The Favored Heiress
Chapter 266: Xiao Li is a Father

Chapter 266: Chapter 266: Xiao Li is a Father

Duan Shuhua’s tone was somewhat urgent, probably realizing her own lapse, she softened her voice and added, "I know the old man favors you, but he’s getting senile, and as his children, we cannot just indulge him, you agree, right?

Qiaoqiao, your aunt isn’t targeting you, I just want to discuss with you. Could you please talk to your grandfather and ask him to invalidate and rewrite the will?"

After Duan Shuhua’s long speech, Li Qiao felt her eardrums swell.

In the end, it was all about money.

Li Qiao slowly bowed her head and kicked at the ground with her toe, "Aunt, have you asked grandfather about this matter?"

"Why should I ask him!" Duan Shuhua raised her voice slightly, and it wasn’t hard to hear a trace of resentment in her tone, "When he distributed the inheritance, he didn’t even discuss it with us, just gave it to someone else, as if we, his own children, don’t even exist in his eyes."

The words were harsh, and Li Qiao furrowed her brow, casting her eyelids down to hide the tumult and chill within her eyes.

The old man is still alive, and they are so eager to divide up his property?

She never really had any designs on her grandfather’s money.

And Duan Shuyuan’s words were merely a reminder to Li Qiao that she was an outsider.

Li Qiao rubbed her fingers inside her pocket and lifted her gaze to look intently, her smile cold, "Aunt makes a good point, so... please go and talk to grandfather yourself.

As for his will and how he chooses to distribute his wealth, whatever the outcome, I actually have no objections.

I’m sorry, Aunt, I have something else to attend to, I’ll be leaving first."

With that said, Li Qiao nodded at her and turned to walk back the way she had come.

"Hey, Qiaoqiao, Li Qiao—" Duan Shuhua’s sharp call couldn’t stop Li Qiao’s steps.

Watching her walk further away, her face grew increasingly unpleasant.

From the start, she intended to have Li Qiao communicate with the old man.

After all, it was a thankless task, but she didn’t expect the child to be so difficult.

Duan Shuhua’s face was tense, an outsider granddaughter taking away seventy percent of the old man’s inheritance was something she would never easily compromise on.

Duan Shuhua narrowed her eyes in contemplation, then got into her car and made a phone call to Duan Yuanhong.

...

That afternoon, Li Qiao returned to the lab.

Perhaps influenced by Duan Shuhua’s mood, she began conducting experiments in silence with a cool look in her eyes.

At this time, Academician Jiang and Lian Zhen were out, reportedly visiting a research institute.

And Li Qiao, somber as she was, made it so that none of her groupmates dared to approach and chat with her.

Half an hour later, Li Qiao put down the report in her hands, picked up the mobile phone irritably from the table, and left the lab.

The other colleagues glanced at her retreating back, and patting their chests with lingering fear said, "Xiao Li is really tough. When she’s got that stern look and stays silent, it’s so scary."

"Exactly, exactly. I think... when Lian Zhen comes back later, let him go and comfort her a bit; they’re quite close."

Li Qiao was completely unaware of her colleagues’ discussions.

She took her mobile phone to the greenery-filled backyard, sat down on a bench, and didn’t bother to send a message, but directly dialed Shang Yu’s number.

After three rings, a man’s deep and magnetic voice came from the other end, "Why are you calling at this time, aren’t you busy?"

Li Qiao pressed her lips tightly and responded with a muffled "Hmm," "Not busy."

The young girl’s voice was tense and somber, clearly sounding unhappy.

Shang Yu swiveled in his chair, waved his hand to let Wang Yue leave first, and waited until the office door closed before he asked in a deep voice, "What’s wrong? Is there a problem?"

Li Qiao leaned against the curved backrest of the couch, her legs crossed in front of her, holding her phone and glancing at the thin clouds on the horizon, "Nothing much, just...missing you a bit."

On the other end of the phone, the man fell silent for a moment, lit a cigarette, and expelled a ring of smoke contentedly, "Still in the lab?"

Li Qiao nodded absentmindedly, "Mhm, the research isn’t making much progress, it’s a bit frustrating."

At that moment, Shang Yu rose from his executive desk and walked steadily to the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking over the entirety of South Sea City, "Research isn’t something that can be completed overnight, no need to be upset over this sort of thing."

"Yeah, I know," Li Qiao responded lazily, still sounding uninterested.

Shang Yu pursed his lips lightly and, with his gaze fixed on the distant view, changed tack, "This morning, Yun Ling already left."

"What? That fast?" Li Qiao’s surprise caused her tone to rise a little.

Shang Yu raised an eyebrow and asked with a patient smile, "Happy now?"

Li Qiao wiggled her toes, the chill in her eyes fading, "Not really that happy, but thanks to my boyfriend still."

"How do you plan to thank me?" The man followed up smoothly, and the smile on Li Qiao’s lips froze.

She had thought it was just a courtesy.

Li Qiao tilted her head, pondering seriously for a moment, and responded vaguely, "I’ll tell you when I’ve thought of something."

Shortly after, they both hung up the phone, and Li Qiao sat alone on the couch for a few more minutes before slowly making her way back to the building.

...

Less than ten minutes later, Academician Jiang, along with Lian Zhen, returned to the lab, both bubbling with excitement.

Without even a sip of water upon entering, they immediately called everyone together for a team meeting.

Academician Jiang sat at the head of the conference table, clapped his hands, and began introducing enthusiastically, "Let me share something with you all, I just got some firsthand information at the research institute.

Next month, led by the research institute, ten key laboratories will be selected for a domestic exchange conference.

The labs that qualify for the exchange conference need to submit application materials for review by the research institute."

"This is a rare opportunity, and no matter what, I have already decided to sign up Renhe for it.

We have half a month to prepare, so let’s put aside our current tasks and focus on preparing the materials."

With those words, the team members at the table looked at each other, displaying little reaction.

Academician Jiang slapped the table, "Applause, everyone!"

A smattering of applause arose, and Academician Jiang smiled contentedly, "Good, so you all heard me clear, right? For the next half month, we will devote ourselves to preparing the application materials."

At that moment, someone raised their hand, "Teacher, I have a question."

"Go ahead," Academician Jiang said, his fingers interlaced on the table, ready to offer explanations.

The researcher cleared his throat to pose a soul-searching question, "Is it mandatory to participate in the exchange conference... What’s the use?"

"How can it be of no use? You see, ours is a private lab, and though we are associated with the research institute, that’s just because they wanted to do me a favor.

Think about it, over the past few years, how much research we have done, yet in the end, all the research outcomes have been credited under the name of the research institute.

This exchange conference, frankly speaking, is also a competition.

If we can secure a rank, then our lab will receive national support, and all the research outcomes will bear the name of Renhe and your own names. So tell me, isn’t that useful?"

The researchers looked at each other, their eyes revealing a hint of aspiration.