The tattooed man’s tattoo that extended all the way to his neck was actually a tattoo of a tiger. Still, due to the artist’s lack of skill, it looked more like a dog. Thus, his nickname was Old Dog.

  Because he had been growing increasingly fatter these past two years, the flesh on his neck growing along with the body of a tiger, some would exclaim in astonishment once in a while, “Look! That guy has a Shar-Pei dog tattooed on him……”


  The dog head on his neck rose and fell along with his breathing, raising its head and opening its mouth before shrinking back down again. Smoking a cigarette in the vehicle, Old Dog suddenly asked, “You feeling panicked, Dongzi?”


  Dongzi nodded rather hesitantly, replying, “A little.”


  “Actually, it’s the same for me too. I’ve become used to fighting and all that stuff these past two years, but to really kill someone, this is really the first time,” Old Dog deeply inhaled a mouthful of smoke, clenching his teeth as he said, “Still, fortune amidst adversity……I really don’t want such a life anymore. I want to go all in on this one.”


  Dongzi threw the cigarette butt out of the vehicle, casually adjusting his hairstyle in the rearview mirror, “Same here……I’m in it with you. Either we’ll be rich dudes from now on or we squat together in prison. I’m definitely never going back to those days again, regardless.”


  The two were actually not that close with Ding Sen. They were not the kind who would be able to earn a living by acting as his henchmen, at least.

  Even Ding Sen would not dare to get people who were usually close to him to do something like this. Moreover, it would not be easy to find willing parties as well. In the end, he had found these two people, Old Dog and Dongzi, who were still not that well-known.

  Old Dog and Dongzi had originally been seamen, the kind that would spend a whole four to five consecutive months on a ship to earn their keep. While the income was okay, it really was a bit stifling to spend their days like this. Once, the two had entered a scuffle with some people in a bar. Some rich people had taken notice of their ferocious manner as they would look for their help in settling matters from time to time in which it was improper for they themselves to act. With that, the two had begun acting as thugs for hire.

  After having done so for a while, gallivanting for a while and seeing the life of the rich, the two had no longer been able to return to those law-abiding but painstaking days. Along with this, they yearned for the life of the rich even more, always wishing that they could strike it rich overnight.

  Therefore, the two of them had not hesitated very much at all when Ding Sen had found them. To them, this was an opportunity, an opportunity to strike it rich overnight. 1.2 million yuan was not a small sum in the year 2004.

  The two planned on going to Vietnam when the deed was done. They would be able to better spend their 1.2 million there. Dongzi had even done calculations several times regarding how many wives he should find.

  Old Dog finished smoking his cigarette, turning the engine key as he said, “Let’s stop thinking about this then. We’ll go drive the truck over and get some food and drinks as well. We might have to wait a couple of days this time.”


  Dongzi said, “Right. Well……”


  Seeing his expression, Old Dog asked, “What is it? We’re already at this juncture now. If you have anything to say, just say it.”


  Dongzi hesitated for a moment before saying, “I want to go to an internet cafe. I chatted up a crazy hot chick online recently. It also looks like it might work out……I want to ask her out today. If……this may well be my very last time.”


  Old Dog frowned.

  Dongzi innately did not have such a tough, vicious personality. Whether it was when they had been seamen or right now, he had always habitually treated Old Dog like his big bro, being in respectful awe of him somewhat.

  Seeing his big bro frowning, Dongzi hurriedly exclaimed, “Don’t be so tense, Bro Dog! I’m just asking……it’s fine even if I don’t go……”


  Old Dog tilted his head and looked at him for a while before suddenly letting his tenseness go as he grinned, “Well, off you go then! Leave the preparations to me.”


  Dongzi looked at him.

  “Seriously, go,” Old Dog said, “You’re right, this may well be your very last time. You’re always thinking about women all day long. I might as well let you have your fun. Got enough money?”


  A moved Dongzi replied emotionally, “Yeah, I’ve still got one thousand plus.”


  Old Dog counted two thousand yuan from his wallet and passed it to him, smiling, “Use this and make yourself look more decent, and find some high-class hotel when you’re at it, that kind with the big bathtubs……let yourself go comfortably for once.”


  “Right, got it. Thanks, Bro Dog,” Dongzi nodded, smiling foolishly.

  Old Dog waved a hand in dismissal, “Get off then.”
……

  Dongzi earnestly dressed himself up well and thoroughly from his hairstyle to his clothes.

  The crazy hot chick he had gotten to know recently was called Shasha. She had not been very willing to come out at first. Dongzi told her that he had already booked a room in a 4-star hotel.

  Shasha asked, “Isn’t that pretty expensive?”


  Dongzi said, “So what? I told you before. This bro is rich. If you come, I’ll take you shopping after we’ve met……”


  Shasha said, “I’m not after things like that. It’s just because I’m unhappy after my breakup that……you also seem pretty good, and look rather handsome too……”


  Dongzi straightened up and flicked his hair, saying, “I understand……so, I’ll wait for you then?”


  The chat window was still for a while as Shasha seemed to hesitate for some time before she finally answered, “Yeah.”


  The two exchanged their handphone numbers. Dongzi sent over the hotel name and the room number.

  Actually having successfully asked such a beautiful woman out, Dongzi almost could not believe it. Suppressing his surging emotions, he quickly took a bath before beginning to wait impatiently.

  Perhaps because waiting like this was especially difficult, ten plus minutes later, Dongzi rather impatiently sent over a text, carefully asking, “Are you coming?”


  Shasha replied, “I’ll be there soon.”


  Dongzi asked, “Why is it only soon? ……You aren’t regretting it, right? You will show up, right?”


  Shasha said, “No, of course not. I should be the one feeling afraid that you’re cheating me.”


  Dongzi thought for a moment before he took a photo of the room card and the interior furnishing of the room, including the bathtub that he had already filled with water. Sending it to Shasha, he said, “You’re so beautiful. How could I possibly cheat you?”


  Shasha said, “Right, I’m hailing a taxi now. Let’s talk later. A taxi’s pulling up……”


  Dongzi said emotionally, “Alright, I’m waiting.”


  More than ten minutes later, the long-awaited doorbell finally sounded. Dongzi sprung up from the bed and dashed two steps forward before he stopped, calming his breathing and adjusting his hair in the mirror.

  He opened the door.

  The woman standing outside smiled. Shasha was even more beautiful than she looked in the photos and videos……joy surged to Dongzi’s head as he dazedly asked rather self-consciously, “You’re, coming in?”


  Shasha softly affirmed ‘yeah’ before lowering her head and walking past him into the room.

  The two sat by the edge of the bed. Dongzi poured Shasha a cup of water. Shasha said that there was no need.

  Putting down the cup, Dongzi was just unable to hold himself back any longer as he turned and directly pressed Shasha down onto the bed beneath him.

  Shasah struggled a little, exclaiming, “Don’t, don’t……don’t be in such a rush. Wait a while first.”


  Dongzi stopped, asking, “What is it?”


  Shasha asked, “Have you taken a bath?”


  Dongzi said, “I just did. Look at the bathwater. I filled it for you.”


  Shasha looked at the bathtub that could be seen through the transparent glass, “You……”


  “What is it?”


  “How about, how about taking another bath? ……Together.”


  There was no suggestion that could be more alluring than this as Dongzi frantically nodded, “Okay! Then……”


  “You go in first. Wait for me.”


  “Huh?”


  “I’m embarrassed to take my clothes off in front of you.”


  “Alright.”


  After stripping inside the bathroom, Dongzi snuck a peek outside. Shasha had not lied. She had almost taken everything off already, with just those few crucial articles still remaining……that figure and skin……Dongzi’s head spun just looking at her.

  Feeling emotional, Dongzi lay down inside the bathtub, waiting for her.

  Soon, footsteps slowly drew near……

  Dongzi scooped a handful of water over his face……

  The footsteps had stopped. She should be outside the door by now.

  Creak.

  There was the sound of the door opening.

  But the door before him had not been opened……

  The number of footsteps had also increased now……

  There were at least four or five people walking outside……

  The door of the bathroom was finally opened. More accurately, it was kicked right open as a big man who looked to be in his thirties rushed in with several others, directly holding Dongzi down as he tried to clamber up from the bathtub.

  “What’re you doing?”


  “What’re we doing? Your mother, what’re you doing to my wife!”


  “Shasha?”


  “Duh.”


  Dongzi looked at their lineup. Wife your head……your mother, this was a set-up! Possibly the very last time for him, and such a beautiful woman at that……

  Indeed, pies did not drop from the sky……

  Some time later.

  Shasha began feeling even more despondent than Dongzi, “Your mother, didn’t you say you’re rich? Just one thousand plus yuan in your wallet, and not even a bank card on you……heck, this was a totally wasted trip. And this dame even got hugged!”


  Beside her, a man extended a hand into Dongzi’s pockets.

  “You even use two phones?”


  “Woah, this phone is good.”


  Another guy reached out and grabbed that phone, fiddling around with it as he commented, “This phone must be worth several thousand yuan?”


  Dongzi struggled frantically but still failed to break free in the end.

  “You can take everything else, just not that phone!” Dongzi called.

  That phone did not belong to him. It had been given to them by Ding Sen for communication purposes. Old Dog had left it in his care previously as proof of Ding Sen having hired them as contracted killers……lest he refuse to give them their money one day.

  Dongzi was usually very careful. He had only brought that phone out today because it was really very expensive and good……Dongzi thought that since he was going to act like a rich dude in front of Shasha, bringing such a phone along with him would surely enhance his image.

  The guy who was fiddling with that phone was much younger as he looked around eighteen or nineteen. Hearing Dongzi say this, he directly walked over and slapped him, “Is that even up to you? His mother, you dared to touch our boss’s woman……you’re lucky that you’re even still alive.”


  With that, he slapped Dongzi a few more times and pressed him back into the water.

  Dongzi knew that whatever he said would be useless.

  “The problem is, how do I tell Bro Dog about this? He’ll surely kill me dead, won’t he?”


  They continued searching for a while. Seeing that there really wasn’t anything else that they could reap as profit, the big man who was their leader took that phone and took a few naked photos of Dongzi.

  “I’ll let you go today, but if you dare to look for Shasha again, you’re dead.”


  They closed the door and left.

  Before she left, Shasha took one final glance at Dongzi, saying, “You cheater, acting all rich.”


  The gloomy Dongzi’s spirits fell completely, “Your mother, who’s the swindler?!”