“You’re… sent here by my father?” Mrs. Jiang said hesitantly.
Tang Hao was surprised when he heard the question. He soon understood that the two people had more than normal backgrounds.
“No, I’m Teacher Jiang’s student, er… by Teacher Jiang, I mean your daughter,” Tang Hao said.
The two people were shocked. “What? You’re my daughter’s student?”
Tang Hao nodded.
The two people were silent for a while but eventually accepted his explanation.
“Where’s my daughter? Is she OK?” They asked anxiously.
“She’s fine. Let’s go!”
Tang Hao brought the two people to his car.
When Jiang Wanying saw them, she got out of the car and ran toward them.
“Dad! Mom!” Jiang Wanying hugged them tightly. She was crying tears of joy.
“Eh, we’re fine! Why are you crying?” Mr. Jiang said with a smile.
“Dad, Mom, what’s going on? Are you hiding something from me?” Jiang Wanying stopped sobbing and started asking.
She was not stupid. She knew that her parents must be hiding some truths from her.
“Well…” Her parents turned away their heads, trying to hide their guilt from their daughter.
“Let’s talk in the car!” Tang Hao said.
The four people sat in the car.
After a long silence, Mrs. Jiang finally opened her mouth. “I’m sorry for hiding this you for so long, Wanying. To tell you the truth, your grandfather is still alive, and his identity is… unusual.”
“What? Mom, didn’t you say that Grandpa passed away a long time ago?” Jiang Wanying was indignant.
Mrs. Jiang smiled sheepishly. “I lied to you for your own good, and our family’s good. Your grandfather isn’t a good person.”
Jiang Wanying was dumbstruck.
Even though her mother did not say it, she could connect the dots and figure out what was going on. Her grandfather must have been a gangster in a foreign country.
Her family was kidnapped because of him.
She sat there in a daze.
The news was too much of a shock for her.
She had always been a law-abiding citizen who kept her head down. After graduating from university, she became a teacher so that she could be a role model and educate the future generation. She did not expect that her grandfather would be a gangster.
She felt as though fate was playing a practical joke on her.
Tang Hao, sitting next to her, was equally shocked.
‘Wh… What? Does the innocent and naive Teacher Jiang have a gangster for a grandfather?
‘How could this be?’ He thought, feeling utterly flustered.
Chapter 395 - Meigyoku Group
The mood in the car was depressing.
Mr. and Mrs. Jiang had guilty expressions on their faces.
“I didn’t mean to lie to you, Wanying. Ever since I was pregnant with you, I’ve cut all ties with your grandfather. We’ve never been in contact ever since.
“Your grandfather isn’t a good person. He has done many evil deeds before. How could I mention him to you? We shouldn’t be responsible for his sins.” Mrs. Jiang sounded pained when she said that.
“You see, all that happened today is because of your grandfather. I’ve tried to persuade him to retire but he doesn’t listen. Your grandmother died because of him.”
Jiang Wanying remained in a daze, still trying to process the information.
She could not accept what she was told.
All she had hoped for was a peaceful and stable life, but that seemed to be impossible now.
In a day, her parents were kidnapped, her life was in danger, and she had found out that her grandfather was a Merrican gangster.
She hoped that it was all a dream.
She subconsciously held Tang Hao’s hand tightly, as though he was the only person who could keep her safe.
Mr. and Mrs. Jiang were stunned when they saw that. They looked at each other with a curious expression on their faces.
They knew that their daughter was an easy-going person, but she would rarely behave so intimately with someone, much less a male.
Was that person really her student?
That would be even more intriguing.
It was against social norms for a teacher and student to be in a relationship. Moreover, they knew that their daughter had always stayed in line, so how would she do something so immoral?
They examined Tang Hao carefully and said nothing.
In any case, the student had saved their family and was their benefactor. He looked quite handsome too.
If he could save them by himself, he must not be someone normal either.
“Ahem!” Mrs. Jiang coughed. She looked at Tang Hao and asked gently, “What’s your name?”
“My name is Tang Hao!”
“Where are you from?”
“Tang Village in Westridge District, Province Z,” Tang Hao answered.
“Oh! How old are you? How is your family like?” Mrs. Jiang asked with a smile on her face.
“Um… nineteen. As for my family, my parents are gone, and it’s just myself. I’m attending university now,” Tang Hao replied.
He furrowed his brows, wondering why Teacher Jiang’s parents were being so forward.
Mrs. Jiang was shocked. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know!”
“It’s fine!” Tang Hao replied.
“So, you’re a student?” Mrs. Jiang said while looking around the car.
“Oh, and I run some businesses too. This is my name card!” Tang Hao handed her his name card.
Mrs. Jiang took it and her eyes went wide. The titles on the name card were indeed impressive.
Mr. Jiang leaned closer to look and exclaimed in surprise. “What the! Masculine Wind? You’re the president of the aphrodisiac company, kid?” He looked at Tang Hao with sparkling eyes.
Tang Hao nodded. He felt that the mood was becoming weirder by the moment.
Jiang Wanying came to her senses and let go of Tang Hao’s hand. She blushed intensely.
“Mom and Dad, what are you doing? She grumbled, “He’s only my student. Why are you asking so many questions?”
Mr. and Mrs. Jiang smiled. “Alright, we’ll stop asking questions then!”
The mood was once again depressing.
Tang Hao could not take it anymore. “You guys catch up. I’ll go out for a while.”
He got out of the car as though escaping from it.
He returned to the place earlier and dispatched that guy, walked around the place for a while, then returned to the car.
“So what are you planning to do now, Mr. and Mrs. Jiang?” Tang Hao asked.
“Well…” Mr. Jiang hesitated. “I don’t know what’s going on over there in Merrica, so we’ll just have to wait for any news. I don’t think we can return to our home or stay in River Delta City for now.”
“If that’s the case, you can go to Province Z! It’s safer there,” Tang Hao said.
The two people thought about it for a while and agreed to it.
Tang Hao immediately drove back to Jiang Wanying’s apartment in Provincial City.
While Mr. and Mrs. Jiang prepared their room, Jiang Wanying sent Tang Hao downstairs.
“Thank you so much for today!”
Jiang Wanying said softly as she stood at the top of the staircase.
As she stood there, the light from the lamp shone on her face and outlined a beautiful silhouette. Her high nose, plump red lips, and red phoenix eyes were dazzlingly beautiful.
Her slightly bashful expression made her even more attractive.
“Don’t mention it. Remember to look for me if you need anything else!”
Tang Hao smiled and waved at her, then turned around and left.
Jiang Wanying continued standing at the staircase, watching forlornly as the car left and disappeared from view.
After a long time, she turned around and returned to he
r apartment.
The next two days were uneventful. Mr. and Mrs. Jiang stayed in Jiang Wanying’s house in Provincial City, while Teacher Jiang went to work as though nothing happened. Tang Hao also attended classes on those two days.
That afternoon, Tang Hao received a call from Liu Yan.
“What’s up, Sis Yan?” Tang Hao said.
“Are you free tomorrow night, President Tang?” Liu Yan replied.
“I’m free. Is there anything?”
Liu Yan paused for a moment and continued to speak excitedly, “Our company just received an invitation letter to a dinner party.”
Tang Hao was surprised. “Dinner party? Who organized it? And where?”
“In Provincial City. It’s organized by Meigyoku Group from Dongying. I’m sure you’ve heard of them, right? It’s one of the top corporations in Dongying. They’re internationally renowned.
“They’re here in Huaxia to find a partner for collaboration. If we can win this opportunity, we’ll be able to promote our products in Dongying and even the entire world.”
“Dongying?” Tang Hao subconsciously furrowed his brows. He did not have a good impression of that country and its people.
“I know that Dongying doesn’t have a good reputation in Huaxia, but this is a rare opportunity and we shouldn’t miss it.
“Moreover, being able to join the dinner party is a good opportunity by itself. There will be many big corporations from Huaxia that will attend. It’s the perfect opportunity to expand our network,” Liu Yan tried to convince him.
“Well…” Tang Hao hesitated but eventually agreed.
He had nothing else going on that night anyway. He might as well check out the event and maybe gain a few more friends.
The next afternoon, after his classes, Tang Hao returned to his apartment to change, then departed to a mansion in the countryside.
The Western-style mansion had a long history. It was built by foreigners during the Republic Era[1]. It had undergone restoration works several times and looked as though it was newly built.
The mansion changed hands several times, and it was rumored that their most recent owner was someone from Dongying. They must be from Meigyoku Group.
[1] 1912-1949
Chapter 396 - Humiliation
Tang Hao arrived at the mansion at about seven o’clock.
The mansion was more like a manor and was at least two times bigger than the Luo family estate. It was lavishly decorated and brightly lit.
Many luxury cars had arrived before him.
Everyone who came out of those cars bore themselves in a noble and extraordinary manner.
According to Sis Yan, the people in attendance at the dinner party were all luminaries of the business world. They owned the biggest corporations in Huaxia, and they flew in from all over the country to attend the event.
Only a few corporations from Province Z were invited. They were all big corporations like Tai An and Luo Corporation.
Haotian Co. Ltd. was the only exception.
That was why Liu Yan was so eager to join the event.
One had to know that Haotian Group was not formed yet, and Haotian Co. Ltd. was only a small fry when compared to those big corporations. Even if Haotian Group was formed, it would be still too small compared to the more established companies.
It was an honor that Meigyoku Group invited them along with the bigger corporations.
Tang Hao parked his car and casually sauntered toward the main entrance.
The hall beyond the doorway was lit brightly. Gentle music was playing.
Near the entrance, he saw a group of about ten people coming in from the opposite direction. They were chatting casually as they walked.
Tang Hao was surprised when he looked carefully at the group of people. The person in the middle looked very familiar. He was none other than Ling Rui, the Young Master of the Ling family.
Ling Rui was dressed in a trim black suit. [With his handsome face, he looked different from his usual hooligan-like behavior.
Next to him were two middle-aged men in their forties or fifties. Judging from their faces and demeanor, they were obviously the elite of society.
They must be the patriarchs of wealthy families or major corporations.
They crowded around Ling Rui and called him ‘Cousin Ling’. They seemed eager to flatter him.
Meanwhile, Ling Rui looked unimpressed. Evidently, he was used to flattery.
Tang Hao’s expression sank at that instant, and his eyes flashed with disdain.
‘What a despicable man!’
He hastened his step, wanting to go in without them noticing.
However, Ling Rui happened to lift his head at that moment and saw him.
Ling Rui was shocked at first. He was not expecting to see Tang Hao at the event.
As far as he knew, only big corporations were invited to the party. Tang Hao’s company might be up and coming, but it was nothing compared to the truly big corporations of the country.
He scowled. Hatred flashed in his eyes.
That Tang kid had beaten him up twice. He was not going to forget that!
He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, yet he was beaten up badly by a country bumpkin. He had never felt as humiliated in his life as those encounters with Tang Hao.
“Oh, isn’t that Tang Hao?” He yelled out. The corners of his mouth curled upward mockingly.
‘It’s perfect timing that the kid is here,’ he thought, ‘Doesn’t he look at himself and reflect upon his status? How dare he set foot at this event?’
As he yelled out, he quickly walked toward Tang Hao with an arrogant expression on his face.
“Young Master Ling!” Tang Hao said coldly as he stopped walking and turned around.
“Ah, don’t call me that! Call me President Ling now. Young Master Ling is past tense. I’m the president of Tai An Group now, and that’s all thanks to you!”
Ling Rui said mockingly as he straightened his tie.
He suddenly leaned forward and whispered sinisterly into Tang Hao’s ear. “You filthy kid, I’m sure you had a good time living together with my sister, right? Tsk tsk! You’re a lucky one!
“Now that you’ve enjoyed yourself, it’s your time to die. I promised that I’ll see you dead.”
Tang Hao remained impassive. “Is that so?” He said coldly.
“Don’t believe me? We’ll see about that!” Ling Rui cackled.
He took a step back and resumed his earlier mocking expression. “Don’t you have any shame, you Tang kid? Do you think you deserve to be here?
“All the guests of tonight’s dinner party are from renowned Huaxia companies. What is your little shabby company worth? I wonder when it’ll go bankrupt! How did you get an invitation from Meigyoku Group? You must be crashing the party!”
Everyone around him exclaimed in surprise when they heard that.
They regarded Tang Hao differently.
“Who is this person, Cousin Ling?” Someone asked.
Ling Rui chuckled. “Oh, haven’t you heard of him? He’s quite popular lately. It’s that Haotian Health Products company and New Magical Kitchen. I’m sure you’ve heard of that before! He’s the one who started those companies.”
Everyone understood when he said that.
New Magical Kitchen was famous all over the Internet. They also knew about the rivalry between New Magical Kitchen and Tai An. No wonder Ling Rui was eager to pick a fight.
Many of them were interested in magical cuisine, the beauty cream, and other products. However, they dared not show it on their faces but instead determinedly stuck to Ling Rui’s side.
“They’re a small company indeed! I don’t think they’d be invited!”
“That’s right! They’re too shameless!”
They also joined in the mockery.
Ling Rui became more arrogant after hearing that.
“You ought to get lost now if you know what’s good for you, Tang kid! This place isn’t fo
r a country bumpkin like you! Can’t you look at yourself in the mirror before you show your face in public?”
Ling Rui yelled out arrogantly.
Tang Hao furrowed his brows. His anger was growing.
He took out the invitation from his pocket and waved it at Ling Rui’s face.
Slap!
The sound was crisp and loud.
Ling Rui was stunned. The people around him were stunned too. They did not expect that the kid would get physical.
“Haven’t you learned your lesson yet, Ling?” Tang Hao said coldly, “Open your dog eyes and see what’s this!”
Tang Hao flicked his wrist again and slapped Ling Rui’s face with the invitation one more time.
He grunted softly and left the scene.
“That bastard!” Ling Rui trembled with anger as he stood there. His face was green with anger.
That was the third time he had been humiliated in public by that kid!
“Just you wait, you Tang kid!” He spoke through gritted teeth. The hatred in his eyes was immeasurable.
The people standing next to him also looked indignant. “That kid has gone too far!”
“He gets physical just because he doesn’t agree with what you say? What a rude and uncivilized person!”
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