Chapter 414
Chapter 414 - Acting
“I'll pay three million!”
“I bid three million and ten thousand!”
“I bid five million!”
“I bid five million and ten thousand!”
The two stood their ground, fiercely outbidding each other. Neither was willing to back down.
The students around them were delighted by the spectacle.
Many whipped out their phones to capture the moment, intending to share it online.
Yet, Ye Guang was baffled.
He had encountered Su Ming a few times. Despite Su Ming's wealth and status, he was known for his laid-back demeanor, often appearing unbothered by most things.
This side of Su Ming was new to Ye Guang.
Furthermore, Su Qiu was Su Ming's sister, not his girlfriend.
Ye Guang pondered, “What's gotten into Mr. Su? He's acting so out of character. Is he plotting something? He must be laying a trap for Ma Haoran. This isn't going to end well. Ma Haoran has really stepped in it now.”
Ma Haoran scoffed, “The clothes you're wearing can't be worth more than three hundred. Do you even have five million?”
“Of course,” replied Su Ming. “Do you?”
“Absolutely,” Ma Haoran boasted, thumping his chest. “Our family's assets are worth billions. I can easily come up with five million. But do you really have that much?”
Su Ming chuckled, “You doubt my word?”
“I most certainly do!”
Ma Haoran was convinced Su Ming was all talk.
“But there's a way to prove whether you have five million or not. Uncle Ye, do you know the school's bank account number?” Ma Haoran's eyes locked onto Ye Guang.
Ye Guang was momentarily taken aback, thinking, “How did I get dragged into this? My luck is the worst.”
He was, of course, aware of the school's bank account details. It was the repository for annual donations from alumni and philanthropic organizations.
But Ye Guang hesitated to disclose the school's bank account to Ma Haoran, mainly because he was in the dark about Su Ming's intentions and feared messing up his plans.
Mulling it over, Ye Guang looked to Su Ming for guidance.
Su Ming gave a reassuring smile and a subtle nod.
Getting the signal, Ye Guang responded, “Alright!”
With a sense of urgency and utmost respect, Ye Guang approached.
Ma Haoran watched the exchange, his demeanor growing even more smug.
He thought proudly, “Even the school principal shows me such deference. I'm truly incredible! Money really does make the world go round!”
He was unaware that Ye Guang showed great respect to Su Ming, not to him.
While Ma Haoran was still basking in his own arrogance, Ye Guang borrowed a pen and paper from a nearby student and jotted down the school's account number.
“You've got money, right? Transfer it to this account,” Ma Haoran challenged, looking at Su Ming.
Su Ming simply smiled.
Five million yuan was nothing to him; he could easily produce a billion if needed.
He took out his phone and dialed President Chen.
President Chen answered immediately, exclaiming with delight, “Mr. Su?”
“I need to make a transfer.”
“Of course! Just give me the account number, and I'll take care of it immediately!”
Su Ming provided his account details to President Chen.
President Chen wasted no time, swiftly navigating the bank's system to facilitate Su Ming's request.
Before Su Ming could even finish, President Chen had already input his account number into the system.
“Mr. Su, how much are we transferring?”
“Five million yuan.”
“Done! Mr. Su, the funds have been transferred.”
“Great. Thank you.”
With that, Su Ming ended the call.
Moments after hanging up, Ye Guang received a text notification for the deposit of five million yuan.
Ma Haoran, taken aback, thought, “He actually has five million yuan.”
Still, he didn't see Su Ming as a threat.
To him, Su Ming's five million was trivial. His family's wealth was in the billions.
Despite a spending cap on his card, he could withdraw tens of millions.
He scoffed to himself, “How could this guy ever outmatch my wealth?”
Ma Haoran let out a derisive laugh and upped the ante, “I bid six million yuan!”
“I bid 6,010,000 yuan. Plus, I'm going to install an air conditioner in my girlfriend's dorm room,” Su Ming countered.
Su Qiu was overjoyed and said to Su Ming, “I always knew you were the best to me!”
Seeing Su Qiu's jubilant reaction, Ma Haoran grew even more infuriated.
He thought, “All he did was put an air conditioner in your room, and you're this thrilled? What's so exciting about that? He's no match for me! I'll show you what real wealth looks like today!”
Ma Haoran puffed out his chest, “I'll pay seven million yuan! And I'll cover the cost of air conditioning for every girl's dorm room!”
As Ma Haoran's words hung in the air, Su Qiu swiftly turned her head to look at him.
Ma Haoran wasn't bothered by Su Qiu's lack of cheering.
He thought it was perfectly normal for Su Qiu not to cheer.
After all, they had only just met, and Su Qiu, being a girl, was somewhat reserved.
Yet, her eyes brimmed with admiration for him.
Ma Haoran swelled with pride. He believed that his wealth had earned Su Qiu's admiration. Perhaps, he mused, they might even make love tonight.
“I'll give you 7.01 million yuan, and I'll fit air conditioners in all the dormitories!”
Su Ming wasn't ready to concede, though his face betrayed a hint of nervousness.
His expression seemed forced, his jaw clenched.
To onlookers, it appeared he was pushing his limits.
Seeing Su Ming's strained face, Ma Haoran reveled in a sense of triumph.
He was convinced Su Ming was on the verge of giving up. In comparison to him, Su Ming was insignificant.
Hmph!
“I will donate ten million yuan to the school. I'll ensure air conditioning is installed not only in every dormitory but in every classroom of the teaching buildings as well!”
Ma Haoran stood with his hands clasped behind him, exuding arrogance.
The students in the classroom were taken aback by the windfall their school was receiving.
They wished for such disputes to occur more often.
At that moment, Su Ming's face was pale, his teeth gritted, hands gripping the table tightly as he gasped for breath.
If President Chen and the others were present, they would surely be applauding and giving him a thumbs-up for his impeccable performance!
Su Ming appeared to be in a tight spot, his gaze darting around before he bit down hard and stamped his foot. “I'll offer 12 million yuan, and I'll equip every room in the school with new air conditioners. I'll also refurbish the school's stadium and sports field!”
To the others, it seemed Su Ming was at his breaking point, playing his last card.
“Run out of money, have you? I'll give 20 million RMB to the school. I will not only outfit every room with new air conditioners but also renovate the stadium and sports field. Moreover, I'll assist in reconstructing the school plaza!”
Ma Haoran was elated.
Upon hearing this, Su Ming's face flushed with a mix of emotion, as if he was on the verge of speaking but couldn't find the words.
Biting back his frustration, Su Ming challenged, “I don't believe you! There's no way you have that much money! And what if you change your mind after making such a promise?”
“Change my mind? I never renege on a promise. Uncle Ye, I'm transferring twenty million yuan to your account this instant! Installing air conditioning in all the school's rooms, refurbishing the sports facilities, and reconstructing the plaza should be well covered with ten million yuan, right? That brings us to a grand total of thirty million RMB. I'm transferring the funds to you right now.”
While he was talking, Ma Haoran pulled out his smartphone, launched the banking app, and proceeded to transfer thirty million yuan to the school's bank account.