Li Qiao disappointedly uttered an "oh," even Shang Yu didn’t know, maybe...only her father was privy to the inside story.
"Since the marriage has been annulled, naturally the marriage contract is void. Instead of dwelling on the marriage contract, why don’t we talk about how you plan to thank me?" Shang Yu’s deep gaze fixed on Li Qiao, his tousled hair slightly moving, the lift at the end of his sentence mixed with the sound of rain, possessing a kind of gentleness that stirred the soul.
Li Qiao stretched out her hand toward the outside of the corridor, preventing the rain from falling in clear patters against her palm, but that did little to extinguish the burning in her heart.
She slowly clenched her fingers, letting the rainwater slip through her fingers, suppressing her slightly erratic heartbeat, cleared her throat, and asked with a forced smile, "What kind of thank-you gift does Master Yan like? Could you give me a hint?"
Shang Yu looked at the girl’s delicate and fair cheeks, his eyelashes slightly drooping, his posture quite casual.
He curved his thin lips and turned to look outside the rainy corridor, standing with his hands behind his back, radiating an untamed charm, "Figure it out yourself."
Li Qiao raised her eyebrows as she looked at him, her eyes gleaming with a hazy light, "Then..."
Before she could finish, a burst of urgent ringtone from a cellphone interrupted her.
Li Qiao slightly reined in her smile, watching Shang Yu answer the phone, and silently sighed.
Soon, the man stuffed his phone back into his pocket and, instead of continuing the previous topic, asked while looking sideways at Li Qiao, "Did you have an unpleasant encounter with Luoyu this morning?"
Li Qiao pulled at the corner of her mouth, leaning casually against a column in the corridor, right leg bent over the left, her tone light and breezy, "It wasn’t unpleasant, Master Yan hasn’t told me yet, why did you have her in charge of my transportation?"
In terms of self-defense, she really didn’t think she needed special protection.
Shang Yu pulled a cigarette case from his pocket, his gaze deep and distant, "You could consider it... for unforeseen needs."
"I see..." Li Qiao pondered for a moment, shrugged nonchalantly, "Alright then, as long as she doesn’t interfere in my affairs, I have no objections."
Shang Yu held the cigarette between his fingers, but didn’t light it, merely leaned in slightly, lips freely curving, "No one can interfere with anything you want to do."
Having said that, he lifted his hand, gently wiped off the droplets of water that had splashed on her forehead with his knuckles, their eyes meeting, then indulgently said, "Do whatever you want, if the sky falls, I’ll hold it up for you."
In the span of a cigarette, Li Qiao and Shang Yu returned to the Penglai Residence’s private room.
Around the antique dining table, Shang Zonghai and Li Guangming were still happily proposing toasts to each other, the conversation animated.
But to the discerning eye, Li Guangming’s behavior was always restrained.
Seeing Li Qiao and Shang Yu return side by side, Shang Zonghai’s narrowed eyes also filled with a sharp scrutiny.
After the lunch, the group said their goodbyes at the entrance of Crystal Garden.
Behind Shang Zonghai, surrounded by a troop of bodyguards, his cheeks slightly flushed, yet his demeanor remained composed and restrained.
He stood at the top of the steps, his gaze landing on Li Qiao behind Li Guangming, "Young lady, come here."
Li Qiao walked over and called out, "Old Mr. Shang."
"Don’t be so formal, just call me uncle," Shang Zonghai stared at Li Qiao intently, hesitated for a few seconds, then raised his hand and patted her shoulder, "I heard about Shang Lu speaking rudely to you before, don’t take it to heart, uncle will definitely educate him properly when I get back."
Li Qiao nodded politely, "That won’t be necessary, you’re being too kind."
Shang Zonghai sighed and nodded, then pulled out a gold inlay diamond-patterned card from the pocket of his traditional Chinese jacket, handed it to her, and said in a low voice, "Take this, if you ever go to Parma, remember to find your uncle."
Li Qiao hesitated to accept, casting a fleeting glance at Shang Yu; it was apparent that the card was far from ordinary.
At that moment, the man smiled, his eyelids drooping, his voice deep as he said, "It’s a Parma pass, take it."