Zhao Instructor's real name was Zhao Qiang. In his thirties, he had no parents, no wife, and no children. Apart from his aunt's family, he was all alone in this world.
In his youth, Zhao Qiang was a petty thief, uneducated and unskilled. He spent his days loitering in brothels, taverns, and gambling dens. With no one to guide him, he lived a life without purpose. Eventually, his aunt, unable to bear watching him waste away, pleaded with her husband to find him a job. This led to Zhao Qiang being sent to learn martial arts for a few years.
Originally, his uncle had intended for him to join the government office as a constable. However, Zhao Qiang complained that wearing an official uniform every day was uncomfortable, and that the job didn't leave much free time. He stubbornly refused to do it. In the end, both parties compromised, and he was allowed to become an instructor, working under his uncle's watchful eye where he couldn't cause much trouble.
One day, after finishing his duties at the government office, Zhao Qiang had just sat down at a noodle stand when a man promptly took the seat next to him.
It wasn't a typical mealtime, and there were many empty seats at the noodle stand. The fact that this man chose to sit next to him when there were so many empty tables available irritated Zhao Qiang. He frowned, looking at the man with obvious impatience.
To his surprise, the man leaned towards Zhao Qiang with a mischievous grin, speaking in a somewhat ingratiating tone, "Zhao Instructor, I've long admired you!"
Zhao Qiang's frown deepened as he shifted away from the man, "Who are you?"
The man, completely unfazed by Zhao Qiang's apparent distaste, continued to smile. He raised his hand and placed it on the table with a soft "thud," revealing a small piece of silver.
Zhao Qiang's eyes fixated on the silver, darting between the stranger and the money with a look of suspicion.
The man pushed the silver towards Zhao Qiang, saying, "I have a small favor to ask of Zhao Instructor. This is a token of my sincerity. Would you be willing to join me at the Red Apricot Tower for a drink and a chat?"
Only a fool would refuse free money and a meal. Without hesitation, Zhao Qiang left with the man. The noodle stand owner, who had just come out to serve them, watched his customers come and go. Thinking he had offended them by dozing off, he stomped his foot in regret.
Inside a private room at the Red Apricot Tower, a scantily clad woman was playing a pipa, her fingers moving deftly over the strings. The soft, seductive music filled the room. On a small table, several dishes were laid out alongside a large jug of wine. Two men sat in chairs, listening to the music and eating.
One of the men poured wine into the other's cup and said, "Come, Zhao Instructor, this is twenty-year-old nu'er hong. You must try it!"
Zhao Qiang raised the cup and drank it all in one go. Indeed, the wine was smooth and mellow, warming his stomach as it went down. It was incomparably better than the harsh, cheap liquor he usually drank.
"Excellent wine! Truly excellent!" Zhao Qiang praised repeatedly.
"Haha... I'm glad Zhao Instructor likes it," the man laughed, eagerly refilling the empty cup.
"Brother, tell me, what favor do you need?" Zhao Qiang patted his chest, promising, "Just for this jug of nu'er hong, I'll do whatever I can for you."
"Oh! Zhao Instructor, your words put me at ease," the man gratefully bowed to Zhao Qiang.
"Go on, tell me!" Zhao Qiang finished another cup, licking his lips in satisfaction.
"Well, it's not a big deal. I... I just want to ask Zhao Instructor to find me a wife," the man said, rubbing his hands together sheepishly.
"Bang!" Zhao Qiang put down his cup, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. "Find you a wife? You've got it wrong, brother. I'm just an instructor, not a matchmaker. Where am I supposed to find you a wife? Besides, I don't even have a wife myself."
"Hey, hey! Don't get upset, Zhao Instructor. Let me explain," the man quickly tried to salvage the situation. "What I mean is, next time you have a young girl to sell, instead of taking her to the market, could you let me see her first? If I like her, I'll buy her directly to be my wife. What do you think?"
"Hahaha..." Zhao Qiang burst into laughter, patting the man's shoulder. "So that's what you mean by 'finding a wife'! You should have said so earlier."
"So, does Zhao Instructor agree?" the man asked hopefully.
"It's a small matter. I agree!" Zhao Instructor drank another cup, ate a few bites, and looked at him askance. "But I must warn you, women who are bought often have... issues. Some have no tongues, some are missing limbs or have disfigured faces. If you're capable, you'd be better off finding a proper girl yourself."
"Alas!" The man sighed heavily, his face full of worry. "Zhao Instructor, you don't understand. I'm an orphan working at a gambling den. I look fierce, and no girl would willingly marry me."
Hearing this, Zhao Qiang gave him a thorough once-over before replying, "Indeed. That scar on your face makes you look like a bad guy. And you're as thin as a monkey – people might think you can't even afford to eat."
"Hahaha..." The man accepted Zhao Qiang's assessment with good humor, pouring him another cup of wine. "To be honest, my nickname is actually 'Houzi' (Monkey). Isn't that a coincidence?"
"Houzi? Hahaha... So you're Brother Houzi!" Zhao Qiang beamed, then remembered what Houzi had said earlier. "You mentioned you work at a gambling den. Which one?"
"Gold Jade Hall!" Houzi's gaze became distant as he casually mentioned, "I'm fortunate that Sixth Hu appreciates me and lets me earn a living at Gold Jade Hall. Sometimes, when I bring friends over to gamble, he even makes an exception and lets them play for free. They keep their winnings, but the house covers their losses."
"What? Such a good deal exists?" Zhao Qiang's eyes lit up, hardly believing his ears.
"Of course! Sixth Hu is a good man, especially to us underlings," Houzi poured the last of the wine into Zhao Qiang's cup, speaking with conviction.
No sooner had Houzi finished speaking than Zhao Qiang plopped down beside him, throwing an arm around his shoulders with an eager expression. "Houzi, good brother! I don't have many hobbies, but I do enjoy gambling a bit. Why don't you take me to Gold Jade Hall for a game? I promise I'll find you a pretty girl to sell next month!"
Houzi caught a whiff of the alcohol on Zhao Qiang's breath, a flash of disgust crossing his eyes, but he smiled and agreed, "Alright!"
"Then let's go, let's go now! We've eaten and drunk well, it's the perfect time!" Zhao Qiang impatiently pulled Houzi to his feet.
Since losing all his money a few days ago, Zhao Qiang hadn't set foot in a gambling den. Now, at the mere mention of gambling, he felt an irresistible itch, unable to sit still for a moment longer.
Houzi didn't resist, a smile constantly playing on his lips as he allowed Zhao Qiang to hurriedly drag him all the way back to Gold Jade Hall.