Chapter 77: A Monumental Misunderstanding

Su Qingli stared in shock at the long dress in Jiang Hao’s hand.

Jiang Hao felt an acute embarrassment and instinctively said, “Don’t misunderstand, I was just helping…”

But before he finished, his voice calmed.

He and Su Qingli had already reached this point; their marriage was no different from being divorced. Since that was the case, what was there left to worry about? Even if she truly misunderstood him, so what?

With that thought, Jiang Hao changed his words. “This dress belongs to Miss Bai Tianyu from the Bai family. She stayed here last night, and I just washed her clothes for her.”

Hearing this, Su Qingli’s face turned sour.

But she didn’t dwell on the topic. Instead, she said, “I see… Jiang Hao, I’m here today to thank you for giving the Su family a chance. Although you only gave us a month, within that month, the Su family will definitely repay you the twenty million we owe.”

“You came just to say this?” Jiang Hao asked coldly.

Of course, that wasn’t the reason. She simply wanted to see him, but lacking a good excuse, she used gratitude as a pretense.

Now, confronted with Jiang Hao’s question, she found herself at a loss for words. After a long silence, she nodded. “Yes… I just wanted to thank you…”

“Then you’re done. Isn’t it time for you to leave?” Jiang Hao’s voice was icy.

Such coldness wounded Su Qingli deeply.

She sighed and said, “Jiang Hao, why won’t you forgive me? I’ve already explained everything to you about what happened back then!”

“I don’t believe you,” Jiang Hao replied mercilessly.

He hung the long dress on the laundry line and paid her no further attention, turning and heading into the main villa.

“Jiang Hao, don’t go… I haven’t finished!” Su Qingli called out anxiously, but the gate was locked and she couldn’t get in.

At that moment, the living room door opened and Bai Tianyu walked out, beaming.

“What’s for lunch, Jiang Hao?” she called out cheerfully.

The sight of Bai Tianyu struck Su Qingli like a bolt of lightning, freezing her in place.

Because Bai Tianyu’s clothes were all too familiar. She wore a white T-shirt with a cat face on the chest, and Jiang Hao, too, was wearing a white T-shirt, his bearing the image of a dog.

These two shirts were bought half a year ago during a mall promotion; Su Qingli had bought them for Jiang Hao so he could have something to change into.

Now, one of them was worn by Bai Tianyu. What did that mean?

At that moment, Bai Tianyu also noticed Su Qingli standing outside the gate. She laughed, “Jiang Hao, you have a guest! And it’s your wife, too—ha ha. Why don’t you let her in?”

Every word from Bai Tianyu pierced Su Qingli’s heart.

“Jiang Hao, I didn’t expect… I didn’t expect this from you… You’ve changed, Jiang Hao!” Su Qingli shouted through her tears, then turned and ran off, furious.

Watching her go, Jiang Hao felt a pang in his chest, but he quickly drew a deep breath and forced the pain down.

“Did I say something wrong?” Bai Tianyu asked, puzzled.

“No, you didn’t. She deserved it,” Jiang Hao replied bluntly, then gently nudged Bai Tianyu back into the living room.

“Let’s just order takeout for lunch. I have other things to do,” he said after ushering her inside.

Bai Tianyu tilted her head at him, then smiled in satisfaction. “Alright, but you’re paying.”

“Don’t order anything too expensive,” Jiang Hao reminded her.

Though he was now wealthy, he still spent money as prudently as before—never extravagant, a habit formed over many years.

But Bai Tianyu was different. As the eldest daughter of the Bai family, she likely had no concept of money. When she spent, it was on a scale few could match.

Sure enough, that lunch cost Jiang Hao over a thousand.

And that was after his warning!

Noticing Jiang Hao’s dark expression, Bai Tianyu pouted. “I didn’t even order my favorite charcoal-grilled abalone. I was being frugal, and you’re still not satisfied?”

“I just think you and I have nothing in common,” Jiang Hao sighed, turning to leave.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Bai Tianyu called out.

“I’m not hungry. You eat,” Jiang Hao replied, stepping out of the living room and heading to the backyard, where he entered the flower garden.

There, a single blood-red flower bloomed, its petals so crimson they seemed soaked in blood—a terrifying sight.

This was the Corpse-Scented Blood Lotus.

Earlier, Jiang Hao had transplanted it from his bedroom to the backyard garden; these days, he often fed it with fresh pork.

Now, the Corpse-Scented Blood Lotus was larger and more radiant, its fragrance even more intense.

Jiang Hao cleared away the weeds and discovered several dead rats and cockroaches nearby.

They had all been poisoned by the flower’s toxins.

The Corpse-Scented Blood Lotus’s poison was a chronic toxin for humans, due to human body mass—over a hundred pounds, at least. But for small animals and insects, its toxicity was fatal.

Jiang Hao pulled out a mask and a pair of disposable medical gloves, then carefully plucked several petals from the lotus.

Just then, the window suddenly opened. Bai Tianyu stood there with her lunchbox, chewing as she watched him.

“I didn’t know you enjoyed gardening,” she said with her mouth full.

“Pull your head back in and close the window. This flower is poisonous; if you don’t want to get hurt, do as I say!” Jiang Hao ordered sternly.

Startled, Bai Tianyu hurried to shut the window, though she didn’t leave. Instead, she continued to watch him while eating.

After collecting the petals in a plastic bag, Jiang Hao began to examine the leaves.

The lotus leaves were a vivid emerald, sparkling as if carved from jade.

According to the teachings of the Flame Emperor, Jiang Hao knew that the leaves could neutralize the flower’s toxin, confirming the classic principle of traditional medicine: the balance of mutual creation and restraint in all things.

The petals of the Corpse-Scented Blood Lotus were poisonous, but its leaves could counteract the poison—a profound philosophy hidden in nature.