Yang Jian naturally wouldn't agree to Anan's request. Although Meng Meiyun was in the flesh trade, she was still very concerned about her reputation. She hadn't contacted her family for so many years, likely because she didn't want acquaintances to know about her affairs here. She had even kept it from Dai Mengmeng.
Therefore, even though Yang Jian knew she was a madam, he wouldn't bring up that aspect of her work to her face, to avoid awkwardness for both of them.
After greeting Li Chunlin and the others on duty, Yang Jian left. Just as he reached the elevator, he ran into Meng Meiyun. It was impossible not to feel awkward now.
But Meng Meiyun was very calm: "Yang Jian, you're off work. It's the first day of business today, how do you feel about it?"
"It's okay, more relaxed than I imagined. The gamblers are of high quality, no one intentionally caused trouble."
Yang Jian opened the elevator and let her go in first.
Meng Meiyun, however, sneered: "High quality? Hmph, after a while, you'll know what these people are really like. Today is the opening day, everyone who came is supporting the godfather's business, so they're naturally restrained. Once time passes, all sorts of unsavory characters will show up, and you'll be busy then."
"Really? Doesn't Brother Zheng's reputation keep those people in check?"
"Godfather does have a lot of prestige in Dongjiang, but the people who come here to play are big shots from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and foreign investors. They have special protection from the relevant departments. As long as they don't go too far, the godfather can't do anything to them."
"Didn't Brother Zheng say that even the cops have to leave lying down when they come? How is that different from what you're saying?"
Yang Jian felt it was necessary to understand Bai Zheng's true capabilities.
Meng Meiyun glanced at him: "Let's go for a late-night snack. I'll tell you about things you need to pay attention to in the future."
Yang Jian checked the time: "Okay, why don't we call Dai Mengmeng? It's been a long time since we ate together."
"It's better not to let her know about the casino. If we're eating, we can ask her out tomorrow."
"You're right, I forgot about that."
Yang Jian then remembered that the casino was currently kept secret from the public, only accepting businessmen from Hong Kong and Taiwan and foreign investors and executives, and was not open to mainlanders.
The two left the entertainment city and drove to a nearby food stall.
Meng Meiyun ordered a pile of grilled skewers and six bottles of beer.
"Meiyun, we're both driving, shouldn't we not drink?"
Yang Jian had no appetite for drinking, but he was indeed a bit hungry and planned to eat something and go home to sleep, as he had to work early the next morning.
"It's fine, it's so late, no one will be checking for drunk driving. Besides, even if someone checks, reporting the godfather's name will make the traffic police back down. I'm happy today and want to drink a little. You drink a little less."
"Okay, I'll just drink one bottle. Otherwise, if I drink too much, I won't be able to drive. By the way, what are you happy about today?"
"The casino is open, and my business has officially started. You should have seen me on the surveillance, right?"
Meng Meiyun didn't hide her work. Being in the same place, she couldn't hide it even if she wanted to. Moreover, every move in the casino was under the surveillance of the security department.
Yang Jian smiled awkwardly and said nothing, picked up a beer, and opened a bottle, pouring two glasses.
Meng Meiyun downed a glass in one gulp: "Yang Jian, do you look down on me? Do you think I'm a bit cheap?"
Yang Jian was stunned: "No, I've always admired you. You've achieved financial freedom at such a young age and provided the best life for your family. Most of our classmates are like Dai Mengmeng, working hard to escape poverty."
"Are you making fun of me when you say that?"
"How could I? Everyone has their own way of living. It's like me. In the eyes of other classmates, I'm a degenerate rogue. That's why I'm now hiding everywhere, living a humble life in unknown corners, barely surviving.
If you don't believe me, you can call our classmates in Xinhe. Their evaluation of me is definitely disdain and mockery.
So what? I'm not living for others to see. Although my situation isn't great, and I admit that opening a casino harms society, I don't regret anything I've done before.
Because I've given my family a prosperous life, helped relatives and friends escape poverty, and provided villagers with stable jobs and relatively high wages.
You're the same as me. You had to take a crooked path just to make a better living, so I've never looked down on you, nor do I have the right to."
Meng Meiyun raised her glass: "Well said. Just for saying we're alike, cheers."
"Cheers."
Yang Jian also drank a glass in one gulp.
"Yang Jian, thank you for your understanding. To get to this point, I was forced. To be looked up to in this society, as a weak rural woman with no background or resources, I sometimes had to abandon my dignity and sell my soul and body.
I'm not as rotten as you imagine. Although I've been in the entertainment industry for years, I've only been with two men. One was Master Fo, who forced me.
The other is the godfather, whom I offered myself to. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to escape Master Fo's control."
Meng Meiyun's words shocked Yang Jian: "You got together with Brother Zheng? Aren't you his goddaughter?"
"Hmph, what godfather and goddaughter, those are just gimmicks to cover things up. Anyone in society who calls someone 'godfather' has dirty, unspeakable relationships.
He, Bai Zheng, is not a good person. Now he looks respectable and acts like a hypocrite, but in reality, he's a scumbag who's rotten through and through."
Seeing Meng Meiyun getting more and more agitated, Yang Jian quickly stopped her: "Stop talking. There are too many people here, and it could easily reach Brother Zheng's ears."
Meng Meiyun drank another glass: "What am I afraid of? I often curse him to his face in private, and he won't do anything to me. This guy is a pervert, a masochist. He likes to bully others outside, but he likes to be bullied by women in private."
"Stop, stop, stop. I don't want to hear about that. Tell me about the casino instead. It's only the first day, and you seem to know the tricks of the trade very well."
Yang Jian knew Meng Meiyun was venting her inner frustrations and was getting a bit tipsy. If he didn't change the subject, she would reveal all her private matters with Bai Zheng. Knowing too much about others' privacy wasn't a good thing.
"Of course I know. Nightclubs also often have gambling games, although on a much smaller scale. Those rich people are never easy to deal with. After drinking a bit or losing money, they throw tantrums at the gambling table, smash things, and get into fights. That happens often.
So, your position as head of security isn't a good one. You'll have headaches, and don't expect Bai Zheng to back you up."
Yang Jian was a bit surprised: "Really? Brother Zheng promised me that he could handle even a death, and he won't manage anything that happens in the casino?"
Meng Meiyun nodded: "That's right. He can indeed handle things outside the casino, like when the police raid the place, or if something in the casino involves him, then he'll step in. He won't manage fights or disputes that happen within the casino."
"Why? Did he tell you that?"
Knowing her true relationship with Bai Zheng, Yang Jian believed her words implicitly.