When asked about it, Li Shaoyu simply brushed off the question with a brief “I’m on leave” and said nothing more.
Li Qiao glanced at him curiously.
Are celebrities in the entertainment industry really this free?
Her gaze was a little too direct, and Li Shaoyu chuckled, reaching out to ruffle her long hair.
“Now that my little sister’s back, of course I have to spend some quality time with her.”
“Well… thank you, Fourth Brother.”
“Qiaoqiao is so well-behaved.”
Li Qiao was both beautiful and sweet-natured, and Li Shaoyu genuinely adored her.
He was four years older than her. When she went missing all those years ago, he had already understood what was happening. He had witnessed firsthand how the family fell into disarray and despair after losing her.
He had also seen his mother cry herself to sleep night after night.
From a young age, he had made up his mind—he would become a famous star when he grew up, hoping that one day, his sister might see him on TV and find her way back home.
Thankfully, their efforts had paid off. After years of searching, they had finally found her.
When their mother was pregnant with Li Qiao, Shaoyu had been beyond excited. He had prepared so many gifts for her, but before he could give them to her, she disappeared.
Now that she was back, he could finally hand over every single one of them.
“Qiaoqiao, come with me.”
She followed him without hesitation.
He led her to his study and pointed at a large cardboard box. “These are all the birthday gifts I prepared for you. These little plush toys were for you before you were even born. And these… are the gifts I got you every year after you were gone—eighteen years, eighteen gifts!”
The box was filled with toys and trinkets, some for a child, others for an adult. It was clear he had put a lot of thought into them.
A wave of warmth washed over Li Qiao’s heart.
“Fourth Brother… thank you.”
“No need to thank me. You’re my little sister—of course I’m going to spoil you. You’re the only one I have.”
They all seemed to love patting her head, as if they still saw her as a little kid.
Just then, a phone rang abruptly.
Li Shaoyu frowned at the caller ID before swiping to answer. Immediately, a loud voice blasted through the speaker:
“Li Shaoyu, what the hell are you doing? You’re trending!”
Seizing the chance, Li Qiao quietly slipped out of the room.
Once outside, she opened Weibo and saw a hashtag about Li Shaoyu climbing the charts:
#Li Shaoyu Suspected Romance Exposed#
The photos showed her and him—though only her side profile was visible, his face was fully captured by the camera.
[Always knew Li Shaoyu was shady. Enjoy the downfall, fans!]
[Your ‘gege’ is canceled, LOL!]
[Spreading rumors is disgusting. His studio better not stay silent.]
[Is this the end of my beloved Qing-Yu CP?]
[I trust our brother. Stop twisting a single photo into drama.]
[That girl’s side profile is kinda stunning though~]
[Hahaha, Li Shaoyu’s stans, come greet your new ‘sister-in-law’~ ^_^]
[Li Shaoyu, get out of the industry! No talent, just jealousy toward my fave.]
Li Qiao scrolled through the comments—there were a lot of people hating on him.
All this drama over one photo.
She wondered how he would handle it.
——
Downstairs, Li Qiao was snacking on fruit when Song Xianchuan also noticed the news.
“People online love blowing things out of proportion. Shaoyu’s been in the industry long enough—he’s used to it. Most of this is just jealousy.”
Over the years, Li Shaoyu’s career had been a constant cycle of scandal and fame. The hate was relentless.
His acting wasn’t bad—but his luck sure was.
