Chapter 123: The First Challenge

It was already outrageous enough that Pan Yixuan had invited Jiang Hao to his birthday party, but what was even stranger was that Jiang Hao actually planned to attend.

Jiang Hao laughed cheerfully and retorted, “Why shouldn’t we go? Pan Yixuan is pretending to be generous by inviting us. If we don’t go, wouldn’t that mean we’re afraid of him? So, we absolutely have to attend his birthday party!”

“Aren’t you afraid he’ll embarrass you at the banquet?” Su Qingli asked reluctantly.

“Are you worried about me?” Jiang Hao smiled warmly at Su Qingli.

Hearing this, Su Qingli’s cheeks flushed instantly. She shook her head quickly. “Who’s worried about you... If you want to go, then go. But I’m warning you, if Pan Yixuan really humiliates you at the party, don’t expect me to bail you out.”

“Don’t worry, your husband isn’t that weak,” Jiang Hao chuckled, ruffling her hair affectionately.

The next afternoon, at the starting point.

A silver Bugatti Veyron roared like the wind as it sped to the grand gate of the Pan family estate, screeching sharply to a halt.

In Maple Leaf City, this Bugatti Veyron was truly one of a kind.

As soon as Jiang Hao’s car arrived, it immediately drew the attention of countless guests arriving at the Pan residence for the banquet.

One after another, they glanced enviously, some with obvious jealousy and resentment.

Jiang Hao stepped out of the car and walked to the passenger side to open the door for Su Qingli.

A slender, delicate hand reached out, gripping Jiang Hao’s arm, and then the stunningly beautiful Su Qingli gracefully stepped out.

The phrase “luxury car with a beauty” couldn’t have been more fitting.

Standing beside the Bugatti Veyron, Su Qingli was like a magnificent painting come to life. The guests in the distance were stunned, especially the single male guests whose eyes fixed unblinkingly on her, unable to look away.

Such a scene was not unfamiliar; a similar moment had occurred at a previous Su family banquet.

Back then, Jiang Hao and Su Qingli stood far apart, like strangers.

But now, they stood hand in hand, radiating the charm of an ideal couple.

“Everyone’s looking at you,” Jiang Hao joked.

Hearing this, Su Qingli’s cheeks flushed slightly.

She bit her lip and said, “I told you I didn’t want to wear this dress, but you insisted…”

Her tone was tinged with complaint.

It was understandable—her silver fishtail gown was breathtakingly beautiful, exuding an aura of elegance and nobility.

This gown had been custom-made by Jiang Hao’s arrangement just the day before, so Su Qingli could wear it to the banquet.

Now, she had indeed become the center of attention, with no one present failing to notice her.

“My wife is a great beauty, so of course she should look her best,” Jiang Hao said joyfully, wrapping his arm around Su Qingli’s slender waist.

Feeling his touch, Su Qingli’s face flushed a deeper shade of red.

She tried to twist away, but couldn’t escape Jiang Hao’s grasp. Resigned, she endured the embarrassment in silence.

“Let’s go; we’re heading to the venue,” Jiang Hao said, holding her close as they entered the Pan estate and approached the entrance of the grand hall on the first floor.

Inside was the banquet hall, from which lively, noisy voices spilled out—the party was already underway.

Just as Jiang Hao and Su Qingli were about to enter, a security guard at the entrance raised his hand to block them.

“Do you have an invitation?” the guard asked.

An invitation?

Su Qingli was momentarily stunned, and the smile on Jiang Hao’s face froze.

Pan Yixuan had invited Su Qingli by phone yesterday, not by delivering an invitation card, so naturally, she had none. As for Jiang Hao, it was even less likely he had one!

Thus, they truly had no invitation to present.

Su Qingli quickly said, “We were personally invited by the host, Pan Yixuan, by phone, so we don’t have an invitation card.”

“Sorry, ma’am, without an invitation, I can’t let you in unless you can prove you were truly invited by our young master Pan,” the guard replied, stepping forward to block the entrance.

Jiang Hao felt a twinge of displeasure. “If you’re not sure whether Pan Yixuan invited us, why not just go ask your young master?”

“My duty is to stay here; I can’t leave freely,” the guard said arrogantly, no longer speaking politely to Jiang Hao as he had to Su Qingli.

At that moment, a burst of mocking laughter came from nearby.

“I thought who it was—turns out it’s the waste son-in-law of the Su family and Su Qingli, the runaway daughter of the Su family!”

“Heh, two fallen little characters really think they’re big shots?”

“Pan’s birthday party? There’s no way they were invited! They must be here to freeload.”

Hearing the scornful laughter around them, Jiang Hao’s expression darkened with anger.

Su Qingli’s face also grew very unpleasant.

They exchanged a glance, both fully aware that this was likely Pan Yixuan’s deliberate scheme.

Pan Yixuan had invited Su Qingli and Jiang Hao to his birthday party only to use the occasion to humiliate Jiang Hao and vent his anger.

The guard’s blocking them and allowing the guests to mock them was almost certainly the first hurdle Pan Yixuan had set for Jiang Hao.

So, how to overcome this challenge?

Jiang Hao immediately devised a plan. He loudly called out at the entrance to the banquet hall, “Pan Yixuan, since your people don’t want us at your party, then I, Jiang Hao, will leave! We’ll meet another day!”

With that, Jiang Hao took Su Qingli’s hand and turned to leave.

Several guests nearby were startled by Jiang Hao’s shout, then burst out laughing.

“This idiot really thinks shouting will make Young Master Pan come out to greet them?”

“Wow, first time I’ve seen someone so shameless.”

“Embarrassing to the extreme. If I were them, I’d find a hole in the ground and crawl into it!”

However, no sooner had they spoken than a young man in formal attire hurriedly rushed out from the banquet hall.

It was none other than Pan Yixuan himself.