Li Qiao and Shang Yu looked at each other for a few seconds, her lips curving into a smile, "I’m not that petty, how could I get angry over something ?"
Everything he did was completely in order to ease her emotions; she naturally understood this.
The man’s gaze fell on her lips, which opened and closed, his eyes darkening slightly, "Hmm, then how do you plan to thank me?"
Li Qiao’s smile stiffened for a moment.
She leaned back unnoticeably, turning her head to look out of the window while glancing at Shang Yu from the corner of her eye, "I will treat you to midnight snacks."
"Didn’t eat dinner?" The man encircled her waist and pressed her closer to him, narrowing the distance once again.
Li Qiao’s body tensed up, not daring to move. The sensation on her legs was very strong, her eyes flickering as she nodded., "I ate a little at the dormitory cafeteria, but I’m hungry now."
As he saw the young girl deliberately avoiding certain topics, a helpless smile flashed through the shadows in Shang Yu’s eyes.
Had he scared her, hence her nervousness about that sort of thing?
Shang Yu’s gaze deeply concentrated on Li Qiao before he finally patted her waist and moved her to the seat beside him, "What do you want to eat?"
Once Li Qiao was seated, she stole a glance at the man’s waist and abdomen using the streetlights outside as cover, about to speak when she noticed Shang Yu crossing his long legs and lazily raising an eyebrow at her.
Seeing this, Li Qiao instinctively touched the bun on her head, "I’ll leave it up to you, I’m fine with anything."
Shang Yu covered his eyes, his thin lips lifting in a curve that carried a profound meaning, "Hmm, that works too."
There was nothing wrong with what he said, but something didn’t quite sit right with Li Qiao.
That night at half-past nine, the motorcade arrived at the South Sea Mansion.
Li Qiao glanced at Shang Yu, Is this a place to have midnight snacks?
Upon entering, they walked through the living room, where Li Qiao caught a glimpse of an ink-green brocade box on the coffee table from the corner of her eye.
That was the translation document Shang Zonghai had given her.
Li Qiao suddenly remembered that she had only taken her suitcase when she returned from Parma, leaving the brocade box here.
"Let’s look at it after the midnight snack, aren’t you hungry?" Shang Yu, noticing her intention, then took her hand and headed toward the underground dining room.
Li Qiao looked back at the coffee table and asked him, "Have you looked at the translation inside?"
"No," the man replied, turning back to her with a deep gaze.
Soon, they reached the dining room where the table was already set with food.
A bowl of red date and oatmeal porridge, a few refreshing side dishes, neither greasy nor heavy, light and healthy.
Li Qiao sat opposite Shang Yu and, seeing that he had no intention of picking up his chopsticks, raised her eyebrows. "Aren’t you going to eat?"
The man curled his lips, leaning back on his chair with a casual posture, "I’m here with you."
She said nothing, taking a spoonful of porridge and sipping it, feeling an increasingly strange sensation in her heart.
After finishing the meal and returning to the living room, there was steamy hot tea on the table.
Li Qiao picked up the brocade box from the table, stroking the exquisitely made satin and pondered, "Did uncle say when he will give me the rest of the translation?"
At that moment, Shang Yu had his arm resting on the armrest, a cigarette pinched between his fingertips that he hadn’t lit, looking at her delicate features as he said in a deep voice, "It will be given to you. If you’re in a hurry..."
Before he could finish, Li Qiao pulled at the corner of her mouth, shaking her head to interrupt him, "I’m not in a rush, let’s look at this first."
As she said this, she opened the brocade box, and a mild aroma of ink instantly filled the air.
Inside the box, neatly arranged was a stack of Xuan paper, on top of which sat a lustrous Coagulated Cream Jade Pendant.
Li Qiao rubbed the surface of the pendant, looking at Shang Yu in surprise, "Why is there a Jade Pendant here too?"