“Let’s go. She’s very grateful to you.”
Liu Yusī sighed with emotion.
This time, Song Xi left the city with her significant other. Fate had smiled upon her, and she had no intention of ever setting foot in the capital again.
For Song Xi, the capital was a place of heartbreak—a city that had buried her youthful love and tenderness.
Li Qiao nodded.
But what about the Liu family? What was their situation?
Seizing the moment, Liu Yusī said, “Qiaoqiao, come shopping with me later. We need to pick out gifts for your Grandpa and Grandma Xiao.”
She took Grandpa Xiao’s birthday very seriously.
“Sure, Mom,” Li Qiao replied cheerfully.
When the mother-daughter pair arrived at the shopping mall, they were greeted at the entrance by Mrs. Meng.
“Ah—my darling Qiaoqiao! Long time no see! You’ve gotten even prettier!” Mrs. Meng gushed warmly.
“Hello, Auntie Meng.”
“Good, good! My silly boy will be here soon. Your Brother Meng will accompany you, so if there’s anything you want, just say the word. That boy has plenty of money to spare.”
Mrs. Meng’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Li Qiao, her fondness growing by the second.
“It’s just that this brat is always busy, busy, busy. No wonder he still can’t find himself a wife!”
Liu Yusī chuckled. “Yutang is so handsome—how could he not find a wife? Besides, he’s managing such a big company. It’s only natural he’s busy.”
“Hmph, you always defend him. Qiaoqiao, let me tell you—when your Brother Meng was little, he was convinced I wasn’t his real mother. He thought your mom was! I was so mad I grabbed a slipper and spanked his butt…”
Li Qiao couldn’t help but laugh. Auntie Meng was truly a riot.
As she followed the two ladies around the mall, Li Qiao marveled at their stamina and enthusiasm.
Standing on the second floor, her gaze swept the surroundings—until she suddenly spotted a familiar figure.
Wasn’t that Liu Yulan?
And who was the man beside her?
He looked familiar, but she couldn’t quite place him.
The two were acting rather intimate.
Li Qiao’s curiosity flared.
She followed them discreetly to a hotel, where—sure enough—they entered the same room.
Without hesitation, Li Qiao booked the room next to theirs.
That man really did look familiar. She just couldn’t remember where she’d seen him before.
Her sneaky movements caught someone’s attention.
“Young Master Xue, what are you looking at?”
Xue Yutang replied, “Nothing.”
Then, he and his entourage strode off.
Inside her room, Li Qiao pressed her ear tightly against the wall. A sudden wave of guilt hit her—wasn’t this a bit perverted, eavesdropping like this?
But well, she was already here. Might as well get the scoop on Liu Yulan.
That woman was definitely no saint.
Next door.
“Yulan… Back then, you looked down on me. What’s this now? Trying to seduce me again?”
Liu Yulan gazed at the man before her, her eyes brimming with affection.
“I was blind back then, Huaiseen… Only now do I realize what I missed. All these years abroad, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. The truth is, I came back to the country… for you.” Tears slid down her cheeks. Even as a woman in her forties, she was still a beauty.
He Huaisen pinched her chin and sneered. “I haven’t forgotten how you were trying to climb into Li Shanchuan’s bed while stringing along Liu Yusheng—and me. And now you’re saying it’s all for me? Do you really expect me to believe that?”
“No, it’s not like that! Huaiseen, you have to believe me. I know you want to inherit the He family, to take control. I can help you. Once I become the head of the Liu family, I’ll hand all its resources to you. I’ll support you with everything I have.”
Her eyes were filled with deep emotion.
There was no denying it—those words struck a chord in He Huaisen’s heart.
Next door, Li Qiao smirked.
So she’d stumbled upon some juicy gossip about her dad’s younger days.
Being pursued by Liu Yulan must’ve been exhausting for him.
“Huaiseen…”
“Isn’t this what you love the most?” He Huaisen’s lips curled mockingly.
“I… I do love this, but Huaiseen, it’s only because it’s you that I love it.”
With that, she wrapped her arms around him, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him.
Li Qiao’s eyes widened. She quickly backed away from the wall—this kind of scene was not for her!
He Huaisen!
A member of the He family. But was he He Jingnian’s uncle or cousin?
The more people involved in this drama, the better.
Li Qiao sent a message to Jiang Feng:
No matter what it takes, inform Liu Yusheng and Old Master Liu that Liu Yulan is in a hotel room with someone.
When Jiang Feng saw “Old Master Liu,” his expression turned complicated.
No way—
Holy crap!
The Liu family was wild.
Next door, the noises grew louder.
Li Qiao couldn’t help but think the soundproofing here was terrible.
Liu Yulan had been the unattainable woman of He Huaisen’s youth, and now she was groveling before him.
Years of pent-up frustration surged within him, and he had no intention of going easy on her.
“You shameless woman. Back then, you looked down on me. Now you come begging? Pathetic.”
Her face flushed.
He Huaisen’s grip tightened around her neck. “You’d better be telling the truth. Otherwise, I have a thousand ways to make you suffer.”
“Huaiseen… I’ll obey you…”
His male pride swelled instantly. Through gritted teeth, he growled, “Today, I’m going to punish you properly, you little minx!”
Next door, Li Qiao’s face went blank.
Oh my god—little minx?
Shouldn’t it be old minx?
Combined, these two were over a hundred years old, yet here they were, acting out some cheesy domineering CEO romance.
This was beyond cringe.
She couldn’t take it anymore and headed for the door.
As she passed their room, she shook her head. Too bad she couldn’t witness the full spectacle.
“What are you doing here?”
Li Qiao turned to see a sharply dressed man in a suit—a total stranger.
“Who are you?”
Xue Yutang stepped closer, his ears catching the strange noises from inside the room. His expression darkened as he stared at Li Qiao.
In an instant, his tone turned stern. “A child shouldn’t be eavesdropping. It’s inappropriate.”
“I—I wasn’t! Don’t accuse me. And I’m not a child!”
Being caught red-handed was beyond embarrassing, especially by a stranger.
Who did this guy think he was, lecturing her?
“You shameless woman, Liu Yulan—!”
Li Qiao quickly yanked Xue Yutang into her room.
Pressing her ear to the wall again, she heard the commotion next door—the door being kicked open, a crowd rushing in, followed by curses and a woman’s sobs.
This is getting lively! Her amused expression didn’t escape Xue Yutang’s notice.
This little sister from the Li family…
She really needed a proper talking-to. A young girl shouldn’t be sneaking around like this.
When Li Qiao turned around, she met Xue Yutang’s disapproving gaze.
“Don’t you dare breathe a word of what happened today. Or else—!”
She made a slashing motion across her throat.
