Asked you to write a book, not to confess your criminal record!

Anling City.

Night had fallen, and the moonlight spread a faint glow through the thin layers of clouds, whitening an area with its pale light.

Youran Villa, yet again, a familiar old place.

If the weather had been slightly warmer, Lin Chuan figured he would have driven the small electric car and taken Little Landlady for a ride to enjoy the fresh, cool evening breeze in the suburbs.

But it was still cold.

Especially at night, which made one shiver.

Lin Chuan and Little Landlady got out of the Audi A8, leisurely walked into Youran Villa, and passed through the winter greenery typical of the south. The street lamps illuminated unknown wildflowers nearby.

"Old Zhang!"

From a distance, Little Landlady spotted Old Zhang in the corridor outside the private room talking with a middle-aged man. Seeing Old Zhang look their way, she called out.

"Zhang, you've arrived."

Old Zhang, dressed in a down jacket, breathed out a warm puff of air and cheerfully regarded Lin Chuan and Little Landlady.

"Old Zhang," returned Lin Chuan with a smile.

It had been some time since they'd seen each other. Old Zhang seemed to have lost a bit of weight.

"Writer Lin," said the middle-aged man next to Old Zhang, smiling warmly at Lin Chuan.

Lin Chuan turned to look.

The man was in a suit and leather shoes, his face ruddy, though he was somewhat bald on top, sporting a monk's ring of hair.

Suddenly, Lin Chuan remembered the man and immediately smiled. "Expert Chen!"

Chen Ming, Anling's Anti-Gambling Expert.

Back in March of '24, after Old Zhang was caught gambling and implicated Lin Chuan, it was the Anti-Gambling Expert who read Lin Chuan's novels to determine if he was a swindler.

Later, Old Zhang joined the Anti-Gambling Association at his invitation.

"Writer Lin has a good memory. You still remember me," said Chen Ming with a broad smile.

"How could I forget? I was almost mistaken for a swindler and labeled as teaching criminal methods," Lin Chuan said jokingly.

Chen Ming grinned and sighed, "Looking back now, I should have clung to Writer Lin's leg in that interrogation room!"

"It's not too late to cling now, Old Chen."

Old Zhang laughed heartily.

Smiles appeared on everyone's faces.

"Expert Chen, care to join us for a couple of drinks tonight?" Lin Chuan politely invited.

Chen Ming glanced at the group, showing good sense, "It's rare to have an invitation from Writer Lin, but sadly I am tied up tonight. Another time, then."

Lin Chuan nodded.

Chen Ming waved at them and then turned to leave for another private room.

It was clear he indeed had important matters to attend to.

"Let's go inside too, it's rather chilly out here," Old Zhang said, wrapping his down jacket tighter.

As Little Landlady pushed the door open, she chuckled, "Old Zhang, you've become frail."

"Your dad is still strong. It's just that the wind can crack the skin, and I'm saving on moisturizer," Old Zhang humorously replied.

The three of them entered the private room and sat down.

Lin Chuan and Little Landlady sat side by side while Old Zhang sat opposite them.

Little Landlady blinked at Old Zhang, "Watching the community cameras, it seems you've hardly been at home in Happiness Community lately. Busy these days?"

"Quite busy, indeed," Old Zhang raised his eyebrows and smiled.

Before the food arrived, Lin Chuan, while brewing tea, smiled and asked, "Old Zhang, are you still busy with the matters at Goldstone Edge?"

"Goldstone Edge got on the right track a while back."

Old Zhang chuckled, playing mysterious, "Guess what I've been busy with lately?"

Little Landlady pinched her chin, her lips pursing slightly, "Old Zhang, you haven't got a new love interest again, have you?"

Suddenly, Old Zhang's face darkened, his mouth twitching repeatedly, "What do you mean, 'again'? Have I ever?"

"Aunt Liu doesn't count?"

Little Landlady brought up the most inconvenient topic.

Old Zhang shrank his neck, deflating like a balloon, "Don't mention her. I was almost scammed out of my pants and nearly ended up sleeping under a bridge with my daughter."

"Then you haven't thought about dating again?" asked Little Landlady, still chuckling.

"What's there to talk about? At this age, it's better to do something more meaningful," Old Zhang waved his hand dismissively.

"So, what are you busy with?"

"Old Zhang must be busy with the Anti-Gambling Association's work," Lin Chuan said, handing them both a cup of tea and smoothly continuing the conversation with a light smile.

"Still sharp, Little Lin," praised Old Zhang, lifting his tea cup.

"Just now, Expert Chen was here, chatting pleasant with Old Zhang, didn't seem like strangers. You've been in touch with Chen Ming quite a bit, right?" Lin Chuan speculated.

Old Zhang took a sip of tea and smiled, "Pretty much what you guessed."

"I heard from friends at Anling Police Station that this year, Anling's anti-gambling efforts were sound. Is the Anti-Gambling Association still that busy?"

Lin Chuan was somewhat surprised.

The Anti-Gambling Association wasn't an official organization but a grassroots group formed by volunteers.

During official anti-gambling activities, the organization would be invited to participate and receive some payment.

Of course,

Old Zhang wasn't in it for the money, but because he truly loved the activities.

In the association, he made quite a few friends. When idle, they could gather together, chit-chat, and it kept him from feeling aimless.

Old Zhang broke into a laugh, "Little Lin, you wrote about swindlers; you know, there's never a shortage of gamblers. Even those who have renounced gambling can't help but take a few shots now and then. Thus, most of the anti-gambling achievements are just surface-level statistics. Underground, there's still a vast number of gamblers untransformed. It's a long road ahead for this work!"

"Good on you, Old Zhang!"

Listening, Little Landlady gave a thumbs-up.

Old Zhang felt pleased inside, his face beamed, and even his spine straightened up a bit without him noticing.