince'..." Song Qi's emotions also became tense along with the audience, but according to his experience, "Student Prince" and "Sharp Archer" are both "leading and powerful", and "Matador" lacks stamina. There is still hope. If you can’t run for more than one mile, the question is why no one mentions “Saluwei”? Gradually, the "Sharp Archer" has advanced, running alongside the "Matador". "'Saluwei' has caught up and is closing in on the winner..." shouted an audience with binoculars. "'Sharp Archer' is behind...fuck it!" another old man shouted loudly. As long as "Sha Luwei" pressed hard, it proved that the horse was normal, and Song Qi was relieved, because it had enough stamina, and it would definitely take the lead at the last minute. "'Saluwei', help! Quick, quick..." Song Qi prayed secretly. "The end. Here we are..." A female passenger shouted from the front seat. Song Qi didn't dare to look, and covered her face with her hands. "Damn it, three horses arrive together, which one will win?" The mustache behind him was talking again. "Of course it's 'Saluwei'! It's the first to break through!" Gao Lidai said. "Impossible! In the end, 'Student Prince' surpassed 'Sharp Archer'..." Song Qi opened her eyes and stared at the scoreboard. In an instant, the lights came on. The first place: "Sa Luwei" with a speed of one minute and fifty-one seconds per hour, the second place "Student Prince", and the third place "Shenjian" "hand", "Matador" ranked fourth, and even the "position" payouts were indistinguishable. "Saluwei" is a disordered horse, "half cold, half hot". Gamblers who are not absolutely sure will never place bets on it blindly.The payout is neither too much nor too little. Song Qi seemed to have won the horse herself, looked back at Gao Lidai in the attitude of a "winner", and then glared at the mustache. The girl was very happy, she clapped her hands, pointed to Song Qi and said, "Fortunately, I listened to you, otherwise I would have lost again!" Song Qi heard the girl's praise, her heart was full of joy, he smiled and said to the girl: "You can't bet on horses without believing in evil. If someone loses their fortune, they are self-righteous! In fact..." Suddenly someone kicked Song Qi again. It was Song Qi's uncle Liao Erhu. He lowered his voice and said: "Boy, don't talk too much, because you talk too much, those who bet on 'Saluwei' have more than ten tickets, we will pay it!" The electronic scoreboard has calculated that the payout for each ticket is 42 yuan, which is equal to the ratio of eight and a half cards. Those who "gamble on the periphery" have to earn nine cards and lose one before they can lose one. Miss Gao Lidai has already recovered all the profits and losses of the first horse betting. She flipped through the "Horse Classic" booklet and began to study the third horse betting. "The third horse is a short distance. Liuhualang is 40 yards. Which horse should I ride?" The girl accosted Song Qi again. Song Qi was about to speak when his "uncle" Liao Erhu was busy "distributing prizes" to the gamblers. He turned around and stared and said, "Boy, if you talk too much, I will definitely not ask you to come again next time!" Of course Song Qi didn't dare to talk nonsense anymore, he bowed his head and remained silent, but several guests sitting beside him complained about Song Qi's injustice. Someone accused Liao Erhu of saying: "What a child says may not be accurate. It is wrong to prohibit him from speaking!" "It's against the law to be violent, obstruct freedom, and abuse children!" "What child? He is not young!" Liao Erhu replied with a smile. "Even if it's not a child, an adult child should have the freedom to speak. How can you stop him from speaking?" Liao Erhu is a person who eats from the "land" and does business in the black market. He can only smile and bow and say: "Okay, let him talk nonsense, but if he loses the bet, don't blame us for setting the trap! We do business" To avoid chattering!" Naturally, those gamblers sitting next to Song Qi had confidence in Song Qi's vision and hoped to gamble the next game. Immediately, someone asked Song Qi for advice and bet on the next game.The common saying is called "tips". "Liuhualang is 40 yards, I'm not sure!" Song Qi had to say this after being warned by Liao Erhu. "It's okay, let's listen and study!" Song Qi looked back at Gao Lidai, as if asking for the girl's approval. Gao Lidai blinked her left eye, pursed her lips and smiled.The dandy with the moustache beside her stared at Song Qi with disgust. Song Qi thought about it, his purpose of participating in "gambling peripherals" was nothing more than to make money, and he couldn't teach a few old men and uncles to lose money.He thought about it again and said: "This horse; 'Snow White', 'Seven Fairies', 'Thunderbolt', and 'Saturday' are all 'hot'. Based on the records, this horse will not be upset! Buy 'Safe' ( Winner) are not sure, it is better to go all-in on 'position'..." "But which of these four horses is the most hopeful?" asked a strange gambler beside him. Song Qi thought for a while and said, "'Thunderbolt' is more reliable, but that is a quarter of hope!" As soon as Song Qi spoke, the gamblers who bet on "Thunderbolt Fire" rushed over each other. Rotten eye scar Liao Erhu is accepting bets from gamblers. The procedure of "gambling on the periphery" is also really convenient, as if it is all about credit, after collecting the money, just put a mark on the horse scripture in the hand of the guest and it counts. Suddenly more gamblers bet on "Thunderbolt Fire", and Liao Erhu guessed that Song Qi might be talking too much, otherwise why would everyone in his territory be so interested in "Thunderbolt Fire"? He glared at Song Qi again, Song Qi blushed and lowered her head unnaturally to avoid it. Soon, the horses entered the gate and lined up again. As soon as the gate opened, it was clear that "Thunderbolt" took the lead and rushed to the front. Song Qi really has a unique vision, even Liao Erhu, an old gambler, dare not insist that "Thunderbolt" can win the championship. Song Qi seems to be talking nonsense, and sure enough "Thunderbolt" took the lead, and only the "Seven Fairies" One horse was chasing after him, and the others were several yards behind. Song Qi didn't dare to look at it herself. He bowed his head and closed his eyes, praying secretly in his heart, hoping that "Thunderbolt" would save his breath. "The finish line - 'Thunderbolt'!" The fat stranger sitting next to Song Qi cheered and danced. The pretty girl behind Song Qi was also grinning from ear to ear.Her innocence made Song Qi feel pity for me. The electric computer has shown that the "payout" number is 25 yuan and 3 yuan, that is, for every 5 yuan lottery ticket, you can get 25 yuan and 3 yuan. Of course, in Liao Erhu's "turf", there are a lot of gamblers who bet on "Thunderbolt", this uncle is sure to lose. "Little brother, let's share ten yuan!" The gambler from the fat group stuffed ten yuan into Song Qi's palm and said, "In the next game, which horse do you think should be bet?" At this moment, Liao Erhu approached, lowered his voice and gritted his teeth and said to Song Qi: "You go to the restaurant on the seventh floor to sit and pay the bill, otherwise, you will never want to join us again in the future!..." Song Qi felt aggrieved, but this was his uncle's order, so he had no choice but to follow through, picked up the burden and looked back at the girl. Gao Lidai also noticed that Song Qi was about to leave, she was deeply surprised and said, "Aren't you going to gamble?" Song Qi shook her head and replied, "I never gamble!" "If you leave, we will have no staff!" said the girl. Song Qi smiled wryly, without answering, and left the gambling hall in a helpless manner. He climbed into the elevator and went up to the restaurant on the seventh floor. The waiters in the restaurant were all old friends.One of the talkative guys quipped: "What's the matter? Is it a total failure? You ran to the restaurant before it's over?" Song Qi said: "If I were a gambler, I would win!" "Isn't the guest's betting and your betting winning the same?" Song Qi shook her head and said, "Oh, the facts are completely opposite!" He ordered a cup of coffee, and sat silently facing the wide window. In his mind, the beautiful image of Gao Lidai popped up from time to time, and her every frown and smile made Song Qi deeply unforgettable. Song Qi has never been so infatuated with any girl before, and there are many girls he has come into contact with. After studying in college for more than a year, there are hundreds of female classmates in the school. The children don't have a bad impression of him, and there are quite a few female classmates who are willing to associate with him. Song Qi is restrained by her family environment, and she seems to take this kind of thing very plainly. Today's situation seems to be "upset" by a big horse, and also like being "tempted by the devil". Song Qi is fascinated by this strange girl.It's almost like being fascinated and "out of mind". He felt ashamed of himself.His father was a rough man from a "gambling peripheral" background. He didn't know anyone in big characters, and his wealth was unclear. His mother suffered from cancer and needed a lot of money for treatment.As a last resort, she threw down her books and became a second-generation "gambling peripheral". When she met a rich family who was "coquettish and charming", she fell in love at first sight and felt that she was out of reach. "Little brother, borrow a fire!" Suddenly, someone stretched out a gold cigarette holder from behind. It was the third time Song Qi heard this delicate sound of borrowing fire. He turned his head suddenly, and it really was Gao Lidai standing behind him. Song Qi's joy was beyond description, and he was at a loss. "I know you don't smoke!" The girl giggled and said, "It's a bad habit, but it's also a way to make friends. Holding a cigarette in your hand can enhance friendship!" She opened a There is a gold cigarette case, which contains several different kinds of cigarettes, including "Three Nines", "Galrick", and "Color Cocktails". Song Qi shook her hand and said, "I won't..." "You might as well learn and try it out, this is the way to make friends, and friends should have common hobbies!" In the face of beauty, Song Qi had no idea, and it was also a result of curiosity. He took a pink "cocktail cigarette". The waiter has come over, holding a lighter.Light cigarettes for them both. It was Song Qi's first time to "swallow clouds and spit out fog", and immediately choked her throat, coughed endlessly, and even burst into tears. "Oh, hell..." he said. "This is a puff of virgin smoke, and I will get used to it in the future!" Gao Lidai said. "What's so good about smoking?" Song Qi asked with a cough. "What's so good about betting on horses? It's the same question, whether it's addictive or not!" said the girl. "Horse betting has winners and losers, and smoking only hurts life expectancy!" Song Qi said. The girl giggled and said, "You are in the 'peripheral gambling' business, how can you say that?" Song Qi said: "I was forced to do nothing by the environment!" "I heard that you are a college student. Because your mother is suffering from cancer, you come out to 'gamble' and do illegal activities to make money!" "Who told you that?" "The waiters here know everything, and it's easy to find out the details by asking them!" Gao Lidai said. Song Qi was puzzled, and said, "Why do you want to inquire about me?" The girl smiled and said, "Because I seem to have a good impression of you!" Her smile made Song Qi's heart flutter and her face blush. "Why do you have such a good impression of me?" The girl suddenly lost her expression, and said: "I heard that your father-in-law is also a 'gambler'! He is quite powerful in the underworld!" "Who told you again?" "He's also a servant here!" "Bastard, talkative thief! It's better not to listen to such gossip!" Song Qi cursed. "It's not a bad thing to have power on the ground, why are you angry?" Gao Lidai asked kindly. "My father has been 'recovering mountains' for many years, and he is no longer interested in this Tao, and he does not want anyone to mention his past!" "Although 'recovering the mountains', there are still some forces on the ground?" Gao Lidai asked again. "The people who 'gamble' here are mostly his former brothers!" Song Qi could only explain in this way. "You were born and raised in Hong Kong, have you ever traveled? It seems that you have been to Nanyang and other places?" "I'm ashamed to say that I've never been out before!" "Apart from mother, is there anyone else in the family?" Song Qi seemed to be getting nervous, and said, "You seem to be looking up my family tree!" The girl said, "I'm just curious!" The two chatted gradually, Song Qi's shyness gradually disappeared, and he also needed to understand Gao Lidai. "Do you live in Port H or are you here for fun?" He asked back. “你猜猜看！”女郎悄皮地说。 “瞧你的服装好像是外来客！” “一点也不错，我是游玩来的！” “从哪里来？” “你再猜！” “瞧你身上穿的一袭洋装，有日本味道！” 女郎一怔，双眼霎霎，内心之中似乎对宋琪的眼光锐利而感到佩服，说：“你好厉害，大概是平日对女孩子的服饰品头论足惯了！要不然，日本式的洋装和本港制的洋装又有什么差别呢？” 宋琪的脸上又是一红，呐呐说：“不，我是猜想而已，日式洋装都比较欧派，H港制的则略为保守！” “你猜对了，我是由东京来的！” “来H港多久了？” “昨天下午才下飞机！” 宋琪咯咯而笑，说：“你昨天下飞机今天就赌马么？” “反正我是来游玩的，不能闲着无聊，赌马也是一种乐趣！”女郎说。 “你由东京到此，没有伴么？” “我单身一人，就是找不到伴，假如能有一个导游该多么的好，至少我可以玩遍H港而不感到形影孤单了！” “你单身一人由东京到此游玩，在H港有没有亲友？” “没有！”高丽黛很爽快地回答。 “你的胆子真够大，家人放心么？” “我经常如此！” 宋琪甚想“毛遂自荐”，替高丽黛做义务的导游，但是他话到咽喉又咽回去了，有“自惭形秽”之感。 “我在想——”女郎又说：“你干'赌外围'的买卖，也不过是星期六的事情，余外的时间，可否带领我游玩H港，我是愿意付酬的！” 宋琪大喜，这真个是“飞来艳福”呢，他开不了口的事情，女郎却代替他说了。但是为了自尊心，他拒绝着说：“我并不想赚报酬，既然我们已交了朋友……” “我知道你须要赚钱治母亲的癌症！” “我要赚钱是事实，但是并不须要赚你的钱！” 高丽黛睨了他一眼，说：“我在'喜尔顿酒店'十楼，六点半赛马完毕，你来找我！我们共进晚餐，我得先走一步了！” 宋琪又是一怔，“喜尔顿”是全世界各地著名的豪华酒店，不论在世界上任何的市埠，凡能住进“喜尔顿酒店”的，问题就不简单，起码是百万富豪之上。 高丽黛又重复告诉宋琪她住在“喜尔顿酒店”，并叫宋琪在六时半过后到酒店去共进晚餐。 宋琪怔呆了，他在H港土生土长，就从未有进过“喜尔顿”去。 据说那地方的价钱贵得吓煞人，经常有人进得去，出不来。 这个女郎的身分可就使人费解了，她年纪轻轻，单身一人游埠就颇有疑问，她是“喜尔顿酒店”的客人，就起码是百万的富豪，在H港无亲无戚，单独一人到此，她是不满家庭出走？抑或是大富人家的逃妻逃妾？要不然总该有个伴！ 正在这时，“烂眼疤”廖二虎派来一名弟兄唤宋琪去计算一笔争执着的帐。 那是有赌客赢了“Winner”又赢了一二三名“位置”，廖二虎和他的爪牙都是老粗，计算不清楚非得要请宋琪去不可。 高丽黛呶着唇，向宋琪啜嘴来了个飞吻，拾起手皮包，说：“别忘记了六点半以后的约会！” 宋琪的脑海之中，萦绕着“喜尔顿酒店”约会的问题，他该去或是不该去。 女郎姗姗去了。 宋琪须得为廖二虎打算盘结算那笔帐。也跟着出了餐厅，向原先所在的马棚而去。
六时半最后的一场马比赛完毕，H港每个星期六下午的情形都几乎是相同的，赌客们输的输、赢的赢，争先恐后离场。 很干净的马场，霎时间变成满地都是破纸片，像是垃圾场，那是赌输了的彩券，客人撕做蝴蝶纷飞洒遍了满地。 H港的马会等于是慈善机构，抽佣百分之十八全用在公益之上，“赌外围”的可不同了，他们净入荷包里去。 这一天，别的“地盘”上赌外围的全有盈余，欢天喜地随着散场了，惟独“烂眼疤尿壶”自认晦气，那是宋琪遭鬼魅拍了后脑袋，将他们出卖了。 廖二虎亏了本，所有的怨恨全记在宋琪的头上。他向手底下的爪牙发誓，以后不论在任何的情况之下绝不再让宋琪参加他们了。 宋琪受到廖二虎的一顿申斥，又被廖二虎的爪牙冷嘲热讽的奚落一番，踏着满地破碎支离的彩券和垃圾离开了跑马场。 若在平时的周末赛马过后，宋琪分得摊派应得，会欢天喜地的很快的回家去孝敬母亲。 但今天的情形却完全两样，离开了跑马场之后，他好像无可适从地不辨方向四下里溜步。 女郎的约会，是六时半在“喜尔顿酒店”……宋琪牢记在心中。不过到那间世界闻名华贵的酒店去，宋琪有自惭形秽之感。 在此“狗眼看人低”的社会里，宋琪自量身上的这一身衣裳就不会受人欢迎。 “何必要自找遭人白眼？”他的心中想，但是他的脚步仍向着“喜尔顿”酒店的方向走。 那是在H港海岸，面朝着K半岛海面的地方。一座十余层楼的建筑物，雄伟壮观。 宋琪犹豫不决，他的平生，自成年以来，从未为任何的一个异性颠倒过，今天仅在这短暂的赛马过程中，他会迷恋上这来路不明、身分颇有问题的女郎么？ “不！宋琪，千万不要干这种傻事！”他向自己提出警惕说。 但是宋琪终于还是踏进了“喜尔顿酒店”，在这间酒店的大门前有着全身披挂像“大将军”服装似的红头阿三把门。是专替客人拉玻璃门或招呼交通工具的。 宋琪鼓足了勇气，抖了抖衣裳进入玻璃门后，很快的直接进入电梯。升上第十层楼。 在每一层楼的进口要道，都有专为接待访客的侍者，走道上铺有寸厚的波斯地毡，任何人行走在上面也不会带出声息的。 “找哪一位？”侍者已拦着宋琪问。 “可有一位高小姐？” “嗯，对了，高小姐早关照过，六点半钟过后，有一位年轻的客人到访！”穿着白色制服的侍者领在前面招了招手，不久即在一扇门前叩门。 房门打开，只见高丽黛浓妆打扮，像要赴什么晚宴似的。 “啊！你还算守时的，距离六点半只过了三十分钟，我还以为你不会到了，另外有一个约会在等着我呢！”女郎沉着脸色似乎很不高兴，以责备的语气说。 “抱歉，我迟到了，因为有事情拖着脱不了身！”宋琪不安地解释着说。 “进来！”她一偏首，以命令式的语气说。 宋琪楞头楞脑地跨进了那所豪华的房间，举目四看，更觉得自己的身分不合。 “距离吃晚餐的时间尚早，我们先喝一杯酒！”女郎说。 “我不会喝酒……” “别傻赫赫的，任何一个人脱离娘胎都是什么都不会的，每一项事情都是慢慢的学来！” 房间内置着一架银亮色的轮车酒橱，上面置有各色各样的名贵洋酒，一只冰桶里正冰着一瓶玫瑰香槟酒，半打晶亮的高脚琉璃杯伴绕在冰桶的四周。 “我还要洒一点香水，你将香槟酒打开吧！”高丽黛说着，便向梳妆台过去了。 宋琪一辈子也未有开过香槟酒，他取起那只瓶子有点惶然。 那瓶塞上除了锡纸之外还绞有网型的铁丝，宋琪是凭着智慧，拧开了铁丝，要拔开瓶塞时，“蓬”的一声，瓶塞弹到天花板上去了，泡沫四溢，宋琪自己被溅了一身，狼狈不堪，这一来，可惹得高丽黛赫赫大笑。 “由此看来，你确实刚离学校不久呢！”她说。 宋琪尴尬地抖着淋湿了的裤子说：“你好像是在幸灾乐祸，假如说我不是因为家境贫穷，也不会去干赌外围的勾当了！” “你是一个很有趣的人，刚强、自命不凡，其实什么也不懂！你能在外面混，不过是仗着父亲留下来的一点黑社会的势力罢了！” 宋琪不服气，说：“家父早已脱离了黑社会'收山'了，我一点也不依靠他的黑势力生存，你完全估计错了！” “不管怎样，你赌外围的几个爷叔，都是黑社会的人物！” “当然！没有黑社会的关系，怎能赌外围呢？” “和令尊没有关系么？” “他们和家父是拜把弟兄！” 高丽黛吃吃笑了起来，说：“对不？我说还是令尊的力量！” “你好像又在调查我的家世！这对你有什么好处呢？” “交朋友总得知己知彼，要不然，互相不了解，有什么意义呢？”高丽黛接过宋琪手中的香槟酒瓶，斟了两杯玫瑰红色的带着鲜泡的美酒。又说：“让我们来乾杯，喝这一杯酒！” 宋琪抿了一口，舔了舔唇，说：“这和汽水没有什么差别！” 高丽黛说：“所以我说，任何事情都是得去学的，喝酒抽烟都不困难的！” “这都是不良嗜好！不学也罢！” “全世界染有这种习惯的人起码占半数以上，而且未成年的孩子还在外呢！” 宋琪干了杯，高丽黛又替他把杯子斟满。 “我觉得脸上发热了！”宋琪说。 “也许你是在害羞！”高丽黛又说：“你还从未有过单独和一个女孩子在房间内待过吧？” “我鼓足了好大的勇气才走进'喜尔顿'酒店的！”他说。 “以后会养成习惯吗？就好像是不良嗜好一样？” 宋琪傻笑：“我希望以后能熟练一点！” “好的开始就是成功的一半！” “说实在的，以我的家庭环境，我走进这样奢侈的酒店有点不自量呢……” “天底下没有谁是天生下来就是富贵的，除非是祖上有余荫遗下，但是能有余财遗下的那一代，可能也是贫寒出身呢！” “高小姐，你的理论很多，你能住在这样的酒店内是否承受了祖先遗下的财富？”宋琪两杯酒进肚就好像口不择言了。 “我的祖父是种田的，父亲是个工人！” “那末你的财富从何而来？瞧你的衣着、打扮、和挥霍……” “靠个人的智慧，奋斗和努力！” 宋琪不大相信，瞧高丽黛的年龄，顶多也不过是二十出头，这点的年龄，就算有更多的智慧和努力也不会一下子就发迹的。 “你单独在外旅行，父母放心么？”他问。 “没有人管我！” “没有父母是不管教子女的，除非是溺爱！” 高丽黛饮尽了杯中之酒，起立说：“应该是吃晚饭的时候了，我们到楼下的餐厅去吧！” 宋琪大恐，说：“不了！瞧我这身的打扮……” “我是这间酒店的住客，你陪我又何妨？” “不！这个世界是先敬罗衣后敬人的，我不愿意遭人白眼！” 高丽黛两眼霎霎的，呆想了片刻，忽而转身趋至她的床畔，自枕下摸出了一只小皮包，打开，自内取出一叠钞票，那是“花旗钞”，她抽出了两张，是百元的美钞，再趋至宋琪的面前，塞到他的手中，说：“去置你行头吧！” “这是干什么的？”宋琪有点惶恐。 “我雇你做我的向导，先付酬劳也无所谓，同时，和我同行的游伴，我不愿意看见他太寒酸了，在H港，可有现成的西装买吧？” “我不能收这个钱！”宋琪正色说。 “为什么不能收？这和'赌外围'所得的报酬不是一样的吗？” “不！既然你我是交朋友，为什么我还要收你的报酬呢？” “你得替母亲赚医药费！” “那是另外一回事，我不能在你的身上赚钱！” “哈！”高丽黛咯咯笑了起来。“你认为我手中的是肮脏钱不成？” 宋琪连忙否认，呐呐说：“我可以用其他各种方法赚钱的，你的钱我不能收……” “至少，你要能够陪我走进'喜尔顿'餐厅才行，假如以后赚到了钱时再还给我！” 宋琪不知道如何是好，但高丽黛已催促着他动身起程。 “H港的好餐厅很多，我们何必一定要在'喜尔顿'吃晚饭呢？”他说。 “反正我雇你做向导，你有什么好去处吗？” “在H港最好吃海鲜，我们何不上'水上饭店'去？” “反正我跟你走就是了！”
宋三江说：“高丽黛和宋琪的恋爱时间很短，在短短的一个月之内，高丽黛本来是打算赴菲律宾及马来西亚的，但是她一直在H港停留，并和宋琪谈论到男婚女嫁了！” 古飘萍说：“令郎结婚了没有？” 宋三江说：“他们结婚已有一个多月了！” “不够意思，我连请帖都没有收到呢！” “唉！这婚事非经父母同意的，他们跑到教堂里去私下理定了终身大事！” “没有铺张一番吗？” “唉！”宋三江一声长叹。“以我当前的环境本来就是铺张不起来的，但是也不致于寒酸到这个程度！连客也没有请，他们两人双双请了个证人，到教堂里去请牧师为他们祝福一番，敲敲钟就告了事了！” 古飘萍皱着眉宇，搔了搔头皮，又说：“媳妇你可看见过了吗？” “他们结完婚后第二天就来见我！” “媳妇的人品如何？你可看得出？” “看外表好像还不错，细皮白肉的，只是好像有点矫揉做作，也许有钱人家的子女都是如此的！” “令郎是喜爱她的金钱还是真心和她相爱？” 宋三江怔了一怔，忙说。“宋琪这孩子心地纯良，他不可能是为金钱而结婚的，这点我可以拍胸脯保证！” “也许他是一片孝心为了嫂夫人的病体！” “这倒是确实的，他们婚后，高丽黛拿出了将近一万元交给宋琪，说是给他妈妈养病用的！”宋三江垂着头，好像有无上的羞惭，呐呐说：“宋琪的动机我不考虑，问题是高丽黛，她有钱，相貌也不恶，孤身一人出来游埠，H港有四百余万人口，为什么她就光看中了宋琪？” 这时候，风雨仍在继续，淅沥沥地打在玻璃窗上，垂挂着串串的泪珠。 古飘萍咬着烟斗悠悠吐出烟雾，两眼灼灼地注意着宋三江脸部的表情。他安慰这老友说：“这必是缘分！你说令郎发生了许多恐怖怪诞的事情，何不继续说下去？” “是的，我的情绪很凌乱，请让我考虑片刻，该由哪儿说起呢？”宋三江又吃了一杯酒，双手撑着头颅在思索着。似在梦呓，自言自语地喃喃说：“现在，我的媳妇已经意外死亡，宋琪要为她领人寿保险赔偿费，许多不可思议古怪可怕的事情接踵而来，恐怖事件已渐加重在宋琪的身上了！” 古飘萍的精神为之一震，立时，他开始对这案子发生兴趣了。 人类有生存的欲望，尤其是有过辉煌事迹的老年人，到了暮年必不肯认老。古飘萍十多岁出身就在警探界混，由探目做起，混至探长，最后做刑事总帮办退休，在他一生之中，大大小小诡奇怪诞可怖的案件不知道经历过多少。凭他的经验，宋琪的案子，只听大概的情形，就可以知道貌端。 “难道说，令郎的这一段'飞来艳遇'的姻缘是一个骗局？”古飘萍问。 “还不只如此呢，宋琪受他妻子的怂恿，也购买了人寿保险，若意外死亡的话，会有钜额的赔偿，现在，宋琪每天均受到死亡的威胁！” 古飘萍大感意外说，说：“这是怎么回事？有人要谋杀他吗？” “可不是吗？是来路不明的人，而且不只是一个人！还有外国人在内！” “外国人么？”古飘萍越听越觉得案情复杂了：“宋琪购买的人寿保险可注明发生意外时赔偿费该由什么人领受？” “有！是他们俩的孩子……” “结婚一个多月就有了孩子么？” “不！是他俩收养的一个孤儿！” “现在这孩子在什么地方？和令郎同住么？”古飘萍问。 “不！她在砂劳越和她的外祖母同住！是个很漂亮的小女孩！”宋三江矜持着说：“这孩子我还未有见过呢！” “砂劳越？怎么又搞到砂劳越去了？” “所以我说，这案子是千头万绪的，线索拉得很长很长！” “唉！你最好给我详细说明！” “是的，千头万绪，我在考虑，话应从何说起，问题实在是太复杂了！”宋三江尽情安静下来，说出他的儿子的“艳遇”及可怕的遭遇。 宋琪和高丽黛交上朋友之后，由宋琪做向导，他俩游遍了H港所有的名胜，所有高级的社交场所，夜总会，甚至于下九流社会的玩乐地方。 高丽黛花钞票毫不在乎，她究竟有多少财富宋琪一点也不知道。 宋琪还为她与当地的地痞流氓凶狠搏斗过一次。 那是在次一个星期六赛马会由马场出来之后，他俩打算到“汉宫夜总会”去晚餐并观赏由法国开码头到H港的一些变性雄女人的“艳舞”表演。 由于时间尚早，宋琪提议到附近的一间咖啡馆去饮咖啡，在咖啡馆里坐落后，高丽黛开了金质烟匣，香烟没有了，宋琪自愿效劳，替高丽黛跑腿到外面的烟摊去购买。 当宋琪买了香烟回到咖啡馆时，只见高丽黛的脸色铁青。呶着嘴