The Favored Heiress
Chapter 265: Mercenary Group Running Errands

Chapter 265: Chapter 265: Mercenary Group Running Errands

At this moment, Shang Qiongying, upon hearing Shang Fu’s explanation, turned her eyes, brimming with shrewdness, towards the window.

She raised her hand to touch her pearl earring and smiled thoughtfully, "Is that so? Your so-called letting down their guard is running to South Sea Mountain behind my back to tip him off?"

Shang Fu’s expression tensed, but she quickly regained her composure, "Aunt, you’re overthinking it. It’s true that I went to South Sea Mountain last night, but I came back shortly after. You can’t blame me for the Mercenary Group’s failure."

"Little Fu, you should remember how you got to where you are today," Shang Qiongying said with a gaze that quietly returned to her face. That expression, although smiling, somehow made Shang Fu feel uneasy.

Shang Fu nodded slightly towards Shang Qiongying, her tone much more respectful, "I always keep Aunt’s promotion in mind."

"Mhm, that’s good. Otherwise... I wouldn’t want to raise an ungrateful wolf in sheep’s clothing for no reason. Old Lee, let’s go."

After Shang Qiongying finished her last sentence, she casually picked up the magazine and continued to flip through it.

And for Shang Fu, these words were nothing less than a warning.

...

In the evening, Li Qiao took a helicopter to leave South Sea Mansion.

Her car was still parked at the entrance of the Mountain Road, and since police tapes had been set up around the road, the car remained where it was.

After disembarking from the helicopter, Li Qiao drove back to the lab.

Meanwhile, Shang Yu stood on the platform, watching her leave until the helicopter crossed over the mountaintops, then he gradually turned around and commanded Liuyun with a sharp tone, "Send Shang Qiongying and Shang Fu back to Parma within three days."

Liuyun nodded, "Boss, are we just letting Shang Qiongying go like that?"

Daring to place an assassination order on the boss with the Mercenary Group, this acting head of the collateral branch might not last much longer.

Standing with his hands behind his back, Shang Yu gazed at the distant mountains with his deep eyes, his handsome face showing no ripples, "No rush, the Mercenary Group will take care of it."

The Mercenary Group had suffered huge losses, and Yun Lih and Yun Ling were not going to let it go easily.

Liuyun silently looked at Shang Yu’s back, feeling a bit of sympathy for Shang Qiongying and Shang Fu.

They probably didn’t know that from the moment Shang Qiongying made the order to the Mercenary Group, the boss had already been informed.

Let alone one Yun Ling, even if ten more Mercenary Groups came, they wouldn’t be able to harm the boss in the slightest.

...

The next day, in the afternoon, at Palm Residence.

Li Qiao parked her car outside and entered the house with some fruit in hand.

She had planned to visit her grandfather in the hospital the evening before last but was delayed by the incident on South Sea Mountain.

Coincidentally, Duan Jingming was discharged from the hospital yesterday noon, so Li Qiao took the opportunity of her lunch break to visit the old gentleman.

Once inside, she handed the fruit to the butler and went straight to the tea pavilion in the backyard.

On a breezy, sunny afternoon, the old gentleman Duan Jingming was sitting in his rocking chair, quite contented as he listened to traditional Peking opera, occasionally humming along.

Li Qiao took light steps forward and covered his legs with the dragging blanket, calling out, "Grandpa."

Duan Jingming turned his head and opened his eyes, and upon seeing Li Qiao, he smiled broadly, "Ah, Qiaoqiao is here. Come sit down. Have you eaten?"

Li Qiao nodded, "Yes, I’ve eaten. How have you been feeling recently, Grandpa?"

"Good, very good," Duan Jingming sat up from the rocking chair and handed the tea from the low table to Li Qiao, "You don’t need to worry about me, my child. Your mother told me you’ve been working on experiments lately—is it very tiring? Look at you, you’ve lost weight."

Taking a small sip from the teacup, Li Qiao curved her lips with a faint smile in her eyes, "It’s not tiring, it’s all in a day’s work."

Duan Jingming had always been particularly fond of Li Qiao, and when he heard her talk about work, he couldn’t help but start rambling, "Aiyo, you haven’t even graduated yet, what’s the rush?

As I see it, you should take advantage of your youth and go out more, really enjoy life.

Our family has the means, let those brothers of yours handle the work.

Otherwise, by the time you reach your grandfather’s age, you won’t even have the strength to go out anymore, and also..."

Grandfather Duan Jingming rambled on for quite a while, essentially telling Li Qiao not to lose out on life for the sake of work.

Li Qiao responded indifferently, but largely in one ear and out the other.

She chatted with the old man for twenty minutes, noticed the fatigue around his eyes, checked the time, and then helped him back to his room for a midday nap.

Not yet half-past one, Li Qiao walked out of the Other Residence. Just as she pulled out her car keys, a Cadillac sedan stopped in front of her.

The car window lowered, revealing Duan Shuhua’s face, pale and expressionless.

"Auntie," Li Qiao nodded towards the car window, spun on her heel, and planned to leave.

But Duan Shuhua stepped out of the car, leaned on the door frame, and called out to her, "Qiaoqiao, wait a moment."

Li Qiao stopped at the front of the car, looked at Duan Shuhua, and raised an eyebrow, "Auntie, what is it?"

Truth be told, Li Qiao wasn’t very close to Duan Shuhua.

Of the elders in the grandfather’s family, probably only Duan Yuanhui was the most doting on Li Qiao.

At that moment, Duan Shuhua cast a covert glance towards the inner courtyard of the Other Residence, closed the car door, and walked up to Li Qiao, "Do you have time? I have something I’d like to talk to you about."

"I do," Li Qiao replied coolly.

Duan Shuhua glanced around and gestured towards the South Sea Riverside, "Let’s walk and talk."

A short distance from the riverside, after walking for about three minutes, Duan Shuhua finally broke the silence, "Qiaoqiao, I’ve heard that lately your family has reached a cooperation with Yan Emperor Group?"

Li Qiao paused in her steps. The Li Family had cooperated with Yan Emperor Group?

It was indeed the first time she heard about it.

Li Qiao’s gaze flickered subtly, she looked at Duan Shuhua without showing any reaction, "I’m not aware, Auntie knows that I have never been involved in the family business."

"Is that so?" Duan Shuhua tugged at the corner of her mouth, her smile somewhat strained, "Even if you’re not involved, shouldn’t you be watching the news? In the past few days, the corporate media have been covering the soon-to-be-launched joint venture for a new type of pharmaceutical project between the Li Family and Yan Emperor Group."

Li Qiao glanced at Duan Shuhua with an indifferent expression, "I haven’t honestly seen the news, so... what is Auntie trying to say?"

It was really strange for an elder with whom she had never been close to suddenly take an interest in her family’s business changes.

At that, Duan Shuhua stopped in her tracks, turned to face Li Qiao, hesitated for quite a while, and then spoke with some difficulty, "Qiaoqiao, what I want to say is, now that your family is considered the wealthiest in South Sea, and you’re connected to Yan Emperor Group, a high branch,

your wealth will only grow from here on out. In this situation, shouldn’t you stop competing with us over Grandfather’s inheritance?"

Inheritance!

As the last word left Duan Shuhua’s mouth, Li Qiao suddenly understood the purpose of her conversation today.

Her grandfather had mentioned in the hospital room that he left seventy percent of his personal wealth to her.

If Auntie was suddenly mentioning the inheritance, she must have caught wind of it.

At this time, seeing Li Qiao not responding, Duan Shuhua took a step forward, pressing her, "Qiaoqiao, your family’s wealth is countless, Grandfather’s little bit of money is nothing compared to that."