I am chasing a rough man in the 80s
Chapter 337 Brother Ting from South Tiger to North (Thanks to Rifle Bullet+Update)

Chapter 337: Chapter 337 Brother Ting from South Tiger to North (Thanks to Rifle Bullet+Update)

With the thousand yuan that Suizi had given him, Yu Jingting ventured into the dark world of jadeite gambling.

The industry of jadeite gambling is deep and treacherous.

Even experienced gamblers often misjudge, let alone a newcomer like Yu Jingting, who had only learned the tricks of jadeite gambling the night before.

Yu Jingting lost his first three bets. Upon cutting the fourth jadeite, a dispute arose.

He knew he had cut into jadeite, but he had no knowledge about its quality.

The seller told him that the price had skyrocketed.

Although a price increase is a positive sign, the issue was that he understood the hand gestures the seller was making.

This region had been dealing with jadeite since the late Qing dynasty, creating hand gestures that only insiders understand.

Although Yu Jingting was new to jadeite gambling, as a seasoned street-smarty, he was familiar with the various tricks of different trades.

Just as Suizi taught him foreign languages by teaching him to curse first, when she taught him about jadeite gambling, he particularly asked if there were specific professional jargons or terminologies that only insiders understood.

After thinking for a moment, Suizi admitted there were indeed such jargons.

Insiders never mention prices during negotiations. Instead, they use hand gestures. For example, placing the palm, tucking in the thumb, and clutching the index finger with the other hand - This gesture signals ’one’.

Similarly, they use distinct gesture for each number; the further you go, the more abstract they become, which outsiders might interpret as a series of incomprehensible hand signs.

Thinking of Yu Jingting as a beginner, the seller tried to cheat him. With his exotic accent and unfamiliarity with the game, he claimed that the price had significantly increased and congratulated him on his "Hongbao".

"Hongbao" is the tip that sellers demand after a substantial price increase.

Adapting to local customs, Yu Jingting was about to pay the tip when he saw the other party gesturing covertly at another person in the stall.

He understood the gesture. The jadeite wasn’t worth much, and their demand for a "Hongbao" was merely a way to humiliate Yu Jingting.

Suizi had told him, sellers demanding a "Hongbao" after selling a low-quality jadeite to outsiders are just trying to humiliate the buyer, implying that the buyer is incompetent.

Jingting wouldn’t stand for such humiliation.

As a result, the seller did not get the "Hongbao" but got himself into a real "Hongbao" situation — being physically beaten by Yu Jingting.

"I smashed his stall, I beat him up. He wanted to play me, he had it coming!"

"Err, so, you were late these past few days because you were dealing with him?" Upon hearing this, Suizi and others were in cold sweats.

He sure is like a northeast tiger, wherever he goes, he never backs down from a fight!

"He was just a small fry. After I dealt with him, he went to complain to old man Hu Siye, who was so unkind as to ambush me with loads of people."

"Hu Siye?"

"He is in charge of all the jadeite stalls big and small. It’s unfortunate I was in a hurry to come back, otherwise, I would’ve hunted him down and gave him a good beating!"

Yu Jingting had never actually met this legendary figure, Hu Siye. He just knew about him from the goons who ambushed him.

At that time, these men surrounded him, speaking in local dialects. He couldn’t understand what they were saying but he vaguely heard the phrase "Siye wants you dead by the third watch, can’t wait for the fifth."

Then, he turned the tables and defeated them.

Not only did they fail to beat him up, but they were also beaten up by Yu Jingting and left tied up in a tree.

"What Hu Siye! Bollocks! He dares to mess with my son? I’ll curse a hundred voodoo dolls and let our protective deity (neng 4th tone) end his goddamn life!"

Wang Cuihua cursed furiously. If it weren’t for Suizi having another bout of contractions, she would’ve cursed his ancestors for nineteen generations.

Of course, there was more to Yu Jingting’s adventures than that, but right now he was too focused on watching Suizi give birth to share more about his exploits.

This time Suizi’s pain was far worse, her hand veins were protruding, and she could only imagine how wretched she looked at the moment.

"Jingting, go outside, don’t watch..."

"Quit talking nonsense and just focus on giving birth!"

Yu Jingting was scared stiff. He never imagined giving birth could be so painful for a woman.

Outside, Jiaojiao was pacing anxiously. Being so young, she didn’t know what to do. She kept looking out of the window, cheering softly, and praying to the sky.

"What are you looking at, young girl?" The only off-duty policeman in the courtyard asked curiously.

"I remember my brother saying that whenever a hero is born in the stories he listens to, there are unusual signs in the sky. I’m trying to see if there are any."

The police officer chuckled, finding the little young girl’s innocence and charm refreshing. After bidding Jiaojiao goodbye, he left, leaving Jiaojiao alone waiting outside.

Jiaojiao kept staring at the sky. There were no thunderstorms or strong winds. Her lips pouted.

"The stories are all lies. There are no such signs...huh?"

Many clouds appeared, the light dazzling. Sunlight poured through the clouds, a particularly holy sight.

A flock of beautiful birds flew from the end of the light beam, landing on the roof, chirping melodiously.

Jiaojiao would later describe to Suizi, she had never seen something as beautiful as that light or heard such melodious chirping.

The birds seemed like messengers from heaven; the light reflected red and blue hues from the dust in the air as if a divine presence had descended.

After thinking for a while, Suizi got it and laughed.

She explained to Jiaojiao that the beautiful light is referred to as a ’sky light column’ in astronomy and was not as exaggerated as Jiaojiao described.

But Jiaojiao was adamant, believing her grand-niece was heaven-sent as she was born under divine light and accompanied by the singing of peculiar birds.

Inside the room, Suizi was in the second stage of labor. She felt a slight drop in her abdomen, the pain still there but not as intense as before.

She held tightly onto Jingting’s hand using all her strength.

Jingting’s hand was turning pale from her grasp, but he couldn’t care less as he was too worried about Suizi.

"Jingting, what’s the time?" Suizi asked.

Jingting had no watch, so the doctor checked.

"It’s exactly eight fifty. The time interval between your first and second stage is quite short. You’ll enter the third stage and give birth soon."

Almost there, just a bit shy of the time foretold by Ms. Wang - nine minutes past nine.

Suizi’s senses wandered for a moment. It felt like the wheel of fate was galloping towards her.

"Life and death are destined by the heavens..." Suizi mumbled.

Fate, so mysterious indeed.

Whether she was willing or not, this child was destined to be born at this exact moment.

Just like the wheel of this era, ever-rolling forward, never changing its course.

"What did you say?" Jingting leaned in to listen to Suizi’s whispers.

Despite all the hardships she had been through, in his eyes, she was shining with a divine light. It was the power of life, the glow of love.

"Darling, you focus on giving birth. I have a surprise for you afterward, okay?" He whispered, ensuring only the two of them could hear.

His words imbued Suizi with infinite strength.

"Life and death are predestined, and so is our marriage." Clenching his hand, she gave a strong push as directed by the doctor.

Suddenly, she felt a drop in her abdomen, and something slipped out.

"It’s born!" The doctor announced, and made a note of the time.

"Nine past nine, the child’s birth time is interesting."

Suizi closed her eyes, a satisfied smile appeared on her face. As expected, it was at that time.