LOGINMy husband Justin Lansing and I run a breakfast cart in Cratertown. We're up at two in the morning every day. We made thirty thousand dollars last year. When we drove home for the holidays, Justin had a little too much to drink and slapped the car keys onto the table. That same night his uncle pulled him into a card game. By morning he had lost everything. Thirty thousand dollars and the car. He came home and went to his knees on the floor. I rolled up my sleeves and pulled our daughter's New Year money out of my pocket. "Today you're coming with me. You're going to watch how I play."
View MoreI did not say a word. I drove off, followed the local police's social media account, and forwarded them the video.About a week later, my mother-in-law called."Buck got picked up at the mahjong parlor in town. Organized gambling. Big amounts. Ten years."I let out a breath.Ten years was enough. I hoped he had learned his lesson and come out a better man.It was not just him I was thinking about. So many young men work hard all year, only to come home and get trapped in losing everything. Playing a few casual rounds for fun is one thing, but ruining someone's livelihood is something else entirely.After I hung up, I saw customers outside and quickly waved them in.Justin and I kept grinding for a living. We were busy every day. It was exhausting, but knowing there was a future ahead gave us the motivation to keep going.After that, I would occasionally hear updates from home through my mother-in-law.After Buck was arrested, the young men in the village finally learned their
After the auntie left, I sighed."If she gets her money back, the rest of them are going to lose it. You think they won't make a scene?""What do you mean?"The woman across from me had eyes like a hawk. Her son was one of Buck's lieutenants. I knew her face."I mean, if this money gets returned, what happens to the others who've been following him?"He told them everyone working with him would get paid. If the money goes back now, the others won't see a cent. He'll definitely try to take back whatever he already handed out."I might get my money back, but he says he hasn't paid anything out yet. That doesn't mean the others haven't already spent theirs."I shook my head, stood up, and walked away.Not long after I left, the whole group dispersed and headed straight toward Buck's house.I smiled.Uncle Bck, weren't you so determined to get rich with this group?This time, I'll make sure you take a heavy loss.I turned the corner and followed at a distance to watch the show.
A few women near the corner had been watching the whole thing. They were going to have a story to take home.I did not care. I was not trying to be liked. The holidays would end, and we would go back to the city. They could say whatever they wanted.I closed our gate and dragged Justin and our daughter inside. The trunk was full of presents.When my in-laws saw what I had bought, and heard about the thirty thousand from the night before, my mother-in-law grabbed a broom and swung it at Justin's head. He did not dodge. I did not stop her.When she was done, I said, "It's all right. I won it back. But Buck… Buck is dead to us. Family or not, the man set up his own nephew."Justin works outside. He's up at two in the morning every day. Before dawn, he's already out there working. Every dollar he earns is hard-earned money."At his age, he doesn't have many hobbies. Playing a little here and there, I don't mind. But something like this, cleaning someone out overnight, I've never seen
Thirty people rushed out at once. Even Buck ran.Justin grabbed my hand and pulled me out the back. We didn't stop running until we got home. I could not stop laughing.He wiped the cold sweat off his forehead."You're still laughing? If they'd caught us, we'd be in prison!""What are you afraid of? It was fake.""What?""It was a recording. I had Mom play it, just to scare them."Justin froze for a second, then burst out laughing."No wonder no one nearby tipped them off!"I was not planning to play all night anyway. As long as I got the money back, that was enough.I pulled Justin inside, turned a corner, and headed home. Then I transferred all the money from his phone into my account.Not a single cent was staying with him. Otherwise, he'd end up at the card table again."Listen to me. From now on, no matter who asks you out, you don't go. I don't care if it's them or even your closest childhood friend, you're not going. If you do, we're done."Justin jumped."No way.












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