Chapter 74: The Scapegoat

The other members of the Su family also began to speak up one after another.

“We were wrong, please, give the Su family a way out…”

All of them bowed their heads and admitted fault to Jiang Hao; the sight was truly grand and imposing!

With so many guests watching, what had happened tonight would surely spread throughout Maple Leaf City by tomorrow.

Patriarch Zhao Shibo of the Zhao family walked over, smiling, and said to Jiang Hao, “Mr. Jiang, you’ve made your point—perhaps that’s enough? If things were to end in a complete break with the Su family, that wouldn’t be a pleasant outcome for anyone.”

After Zhao Shibo’s words of persuasion, Jiang Hao finally nodded slowly.

Drawing a deep breath, Jiang Hao spoke coldly, “Since that’s the case, I’ll give your Su family a month’s reprieve. Within one month, you must pay back the twenty million you owe me. Do you understand?”

A month to repay twenty million—while not easy for the Su family, it was at least possible.

Madam Su’s heart filled with joy. She nodded repeatedly, agreeing at once. “Yes, yes, a month then—a month it is. I promise, within a month, the twenty million will be transferred to your account.”

The others in the Su family all breathed sighs of relief.

Jiang Hao cast a cold look over them; everyone who met his gaze instinctively lowered their heads, none daring to meet his eyes.

After that, Jiang Hao walked over to Pan Yixuan, who was slumped on the ground.

This was the eldest son of the Pan family!

Look at him now—how utterly wretched he seemed!

“Don’t think that just because you’re from a great family, a rich heir, you can always stand above others! As for your Pan family, you’re still nothing in my eyes,” Jiang Hao said icily, and with those words, he turned and strode away.

The banquet was far from over, but there was no reason to stay any longer.

Jiang Hao left the banquet hall, got into his car, but didn’t start it right away.

He took out a pack of cigarettes, pulled one out, and lit it.

With a long, deep inhale, the excitement in his chest gradually subsided.

Tonight’s banquet had been full of twists and turns, and the outcome had somewhat exceeded his expectations.

Especially that moment when Su Qingli knelt—truly, it had pained his heart.

Had he been too cold to her?

Jiang Hao reflected on himself, but then his mind flashed back to facing Wang Jun’an in the hospital, that chilling sense of facing death, and his heart grew hard and cold once more.

“I owe her nothing!”

He slammed his palm heavily against the steering wheel and shouted.

Suddenly, a startled cry sounded outside the car window. Jiang Hao turned to look, and there stood Bai Tianyu, the eldest daughter of the Bai family, clutching her chest, staring at him in displeasure.

Rolling down the window, Jiang Hao asked, “What do you want?”

“What are you shouting for? You gave me a fright… Open the door, I want to get in,” Bai Tianyu said, arms crossed, her tone unmistakably commanding.

Jiang Hao immediately rolled the window back up and started the car, preparing to leave the Su family estate.

Bai Tianyu grew anxious, pounding on the window as she protested, “What are you doing? Are you just going to leave me here? I just arrived in Maple Leaf City and don’t even have a place to stay! You can’t treat me like this… Let me in, or when I get back I’ll tell my grandfather you bullied me!”

Jiang Hao frowned, then pressed the button to unlock the door.

Bai Tianyu quickly got in, plopping herself down in the passenger seat with a cheerful grin.

The silver Bugatti Veyron sped away from the Su family’s ancestral home toward the eastern villa district. Bai Tianyu admired the night view as she spoke, “Mr. Jiang… Mind if I just call you Jiang Hao? Jiang Hao, where do you live? It’s alright if I stay at your place for a few days, isn’t it?”

“The Bai family’s young lady, and you don’t even have hotel money?” Jiang Hao replied coolly.

“I just don’t want to stay in a hotel… Why are you being so cold to me? I am the Bai family’s daughter, after all. Can’t you be a little more polite? You weren’t like this with me at the banquet just now!” Bai Tianyu complained.

Only then did Jiang Hao realize he’d been venting his frustration on her.

He coughed to cover his embarrassment, then explained after a moment, “Sorry, I’m not in a great mood… So, you want to stay at my place? That’s fine, as long as you don’t mind.”

As he spoke, Jiang Hao suddenly sensed something was off.

Why was the heiress of the Bai family so intent on sticking to him?

Could it be that she liked him?

No, absolutely not! Jiang Hao knew himself well enough—he wasn’t particularly handsome; his looks were merely above average, at best pleasing to the eye.

Although he possessed remarkable medical skills, Bai Tianyu was the daughter of the Bai family!

Ordinary women might take a liking to him, but how could a woman of her status fall for him so easily?

What a joke!

“Are you wondering why I’m following you around?” Bai Tianyu suddenly grinned mischievously.

“I do find it odd,” Jiang Hao admitted.

“It’s not that I have to stick with you. It’s just that I don’t know anyone else in Maple Leaf City, and you at least have deep ties with our Bai family. Who else am I supposed to follow—Pan Yixuan?” Bai Tianyu said with a sweet smile.

Jiang Hao thought about it, then nodded in agreement. “That’s true.”

“And besides, my father wants me to marry the eldest son of the Qian family in the provincial capital. I refused, so I slipped away without telling him. That jade Buddha the Qian young master gave my father? I stole it and gave it to Madam Su. So, you see, I need a shield. Who else but you?” Bai Tianyu said breezily.

Jiang Hao was so startled he nearly drove the car into the guardrail.

He slammed on the brakes; with a thud, Bai Tianyu’s forehead hit the window.

“Can’t you drive properly?” Bai Tianyu complained, rubbing her head.

Jiang Hao, however, opened the door and tried to push her out. “Get out, Miss Bai, I beg you! Don’t cling to me! You’re not using me as a shield, you’re making me your scapegoat!”

Everything Bai Tianyu had said at the banquet had been a lie! She had run away from home, stolen the jade Buddha that the Qian family’s young master had gifted her father, and given it to Madam Su!

Now, not only would the Bai family send people after her, but perhaps even the Qian family from the provincial capital would come looking as well.

To get involved with her at such a delicate time was nothing short of courting disaster!

Even if the Bai family let him off, the Qian family certainly wouldn’t.

If that Qian young master misunderstood and thought he was entangled with Bai Tianyu, he’d have gained yet another powerful enemy.

He hadn’t even dealt with the Pan family yet—if the Qian family from the capital came after him, how could he possibly survive?