The Favored Heiress
Chapter 611: Shang Yu’s Inner Conflict

Chapter 611: Chapter 611: Shang Yu’s Inner Conflict

He Chen sneered coldly, "Last time Xiao Yeyan was shot in the lungs, there might have been complications, and her real purpose this time in sending him back to South Sea was probably to warn Shaoyan not to touch him again."

Li Qiao dropped two ice cubes into her glass with a couple of swirls, making a crisp clinking sound, "Don’t you think there was more to the incident back then?"

He Chen paused with his glass in hand, his expression revealing a trace of melancholy, "Maybe there was, maybe there wasn’t. I’m not too clear about what exactly happened back then, only that Madam Xiao almost died at Shang’s old mansion, and Duke Charlman was furious. He brought a group of Royal Knights to Parma demanding Shang Zonghai hand over Shaoyan."

At that moment, he tilted his head back and gulped down half a glass of wine, his eyes reflecting mockery, "Why do you think Shaoyan came to South Sea? Because if he stayed in Parma, Shang’s would never have a day of peace."

Li Qiao propped her forehead with her hand, a trace of cold laughter in her voice, "He cares so much about his relationships, how could he possibly hurt his own mother?"

"He’s deeply loyal to his own people and indifferent to outsiders," He Chen uttered solemnly, "The deeper the loyalty, the easier it is to be betrayed by your own."

Madam Xiao was a prime example.

Shang Yu was only sixteen, mature for his age but still a minor.

Especially... having personally injured his close kin, he would never get over that hurdle himself, and was doomed to be haunted by psychological scars.

...

This night was long and sleepless.

As the first rays of dawn spilled into the room, Li Qiao standing in the living room received a call.

It was from Ah Chang.

"Miss Qi, Mr. Jin and the third master have finished signing the orders. He and Luoyu have already boarded the plane and are on their way to South Sea."

Li Qiao responded indifferently that she understood, and was about to hang up when Ah Chang added, "Miss Qi, someone saw Boss Xiao at Wenzhai Garden yesterday."

"Was he alone?"

Ah Chang hesitated for a few seconds, "There was also Second Miss, and they left around three in the morning."

Li Qiao, phone in hand, looked out the window at the fog-enshrouded mountains, her eyes tinged with faint bloodshot, "Inform the folks from team seven, if there’s trouble at the underground market for my brother, have them take care of it. Also, erase all records of Shaoyan’s presence at the border."

"Understood, Miss Qi."

After ending the call, Li Qiao crossed her arms, her deep-set eyes shrouded with a cold and deep chill.

The crux of Shang Yu’s illness was Madam Xiao.

The events of eleven years ago were indeed difficult to investigate.

She just didn’t know... if Xiao Yehui was involved in it.

But she believed, where there’s existence, there will be traces.

...

By noon, Luoyu and Jin Rong had arrived in South Sea.

When the two appeared at the Mansion, neither looked particularly happy.

Especially Jin Rong, with stern tightened facial lines, walked into the living room with the face of a creditor looking for Li Qiao.

His goddaughter had grown up, not only disobedient, but also learned to maneuver her old father.

Luoyu, on the other hand, trudged off with her neck stiff to report to Shang Yu, dejected.

In her hand, she still clutched Li Qiao’s wristwatch.

At that moment, He Chen watched Jin Rong’s frantic searching around the room, raising an eyebrow, "Are you hunting for treasure or is the floor too hot to stand on?"

In just a short while, he had circled the living room three times.

At the sound, Jin Rong walked over to the tea table with pursed lips, looking down from a height at Shang Yu, "Where’s the kid?"

He Chen tilted his head, "What child?"

Before Jin Rong could find Li Qiao, he heard Shang Yu speak indifferently, "She went out."

A hint of confusion flickered across the frivolous arch of He Chen’s eyebrows. Was the "child" mentioned by Big Boss Jin actually Li Qiao?

Thus, in the time that followed, He Chen learned about the ins and outs from Jin Rong’s plaintive and aggrieved tone.

In the end, he fell into contemplation. Why had he been unwilling to pursue Li Qiao in the first place?

Even the elusive Jin Rong was protective of her like a treasured daughter; just how capable was she?

...

At noon, in a Western restaurant.

Li Qiao, dressed in a black casual suit, sat by the window playing with her phone.

A figure clad in champagne-colored attire approached slowly, and the scent of perfume wafted over as she took her seat.

Li Qiao lifted her eyelids, placed her phone on the table, and stared unblinkingly at Xi Luo sitting across from her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Xi Luo unfolded her napkin, glancing at her, "It’s just a twenty-minute delay."

Li Qiao pursed her lips and took a sip of her lemon water, "When is your next business trip to Myanmar?"

Xi Luo finished setting her napkin, eyebrows arching in surprise, "Why, something came up?"

"Let me know when it’s scheduled," Li Qiao said, putting down her glass and adding with an arched eyebrow, "Starting tomorrow, I’ll be working at the fund company."

At this news, Xi Luo laughed heartily, "You’ve finally had enough fun, planning to run the company with me?"

Li Qiao handed her the menu, speaking lightly, "You wish. I’m just looking for a place to work."

Xi Luo: "..." As expected, one shouldn’t set their hopes too high for her.

During the meal, Xi Luo sliced her steak and occasionally looked up to appraise Li Qiao, "A few days ago, Yan told me you asked for a directory of the Flame Alliance’s industries?"

"Mhm," Li Qiao answered in a tone that was neither warm nor cold, her expression unchanging, making it difficult for others to guess her true thoughts.

Xi Luo, gripping her knife and fork, frowned slightly, "What exactly are you up to? The Flame Alliance’s directory has more than a hundred entries; don’t tell me you’re interested in all of them."

Li Qiao earnestly cut her steak, then threw out a question, "I remember that a few years ago, the Flame Alliance also ventured into the artificial intelligence field. Who is in charge now?"

"Z, but that project has always been developed in Aida State. You know, there’s a rich underground network there, and many tech companies, as well as the black market, like to settle in Aida State because of the tax exemption and lenient policies."

Li Qiao nodded in understanding, not voicing any opinions.

Aida State, that’s where Shen Qingye’s Sixth Bureau is located.

At that moment, Xi Luo swallowed a piece of steak and squinted at Li Qiao’s calm and delicate cheeks, probing, "Which company’s AI project has gotten on your bad side again?"

This kid was too lazy for her own good; if she was taking the initiative, it was likely because someone had crossed her line.

"Duke Charlman of British Imperial," Li Qiao said bluntly, pausing a second while cutting her steak.

Xi Luo’s smile faltered, "You’re not joking?"

Li Qiao looked up at her, "Do you have any collaborative projects with Duke Charlman of British Imperial?"

"No..." Xi Luo answered straight away, "I only handle venture capital and funds. The financial sector is past its heyday, those Charlman nobles wouldn’t be interested."

Li Qiao ’hmmmed’ in acknowledgment, and then made a statement that left Xi Luo astonished, "Good, if there are any, get ready. I will destroy all of the Flame Alliance’s collaborative projects with Duke Charlman of British Imperial."

Xi Luo was a powerful woman in business, seasoned by years of ups and downs in the commercial world, and had long since mastered the art of remaining calm amid changes.

But at this moment, Li Qiao’s words still shook her composure.