Chapter 21 - : The most profitable business of the world (1/2)

”Juan, what are you talking about?” I shout in surprise. He waves his hand, motioned me not to speak, and listen to him.

He leans back in the pool, close his eyes, doesn't know what is going on in his mind, and then suddenly asks, ”5, how long have you been following me?”

”Four years.” I answer quickly, ”I've been with you for over four years.”

”Well… More than four years.” Juan smiled and opened his eyes and looked at me. ”How do you feel about me, Little 5?”

”Good!” I answer without hesitation, ”You are very kind to me!”

I speak very fast, very determined!

Juan is really very kind to me. I'm just a kid working in the Golden Paradise. Since Juan discovered me, then he covers me all the time, so that I may have the achievement today! Without Juan, I'm afraid I don't know where I am serving the dishes now.

Juan sighs. Then he suddenly finishes the red wine in his cup and pointed to the sauna room, saying, ”Come in and steam with me for a while.” He put on a towel and stands up, and I follow him right away. The two twin girls hasten to put a bath towel on me.

In the sauna room, Juan and I sit side by side. He picks up a wooden ladle and waters the heap of burning stones. His hands are moving as if he is thinking something at the same time with a little distraction.

A ladle of water, two ladles of water, Juan pours five or six ladles of water. Steam diffuse, hot and hard! I feel the air is beginning to burn. Every time I breathe in, my lungs feel like burned. Sweats are pouring down, as if we are not in the sauna, but are thrown into the microwave oven.

”Juan, it's enough.” I quickly stop Juan from watering. Joking, he is obviously wandering away. If he is pouring again, the two of us will probably be cooked.

You know, we usually stew the sauna with up to two ladles of water. Now the barrel on the side is almost bottoming out.

Juan is still meditating, but he seems to no feeling with the heat at all. From his eyes, I can see that he is thinking about something difficult to decide. Finally, he seems to make a decision at last.

”5, you know, there are only two people around me that I really trust.” Juan slowly says: ”One is Jim, when I was fighting in the south, Jim's life was saved by me, and then he followed me. I only saved him once, but he has saved me so many times these years. If he owed me anything, he would have paid it off. He is still always loyal to me. Unfortunately, Jim is loyal and listens to me very much, but my business can't be taken care of by him. He isn't good at it.”

I didn't speak anything.

”The second one is you.” Juan suddenly smiles and slap me on the shoulder. ”You little boy, I don't know what happened. When I saw you, I felt like you! It's good that you are kind to our staffs. To our opponents, you do things without a soft heart. The most important thing is that you are young, but not like the young people nowadays. Most of them are impetuous! It's been four years since I threw you in Golden Paradise. Isn't that strange? ”

I say, ”Juan, I know, you want me to practice more. Besides, I've made a lot of money in the nightclub. If it weren't you, I would still be serving the plates somewhere.”

”Well.” Juan smiles and says, ”This is how I like you. You are not greedy! All men are ambitious. Ambitious is not a problem which can make people achieve great things. But greedy can only make people bad. You should remember this sentence.”

I nod.

”Tonight, I suddenly call you to come here. Because I feel it is almost the time for you to know more things about me.”

I still nod, but my face has cooled down.

Juan looks at the expression on my face. His eyes are showing some satisfactions, then he suddenly laughs and scolds, ”Fuck, how hot the steam is today?”

I smile bitterly, thinking that it was not the water too hot but you were pouring too hard the stone.

Juan wipes a sweat: ”Just now, I said this place is mine. Are you surprised?”

”Yes!” I nod, ”I think this place is very complicated and the background is very deep. If you want to operate such a place, I'm afraid it needs a very strong strength, and also needs exceptionally adept in trickery!

”Exceptionally adept in trickery!” Juan suddenly sneers, ”Little 5, these things, I can't speak clearly now. I call you tonight is to let you have a good look! After a while we finished washing, I'll show you around here and let you open your eyes. A lot of things will wait until you see it, and I will say it then to make you understand it.

I nod at once.

Juan smiles. Something warm in his eyes. Then he stands up and laughs and scolds, ”Fuck, it's too hot here. I can't stand it any more. Let's go out!”