The Favored Heiress
Chapter 682: Theme Hotel

Chapter 682: Chapter 682: Theme Hotel

Dusk fell, and in the blink of an eye, it was eight o’clock in the evening.

In front of the police station in the Old Town District, a black Rolls-Royce Ghost car was parked.

The case officers watched the man approaching against the moonlight with trepidation, as if facing a great enemy, "Master Yan, how come you’re here?"

In Parma, no one didn’t recognize Shang Shaoyan.

Young Master of the Shang Family, he controlled Parma’s most powerful industrial military production, and he had an extremely close relationship with the current tribal chief.

Shang Yu was dressed in ink-black, with eyes darker and more intense than the night sky, his aura silent yet formidable.

The duty officer didn’t know what to do, eager to provide reception yet afraid of neglecting this esteemed figure.

The man halted his steps and cast a sidelong glance at the case officer, his thick brows slightly furrowed.

Before he could speak, someone was already coming hurriedly from the direction of the holding cells, "Master Yan, you’ve been waiting."

The newcomer was He Wu, the squad leader responsible for supervising the holding cells in this district.

The chief and the deputy chief were not in, so tonight his police rank was the highest.

He Wu approached Shang Yu and nodded slightly to him, "Everything has been arranged, please follow me."

Shang Yu looked at him, his eyelids dropping indifferently.

He Wu gestured towards the corridor, inviting him to follow, and the two quickly disappeared around the corner of the holding cells.

The duty officer held his breath as he watched the man’s retreating figure, only recovering once he had left, realizing he was covered in a cold sweat.

Some people, with just one glance, can make everyone bow their heads, and Shang Shaoyan was one such person.

...

In the solitary holding cell, Li Qiao was nonchalantly on the phone.

She propped her forearm behind her head, her voice as calm as a gentle breeze, "She didn’t say where she grew up, start with a focus on the Faliang region..."

Before she could finish, footsteps echoed from the corridor outside the bars.

Li Qiao quickly ended the call with a hasty "let’s leave it at that for now."

She tucked her phone into her pocket and turned her head, catching sight of a black figure under the glaring light of the hallway.

Li Qiao coolly arched an eyebrow, watching the officer open the gate for him and drawing up a faint smile, "Didn’t I tell you to wait for me at home?"

Shang Yu walked leisurely over to sit next to her, his profound gaze assessing her, "Had enough fun?"

"Not yet." Li Qiao, relaxing into the familiar, brisk scent of the man, softened and leaned against his shoulder, "The police department’s information system has three firewalls; attacking it from the outside would easily be detected."

Her voluntary entry into the holding cell was not without strategy.

The security level of the police system was high, not that it couldn’t be breached, but doing so would alarm the enemy.

On the contrary, cutting in from their internal network environment was the most expedient and convenient.

The man looked sideways at her calm expression, curling the corners of his lips somewhat helplessly, "What did you find out?"

Li Qiao smiled, her eyes gleaming with an intriguing cold light, "Over twenty years ago, the Ming family suddenly deposited a huge sum into a trust fund, an amount so large that it exceeded the total annual income of all the Ming family’s businesses."

Shang Yu stared at her intently, and after a moment, his voice turned low and deep, "That same year, they chose to retire."

Li Qiao stood up with a smile that was not quite a smile and began pacing slowly in the confined holding cell, "Ming Zhiyuan visited the police station today."

"Hmm." He responded quietly, seemingly already aware.

Li Qiao moved to the center, casting a side glance filled with deep implications, "Ming Zhiyuan... is he your grandfather?"

Shang Yu curled his thin lips, his deep eyes undisturbed, "That’s right."

He was very calm, even cold.

Li Qiao averted her gaze, looking towards the wall ahead, her cheeks etched with frost.

Although it could not be confirmed whether the Mu Family’s incident years ago had involved the Ming family, the large sum of money flowing into the trust fund was in itself unusual.

The trust fund of a major family mainly takes care of two aspects, isolation of assets and tax avoidance.

Moreover, the Ming family’s trust had existed for a long time, and the company’s books lacked evidence of a sudden increase in substantial assets. It was clear that the origin of this money was questionable.

Li Qiao lowered her eyelids, looking down at her toes, mulling for a moment before she turned her head to change the subject, "Did you come to see me about something?"

"Yes, something." Shang Yu supported his knees with both hands, locking eyes with her, "Do you plan on sleeping here tonight?"

At the sound of his voice, Li Qiao looked around. Although the facility was rudimentary, there was at least a wooden bed, much better than the conditions in a domestic detention room.

She smiled and shrugged indifferently, "Why not, it’s quite quiet."

The man pursed his lips and sighed silently, "Not even planning to freshen up?"

Li Qiao: "..."

She knew there were Shang Yu’s people in the police station.

They surely wouldn’t be so harsh as to not let her wash her face and brush her teeth, right?!

Just as she thought this, the man had already risen from his seat by the wall, grabbed her wrist, and started walking her towards the exit with a slightly domineering tone, "Do as you please in the daytime, but not at night."

Li Qiao was forcefully taken out of the holding room by Shang Yu.

He Wu came over immediately upon seeing them and pointed to a side door, "Master Yan, the small hotel next to the backyard is just... uh... a hotel. Just come back at seven in the morning."

Having said this, he nodded to Li Qiao, his gaze somewhat evasive.

Li Qiao originally thought that his reaction was just because it was his first time seeing her, so she didn’t think much of it. Following Shang Yu out the back door of the police station, they walked along the grey-white perimeter wall toward the hotel separated by a street.

From the appearance, the three-story hotel’s decoration was very exquisite—not large, but it exuded Parma culture everywhere, even the name was outlined in Parma script.

Luoyu was already waiting outside the door. Upon seeing the two, he quickly handed over the room card, also stealing peculiar glances at Li Qiao.

Something was abnormal!

Li Qiao passed through the hotel lobby without changing her expression, all was excessively calm and silent.

She narrowed her eyes and looked at the man beside her, "Is this one of your hotels?"

In her memory, he seldom stayed overnight so casually.

Unless it was a highly secure property of his own, like the Royal Hotel.

"Temporarily leased, just make do for tonight," Shang Yu murmured as he held her hand and walked.

The manor was too far from the Old Town District; going back and forth would waste her sleeping time.

Li Qiao bent her lips suddenly, "The hotel looks quite nice, no need to rent it out..." it was such an unnecessary expense.

Before she could finish her sentence, she had already used her room card to open the door, and the scene inside immediately left her speechless.

She seemed to understand the meaning behind the looks He Wu and Luoyu had given her.

Was this a hotel?

Yes, but it was more fitting to add a word in front.

This was a... love hotel.

Li Qiao stood at the door, looking at the metal-style dark red waterbed, sheer curtains, chairs of strange shapes, and the yoga ball in the corner, not knowing its purpose...

Was it still possible for her to go back to the holding room?

Li Qiao turned mechanically, looking at Shang Yu’s unfazed handsome face, and cleared her throat, "Well, I’m actually not that sleepy..."

The man’s thin lips curved slightly, a deep chuckle emanating from his throat, "Scared?"

Li Qiao lifted her eyelids to meet his gaze, scoffed, and turned around... entering the room.

Her action seemed to please Shang Yu; his smile deepened as he walked into the room and casually shut the door behind him.