Early the next morning, as Ayanokoji Kiyotaka stepped out of his house, he saw a black Lexus parked right in front of his door, blocking his way.
Seeing Ayanokoji come out, the car window rolled down, revealing his father, Ayanokoji Fugang, sitting inside.
As expected, he came... Ayanokoji Kiyotaka secretly sighed.
Every time he talked to his older brother on the phone, he always came over the next day, without even trying to hide it. Did he really think he wouldn't notice he had installed surveillance at home?
Or was it that... he simply didn't care about his opinion?
Every time he came, the car he drove was different—Infiniti, Lexus... but without exception, he always drove luxury cars made in Japan.
Although he had never directly told Ayanokoji Kiyotaka how much assets he had or what job he did, he constantly flaunted his wealth to Ayanokoji.
Ayanokoji Fugang gave Ayanokoji a warm smile, like an ordinary middle-aged father, and patted the passenger seat: "Kiyotaka, you're going to school, right? Perfect, I'll give you a ride. Get in."
Ayanokoji rolled his eyes. Although unwilling, he still sat in the passenger seat.
Ayanokoji Fugang started the Lexus, and as he drove, he casually asked Ayanokoji, as if chatting about daily life.
"How do you feel about this new school? Are you satisfied? I specifically chose it according to your requirements."
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka rested his arm on the car window, his head against his fist, not bothering to hide his annoyance: "The school's conditions are indeed very good... However, Dad, you didn't tell me that I'd have to gamble at this school."
"Isn't it just gambling? I thought you'd like it. Those paper doll games you play, don't they all require spending money to draw cards? That's not much different from gambling."
Ayanokoji Fugang said nonchalantly as he drove: "Didn't I give you two million when school started? Did you spend it all so quickly?"
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka sneered: "At this school, two million isn't enough. If I really run out of money and can't pay the tribute, I'll be treated as livestock."
Since Ayanokoji Fugang sent him to this school, he must have been prepared to face his criticism. If he didn't say anything, it would seem problematic.
"Tribute? What's that?" Ayanokoji Fugang looked at Ayanokoji in surprise, seemingly not understanding what he was saying.
He didn't know?
Ayanokoji patiently explained: "Every student at the school has to pay a large sum of money to the Student Council every month. If you pay less, you'll be discriminated against, and the hundred people who pay the least will be treated as livestock and bullied by everyone. Don't tell me you don't know."
"How could that be?"
Ayanokoji Fugang said in surprise: "Dad, I also attended this school back then. While gambling was popular, there was no mandatory tribute system. When did it change?"
"This rule was just set last year by the new Student Council President."
"Oh, I see. I'm sorry, Kiyotaka, Dad really didn't know."
Ayanokoji Fugang said sincerely: "If you're short on money, just tell Dad. Dad will definitely give you money. Feel free to gamble. It's just money, right? No matter how much you need, Dad will give it to you. Go ahead and gamble."
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka didn't believe a single word Ayanokoji Fugang said.
He'd give him as much as he wanted? To appease him, he could say such things?
Perhaps, he just hoped he would develop a gambling addiction, to control him better.
Did he really think he couldn't see through him?
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka sneered inwardly, while outwardly he went along with it: "Dad, our house is too far from school, and I have to take the subway every day, so I won't be coming home..."
"You can drive to school."
Ayanokoji Fugang said without hesitation: "I can help you get a driver's license. You just need to get familiar with the operation, and I can get the documents ready for you in a couple of days. The school has a parking lot, so you don't have to worry about that."
Is getting a driver's license that easy? Besides, he wasn't even 18 yet.
As expected of the capitalist class, anything can be done with money...
Ayanokoji refused: "No need, I plan to stay at school. There's a hotel inside the school."
To Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's surprise, Ayanokoji Fugang happily agreed: "That's fine too, do whatever you want."
Was he really willing to let him move out? This was truly beyond Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's expectations.
In that house, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka lived under surveillance every day, and he had long been unable to bear it. In junior high, he had made excuses to move out several times, but Ayanokoji Fugang had never agreed.
What was going on this time? Why did he agree so easily?
Although he still wasn't clear what this cheap father was thinking, being able to leave was a good thing for Ayanokoji.
Ayanokoji Fugang was a very dutiful driver and quickly dropped Ayanokoji Kiyotaka off at the school gate.
Before Ayanokoji got out of the car, he took out a paper-wrapped package of money from the storage compartment in front of the passenger seat and handed it to Ayanokoji.
"Take it and gamble. If it's not enough, just call me and ask for more," he said very generously.
Watching his son walk away, a smile gradually appeared on Ayanokoji Fugang's face.
What he most wanted to see was Ayanokoji Kiyotaka gambling, the more the better.
No matter how much money was lost, or how much Ayanokoji Kiyotaka wanted to put on the gambling table, he would readily provide the funds.
His goal was only one—to make Ayanokoji Kiyotaka addicted to gambling, to use him to restrain Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
Of course, he had eavesdropped on that phone call last night.
In a school where everyone was gambling, even if Ayanokoji Kiyotaka could initially listen to his brother's advice and resist gambling.
But under the influence of his surroundings, he would still be unable to resist joining in.
Three years, that's a long enough time.
Long enough for a delicate flower to be dyed black.
Once Ayanokoji Kiyotaka became addicted to gambling and got used to the millions of yen gambled in the school, he would definitely need a large amount of money.
Besides himself, no one else could give him such a large sum of money.
Ayanokoji would be unable to leave him, only able to ask him for money.
And Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who had graduated from that sanctuary, if he still wanted his brother, would only be able to obediently listen to him.
Ten million Japanese Yen... If Ayanokoji Kiyotaka hadn't transferred this money to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's account, he really wouldn't have known that his "good son" had secretly earned so much money behind his back.
If he hadn't sent Ayanokoji Kiyotaka to Private Hyakkaou Academy, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka would probably have pulled his brother onto a plane and run off to a place he couldn't find as soon as he graduated from high school.
The ten million yen Ayanokoji Kiyotaka transferred to his brother was not hidden from him.
The meaning of this money was not to make Ayanokoji Kiyotaka gamble, but to convey a message to him—he had given in, so, by no means should he lay a hand on his brother again.
Ayanokoji Fugang said he didn't know that this school required a tribute? Of course, that was false.
The changes in this school had always been within his expectations.
In fact, even the current Student Council President had a significant connection to him...
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