127. After Turning Over a New Leaf, Are You Brother Ho-Nam or Old Wang from Next Door? (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Perhaps from the perspective of the Yu couple, they truly did not care whether their daughter was pretty or not, because they possessed enough self-assurance that she did not have to rely on her looks to survive. Perhaps it is only the daughters of the poor who view their faces as their most precious assets.

Bai Haonan drove the Porsche Cayenne SUV back with an air of triumph. His previous Cayman had also been a Porsche, and the familiar control interface brought back a sense of nostalgia. He cruised around the streets several times until past ten o'clock before feeling satisfied enough to return to the shopping center. Now that he was alone, he drove the car into the parking garage with uncharacteristic discipline. He spent at least half an hour touching every corner of the vehicle, reluctant to part with the 4.8-liter turbocharged beast, before finally stepping out.

Ada stepped out looking a bit woozy, likely feeling nauseous from the acceleration and braking tests.

The mall had already been cleared and closed, with only the freight elevator designated for internal staff capable of reaching the top floor. As Bai Haonan walked through the parking lot, he saw two figures stepping out of a taxi, staring blankly at the dark building. He wasn't surprised and remarked in passing, "Off work, everyone's off work. Come back tomorrow..."

The pair responded as if they had found their savior, "Big brother..."

Although he tried his best to speak standard Mandarin, the slight, characteristic lilt at the end of their sentences made Bai Haonan chuckle. Looking closer, he realized they were a middle-aged couple, quite tall and upright. "Darn! You must be Li Lin’s parents, right?"

The mother, as tall as her daughter, immediately burst into tears. "That’s us! Big brother, you’ve saved my life!"

Bai Haonan took a step back, dodging their habit of grabbing his hands. "This way, this way. I was the one who called you this morning. You made it here fast. Whatever you need to talk about, ask Li Lin yourself when you see her. Please, take this silly girl home as soon as possible; the world outside isn't for her. Follow me..."

The tall father was more composed, but he glanced back at the beast that still looked radiant in the night, speaking in much more standard Mandarin. "You must be Old Wang... Sorry, sorry! Old Wang! Hello, Old Wang!"

Bai Haonan looked at the man's age and felt a bit surprised, ignoring the slip of the tongue. He shook hands with a smile and led the way, taking the opportunity to explain the ins and outs of the pyramid scheme. "She’s still just a kid. She was afraid you'd blame her, so she didn't dare go back. Please don't scold her; talk it out nicely. It’s a small matter. We were lucky—there were tens of thousands of people trapped in that scheme, and it took me two months to find my buddy and pull him out. If she had stayed, she would have been ruined."

The mother offered another round of thanks and reached for his hand again. It seemed Li Lin had inherited her mother’s habits. Bai Haonan jumped into the elevator and pressed the button first. Only after the doors closed did he realize he had dyed his hair gray!

No wonder they called him Old Wang!

He didn't bother to explain. He casually filled Old Li in on the dangers of the pyramid scheme and warned him that the classmate named Zhang Yan might still be trapped inside.

Sure enough, even though that classmate was the one who had lured their daughter into the pit, the Li parents' first reaction was to scramble for their phones to notify Zhang Yan’s parents. Having finally received news of their own child, perhaps this is what one calls kindness—even if it is a bit naively foolish.

Old Li explained briefly that they both worked in the civil aviation system. Mrs. Li was one of the first flight attendants after the Reform and Opening-up, and he worked in logistics and maintenance. That was why they were able to secure tickets and arrive so quickly through friends and old colleagues.

When the elevator reached the fifth floor, Bai Haonan led them through the winding corridors. Watching Ada sniff the corners and mark his territory, he suddenly thought that these parents were quite easygoing. If he were still a pyramid schemer, he could have easily fooled them as well. He smiled to himself, feeling a bit cynical about his own cleverness.

After the mall closed, all doors connecting the fitness center to the mall were locked from the outside, allowing the fitness center to operate independently. If the Yu family hadn't been the owners, they likely wouldn't have had such privileges. Aside from the emergency lights, only one small lamp was lit at the back door of the fitness center. But as soon as they reached the glass door, they saw several fitness televisions playing different programs, and the young women were each guarding a screen. Xiaowan, who had been facing their way, immediately jumped up to unlock the door. "Have you eaten? There are dumplings and noodles; we can cook them anytime."

The other girls stood up as well. Bai Haonan noticed that their faces held a bit more animation than before, and he thought that watching TV was a good thing. "Carry on..."

Bringing up the rear was Li Lin, her eyes still glued to the television. When she turned and saw her parents emerging from behind Bai Haonan, she shrieked, "Uncle Wang! You bad guy! You broke your word..." Her first reaction was to cover her face with both hands!

As if covering her face would stop her parents from catching her.

Bai Haonan was already used to this silly girl. He smiled and signaled to Chen Meijuan and the others to come to the counter. He took out some cash from his pocket to distribute. "These are Li Lin’s parents. They’re taking her home. I’ll say it again: you can leave whenever you want. Here is two thousand for living expenses for each of you. It doesn't matter if you pay it back from your wages later or not. Even if you want to find other jobs on your own, you are always free."

Xiaowan looked at the five stacks of cash and bit her lip. "Manager Wang, I’m not leaving."

Chen Meijuan managed a bitter smile. "We’ve all tried looking for friends and relatives, but let's not talk about that. Whether you’re Manager Wang, Jianguo, or what they call you—Old Bai, Old Nan—I’m sticking with you. Even if I just end up being a nanny for you and Boss Yu, that’s fine. If you tell me to be 'free,' what could I possibly do? I might not even be fit to be a hostess, and besides, I can't wrap my head around that idea yet."

Xiaoman’s values were a bit better. "We have value! We can assist Manager Wang with his work!"

Bai Haonan sat on a bar stool at the counter and handed the money to the girls. "Whatever works for you. Are you getting used to life here?"

Xiaowan saw him sit down and went to make tea. Chen Meijuan stacked the money with a strange, practiced gesture. "It feels a bit like waking up from a dream. I still don't quite believe it, but maybe it'll be fine once it settles in!"

Bai Haonan laughed. "You... whenever you see someone you like, go ahead and date. I won't interfere."

Chen Meijuan quickly looked up at him, her eyes flicking toward the family of three sitting together. "Do you want me to help you clear them out?"

Bai Haonan couldn't help but laugh. "The dream has ended. Since it's over, don't keep thinking like a scammer... wait, what if we form a team to challenge those amateur pickup soccer teams? Come on, let's run some tactical drills. How should the six of us divide the labor..."

The former pyramid schemers, who were still a bit mentally dazed, instantly perked up!

It was a conditioned reflex.

They spent over an hour enthusiastically writing and drawing out plans, while the family of three sat nearby whispering to each other, though there was no sign of tearful reunions. Bai Haonan had inspected the dormitory during the day—four bunk beds, enough for eight people, so there was no need to hire a night watchman. He told the girls to go get some rest and mentioned to the Li family, "If you don't mind not going downstairs, you can stay the night in their dorm. But Old Li will have to come up to the men's dorm with me."

Old Li immediately stood up. He offered Bai Haonan a cigarette, but when it was declined, he lit one himself. Bai Haonan truly loved everything related to soccer. As they reached the rooftop, he reminded him, "Don't throw the ash or butts on the grass."

Old Li quickly snuffed it out on the corner, and Bai Haonan actually went to the bar, found an ashtray, and picked up the butts to put them inside.

Usually laid-back and careless, he cherished this soccer field—which truly belonged to him—as if it were his own child.

There was also a TV in the water bar. Qianniu and Kara were looking up at a match. Hearing the commotion, they didn't bother to get up. "Back already? Who is this..."

Bai Haonan introduced him and sat down to watch the game. He didn't like any other TV shows or dramas, only soccer.

Old Li squeezed in to watch, and now he had someone to smoke with.

A group of strange men might find it easiest to bond over a soccer match. If one wasn't enough, then watch two.

In the smoky water bar, filled with a mix of Northeast accents, Congolese French, Jiangzhou dialect, and Central Plains dialect, there were curses and cheers. Bai Haonan had to drink plenty of water to dilute the effects of their secondhand smoke, but he watched the live broadcast with great interest. Afterward, still feeling unsatisfied, they turned on some lights to play a one-on-one match on the field outside. Old Li was clearly better at watching soccer than playing it, sitting on the sidelines with Qianniu, watching with great relish and exclaiming that it was his first time seeing such good soccer skills in person.

Because of this, Bai Haonan never had a private conversation with Old Li.

The next morning at work, Xiaowan had breakfast ready for Bai Haonan—steamed corn and meat buns, corn and rice porridge, and pickled cucumbers. Everything looked appetizing, and he was used to being served. Just as he received a call from the administration at Jiazheng saying that the two imported Chevrolet "bullet-head" vans had been delivered to the parking lot and requested that he send someone to receive them, he saw Li Lin approaching with a sweet, ingratiating smile. She opened her mouth and spoke with a thick Northeast accent, "Uncle Wang..."

Bai Haonan nearly choked on his meat bun. Li Lin wanted to laugh but held back, looking cautious, and could only smile foolishly. Her smile was so bright that Bai Haonan had to chug a few mouthfuls of porridge and say in an old-fashioned tone, "Once you go back, keep your wits about you. You won't always be this lucky..." He wondered why he, who hated listening to sermons, loved to ramble on when facing this girl.

Li Lin clearly endured the lecture before whispering, "Mom and Dad agreed to let me work here..."

What? Bai Haonan choked on his pickles again, looking around. Sure enough, he saw the Li couple standing politely in the distance.

When he asked, he was facing the family of three. Bai Haonan knew many soccer players from the Northeast, but he didn't really understand ordinary people from there. At the very least, this family referred to everywhere outside the Northeast as "the South." Even though Mrs. Li had been a flight attendant, she still called everything south of the Shanhai Pass "the South." "Actually, we always wanted Lin'er to work in the South, but we couldn't bear for her to leave us, and we didn't know where to find a reliable job there. We were going to arrange a ground crew job for her, but this kid is so headstrong and keeps wanting to run to the South. Since your company is so large, you’re honest, and most importantly, you’re responsible, we decided to let Lin'er work here!"

That was right. Li Lin had always told her parents she had found a job, but she was worried about them, which was why "Uncle Wang" had to call them over. Old Li said very earnestly, "Brother Wang, let's not say anything else. You judge a person by how they watch a game; you’re a reliable man. Old Ka and Old Niu are reliable too. If Lin'er stays here, with all these sisters, she’ll be perfectly safe. It’s the best place for her to learn to grow up and see the world. Really, if she stays where we are, she’ll slowly be ruined. We’ve been worried sick for years, and we regret being so overprotective of her..."

Mrs. Li chimed in, "I wouldn't let her be a flight attendant again if my life depended on it. It looks glamorous, but it's just being a server, and you have to take abuse and harassment. Look at your young men here, they all have such great spirit, and this city is beautiful..."

Bai Haonan struggled. "No, no, you know she’s a bit dim-witted. I’m not a nursery or a kindergarten. I don't have the energy to watch her every day. With the intelligence level that allows her to be scammed just by walking down the street..."

Li Lin pouted again, as if the girl were useless for anything but being cute and pretty. But this is a world that looks at faces; beauty is justice. Bai Haonan’s tone softened. "She’s an adult at this age. Aren't you worried about her being alone out here?"

Old Li chuckled. "That's why we decided to act separately. I'm going back to sell our old house, and we'll move here directly. We have our early retirement pensions, so it’s like moving to the South with our child."

Bai Haonan took a breath, ready to say something else, but he saw Li Lin looking at him with wide, expectant, watery eyes. These were purely natural, large eyes that bewitched without even needing eyeliner. What else could he say? He had no choice but to agree, even with a hint of secret delight. He kept his face as stoic as possible. "Alright then... we'll try it out. We aren't a nursery, so you must follow orders."

Li Lin jumped eight feet in the air. "Uncle Wang! I knew it! I knew you were a good person!"

Sigh. Just for that face, that smile, that expression, Uncle Wang felt it was worth paying a few thousand a month just to see it.

Mrs. Li was happy too. "Big brother! I knew it, just looking at your honest face..."

To this kind-hearted mother, Bai Haonan could offer no resistance. "Alright, alright. Could you stop with the lilt at the end of your sentences? Every time you describe me like that, I feel like I've been trampled on by a lot of people!"

Before the Li parents could react, Li Lin blushed and giggled!

The girl definitely understood!

Bai Haonan felt a bit frivolous again and quickly stood up to call over the young men nearby. "Driver's licenses! Which of you have them? Two of you, go and get those two vans running. The company sent them over to help us pick up customers..."

He hadn't expected to feel frivolous himself. As it turned out, aside from the injured Qianniu and one other player, no one had a license. Just as Bai Haonan was about to seize the chance to escape and become the driver, Old Li spoke up cautiously, "Well... I have a license. Before I retired, I was a bus driver at the airport..."

Bai Haonan stared at him for two seconds, looking at that same ingratiating, kind smile he had seen on his daughter, and nodded with a wry smile. "Fine, fine. If you want to work here, that works too..."

He’d just consider it an obstacle for himself; he couldn't very well turn Old Li into a father-in-law right in front of everyone.

Even a rabbit doesn't eat the grass around its own hole.

Ever since he started the pyramid scheme, Bai Haonan’s spiritual state had been reaching new heights!