Chapter 300 My business with Zhao Wuji is not over yet!
I understand what Dibal means.
Jiang Bai began to think seriously, while Dilina nervously grabbed his hand.
Her argument with her father was real, not fake.
As a rather conservative woman, she felt she should follow Jiang Bai.
Besides, she herself had sworn that as long as Jiang Bai was willing to help, she would be Jiang Bai's slave.
More importantly, in just a few days, she developed feelings for Jiang Bai, or rather, became dependent on him.
Jiang Bai gave her a sense of security she had never felt before.
This is the reason why she insisted on going to Tiandu despite her family's objections.
Now that her father had suddenly brought this up with Jiang Bai, Dilina felt worried and nervous, fearing that Jiang Bai only wanted to play with her and that he would ignore her once he had had his fun.
This is a common problem among women, regardless of nationality.
"I see... Then I think it's better to finish your studies..."
The situation at home is already chaotic enough. Ye Qingcheng and Yao Lan are still living there, and Jiang Yuqing, who flies around all day, may arrive at any time. There's also my cousin Lin Wanru, who's about to start school. It'll be a complete mess.
Yao Lan can be disregarded.
Jiang Bai already has enough headaches with the others; if he brings Dilina along, who knows what will happen?
Although Jiang Bai knows Dilina well enough that she probably won't have any major objections or do anything too outrageous, he really can't control the others.
Jiang Bai's words plunged Dilina into an icy abyss, and her eyes welled up with tears. If the occasion hadn't been so inappropriate, she probably would have already burst into tears.
However, Jiang Bai then said, "I think academic studies are still very important. After I finish my studies, I can go to Tiandu. I happen to be short of management personnel there, and Dilina should be able to help me."
These words wiped away the tears in Dilina's eyes, and a smile appeared on her face, because she heard Jiang Bai ask her to help manage the company.
In Dilina's view, this was Jiang Bai's way of treating her as one of his own, which made Dilina feel very happy.
Seeing Jiang Bai's support, Dibal visibly breathed a sigh of relief. He was about to say something when the person on stage started speaking, and the entire audience fell silent. So he felt embarrassed to continue speaking.
Here comes the Prime Minister of Thailand, who naturally delivers a string of high-sounding words, expressing his joy at Khun Sa's arrest and praising the efforts of the police and military—all empty platitudes.
Jiang Bai wasn't interested in this at all, and kept dozing off while listening.
Then came the commendation of those who had made contributions, with General Chatchaiwang naturally taking the lead and being promoted directly to the rank of general.
Then came Cheng Tiangang, who also showered him with compliments.
After they finished speaking, several people went up on stage to give their remarks. Cheng Tiangang naturally spouted a bunch of nonsense about the friendship between the two countries, which others listened to with great interest. Jiang Bai didn't know if they were faking it.
Anyway, Jiang Bai kept dozing off.
Then came a whole host of heroic individuals, including outstanding soldiers from the military, excellent police officers, and so on—more than a hundred people in total.
Jiang Bai was speechless to be praised one by one, even though he had never met any of these people before.
I have no idea where they got all this stuff from, and they even have the nerve to talk about how adventurous they were this time, how they were infiltrating, etc., which almost made Jiang Bai want to vomit.
Dilina comforted Jiang Bai, saying, "That's just how things are in the West. Many of these people are just here to claim credit, even though they haven't actually done anything. But there's nothing we can do about it; that's just the political situation in the West."
This calmed Jiang Bai down, preventing him from rushing up and chasing all those idiots away.
As for Jiang Bai himself, who made the greatest contribution this time, he was also rewarded with a special medal.
It was simply because Jiang Bai was a businessman, and a foreign businessman at that, that it was not appropriate to publicize him, so he was not mentioned.
Jiang Bai didn't mind. He didn't like to show off, especially in such hypocritical situations. He really couldn't bring himself to go on stage and spout a bunch of high-sounding nonsense like Cheng Tiangang.
The speaking session lasted for nearly two hours before the actual banquet began, but it was still very formalistic. Jiang Bai wanted to leave, and he regretted his decision to agree to participate in such a boring event.
Just then, Cheng Tiangang approached from a distance. After dealing with those dignitaries and drinking quite a bit of wine, he finally had a chance to come over. The first thing Cheng Tiangang said was, "Jiang Bai, we're friends now, but I'm still not done with that bastard Zhao Wuji!"
This left Jiang Bai speechless, but he also understood Cheng Tiangang; what Zhao Wuji had done was indeed quite despicable.
Although he knew better than anyone that he had absolutely no relationship with that woman and was as pure as a blank sheet of paper, he still needed Cheng Tiangang to believe him!
Moreover, even if Cheng Tiangang believed it, this matter wouldn't end there. He had lured someone's fiancée abroad to raise his child for Zhao Wuji, and it had been so many years since then. She hadn't returned, and everyone knew about it. Most people couldn't stand that.
Moreover, it was Cheng Tiangang himself.
"Uh, you two should sort out your own business. I'm not involved."
Jiang Bai, rather unkindly, chose to remain neutral at this point.
In fact, in terms of relationships, he is clearly closer to Zhao Wuji. If there were any real danger to his life, he would definitely stand on Zhao Wuji's side.
However, he also knew Cheng Tiangang's true nature. This guy had been fighting Zhao Wuji for so many years, and Zhao Wuji hadn't lost a single hair. He knew that... this tiger was still a bit weaker than that lion.
Jiang Bai naturally had nothing to worry about.
"Alright! With you saying that, I'll consider you a friend. If you ever need anything, just let me know. I, Cheng Tiangang, am grateful for your help this time, and I'll definitely take care of you in the future!"
Cheng Tiangang patted Jiang Bai on the shoulder and said.
This time, Jiang Bai even wanted to give up his shares in Portugal for him, which warmed his heart. Moreover, regardless of whether this was true or not, without Jiang Bai, he would definitely have failed this time.
There's no doubt about it. Khun Sa's men were completely beyond his expectations. Not to mention anything else, just two sorcerers could have killed Cheng Tiangang here.
Without Jiang Bai, the plan would not have succeeded, and he would have failed here. Cheng Tiangang would have accepted this favor!
That's why he said he considered Jiang Bai a friend.
Jiang Bai smiled without saying anything. He didn't think Cheng Tiangang was just talking casually. This guy was very aloof and looked down on everyone. Anyone he took a liking to was someone he didn't have a good relationship with.
It's ridiculous that he doesn't have a single friend, and he has never taken the initiative to say that he wants to be friends with anyone.
But he might not say it, but once he did, it was definitely not a joke, and Jiang Bai was very clear about that.
Chapter 301 What kind of mess is this?!
But after Cheng Tiangang finished speaking, his next sentence almost made Jiang Bai collapse.
"Jiang Bai, you've done a great job. Not only am I satisfied, but the higher-ups are too."
"The Colombian drug lords have been very active lately, so we've decided to team up with Citibank to crack down on them. Are you interested in continuing this effort?"
One sentence almost made Jiang Bai spit out his wine, which sprayed directly onto Cheng Tiangang's face!
Any goodwill I felt just now vanished instantly!
"Fuck...fuck your sister!"
"Am I going to get into a fight with drug lords? Damn it, we just lost Khun Sa, and now you have another Colombian drug kingpin. Do you want me to do nothing but fight drug traffickers for the rest of my life?"
Jiang Bai really wanted to say a few words to Cheng Tiangang, but considering the occasion, Jiang Bai did not immediately fly into a rage. Instead, he politely declined: "Let's forget it. I'm not interested. I have work to do. You know I'm a part-time lecturer. School is about to start. I don't have time to do this. Besides, I have so many other businesses."
Jiang Bai's words made Cheng Tiangang frown, but he didn't delve into the matter further. He simply told Jiang Bai, "Think it over carefully. I think this is a more promising career path for you than business. With me around, you'll get promoted quickly. I guarantee you'll be in my current position before you turn forty."
After saying that, he turned and left. Jiang Bai raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything more.
He knew that Cheng Tiangang wasn't lying to him; such a guarantee wasn't unfounded. If Cheng Tiangang were truly willing, with Jiang Bai's strength, reaching Cheng Tiangang's position wouldn't be a problem, and he might even be able to go further.
Jiang Bai wasn't really interested; he wasn't someone who liked being tied down, and life within the system wasn't suitable for him.
Compared to these, he preferred a life of freedom and unrestraint, just like Zao Wou-Ki.
Moreover, with the system's assistance, Jiang Bai could accomplish twice the results with half the effort. For example, he managed to gain 20,000 prestige points this time, making his trip worthwhile.
The subsequent banquet was rather boring, and Jiang Bai had no interest in staying in such an occasion any longer. After wandering around for a while, he returned to the hotel.
The next morning, Jiang Bai took the earliest flight back to Tiandu.
There are still many things he needs to handle, such as Empire Pictures' latest production, and... Tiandu University is about to start its semester, and he will be giving lectures soon.
Of course, there was another reason: Jiang Bai received a call from Su Mei.
Su Mei arranged to meet Jiang Bai at the same old place, which made Jiang Bai, who hadn't seen Su Mei for several months, feel restless.
I returned in the afternoon and didn't even have time to rest before meeting Su Mei that evening.
The two couldn't contain their passion the moment they met, and soon they were rolling around together.
After the passion subsided, leaning against Jiang Bai's chest, Su Mei's soft fingers traced circles on his chest.
"What's wrong?"
When he arrived, Jiang Bai felt that Su Mei was acting strangely, being too proactive, which puzzled him. However, he didn't ask too many questions. Now that the passion had subsided, Jiang Bai couldn't help but ask.
"I'm leaving!"
After hesitating for a moment, Su Mei slowly spoke, raising her head and staring intently at Jiang Bai with her bright eyes, as if observing his reaction. She completely disregarded her own body, exposing herself naked in front of Jiang Bai.
"Walk?"
Jiang Bai was somewhat taken aback, not understanding why.
He knew about Su Mei's situation; her husband was a police officer in the criminal investigation team, and he was usually very busy with work.
Su Mei herself is a teacher, and both of them have stable jobs in Tiananmen Square. Moreover, the new school term is about to begin, so Su Mei's sudden decision to leave is something Jiang Bai simply cannot understand.
Leave? Where could she go?
"Yes, we're leaving for a while. My husband has also taken leave. We're thinking of going abroad. We heard that the medical equipment there is quite advanced and might be able to treat his condition, so he wants to give it a try. We've made an appointment with a specialist there, and he's available next week. He wants me to go with him."
"I've already asked the school for leave; we'll be gone for at least two months!"
Su Mei leaned down again and spoke in her soft, boneless voice.
"Um...can that thing be cured? I think it's more reliable for me to help you have the baby...or, why don't you go back and talk to my brother, and if it doesn't work, we won't get treatment, wouldn't that be better?"
After a moment of surprise, Jiang Bai stopped Su Mei and said with utmost seriousness.
He felt this was a good thing. If Su Mei's husband really cured her illness, then... he and Su Mei would truly become adulterers.
Based on Jiang Bai's understanding of Su Mei, she definitely wouldn't see him again, which Jiang Bai couldn't accept.
Besides, Jiang Bai knew about her husband's situation. That thing had been broken for so many years. Could modern technology possibly make that thing grow back?
Jiang Bai expressed his doubts about this.
"Pah! I think you're just trying to take advantage of me! Let me tell you, you useless thing, if you had given birth to a child earlier, my husband wouldn't have had this idea. I also think this is a risky thing, but he wants to try it, can I object?"
"Besides, if he recovers, that's a good thing for us! Jiang Bai, don't think I don't know what you're thinking. You're hoping he won't recover so you can...be with me..."
At this point, Su Mei couldn't continue. She slapped Jiang Bai's chest, feeling both shy and angry.
"With you what! With you in bed?"
Jiang Bai chuckled, put one arm around Su Mei's waist, and before she could react, he pushed her to the ground with a scream.
The next second, the room was filled with the colors of spring...
"You bastard! All you do when we meet is talk about this, can't you think of anything else?! I have a serious business to discuss with you today!"
After finishing, panting, Su Mei lightly bit Jiang Bai's shoulder, and after Jiang Bai grimaced in response, she said angrily.
"Serious business? I thought the most serious thing between us was you having a child with me. Did you have something else going on? And it seems like you were the one who took the initiative in the beginning," Jiang Bai joked.
One sentence made Su Mei blush slightly. She glared at Jiang Bai and then said, "You bad boy, I'm being serious with you. I'm leaving soon. I need to ask you for a favor at school."
"What, they won't let you go? Should I have someone call your school?" Jiang Bai asked curiously.
"No, it's because the school doesn't have enough teachers. The school hasn't recruited any new teachers in the past few years, and we've always been short-staffed. I'm also a homeroom teacher, and if I leave, there will be no one to take care of my students. The school asked me to find a reliable substitute teacher to teach for two months."
"I just didn't have a suitable candidate, and I don't trust anyone else. I was thinking, didn't you say you were going to be a visiting professor at Tiandu University? You've already taught undergraduates, so high school students shouldn't be a problem for you, right?"
After saying this, Su Mei looked at Jiang Bai with pleading eyes, as if she were begging and trying to please him. Her pitiful appearance made Jiang Bai open his mouth, but he couldn't say a word.
He initially wanted to refuse outright, saying he was too busy with work, but in the end, he gave in under Su Mei's gaze, sighing and saying, "Alright, go and come back quickly!"
"Ah, thank you, Jiang Bai." Su Mei was clearly overjoyed. She hugged Jiang Bai and kissed him on the cheek to express her gratitude.
Jiang Bai, however, had a wry smile on his face. High school is not like university; high school teachers are really exhausted!
Especially for homeroom teachers, working around the clock without a break is simply inhuman.
Why did I agree to that without thinking?
"Yes, I'll have my husband treat you to dinner when we get back." Su Mei nodded, her face beaming with excitement.
But after saying that, she felt a little embarrassed herself.
Should we have her husband treat Jiang Bai to dinner when she gets back?
How should we eat this meal?
If I get cured, will I still be able to contact Jiang Bai?
Obviously not.
If she can't be cured, she'll come back and have dinner with Jiang Bai. This... isn't this a slap in the face to her husband?
"No, I think I should pass... I can't afford it. By the way, if you need anything, just give me a call, I have money."
Jiang Bai quickly stopped the suggestion, then sighed and said with great concern.
But saying this made Jiang Bai, let alone Su Mei, quite embarrassed.
What the hell is going on here...?
As Su Mei's lover, he was about to go out with her husband to help him get medical treatment, and it was very likely that the two of them would reconcile after the treatment.
According to the plot, she should firmly oppose it at this point, baring her teeth and brandishing her claws, even threatening Su Mei, that the two adulterers are plotting to kill her husband, or at least stop his behavior that could very well destroy their abnormal relationship.
But what kind of situation is this now?
The couple was about to leave to seek medical treatment, and it seemed like they were about to be reunited, but this adulterous man is now forced to substitute teach for them.
Not only did they not cause any damage, but they also helped people solve their work and time problems, and now they're asking for money...
No matter how I think about it, it's not like that at all.
"We have enough money. My husband and I both have decent incomes, and we haven't had many expenses over the years. Our parents gave us the house and everything else, and we've saved quite a bit of money. I think it should be enough."
As if thinking that she might never see Jiang Bai again, Su Mei felt a little down and said in a low voice.
To be honest, she had been feeling quite conflicted lately, especially when her husband suggested getting treatment and confidently assured her that there was a 70% chance of a cure.
On the one hand, her relationship with her husband was still good; they were childhood sweethearts, and their feelings for each other had been built up over the years, so she naturally wanted the best for her husband.
On the one hand, Jiang Bai was her first man, and over time, she had actually developed feelings for and dependence on him.
She was actually in a very difficult position. She vaguely hoped that this time it wouldn't succeed, but reason told her that she couldn't think that way. It was extremely complicated. Now, after hearing Jiang Bai's words, her heart was even more complicated.
My emotions were wavering for a moment.
But soon, Jiang Bai's words made her emotions vanish without a trace!
"Su Mei?" Jiang Bai called out.
"Huh? What's wrong?" Su Mei replied in surprise.
"Well... would you call me a good adulterer? Hmm, a model adulterer!" Jiang Baitian said shamelessly.
"Jiang Bai! Get out of here!"
Su Mei roared, her voice shattering the silence of the room, and without hesitation kicked Jiang Bai off the bed and onto the floor.
Chapter 302 I promise I'll get it done for you tomorrow!
Su Mei was furious, while Jiang Bai laughed and got dressed and left.
Before leaving, he arranged a time with Su Mei to go to her school to meet with the leaders and finalize the matter. Then he left in a flash, leaving Su Mei with a furious expression, smashing things in her room.
The next day, Jiang Bai arrived at Su Mei's school early and chatted briefly with the new dean of students. He then showed off his work certificate as a visiting professor at Tiandu University and his fake diploma, and the dean happily accepted the fact that Jiang Bai was teaching the class.
Having a substitute teacher with a doctorate is an honor for Tiandu No. 56 Middle School. It is also a blessing for Class 6 of Grade 11 to have such a homeroom teacher. As the dean of studies, he would naturally not refuse.
After all the discussions were concluded, Jiang Bai and Su Mei took their leave.
Jiang Bai had originally wanted to continue things with Su Mei, but after leaving the school, she completely ignored him and walked away, leaving Jiang Bai speechless.
With several days left before the start of the school term, Jiang Bai didn't have much to do. He would just go to the company to browse around and handle some uncomplicated matters. Feeling bored, he started writing a script at home.
The last film, "A Better Tomorrow," was a great success, and Jiang Bai was very satisfied with the results, gaining him a lot of prestige. Therefore, he had long been determined to continue this promising career.
Of course, he would never do anything like acting again; Jiang Bai realized that such things weren't for him.
Life under the spotlight left him feeling helpless. Looking at Ye Qingcheng, if it weren't for Jiang Bai's protection, the fact that many people in Tiandu wouldn't dare to disrespect the Imperial Enterprise, and Zhao Wuji's intervention, Ye Qingcheng probably wouldn't even be able to leave her house now.
There was absolutely no freedom; apart from work every day, all I could do was stay at home and work with Jiang Bai's wine cellar.
Jiang Bai shuddered at the thought of such a life.
So this time, he only intends to write a script, which will still earn him prestige, albeit less, but at least it won't be too conspicuous.
He casually gave Zhou Fa the script for "God of Gamblers," casting Zhou Fa as Ko Chun and Ti Hu as Lung Wu.
As for Ye Qingcheng, the female lead role seems a bit inappropriate. That kind of thing has explicit scenes, and Jiang Bai doesn't want Ye Qingcheng to act in it.
After thinking about it, Jiang Bai decided that "A Chinese Ghost Story" was more suitable for Ye Qingcheng's otherworldly aura, so he didn't hold back and plagiarized it while he had some free time at home.
Anyway, there's still more than a week before school starts, so there's plenty of time.
After finally finishing his busy work, which took Jiang Bai a week, and with the start of the new school year just around the corner, Jiang Bai was determined to devote all his energy to education when his phone suddenly rang.
It was Zhou Fa who called, which surprised Jiang Bai.
Zhou Fa and Jiang Bai have a good relationship, but since he became famous, he has been extremely busy and they haven't been in touch for a long time. I wonder what he means by suddenly calling me?
"What's wrong, Brother Chow? You suddenly remembered me?"
Jiang Bai asked curiously.
"Um... Jiang Bai, have you been watching the news these past few days?" Zhou Fa asked bluntly, getting straight to the point.
"News? What news?" Jiang Bai was taken aback. He didn't understand what this news had to do with him.
Upon turning on the computer, the first thing that catches the eye is a huge headline: "Qian Baozhuang's wife cheats on him with his agent."
"Baozhuang's tragic life: his wife ran off with his agent."
"The wife robbed Qian Baozhuang, while the adulterous couple fled to distant lands?"
"Zhou Rong has filed a lawsuit with the Beijing court, demanding that Qian Baozhuang restore his reputation."
"Qian Baozhuang's agent, Jiang Zhe, appeared in Beijing and threatened to call the police."
"Celebrities from all walks of life are showing their support for Qian Baozhuang."
Jiang Bai was somewhat taken aback by the overwhelming news coverage of Qian Baozhuang.
Jiang Bai knew about this actor; he was known for being silly, goofy, and cute. He seemed to have starred in several successful comedy films with decent box office results, placing him among the top-tier actors. However, Jiang Bai didn't particularly like him, not because he disliked his acting skills.
Jiang Bai knew from the first time he saw it that Ya was completely playing himself; his acting skills were naturally superb, easily surpassing Jiang Bai's by leaps and bounds.
The problem is that Jiang Bai doesn't like this type of role; he prefers more profound films.
However, after reading the general content of the news, Jiang Bai was overwhelmed with a sense of justice and felt some pity. This guy was really pitiful. His wife ran away with his agent, and there were even rumors that the two of them were having an affair.
They started having an affair back in school, but he didn't know it.
Jiang Zhe became his manager. Whenever he wanted to have something going on with his wife, he would get rid of him. Over the years, he has been wearing a green hat countless times.
There are even rumors that the adulterous couple has now run off with all the money the mentally challenged child has had, leaving him with no choice but to borrow money to fight the lawsuit, and they've even turned around and started smearing him.
They say things like, "That silly kid is keeping a mistress," "That silly kid doesn't care about his family," and so on...
Unfortunately, the truth was uncovered by netizens, and the two men ran off with the money.
What's even more infuriating is that these two bastards not only swindled people out of their money and smeared them, but according to rumors, these two shameless scoundrels also conspired to assassinate the idiot twice.
The silly child was lucky to survive.
This is practically a modern-day version of Ximen Qing and Pan Jinlian!
No, Pan Jinlian was more loyal than Zhou Rong. At least, Pan Jinlian didn't conspire with Ximen Qing to steal Wu Dalang's pancakes, nor did she try to transfer Wu Dalang's house to her own name.
Ximen Qing was a well-known big boss in Yanggu County at the time, not someone who worked for Wu Dalang.
It also prevented Wu Dalang from sadly doubting his child or even having to undergo a paternity test.
Um... of course, Wu Dalang and Pan Jinlian didn't have any children, and paternity tests weren't possible in that era.
In short, this incident provoked a nationwide outcry, causing a sensation in public opinion.
"You mean... Qian Baozhuang's matter?" Jiang Bai asked tentatively. He seemed to have heard Zhou Fa mention it to him before, and the two had a fairly good relationship.
Could it be that he contacted me because of this?
"Yeah! Those two scoundrels, they're really awful. I'm so angry! Actually, I noticed something was off a while ago, and I even mentioned it to my buddy, but he's too honest and didn't realize it at all. Now look what's happened! They were caught in bed together!"
"However, I didn't expect that even after they were caught, they would still dare to turn around and bite back. They even took all my money, and their mother and child might not even be my biological children. I was furious when I heard that. I have a good relationship with Baozhuang, so I had to talk to you about it. Um... if you... cough cough, never mind, never mind."
Zhou Fa said angrily, pausing for a moment before finally getting to the point. His meaning was quite clear: he wanted Jiang Bai to teach that adulterous couple a lesson.
Zhou Fa doesn't know much about Jiang Bai's background yet, but he does know one thing: Jiang Bai has a lot of power, a lot of power. Not only is he very powerful in mainland China, but both the legitimate and criminal worlds have to give him face.
Even in Hong Kong, it's the same. Didn't you see how Hutchison Whampoa, Sun Kee, and the Number Gang all had to bow down to Jiang Bai last time?
Even powerful figures like Yang Yong and Dou Bin have to respectfully address Jiang Ye.
So after discussing it with a few friends, Zhou Fa decided to make the call.
He even talked to the silly kid, but the other side was very hesitant and still wavering. So Zhou Fa called Jiang Bai directly.
"I know what you mean. To be honest, I have an obligation to teach these two scumbags a lesson, but…"
Jiang Bai hesitated for a moment, then frowned and said.
"But what? If it costs money, no problem, I'll pay for it."
Before Jiang Bai could speak, Zhou Fa immediately said something, and Jiang Bai even heard others say things like, "How much money does it cost? Let's chip in together."
"That's not what I meant. Why would I need to spend money for anything? It's just that they're overseas, so to be honest, I can't really reach them."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai couldn't help but speak up.
He can get a lot done in China, but once he's abroad, he's completely powerless. Who even knows who Jiang Bai is?
"They're back! It seems they're in the capital now; someone saw them," Zhou Fa quickly chimed in.
"Oh, that makes things easier. Let's wait for news," Jiang Bai said with a smile, then hung up the phone.
The capital is Li Qingdi's territory, and Jiang Bai can't get involved there. He also doesn't have any capable people there.
However, this matter could be resolved with a phone call to Zhao Wuji, but... Jiang Bai didn't want to upset Zhao Wuji for no reason over such a small matter, and it would be a waste of his talents to make him take action.
After thinking it over, Jiang Bai thought of someone who would be perfect as a professional thug.
He immediately called Meng Huangchao, and a groggy, still-sleepy voice came through the phone: "Who the hell are you? Why are you calling me at this hour? Get to the point and don't disturb my sleep."
"Who do you call yourself grandpa? Meng Huangchao, explain yourself clearly, are you asking for trouble again?"
Jiang Bai's words instantly dispelled Meng Huangchao's drowsiness. Meng Huangchao jumped up with a start and hurriedly said with a forced smile, "Brother Jiang, hahaha... I was just asleep, I didn't know it was you. What brings you here?"
"Did some bastard upset you? Don't worry, just tell me, and I'll help you get revenge!"
He was just being polite, but Jiang Bai replied, "Someone really messed with me. You know about Jiang Zhe and Zhou Rong, the ones who've been making headlines lately, right? Those two scoundrels messed with me. My friend told me he hoped I could help him out, so... since he couldn't find anyone else, he had to ask you!"
"Haha, don't worry about that! I've taken care of it for you. Recently, some people in our circle have been saying that these two are really despicable. We've seen plenty of adulterers, but we've never seen anyone as shameless as them. Even if you hadn't told me, I would have dealt with them!"
"I'll kill the man, and I'll make the woman kneel down and apologize to that idiot tomorrow. They'll both disappear from China from now on. What do you say? I guarantee I'll do it for you tomorrow!"
Meng Huangchao laughed heartily and patted his chest to assure him.
"Don't kill the man, just break his weapon and feed it to the dogs. As for the woman... do as you say." Jiang Bai said lazily and then hung up the phone.
He believed that Meng Huangchao was definitely capable of doing it. He might not be able to do anything serious, but Meng Huangchao was adept at this kind of shady business.
Chapter 303 A Mess
Meng Huangchao was very efficient, living up to his reputation as the number one playboy in the capital.
Claiming to be the number one person in the capital after Li Qingdi, while that claim is highly exaggerated, it wouldn't be difficult for him to bully those two scoundrels.
Evil people will be punished by other evil people.
The next morning, Jiang Bai turned on the TV and heard the news.
What do you mean by "Jiang Zhe was brutally beaten and crippled by a mysterious person"?
"Zhou Rong knelt down and apologized to Qian Baozhuang, claiming that she did not want any of his family property."
News of this kind came flooding in.
Jiang Bai was in a great mood after sending a thank-you text message to Meng Huangchao and giving Zhou Fa some instructions.
It's a rare treat to go for a run in the morning; it leaves me feeling refreshed and invigorated all day.
Several days passed in the blink of an eye. One morning, Jiang Bai got up early, washed up, and rode his bicycle to Tiandu No. 56 Middle School.
The 56th Middle School is not far from Jiang Bai's residence; it wouldn't take long to ride a bicycle there.
Jiang Bai had no intention of going to the school to teach. He imagined leading a large group of people in luxury cars and driving straight in, which would cast a shadow on the young men.
However, his cycling behavior caused Xiao Tian and the others some distress. Jiang Bai was riding a bike, and they couldn't follow him in their cars, otherwise Master Jiang would be unhappy.
I don't know which bastard suggested that everyone run together as a form of exercise.
And so, a strange scene unfolded in the early morning of Tiandu City: a young man in his early twenties was riding a brand-new bicycle, slowly swaying along, while a dozen or so young men wearing sunglasses, black suits, and shiny leather shoes followed him in a grand procession, about ten meters behind him.
This attracted passersby to frequently turn around and look.
After a long while, Jiang Bai finally realized what was happening and hurriedly told these conspicuous people to get lost before heading to No. 56 Middle School.
As soon as I entered the school gate, I was stopped by the security guard at the gate. He explained the situation to me for a while before I was allowed to go in.
Jiang Bai found Director Yang, whom he had met with Su Mei before. Under his guidance, Jiang Bai went directly to Building No. 3 near the playground in the backyard, went up to the sixth floor, and entered the classroom of Class 6, Grade 2.
As soon as Jiang Bai entered, he was a little confused. Who were these people?
Besides the students in the first few rows who are behaving properly, what are the people in the last two rows?
Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple—are you having an art exhibition?
Their arrogant and domineering manner is truly baffling; I wonder how their parents could have given birth to such a bunch of bastards.
In an instant, black lines appeared on Jiang Bai's forehead.
"Ahem... Those students in the back are the ones who were transferred to this class this semester. You know, Teacher Su's teaching level is the highest in our school. The principal transferred some slightly rebellious students from other classes here, hoping that Teacher Su can guide them to become successful."
One sentence nearly made Jiang Bai vomit blood: These guys are considered slightly rebellious?
Damn, didn't you see how they were dressed like thugs?
That hairstyle...that figure...
If you say he's a petty thug, Jiang Bai has no doubt; if you say he's a slightly rebellious student, Jiang Bai will tear you apart.
Look at this bunch of idiots. The teachers and the headmaster are here, and they're all sitting with their legs crossed. Some are sleeping, and some are openly smoking. Where did all these people come from?
That's incredibly audacious.
Jiang Bai knew he wouldn't have dared to be so arrogant back in his school days.
Unconsciously, Jiang Bai began to have a dark suspicion: had Su Mei received some advance notice and deliberately dumped this mess on him?
It would have been better if he hadn't thought about it that way; once he did, Jiang Bai couldn't suppress his thoughts.
I'm almost 100% certain that Su Mei must have known the news beforehand and, fearing she couldn't handle it, dumped these bastards on me.
At this moment, Jiang Bai had none of the spirit that a teacher should have in educating people and teaching without discrimination. Instead, he was filled with irritability and had even begun to plan how to teach these kids a lesson.
Apart from the first five rows, there weren't many decent people in the entire class. However, the only consolation was that Jiang Bai saw a familiar face among them: Zhu Xinxin from the third row, who was looking at him with shining eyes.
With her hands resting on the table and a dreamy smile on her face, she looked like a complete fangirl, which made Jiang Bai break out in a sweat.
However, Xiao Lanlan, who was always by her side, was nowhere to be found.
"Cough cough."
After clearing his throat twice, Director Yang went on stage to introduce Jiang Bai's situation, and then hurriedly left.
As soon as he left, a chorus of boos erupted in the classroom, the target of which was unclear—whether it was Director Yang or Jiang Bai.
"Hello everyone, my name is Jiang Bai, I..."
"Tch, I don't care what you're called, I'm here for Teacher Su! Who you are has nothing to do with me, get lost! We want Teacher Su back!"
One student shouted, and the others joined in the commotion, mostly those in the back rows, dressed in all sorts of colors.
This left Jiang Bai's forehead covered in black marks, but since it was his first day of class, he decided to be patient. He took a deep breath to calm himself down, then glanced at the blue-haired guy who had spoken: "This... um... blue-haired student, please speak respectfully. I am your teacher."
"Teacher Su has temporarily left the country due to some family reasons and will not be able to return for several months. So no matter how much you like Teacher Su, she can't come back for the time being, and you can only let me teach you here."
But these words immediately drew laughter.
Blue hair... that's quite an interesting nickname.
"Who the hell are you talking to! Who are you calling 'Blue Hair'! My name is Wan Yong! Watch your mouth! Don't think I won't hit you just because you're a teacher. If you piss me off, I'll make you regret it! Don't you even know who I am?!"
Upon hearing this, Blue Hair slammed his hand on the table and roared fiercely.
As Jiang Bai stood up, two or three other students also stood up, as if they were about to attack him if he said another word.
Jiang Bai frowned repeatedly at this. No. 56 Middle School was not bad in Tiandu. Although it was not a key school, it was at least considered average.
Jiang Bai hadn't done any research before coming here, and he never expected there to be such a bunch of jerks...
Compared to these bastards, Gu Kai and Wang Yang, whom I dealt with before, seemed like two good kids no matter how you looked at it.
Jiang Bai was starting to regret it; he had been too harsh on the two of them, and neither of them dared to continue studying there.
"Wan Yong! Shut up! How can you talk to Teacher Jiang like that? If you keep this up, I'll go tell the principal!"
Before Jiang Bai could respond, Zhu Xinxin suddenly stood up, her aura fierce like a little tiger protecting its cubs, pointing at Wan Yong and angrily rebuking him.
Jiang Bai's face was full of strange expressions; he wanted to laugh but couldn't, and he just glanced at Zhu Xinxin with interest.
"snort!"
Wan Yong snorted coldly, glanced at Zhu Xinxin, then glared fiercely at Jiang Bai, and miraculously sat down, leaving Jiang Bai completely astonished.
Jiang Bai couldn't tell if Wan Yong was genuinely afraid Zhu Xinxin would tell the principal, or if there was some other reason. In any case, the kid sat down obediently without uttering a sound, which made Jiang Bai very curious.
However, he soon understood what had happened, because he heard Wan Yong muttering under his breath: "You bitch, don't think you're so tough just because you have a big shot in the underworld protecting you. I'm going to teach you a lesson someday! Once he's tired of playing with you, I'll make you pay."
The voice wasn't loud, and others couldn't hear it clearly, but Jiang Bai was no ordinary person; this was no problem for him.
Jiang Bai was somewhat taken aback by the content.
A gangster boss? Zhu Xinxin?
What's going on?
However, it only took a moment for Jiang Bai to realize what was going on, and a wry smile appeared on his face. It turned out that he was the gangster boss in the eyes of this blue-haired man.
It seems that what happened last year had a significant impact on this small campus.
Zhu Xinxin was rumored by the students to be the woman of a gang leader...
Well... although it seems that's the reality.
Jiang Bai glanced at the blue-haired boy and then at the rest of the class, continuing, "I don't care what you were like before, or how well or poorly you studied. I only know that I'm here to teach, so I have an obligation to teach you well. Of course... I don't like to force things. If you really don't want to learn, then it's simple... you can apply to transfer to another class."
"Or you can ask for leave directly, and I will approve it. During the time I am teaching, you don't need to come to class."
"However, if you choose to stay, I hope you will follow the rules."
"From now on, behave well in my class. Dye your colorful hair back to normal tomorrow, and cut it if you need to, and change it if you need to. Try to wear the school uniform as much as possible, except for the girls... Also, don't smoke in the classroom, I don't like it."
Jiang Bai stood on the podium in the center of the classroom and spoke solemnly. After speaking, he took out a cigarette, lit it, took a puff, and said calmly.
"Damn it, didn't you dislike smoking? Why are you smoking now?"
"Damn, this is such a blatant double standard."
Each student was shouting in their heart.
A blond-haired guy next to him got a little indignant, stood up, and said angrily, "Why should I get a haircut? Is there such a rule at school? I love this hairstyle and this color! I also like smoking, what are you going to do about it!"
"Yeah! What can you do about it? I just like to cause trouble. Go ahead and hit me if you dare!" Wan Yong, who had just sat down, shouted again.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai took a deep drag, casually exhaled a smoke ring, then threw the cigarette on the ground and stomped it out, a smile appearing on his lips: "You said it yourself."
Before Wan Yong could react, she stepped off the stage and, in full view of everyone and amidst the astonished looks of the onlookers, kicked Wan Yong to the ground, sending him flying two meters away, vomiting bile, unable to get up no matter what.
Besides saliva and bile, Wan Yong's tears also flowed all over the ground.
The group of people who had been shouting just moments before were instantly dumbfounded.
No one expected that Jiang Bai would actually make a move. This new teacher actually attacked them?
And they were really ruthless!
Chapter 304 I'll Cut Your Hair Myself
Didn't you see Wan Yong is lying on the ground, unable to get up?
You should know that although Wan Yong is only seventeen years old, he is a famous athlete. He spends his days fighting and exercising. He is a typical example of someone who is all brawn and no brains, with a body full of muscles.
But the new teacher kicked him so hard he couldn't get up.
This left the men who had been shouting earlier, especially the one with yellow hair who was leading them, with sweat dripping from their foreheads.
"Hey... is there anyone else who's still not convinced and wants me to beat him up?"
Jiang Bai looked around and said with a smile, but he was met with silence.
Only Wan Yong, lying there dumbfounded, managed to say with difficulty, "You...you just wait...just you wait!"
Jiang Bai ignored them completely, returned to the podium, and asked, "Who is the class monitor?"
"Teacher, it's me... Zhu Xinxin!"
Zhu Xinxin jumped up with a smile and introduced herself, attracting the attention of those around her.
But she was completely fearless, even somewhat smug.
Jiang Bai was speechless.
"Ahem, have you taken attendance? Who is absent? If everyone is here, then let's introduce ourselves one by one in order of appearance."
Jiang Bai coughed twice, then spoke.
"Teacher, everyone except Xia Yiyi is here."
Zhu Xinxin quickly answered, pausing when she mentioned Xia Yiyi, for reasons unknown. However, Jiang Bai sensed that Zhu Xinxin seemed worried about something, but judging from her tone, it seemed that she wasn't that close to Xia Yiyi, who hadn't arrived yet.
This made Jiang Bai very curious.
"Where did Xia Yiyi go? Is something wrong at home?"
Jiang Bai pressed for an answer.
"This... I don't know..." Zhu Xinxin hesitated for a moment before saying this.
I don't know if she's genuinely unaware or just pretending.
However, it was clearly inappropriate to ask these private questions in public at this time, so Jiang Bai decided to ask Zhu Xinxin what was going on when he had time.
"Teacher, Xia Yiyi has gone out to work!"
"No, teacher, Xia Yiyi went out to play."
"Bullshit, I clearly heard that Xia Yiyi got into a fight today..."
"How could that be? Yiyi is not that kind of person at all, how could she fight with someone!"
"Who says she isn't? Let me tell you, Xia Yiyi..."
To Jiang Bai's surprise, Xia Yiyi was quite popular in Class 6 of the second year. As soon as she was mentioned, Zhu Xinxin remained silent, but others started to speak up. However, each had their own opinion, and Jiang Bai didn't know who to listen to.
He could only wave his hand to stop the ongoing debate.
"Alright, alright, let's introduce ourselves," Jiang Bai said helplessly.
Then the students in the class stood up one by one and introduced themselves.
Jiang Bai memorized them all.
After they finished their introductions, Jiang Bai suddenly had a bright idea. He took out his wallet from his pocket, took out several hundred yuan, pointed at Zhu Xinxin and said, "Zhu Xinxin, I have a task for you. You don't need to go to class. Go out and buy a pair of scissors and an electric clipper. I'm going to shave the students' heads today."
"Originally, I wanted them to handle it themselves, but now I think these kids probably won't listen to me, so I'll do it myself."
After saying that, he revealed a harmless smile.
"Okay, teacher!"
Zhu Xinxin nodded obediently, like a well-behaved lapdog, and hopped out, picking up the money to leave.
As she reached the door, she suddenly remembered something, turned around and said, "Teacher, you don't need to buy scissors. I have some in my schoolbag. I accidentally put them in yesterday while I was making something and forgot to take them out. They'll be perfect for me."
"Teacher...we'll do it ourselves, I'll cut it as soon as we get back! I promise!"
"Teacher, I promise I'll be good! I promise..."
Upon hearing Jiang Bai's words, the group of colorfully dressed men behind him immediately cried out in surprise, and some of them began to compromise.
Just kidding, if Jiang Bai were to cut it, only heaven knows what kind of monstrosity it would turn into!
In their minds, it must be incredibly ugly anyway, so it's better to steel yourself and cut it off.
"You fucking dare! I'll fight you to the death!"
Of course, there were also those who would rather die than submit and stood up to shout.
For example, that blond guy and that purple-haired fellow were yelling and shouting, completely giving off the impression that if you dare to mess around, they'll fight you to the death.
"I see..."
Jiang Bai smiled, squinted, and walked over.
"What...what do you want to do..."
Jiang Bai's action startled Huang Mao, who looked at Jiang Bai warily, filled with fear, afraid that Jiang Bai would do the same to him.
Unfortunately, although he showed a wary expression, he was too slow. Before he could react, Jiang Bai had already kicked him over, and he lay there in the same position as Wan Yong, side by side, unable to get up again.
"Who else objects?"
The classroom was completely silent.
"Zhu Xinxin!" Jiang Bai called out.
"Ah? Yes... Teacher, I'm here." Zhu Xinxin replied cheerfully.
"Bring me your scissors."
"OK!"
A moment later, Zhu Xinxin handed Jiang Bai a pair of red household scissors.
Ignoring the astonished looks from those around him, Jiang Bai walked over and roughly grabbed the blond-haired man's hair, then started cutting it with a "snip, snip" sound.
After a while, he nodded in satisfaction.
It just sent chills down the spines of those around them.
Because Jiang Bai's skills were really bad, he cut Huang Mao's hair like a dog eating shit, with holes and bumps everywhere.
Some are long, some are short, and in some places there is no hair at all.
The word "ugly" is not enough to describe it.
"What...what do you want to do..."
Then Jiang Bai turned his gaze to Wan Yong, who looked at Jiang Bai with a fearful expression.
Unfortunately, such opposition is somewhat weak and ineffective.
Because Jiang Bai had already taken action, without saying a word, he directly followed suit and cut Wan Yong clean.
He then turned his attention to the others.
"Teacher...we'll do it ourselves. I promise I'll fix my hair before class this afternoon!" A purple-haired boy, who was being stared at by Jiang Bai, hurriedly raised his hands and said with a look of fear on his face.
The others nodded in agreement, which finally brought a satisfied smile to Jiang Bai's face: "That's a good boy."
"Screw you!"
"You're the good girl. If it weren't for you, you bastard, forcing us, I wouldn't even talk to you."
Each student silently cried out, but none dared to say it aloud, fearing that Jiang Bai would also kick them.
However, Jiang Bai ignored them and let Zhu Xinxin return to her seat. Jiang Bai then went up to the podium and began his lecture.
Su Mei teaches Chinese, and Jiang Bai, who is well-read, naturally has a knack for these things.
If even college students can teach these kids, how can they not teach them?
While he was giving his lecture, Director Yang had already reported the situation to the principal.
"Principal, this is what happened. Jiang Bai, on his first day as a substitute teacher, beat up two students and even forcibly cut their hair. What should we do?"
"I thought he was a top student, a PhD from Tiandu University, and a visiting professor. He had considerable academic achievements at such a young age and should be a talented person. But I never expected him to fight with a student. This... this can't be a problem, can it? Could it be that Su Mei just found someone to deceive us?"
Director Yang had just overheard a passing teacher reporting a problem, and hurriedly went to the principal to explain the issue.
Things are different now. Back then, it was not uncommon for teachers to physically punish students, but it didn't matter much, and parents wouldn't cause trouble. The respect for teachers was very strong.
However, society is developing, humanity is progressing, and parents are protecting their children. In recent years, we have rarely heard of such things, like beating someone in public and forcibly cutting their hair like that.
To put it mildly, it's corporal punishment; to put it more seriously, it's a violation of human rights. He couldn't help but worry whether this incident would cause any trouble for No. 56 Middle School.
"Fake? It's definitely not fake. I called an old friend before, and Jiang Bai's visiting professorship is real. Hmm... his doctoral degree is also real, there's no doubt about that. As for his methods... although they're a bit crude, I think they might be a good approach."
After taking a sip of tea, the nearly sixty-year-old headmaster spoke with an air of composure, leaning back in his soft recliner, his eyes never opening.
"But...won't this cause any trouble for our school?"
Director Yang said with some concern.
The old principal is about to retire, so it doesn't matter what happens to him. But if something really happens, he, as the director of academic affairs, will be the first to be affected. He's still young and doesn't want his future to end like this.
Looking at Director Yang, the old principal lying there chuckled, opened his eyes and said, "I'm not surprised by what you say. Actually... this Jiang Bai is an old friend of our school. Your predecessor resigned because of him."
One sentence sent chills down Director Yang's spine.
He knew about this. He heard that his ex had offended some student's parent and ended up getting himself ripped off. Not only did he lose his job, but he was also investigated by the procuratorate for embezzlement and bribery and is now in prison.
He never expected it would be because of Jiang Bai.
Thinking back to how he had just been considering whether to find a reason to get rid of Jiang Bai, Director Yang broke out in a cold sweat. Luckily, he hadn't done that, otherwise the consequences would have been severe.
You should know that I heard about what happened to my predecessor, which alarmed the vice mayor in charge of education.
Jiang Bai has connections that reach the highest levels.
Thinking of this, Director Yang glanced gratefully at the old principal and thought to himself, "Old ginger is spicier."
At this moment, Director Yang finally understood why the old principal had been able to sit in that position for twenty years, remaining steadfast and unmoved by any storms.
This level of dedication, foresight, connections, and relationships is far beyond what I can ever match.
Unconsciously, Director Yang felt that he still had a long way to go and that he needed to work hard to reach the position of former principal.
The previous contempt for the old principal had long since vanished, replaced by deep respect.