Chapter 630 You actually dare to extort us here?
After tidying up and leaving the house, the other party was already waiting there. When she saw Jiang Bai, the female secretary, whose face had been gloomy, immediately showed a bright and professional smile.
She bowed and greeted Jiang Bai, revealing most of her fair skin to him without reservation.
Jiang Bai glanced at the man, gave him a friendly smile, and then left the hotel in a limousine led by him, heading towards the outskirts.
I thought I would be walking into a vast expanse of yellow sand, but I never expected to walk through layers of sand and arrive at this tiny oasis.
In the center of the oasis stood a large villa. Four burly men stood at the entrance, and upon seeing Jiang Bai arrive, they quickly opened the door and led him inside. Led by his female secretary, Jiang Bai went up to the second floor and sat down in an extremely luxurious reception room.
Immediately afterwards, a maid brought out food and drinks, which Jiang Bai leisurely ate.
He hadn't had breakfast yet, but the other party had been very thoughtful, preparing all of this.
When Jiang Bai had almost finished eating, the door opened and an elderly man with a full head of white hair walked in, supported by two people. One was the female secretary Jiang Bai had met before who had greeted him, and the other was an acquaintance.
Spears, the Gambino family member who was leading the team in Portugal, was the only one whose relationship with the old man in front of him was unknown.
"My name is Sannos, I am Spears' grandfather, and I currently run the Gambino family."
Seeing Jiang Bai's puzzled look, the old man introduced himself to Jiang Bai with a smile.
Nodding, Jiang Bai didn't dwell on the matter. He took a bite of beef, wiped his mouth, sipped his red wine, crossed his legs, and leaned back on the sofa. He said casually, "I don't care what your relationship with him is, or who you are. I only care what you want from me this time."
Undoubtedly, Jiang Bai's behavior was very impolite. He didn't greet the old man at all, and even when the old man arrived and started to speak, he was still eating and hadn't even put down his utensils. At this moment, he also acted somewhat arrogantly.
It has a high profile and is prominently displayed.
The old man glanced at Jiang Bai in front of him, smiled, and ignored his slightly angry female secretary and Spears behind him. He said with a smile, "I called Mr. Jiang here to apologize to you for our actions in Portugal last time."
"Originally, I should have gone in person, but as you can see, I'm old and not in good health, so I didn't visit you in person."
"No need for any visits. Tell me what you really want. You didn't call me here just to let me eat breakfast alone and then spout this bunch of useless nonsense, did you?"
Jiang Bai responded lazily, not showing much friendliness.
People are inherently perverse. If you treat them kindly, they'll take advantage of you. On the contrary, if you show them no respect and act coldly and superior, they'll be trembling with fear and won't dare to be negligent in the slightest.
Jiang Bai was willing to bet that if he were to teach this old guy a lesson, he would definitely be able to start a business immediately.
They'll take advantage of you in no time.
Why?
If you act too kindly, it means you're insecure and care about the other person.
If you don't want to break ties with the other party, why should they meet your conditions?
If you're already a coward, who else do you think you can threaten?
That's why Jiang Bai didn't give the other party a friendly look.
This made the old man a little nervous. The once powerful and influential godfather remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "An apology is of course necessary, but a mere verbal apology is absolutely not enough to satisfy Mr. Jiang. We know that."
"So, last night, several families in Vegas held a meeting and decided to compensate Mr. Jiang."
"We are willing to offer four billion US dollars, similar to the other companies. As long as you agree and promise not to cause trouble in Vegas again, we can transfer the money to your account immediately."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai remained expressionless, while Spears looked unwilling. The female secretary standing behind him, however, was horrified, staring at Jiang Bai with disbelief.
She couldn't understand who Jiang Bai was, that he would make someone like her boss apologize and offer such a huge amount of compensation.
She had been following the old man for more than a year or two, so she naturally knew what this seemingly harmless old godfather was all about.
That's why she was even more surprised by Jiang Bai's identity.
Jiang Bai had no time to care about her mood. If they met outside, he wouldn't mind having something happen between him and the beautiful secretary. But now was clearly not the time for romance or flirtation.
"Forty billion? Are you trying to fob me off? The lowest offer from the previous companies was this amount. Mr. Satas from Sun City offered six billion US dollars, and they were just there to help. As the instigator, do you really think you can get rid of me with this little bit of money?"
"I'm here to collect debts, not to beg for food!"
Jiang Bai was unhappy because the old man had given too little, which clearly could not satisfy Jiang Bai's desires.
His bottom line is 5 billion, and he hopes to get 6 billion.
As for anything more, I haven't even considered it.
He also considered the limits of what several companies could bear; if they were really pushed to the limit, it wouldn't benefit anyone.
Jiang Bai was also unwilling to engage in a war of attrition with the five major families. Although they would suffer heavy losses, he himself would not fare much better.
Things are different now. Before, he had nothing and was a bachelor, so he wasn't afraid of anyone. Now, he has a large family and business, and he's not willing to really fight with anyone anymore.
That would only result in a lose-lose situation, which is not in Jiang Bai's interest.
However, outsiders don't know much about this situation now and still think Jiang Bai is the same Jiang Bai as before. So, Jiang Bai wants to take this opportunity to amass as much wealth as possible.
Four billion US dollars is clearly not enough.
"Then... Mr. Jiang, how much do you want?" The old godfather's expression changed after hearing this, and he said in a deep voice.
After saying this, he added, "I hope Mr. Jiang won't go too far. If he gives us a reasonable price, we can still discuss it. But if it's really beyond our means, even if we don't want to, we'll have no choice but to fight Mr. Jiang."
"Eighty!" Jiang Bai announced his price.
The old rule is to start with a price and then negotiate on the spot. He can't quote too low a price, otherwise there won't be much room for maneuver.
"Eight billion! Damn it, Jiang, you need to understand, this is Vegas, this is Country A, this is our territory. How dare you extort us here? Believe me or not, with just one phone call, you won't be leaving this country!"
Chapter 631 They All Have Backing
Jiang Bai didn't even glance at Spears when he questioned him.
Spears has no say in this matter; the one who truly has the authority is the old man in front of him. As for Spears's words, just ignore them like bullshit.
Of course, this bullshit was uttered at the right time and with great fanfare.
Jiang Bai was satisfied with the release, because it was perfectly timed.
Jiang Bai glanced at Spears and said with a smile, "Just based on what you said, it's 8.5 billion, not a penny less."
"If you don't want to, then it's simple. You can just stop opening your doors. I'll just stay in Vegas. There's no one here. I'll stay until you go bankrupt."
"If you want to use other methods on me, I welcome it with open arms, but then 8.5 billion won't be enough to solve the problem."
Jiang Bai's words turned Spears' face a deep purplish-red, and he wisely shut his mouth.
Finally, the old godfather spoke up: "Fifty billion is our bottom line. We can't come up with any more money than that."
"Eighty-five, not a penny less. Either you don't open the door, or we'll fight to the bitter end."
Jiang Bai refused to budge an inch.
Fifty-five!
The other party gave another offer.
After a long period of bargaining, during which they used all sorts of tricks, including threats and probing, Jiang Bai and the old godfather used every trick in the book.
The final price was set at US$6.2 billion.
Although it was painful, the old godfather still agreed, fearing that Jiang Bai might change his mind, and transferred 5 billion to Jiang Bai in advance.
As for the rest, he'll have to team up with the others.
He wasn't worried about whether those people would take money or anything like that.
They've already spent a billion, so an extra two hundred million is acceptable to a few people.
As long as we can get that despicable Jiang Bai to leave, that's all that matters.
As a result, Jiang Bai received debts from various groups in Vegas that evening.
A whopping 6.2 billion US dollars.
With the money he had previously collected, Jiang Bai paid off all his debts overnight, leaving him with a full two hundred million US dollars, which made him very happy.
Feeling carefree with no debts and having had enough fun here, Jiang Bai prepared to head back.
Just then, Jiang Bai's phone rang; it was Wang Bao calling.
This left Jiang Bai somewhat bewildered, wondering why Wang Bao was calling him.
It should be noted that since Zhao Wuji left, although he and Wang Bao have maintained contact, their relationship remains as harmonious as before.
However, as Jiang Bai's status rose and Wang Bao's status declined, Jiang Bai clearly sensed that Wang Bao was somewhat uncomfortable in their interactions.
So unless something comes up, the two of them don't spend much time together these days.
Of course, this is also directly related to the fact that Jiang Bai himself is basically not in Tiandu now.
Wang Bao rarely calls him first, so his call now makes Jiang Bai curious. What could have happened that would make him call him?
"What's wrong, Brother Leopard?" Jiang Bai asked Wang Bao, puzzled, not knowing why he was making the call.
"Xiao Bai, you're in Country A right now, right?" Wang Bao asked first.
Although Wang Bao's feelings were somewhat complicated due to the difference in their status, he wouldn't stoop to asking Jiang Bai to call him "Master Jiang" or anything like that. If he did that, he wouldn't just be slapping himself in the face, but Jiang Bai.
Therefore, the way they address each other remains unchanged, which makes it seem intimate.
"I'm here. A while ago, someone was causing trouble for me, so I came over to have some fun and collect some debts. What, you knew about this?" Jiang Bai asked, looking completely bewildered.
He didn't tell Wang Bao about this trip, so how come Wang Bao knows now?
"You've made such a big fuss this time, it's all over the place now, everyone knows someone's causing trouble for Portugal. You, Jiang Ye, stepped in and single-handedly swept through nine major groups, and you've already taken down eight of them. You're currently living in Vegas."
"You forced several casinos in Vegas to close down, and the nine major corporations couldn't do anything about it. Everyone knows that now, so why are you asking me how I know? Little White, did you go a bit too far this time? The nine major gambling corporations are not to be trifled with."
"As far as I know, they all have powerful backers."
Wang Bao gave a wry smile and said dryly.
Jiang Bai's recent actions have spread throughout the entire capital city and even the upper class of China, and are considered legendary by many. It's not surprising that he knows about them.
"So what if they have powerful backers? Do you think they dare to mess with me?" Jiang Bai said dismissively.
He knew that all nine major gambling groups had powerful backers, and he wouldn't dare to approach them rashly if he didn't.
Moreover, he was even more aware that none of the behind-the-scenes bosses of the nine major gambling groups were simple people.
Just like those guys in Vegas, there's a hidden force supporting them, allowing them to rise to the position of the five major families they are today.
As for who it was, Jiang Bai didn't know, but did it matter?
In his view, it was obviously unimportant; the fact that those people hadn't stood up yet showed that they had some reservations and didn't dare to go against him.
What does he have to be afraid of?
If those people don't come out, fine. But if they do, then let's fight. If we can't win, we can just run away.
Jiang Bai was confident that he could escape without any problem.
With his body practically immortal, if he wanted to run away, no one could really stop him.
However, once this matter is over, those people will definitely cause him trouble, that's for sure.
Jiang Bai knew this without Wang Bao needing to remind him.
But by then Jiang Bai had already returned to China, so what could they do to him?
Moreover, it's just some money. Jiang Bai doesn't think it's worth those people risking their lives for him. If he didn't have a mission and was already heavily in debt, Jiang Bai wouldn't bother doing such a thing.
Extortion is never a good thing.
"They might not dare to do it for now, but who can guarantee they won't in the future? I heard that the companies you've messed with have started to collude with each other. They definitely won't reach a conclusion anytime soon, but they'll definitely not swallow this insult after what you've done to them. It's only a matter of time before they unite."
Wang Bao responded helplessly, expressing his disapproval of Jiang Bai's constantly provocative and dangerous behavior.
However, he also knew that Jiang Bai might not listen to what he said.
Jiang Bai is no longer the same person he used to be; he's no longer the penniless kid with only a little strength.
However, he still had to say what he should say. This was what he should do as a friend and an older brother. Whether Jiang Bai listened or not was another matter.
"Let's not talk about that. We'll deal with whatever comes our way. Let those guys team up, I don't care. If they dare to mess with me, I'll make sure they get away with it. Brother Leopard, you didn't come to see me for this, did you? What's up?"
Chapter 632 The Young Lady is Coming Back
Jiang Bai was unwilling to get entangled with Wang Bao on this issue any further.
Only he himself knows his current situation, and perhaps Cheng Tiangang, Yang Wudi, Li Qingdi and the like also know.
However, Wang Bao certainly didn't know.
Because they are not even on the same level.
There are times and things that Wang Bao cannot understand.
He knew that Wang Bao hadn't come to him just for this matter; there must be something else going on, so he changed the subject.
This made Wang Bao pause for a moment, deciding not to dwell on the matter with Jiang Bai. He also sensed that Jiang Bai was unwilling to talk about it, so he wisely shut up and replied after a moment of silence, "I actually have something else to ask you for help with today."
"Tell me... what's wrong, and I'll definitely take care of it. Is someone upset you? If so, just tell me, and whoever it is, I'll make them pay."
Jiang Bai responded with a smile, unwilling to dwell on the previous issues with Wang Bao, but given their relationship, Jiang Bai would stand by Wang Bao without hesitation if he needed anything.
He knew that Wang Bao was not as powerful as before; he was just a nominal director at Wuji Enterprise, responsible for supervising Zhao Wuji's business.
As for his other businesses, Zhao Wuji had handed them all over to Jiang Bai before he left, and they are now being managed by Xu Jie.
Xu Jie managed everything, including those shady businesses and the group of spies he kept around.
So now, Wang Bao may seem successful on the surface, but inside he is all bark and no bite, and he no longer has the same strength to get things done as before.
Jiang Bai was aware of this, and many others were as well, which led to Wang Bao's decline in status.
Jiang Bai wasn't surprised that he asked for his help.
If anyone is foolish enough to mess with Jiang Bai's friends, Jiang Bai will definitely make them regret it.
"Even though Master Zhao is gone, with you standing here, who would dare to cause me trouble? Are you tired of living?"
"I'm here to talk to you about something else."
Upon hearing this, Wang Bao burst into laughter.
Zhao Wuji is gone, and the underground forces have been transferred to Jiang Bai. Wang Bao no longer has his former glory and power, but he is still Jiang Bai's buddy.
Aside from being brain-dead, no one would bother him if he stayed in Tiandu.
"What's up?"
"The young lady is coming back!"
Wang Bao's words startled Jiang Bai. After a moment, he reacted and asked, "Miss? Brother Zhao's daughter?"
"Hmm," Wang Bao said.
"Isn't she only sixteen years old this year, studying in Los Angeles? A high school student, why does she suddenly want to come back?" Jiang Bai was taken aback. He knew who the young lady Wang Bao was talking about was.
Besides Zhao Wuji's daughter, who else could be worthy of being called "Miss" by Wang Bao?
Jiang Bai knew about Zhao Wuji's daughter's situation.
Zhao Ling'er is only sixteen years old and has just entered high school. Logically speaking, she should be at a time when her studies are very demanding. Why is she suddenly going back to China?
It seems like nothing changed in between?
Zhao Wuji once said that if he died, he would have Jiang Bai bring his daughter back.
The problem is that Zhao Wuji is safe and sound now; he has simply left. Jiang Bai remembers clearly that Zhao Wuji called his daughter before leaving, saying that he was going to be away for a while and that she should study hard.
Zhao Ling'er didn't say she wouldn't agree.
Not only did he agree, but he also wholeheartedly agreed.
Why are you suddenly going back to China?
why is that?
This is not normal.
"I don't know. She just contacted the old nanny at home and said she was going back to China. As for why, she didn't explain clearly. She just asked the nanny who took care of her for many years when she was a child to tell me. I don't know the specifics of what happened."
"However, I think there must be some problem that's why Miss wants to go back to the country. I originally wanted to go there myself, but then I thought, you happen to be in Country A. Vegas is very close to Los Angeles, so it's much more convenient and faster for you to get there than for me."
"Besides, you are more capable than me. If anything happens, you are much better at handling it than I am. So I want you to go and take a look."
Wang Bao shared his guess.
"good."
Jiang Bai agreed without hesitation. It was his duty after all. Zhao Wuji didn't have any special requests when he left, except that he should take good care of his daughter. Jiang Bai agreed immediately.
The little girl may be in trouble now, and Jiang Bai has no reason to ignore it.
Let alone the fact that the little girl is too young to encounter anything too troublesome, Jiang Bai wouldn't mind even if it meant killing a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
As for whether those eight, no... now seven SSS-level ability users from Country A would risk their lives for Jiang Bai if he actually did that, that's another matter entirely.
Anyway, he can't worry about that for the time being.
As they were talking, Jiang Bai suddenly remembered something, paused for a moment, and then asked, "I remember Zhao Ling'er should be with that person, right? Isn't she supposed to be taking care of Ling'er? Why don't you give her a call?"
"That one?" Wang Bao was stunned for a moment, not quite understanding.
Jiang Bai was about to continue when he came to his senses: "You mean Miss Han?"
"Who else could it be but her?" Jiang Bai replied irritably.
Wasn't Wang Bao just pretending to be confused when he knew the truth?
"Only Master Zhao knows Miss Han's phone number over there, and Miss Han knows it too, but that definitely doesn't include me. I would like to contact her, but I can't find her," Wang Bao replied with a wry smile.
"Um, surely you have a home phone? Why don't you call Zhao Ling'er's house? Isn't she the one who takes care of the kids? She'll always be home, right?" Jiang Bai paused for a moment, then asked.
These words immediately earned him a glare from Wang Bao, who said to Jiang Bai with an annoyance, "Brother, don't you know who Miss Han is? She went there specifically to take care of Master Zhao's child, but she's not a full-time nanny."
"She's the eldest daughter of the Han family, raised in luxury since childhood, and she's also a PhD from Princeton. How could she stay at home all day? She's just responsible for taking care of the young lady, taking care of her daily needs, and they live together."
"But she's also a notoriously busy person, she doesn't spend much time at home. If I could just call and ask, would I need to waste my breath talking to you?"
"Speaking of which, I don't know the young lady's home phone number either. Their address and phone number there are kept strictly confidential. Even I don't know them. When I transfer money every month, it's to an account belonging to a woman named Sun Li, which is probably an alias."
"After all, Master Zhao sent Miss Han there just in case. He made countless backup plans. Miss Han and Miss Han's identities were changed. They used English names there. Not many people knew their real names. When something happened, Miss Han would call home from a public phone."
"Everything they did went through countless manipulations. The houses and such were all registered under other people's names. Even Cheng Laohu couldn't find them, so how could I?"
Chapter 633 Welcoming
"You mean, Cheng Laohu also contacted Han Rui?" Jiang Bai asked curiously, his face full of gossip.
"Yes. Back when Miss Han left, Tiger Cheng went crazy, searching non-stop. He even sent over a hundred people to Country A, but all he found was Miss Han in Los Angeles."
"Los Angeles has tens of millions of people. Finding one person among so many is like looking for a needle in a haystack. The result was naturally… nothing."
Wang Bao chuckled softly, almost unconsciously.
After saying that, he immediately realized something and quickly added, "Xiao Bai, it's fine if you know about this, but don't tell anyone, especially don't say that I told you, or Cheng Laohu will eat me alive!"
"Know."
Jiang Bai responded with a grin. He knew that Wang Bao was somewhat afraid of Cheng Tiangang, even when he was with Zhao Wuji, he was still a little afraid of Cheng Tiangang, this man-eating tiger.
Therefore, he did not argue with Wang Bao about this issue.
Wang Bao chimed in, "Miss, only you can find it. I was planning to call you for the address after I got there, but it seems I won't need to now."
"Before Master Zhao left, he gave you the young lady's address. It's much easier for you to find her than for me to."
Before leaving, Zhao Wuji did give Jiang Bai his daughter's address and phone number. Jiang Bai hadn't realized it until Wang Bao mentioned it, but now that it was mentioned, he remembered. However, Han Rui's phone number wasn't among them.
Only home address and home phone number are provided.
Wang Bao had assumed he was aware of the matter, but Zhao Wuji was surprisingly tight-lipped. Even Wang Bao, who had been with him for decades, hadn't revealed a word about it, as it involved his daughter.
"Alright, I'll go see if anything's wrong. If it is, I'll take care of it." After saying this, Jiang Bai exchanged a few more pleasantries with Wang Bao and then hung up the phone.
They didn't want to dwell on the previous issues, lest they upset Wang Bao.
After hanging up the phone, Jiang Bai boarded a plane and flew directly to Los Angeles.
Driving is an option, but if you have a private plane, why would you choose not to? Driving for hours to fly is foolish.
Is Jiang Bai a fool? Obviously not.
Upon arriving in Los Angeles, he generously gave each of the flight crew members a $20,000 red envelope as a token of his gratitude. Amidst their profuse thanks and the two beautiful flight attendants' expressions of appreciation, he saw them off.
Jiang Bai doesn't know how long he'll be staying here, and there's no reason for everyone to wait.
Although he gave the order, and no one dared to disobey, there was no need to.
More importantly, Jiang Bai plans to buy his own plane here. Anyway, he has money, two hundred million US dollars in cash, and he has no other use for it, so he might as well spend it.
Never mistreat yourself, no matter who else you may mistreat – this has always been Jiang Bai's motto in life.
As Jiang Bai walked out of the airport and tried to find a car to go to Zhao Ling'er's residence, he was suddenly stopped by someone.
A young man in his late twenties, with blond hair and blue eyes, stood there with a group of burly men, dressed in suits and ties. When he saw Jiang Bai come out, he immediately came forward and said, "Hello, are you Mr. Jiang?"
"Who are you?"
Jiang Bai could recognize anyone he had never met before at a glance. The person in front of him was clearly someone he didn't know. He was full of curiosity and somewhat confused as the person suddenly stopped him at the airport.
"My name is George Gambino. The Spears you met before is my brother. We are both from the Gambino family. The current godfather is my grandfather, whom you have met before."
Seeing Jiang Bai's questioning look, the other person quickly introduced himself, behaving quite friendly.
"What do you want?"
No matter how friendly he acted, Jiang Bai wouldn't be polite to him. He looked at the young man in front of him with full of vigilance, guessing the purpose of his trip.
Although when he received the money from Sannos, the old man told him that he hoped the Gambino family could become friends with Jiang Bai in the future, and that he would definitely give him a warm welcome when he came again.
However, Jiang Bai thought this was utter nonsense.
He had squeezed a hefty sum out of them; most of Vegas's revenue for the past six months had gone into Jiang Bai's pocket. It would be a miracle if they didn't hate him.
You think you can treat me well? You want to kill me as soon as you leave?
Didn't they say they've already started colluding with each other?
What does it mean that the Gambino family has suddenly come knocking on our door?
Seeing Jiang Bai's wary look, George smiled charmingly and said to Jiang Bai, "Mr. Jiang, please don't misunderstand. We have no ill intentions. In fact, I just received a call from my grandfather before you arrived. He knew you were coming and asked me to treat you well."
"He told me that you are the most important guest of the Gambino family, and this is our territory, so he instructed me to do everything in my power to meet all your needs. He made sure you felt... well, how should I put it, in your words... at home!"
He even blurted out a sentence in Chinese at the end, but the emphasis and tone of his voice made Jiang Bai want to laugh.
"The most important guest?" Jiang Bai raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, a cold smile playing on his lips.
This guest of theirs is quite important, so important that they all want to kill him.
Jiang Bai didn't know what the other party was up to or what they were really up to, but he still didn't expose them.
As the saying goes, you can't hit a smiling face. This person greeted him with a fawning smile, claiming that he would entertain him and make him feel at home, giving him ample courtesy. Jiang Bai had just taken advantage of this person.
It's really too embarrassing to fall out with someone now, to kick them out and tell them to get lost.
By doing this, he not only embarrassed the other person, but it was also inappropriate both morally and logically.
More importantly, Jiang Bai wanted to see what tricks the Gambino family was up to. Were they really going to make peace with him and befriend him, or were they planning to use the guise of entertaining him to pull some kind of trick and sabotage him?
These Jiang Bai were very curious.
So he didn't refuse. He put his hands in his pockets, looked at George in front of him, and smiled, "In that case, thank you for your hospitality. I was just about to go find a friend and help her with some things. I was going to call a taxi, but since you're here, I'll take your car."
"Of course, we'd be happy to help you." George agreed with a smile, behaving respectfully yet warmly.
In this respect alone, he is far superior to that Spears.
Jiang Bai really wanted to tell him that he was much better than his impatient older brother, at least from the initial impression.
However, after thinking about it for a moment, Jiang Bai didn't dwell on the matter any further, because it was someone else's family affair.
Chapter 634 Guess Where I Am?
Once in the car, Jiang Bai gave the address, and the car started and left the original location, with George accompanying him.
I thought there was only one car.
However, Jiang Bai quickly realized that he was wrong.
Since George said that Jiang Bai was their most important guest, why would they treat him so simply?
As soon as the stretch Lincoln drove out of the airport, three cars rushed up from behind, slowing down to lead the way, followed by three other cars, all carrying burly men.
Jiang Bai initially thought these guys were looking for trouble, but he quickly realized how ridiculous his idea was.
If the Gambino family wanted to cause trouble for Jiang Bai, they definitely wouldn't have sent just this few people.
They were well aware of Jiang Bai's situation; why would such a small group attack him?
What's the difference between that and courting death?
If it were truly effective, there would be no need to pay in Vegas; we could just kill Jiang Bai directly.
The five major families have few other things, but they also have a lot of people.
Let alone a dozen or twenty, gathering one or two thousand gunmen in this country where guns are rampant is as easy as playing a game.
But they didn't do that.
It's not that I don't want to, it's that I can't.
Because they also knew that these people were of no use in dealing with Jiang Bai.
After getting in the car, the two chatted for a while, talking about local customs and culture. George also told Jiang Bai that if possible, he had arranged a welcome party for that evening, which would be attended by many celebrities.
They were all prominent local figures, including business tycoons, bankers, and heads of well-known companies. Of course, in Los Angeles, there were also a number of Hollywood stars in attendance.
George even subtly indicated that there were several particularly sexy beauties among them, and he could introduce them to Jiang Bai if Jiang Bai was willing.
Jiang Bai neither refused nor objected to this; he simply smiled slightly.
They said they wanted to see how their own affairs were going, and if they had time, they would go; otherwise, they would skip it.
George smiled and nodded, then said to Jiang Bai, "If you go, you're welcome to the party. If you don't go, I'll have them change the subject."
"Whether you go or not, don't make it seem like you're giving me a special welcome. Just do what you need to do, and I'll see how things go."
After Jiang Bai gave him that comment, George didn't say anything more and didn't dwell on the matter. He also told Jiang Bai that he was free these few days and would accompany him. He told Jiang Bai that he could contact him if he needed anything, and that his phone was on 24/7.
This was a task given to him by his grandfather.
Jiang Bai chuckled and nodded, not saying a word, and noted down the other party's phone number.
The two talked for a while longer before Jiang Bai arrived at his destination.
Jiang Bai originally thought Zhao Ling'er's residence would be an unimaginably luxurious mansion, because with Zhao Wuji's wealth, this was not a problem at all.
All those oceanfront mansions are trash to Zhao Wuji. If he wanted, he could buy half a beachfront for his daughter.
But once he arrived at the destination, Jiang Bai realized he had misunderstood.
This is just an ordinary house, maybe a little bigger than the average person's house, but not by much. In Los Angeles, detached houses like this are everywhere, and the value is only a little over 100,000 US dollars, which a middle-class family can easily afford.
It was completely different from the magnificent mansion Jiang Bai had imagined.
There was a small lawn in front of the entrance, which looked like it had been carefully trimmed.
The other places are really just so-so.
They are a perfect example of a well-off family.
Seeing this, Jiang Bai understood why Cheng Laohu couldn't find Han Rui; this place was extremely well hidden.
The truly wise hide in plain sight; finding his target in such a place is indeed not easy.
It's a wonder Zhao Wuji could be so heartless as to abandon his daughter so far away and provide her with such poor living conditions. I don't know how Zhao Ling'er manages to balance her feelings.
Anyway, if Jiang Bai had a rich father with a net worth of hundreds of billions, but was forced to leave his hometown as a child and given such an ordinary life, Jiang Bai probably wouldn't be happy.
Jiang Bai asked George and the others to drive the car a little further away before getting out of the car and knocking on the door.
"Knock knock knock".
Jiang Bai knocked for a while, but no one responded, which left him feeling quite helpless.
Nobody was home?
What's going on?
According to Wang Bao, before Han Rui came, Zhao Wuji had arranged for someone to take care of his daughter. It seemed like he had an honest and reliable nanny who stayed at home all day and never went out. Why is she gone now?
Left with no other option, Jiang Bai could only sit at the door of the room and wait. He made a phone call and found that the phone inside the room kept ringing but no one answered, so he knew that he had not come to the wrong place.
With nothing to do, I checked the time and it was only nine in the morning. Nightlife in China was just beginning. Feeling bored, I called Cheng Tiangang.
"Guess where I am?" Jiang Bai asked Cheng Tiangang with a smile after dialing the number.
"Aren't you in Country A? I heard you've been bored lately and made a big fuss about it? Sweeping away nine major gambling groups? Jiang Bai, you're such a troublemaker. Do you even know what kind of forces are behind them?"
Cheng Tiangang responded irritably. The noise over there was a bit chaotic, and he didn't know what they were doing, but it certainly wasn't work, because Cheng Tiangang didn't speak like this when he was working.
Moreover, if he's in a meeting or something, there will be absolutely no sound on the other end when he makes a phone call.
"I don't care what kind of forces they are. Who told them to mess with me! If they dare to mess with me, I dare to mess with them. If they're not happy, then fight them. Who's afraid of who?" Jiang Bai replied irritably.
"Hehe, you handle it as you see fit. I don't care about your business. Anyway, let me tell you, you've made such a big fuss this time. If you really get into trouble, don't let them come back to China. You'll have to sort it out yourself abroad. Otherwise, if you cause any trouble in China, don't blame me for turning against you and getting you all arrested!"
With a cold laugh, Cheng Tiangang said rather rudely.
Jiang Bai immediately heard a hearty laugh coming from the other side. Judging from the voice... Yang Wudi?
How did these two end up together?
It seems like they're having a meal and drinks?
The kid's doing pretty well.
Aren't you going to tell me how incredibly busy you are right now?
Yang Wudi is busy suppressing the universe, how could he have time to drink and eat meat with Cheng Tiangang?
Was it a moment of leisure stolen from his busy schedule, or was that old man Lieyang lying to him?
However, he didn't dwell on this issue. His target today wasn't Yang Wudi, but Cheng Tiangang.
With a chuckle, Jiang Bai said, "Whether you arrest me or not is another matter. Guess where I am right now?"
Chapter 635 Is she alright?
"I don't have time to deal with you. You're not a young man anymore, how can you be so clueless? I'm eating right now."
"It just so happens that I'm in a meeting today with Yang Wudi, Li Qingdi, and Wu Tianxi. We're going to talk about what happened before over drinks, so we don't have time to talk to you. If you're bored, you can tell Wu Tianxi that you want to drink... drink that bastard Li Qingdi to death!"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Tiangang said impatiently and threw the phone directly to Wu Tianxi.
It was only then that Jiang Bai realized that this guy... was drunk.
No wonder Jiang Bai started to feel something was off; Cheng Tiangang wasn't talking like before. He must have had too much to drink.
"The three of them are competing with each other for some reason. They've already drunk a case of baijiu and they're still drinking. Their men are even more reckless. Tsk tsk, it's a contest between the military, police, and government. There are twelve people in total, and they've already drunk five cases."
"Everyone watching me is dumbfounded. Jiang Bai, who do you think will last until the end today? Haha, I bet Yang Wudi will definitely win! How about a million? Let's make a bet."
Wu Tianxi took the phone and laughed heartily.
Judging from this, this guy drank quite a bit, but he was clearly not among the group that was having a serious fight, otherwise he wouldn't have had the time to call Jiang Bai.
"I bet Li Qingdi and his team will win. Remember to give me the money when the time comes."
Jiang Bai smiled lazily.
"Why?"
Wu Tianxi looked puzzled and asked, not understanding what Jiang Bai meant by saying that.
"Yang Wudi's men are definitely the best fighters. They are all highly skilled and capable soldiers. I know that. But Yang Wudi doesn't allow them to drink alcohol. Alcohol is basically prohibited in his troops. How can that work?"
"Cheng Tiangang, he has quite a few high-ranking police officers under him, but those who hang out with him are all daredevils. They're good at catching thieves, but they're just so-so when it comes to drinking."
"Li Qingdi, huh? I know all the people he hangs out with. They're all experts honed by alcohol. I don't know about their other skills, but when it comes to drinking, they're absolutely top-notch. They're all seasoned drinkers."
"So, you tell me, did you lose?"
Upon hearing this, Wu Tianxi paused for a moment, then burst into laughter, and said, "You're right. But when are you coming back? I heard you swept through the nine major gambling groups, offending a lot of people this time."
"They won't dare to do anything to you for now, but if you stay outside for too long, who knows? I've heard that those bastards are making connections."
"The people from Tushan are the ones who took the lead. Walker and other places are also involved. So far, only Sun City and Vegas haven't joined. Do you want me to make the first move for you and teach those Tushan bastards a lesson so they'll behave?"
"No need, I'm fine. Don't you know my situation? I'm all alone out there, what can they do to me? If I can't beat them, I can run away. If I want to escape, no one in this world can stop me. There's nothing to worry about."
"I'm looking for Cheng Tiangang, have him answer the phone."
Jiang Bai smiled and declined Wu Tianxi's offer, insisting on finding Cheng Tiangang.
Wu Tianxi chuckled and handed the phone back to Cheng Tiangang, but Jiang Bai could hear Cheng Tiangang drunkenly shouting from afar, "I'm not answering his calls. That bastard never comes looking for me. I'm busy right now and don't want to deal with him."
"It's over, it's over!"
It would have been better if he hadn't heard these words; as soon as he did, Jiang Bai got angry.
Hey, what does that mean? Who's the grandson?
You're the grandson.
Without even thinking, he shouted, "Cheng Tiangang, I'm in Luocheng right now, at Han Rui's doorstep! Are you going to answer me or not!"
Jiang Bai's voice wasn't very loud, but it was still a shout, loud enough for everyone on the other end to hear clearly.
Jiang Bai didn't know if the other party had heard everything he said, but he knew that after he shouted, the other side immediately fell silent.
The once lively room suddenly became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Both the voices and the laughter came to an abrupt halt.
Even Wu Tianxi and the others fell silent.
Who doesn't know who Han Rui is?
Who doesn't know that's Cheng Laohu's taboo?
If they dare to talk about Han Rui, Cheng Laohu will turn on them on the spot.
Let alone them, even Li Qingdi and the others wouldn't joke about this, because if it were mentioned, Cheng Tiangang would immediately turn hostile, especially now that Cheng Laohu is drunk, they're really afraid he'll flip the table.
Well... that would be a big deal.
These were just Jiang Bai's guesses. What he didn't know was that the scene in the room was even stranger than he had imagined.
Just as he finished speaking, Li Qingdi and Yang Wudi were raising their cups to drink with Cheng Tiangang when they suddenly froze, holding their breath, neither of them putting down their cups.
Wu Tianxi, who had been laughing and joking freely with a smile on his face, now had his smile frozen on his face. He was in an awkward situation, unsure whether to laugh or not.
As for Yang Wudi, at this moment, he kept his eyes down, his nose closed, not saying a word, expressionless, not looking at anyone, completely like a wooden doll.
As for the others, they all looked awkward, unsure whether to stand, do, speak, or laugh.
They were afraid of causing Cheng Tiangang to misunderstand, afraid that Cheng Tiangang would think they knew about this matter.
Although this was no secret to those present.
Privately, they follow their boss around; what secrets don't they know? Why would they take this so seriously?
But... this is a private matter. Bringing it into the open would be troublesome and could very well provoke the tiger's wrath.
So they had to pretend they didn't know as much as possible, but at this moment no one dared to utter a sound, making the atmosphere here extremely strange.
Taking a deep breath, Cheng Tiangang finally refrained from drinking. Instead, he picked up the phone, stood up, coldly surveyed his surroundings, and walked out, much to the relief of those around him.
However, no one spoke up about this issue at this moment, and the atmosphere in the room remained somewhat silent.
About half a minute later, Cheng Tiangang's voice finally rang out: "Where did you say you were?"
"I'm at Han Rui's doorstep, Luo Cheng. Han Rui, don't tell me you've forgotten who I am!" While others feared Cheng Tiangang, Jiang Bai was not, and he teased him without restraint.
He's the kind of friend you can't hang out with.
However, only a close friend like him would dare to say such a thing. Apart from Jiang Bai, only Zhao Wuji in the past would say such a thing, but every time he would be met with Cheng Tiangang's endless rage.
This time was different. Cheng Tiangang wasn't angry; his voice trembled slightly as he asked, "Is she... alright?"
Article 636 Even tigers have their moments of weakness.
"I have no idea."
"Don't you know? Aren't you at her doorstep?"
"I really don't know, I haven't even gone inside yet. I just found the place. Zhao Wuji told me the address before he left, but there's no one in the room now, so I guess he went out. I don't know how she is."
Jiang Bai said with a smile that he called Cheng Tiangang just to provoke him out of boredom, and that he hadn't actually met him.
However, Jiang Bai was very curious about Han Rui. He wondered what kind of woman she was that could make Cheng Tiangang so infatuated.
You should know that Cheng Laohu is a well-known iron-fisted person, known for his integrity and incorruptibility. He has always been very domineering, otherwise he wouldn't have earned the nickname Cheng Laohu.
Jiang Bai was very curious about the charm that Han Rui possessed, which had captivated such a person for so long.
"Then why did you call me?!"
Cheng Tiangang was furious upon hearing this.
"I wanted to ask you if you have anything you'd like me to say to your ex-fiancée, or I could give you her address and you could come over now? You should be able to see her then."
Jiang Bai laughed and didn't dare to say that he made the call specifically to provoke Cheng Tiangang, so he made up a very lame but very useful question.
"This...I..."
These words actually calmed the furious Cheng Tiangang down. After a long silence, he hesitated, unsure of what to say.
"Seriously, are you the Cheng Tiger I know? Why are you such a coward?"
Jiang Bai retorted sarcastically without hesitation.
Why are you making such a fuss over something as simple as saying a few words?
If he actually meets people, won't it turn into a melodramatic love story, with him crying his eyes out?
"Please ask her if she's doing well. If... I mean if... she wants to come back, tell her I'll always welcome her."
After a long silence, Cheng Tiangang ignored Jiang Bai's sarcasm and simply said one sentence. After saying that, he seemed to have used up all his strength and hung up the phone without waiting for Jiang Bai's reply.
Because he knew that Jiang Bai would definitely tell him about it.
Hearing the busy tone on the phone, Jiang Bai smiled helplessly and muttered to himself, "Really, I don't know what kind of woman could make Cheng Laohu so cowardly."
"But then again, what's so special about a brainless idiot who abandoned her fiancé after only a short time with Zhao Wuji and then came to help take care of his child for several years?"
"This is really a headache, I don't understand."
"To be honest, I'm quite curious about this brain-dead woman named Han Rui now."
After saying that, Jiang Bai stood up, stretched, and wondered if he should go out for a stroll when a voice suddenly sounded behind him: "If you want to see that brainless woman, then that's perfect, she's right behind you."
Jiang Bai's smile froze instantly. With his strength, he could detect anyone who wanted to get close to him from a hundred meters away, but he had been too engrossed in the moment and hadn't paid any attention to it.
When he heard the voice and turned around abruptly, he saw a woman wearing loose sportswear and sporting a neat short haircut standing with her arms crossed, coldly looking at him.
This woman was around thirty years old, capable and aloof, with a good-looking face—definitely a beauty—but her figure...
It was really quite ordinary.
Judging from the wet look of his hair, he must have just washed his hair or taken a shower. I guess he knocked on the door and called while the other person was showering, but no one answered. Now that he's finished, he came out to check and overheard his own conversation.
This made Jiang Bai quite embarrassed, and he forced a laugh, saying, "I was just kidding, I thought no one was around..."
"Next time, don't knock on someone's door while they're showering. Who do you think you are? Who were you talking to on the phone just now? Cheng Tiangang?"
Han Rui gave Jiang Bai a cold look and responded irritably, her words revealing her dislike for him.
"Ahem, yes," Jiang Bai replied awkwardly.
"So many years have passed, and he still hasn't given up? How did he find me? I really underestimated Cheng Tiangang's power. Being a minister really changes things. He couldn't find me before after searching for so long, but he found me now!"
"And who are you? Are you his subordinate? Or do you have some other relationship with him? You sounded like you knew him quite well on the phone?"
Han Rui stood there, showing no intention of letting Jiang Bai in to speak, and coldly asked one question after another, as if firing off a machine gun.
After saying this, without waiting for Jiang Bai's response, she continued, "Go back and tell Cheng Tiangang that I have nothing to do with him anymore. Please tell him not to look for me anymore and not to waste his time on me. What happened in the past is in the past. Now tell him to hurry up and find a woman to marry. A vice minister, over thirty years old and still not married, what kind of talk is that?"
After saying that, he turned around and prepared to leave.
Jiang Bai became anxious and quickly said, "No, I wasn't sent by Cheng Tiangang to find you. He's a friend of mine, but he didn't send me this time. I'm Zhao Wuji's buddy, and I'm here to see his daughter."
One sentence made Han Rui stop in her tracks. She paused for two seconds, then turned around, her face beaming with a smile: "I know who you are now. You're Jiang Bai? Wuji told me about you before, saying that you would be in charge of taking care of Ling'er in the future."
"You should have said it was you! I was just wondering how Cheng Tiangang could have such a young and handsome friend. Now that I know it's you, it's no surprise. Come on in, come on in. Ling'er went to school and hasn't come back yet."
Have you eaten? I'll cook you something.
When Jiang Bai revealed that he was Zhao Wuji's friend, Han Rui immediately guessed Jiang Bai's identity. With a big smile, she pulled Jiang Bai inside, showing concern for his well-being and even offering to cook for him.
Their attitude has completely changed from before.
If she was an icy beauty before, she has now instantly transformed into a warm and radiant girl next door. Jiang Bai felt somewhat uncomfortable, and at the same time, he couldn't help but silently mourn for Cheng Tiangang.
"Old Cheng, just accept your fate. I won't say anything more to you. Judging from this attitude, they don't take you seriously at all. It's all about loving the house because of the crows in it and hating the crows in it too! This change in attitude is too drastic."
"Your friends and Zhao Wuji's friends are treated completely differently here."
Jiang Bai wisely refrained from relaying Cheng Tiangang's words, as there was no need to speak. Under Han Rui's warm hospitality, he entered the room and was seated on the sofa. Han Rui immediately poured water for Jiang Bai and inquired about his well-being.
They kept asking Jiang Bai if he had eaten, if he was thirsty, if he was tired, and if he wanted to take a shower, change his clothes, and rest. They were incredibly enthusiastic.
If Cheng Tiangang saw this scene, one wonders what he would think.
Chapter 637 As expected, a problem arose.
After a warm welcome, Han Rui finally sat down and steered the conversation to the main topic.
While it was said to be the main topic, Jiang Bai understood the underlying meaning: they simply wanted to find out Zhao Wuji's whereabouts from him.
But Jiang Bai really didn't know about this. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk about it, but he simply couldn't, because even Jiang Bai himself didn't know about it.
When Zhao Wuji left, he only said that he was going with Xu Changsheng. As for where they were going, who knew?
Therefore, Jiang Bai had no way to answer.
After asking around without success, Han Rui finally asked Jiang Bai about the purpose of his visit. Jiang Bai then recounted what Wang Bao had told him earlier.
This made Han Rui frown, and she said with a puzzled look, "I haven't heard Ling'er mention this. Why would she suddenly want to go back? It should be fine here. She has lived abroad for so many years and is used to life here. Logically speaking, she shouldn't want to go back."
"I don't know about that. Brother Leopard also felt something was wrong, and since I was here, he sent me over to see if there was a problem."
These words made Han Rui frown. Jiang Bai inquired about Zhao Ling'er's school, then bid farewell to Han Rui, wanting to go and see if something had happened there.
Han Rui originally wanted to go along, but Jiang Bai persuaded her not to.
He's a new face, so there shouldn't be any problem with him going there. If something really happens, he should be able to find out something.
However, if Han Rui were to follow along, many things would be covered up, and Jiang Bai used this as a reason to refuse Han Rui.
Han Rui nodded in agreement, and then arranged lunch at home, saying that Jiang Bai and others should come back and eat there.
After leaving the house, Jiang Bai called Cheng Tiangang. He didn't talk about anything too complicated, but simply told Cheng Tiangang, "Don't think about this anymore. Find a reliable woman to marry. There's no hope for Han Rui."
Cheng Tiangang remained silent for a long time, then responded with a sound and hung up the phone.
Jiang Bai then followed Han Rui's instructions and went to Zhao Ling'er's school.
With George leading the way, he shouldn't have any problems getting there.
Soon, Jiang Bai was taken by George to a high school two blocks away, a place with a nice environment and a good location.
School hadn't let out yet, and Jiang Bai stood there frowning, hesitating whether he should go in and take a look.
After thinking it over, Jiang Bai still didn't do it. Although George told him that the private high school was owned by a friend of his, and that he could help Jiang Bai with whatever he wanted to do, even shutting it down wouldn't be a problem.
However, Jiang Bai did not respond. He stopped there and then took out a photo of Zhao Ling'er that Han Rui had given him earlier, asking George and the others to take a look and keep an eye on her after school.
And so, a strange scene unfolded at the entrance of Copson High School: more than twenty burly men in black stood upright in the parking lot, waiting for school to end.
Half an hour later, the bell rang, and students poured out of the school and drove away in their cars.
Country A is a country with a highly developed automotive industry, and most high school students own their own cars. It seems that the private high school that Zhao Ling'er attends is well-known in the area, and the families there are generally well-off, so owning a car is not a problem for them.
Jiang Bai even caught a glimpse of several luxury cars.
However, none of these are Jiang Bai's main concerns. He only has one thing on his mind right now: Zhao Ling'er.
Before they knew it, more and more people came out, and many cast curious glances at Jiang Bai and the men in black. Fortunately, everyone dispersed, otherwise it would have attracted even more attention.
Before long, someone came up to Jiang Bai and whispered in his ear that they had found Zhao Ling'er's whereabouts, but it seemed that they had encountered some trouble.
This startled Jiang Bai for a moment, and then he quickly followed the burly black man who had given the report.
George and his men over there also received the news and hurriedly followed.
Before long, Jiang Bai and his group arrived at the left exit of the school. From afar, Jiang Bai saw Zhao Ling'er wearing a white school uniform shirt, a plaid skirt, carrying a schoolbag, and with her hair in a ponytail.
At this moment, she stood there looking flustered and slightly pale. A group of people, who looked to be around ten years old and about the same age as Zhao Ling'er, surrounded her, mainly an Asian boy.
This startled Jiang Bai for a moment, then he frowned and muttered to himself, "There really is a problem."
Jiang Bai waved to stop the people behind him from following, then strolled over alone, wanting to hear what had happened.
In fact, if Jiang Bai had any business on George's turf, George would have been able to handle it perfectly, but Jiang Bai didn't do that.
After all, he wasn't very familiar with the other party, and there were many conflicts between them. Although the other party had shown enough goodwill, Jiang Bai was still unwilling to get too close. He didn't want others to interfere in matters like Zhao Ling'er's.
More importantly, Jiang Bai didn't like owing people favors.
As for the fact that Zhao Ling'er was exposed to the other party's watchful eye, Jiang Bai didn't take it seriously.
Now that he's on their turf, no matter how hard Jiang Bai tries to hide it, he can't escape the eyes of the five major families. They will know everything he does in Luo City.
If that's the case, why hide it?
It's all for nothing that I acted like a petty person.
As for whether the other party would use Zhao Ling'er as a threat in future conflicts, Jiang Bai didn't care at all.
Putting aside the possibility that the other party might succeed, even if they did succeed, so what?
Do you really think Zhao Wuji is dead?
The lion was just sleeping; disturbing his daughter could cause it to come out and bite at any moment.
What's worse, this lion now has a powerful backer; Xu Changsheng is currently with Zhao Wuji.
From Jiang Bai's current perspective, anyone who offends Xu Changsheng is... doomed.
Moreover, Jiang Bai wouldn't give the other party that chance.
Once this matter is over, either Zhao Ling'er will return to China, or Jiang Bai will send people to protect her secretly.
Of course, Jiang Bai believed that Zhao Wuji would never put his daughter in danger, and that someone must be secretly protecting Zhao Ling'er. As for who it was, Jiang Bai didn't know.
However, there must be someone like that, and that person is definitely not simple.
He is definitely a master who is no weaker than Wang Bao, and may even be stronger than Wang Bao.
After all, Zhao Wuji was once a more powerful and troublesome character than Yang Wudi.
Shaking his head, Jiang Bai tried to stop thinking about these things and unconsciously walked to Zhao Ling'er and the others. The distance between them was not too far, about four or five meters, enough for Jiang Bai to hear their conversation clearly.
Chapter 638 Are all young people this bold these days?
As soon as Jiang Bai got closer, he heard Zhao Ling'er's voice: "Le Tian, I've already told you, it's impossible for us. I've decided to return to China, so please don't bother me anymore."
Jiang Bai was taken aback by these words. He had thought it would take a long time to find out why Zhao Ling'er left Luocheng and returned to China. Unexpectedly, he heard the reason for the matter as soon as he got there.
It turns out it was all because of this Asian kid named Lotte.
Jiang Bai stared at the young man in front of him, and his embarrassment immediately kicked in.
It wasn't because the person in front of me was ugly, but because the boy in front of me was incredibly handsome.
Even Jiang Bai had to admit that the boy in front of him was quite good-looking. If he were a typical young heartthrob in China, he might have become famous just walking down the street. In South Korea, he would definitely be a top-tier handsome guy.
However, in Country A, his type doesn't seem to be very popular; he's a bit too thin.
Overall, the kid in front of him was only seventeen or eighteen years old, and Jiang Bai himself had to admit that this guy was much better looking than him.
No matter how good-looking you are, you can't force someone to buy you. If someone doesn't like you, do you need a reason?
Judging from this, they've been bothering Zhao Ling'er for a while now?
Jiang Bai didn't understand why Zhao Ling'er didn't like the handsome young man in front of her who looked like a sharp-edged girl. But if she didn't like him, she just didn't like him. Did she need so many reasons?
Obviously not.
"Back in China?" This question startled Le Tian, who then couldn't help but frown.
"Zhao Ling'er, it's your good fortune that our Young Master Le has taken a liking to you. Don't be stubborn and refuse to listen to reason." Before Le Tian could even speak, a typical Asian lackey chimed in, barking menacingly at Zhao Ling'er.
When he said this, his face was full of ferocity, and he acted like a dog relying on its master's power.
Unfortunately, even though the bite was well-deserved, the owner didn't give him a bone. With a "smack," Le Tian gave the lackey next to him a resounding slap and said viciously, "Who told you to be mean to her?"
The slap was extremely loud, leaving the lackey in pain and stunned, while Zhao Ling'er shrank back.
Jiang Bai was stunned for a moment, wanting to see what the other person would say, but the other person's next words instantly extinguished any goodwill Jiang Bai had, because the other person said something Jiang Bai had not expected.
"Zhao Ling'er, it's no use going back. I won't let you go back, so you can't!"
"I told you to date me, but why didn't you listen? In Los Angeles, I have plenty of ways to get you, but I just don't want to do it."
Why do you have to force me?
"Even if you go back, what then? I heard your father does business in Tiandu? Believe me or not, I can bankrupt him with a single word?"
"I don't believe it!" Jiang Bai immediately replied to Le Tian's words in his heart.
It wasn't that he didn't believe it; he genuinely didn't believe it. Jiang Bai truly didn't believe anyone had the ability to bankrupt Zhao Wuji in Tiandu. He unconsciously looked at Le Tian with a strange expression.
This young man is really something! He made Zhao Wuji, the mighty lion of Tiandu, kneel down with just one sentence?
I wonder where he gets his confidence and courage?
Even Li Qingdi dared not say such a thing.
However, Jiang Bai's disbelief did not mean that others did not believe it. Jiang Bai clearly felt that Zhao Ling'er's expression changed, and there was a strong sense of fear in her eyes.
Jiang Bai was speechless. He could guess that Zhao Wuji must not have let his daughter know who he was, and he had even made up a different identity for Zhao Ling'er.
Otherwise, Zhao Ling'er would never have this expression.
She should give him a clean and resounding slap, then make a phone call to make him regret ever being born. That's the proper demeanor of a young lady.
"I... my father is a respectable businessman... you, you shouldn't cause him any trouble..." Zhao Ling'er said timidly, her voice trembling slightly.
I wonder who this Le Tian is, that he could frighten Zhao Ling'er so much.
Or was the identity that Zhao Wuji fabricated for his daughter really that low?
Are you scared off by a few bluffs from a nobody?
If Zhao Wuji had known that Zhao Ling'er would face such a situation, I wonder if he would still have done it?
I doubt it.
"Well, that depends on what you do. From now on, you're my girlfriend. How about we go out for dinner together tonight?"
Ignoring Zhao Ling'er's pitiful appearance, with tears welling up in her eyes, the other party laughed and said...
It seems he was quite satisfied with Zhao Ling'er's performance; this appears to be the effect he was aiming for.
"I don't think it's very good."
Jiang Bai wasn't there to watch the show; he was there to help resolve the problem. Naturally, he couldn't just sit idly by and watch this kid continue his performance.
If Zhao Ling'er really suffered some loss, even losing a single hair would be impossible for him to explain to Zhao Wuji.
He had made a promise back then, guaranteeing Zhao Ling'er's safety, and Jiang Bai hadn't forgotten that.
Jiang Bai might be perfunctory with other people's words, but Zhao Wuji had treated him well, and given their relationship, Jiang Bai wouldn't just say it and let it go.
At this moment, Jiang Bai naturally stepped forward.
With just one sentence, everyone's attention was drawn to him, including Zhao Ling'er. They all looked at Jiang Bai with surprise and confusion.
Ignoring the surprised looks from others, Jiang Bai stepped forward, blocking the group and Zhao Ling'er. He smiled and extended his right hand to Zhao Ling'er, saying, "I'm your father's friend. My name is Jiang Bai. You can call me Uncle Jiang."
Jiang Baitian shamelessly claimed to be Zhao Ling'er's uncle, even though he was only eight years older than Zhao Ling'er, twenty-four years old this year, a complete young man in society.
Being a big brother is more like it, but being an uncle is a far cry.
But there's nothing we can do. He's buddy with Zhao Wuji. He can't just ask Zhao Wuji's father to call him "brother" and expect his daughter to call him "brother," would that be a difference in seniority?
"Uncle Jiang..."
Zhao Ling'er hesitated for a moment, looking at Jiang Bai's strange and surprised face. But she was still a well-behaved little girl after all. After hesitating for a moment, she still called Jiang Bai "Uncle Jiang".
Although she had no idea who Jiang Bai was, he was a friend of her father, so calling him "uncle" wouldn't be too much of a stretch, even though this "uncle" was far too young.
However, she desperately needed help at this time, and Jiang Bai's intervention was like a lifeline for her, so naturally she grabbed onto it.
Smiling and nodding, Jiang Bai turned to look at the young man, Le Tian, and sized him up. After a moment of disdain for his appearance, he said with a playful tone, "Are all young people as bold as you these days?"
Chapter 639 Identity
These words clearly startled Le Tian, who seemed somewhat confused.
He didn't understand what Jiang Bai meant by saying that.
Then, realizing that Jiang Bai was mocking him, he immediately became angry and pointed at Jiang Bai, saying, "Who are you to meddle in other people's business? Get out of my way, this is between Ling'er and me."
"Yes, you'd better get lost. Don't you even know who our Young Master Le is? How dare you interfere in our Young Master Le's affairs? Believe me, with just one word from Young Master Le, you'll be torn to pieces instantly?"
As soon as Le Tian finished speaking, the lackey next to him immediately chimed in, pointing at Jiang Bai's nose, almost ready to beat him up.
Not only him, but also the various ethnic groups following behind them were eager to try.
"Young Master Le? Still a young master?" Jiang Bai replied with a smile, looking completely unconcerned.
No matter how little you are, you're nothing compared to him!
Jiang Bai has trampled countless people like this to death.
Jiang Bai has trampled on two truly powerful playboys: Meng Huangchao and Li Lao Er.
These two are currently the two most powerful young masters in the capital. When they meet Jiang Bai, aren't they still being tortured to death?
Moreover, how could someone whose origins are unknown expect Jiang Bai to take him seriously?
Dream on!
"I'm a friend of her father's. I'm here on business, and her father asked me to come and see his daughter. Recently, Ling'er has been acting a bit strange, and her father suspects that she might be being harassed by some hooligans. He asked me to come and check on her."
"Now that I see it, it really is true."
Jiang Bai's unrestrained teasing caused Zhao Ling'er's face to change slightly, turning somewhat pale.
Unlike Jiang Bai, Zhao Ling'er knew a lot about Le Tian, although most of it was hearsay, but that didn't mean Le Tian wasn't capable.
In her young mind, a spoiled brat like Letian was the type of person who should never be messed with, someone her father, a small businessman, could not afford to offend.
As Jiang Bai was her father's friend, he was certainly not anyone special, so she couldn't afford to offend Le Tian in front of her.
However, she wasn't a particularly outspoken or daring person, otherwise she would have already made a big fuss about this. Not to mention telling Wang Bao, even if she told Han Rui about it once, Han Rui would have a million ways to make Le Tian feel like he was in heaven.
The Han family of Southwest China is not to be trifled with. They are a family that produced a founding general, with influence throughout the Southwest and even abroad. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been qualified to form a marriage alliance with Cheng Tiangang.
Even if the Han family has no power, Zhao Wuji is no match for them. As long as Han Rui makes a phone call to Cheng Laohu, given Jiang Bai's understanding of Cheng Laohu's character, he will arrive in no time after receiving Han Rui's call.
As for what will happen after he arrives...
The scene was too beautiful for Jiang Bai to imagine.
"What did you say! Say it again!"
Upon hearing this, Le Tian became completely enraged. His face contorted with rage, and his handsome features became distorted.
"Do you even know who our Young Master Le is? Let me tell you, Young Master Le's father is the leader of the Huaqing Gang, the largest gang in Chinatown, and Young Master Le's uncle is a very famous figure in the country. Have you heard of the Leshi Group in China? That's Young Master Le's family!"
"Both of the previous generation were outstanding individuals who achieved great success. However, in this generation of the Le family, there is only Young Master Le. In the future, both the Huaqing Gang and the Leshi Group will belong to Young Master Le!"
Lotte was just grimacing and embarrassed, but he couldn't introduce himself himself. The lackey next to him wisely stepped forward at this moment and introduced himself for Lotte.
This surprised Jiang Bai, and he began to understand why Zhao Ling'er was afraid and wanted to go back.
Jiang Bai didn't know what kind of person or what his conduct was like, but he had heard of the Leshi Group. In fact, he seemed to know Le Tian's uncle. He had met him at a meeting once before, and someone had introduced him to him.
It is a listed company with assets of tens of billions.
As for the Huaqing Gang, Jiang Bai knew about it. It was a well-known and powerful gang in Chinatown, Los Angeles. As for why he knew about it, it was simple: someone told him.
Before arriving in Luocheng, Jiang Bai had already called Dou Bin and Yang Yong, asking them to find some capable people to help. They might end up fighting here because of Zhao Ling'er's matter, so finding some people in advance wasn't for fighting.
The people they knew weren't really useful for Jiang Bai's fighting; they were asked to find local bullies to investigate things on the ground and use as informants.
This is also why Jiang Bai asked them to find someone. Jiang Bai himself doesn't know many people here. He has quite a few decent friends here, so the person they find must be extremely high-class.
Getting them to do things is fine, but getting them to be informants and spies is a bit of a challenge.
Besides, that would leave us indebted to others, so it's better to let Yang Yong and the others do it.
Both of them are now the leaders of their respective establishments, and they operate under their own banners in Hong Kong, claiming to be their disciples. Jiang Bai's silence is considered tacit approval.
Since we're all on the same side, there's no need to be sentimental about using each other's services.
They would feel more at ease if they used it occasionally. However, if Jiang Bai ignored them for a long time, they would panic and consider switching allegiance.
They recommended two organizations: the Huaqing Gang and the renowned Zhigongtang.
The Huaqing Gang is related to Yang Yong and has had many dealings with their Number Gang. It is also an old organization.
As for the Chee Kung Tong, it is naturally related to Hutchison Whampoa. The Hung Men is a large group, and they all belong to the Hung Men, so it is normal for them to have some connections.
As for the two organizations, Jiang Bai really couldn't say for sure which one was more powerful; they were both behemoths in Chinatown.
The Huaqing Gang has been rooted in Los Angeles for decades and its influence has grown rapidly. Young Master Lok's father should be the second-generation leader.
This organization now has several thousand members in Los Angeles. They are very fierce and not only dominate Chinatown, but I've also heard that they are competing with some Asian groups outside the city and are showing signs of expanding outwards.
As for Zhigongtang, it was once a behemoth with a long history, but now it is showing signs of decline.
However, as the saying goes, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. The prestige of the Zhigongtang is too great. Even someone like Jiang Bai, who has always looked down on this industry, does not dare to underestimate the Zhigongtang.
It's not because they're so powerful now, but because they were incredibly powerful in the past. They produced the strongest double-flower red stick in history, who was later revered as the Father of the Nation, sparked a revolutionary wave, and overthrew the previous dynasty. This shows the profound heritage of the Zhigongtang.
Such an organization cannot help but command respect.
However, they have truly declined now and are only relying on their former prestige. They are slightly weaker than the Huaqing Gang in terms of strength.