The Favored Heiress
Chapter 227: In the South Sea, it’s not your turn to run wild

Chapter 227: Chapter 227: In the South Sea, it’s not your turn to run wild

Several minutes later, Li Qiao sat in the spacious and bright CEO’s office.

In the resting area diagonally across the sofa, a enchanting woman, who appeared to be around thirty, sat with her long hair reaching her waist, wearing an off-the-shoulder dress and sitting with her legs neatly together, exuding good breeding and an elegant posture.

How enchanting was she?

Even the famous Fire Rose of South Sea, Nan Xin, would probably pale in comparison when set before her.

Coquettish and dazzlingly attractive, these words suited her perfectly.

Li Qiao sipped her tea, enduring the brazen scrutiny from across her with equanimity, as if she saw nothing.

"Shaoyan, who might this be?" the woman asked, her voice sweet but not cloying, the soft and gentle tone could easily make people lower their guard.

So, was this a ruthless and beautiful woman?

Li Qiao lowered her eyes to the teacup in her hands, her eyes brimming with lively interest.

Soon after, Shang Yu, sitting alone on the single sofa, pursed his lips and took a drag on his cigarette, ashing it as he leaned forward, with a deep and steady voice, "Girlfriend."

He didn’t introduce her by name, and his expression as he looked toward the woman across him was filled with arrogance and distance.

At that moment, the other party gathered her hair, her gaze imbued with ambiguity as it swept between Li Qiao and Shang Yu, before she lowered her eyes and covered a chuckle with her fingertips, "So it’s true you really got a girlfriend. I thought it was just a rumor."

When she finished speaking, she raised her eyes again to look at Li Qiao, her almond eyes brimming with sharpness, as she stood up from the sofa and took a few steps forward, extending her hand, "Hello, I’m Shang Fu."

Li Qiao glanced at her palm, which appeared soft and tender, but the fingertips and the center of the palm had noticeable calluses.

She raised her eyebrows, getting up casually, and shook hands with Shang Fu, "Hello, Li Qiao."

The instant their palms clasped, a formidable force abruptly squeezed the back of Li Qiao’s hand.

Shang Fu’s enchanting eyes continued to flash a friendly and graceful smile, yet her arm exerted a steady pressure, her piercing gaze fixed unblinkingly on Li Qiao.

Then, Li Qiao slightly curled her lips, haughtily lifted her chin, "What is Elder Sister Shang trying to do by exerting such force?"

Shang Fu: "?"

Elder Sister Shang?

Shang Fu, a stunning figure of the Parma Shang clan, had been lavished with beautiful titles for years and had never heard someone call her by such an earthy moniker.

Shang Fu still did not loosen her grip, her smile growing more radiant, "Little Sister Li is indeed young, too immature at heart. There are some things you shouldn’t say indiscriminately in social situations."

A power move and a disparagement upon their first meeting, that her nature was immature?

Alright then.

Li Qiao generously accepted the other’s ’criticism,’ and then her clear-cut eyes stared straight into Shang Fu’s, her hand gradually tightening, "Elder Sister Shang’s lesson is well taken, from now on, I’ll change."

At that moment, a subtle change crossed Shang Fu’s face.

Because Li Qiao suddenly exerted strength, instantly seizing her hand firmly with more force than Shang Fu’s, yet her demeanor remained pleasant and easygoing.

Their silent struggle had yet to determine a victor when the man idly smoking cigarettes beside them, with a voice soaked in warning and drawn out syllables, called out her name, "Shang Fu——"

In an instant, Shang Fu released all her strength.

Her arm fell, and she went back to her seat on the sofa, legs together, hands folded on her knees, looking at Shang Yu and playfully commented, "Look at you, I was just joking with your little girlfriend. Why would you take it seriously?"

Shang Yu slowly lifted his eyelids, mist floating in the air, his cold gaze shimmering with light and shadow, "In the South Sea, it’s not your turn to run wild."

The smile on Shang Fu’s lips slightly stiffened, she tilted her head and met Shang Yu’s gaze, her voice lowered a few notches, ambiguous in meaning, she counter-asked, "Is that so? What about outside the South Sea?"

Shang Yu pressed down his thin lips, his ink-colored eyes cold and indifferent, but he hadn’t spoken when a lazy, sarcastic voice came from the side.

Li Qiao said, "You can try."

At this moment, Shang Fu glanced sideways at Li Qiao, then lowered her head with a laugh after a few seconds, "Not bad, I quite appreciate you, little sister. I hope you won’t... disappoint me in the future."

Her words were loaded with meaning, or perhaps more precisely, a provocation.

Li Qiao took a sip of her tea, nodding indifferently, "Hmm, let’s hope Elder Sister Shang will be the same."

Shang Fu, facing unchanged, flicked her hair and then rose slowly, looking down at Li Qiao and said to Shang Yu, "Alright, I won’t stay any longer. I was thinking of having dinner with you, but with outsiders present, let’s forget it."

With those words, she picked up her expensive handbag, walked a couple of steps past the sofa, then turned back, narrowing her eyes, "Shaoyan, aren’t you going to see me out?"

Shang Yu turned his head to look at Li Qiao, his lips curving into a slight smile as he raised his eyebrows, "I’m with my girlfriend, no time."

Li Qiao met his gaze, casually chatting as if they were the only ones there, "What should we eat tonight?"

"Up to you." Shang Yu put out his cigarette and opened his palm, signaling her to come over.

Li Qiao set down her teacup and stood up, walking over to him and handing him her fingers, saying with mock seriousness, "Blow on it for me, your sister pinched me just now and it hurt."

Left out in the cold, Shang Fu’s face instantly fell, and a shadow passed over her eyes as she looked at Li Qiao.

She chuckled softly, turning to head toward the office door.

The naive young girl probably didn’t know that her end was already near.

Earlier in the office, Shang Shaoyan had skillfully dodged her indirect inquiries multiple times.

At that time, she realized that his intention was to protect the woman by his side.

Little did she expect that the brash young lady would actually come to him of her own accord.

What surprised her even more was that Shang Shaoyan was indeed as protective and caring towards her as the rumors suggested.

With these thoughts, Shang Fu looked down at her own bruised hand and anticipation filled her eyes.

A girl who seemed so gentle and frail actually had such strength; this was getting interesting.

...

After Shang Fu left, a murderous intent filled Shang Yu’s eyes. He pulled Li Qiao’s hand closer to inspect it, his voice tight and hoarse, "Does it hurt a lot?"

Li Qiao looked at him, a light laugh on her lips, "No, she probably hurts more than I do."

Just now, she had used at least seventy percent of her strength. It wasn’t just Shang Fu as a woman she should worry about; even Li San would need to weigh his chances against her seventy percent strength.

Shang Yu responded with silence, his hands continuously rubbing the back of her hand.

Li Qiao was puzzled by the sudden appearance of this Shang Fu and after a few seconds of silence, she bluntly asked, "Why did she suddenly come to South Sea?"

Undercurrents surged in the depths of Shang Yu’s eyes. As his thumb stroked Li Qiao’s hand, his gaze was distant as he replied honestly, "Probably... for you."

The Parma Shang clan had eyes all over South Sea; Li Qiao’s presence had likely already caught their attention.

At this point, Li Qiao eyed Shang Yu’s deep-set cheeks, her smile playful as she poked at his fingers, "Then I’m really honored."

If Shang Fu was here because of her, then she must know about her relationship with Shang Yu.

This woman, whom even Wang Yue and others dreaded, Li Qiao was quite eager to see just how... ruthless and heartless she could be.