One day, Qian Cai Sheng was driven out of the house by Miao Xiufang. Though he hadn't completely lost his job prospects, he still struggled to find work—because he simply didn't want to take on jobs that were dirty, physically demanding, and paid poorly. He only cared about work that offered quick returns. Just when he was at a loss, he passed by the Dayanle Casino every day, only to be pulled aside by several gambling friends who insisted he try their luck once more. Qian Cai Sheng wasn't willing—first, he hadn't brought any money to bet, and second, if he lost again as he had the last time, he'd surely be ruined. However, one of his friends reassured him: "Don't worry about the money—there's a house sponsor who will cover your bets!" How wonderful! Qian Cai Sheng, being a man who always liked to save, found himself genuinely excited. "The house sponsor will let you try a free game first. If your luck is poor and you lose, you won't have to pay. If you're lucky, you may choose to play or simply walk away. As for the winnings, they'll be split equally between "Heard that from his gambling friend, the light of inspiration instantly sparked in the eyes of the man who had always been concerned about money. Unexpectedly, his entry into the casino went smoothly—he received a free 100 yuan, easily won a small round, and within five minutes, had already secured 300 yuan. Seeing such effortless profits, as if simply picking up coins, the man, who hadn't gambled in a week, felt a renewed enthusiasm and immediately became excited. However, as he continued playing, his luck didn't match the initial flow; soon, he lost the 300 yuan he had just won, ending up with no funds at all. Just about to feel frustrated and leave, his friend stopped him and pointed to a well-dressed young man, wearing a polished suit and shiny shoes, with a neatly combed hair and a fresh, well-groomed appearance. 'This young gentleman is willing to lend you 10,000 yuan as your stake,' he said, 'If you win, we'll split the winnings equally; if you lose, you won't have to repay it at all.'" Qiancai Sheng took a good look and, wow, what a stylish outfit—clearly a young noble from a wealthy family. He immediately approached, smiling warmly at the suggestion of his gambling companion and said, "Mr. Zhou, how could I possibly be so bold as to borrow money from you?" "I'm a classmate of Zhang Yuping's! Naturally, there's no need for formality!" Zhou Chao, pretending to be generous, wanted to make a point. Upon hearing that it was another affluent young man, and one who was even a classmate of his daughter, Qiancai Sheng's eyes lit up so brightly they nearly closed into a narrow slit. As long as the young man had any connection to his daughter, Qiancai Sheng felt as if he were holding a money tree—his heart was always full of money, of course. In his eyes, whether it was daughter or not, money—colorful, flowing money—was all that mattered. Having his daughter serve as his money tree was precisely his true wish. His confidence grew, and so did his wins. With the colorful stack of tickets, his joy over money was palpable. "I'm betting ten thousand!" As soon as he won 100,000, Zhou Chao gave his friend a look that conveyed clear intent, and the friend immediately stepped in with a bet. "Twenty thousand! I'm in!" What a bold wager! Winning was certainly rewarding, but losing meant total loss. Without hesitation, Qiancai Sheng said, "I'm in!" He had hoped his luck would continue, but when the results were revealed, he was immediately disheartened—his original 100,000 had been placed incorrectly. Watching his friend holding the very 100,000 he had won, Qiancai Sheng longed to recover his own stake. "Do you still want to keep betting? If not, you're out!" The friend's mocking words made Qiancai Sheng's eyes glisten. He was determined to win back that 100,000. There's also the 100,000 yuan that Zhou Chao has offered, yet Qiancai Sheng only wants to quickly recover the 100,000, finding the 10,000 yuan wager rather meager. How could Zhou Chao possibly not understand this? To play the good guy, he must go all the way—after all, his family has plenty of money that will never run out. Moreover, investing in Zhang Yuping's father is truly a long-term strategy to reap greater rewards. Such investments have become second nature to Zhou Chao. "Mr. Zhou, I'll never be able to repay you!" The way Qian Cai Sheng trembled at the mention of money made Zhou Chao feel particularly pleased. Zhou Chao's statement came as a surprise—he said he didn't need repayment, only that Zhou Chao could accomplish one thing for him. After explaining his plan, he then turned to Qian Cai Sheng. Qian Cai Sheng was immediately enthusiastic, saying, "No problem at all—I'll definitely make it happen for Mr. Zhou." Qian Cai Sheng also received an additional 1,000 yuan as a gratuity and headed home. As Zhou Chao watched his back fade into the distance, he thought to himself, "Zhang Yuping—she's always been mine." That day, Zhang Yuping didn't return home until late. While her mother, Miao Xiufang, was visiting her mother-in-law, Qian Cai Sheng quietly slipped into his daughter's bedroom and left behind the item that Zhou Chao had prepared on her desk. Zhang Yuping, a diligent and outstanding student, naturally continued reading and writing upon returning home. She didn't notice the crystal sphere sitting there, with gold Zhang Yuping immediately became enthusiastic, setting down her textbook and beginning to admire the object. Today, having helped Gao Qiang catch up on lessons he had missed, she was so tired her voice had become hoarse and she felt utterly drained. Thus, when she saw such a magical thing, she instantly became excited. Curiosity is a shared nature among all girls. Holding the crystal ball gently in her hands, Zhang Yuping fondly played with it. The crystal ball was just about the size of a glass bead. When Gao Qiang leaned close and looked carefully, he was amazed— the crystal ball seemed to have grown wings and flew automatically into his mouth. Ten minutes later, he found his consciousness no longer responsive. "Wake me up! Wake me up!" it seemed as though someone within his mind was repeatedly whispering these words—was this hypnosis? Zhang Yuping shook her head, thinking hypnosis was merely a legend. How could it be happening to her? Yet, something felt off—each time she repeated the phrase, her head grew increasingly drowsy, and she was only a few steps away from falling asleep on the table. "Wake up! Wake up!" Another voice was saying. Zhang Yu Ping opened her eyes slowly. Her consciousness had been taken over—hypnosis, as described in legend, had indeed occurred, and it was someone else controlling her.