The Favored Heiress
Chapter 498: The Amount of the Cash Gift Is Li Qiao’s Birthday

Chapter 498: Chapter 498: The Amount of the Cash Gift Is Li Qiao’s Birthday

Li Jun handed the list to Li Qiao, "Do you recognize any?"

She didn’t speak, but her third brother Li Cheng bent down to snuff out his cigarette, lifted his eyelids to glance at the slightly tense profile of Li Qiao, and reminded in a faint voice, "There are many people in this world with the same name."

The name Xiao Yehui was surprising to him when he first heard it as well.

Li Qiao held the account book, looked at the name Xiao Yehui, and then her gaze moved down to the amount of the cash gift.

Probably because her silence had lasted too long, Li San furrowed his brows, stood up, and also took a glance...

The expressions on the faces of the siblings froze almost identically.

The amount of the cash gift: 3.12 million.

No wonder Li Jun was able to notice the anomaly of Xiao Yehui among so many names.

Because the cash gift he provided was the highest amount on the list.

As a high official from South Sea, Li Jun had numerous gift-givers, but high-value cash gifts were rare.

Firstly, because of his sensitive position, and secondly, if most public servants gave large gifts, it would easily be criticized.

A cash gift of 3.12 million was too conspicuous here.

The most important point was the number 312.

It was Li Qiao’s birthday.

At this moment, her fingers clenched tightly around the ledger, her breathing uneven as she turned her head to meet Li San’s gaze, "Do you still think it’s a coincidence of names?"

Li San’s jaw tightened slightly, his eyes narrowing as he pondered for a long time before shaking his head, "Not necessarily. But perhaps it’s... intentional."

This possibility was significant.

After all, when Xiao Yeyan first appeared, he had used Xiao Yehui’s name to test Li Qiao.

This dialogue between the two of them puzzled the others.

Unable to hold back, Duan Shuyuan also approached. She sized up Li Qiao and Li San, asking with suspicion, "What are you two talking about? Is there a problem with this person?"

Li Qiao subdued her emotions and returned the ledger to her eldest brother Li Jun, "No."

Duan Shuyuan looked at her dubiously, then spoke on her own accord, "If none of us recognize him, why don’t you go and check, Big Brother? Perhaps there has been a mistake with the name."

Li Jun nodded, agreeing to his mother’s suggestion, while Li Qiao silently turned and went upstairs again.

Back in her bedroom, she sat at the desk, staring blankly ahead without focus.

The appearance of Xiao Yehui’s name was too abrupt. Of course, she did not believe in such things as coming back to life, the only possibility being that someone was deliberately using Xiao Yehui’s name to attract her attention.

Who could it be?

Xiao Yeyan, who had been severely injured by Shang Yu?

In just a few minutes, Li Qiao ran through many potential suspects in her mind.

But each conjecture was not convincing enough.

She was so lost in thought that she didn’t even notice Li San had pushed open the ajar door and walked in.

Li San leaned against the corner of the desk, looking down at Li Qiao’s pensive expression as he spoke, "Still thinking about him?"

She came back to her senses, leaned back in her chair, and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Do you think... he could still be alive?"

"No chance," Li San folded his arms across his chest and looked out the window with a raised eyebrow, "If he were alive, he would have contacted you."

Unless... he didn’t want to make contact.

That possibility suddenly occurred to Li San, but he almost instantly dismissed it.

His feelings for Huizai, among the other six, were not cultivated overnight; if he weren’t dead, there was no reason not to show up.

He didn’t voice his thoughts but glanced at Li Qiao and added, "You might as well think about whether someone is playing a prank, or doing this on purpose, to achieve some aim."

Li Qiao looked up at the ceiling and scoffed, "A prank? They’re not afraid I’ll send them to meet Huizai."

"So, it’s most likely intentional."

Li San hastily concluded their kind of people never believed in coincidences or pranks.

Moreover, Seven Sons had always been active on the border; it was impossible for anyone in the South Sea to know about Xiao Yehui.

It was also not ruled out that the other party had come prepared.

Li Qiao half-closed her eyes, unable to sort out her thoughts for the moment, but she didn’t let herself struggle for too long.

She relaxed her frown and lifted her eyelids to look at Li San, "Will you be going with me to the Imperial Capital this weekend?"

"Yes, although the Zong Family has been negligent about this marriage, our family can’t afford to let others find fault."

The Li family members were bound to follow for the return banquet in the capital.

Li Qiao pursed her lips and nodded, "Okay, when do we leave?"

Li San relayed Duan Shuyuan’s words in a heavy voice, "We will go to the Imperial Capital on Friday night; the family banquet is on Sunday."

...

At four in the afternoon, Li Qiao changed out of her casual suit into a comfortable black T-shirt and jeans before driving out.

The name Xiao Yehui, whether three years ago or today, could always stir her emotions.

To some extent, there would always be some.

She even had that split-second fantasy: if he had not died, would the shackles weighing on her heart be a little lighter?

Li Qiao drove aimlessly through the streets.

She had intended to find Shang Yu, but unconsciously ended up at the Royal Hotel.

She sat in the car, squinting at the janitors cleaning up trash in front of the hotel, then took out her phone to call Shang Yu.

The man’s deep and steady voice came through the receiver, calming the restlessness swelling in her heart.

Holding the phone and propping up the window, Li Qiao looked at the hotel and asked, "Can I enter the surveillance room at the Royal Hotel?"

On the other end, there was silence for a second, "What happened?"

"If I can, I’ll go check something out, if not... I’ll just hack in."

Listening to her assertive tone, Shang Yu let out a low chuckle through his thin lips, "No need for that trouble, you can go in."

Li Qiao remembered that during the previous South Sea Conference, the Royal Hotel had added quite a few surveillance cameras at its entrance.

All the footage was visible in the surveillance room, which was the fastest and most convenient method.

Hacking into the system was not difficult, but she didn’t want to waste time.

Without saying more, Li Qiao hung up the call and walked into the hotel.

In just half a minute, the lobby manager had hurried over, very politely taking Li Qiao straight to the top-floor surveillance room.

She stood in front of the surveillance screens, asking the staff to pull up all footage near the sign-in desk at the wedding banquet hall.

The time was set back to around ten-thirty in the morning and began to play at eight times the speed.

"Stop."

Li Qiao spoke out, causing the controller of the surveillance to jolt and hastily press the pause button.

Everyone turned to look at her, "Miss Li, is there a problem?"

Li Qiao remained silent, merely eyeing the figure of Bo Tingsu appearing in front of the sign-in desk with a furrowed brow.

Second Young Master Bo had come but didn’t enter; was he just here to give a monetary gift? Not even a greeting, what kind of behavior was that.

Li Qiao pressed her lips together and looking up at the surveillance screen she commanded, "Continue."

When the time reached eleven o eight in the morning, a mysterious man in a black suit wearing sunglasses appeared at the sign-in desk.

One could tell at a glance that this person was likely a bodyguard.

He placed a check down, whispered a few words to the accountant, and within a half minute turned and left.