Diary of Getting Rich Quick in the South

Watching Su Wan's car disappear completely from the intersection, I stood on the street for a long time, stunned.

I used to think that I was not in control of my own destiny.

My cousin left, leaving behind a mountain of debt and a lot of trouble.

I'm afraid Su Wan, a woman, won't be able to handle it all, and I'm afraid those loan sharks will come to her door every now and then to bully her.

I have no background or connections. I work a regular job and earn a meager salary. I can't handle anything, let alone protect anyone.

I thought that joining the nightlife scene was my only way out.

But today I finally woke up completely.

In everyone's eyes, especially in Su Wan's eyes, stepping into this circle is a wrong path.

There was nothing beyond our control, nothing we were forced to do.

To outsiders, it seems like I've just willingly fallen into depravity, no different from Wang Long who gradually went astray back then.

I raised my hand and rubbed my face hard, making up my mind.

A mistake is a mistake; making any excuses is just self-deception.

I took out my phone, found Zhao Hongqi's number, and dialed it without hesitation.

The call connected, and Zhao Hongqi's lazy voice came from the other end: "What's up, bro? Got your cousin's business sorted out? Do you need money or people? I'll transfer them over for you."

I took a deep breath: "Thank you, brother. My cousin's matter is settled. I just wanted to tell you that I'm quitting my job at the KTV."

Zhao Hongqi was visibly taken aback on the other end of the phone.

"Resign? Why are you suddenly quitting? Is someone causing you trouble, or is there something on your mind? Tell me, and I'll take care of it for you."

"No, none of them."

I shook my head: "Brother, I've thought it through. I've had enough of this industry. From now on, I'll find a proper job and live a stable life."

To my utter surprise, Zhao Hongqi showed no intention of trying to persuade me to stay. Instead, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief and sounded extremely happy.

"Holy crap, bro, this is amazing! Bro, I've been wanting to tell you this for ages, you're just not cut out for this kind of life."

He made me both laugh and cry.

I thought he would try to persuade me, but he was even more agitated than me: "Bro, you're so happy I quit my job? Seriously?"

"Of course it's necessary! We have to have a proper celebration. I'll treat you to drinks later, just to celebrate your change of heart!"

Zhao Hongqi spoke with great seriousness: "Chen An, I was forced to take this path. When I was young, I had no other way out, so I could only make a living by operating in the gray areas. From the very first day you said you wanted to work with me, I have always been against it."

"You see me now as someone who seems to be doing quite well, with people working for me, a stable business at my shop, and no one daring to mess with me. But you don't know that we people who live in the underworld are all living on the edge of a knife."

"It's common for someone to be able to speak confidently today but to get into trouble or even lose their life tomorrow."

I felt a chill run down my spine and quickly interrupted him, "Pah! Brother, don't talk nonsense, it's bad luck."

Zhao Hongqi didn't take it to heart at all, laughing nonchalantly: "What's so auspicious or inauspicious about it? There's an old saying that when a person dies, the bird flies to the sky; if they don't die, they live for ten thousand years! In our line of work, our lives are never our own; it all depends on luck."

"Your timely realization is the wisest choice you've ever made in your life, better than following me for ten years."

"Okay, I'll listen to you, bro," I replied softly.

"Don't worry about anything at the store. I'll pay you your full salary at the end of the month."

Zhao Hongqi said decisively, "From now on, focus on your work, live a stable life, cut all ties with this mess, and never look back."

The moment I hung up the phone, I felt a strange sense of relief.

There was no reluctance to give up the high salary, no resentment, only a long-lost sense of peace.

I deleted all the work groups, schedules, and contacts from the KTV on my phone, cleaning it up completely.

Of course, neither Ma Wencai nor Zhang Qiang deleted it.

They helped me beat up someone, and then I deleted them from my contacts. What kind of logic is that?

When I told him I was quitting, Ma Wencai didn't say anything, but wished me a bright future and said we could get together for drinks and a get-together sometime.

Zhang Qiang kept trying to persuade me to stay, but when he saw that I was determined to leave, he didn't say anything more.

To be honest, I feel really bad for him.

He helped me with Liu Ming's matter because of my relationship with Zhao Hongqi and Zhao Chujing. He wanted to use me as a connection to get in touch with Zhao Hongqi.

As a result, I suddenly quit.

As for Ruan Dong, I just sent her a message telling her I was quitting, and then I deleted it.

Ruan Dong and I were destined to have no future. We were not on the same path. There wasn't much affection between us, just the usual things between a man and a woman.

From today onwards, I will be an ordinary person living a down-to-earth life.

However, I never expected that once you're in the world of martial arts, you're not in control of your own destiny.

The glory was all an illusion; the real trouble was what happened. Not long after, Zhao Hongqi really did run into trouble.

Of course, these are all things to follow.

Only after resolving my biggest worry did I take a taxi back to my rented room.

Pushing open the door, the room was empty.

I slumped onto the sofa, feeling a mix of emotions.

I don't blame Su Wan for not understanding me, nor do I blame her for being disappointed in me.

If it were me, watching someone close to me secretly engaging in shady dealings, and experiencing the fear of losing my family and loved ones, I would be even more terrified and heartbroken than she was.

For the next two whole days, I didn't go out and stayed home quietly to reflect.

On the morning of the third day, I got up early, tidied myself up, and started looking for a legitimate job on recruitment software.

I applied for all kinds of jobs: express sorting, warehouse management, errand delivery. As long as it's a job that's honest, reliable, and aboveboard, I'll submit my resume.

I'm too ashamed to go back to Zhang Dongting's place; I can't bear the embarrassment.

She kept trying to persuade me, but I didn't listen. In the end, I quit because of Su Wan. What does she think?

During this time, I didn't dare to disturb Su Wan.

I know that regaining trust is never about words, but about concrete actions.

But I didn't completely cut off contact; I would send her a simple message every day.

It wasn't a lengthy apology.

A "good morning" in the morning, a "get some rest" in the evening, and occasionally a "I'm already looking for a job."

She never replied to any of my messages.

The message box remains silent, as if it has been swallowed up by a stone.

About a week later, one evening after I had just finished showering, my phone suddenly vibrated.

It was a message from Su Wan, just four words: You really resigned?

I stared at the screen, and my heart skipped a beat.

This is the first time she's taken the initiative to talk to me after we've been giving each other the silent treatment for so long.

I immediately replied: "I really quit. From the day I went back to my hometown, I was completely done with this job."

Several minutes later, Su Wan replied, "There's no need to do this for me. You live for yourself, not for me."

When I saw that sentence, my heart ached, and I replied honestly.

"I'm not just putting on an act. I genuinely know I was wrong. I won't become like my cousin. I'll live a down-to-earth life and won't let you worry anymore."

This time, Su Wan remained silent for an even longer time.

Just when I thought she wouldn't reply again, the screen lit up once more.

To my disappointment, it wasn't Su Wan who sent it, but Zhao Chujing.

"Chen An, where are you? Something's happened to my brother!"