Chapter 7: Regret

14,360!

After confirming the amount, Xia Yu's smile was unstoppable. The money came in so quickly. Although he had seen billions of dollars in the memory of the gambling master, that was merely a memory, not something he could access directly. But this 14,000 Hong Kong dollars was real money, solving Xia Yu's immediate problems. It felt solid in his hands!

"Getting less than ten thousand in royalties for a 400,000-word novel submitted to publishers after spending so many days is disappointing. But winning 14,000 in just one morning—no wonder so many people gamble. The money comes too easily and is addictive…" Xia Yu mused, reflecting on the events of the past few days.

However, this small amount of money wasn't enough to cloud his judgment. With the memory of a gambling master, Xia Yu knew all the intricacies of gambling. Knowing these truths meant that if he were still deceived, he would have serious problems!

He remained clear-headed. Relying on gambling was only to earn the first pot of gold. After that, he would start his own business. Earning more money from gambling would be pointless if it couldn't be spent openly!

"Let's keep going. This 14,000 Hong Kong dollars isn't enough to buy a newspaper. According to my plans, it's still quite a way off. I'll head back this afternoon!" Xia Yu looked at the stack of money on the table, squinting thoughtfully.

After lunch, Xia Yu returned to the casino and earned another 16,000 Hong Kong dollars that afternoon. Combined with the morning's earnings, he now had 30,000.

During dinner, Xia Yu's parents asked briefly where he had been. Xia Yu gave a casual explanation, and they didn't probe further. They were very confident in their son, who had never given them any trouble.

That evening, Xia Yu didn't visit the casino again. It was late, a time when shady characters were more active, and he wanted to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Of course, he didn't idle at home. He continued transcribing novels. The more he copied now, the more time he would save later for other tasks.

"Hey, brother, are you writing a novel?" His younger brother, Xia Ming, suddenly asked from behind.

Xia Yu looked up to find his brother standing behind him, curiously watching him write.

Xia Yu didn't deny it and smiled, "Yes, have you finished your homework?"

"Yeah, I'm done. Don't worry!"

Xia Yu had anticipated this situation where his family might find out about his novel writing. He hadn't planned to hide it; instead, he intended to let his family know eventually, as it could be a leverage to persuade them to agree to his dropping out of school.

Although he could make a lot of money through gambling, he couldn't disclose it openly or explain where it came from. However, his success in writing novels would be a valid explanation.

First, his father was a strong believer in destiny and had always said that Xia Yu was a literary star. Since Xia Yu's studies were excellent, writing a novel seemed entirely reasonable.

Second, due to the influence of martial arts novel masters like Jin Yong, writers were highly esteemed in Hong Kong, and everyone knew that writers' incomes were substantial. After all, Jin Yong had built his reputation and fortune through his novels, including "Ming Pao," which was worth at least tens of millions of Hong Kong dollars.

Writing novels would bring prestige and substance. When Xia Yu's "Seeking the Qin" became popular in Hong Kong, his opinions would carry weight, and his parents would have to seriously consider his decision to drop out of school.

Of course, he couldn't let his parents know about his novel-writing too soon. He needed to present tangible results first for a greater impact.

Therefore, Xia Yu instructed his brother, "A Ming, don't let Mom and Dad know I'm writing a novel, okay?"

"Got it, brother! I won't say a word!" Xia Ming promised, puffing up his chest and looking determined.

"By the way, can I see the novel you're writing?" Xia Ming hesitated, then asked shyly, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Xia Yu smiled, understanding that his brother, influenced by him, was also a big fan of martial arts novels. Xia Ming had read the copy of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" in his room multiple times and was definitely a loyal fan.

"The draft of the beginning is in my drawer. You can go get it yourself, just don't mess it up," Xia Yu said, pointing to the drawer.

"Okay, brother! Don't worry!" Xia Ming said happily, then hurriedly opened the nearby drawer and started reading the draft, quickly becoming engrossed.

Xia Yu then focused back on his writing.

In the following two days, Xia Yu switched to another casino. By the evening of the third day, his funds had reached over 120,000 Hong Kong dollars, which was considered a modest asset in that era.

However, thinking about the events of the afternoon, he felt a tinge of regret.

Even though he had consciously changed casinos, the new one was smaller, with around 50,000 in funds flowing out. The staff there noticed something was off, realizing either a skilled player had arrived or someone was having exceptionally good luck!

Xia Yu had noticed the surveillance frequency increasing in the afternoon and the dealers occasionally glancing at the gamblers. He felt that someone was suspicious of him. Thankfully, he acted in time, betting on many games to divert attention.

Since then, Xia Yu had deliberately played cautiously and left when it was almost mealtime.

"It seems that casino is no longer an option, which is a pity…" Xia Yu regretted. Although he had over 120,000 in funds, which was enough to buy or start a small newspaper, it didn't fit his plan.

Following his plan, the 120,000 wasn't enough, and he needed to raise more funds!

"Should I switch to another casino?" A thought crossed Xia Yu's mind but was quickly dismissed.

Casinos were run by triads, and many messages were shared among these groups.

Xia Yu had already changed three casinos, and he was one of the suspects in the last casino. The nearby casinos were frequented by those same people, making it highly probable he would be discovered.

If he were found out, it would be disastrous, potentially affecting his family. Although the chances were slim, Xia Yu didn't want to take that risk.

But the problem of lacking funds had to be resolved!

"Then I'll go for stock trading to make money!"

Xia Yu decided to switch methods and explore the stock market.

"It's a good chance to see the situation of the Hong Kong stock market in this era and get familiar with the memory of those financial giants," Xia Yu thought, his eyes narrowing and his mouth curling into a smile as he murmured to himself.

With his decision made and seeing the dark outside the window, he returned to his writing. The stock market matters could wait until tomorrow!

It's Saturday—hope everyone is enjoying themselves!