The Fallen, Stubborn Prince - Chapter 14

Hearing that, Ling Huanchen couldn’t help but scoff. “Dragging him down? Why am I dragging him down?” he sneered. “If he didn’t have skill, you think he could sit at that table?!”

Su Qian had once been the boss’s favorite here. Now, even though Ling Huanchen sat beside him, everyone saw him as Su Qian’s follower. Looking at it that way, who was dragging whom?

“He’s playing with the boss right now,” Ling Huanchen added impatiently. “Don’t start yelling. Let him focus — he’s counting cards.”

Nothing, to him, mattered more than winning.

At that moment, Fang Xian wanted to scream — to curse, to break something, to shake some sense into them all.

Who was Su Qian? The first heir of the Su family — a family of power, status, and legacy.

And yet, here he was, hunched over in a filthy gambling den, trading his future for a handful of chips. This wasn’t entertainment — it was slow suicide.

Ye Feng’s words still echoed in her head — how Aunt Su had fought and suffered for her son. And now, behind her back, Su Qian was throwing everything away.

Her anger burned hotter than her fear. Pushing past Ling Huanchen’s shoulder, she locked eyes with Su Qian. His expression was sharp, focused, almost feverish — a strange mix of ambition and desperation.

Before she could stop herself, she shouted, “Su Qian!”

The room froze.

Every gambler turned to look at her. Ling Huanchen’s face twisted with frustration, while Su Qian’s hand trembled — the cards slipping from his fingers. He shot up from his chair as if burned.

Fang Xian’s here.
That was the only thought in his head.

Everything else vanished. The flimsy excuses he’d made for himself — that it was for her, that it was harmless — all shattered like glass.

In that instant, it was as if he’d finally woken from a long, dangerous dream. Standing in front of her, he suddenly felt like a lost child caught doing something shameful.

And she — she looked like his only way back.

“Fang Xian…” he whispered, voice trembling.

Even though she was furious, she knew this wasn’t the place to argue. “We’re leaving,” she said coldly, taking his hand. Her grip was firm, her tone sharper than ice.

But before they could move, a rough voice growled, “Hold it! You think this is some kind of playground? You come and go as you please?”

A man stepped in front of them, his expression dark.

Brother Qin — the man sitting in the main seat — idly rolled a chip between his fingers, eyes fixed on Su Qian.

“Ah Qian,” he said smoothly. “Come back and finish the game.” His tone made it clear: this was a man’s world. Girls had no say here.

Ling Huanchen, familiar with the routine, forced a grin. “Come on, Brother Qin, no need to get angry. Let’s call it a night, huh? I’ll treat everyone to some late-night snacks!”

He gave a nervous laugh, already knowing this would cost him.

“Next time!” he promised. “Next time, I’ll bring Ah Qian back to play!”
But deep down, he knew there wouldn’t be a next time.

By quitting early, they forfeited all their winnings — over five hundred thousand yuan — gone in an instant. Still, in front of Fang Xian, Ling Huanchen didn’t dare resist. He grabbed the schoolbag off the chair, urged the others to move, and started for the exit.

“Wait.” Brother Qin’s voice was quiet but dangerous. “I didn’t say anyone could leave.”

He watched Su Qian carefully. He’d been studying the boy for days. At first, Su Qian had only watched, never joined. Then one night, he sat down at a side table with just a hundred yuan. Three hours later, he walked out with fifteen thousand.

The next day, he came back — and left with thirty-six thousand.

Brother Qin had been impressed. “These two are up to something,” he’d said then. “They’re counting cards.”

He’d tested him, adding more decks to the mix. Su Qian never faltered. Calm, precise — his memory sharp as a blade.

A boy like that was rare — useful. Brother Qin had planned to keep him close.

Now, seeing him try to walk away with that girl, his eyes darkened.

Fang Xian tightened her grip on Su Qian’s hand. “He doesn’t belong here,” she said evenly. “If you try to hold him, you’ll only cause yourself trouble.”

Brother Qin raised an eyebrow. “You trying to make a deal with me?”

Fang Xian almost laughed. “There’s nothing to negotiate. There’s no light in this place — and I’m taking him out of it.”

Ling Huanchen winced. “Fang Xian—”

Too late.

Brother Qin’s men scowled. “Watch your mouth, girl! You talk to Brother Qin like that — you looking for death?”

To everyone’s surprise, Brother Qin only smirked. “Ah Qian’s been playing here for days. If he isn’t one of us by now, it’s too late to say otherwise.”

Without flinching, Fang Xian pulled three envelopes from her bag and threw them on the table. “This is every cent he’s won. Take it back — and forget he was ever here.”

Brother Qin raised a brow. “You think it’s that simple?”

“If you want the money, take it. If not,” Fang Xian said coolly, “I’ll hand it to the police — and we’ll see who gets in trouble first.”

That struck a nerve. The crowd instantly grew quiet, gamblers exchanging uneasy glances. No one wanted the police involved.

Brother Qin looked at her again — really looked. The fire in her eyes almost made him laugh. She wasn’t afraid of him at all.

Finally, he gave a dry chuckle. “Fine. Leave the money. Go. And Ah Qian…” He leaned back. “Brother Qin treats you like a friend. Don’t forget to visit next time.”

Before Su Qian could respond, Fang Xian pulled him away. “Let’s go.” Her glare silenced even Ling Huanchen, who followed meekly behind.

When they were gone, one of Brother Qin’s men whispered, “You’re just letting them go?”

Brother Qin smirked, eyes narrowing. “They’ll be back. When they do, we’ll make sure they’re entertained — and useful.”

His men nodded, understanding the unspoken meaning behind the word toys.

But as Brother Qin watched the girl’s figure disappear into the night, a strange look crossed his face.

If someone had once stood before him like that — dragging him out of the dark — would his life have turned out differently?

Outside, under the pale streetlights, Fang Xian finally turned on Su Qian, her voice trembling with anger.

“Can you tell me what you were thinking?” she demanded.

He said nothing, eyes cast down.

Behind them, Ling Huanchen shouted, “Why’d you give all the money away? That was Ah Qian’s win! We could’ve left without paying a cent!”

Fang Xian ignored him completely. Her eyes stayed on Su Qian. “That place — it’s not for you. Not now, not ever.”

He said nothing.

“Answer me, Su Qian!” she snapped.

Finally, he whispered, “I did it for you.”

Her breath caught. “What?”

“I wanted to take care of you,” he said, his voice low but firm.

“But I—”

“You don’t need it?” he cut her off sharply. “I know. But I wanted to! You don’t get to decide if I’m allowed to care!”

His voice rose — raw and unguarded — and for the first time, they saw just how much he’d been holding in.

Fang Xian stood frozen, heart pounding.

Then she said softly, trembling, “So you went to a casino for my sake? You gambled for me?”

Her voice broke — cold and sharp like glass. “Then I’m sorry, Su Qian. That kind of love — I don’t want it. I despise it.”

The street fell silent. Her words echoed through the night — clear and final.