The Favored Heiress
Chapter 638: Achieving Cooperation

Chapter 638: Chapter 638: Achieving Cooperation

At one in the afternoon, Li Qiao woke up.

The bedroom had blackout curtains drawn, dimming the light and bringing a quiet peace.

About half an hour later, she walked out of the bedroom unhurriedly.

In the living room, Shang Yu was not there, and only Luoyu sat on the couch, looking down at her phone.

Hearing the door open, she hurriedly stood up, "Miss Li."

Li Qiao nodded lazily, "Where are they?"

"The boss and Mr. Meng are next door, and Gu Chen... Mr. Gu has gone back to the company."

Li Qiao ’hmm’ed softly and turned to gaze out at the serene autumn day, standing by the window lost in thought.

She had fallen asleep this morning in Shang Yu’s arms. Just before slipping into deep sleep, she vaguely heard him seem to say something.

Last night, Xiao Yehui lost thirty men, but there were other mercenaries in Aida State who hadn’t made their move, hidden in the shadows.

This operation, although it seemed like his defeat, in reality... he had already got what he wanted.

To test her limits and Shang Yu’s identity, no wonder he said, after tonight, she would hate him even more.

Perhaps... he thought Yin Mo would become the root of their animosity.

Li Qiao smiled wryly and looked down, thinking Xiao Yehui fancied himself infallible, but she was determined to be the exception.

Before long, room service brought up lunch. Li Qiao, feeling out of sorts and without much appetite, ate a little before looking at Luoyu and saying, "This afternoon, come with me to Qianmu Group."

"Do I need to bring a lawyer?"

Li Qiao put down her utensils and thought for a few seconds, "Bring one, and also prepare a business contract for AI component parts."

Luoyu’s eyes sparked; it wasn’t a trip to discuss compensation.

...

Before she left, Li Qiao went next door to the suite and knocked on the door to enter, only to hear a familiar teasing voice, "Sister-in-law really has impressed me."

It was He Chen.

Li Qiao paused in her steps, walked past the entryway, and saw He Chen reclining casually with his leg propped up, smoking languidly on the single-seater couch.

Seeing Li Qiao, He Chen cheekily arched his eyebrow, letting his gaze sweep over her, "I heard you asked Qianmu Group for eight hundred million in compensation?"

Then followed with, "That really is a novel idea for making a fortune."

Li Qiao glanced at him, "Brother Chen this free?"

The implication was clear: why are you everywhere?

He Chen took a drag on his cigarette, shaking his foot lightly, and looked across at the distinguished and elegant man, "You didn’t tell her about my role in the Black Hawk?"

Shang Yu curled his lips faintly, "Worth mentioning?"

He Chen laughed with disbelief, biting on his cigarette holder, "Isn’t it worth a mention?"

After all, he was Black Hawk’s strategist, and it was he who had initially brought Meng Jun under his wing.

Shang Yu ignored He Chen and, looking at Li Qiao seated beside him, asked softly, "Going out?"

"Yes, I’m going to see Gu Chenn. Also..." she paused, then added, "I want to advance a partnership between Qianmu and Yan Emperor. Their prosthetic components can be reused, which would also save Yan Emperor the effort of developing a production line. What do you think?"

Shang Yu pressed his lips together, then affectionately ruffled her hair, "It’s good as long as you’ve decided. Do whatever you want and just instruct Luoyu."

Li Qiao met his gaze and agreed with a smile.

She stood up, ready to leave, but her wrist was caught by the man, "Make it fast, I’ll take you to meet someone tonight."

Li Qiao looked at He Chen and nodded, "Okay."

After she left, Meng Jun, who stood aside, timely asked, "Godfather, should we send some people to protect the junior sister?"

His address to Li Qiao made He Chen’s eyebrows lift in suspicion.

At that moment, Shang Yu leaned down to scoop up his pack of cigarettes from the table, a cigarette pinched between his fingertips, and a faint crease appeared between his brows. Without answering, he countered with a question, "Has Yin Mo been released?"

Meng Jun stepped forward and nodded, "She left, around ten this morning. We pretended to loosen the security and let her escape through the hotel’s back door. There’s no exit record of her so far; she should still be in Aida State."

The man squinted thoughtfully and dropped an order, "Send two people after Qiaoqiao, deal with any issues directly, and don’t let her get involved."

Meng Jun complied.

He Chen flicked off the ash from his trousers with his fingers, "There are more than twenty mercenaries outside, and you’re only sending two people for her?"

Shang Yu lowered his head to light a cigarette, with thin streams of smoke escaping his lips, "Xiao Yehui is not that impatient for success. Until Yin Mo returns and reports back, he won’t make another move."

"You seem to know him quite well." He Chen shook the loose strands of hair off his head and stood up, levering himself on his knees, "I’m heading to the underground Gambling City. I heard a few days ago that someone was buying information on the Godfather of Black Hawk; I suspect it’s Charlman’s people."

Shang Yu raised his eyelids and pursed his lips, "The Chairman Family has a good relationship with the current governor. Don’t expose the casino’s location."

He Chen draped his overcoat on his shoulders and sneered, "Afraid of what? Even if it’s sealed off now, once Meng Jun rises to power, everything will be back to normal."

With that, He Chen adjusted his collar and left the suite with a proud stride.

The Black Hawk Party had been pushing forward with the election for the change of office. Meng Jun’s election as governor was an inevitable result, a move that essentially severed Xiao Yehui’s most important network in Aida State.

...

At four in the afternoon, Li Qiao and Luoyu left Qianmu Group with the accompanying team of lawyers.

Gu Chenn walked beside Li Qiao with his hands behind his back, his mouth still swollen and cheekbone bruised, limping as he walked, clearly suffering from the aftereffects of a fight.

At that moment, Li Qiao bent over, intending to grab the car door, but Gu Chenn snatched her up, questioning for the umpteenth time, "You’re really not joking with me?"

Li Qiao, expressionless, "If you don’t believe me, you can ask him yourself."

Gu Chenn looked up at the sky, finding it all too unbelievable.

Shang Shaoyan, the South Sea merchant, was also the Godfather of Black Hawk. Two identities that seemed worlds apart were actually one and the same.

He began to wonder if he had ever spoken ill of Shang Shaoyan in front of Luoyu.

That man was going to be his true foundation in Aida State from now on!

Lost in thought, Gu Chenn released his grip and his gaze fleetingly caught Luoyu standing by the door. He rolled his Adam’s apple, "President Yu, from now on...I’ll be counting on you."

Luoyu stood with his hands behind his back, nodding indifferently in response.

Looking at her rigid and stern profile, Gu Chenn felt more than ever that she was too unapproachable and far from cute.

"When is the press conference?" Li Qiao asked one last question before getting into the car.

Gu Chenn pulled his gaze away from Luoyu’s face and answered seriously, "It should be in the next few days. But the head of Xiao’s Technology has been rescued, and we can’t find him now. Xiao Yehui has played me; I’ll make sure the press conference humiliates them, making it impossible for them to ever conduct business in Aida State again."

Li Qiao nodded in satisfaction, slid into the car, and said distantly, "Don’t forget to pay the compensation."

Gu Chenn wore a bitter expression. "..."

He had already expelled the thirteen AI engineers from Qianmu Group, only to pay for his mistake with eight hundred million.

However, aside from the compensation, Qianmu Group had gained the protection of Black Hawk and a collaboration with the Yan Emperor Group on an artificial intelligence project—a profitable venture indeed!