At that moment, Shang Yu's deep gaze fell on her face, which carried a faint smile. A thin stream of smoke slipped from his lips. Amid the swirling mist, his posture was languid and casual.
After finishing a cigarette, the man stood up and took Li Qiao to the basement-level dining room.
The restaurant had an elegant and comfortable ambiance. They sat across from each other at a marble-patterned square table.
Looking at the dishes already laid out, Li Qiao glanced around. "Who made all this?"
From the moment she entered, she hadn't seen any sign of housekeepers.
Even though the mansion was full of modern flair, it still felt empty and lifeless.
Shang Yu took a sip from the wine glass by his hand and answered, "The staff. Their work area is on the third basement level."
Li Qiao nodded in understanding and didn't press further. The two then began eating quietly.
…
After the meal, Li Qiao leaned lazily against the back of her chair, eyeing the handsome and noble-looking man across from her. She asked, "Yan, when is your father coming to Nanyang?"
"In the next few days." Shang Yu looked up, a faint smile on his lips. "In a hurry?"
Li Qiao raised her chin, a little irritated. "Yeah, I am. I won't feel at ease until this engagement is completely called off."
Shang Yu's deep eyes narrowed slightly, the smile on his face fading. "Is it that you don't like Shang Lu, or you just don't like the engagement itself?"
"Neither," Li Qiao said bluntly, clearly disgusted by the whole arrangement. She muttered coldly and irritably, "It's getting in the way of my love life!"
Her voice was soft, and she wasn't even sure if Shang Yu heard her—but the topic ended there.
At 2 PM, the rain outside had stopped. Shang Yu arranged for Liu Yun to drive Li Qiao down the mountain.
The air in the Nanyang hills after the rain was fresh, a dampness mingled with a soothing clarity that lifted the spirit.
As Li Qiao got into the car at the front of the villa, the vehicle slowly pulled away. The famed Nanyang Mansion, known as a pearl in the mountains, gradually shrank from view.
…
When she returned to the Li residence, Li Qiao stepped through the door and saw Li Guangming pacing the living room restlessly.
Duan Shuyuan was sitting on the side, sighing repeatedly. Neither of them looked to be in a good mood.
With her fingers stuffed in her pants pockets, Li Qiao leaned against the entrance wall. "Mom, Dad—what happened?"
Li Guangming was startled. He quickly smoothed out the worry between his brows and looked at her with a cheerful expression. "You're back, sweetheart. What were you doing out in this rainy weather without a car?"
"Just went out for a stroll."
As she spoke, Li Qiao looked at Duan Shuyuan, clicked her tongue, and walked over to sit beside her. "Mom, why do you keep sighing?"
Duan Shuyuan shook her head and wrapped an arm around Li Qiao's shoulder, patting her gently. "Sweetie, it's just that Mom's worried about you."
"What did I do that made you worry?" Li Qiao asked in surprise, immediately sensing that something was off today.
At that moment, Li Guangming stood behind the couch, hands resting on the backrest. He said softly, "We just got a notice—Old Master Shang will arrive in Nanyang in three days."
"To cancel the engagement?" Li Qiao narrowed her eyes, responding calmly, "Good. Let's get it over with. That way, it won't get in the way of Shang Lu finding someone else."
At that, Li Guangming and Duan Shuyuan exchanged a look, both seriously pondering a question: Given Shang Lu's earth-shattering and ghost-weeping condition, does he even have the right to find someone else?
After a moment of silence, Li Qiao went upstairs.
Out of her parents' sight, she quietly curled her lips and looked pleased.
She had just asked Shang Yu about it earlier, and now, as soon as she got home, the visit from Old Master Shang had been finalized.