Chapter 230 Jiang Ma's Thoughts
"Are concrete sellers this powerful these days?"
Jiang's father said blankly.
"What do you know! I've heard that people who can do this are all big bosses. Don't underestimate selling concrete! Ordinary people really don't have that kind of capital."
Jiang's mother patted Jiang's father on the shoulder and said with deep agreement.
After saying that, he glanced at Jiang Bai, then at Ding Si who was leaving with Yang Youliang, and said with envy, "Son, work hard, and when you make money in the future, go sell concrete too."
Jiang Bai could only manage a wry smile, utterly at a loss for how to respond.
Ding Si was very efficient. The next day, when a coworker came to see Jiang Yubin, he brought news that Yang Youliang had been beaten up the day before, and that his leg had been broken.
That night, he was taken away by the local discipline inspection commission, and the police also intervened in the investigation. It was said that he had committed a serious crime, involving embezzlement, bribery, misappropriation of public funds, and collusion with criminal gangs to form an organized crime group.
Several vicious assault and rape cases from previous years also occurred at the same time.
Judging from his appearance, he probably won't be able to get out in this lifetime. If things don't go well, he might get shot.
As for Gong Xiaoquan, he brought a lot of gifts to the hospital the next day and warmly inquired about Jiang's father's injuries.
They then made a solemn promise to compensate him. Although Mr. Jiang refused repeatedly, the other party still left 100,000 yuan as a form of emotional distress compensation.
As for the factory demolition and other matters, he didn't mention them at all. It's not hard to guess that without Yang Youliang's help, this unscrupulous businessman went back and did some calculations, realized it wasn't worth it, and thus backed down.
Jiang Bai didn't pursue the matter further, because the 100,000 yuan compensation from Gong Xiaoquan was a small matter.
On that day, leaders from the relevant authorities accompanied Gong Xiaoquan and praised Jiang's father for his fearless spirit in the face of criminal forces, his unity with his fellow workers in resisting them, and his heroic injuries.
It was also stated that with Yang Youliang's arrest, the problems of this large state-owned factory have also come to light. At this time, it is necessary for outstanding employees like Jiang's father, who dare to endure hardship, dare to fight, and expose the criminal activities of those lawbreakers, to stand up and shoulder the responsibility.
So, on the second day after Jiang Bai was hospitalized, under Gong Xiaoquan's manipulation, Jiang's father, who had worked as a front-line worker for more than 20 years, was suddenly promoted to the position of executive deputy factory director.
Although it was somewhat against the rules, the other party still managed to make it happen.
Jiang Bai knew that this was a statement made by Gong Xiaoquan. If it weren't for his father's situation, which made it somewhat difficult for him to control a factory, he believed that Gong Xiaoquan would definitely do his best to make things work out.
This matter was also relayed to Jiang Bai through Ding Si, and Jiang Bai said he would not pursue it further.
The other party is so cooperative and is a real local strongman. Jiang Bai has no conflict of interest with him, so there's no need to drive him to his death.
As for whether Gong Xiaoquan would dare to retaliate, Jiang Bai didn't care at all. Not to mention Gong Xiaoquan, even his father, Mayor Gong, probably wouldn't have the guts.
Jiang Bai was almost certain that Ding Si had revealed his situation to the other party that very night; otherwise, Jiang's father wouldn't have been able to become the executive deputy factory director, and the 100,000 yuan compensation would have been nothing but a pipe dream.
Once Gong Xiaoquan realized what was happening, it would be strange if he didn't retaliate immediately. He was far from being so meek and obedient. The next day, when he saw Jiang Bai and Jiang's father, he acted like a son.
He even left a message saying, "Uncle Jiang, don't worry. Although you are the executive deputy factory director, whoever the newcomer is, if he dares to make you uncomfortable, just tell your nephew, and I'll make him regret it."
The matter of Jiang's father's injury was resolved within a few days.
Jiang's father inexplicably got promoted and made a fortune, while Lin Guodong seemed to be deep in thought.
The once quiet environment of Jiang Bai's home has been completely transformed, and factory staff who have heard the news have come to offer their condolences one after another.
Besides the relevant leaders, there were also some deputy factory directors, owners, section chiefs, and even some former coworkers and retired leaders who all came to visit Jiang's father.
The hospital was constantly filled with visitors, which was extremely annoying. Jiang Bai couldn't stand the harassment after just one day and went home.
However, the harassment did not stop, and Jiang's father, unable to bear it any longer, discharged himself from the hospital that day.
Back home, the place was still bustling with activity, as more and more people heard the news and came over.
There are still ten days or so until the Lunar New Year. Tomorrow is only the 20th of the twelfth lunar month, but Jiang Bai's family's New Year's goods have already filled their small room.
Yangcheng Textile Factory was a pillar enterprise in Yangcheng. At its peak, it employed tens of thousands of people and was a large state-owned enterprise.
Although the textile factory gradually declined under Yang Youliang's leadership and was hit by the wave of layoffs that year, resulting in the departure of many people, it still employs seven or eight thousand people today.
Among them, there are countless leaders, key personnel, workers, and others who can be associated with the Jiang family.
Besides them, there are also some suppliers, distributors, and so on who are related to the textile factory.
These people, when combined, numbered in large numbers, naturally causing the Jiang family considerable trouble.
Jiang Bai was even forced to stay in a hotel, where he invited his parents, but they both refused his offer.
Firstly, their long-term stressful lifestyle made them unaccustomed to the sudden changes. Although they had money, they still felt a little reluctant to spend several thousand yuan to stay in a hotel for ten or twenty days.
Secondly, Jiang's mother seems to really enjoy this bustling, lively life, even though the old man isn't used to it.
Women, after being suppressed for so many years, are bound to enjoy the sudden opportunity to stand tall and be superior.
Seeing the faces of the leaders' wives, who had previously looked down on her and even despised her, now as warm as chrysanthemums, she felt a strange excitement.
Jiang Bai saw all this but didn't point it out. As long as the old couple was happy, he had no reason not to support them.
However, there was one thing that Jiang Bai didn't know whether to be happy or worried about.
Jiang's father's inexplicable rise in status revitalized his mother's previously gloomy mood.
She actually liked Lin Wanru, but due to her family situation, she felt somewhat inferior, which caused her to have some resistance to the matter.
Now that her status has suddenly risen, she's got some ideas and has been going to Lin Wanru's house quite often these past few days.
They would send gifts from others there in large quantities.
This left Jiang Bai speechless; his mother's change of heart was too rapid.
What's even more painful is that she not only put her mind to Lin Wanru, but also to Jiang Bai, and has made it clear, both openly and subtly, that Jiang Bai's business in Tiandu is unreliable and that working for the government is more stable.
Bring Jiang Bai back. Through Jiang's father's connections, get Jiang Bai a job at the textile factory. Jiang's father is the executive deputy factory director now. If Jiang Bai works there for a few years, getting him a workshop director position shouldn't be a problem.
Chapter 231 Class Reunion
If it were just Jiang's mother thinking that way, that would be one thing.
The problem is that after she made this suggestion, Jiang's father was quite interested.
They originally had no such intention, and their working-class family couldn't afford to provide much for Jiang Bai.
But then Jiang's father was suddenly promoted to deputy factory director, which made him start to have some ideas.
They were thinking of getting Jiang Bai to give up his business, which they considered unstable, and come back to work in the factory.
They even went so far as to have a serious talk with Jiang Bai.
This is the real reason why Jiang Bai hurriedly hid.
He really didn't want to argue with the elderly couple over something like this.
But with such a favorable situation in Tiandu, how could he give up so easily?
The Tiandu Empire Enterprises are there, and there are so many acquaintances and friends there.
More importantly, there's that disgusting system, and that damned "I am the king of the world" mission.
For whatever reason, Jiang Bai could not possibly give up everything in Tiandu and return to Yangcheng to become a mediocre worker.
Unless someone is an idiot, they probably wouldn't do something like this.
This is also why Jiang Bai hid in the hotel.
We arrived at a mid-to-high-end hotel not far from home and booked two rooms.
One standard room and one large suite.
The suite is for my own use, while the standard room is for dealing with unexpected inspections.
To avoid my parents suddenly coming and grumbling when they see Jiang Baikai's room.
This is what Jiang Bai fears most.
After checking into the hotel, I was finally free from the hustle and bustle of the city.
This allowed Jiang Bai's life to return to comfort and peace.
Aside from staying in the hotel, he would go out with Lin Wanru to eat, sing karaoke, watch movies, go shopping, and so on. Life was quite pleasant.
Their relationship quickly heated up, and once, after a passionate kiss in a hotel, they almost lost control and something happened.
During this time, Jiang Yuqing, Zhu Xinxin, Su Mei, Ye Qingcheng, Yao Lan, and others all called Jiang Bai, and they greeted each other and had a good chat.
However, compared to Jiang Yuqing's heartfelt confession and Zhu Xinxin's ingratiating invitation, Ye Qingcheng's words left Jiang Bai feeling quite uncomfortable.
The reason that girl called Jiang Bai was to tell him that the wine at home was almost gone and to ask him when he would be back so that he could buy some more.
If Jiang Bai can't go back for a while, could you ask Xiao Tian to take care of things?
Jiang Bai remained silent, and only after being harassed by the other party did he reluctantly agree before hanging up the phone.
Yao Lan called three days after Ye Qingcheng called, explained some company matters, and then directly told Jiang Bai that the family's wine cellar was empty again because he was not at home.
So she took out a sum of money and had Xiaotian purchase a batch of red wine from a well-known winery in the city, costing around three million.
As for the blame, it should naturally be placed on Jiang Baitou.
Faced with Jiang Bai's resistance and rejection, she directly stated that if Jiang Bai was unwilling, then the blame could be placed on Ye Qingcheng.
Ironically, that silly girl was also on the other end of the phone. After hearing Yao Lan's suggestion, she didn't object at all. Instead, she seriously told Jiang Bai that she had been working very hard and had earned a lot of money for the company. Since she didn't need the money anyway, Jiang Bai could deduct her commission or something.
Jiang Bai rolled his eyes upon hearing this, and finally said helplessly that it would be better if he paid for it himself, so as not to deduct Ye Qingcheng's salary.
In the end, Jiang Bai received only triumphant screams from the two girls, which made him hang up the phone with a wry smile.
Compared to these people, Su Mei's situation was much simpler. She simply asked Jiang Bai where he had been recently and then chatted casually for a few minutes.
She remained extremely calm throughout, except for the moment when Jiang Bai asked her if she was pregnant.
Su Mei seemed very nervous, and it took her a while to tell Jiang Bai that she didn't.
She then told Jiang Bai that he could contact her after he got back, maybe have a meal together, and then hung up the phone.
Without explicitly stating it, the meaning was clear: Su Mei hadn't given up and was determined to see the matter of having a child through to the end.
Life in Yangcheng is simple and leisurely. As the New Year approaches, the Jiang family here doesn't need to prepare any New Year's goods this year.
The New Year's goods at home were already piled up like a mountain, and Ding Si had made a special trip to deliver dozens of kilograms of imported beef, a pig that he said he raised on his own farm in the mountains, as well as some chickens, ducks and other things, all of which were cleaned and delivered.
Jiang's parents were at a loss as to what to do, so they could only give a lot to Lin Wanru's family to prevent it from spoiling there.
As the Lunar New Year drew closer, on the 25th of the twelfth lunar month, Jiang Bai suddenly received a call from an unfamiliar number. When he answered, a familiar voice said, "Xiao Bai, what's up? Are you coming back this year?"
Jiang Bai was startled by the voice, then realized it was the voice of his old classmate Liao Xiao. The two had a good relationship when they were in school and often hung out together in high school.
However, after Jiang Bai graduated from high school, he went to work in Tiandu, and their relationship faded away.
They kept in touch for the first two years. I heard that after Liao Xiao graduated from high school, he didn't continue his studies. Instead, he did some small business with his family and did quite well, at least much better than Jiang Bai at the time.
It's been years since we last contacted each other, and Jiang Bai didn't even save his phone number. He doesn't know how the other person found him.
"Brother Xiao, why did you suddenly think of me? Is something wrong?"
Jiang Bai asked curiously, without much small talk, and went straight to the point.
"Hey, you rascal... It's like this, we old classmates haven't seen each other in a long time, it's been quite a few years, we're all scattered all over the country, and we haven't kept in touch much. But recently a lot of people have come back, so I was thinking of organizing a class reunion, and that's why I called you."
Liao Xiao laughed and explained his purpose.
"Class reunion? When?"
Jiang Bai was taken aback by these words, and then asked.
He wasn't particularly enthusiastic about it, but he wasn't opposed to it either.
I used to have a few friends with whom I had a fairly good relationship, but we haven't been in touch for a long time. It would be good to meet up.
"Tomorrow night, Yangcheng Wealth and Glory Hall, 7 o'clock."
Liao Xiao gave the address, then exchanged a few more pleasantries with Jiang Bai, and only after confirming that Jiang Bai would definitely arrive did she hang up the phone.
Before leaving, he gave Jiang Bai a group number and asked Jiang Bai to add it.
Jiang Bai did not refuse. He opened his phone, added the chat software, gave his name, and joined the group.
At the same time, my mind started racing. This software called TT is really popular right now, and it has the potential to dominate the market. With the rapid development of the internet, it has begun to expand continuously.
Currently, it has at least 100 million users, and it is growing exponentially every day.
Jiang Bai was quite interested in this.
Previously, Jiang Bai didn't have enough financial resources, so he didn't have many ideas, but now his mind is becoming more active.
Chapter 232 I didn't expect you to be here too.
Jiang Bai doesn't have a lot of cash on hand, but the Imperial Enterprises Group has a good credit rating and no debt. If Jiang Bai is willing, with the assets and good operating conditions of the Imperial Enterprises Group, it would be easy to get a considerable amount of money.
Moreover, Jiang Bai can borrow from many people in Tiandu whenever he needs to.
Given his credit, even without alerting Zhao Wuji, he could easily dismantle billions.
If Zhao Wuji is alerted, given the situation of Wuji Enterprises... 20 billion in cash can be mobilized in two or three months.
With resources and connections, Jiang Bai can naturally satisfy his desire for expansion.
Jiang Bai had this idea about this TT.
Jiang Bai's execution ability is beyond doubt; they act on their desires.
Jiang Bai immediately called Yao Lan and asked her to investigate TT's situation before hanging up.
The next day, in the afternoon, Jiang Bai changed his clothes, tidied himself up, gave Lin Wanru some instructions, and headed straight for "Wealth and Glory," located in the bustling downtown area of Yangcheng.
When I got to the door, I checked my watch. It was exactly seven o'clock. I stepped inside and immediately saw a familiar figure. It was none other than my old classmate who had called me. Who else could it be but Liao Xiao?
"Old classmate, long time no see! How are you doing these days?"
As soon as they entered, the other party saw Jiang Bai.
It has to be said that Liao Xiao is just as sharp-eyed as he was when he was in school.
"It's alright, nothing special. You won't starve, but you won't be full either."
Jiang Bai chuckled and replied.
I haven't been in much contact with Liao Xiao these past two years, but that guy knows about my previous miserable state.
What does it mean to ask this question now?
"Hey, okay, I won't say any more to you. Let's go upstairs. Quite a few people have arrived, hehe, including your first love."
Hearing Jiang Bai's words, the other party chuckled and didn't dwell on the matter further. He patted Jiang Bai on the shoulder and then told him to go upstairs.
Jiang Bai nodded in agreement and went upstairs without saying anything more.
The polite small talk made Jiang Bai realize that his relationship with this old classmate could never be the same as it was back in their youthful days.
The estrangement between them has already occurred and is irreversible.
As for things like first love, Jiang Bai didn't care at all.
It was just a vague crush from high school; it was never made clear, and there will never be another chance to make it clear.
I heard she's already married; she was the first in our class to get married, to that famous rich kid in our class.
Jiang Bai was saddened when he first heard the news, but now he's indifferent to it all.
Let alone him, who has been replaced by a different soul, even the former security guard Jiang Bai doesn't really care much anymore.
Upon reaching the top floor, Jiang Bai gave the door number of Ronghua Hall and, with the polite and enthusiastic guidance of the waiter, entered the largest private room on the third floor of "Ronghua Hall".
"Oh dear, someone's here again... Let me see who it is."
As soon as the door opened, Jiang Bai heard a familiar male voice coming from inside. The next second, Jiang Bai appeared in front of everyone, and the first thing he saw was a young man with a buzz cut.
However, the other person's smile was clearly a little stiff.
"Oh, it's Jiang Bai... I didn't expect you to come too."
The speaker was Yuan Yuan, Jiang Bai's old classmate, but the two didn't get along very well when they were in school.
This guy is a snob, a lackey of some rich kids in the class. Jiang Bai once got into a fight with him.
This guy was skinny and small, no match for Jiang Bai at all. Even though someone helped him that time, he was still taught a lesson by Jiang Bai.
From then on, the two became irreconcilable enemies and never contacted each other after graduating from high school. They only heard that the guy went to college, a third-rate vocational college.
Even so, it's still better than what Jiang Bai did before.
Upon seeing Jiang Bai arrive, the other party's enthusiasm clearly waned. He coldly uttered this sentence and sat down listlessly.
"You two, how come you still remember this from so many years ago? I say, Yuan Yuan, you're quite petty. Come on, Jiang Bai, sit down."
Yuan Yuan reacted coldly, but some people are more adept at handling things.
Just as Yuan Yuan sat down, a young man stood up, smiled at Jiang Bai, said something to Yuan Yuan in a light tone, and then pulled Jiang Bai to sit down.
This caused Yuan Yuan's face to turn slightly red as he muttered, "I'm not being petty. I've forgotten about what happened back then. I was just a little surprised to see Jiang Bai. I haven't seen him for several years. I didn't expect him to attend the class reunion."
"Yeah, Jiang Bai, I haven't seen you since graduating from high school. When we had our class reunion, everyone was talking about you. We heard you went to Tiandu to develop your career. How are you doing now?"
"Yeah, Jiang Bai, I've heard it's a tough place to make it in Tiandu. We have a few classmates studying there, but I haven't seen you contact them."
"Jiang Bai, you weren't a very good student back then, but you could have gone to a vocational college with some money. Why didn't you go? What kind of job are you doing now?"
Yuan Yuan's words immediately piqued the interest of everyone in the room.
At this moment, there were already more than twenty men and women sitting inside. Almost everyone had arrived, but Wang Qianqian, who had been chatting with Jiang Bai earlier, was nowhere to be seen. It was estimated that after what happened yesterday, she probably wouldn't show up.
Jiang Bai, who hadn't appeared for many years, became the focus of attention after Yuan Yuan said something, and everyone seemed very curious about his current situation.
"Start a small business."
Jiang Bai smiled slightly and didn't say much, only that he was a small business owner.
"Business? That means making a fortune? What kind of business is so profitable these days?"
Upon hearing Jiang Bai's words, some people immediately began to ask questions.
"It's a small business, not enough to make much money, just enough to get by."
Jiang Bai continued to smile, without saying anything more.
After he said that, no one asked any further questions.
Then some people started joking with each other, talking about some funny things that happened when they were young, but this topic didn't seem to be very popular.
After only a couple of sentences, no one said anything more. Instead, people are now more focused on things like work, finances, and connections.
Several people who had decent jobs received more attention immediately after explaining their situation.
Two classmates, in particular, who worked in local government departments, were especially fawned over.
For some reason, this made him feel that the friendship he had shared with his classmates back then seemed to have changed.
This classmate will have a different idea from Jiang Bai's.
After not seeing each other for many years, instead of sharing their feelings and reminiscing about the past, they discussed the present and the future, focusing on utilitarian matters.
It makes people very uncomfortable.
While the people at the table were chatting, more and more people came in.
Upon arrival, everyone greeted each other. Some joined the larger discussion, while others started chatting and laughing in their own small groups.
The small circle consists of people who have been close friends since childhood and still keep in touch.
At first glance, there were actually three or four groups of people gathered together, chatting and laughing.
The main group consists of Jiang Bai and his associates, most of whom dropped out of high school or studied or worked in other places. They only returned home for the Spring Festival and had little contact with their old classmates.
In places like Yangcheng, there are actually many people like this.
Chapter 233 Let's see who's here.
"Look who's here! Isn't this our class beauty Ni Ni and Young Master Hu!"
Just then, the door suddenly opened, and two figures appeared in front of Jiang Bai.
Immediately, people screamed, and several people stood up and rushed forward.
Jiang Bai recognized that most of them were locally developed.
Jiang Bai wasn't surprised by this. Of the two people who came, Ni Ni was undoubtedly the prettiest girl in their class, much prettier than Wang Qianqian, whom Jiang Bai had met on a blind date who was looking for a "second choice".
She was once the dream girl of all the boys in her class.
She is also the female protagonist in Jiang Bai's hazy feelings.
As for the man, his name is Hu Kai. He is in the same class as Jiang Bai and is a well-known rich second-generation. His father owns a local chain supermarket and has assets worth tens of millions.
In Yangcheng, a small place, he's considered a person of some importance.
Of course, the gap between them and those at the top of Yangcheng is huge. Not to mention someone like Ding Si, even someone like Yang Youliang is far stronger than his father.
However, compared to Jiang Bai and his friends, their family backgrounds were several levels higher.
It should be noted that Yangcheng No. 3 Middle School, where Jiang Bai studied, was only a second-rate school in Yangcheng. In fact, not many students there came from particularly good families.
When Hu Kai first came to their class, many people were surprised and didn't understand why this guy would come to their No. 3 Middle School.
Given Hu Kai's family's financial situation, spending some money should be enough to get into the top two middle schools.
Later, by chance, Jiang Bai learned the truth from others: Hu Kai had come here because he was attracted by the situation at No. 3 Middle School and wanted to find a sense of superiority.
Although his family was well-off, there were always some people who looked down on him at No. 1 and No. 2 Middle Schools, which made him very unhappy.
On the contrary, he is not as good as these three; he is unique.
To put it nicely, it's better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix.
To put it bluntly, they seek superiority in a pile of rotten grass, trying to stand out and have an extremely strong desire to perform.
"Haha, how's it going, students? Are you satisfied with today's arrangements? Let me tell you, this 'Wealth and Glory' restaurant is doing incredibly well. If it weren't for the fact that my dad and I are buddies with the owner, we wouldn't have been able to book a table here today. Everyone, feel free to eat... All the bills are on me today."
After entering the room, Hu Kai looked around and said in a hearty manner, with an air of magnanimity.
While he was speaking, one of his hands never left Ni Ni's waist.
His words immediately drew cheers and applause.
Then, a string of flattering words followed, such as "Young Master Hu is so generous," "It seems the class beauty didn't choose the wrong person," and so on.
Jiang Bai couldn't help but frown upon hearing this.
It's been years since I last saw them, and these people have become far too calculating.
"Hey, isn't this Jiang Bai? What brings you here? Long time no see! Haha, why didn't you come to my wedding with Ni Ni? Were you afraid of upsetting my Ni Ni?"
Just then, Hu Kai, who had just entered and taken his seat, saw Jiang Bai, was taken aback at first, and then said loudly with a smile.
Upon hearing this, some people were stunned, while others wore mocking smiles.
It's no secret that Jiang Bai likes Ni Ni; most of the boys in the class also like her.
This was nothing unusual.
However, it seems that Ni Ni had a special feeling for Jiang Bai back then, and the two had some vague feelings for each other.
Back then, Ni Ni was not only the class beauty but also the class monitor. The teacher asked her to sit next to Jiang Bai, a poor student, and to help him...
As they spent more time together, they naturally developed some vague feelings of affection for each other.
People used to make fun of the two of them.
Who could have imagined that, with the passage of time, the class beauty would marry the most hated rich second-generation Hu Kai, while his deskmate Jiang Bai would disappear into the vast sea of people.
Many people have already forgotten about this incident, or perhaps they do remember it but are too embarrassed to bring it up.
Now that Hu Kai has said this, it immediately draws everyone's attention.
"Don't talk nonsense, there's nothing between me and Jiang Bai! You know that!"
Before Jiang Bai could speak, Ni Ni spoke first, immediately distancing herself from Jiang Bai. A hint of disgust flashed in her eyes, as if she was eager to distance herself from Jiang Bai, but it was very subtle and not noticeable to most people.
"What are you afraid of! Everyone has a past! Before you came with me, didn't you also have a bit of a crush on this kid? Why are you afraid I'll mind now? Hehe. Do you think I'm that petty?"
Hu Kai didn't stop talking because of Ni Ni's words, and waved his hand dismissively.
He then glanced at Jiang Bai, a victorious smile on his face, hugged Ni Ni and kissed her, proudly saying to Jiang Bai, "Jiang Bai, didn't you say Ni Ni didn't like someone like me? Look at you now, Ni Ni is with me, isn't she?"
Jiang Bai felt like a million grass mud horses were galloping through his mind at this.
Jiang Bai didn't have any special feelings for Ni Ni.
To be honest, this woman is good-looking, above average. She was the best-looking girl in the school back then, and even now, she would be considered a "beauty" anywhere.
But that depends on who she's compared to. Jiang Bai's companions—Jiang Yuqing, Lin Wanru, Su Mei, Yao Lan, and even the youngest, Zhu Xinxin—are all several levels above her.
As for Ye Qingcheng... let's not compare.
It's a pervert that can crush all women's appearances into pieces, making you never dare to utter the word "beauty" again, and can't be lumped together with ordinary people.
Jiang Bai really didn't know where Hu Kai got his sense of superiority from.
Back when I was in school, I wasn't good at studying, had a terrible temper, and was known for being a good fighter. I was quite a prominent figure.
He's beaten up countless people, and it seems like Hu Kai is one of them?
Thinking about it, it seems there really is some truth to it. Back when Hu Kai was pursuing Ni Ni, he got beaten up by me.
Later, this guy sought revenge on me, but I ended up getting beaten up again.
Later... later still, Jiang Bai graduated and left, going directly to Tiandu. We haven't seen each other for years.
Could it be... that this guy still remembers?
Thinking about this gave Jiang Bai a headache, because when he thought back to his school days, he didn't have many friends, but he certainly had quite a few enemies.
He glanced around and saw that there were already twenty or thirty people there, at least four or five of whom he had beaten up before.
This made Jiang Bai blush slightly.
"Congratulations! So why are you telling me this now? Are you asking for a red envelope? Um, should I give you one right now?"
In response to Hu Kai's words, Jiang Bai smiled and pretended to take out his money.
There was no trace of regret or shame on her face, nor the utter embarrassment and inexplicable pain that Hu Kai had imagined, which greatly disappointed Hu Kai.
"Oh dear, Young Master Hu, please don't make things difficult for my brother. He works as a security guard in Tiandu, do you know how hard it is for him? He only makes a little over a thousand yuan a month. If he really gives you a red envelope, he won't even have a month's salary left. Aren't you just making things difficult for him?"
Just then, a voice feigning surprise and displeasure rang out, and Liao Xiao appeared out of nowhere, followed by several people.
He happened to hear Jiang Bai's words and immediately interrupted.
His words drew a burst of laughter, instantly darkening Jiang Bai's face.
Chapter 234 Not Enough Space?
Jiang Bai isn't stupid; Liao Xiao appeared at this moment and said those words.
On the surface, it seems like he's speaking up for me, but anyone can tell that he's actually insulting me.
"No wonder you haven't contacted me in so long! You suddenly reached out to me, and you're even going to a class reunion? You're something else!"
Jiang Bai was furious. Even if he was stupid, he could guess why Liao Xiao, who hadn't contacted him for years, would suddenly invite him to a class reunion.
So this was all pre-arranged to embarrass me in front of so many old classmates.
If Jiang Bai remembered correctly, he had a bad temper and was prone to causing trouble. Many people in the class had a grudge against him, but Liao Xiao was definitely not one of them.
That bastard! I even helped him fight back then, and someone smashed my head open with a brick, bleeding buckets of blood. I've stood up for him countless times when he got into trouble.
Now look what's happened! Not only do they forget the kindness they showed me before, but they've also teamed up with Hu Kai to scheme against me.
The atmosphere in the room instantly plummeted to freezing point after the laughter subsided.
Everyone felt somewhat awkward.
"Ahem, we're all classmates, why are we talking about this? Almost everyone's here, sit down, it's been so long, let's have a good chat."
Finally, a boy standing nearby couldn't stand the awkward atmosphere any longer, so he stood up and spoke up, which helped to smooth things over.
"Hehe, yes, we're all classmates. If you ever need anything, just let me know. Well, anything that can be solved with money is no problem."
Hu Kai laughed and pulled Ni Ni to sit down, ignoring Jiang Bai, and casually took the seat of honor.
Of course, he didn't shamelessly take the seat himself; naturally, someone would politely offer it to him at that moment, such as Yuan Yuan or Liao Xiao.
After feigning politeness and offering the seat three times, Liao Xiao finally sat down in the middle seat at the head of the table, facing Jiang Bai.
"Oh dear, what's going on? There are so many people today, I forgot that this table isn't small, but it's not enough for everyone. What should we do?"
Just as everyone was about to take their seats, Liao Xiao suddenly slapped his forehead and said with a look of regret.
"What's going on... Aren't you the organizer? How come you don't know how many people are coming? Are there not enough seats?"
Upon hearing this, Hu Kai feigned surprise and said...
"That's right. I called Jiang Bai earlier just to ask, thinking he was too busy with security work to come. Who knew Jiang Bai would actually come? Well... I forgot to arrange a seat for Jiang Bai."
Liao Xiao said with a regretful expression, and after saying this, she made a troubled look, but her eyes were staring straight at Jiang Bai who was sitting there.
Although no words were spoken, the meaning couldn't be clearer.
"We're all classmates, we can just squeeze in!"
When Liao Xiao said this, most people remained silent, looking at the scene before them with strange expressions.
As for Ni Ni beside Hu Kai, her expression remained calm. She glanced at Jiang Bai, her eyes darting around, and wisely kept silent throughout. She lowered her head, fiddling with her nails, as if nothing had happened.
However, in the end, some people couldn't stand it anymore and spoke up.
The speaker was Niu Yang, the former sports committee member. He and Jiang Bai were not really friends, so it was unexpected that he would speak up at this time.
His words immediately drew a lot of agreement, since everyone was a classmate and no one wanted to make things too awkward, regardless of the reason.
At first, no one spoke up because they didn't want to offend Hu Kai, but now that Niu Yang had chimed in, they didn't mind joining in and doing him a favor.
Unfortunately, their opinions were ignored. Liao Xiao chuckled and said noncommittally, "I'd like to add more chairs too, but this 'Wealth and Glory' restaurant has its rules. This table is designed for twenty-eight people. Even if I want to add chairs, others have to add them for me."
"Damn it, this is a lie!"
Upon hearing this, countless people cursed inwardly.
Is this some kind of bullying? Are we just country bumpkins who've never been to the city and never eaten before?
When did restaurants stop allowing customers to add even a single chair?
If such a place truly existed, it would have closed down long ago.
But at this moment, no one was willing to speak up, and even Niu Yang, who had spoken out righteously before, wisely shut his mouth.
Because when Liao Xiao said those words, it was obvious that Hu Kai had just whispered them in his ear. The people present weren't blind, so how could they not see it?
Although everyone feels sorry for Jiang Bai at this moment, would you say that you should offend Hu Kai for Jiang Bai's sake?
Well... nobody wants to do it.
Everyone knows Hu Kai is rich, and his father's business has been doing so well in recent years, reportedly approaching 100 million.
Given the choice between a local billionaire and a migrant worker security guard, anyone would know which to choose.
Even those classmates who went to work in other places knew whose side they should stand on.
Not to mention those local development guys who have countless connections with Hu Kai; the fact that they didn't come up and directly trample on Jiang Bai's face is already quite a show of courtesy.
"This is all a setup. These bastards are ganging up on me to embarrass me."
Jiang Bai cursed inwardly, already plotting how to deal with the current situation.
He flipped the table and left, never to be contacted again.
Or will he beat these grandsons so badly they can't take care of themselves?
Or perhaps this will call someone over, so they'll know who they are?
Jiang Bai's mind raced as he began to think about how he should respond.
"Liao Xiao, think of a way. Jiang Bai came all the way from Tiandu, and he didn't even want to earn a few dozen yuan a day to attend the class reunion. You can't let him come here and leave without even being able to eat, can you?"
"He's Ni Ni's first love, after all. We can't do this."
Upon hearing this, Hu Kai feigned surprise and looked at Liao Xiao with a frown.
While saying this, she didn't forget to use Ni Ni to provoke Jiang Bai.
"Young Master Hu is right. Jiang Bai and I are brothers. How can we let Jiang Bai just leave like this?"
"I have an idea, Jiang Bai... How about this, you see there's a sofa over there, and next to it is a table, right? When everyone's eating later, you can prepare a set of tableware. Whatever you want to eat, just pick up the plate, take some food, and then squat down over there to eat. Don't worry, the food and drinks will be plentiful!"
Upon hearing Hu Kai's words, Liao Xiao immediately responded, reciting the lines fluently as if she had practiced them countless times.
As she said this, she looked at Jiang Bai with an expression that said, "I'm thinking of you, isn't my idea great?"
It makes one want to vomit.
Upon hearing this, not only Jiang Bai's expression changed, but the expressions of several other people at the table also changed. They hesitated to speak, but ultimately remained silent.
However, most of them chuckled softly, following Hu Kai's wild laughter.
As for Ni Ni, who once had a vague romantic relationship with Jiang Bai, she didn't say a single word in Jiang Bai's defense from beginning to end.