Li Qiao skirted around the vestibule and stood at the entrance of the living room, immediately sensing an atmosphere of seriousness unlike ever before.
At this moment, the living room was exceptionally quiet.
Mr. and Mrs. Li sat on the double sofa to the side, their expressions solemn and their postures clearly restrained.
In the principal seat above, sat an elder about fifty years old, the ruler of the Parma Shang clan, Shang Yu’s father Shang Zonghai.
Dressed in a gray Tang suit, he sat upright without a word or a smile, his temples graying, his facial features bearing a fifty percent resemblance to Shang Yu.
He wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, had fine frown lines between his brows, and was twirling a string of black Buddha beads in his hand. He appeared detached, yet his presence exuded the unique authority and stability of someone of high status.
Shang Yu, on the other hand, sat lazily beside him with his legs crossed, his casual indifference forming a stark contrast to the elder’s formality.
The moment Li Qiao appeared, Shang Zonghai’s sharp eyes also observed her through his lenses.
These words were spoken by Shang Yu.
The moment he opened his mouth, Mr. and Mrs. Li turned their eyes towards Li Qiao and seemed to unconsciously breathe a sigh of relief upon seeing her.
Li Qiao walked leisurely into the living room, found an armchair to settle into, and discreetly surveyed the room, noticing that all three of her brothers were absent, and even the servants were nowhere to be seen.
At that time, Shang Zonghai adjusted his glasses and asked, "You are Li Qiao?"
"Meeting for the first time, my return was late, I ask for Elder Shang’s understanding."
Li Qiao nodded slightly towards Shang Zonghai without haste. Her attitude was polite, and her behavior was proper.
Hearing this, Shang Zonghai pursed his lips in satisfaction. His eyes, which seemed to see through everything, then turned towards Li Guangming, "Guangming, since the child has returned, shall we discuss this marriage matter?"
Li Guangming straightened his chest and looked at Shang Zonghai with no small amount of reverence in his eyes, "No problem, this marriage... I’ll leave it all to Elder Shang to decide."
Li Qiao slightly bowed her head, a myriad of doubts arising in her eyes.
Was her father’s attitude towards Shang Zonghai too submissive?
Besides, even though the two of them were of similar age, the way they addressed each other was markedly different.
At this moment, Shang Zonghai fiddled with the Buddha beads and said in a seemingly regretful tone, "I probably know what has happened. Shang Lu has been capricious since he was a child, later becoming afflicted with a persistent disease, rebellious and untamed. Now it seems, this marriage was indeed hasty."
Li Guangming and Duan Shuyuan’s gazes met, and after a brief silence, Li Guangming ventured, "Then, what Elder Shang means is..."
Shang Zonghai rolled his Adam’s apple, his gaze from behind the glasses fell on Li Qiao, and after pondering for a few seconds, he declared definitively, "Then let’s call it off. Do you still have the marriage contract from when the engagement was set?"
There’s a marriage contract?
Li Qiao narrowed her eyes at Li Guangming, and even Duan Shuyuan looked clearly surprised.
Li Guangming nodded repeatedly, "Yes, it’s kept safely."
"Hmm, give it to me. Since the marriage is called off, this marriage contract should also be voided."
Li Guangming complied and rose to head towards the second-floor study.
During this time, the living room fell silent once more.
Li Qiao sat alone in her seat, her gaze covertly studying Shang Zonghai.
It was said that the Parma Shang clan was a lineage of traditional Chinese medicine, yet it seemed this elder did not carry the compassionate heart of a healer who helped the world.
Even though he twirled Buddha beads in his hand, they could not obscure the coldness and depth within his eyes.
Li Qiao withdrew her gaze from Shang Zonghai, and in the corner of her eye, she caught Shang Yu’s cold gaze without missing a beat.
Their eyes met across the space, his dark eyes tinged with a subtle, almost imperceptible smile.
Just then, Shang Zonghai picked up the celadon teacup on the table, toyed with the tea leaves with the lid, and offhandedly started, "Young lady, have you ever been to Parma before?"