On the top floor of the Financial Building, a gathering of dark clouds couldn't help but form between Shang Shaojing's eyebrows when the call was disconnected.
How dare Jiang Li hang up his phone?
It seemed that Su Yinwan's disappearance was inevitably linked to her!
After setting down his cellphone, he raised his hand and pressed the intercom button beside his desk.
The moment the bell rang, the door to the office swung open and a man dressed in a suit and leather shoes walked in.
"Any news?" Shang Shaojing asked, his tone somewhat cold.
The assistant lowered his head, "There's still no news about Miss Su, but it has been found that the last time Miss Su was seen before her disappearance was at Young Master Jiang Yan's party."
Hearing this, Shang Shaojing's grim expression deepened.
One Jiang Li, one Jiang Yan—what exactly do the siblings of the Jiang Family intend to do?
Perhaps thinking of something, Shang Shaojing tapped his fingertips lightly on the desk.
"If I remember correctly, today should be the day of Jiang Yan's engagement to Miss Qiao, right?"
The assistant nodded, "Yes, President Shang."
"Well then, let's also send a light gift to Young Master Jiang."
After changing all her attire, Jiang Li finally made her way back to the Jiang Family.
Looking at the red-roofed villa nestled amid green trees, for a moment, she couldn't help but feel sentimental.
Steadying her heart, Jiang Li stepped forward and rang the doorbell.
Hearing the noise, a figure slowly emerged from the nearby guard room, gazing at the girl at the gate for a long while before his eyes widened as he exclaimed,
"Miss, is that really you?"
Jiang Li had also recognized the person by now, Uncle Jiang, her father's man, though she didn't know why he had now fallen to the role of a security guard.
But she didn't inquire too much, simply nodding calmly, "Uncle Jiang, it's me."
Jiang Ye was even more stunned.
The young girl before him bore no resemblance to the girl he remembered.
Her shiny black hair lay like satin against the back of her head, and her clean face shone as bright as the moon, so beautiful it seemed surreal.
Especially those almond-shaped eyes—clear, yet with a calmness washed by the years, they were soothingly tranquil to behold.
The glaring pink hair was gone, the heavy makeup was gone, and the strange, mixed-style floral dresses were gone too.
She appeared now as if she had stepped out of a television drama, like the esteemed daughter of a scholarly family, noble and elegant.
No, their Miss had always been a noble young lady.
Before he could think further, Jiang Ye hurriedly opened the door, welcoming her inside excitedly.
"Miss, you've finally come home. You don't know, Madam has been so worried since you ran away from home, and also the Young Master—"
Jiang Li paused in her steps, and an image of an unkempt, profligate man immediately came to mind.
Consequently, she asked subconsciously, "What happened to Jiang Yan?"
Jiang Ye sighed deeply, "This matter has a long story behind it, you should hurry to the front hall to see the situation."
At this time, the front hall was surrounded by layers of people.
Standing in the center, Mrs. Qiao was hugging her daughter, glaring furiously at the beautiful woman in front of her.
"Mrs. Jiang, you must give us an explanation today. The matter of Jiang Yan fleeing the wedding cannot be overlooked like this. Your Jiang Family cannot just bully us common folk because you have great power!"
"Exactly, exactly, our Qiao Family is not to be trifled with either."
"Did you invite us here just to make fools of us? This matter absolutely cannot be overlooked!"
Seeing the emotions of the Qiao Family members becoming more and more agitated, Mrs. Jiang, Lin Manru, turned pale and quickly explained, "It's not eloping, my son is not that kind of person. Mother-in-law, please be assured, this marriage is certainly valid."
"Hmph, valid? Then let Jiang Yan come out here; you can't just let my daughter be laughed at alone, right?"
As she spoke, Mrs. Qiao quickly gave her daughter a look, and Qiao Shuang immediately started sobbing softly.
Lin Manru, anxious, fidgeted with her wine glass, wanting to say something to comfort her future daughter-in-law, but was unable to speak.
Seeing this, Mrs. Qin quickly pulled her aside.
"Madam, this can't go on like this. You need to find a way to appease the Qiao Family, we cannot have people here laughing at us, which could ruin the reputation of our Jiang Family."
Lin Manru nodded in agreement, then approached Mrs. Qiao, her tone softer and more gentle, "Mother-in-law, I indeed did not consider today's issues thoroughly. We can compensate for your losses, but please do not disclose this matter publicly to avoid both families ending up in a distasteful feud."
Mrs. Qiao snorted, "Compensation? Of course you should compensate. After such grievance suffered by my daughter, asking for 5% of Jiang Group's shares isn't too much, right?"
Lin Manru paled. She hadn't expected Mrs. Qiao to make such a large demand right off the bat, calling for shares.
But the fault was truly on their side, she shouldn't have claimed the engagement banquet between Jiang Qiao and the other family would proceed as planned while Jiang Yan was missing.
Yet, considering Qiao Shuang would be Jiang Family's future daughter-in-law, what was 5% of shares really?
Just as Lin Manru was about to reluctantly agree, suddenly a clear and bright female voice came from outside—
"No, I do not agree to giving shares."
Everyone turned towards the voice, only to see that the previously shut door had been opened, and a graceful young girl was standing there against the light.
Her frame was not tall or formidable, even somewhat frail, but she exuded a mysteriously powerful aura that instantly quieted the boisterous hall.
After a moment of shock, Lin Manru walked up to her, both surprised and delighted, "Lili? Is that you? How did you come back?!"
It wasn't that Lin Manru didn't recognize her, but the young girl before her had changed too much for her to feel confident in her recognition.
The people around also didn't recognize the identity of the girl, especially Mrs. Qiao, whose interrupted wrath was now fully directed at this brash young lady.
"Who are you, child, to interrupt adults speaking?"
"This involves Mrs. Jiang and me, why does your disagreement on sharing stocks matter?"
Jiang Li looked coldly, without being emotionally roused by Mrs. Qiao's shouting, and simply sized up the woman from head to toe.
For some reason, Mrs. Qiao suddenly felt a chill on her back when subjected to that gaze, but remembering her seniority, she gathered her spirits again.
"Answer me, why is this girl so rude?"
Jiang Li replied indifferently, "Who are you? Why must I answer your question?"
Starting off without introducing oneself but making demands, such behavior would have been met with beatings in the Marquis Mansion.
It was only because her modern mother was too soft that she was so thoroughly manipulated.
Perhaps realizing her daughter was behaving unusually, Lin Manru quickly interjected, "Lili, this is the mother of your brother's future wife, not a stranger, you should be respectful."
Jiang Li's expression remained unchanged, "There's no engagement, no invitation to a wedding, and no bridegroom visiting; what kind of in-law is that? In my opinion, Mother should kick out this troublemaker who's a stranger."