The Favored Heiress
Chapter 722: A Billion to Show Sincerity

Chapter 722: Chapter 722: A Billion to Show Sincerity

The time reached four in the afternoon when Li Qiao received a call from Shang Yu.

She stood up to leave, and Duan Shuyuan in the living room asked in surprise, "Qiaoqiao, aren’t you going to have dinner at home?"

Li Qiao curved her lips into a smile which was somewhat forced, "No, I have something to do later."

Duan Shuyuan walked up to her with resignation and touched her cheek with a heartfelt warning, "No matter how busy you are, don’t forget to eat. You’ve been losing weight recently."

"I will, I’m leaving now, Mom."

Duan Shuyuan reluctantly watched her leave, only sighing and withdrawing her gaze after Li Qiao’s figure was out of sight.

...

Outside the door, several cars were parked on the shaded side street. Shang Yu’s handsome face appeared from the half-lowered car window. Li Qiao forced a smile, bowed her head to get into the car, and as soon as she sat down, she wordlessly hugged the man beside her.

In the front seat, Liuyun and Luoyu: "..."

Silent dog food chokes people the most.

Li Qiao’s arms were wrapped around Shang Yu’s shoulders, and her cool cheeks were buried deep in his neck.

After a long while, she murmured in a low voice, "Mu Aoxian... is still alive."

Shang Yu’s arms were firm around her back, and his eyes deepened with a flicker of surprise at her words, "Mu Aofan’s brother?"

"Hmm," Li Qiao responded, "He is my teacher."

Li Qiao relayed what Mu Aoxian had told her, and at the end, she lifted her head from the man’s embrace, her tone mockingly light, "It’s no wonder the Xiao family could ally with so many families since their ancestors also came from Parma."

Moreover, during the previous few hours, Li Qiao had gone over everything in her mind.

She had been wondering why Ho Zijue wanted to help the Elders’ Hall frame Shang Yu.

After Mu Aoxian clarified everything, it all made sense.

The actions of the Ho Family were probably instigated by the Charlman Family.

At this moment, Shang Yu’s gaze narrowed slightly, with a dangerous glint, "Has Xiao Yehui met Mu Aoxian?"

Li Qiao shook her head decisively in response, "No, aside from Team Seven’s Ah Chang and Ah Jie, no one else has met my teacher."

As she finished speaking, she arched her eyebrows and looked at the man, "Do you suspect Xiao Yehui knows about my past?"

Shang Yu pressed his lips together, his expression stern, "I can’t rule out that possibility."

"He doesn’t," Li Qiao let go of his shoulders, settled back into the chair, and added in a detached tone, "At least he didn’t back then."

As for now...

Li Qiao turned her face away, into a place hidden from Shang Yu, her eyes and brows clouded in darkness.

That night when she first met Madam Xiao, she had guessed that she was Jing Yilan’s daughter.

If Xiao Hongdao had seen her photo, he certainly would have known who she was as well.

Now that Xiao Yehui had returned to the Charlman Family, he would find out sooner or later.

Confrontation was now inevitable.

...

In the late autumn, the South Sea Mountain around the Mansion was tinged with the desolate air of fall.

Li Qiao got out of the car, looking at the familiar buildings before her, pursed her lips and turned to look at Shang Yu, "Has there been no word from Feng Yi?"

Counting the days, more than a week had passed, and he was unusually slow.

Shang Yu was still wearing a thin shirt, looking at Li Qiao with lips slightly curved upwards, "Let’s go inside and talk."

Li Qiao didn’t say much and entered the Mansion she had been away from for more than a month, unexpectedly hearing the sound of conversation coming from the living room.

"Your sister is my goddaughter. In terms of seniority, you should call me ’godfather’."

Goddaughter Li Qiao: "..."

The voice was unmistakably that of Wenxi Island’s prized flower, Jin Rong.

In a blink, a male baritone with a slight British accent, though not quite authentic, chimed in, "Do you have no shame?"

Jin Rong sneered, "Shame would mean no daughter."

Amidst the banter of the two men, Li Qiao and Shang Yu stepped into the living room.

Jin Rong and Feng Yi looked up at the sound, both faces breaking into smiles, "Yo, you’re back?"

Li Qiao nodded in acknowledgment, and just as she sat down, Feng Yi pulled out a palm-sized envelope from his trousers and placed it on the coffee table. Then, with a flick of his finger and a pout, he said, "Captain Yin asked me to give this to you."

Jin Rong squinted his eyes, examining the envelope with a skeptical arched brow, "Is this... a love letter?"

Feng Yi ignored him, instead cocking his leg and glancing at Li Qiao as he explained, "I haven’t seen what’s inside. She insisted it had to be handed to you personally."

Li Qiao had already opened the envelope. She looked up at Feng Yi and nodded her thanks, "You’ve gone to the trouble."

Feng Yi waved it off, "I just happened to be back in the country for some business, so it was convenient."

Jin Rong felt ignored, spreading his legs and nudging Shang Yu, fishing for conversation, "Is the Parma matter resolved?"

"Hmm, a trifle." The man leaned back in his chair, his lazy, elegant posture exuding nobility.

As the men chatted leisurely, Li Qiao finished reading the handwritten letter from Yin Mo.

The text was brief, but loaded with information.

Unable to communicate through any electronic devices, she could only jot down some words to instruct Li Qiao on a few matters.

Yun Lih was indeed at the Ducal Residence, currently posing as a stable hand.

In the letter, Yin Mo expressed a strong desire, hoping that Li Qiao could find a way to get Yun Lih out.

The last few words were written with force: I’m here, trust me, make him leave quickly.

Li Qiao folded the envelope in half and tossed it casually on the table, her hand on her forehead as she sank into thought.

If Yun Lih had infiltrated the Ducal Residence without laying a hand on Xiao Yehui, what exactly was he up to?

Li Qiao frowned, picked up the envelope, and stood up to go upstairs.

At this moment, Jin Rong took out a cigarette case from his pocket, offered two cigarettes, and looked at Feng Yi with a probing question, "Did you come to the South Sea just to deliver a letter?"

Seems like making a mountain out of a molehill.

Feng Yi took the cigarette, placing it between his lips and fidgeting with his cufflinks, his expression serious as he pursed his lips, "With all the commotion Parma caused, going there directly would have drawn suspicion."

Jin Rong gave an understanding smile, took a drag from his cigarette, and then turned his head to exhale a thin mist, "That indirect rescue method isn’t bad, but you seldom come back home. Don’t let your guard down just because it’s sudden."

"I know." A sharp glint passed through Feng Yi’s eyes as he scanned Jin Rong, chuckling softly, "Otherwise, I wouldn’t have needed to call you over."

Jin Rong paused in his smoking, and before he could speak, heard the audacious statement from the British gentleman, "Next month is my father’s birthday. It’s the perfect reason to come back home to find him a gift, isn’t it?"

His treasure hunt location is the Wenxi Island warehouse, right?

Jin Rong gave him a cold glare, then turned to Shang Yu and shook his ankle, "I don’t have many connections in Parma, but those folks who troubled you, adding some blockades for them should be no issue."

The unspoken message was clear, he as the elder brother would deal with those fools for you.

Upon finishing, Feng Yi continued, "I heard Chenzi is still in Parma, he will retrieve my share for me. Yan Emperor Group’s stocks plunged, and you probably spent quite a bit to boost the closing price, leaving you not so flush with cash recently. I’ve put in a billion as a token of my intent."

Shang Yu leaned back on the sofa, lifting his eyelids and curling his lips, "You came all the way to the South Sea just to give money?"

Jin Rong shrugged his shoulders, his mouth holding his cigarette, his voice muffled, "We brothers have nothing but money. I’ll give Zong Zhan’s share for him, that guy isn’t out of the military yet, can’t show off his wealth."