Chapter 100 - He Had No Choice
“Su Ming, what brings you here?”
Principal Ding beamed with a smile as he quickly approached.
“I'm hosting a banquet tomorrow and I'm inviting everyone in our village for a meal. Would you like to join us, Principal Ding?”
“I wouldn't miss it!”
Principal Ding was elated. Receiving a personal invitation from Su Ming, he knew he had to show his respect.
“Principal Ding, Mr. Soong sure is overbearing. Does he do anything besides teach and intimidate people?”
Su Ming's smile was slow to form, but it spoke volumes.
Principal Ding frantically waved his hands and shook his head, his voice tinged with panic as he explained, “Please don't get the wrong idea, Su Ming. The fault lies with me. I haven't properly guided our teachers, but trust me, Mr. Soong is not the norm.”
Having said that, Principal Ding turned sharply and fixed Mr. Soong with a stern look. “Mr. Soong, aren't you going to come over and apologize?”
Mr. Soong was seething with rage as he had stormed out earlier.
He had been on his way to gather support from the school's leadership when he encountered Principal Ding exiting the building.
Mr. Soong approached and began to dramatically recount the events.
He even claimed that Su Ming had slandered the school.
This news did not sit well with Principal Ding.
One should not resort to insults.
He had served as the school's principal for many years with unwavering dedication.
His reputation was well-known in the surrounding community.
Surely, for the sake of his standing, this young man had no right to insult the school.
Feeling slighted, Principal Ding was determined to confront the individual. But upon entering and seeing Su Ming, everything clicked into place.
If Su Ming truly harbored grievances against the school, would he have donated twenty million?
Clearly, Mr. Soong was the instigator.
Mr. Soong, observing from the background, began to doubt what he was witnessing.
What was going on here?
Were the two of them in cahoots, making a fool out of him?
Seeing Principal Ding's deferential attitude toward this young man, and now being told to apologize?
“What's the matter, Mr. Soong? Cat got your tongue?”
Principal Ding let out a cold chuckle before revealing, “You've been so curious about the identity of the school's twenty-million donor. Well, it's him.”
What?
Mr. Soong froze in place.
From the principal's expression, it was clear this was no joke.
Mr. Soong had been away in the city for training yesterday and missed the school's anniversary celebration.
His luck couldn't have been worse.
Mr. Soong was on the verge of tears.
How had he managed to offend someone even the vice president of Tianhua Bank sought to please?
“I'm sorry…”
With no other option, Mr. Soong reluctantly bowed his head.
He couldn't afford to cross this young man.
Yet, Mr. Soong was utterly perplexed.
Who was this man?
As a local, Mr. Soong might not know everyone, but he was well-acquainted with the wealthier individuals.
He had never heard of this mysterious new rich man.
“Mr. Su, I truly apologize, I…”
Principal Ding fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable.
Su Ming had made a generous donation to the school just yesterday, and now they had somehow managed to offend him.
Although it was unlikely Su Ming would demand his donation back, if he became angry, he might never give to the school again.
That would be a significant loss, especially since Su Ming was still young and could have been a continuous benefactor.
What a costly mistake!
“Principal Ding, don't worry about it.”
Su Ming offered a reassuring smile and gave Principal Ding a comforting pat on the shoulder. “Since you're hosting a dinner party tomorrow, let's all join in. I'll cover the expenses. Boss, tally up the headcount. I'll take care of the bill tomorrow.”
“Absolutely!”
The boss responded eagerly.
He had noticed Principal Ding's deference to Su Ming, signaling that Su Ming was no ordinary individual.
Most crucially, with the school's staff and Su Ming's personal guests attending, he'd need to prepare for forty or fifty tables. It was a lot of work, but it promised good earnings.
“This is incredibly generous of you.”
Principal Ding was somewhat flustered. He had accepted Su Ming's donation just the day before, and now Su Ming was offering to host a meal.
“No problem at all, Principal Ding.”
Su Ming said with a smile, “Respecting teachers is a cherished tradition in our country, and you've contributed so much to the school. As a student, it's only right for me to treat my teachers. Make sure everyone comes by noon tomorrow.”
Principal Ding responded with a firm “Alright!”
Mr. Soong may have rubbed Su Ming the wrong way, but it seemed to roll right off Su Ming's back.
To Su Ming, it was as if the incident hadn't even grazed his mood.
After a brief exchange, Su Ming excused himself.
He then strolled over to the adjacent mall and purchased the entire stock of cigarettes and liquor from a counter.
He arranged for the items to be delivered to the hotel by noon that day before driving himself home.
Lee Sumei didn't return until noon.
She reached out to dozens of relatives, inviting them for a meal the following day.
Su Ming tallied up the number of attendees and found it matched his expectations.
While reviewing the guest list, Su Tao realized they had forgotten to notify Su Hai.
With a smile, Su Ming suggested, “Dad, I think it might be best to limit our interactions with Su Hai's family going forward.”
Hearing this, Su Tao let out a weary sigh, fully grasping the implication behind Su Ming's words.
Su Ming's Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law had a history of wrongdoing.
After a moment's pause, Su Tao remarked, “Regardless, they're still our family.”
“You may see them as family, but they certainly don't see us that way,” Lee Sumei interjected, walking in from the next room with an eye roll. “You're aware of how that pair has treated us over the years. Just last night, Fong Yuemei came demanding we repay our debt. We borrowed only 50,000 yuan, yet they're insisting on a repayment of 100,000 yuan. She even threatened that if we don't pay up, we'd have to work off our debt for them. They're well aware of your injury, and yet they still expect you to labor for them.”
Su Tao remained silent, his sigh speaking volumes.
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