"Please."
Jay Johnson ignored the look in Bill's eyes and gave a slight bow, gesturing for him to come inside.
Bill, standing at the door, realized the man in front of him wasn't the "big boss" but just a servant.
Instantly, he puffed up his chest, letting out a smug "hmph."
After straightening his clothes, he stepped into the lavish apartment.
The decor was extravagantly luxurious, and the sheer size of the space was almost intimidating.
Walking through such a house made him feel a little small, even if he tried his best to hide it.
When he reached the living room, he saw his girlfriend sitting on the couch with a handsome man.
This sight instantly made him uncomfortable. But on the surface, he forced a smile and said,
"Sir, I'm sorry. My girlfriend is Russian, and she can be quite direct. If she's offended you in any way, I apologize on her behalf."
Facing someone wealthy, he didn't dare show any attitude.
James gave him a once-over.
This guy had a better face than James and paler skin, but his voice was a bit high-pitched and carried an effeminate tone.
The way he walked suggested weakness, and his posture lacked confidence.
James smiled faintly and said slowly,
"Your girlfriend didn't offend me. I invited you here."
"Huh? But we don't even know each other," Bill said, surprised.
"I mean no harm," James said with a smile. "I just want to have a chat and ask you a few questions."
Bill glanced at his girlfriend, who sat quietly without saying a word, and his mind flashed with some bad thoughts.
His expression darkened, but he hesitated before replying,
"I don't think there's much for us to talk about."
James could see his reluctance and snapped his fingers.
"How about thisâevery question you answer, I'll give you $10,000. What do you say?"
At that moment, Jay Johnson, having received the signal, brought out a suitcase and placed it on the coffee table.
He opened it in front of them, revealing neatly stacked bundles of cash.
The vivid red hue of the bills seemed to light up the entire living room.
It was the kind of scene you'd expect to see on TV, and in real life, it was absolutely stunning.
James dragged the suitcase toward himself, pulled out a bundle, and slapped it onto his palm.
"Here's $50,000. We're just going to chat."
"If you agree, we'll begin. If not, you can take your girlfriend and leave right now."
"Don't worry, I just want to be friends. No ulterior motives," James said with a relaxed tone.
Bill didn't have much money and had been living off his girlfriend.
Whenever he needed cash, he'd cook for her and sweet-talk her, but even then, he could only get a thousand or two.
Now, seeing so much cash in front of him, he was momentarily dazed.
He forced himself to look away, but his gaze kept drifting back to the suitcase.
James didn't rush him. He quietly observed Bill's expressions.
The greed written all over Bill's face was clear, though his girlfriend's watchful eyes made him hesitate.
The contrast was amusing to James.
After about ten seconds, Bill finally spoke,
"What do you want to know?"
It was as if he had made some sort of decision, his tone now carrying a hint of flattery.
Sasha's gaze dimmed slightly.
She wasn't sure why, but she suddenly had a bad feeling about what was about to happen.
James smiled lightly and asked,
"What's your name?"
"Bill."
As soon as Bill answered, a bundle of cash flew toward him.
He hurriedly reached out and caught it with both hands.
Feeling the thickness of $10,000 in his grasp, his breathing grew heavier.
"How old are you?"
"25."
"Where are you from?"
"New York City."
For every answer, Bill received $10,000. His eyes grew increasingly fiery.
Such simple questions, and he was essentially being handed free money.
Who could say no to that?
"The next question might be a bit tougher. Get ready," James said after tossing around $50,000.
"Do you love your girlfriend?"
Bill hesitated for a moment, glanced at the suitcase full of money, and said with an air of righteousness,
"Of course. She's the love of my life."
"Good. That's another $10,000 for you," James said with a smile, pushing the cash across the table.
He decided against throwing it this time, thinking it might have been a bit rude earlier.
"Do you plan to marry her?"
"How's your wedding planning going?"
"Is it because she's a foreigner that you haven't prepared a house or car for her?"
James fired off a string of questions, catching Bill off guard.
Bill hadn't expected James to ask such pointed and painful questions.
At his age, without family support, how many guys could afford a house, a car, or even savings?
Even someone like Lei Jun (a successful entrepreneur) had been struggling in his mid-20s, working for a failing antivirus software company.
But none of that mattered to Billâhe was here to milk the situation.
He was about to eagerly answer the questions when Sasha spoke first,
"We're working hard toward a better future. Even though he doesn't have much now, as long as he truly loves me, I don't care about those things."
Afraid James wouldn't pay up, Bill quickly chimed in,
"Yes, we're planning to get married, and I'm working hard to prepare. I may not have a job right now, but I believe I'll have money in the future."
No job now, but money in the future?
What kind of logic was that?
James raised an eyebrow, baffled by the absurdity of that statement.
Taking a sip of his wine, he sighed theatrically,
"I really admire your relationship. But the next question might be a bit sharp. Should I go on?"
Sasha subtly shook her head at her boyfriend, signaling him to stop.
If they could just leave now, they'd still walk away with the house.
Even if it risked violating the "game's rules," she wanted to hint to her boyfriend to stop.
But Bill shot her a glare.
He was furious.
He hadn't pocketed a single dollar so far, all because of her interference.
With a warning look, he silently told her to keep quiet, then said decisively,
"Go ahead."
In just a few minutes, he had already earned over $10,000.
There was no way he was stopping now.
Bill just hoped James would ask as many questions as possible.
"The next few questions require honest answers. If I sense you're lying or giving me a half-hearted response, I won't pay," James said, giving him fair warning.
Then, leaning back on the couch, he asked,
"Russian women are notorious for gaining weight after marriage. By 30, some might even look like middle-aged women. If that happens, will you still love her?"
"Have you ever doubted your girlfriend?"
"What would you do if your girlfriend did something to betray you?"
These questions were venomous.
They forced the person to delve into the darker corners of their mind, stirring up fears and doubts about human nature.
For most people, such questions triggered a crisis mentality, leading them to consider worst-case scenarios.
But these were just instinctive human responsesâthey didn't necessarily mean anything.
Bill fell silent.
He realized that if his girlfriend did cheat on him or left him for someone else, there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop it.
If they broke up, he'd be left with nothing.
This thought made him uneasy.