Translator-Rhapsodite
Editor-Yui, Proofreader-Woojoo
Nan Zhou’s hand was held tightly by Jiang Fang as they crossed the bustling road with flowing traffic.
Nan Zhou took each step cautiously, always on guard against the potential attacks of those steel monsters.
Jiang Fang didn’t make fun of him, instead, he patiently guided him on how to look for the zebra crossing.
Out of curiosity, the adventurous couple, Gao Wei and his wife, decided to tag along, following closely behind them.
Ma Xiaopei quietly asked her husband, “Hey, what can we do with 200 Thai baht?”
That was a good question.
Li Yinhang was also curious.
She worked at a bank, so she had some understanding of currency exchange rates.
200 Thai baht was equivalent to just over 40 Chinese yuan.
Considering the costs, taking a tuk-tuk to the pier might even be too expensive with the round-trip fare. They might have to walk back.
Nan Zhou asked him, “Do you want to go find a casino?”
Jiang Fang enlightened him with new knowledge, “Gambling is prohibited in Thailand. Even playing poker at home carries the risk of getting caught.”
This route was not feasible.
Upon hearing this, Li Yinhang anxiously cast her gaze toward the nearby yet-to-open transgender bar.
She sincerely hoped that Jiang Fang didn’t plan on going there to pole dance.
But before they could blend into the crowd on the main street, Nan Zhou spotted a shop selling coconut ice cream.
The refreshing aroma of the snowy white coconut wafted out from the large ice bucket, easily tempting one’s taste buds.
Jiang Fan glanced at him, “Do you want to eat?”
Nan Zhou looked around and asked, “How much does it cost?”
Jiang Fan smiled and walked up to the shop, holding up one finger, and said in fluent, slightly Russian-accented English, “Three coconut ice creams, with extra coconut shreds.”
Many people in Thailand spoke good English, especially in this bustling tourist area with fish and dragons mixed-togetherwhere people from all over the world gather.
The blushing owner smiled and said, “Three, totaling 100 Thai baht. Please come again.”
Their money-making journey hadn’t even started, and half of the startup capital was already gone.
Nan Zhou didn’t feel any burden, if Jiang Fang gave it to him, he would eat it generously.
Anyway, Jiang Fang would earn it back.
Li Yinhang silently licked the ice cream, feeling like she was the only one in the world worrying about their financial situation.
She didn’t want Jiang Fang to dance provocatively.
Not long after entering the alley, Nan Zhou stoped again, attracted by a small stall selling various Thai-style trinkets.
The stall neatly displayed rows of Thai-themed accessories, including amulets, ceramic cups, gold-plated Buddha statues, silver keychains, intricately carved tin miniature liquor bottles, pineapple wood elephant figurines, and even some cotton elephant dolls.
The grand prize was placed right in the center, surrounded by stars. It was the latest model of a cellphone, worth at least four to five thousand Chinese yuan.
The ring toss game was set up grandly, with a hard shell board on the side labeled in Chinese, English, Japanese, Thai, and Korean languages:
100 Thai baht, 20 rings.
The owner had just set up the stall and hadn’t opened it yet. They leisurely looked around, coincidentally making eye contact with Nan Zhou, who was filled with curiosity.
His eyes lit up, and he put down the fan he had just picked up, enthusiastically beckoning, “Wanna play? Whatever you catch, it’s yours.”
Li Yinhang looked at this deceptive thing and almost rolled her eyes.
Despite the advancement of technology in the world, there are still some things that remain unchanged and constantly deceive people.
When she was eight years old and went to the amusement park, she spent a full two hours squatting and observing the ring toss game.
Based on precise probability calculations, young Li Yinhang concluded that the ring toss game was a futile endeavor.
Just now, Nan Zhou lost 100 Thai baht when he glanced at the ice cream stall.
She originally wanted to advise Nan Zhou in time.
However, what made her despair was that Jiang Fang seemed completely unaware that they were heading down a path of being deceived.
He asked Nan Zhou, “Wanna play?”
Nan Zhou replied, “Hmm.”
The boss, speaking fluent Thai-accented Chinese, instigated, “Brother, come play with your boyfriend.”
Jiang Fang smiled and went along with it, saying, “Sure, give me 20 rings.”
Li Yinhang’s mind buzzed for a moment.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
If the grand prize was money, it would be a different story.
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Qtfc la mbwfr ab wbcfs wjaafgr, Ol Tlctjcu abbx la wbgf rfglberis atjc jcsbcf.
She bravely stared at Jiang Fang and said, “You’re spoiling him.”
Jiang Fang laughed heartily as if he had completely lost the ability to understand her emotions.
He gently asked, “Yinhang, do you want to play too? I’ll give you one.”
Li Yinhang replied, “…Forget it.”
Who decided that one side should be an otherworldly boy who knows nothing about money, and the other an otherworldly boy supremacist?
She could only cross her arms and play the role of a lonely patient, distancing herself.
Nan Zhou picked up 20 rings but didn’t throw them, and just looked at Jiang Fang.
Jiang Fang asked, “What are you looking at me for?”
Nan Zhou replied, “Should I throw them all?”
Jiang Fan suggested, “Half for each of us?”
The two of them distributed the toys in a businesslike manner, truly resembling a couple on a sponsored vacation.
Jiang Fang said, “You go first?”
Nan Zhou nodded, “Hmm.”
After saying that, he threw all 10 rings out.
Li Yinhang exclaimed, “??? That’s not how you play with these, bro!”
But surprisingly, Nan Zhou’s seemingly inexperienced act of casting a wide net actually caught two small things.
A small elephant plush toy and a keychain.
Of course, they were both worthless little trinkets.
With a smile, the boss handed something to Nan Zhou and looked towards Jiang Fan.
Jiang Fan smiled and, following the usual procedure, picked up the first ring.
He spun the bamboo ring in his palm a few times, estimating its weight.
The bamboo ring was connected with a heavy lead wire, which noticeably shifted the center of gravity of the ring.
Nan Zhou also noticed this point and knew that throwing them one by one would be difficult to get used to in a short time. Instead, he decided to scatter them like the heavenly maiden scattering flowers, which surprisingly had a certain effect.
But Jiang Fang didn’t plan to do it that way.
Jiang Fang’s slender fingers repeatedly pressed on the junction of the bamboo ring and the lead wire, not knowing what he was doing.
As he meticulously rubbed his fingertips against the curve of the ring’s edge, he stole Nan Zhou’s entire attention.
He really wanted to hold that hand.
No particular reason, just wanted to pinch and see.
Cao Shuguang and Ma Xiaopei also stood by and watched.
Cao Shuguang muttered softly, “Oh no, I won’t be able to get my money back.”
But Ma Xiaopei had a more optimistic outlook, “Why not spend 200 Thai baht to see the sixth-ranked master perform the ring trick for us?”
Cao Shuguang: … Damn, that makes sense.
He eagerly waited to see the master fail.
Jiang Fang pressed his wrist and threw the bamboo ring diagonally.
The ring securely looped around the distant amulet.
It wasn’t anything valuable, and as the boss was about to fetch it for him, Jiang Fan politely said in English, “Let’s get it together later.”
…The boss suddenly had a bad feeling.
Jiang Fan casually lifted the second ring.
After gesturing and measuring the angle, the bamboo ring-spun and landed securely around the neck of the Buddha statue.
Jiang Fan politely bowed to the statue, “Apologies for the intrusion.”
The next, third ring accurately looped around the trunk of the pineapple wood carving.
The boss couldn’t hold back and said, “It didn’t fully go in, so it doesn’t count, huh.”
Jiang Fang wasn’t upset either, “Alright.”
Without even aiming, he threw the fourth ring.
The fourth ring collided with the third ring.
The third ring slipped off the elephant’s trunk but securely looped around its four feet.
As for the fourth ring, it bounced off and spun, neatly capturing the nearby tin flask.
The boss stood up slightly nervous, pacing with hands behind his back, carefully observing Jiang Fang’s actions.
Jiang Fang remained calm and unruffled by the onlookers.
He then threw two more rings, successfully looping one around a handmade wooden box and the other around a portable cooling balm with a colorful monkey god design.
These things were all placed around the grand prize mobile phone.
When Jiang Fan reached for the seventh ring on his arm, the boss immediately put on a new face, approached with a warm smile, and leaned on Jiang Fang’s shoulder, whispering a few words in English to him.
Then, the boss stuffed some colorful banknotes into Jiang Fan’s hand.
Nan Zhou saw it clearly.
Jiang Fang held the banknote, didn’t look at it much, rubbed it between his fingertips, and then accurately stated the exact amount.
He smiled warmly, “I won’t play, so there’s no problem. But if I take away everything I’ve won so far, wouldn’t it be difficult for you to restock?”
His tone was considerate towards the other person, but in reality, it carried a subtle threat.
The boss’s smile became a bit stiff, but he quickly pulled out another 1000 baht note and decisively placed it in Jiang Fang’s palm.
Jiang Fang gracefully accepted the money and, of course, didn’t linger any longer. He knew when to call it quits.
He casually put the remaining four rings back in their original positions, placed the 2000 baht bill in his pocket, and held a handful of change as he walked up to the astonished couple.
Jiang Fang smiled and said, “The initial investment.”
He put down 200 baht.
“Interest.”
He put down another 200 baht.
After the payment was completed, Jiang Fang, along with Nan Zhou and the amazed Li Yinhang who had been witness to this social spectacle, walked towards the increasingly bustling crowd.
Nan Zhou followed Jiang Fang’s side and curiously asked, “Why did he give you money?”
Jiang Fang vaguely replied, “It’s easy to ask for a favor, but it’s a bit harder to return it.”
Nan Zhou asked, “Are you a god?”
Jiang Fang gently held his shoulder, lowered his gaze, and said, “I am your boyfriend.”
………………..
Cao Shuguang: “…”
Ma Xiaopei: “…”
The two stood still for a moment, and Cao Shuguang looked at Ma Xiaopei with longing eyes and said, “Darling, I also want to play.”
Ma Xiaopei coordinated with him without hesitation and threw out the just received 200 baht, saying, “Give me 40.”
… And, of course, the result was that they lost all their money.
They watched Jiang Fang throwing the rings and thought, “If I try, I can do it too.”
But, as it turned out, Jiang Fang was actually tricking them with the rings.
When they tried throwing the rings, they ended up trapping themselves.
Unfortunately, both of them loved to play and refused to believe in bad luck. It wasn’t until they spent 500 baht like flowing water that they realized the saying “selling is better than buying.”
When the two reluctantly left the stall, “Cube Boat” was nowhere to be found.
Cao Shuguang said dejectedly, “Darling, I’m useless.”
Ma Xiaopei had a great attitude and smiled, saying, “Small loss, small loss.”
The two had no hard feelings and burst into laughter as they looked at each other.
Observers and the live broadcasting team in another space: “…”
Two silly fools.
…………….
After paying off their debts, the remaining 2,000 baht was enough for “Cube Boat” to enjoy themselves easily along the way.
They bought red rambutans, small pineapples, hand-cranked ice pops, and pandan leaf chicken eggs.
Jiang Fang even picked out a small scarf that suited Nan Zhou’s temperament.
As for Li Yinhang, she was not idle either.
Her English proficiency barely passed the CET-6 exam and she’s no language service hotline, her language skills had long been forgotten, returned to her teachers. Nevertheless, this doesn’t hinder her bargaining skills when in a foreign country.
When the boss quoted a price in Thai, Li Yinhang, whether she understood or not, would just say, “No. Five.”
She started bargaining everything from 5 baht.
Boss: “Nonono.”
After a series of “no” exchanges, considering Li Yinhang only seemed to know how to say “no” and “five,” occasionally escalating to “ten” depending on the situation, the boss could only helplessly give in.
The beautiful little scarf on Nan Zhou’s neck was bought for 10 baht.
Time naturally and gradually passed.
The sun slowly disappeared behind the edge of the clouds, and the milk-like pure white clouds gradually became tinged with a layer of leaden gray.
Tropical weather was just so unpredictable.
Around five o’clock in the afternoon, gentle raindrops started to fall.
Fortunately, “Cube Boat” was lucky and didn’t suffer from this unexpected rain.
When the rain started, they were sitting in a restaurant called “Manfu Tea Room,” sharing a pot of porridge.
A large pot of porridge, cooked with fresh oysters, crayfish, white carp, and sea bass.
At 200 baht, it could be considered a good deal for its quality and price.
Amidst the drizzling rain, everything became hazy and difficult to distinguish.
Pitter-patter, rustle-rustle, the rain made the world turn vividly green.
This rain fell with a sense of flavor, as if the heavens and earth had come alive.
Nan Zhou sat outside this curtain of rain, quietly gazing at the unfamiliar sky.
As the hot porridge flowed down the esophagus, the heart also quieted down.
Since things had settled down like this, Nan Zhou also had the leisure to pursue his own wishes.
He took the initiative to grasp Jiang Fang’s fingertips resting on his knee, gently massaging his knuckles.
Jiang Fang was visibly taken aback by his grip.
When he snapped back to reality, he mustered all the courage in his heart to gently squeeze back, responding to this unexplained attachment.
The two of them sat at the edge of the table, holding hands and swaying slightly like a couple secretly holding hands in class.
Jiang Fang lowered his head, eating the porridge earnestly, his cheeks flushed.
The everlasting sunlight, combined with the force of the tropical monsoon climate, was truly too hot for someone accustomed to the cold weather of Eastern Europe.
But he didn’t mind it.
He really liked it.
The boss was Chinese and, seeing that they looked friendly, gave them an old umbrella called “Boat” before they left, allowing them to stroll in the drizzle.
However, this kind of romance didn’t last long.
As the sky darkened, vibrantand enchanting lights gradually lit up. The speaker boxes outside demimonde clubs and ladyboy bars filled the air with erotic music, creating a seductive atmosphere that stirred up wild thoughts.
They continue to wander further and further away.
The damp, muddy air gradually made breathing heavy and difficult.
The streets became narrower and more deserted as they walked.
The ground was no longer paved with concrete, and the bare earth was exposed. Under the influence of the rain, it turned into a muddy field.
The tour guide had already arrived at the end of this night market street.
He was chewing betel nuts and holding a cheap cigarette in his right hand, swaying a flag by the road.
No tourists were willing to follow his instructions and obediently go see the mysterious “voodoo” ceremony.
Normal tourists had already dispersed, either going to the pier to eat seafood or going to massage parlors for a relaxing night.
Only the players who had received the mission must continue the game.
Standing quietly beside the tour guide was the strange figure, Shao Mingzhe, who covered every inch of skin.
He seemed to have skipped all the gameplay and followed the tour guide all the way here.
Their destination was very clear.
Not far from the tour guide, there stood a shabby big tent.
Those were no different from the tents for and “crystal ball fortune-telling” Li Yinhang saw in the parks.
In short, it exudes a sense of fooling people.
Shortly after “Cube Boat” arrived, the young couple also arrived, albeit a bit late.
The tour guide patted his butt, stood up, and exclaimed, “Wow, there are still six people who want to see the head-lowering ceremony.”
Shao Mingzhe coldly said, “Hurry up.”
Clearly, he had been waiting quite impatiently.
As an NPC, the tour guide had quite a temper. After disdainfully glancing at him, he opened his palm like a fan and waved it at the group.
Shao Mingzhe couldn’t understand for a moment, “What for?”
The tour guide replied matter-of-factly, “It’s the entrance fee of 200 Thai baht per person.”
Shao Mingzhe, who had no money, said, “…”
The young couple, who were broke due to their extravagance, said, “…”
