Chapter 415
Chapter 415
Chapter 415 - Ma Haoran Had Suffered a Loss
Ye Guang was astounded.
Goodness, the school received 30 million yuan just like that?
The school's annual subsidy was barely over 10 million yuan.
He was well aware of the scorching heat, both in the student dormitories and the classrooms of the teaching buildings.
Yet, with the school's limited budget, he couldn't afford to install air conditioning in every room.
But now, he finally had the funds to equip both the school's classrooms and the student dormitories with air conditioning.
The stadium's plastic track was in dire need of replacement. He had been eager to rebuild it, but constructing a new sports field would cost millions of yuan. Now, he had the necessary funds to make it happen.
The school's plaza was expansive but had fallen into disrepair. He had long wished to renovate it, but previously, the funds were simply not available. Now, that issue was resolved.
The pressing concerns that weighed on his mind were suddenly taken care of.
He had come to realize that this was Su Ming's way of teaching Ma Haoran a lesson.
Su Ming had cleverly provoked Ma Haoran's competitive nature, coaxing him into parting with his money time and again.
And Su Ming wasn't alone; he had an accomplice, Su Qiu.
Her appearance was one of pure innocence. Her adoring gaze towards Ma Haoran had him utterly captivated.
Su Ming and Su Qiu truly lived up to the Su family's reputation.
Their acting was impeccable.
Upon seeing Ma Haoran transfer the money, Su Ming immediately regained his composure: “You win.”
Ma Haoran, brimming with pride, burst into laughter. “How about that? You concede defeat? You're no match for me.”
While speaking, Ma Haoran glanced over at Su Qiu.
Su Qiu, however, ignored him and instead addressed Su Ming, “Brother, I'm a bit hungry. Let's go grab something to eat.”
Su Ming nodded with a smile and turned to Ye Guang, “Principal Ye, may we take our leave?”
Ye Guang nodded eagerly, “Absolutely!”
Su Ming inquired, “We're not causing any delays, are we?”
Ye Guang assured him quickly, “No, today's lecture was mainly about the thesis topics for the seniors. Your sister is just a freshman; it's not relevant to her. Later, I'll upload some key papers to the discussion group, and she can download them from there.”
Su Ming nodded. “Then we'll be on our way.”
Ye Guang said in a rush, “Mr. Su, please wait a moment. I'll transfer your money back to you immediately.”
“There's no need. Consider that money a donation. This school is my alma mater,” Su Ming replied, and began to head out with Su Qiu.
Just then, Ma Haoran blurted out, “Wait!” He was perplexed. He had won the competition; he should have been the one to leave with Su Qiu. Why had things gone so awry?
And if he hadn't misheard, he thought Su Qiu had called Su Ming ‘brother.' They weren't lovers; they were siblings.
He suddenly realized he'd been duped by Su Qiu and Su Ming. He had spent 30 million yuan for nothing?
He also picked up on the respectful tone Ye Guang used with Su Ming, indicating they knew each other well. So Ye Guang knew he was being played and said nothing!
Ma Haoran, mouth agape, pointed at Su Ming and Su Qiu. Su Ming looked at him, confused, and asked, “What's the matter?”
Ma Haoran felt a rage burning inside him, but he was at a loss for words.
After a moment of silence, Ma Haoran managed to say, “Didn't you just say that if I won, you'd be my girlfriend?”
Su Qiu looked bewildered. “When did I say that?”
She turned to the others in the room. “Did I ever say that?”
“No!” came the unanimous response from the senior students.
Ma Haoran's frustration grew. He realized that from the beginning to the end, it had all been his own wishful thinking.
Now it dawned on him that Su Ming and Su Qiu's performance was all an act. Su Qiu's admiration and distress were all pretense, designed to make him bid higher. It was all a trap set just for him.
And Ma Haoran had been completely oblivious, arrogantly walking right into their snare.
Ma Haoran was on the verge of tears. “I just went abroad to study for a few years,” he thought to himself. “I never imagined that my own countrymen could be so sly, setting a trap for me. So I've just thrown away thirty million yuan?”
Looking dejected, Ma Haoran turned to Ye Guang and asked, “Uncle Ye, is there no way to get my money back?”
One should never act on impulse.
Under normal circumstances, Ma Haoran would never dream of spending a fortune on a woman.
But today, driven by the need to save face and flaunt his wealth, he had been seduced step by step into Su Ming's snare. Reflecting on it now, he was filled with regret. If his father were to find out, a severe scolding would be the least of his worries.
“Ma Haoran is certainly loaded. He's generously donated a hefty sum for the school's development. I can't hold a candle to him. But then again, his family's business is worth billions. Dropping a mere thirty million yuan is just a drop in the bucket for him,” Su Ming remarked with a sly grin.
Hearing this, Ma Haoran seethed with anger.
He thought, “Su Ming has crossed the line! What's his endgame? Is he trying to trap me again? I won't be duped this time.”
In a rush, Ma Haoran blurted out, “Uncle Ye, this amount is excessive. I can't justify this to my father when I return home.”
“You should have mentioned that sooner. I've already transferred the funds to the logistics staff, instructing them to purchase air conditioners and hire contractors for the sports field and plaza. They've even finalized contracts with the vendors and paid out the money. Let's see… there's still 300,000 yuan remaining. How about I transfer that amount to you?” Ye Guang suggested, his smile unwavering.
Ma Haoran was dumbfounded.
Ye Guang had moved too quickly. His money had been spent in the blink of an eye! He had just transferred the funds to the school's account a minute ago. Now, wanting to retrieve it, Ye Guang claimed it was too late. How could this be?
He had parted with 30 million yuan. Now, even if Ye Guang returned 300,000 yuan, it wouldn't make a difference.
Ma Haoran felt played. It dawned on him that Ye Guang and Su Ming had conspired to ensnare him. He had been the butt of their joke all along, and only now did he realize he'd been swindled.
He was on the verge of tears.