Song Jianhao seemed determined to drive Si Gou away, remaining unmoved by his kneeling.
Song Jianmei couldn't bear it. "Second brother, let it go. Si Gou is usually obedient. He's young and doesn't know the rules. Forgive him this time. If he makes the same mistake again, then let him leave."
Song Jianmin also advised, "Second brother, give him a chance. We're all from the same village. If he's sent back without earning a penny, it won't look good for your reputation."
Si Xi and others also pleaded for Si Gou.
Only Yang Jian remained silent. Working here was a gray occupation, and strictly speaking, illegal. It might be a good thing for Si Gou to leave this circle. At his age, learning a trade would be the right path; staying might lead to a dead end.
Song Jianhao stared at Si Gou with a dark expression. "Get up. I'll forgive you this once, on account of everyone pleading for you. This is your last chance. If you can't seize it, don't blame me for not treating you as a brother."
Si Gou quickly scrambled up. "Thank you, Hao Ge. I'll work hard and promise not to make any mistakes in the future."
"I don't need verbal promises. Prove it with your actions. All of you should learn from Yang Jian. He gave two warnings back home and even dared to confront the police, buying time for company members to escape. So, you'll go directly to the inner circle here. If you 'nails' on the outer circle want to enter the inner circle, you must achieve merit. Similarly, if inner circle personnel perform poorly, they will be transferred to the outer circle."
Song Jianhao's intention was clear: the gambling company also operated on a competitive mechanism. Inner circle members received "red money" from gamblers regularly, earning much more. Outer circle "nails" only received a fixed salary of one hundred yuan per day.
Yang Jian finally understood why he had been promoted to the inner circle so quickly – it was for his meritorious performance. Otherwise, he would have stayed in the outer circle for a long time. The benefits of the inner circle were indeed obvious; he had received seven hundred yuan in red money that day.
Biao Biao and Liang Liang had also been moved to the inner circle because they had completed the gambling debt collection mission very well.
Si Xi was a trusted confidant of Song Jianhao. He and Song Jianmin jointly managed the company's daily operations, while Song Jianhao spent most of his time outside, building connections, attracting gamblers, and finding "emperors."
After delivering some more motivational words, Song Jianhao concluded the meeting.
"Yang Jian, do you have any plans for tonight?"
Just as Yang Jian was about to go upstairs, Song Jianhao called out to him.
"What plans could I have tonight? I was just planning to take a shower and sleep. Does Hao Ge need something?"
"Since you have nothing planned, come out with me."
"Okay, where are we going?"
"Brother Xiong arranged for people to come to our venue to 'lift the house' today. I need to go and show my support."
"Alright."
Yang Jian didn't know who Brother Xiong was, but he guessed he was also a casino operator. Song Jianhao going to his casino to gamble was a gesture of reciprocity and mutual support.
"Xiao Yang, can you drive?"
As they walked to the Nissan car parked outside the courtyard, Song Jianhao suddenly asked.
"No, I can't."
"Take some time to learn to drive. Driving is an essential skill for young people."
"Drive? I've never even thought about it. Buying a car is too far-fetched for me."
"Damn, what's so difficult about buying a car? As long as you work hard, I'll help you buy one in the second half of the year. There's a driving school nearby; you can enroll tomorrow."
Song Jianhao knew he had a few thousand yuan, enough to pay the enrollment fee.
"I'll consider it."
Yang Jian sat in the passenger seat, indifferent to Song Jianhao's suggestion. His current task was to accumulate funds quickly. Once he had over a hundred thousand yuan, he could take on engineering projects or repay his brother-in-law. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to go home for the New Year.
The two drove from the Seventh Team. After crossing a highway bridge about a hundred meters long, they reached the north bank of the Xunsi River. Walking along the riverbank for a few minutes, they arrived at the entrance of a factory complex.
Two men in security uniforms stopped their car at the entrance.
"I'm a friend of Xiao Wu, my surname is Song. I'm here to lift the house."
Song Jianhao rolled down the window and explained to the security guards.
One security guard leaned into the car, looked inside, and then called on his walkie-talkie, "A Nissan sedan has arrived at the gate. They say they are friends of Xiao Wu, surname Song. Please find Xiao Wu inside to verify."
"Received. You can let him in. Brother Xiao Wu had already instructed us. President Song is here to lift the house."
The security guard waved to another guard, who then opened the iron gate.
Upon entering the factory complex, a young man immediately came to direct their parking and then led the two towards a tall warehouse.
There was another large iron gate here, but no one was on guard outside.
The young man knocked twice on the iron gate. A lookout window on the gate opened, and someone observed the three from inside. Seeing that they were being led by someone they knew, the gate was immediately opened.
Song Jianhao led Yang Jian inside, but the young man who had guided them stayed outside.
"Hao Ge, their casino's security is really tight, with two iron gates. Even if the police come, it's hard to catch them. Why can't we use this model?"
Yang Jian felt that this casino was very secure and worth emulating.
Song Jianhao smiled and said, "Do you think this is safe? No matter how strict a casino is, it's not safe if the police are targeting it. We are a small operation. We operate outdoors to attract nearby neighbors and farmers to play. The stakes are not high. As long as no one reports us, the police won't notice us, making it safer than these large venues."
"What if someone reports us? As long as people are gambling, someone will inevitably lose a lot. Farmers earn their hard-earned money, and losing too much naturally leads to family conflicts. Being reported is inevitable."
"You're right. It won't be long before our place might be targeted by the police. But it's not a big problem. On one hand, Xiao Wu is a local and will handle relationships with various parties. On the other hand, the area is open, so when the police arrive, we'll have time to disperse and escape in all directions."
With this explanation, Yang Jian felt it made sense. Small venues had their advantages. This place looked very secure, but it also created a sense of immense pressure. If this warehouse were to be sealed off by the police, those inside would have no escape.
As they were talking, another person came and led them into a private room where twenty to thirty people were gathered around a gambling table, playing.
"Old Song, sit here."
Xiao Wu, sitting by the gambling table, saw them.
Song Jianhao took out twenty thousand yuan and sat next to Xiao Wu. Yang Jian could only stand behind them.
"Xiao Yang, there's food and drinks over there, and cigarettes too. Take whatever you want. Just mention my name, and I'll settle the bill later."
Xiao Wu's attitude towards Yang Jian was even more enthusiastic. He pointed to a small shop inside the casino and quietly instructed him.
"Thank you, Brother Wu. I just finished dinner, so I'm not hungry, and I don't smoke. You play, don't mind me."
Yang Jian politely declined with a smile. Although he was Hao Ge's subordinate, he still had his dignity. Even if he wanted to eat something, he would buy it himself. Taking advantage of such a small amount would make him look petty.