Chapter 103 - A Sense of Superiority
On his way over, Su Tian had already made a call to his company, requesting an investigation into Su Ming's circumstances. The response from his company was swift.
They uncovered the details of Su Ming's relationship with Wang Xue. The couple was on the brink of marriage, but due to unforeseen events, they called off the engagement. Now, they acted as if they were strangers to one another.
Su Ming was out of a job. Rumor had it that he was laboring away on a construction site. To confirm, a few snapshots of Su Ming at the site were sent to Su Tian. In the photos, Su Ming, along with several others, was seen working on a villa, his hands and feet caked with dirt.
Seeing this, Su Tian had an epiphany. He suspected that Su Ming might be using the returned betrothal gift money to treat everyone to a meal, aiming to keep them quiet about the broken engagement. After all, if word got out in the village, it would be a major blow to his reputation.
Su Tian had pegged Su Ming as a down-to-earth man, but now he seemed consumed by vanity. In Su Tian's eyes, Su Ming lacked the means to fulfill such a superficial desire. Yet, Su Tian had jumped to a significant, albeit incorrect, conclusion based on outdated news and easily misinterpreted photographs.
The atmosphere at the hotel was buzzing with excitement. Su Ming had spared no expense, opting for the finest arrangements. Given the lower cost of goods in the town, he had gone all out for the guests. The tables groaned under the weight of abundant dishes.
While the village did host banquets from time to time, they were usually modest affairs. This time, however, it was a feast of extravagance. The villagers murmured among themselves, impressed by the newfound wealth of Su Tao's family. There was more than enough food to go around, with plenty left over for guests to take home.
In the midst of the meal, the curtain was suddenly drawn back. Expecting a server, the guests were surprised to see Su Tian instead. Flanking him were Fong Yuemei and Su Hai. Su Tao and Lee Sumei were taken aback by their arrival.
Su Ming immediately realized that Fong Yuemei had summoned her son back to the village. As the family of three made their presence known, the chatter among the villagers quieted down. They were all from the same village and were well aware of the unfolding drama. Su Hai's family had crossed a line, and it was understandable why Su Tao hadn't extended them an invitation.
If they hadn't gone overboard, Su Tao's family wouldn't have reacted this way.
“Second Brother, Second Sister-in-law, welcome!”
Lee Sumei rose to her feet and said, “I completely forgot to mention dinner to you both. Your whole family is here, so please, find a seat wherever you like.”
Su Tian scoffed, “Third Aunt, since my dad and Third Uncle are blood brothers, I noticed some empty seats at the main table. We'll just sit there, all three of us.”
Lee Sumei was taken aback.
Su Ming then stood up and greeted, “Cousin, it's been too long. Have a seat.”
Upon seeing Su Ming, Su Tian let out a derisive snort.
He led his parents over, grabbing three chairs along the way to place next to the main table.
The table was large enough to comfortably seat fourteen or fifteen people.
But Su Ming, wanting everyone to enjoy their meal, had limited it to eight per table.
“Cousin,” Su Tian began as he took his seat, “I heard you're about to tie the knot. Make sure you let me know when it happens—I definitely want to congratulate you.”
Su Ming responded with a cold laugh, “We've split up.”
Su Tian feigned shock, “You finally found a girlfriend, why break up? You're just working on a construction site, not earning much each month.”
He raised his voice intentionally so the others could hear.
The chatter in the room quickly quieted down.
Su Tian was smug, eager to expose Su Ming's true colors.
He thought the crowd was stunned by the bombshell he'd dropped.
But in reality, most considered Su Tian a fool, especially Principal Ding.
Had Su Tian made such a claim earlier, Principal Ding might have believed him. But during the school anniversary, Zhang Chongyang had stood by Su Ming's side, calling the bank himself. Principal Ding learned of Su Ming's bank deposits.
Zhang Chongyang had even stated that such money was trivial for Su Ming.
As the vice president of Tianhua Bank, Zhang Chongyang had access to funds exceeding ten billion yuan!
He wouldn't lie for a young man who worked construction.
In other words, Su Ming's identity and standing were far from ordinary.
With a whopping two hundred million in Su Ming's account, picking up the tab for everyone's meal would be a breeze for him.
Su Tian's tactics might work on others, but trying them on Su Ming was a recipe for disaster.
The local villagers shared this sentiment.
Many of them had been present at the school anniversary celebration and had seen everything firsthand.
Principal Ding himself had verified Su Ming's generous donation of 20 million yuan.
Though such a sum was astronomical to them, they were no fools. Su Ming's ability to donate so generously clearly indicated that this was but a drop in the bucket for his overall wealth.
Yet, Su Tian had the audacity to smear Su Ming's name.
Upon hearing these words, Su Ming gave a faint nod. “I hadn't expected you to uncover that.”
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