Li Qiao blinked and, turning to the side, saw Shang Yu finish the can of beer with his head tilted back.
The man still carried the dampness of a shower, and on his partially exposed chest were several odd scratch marks.
Li Qiao forced her gaze away, rubbing the moisture left on her fingertips, her expression indifferent.
At that moment, Shang Yu set down the beer can and his cool fingertips clamped on her chin, pressing down his handsome face to pass a mouthful of beer to her.
The aroma of the beer filled the space between their lips and teeth, and Li Qiao pursed her lips as the man’s words timely rang out, "Drink less ice-cold beer."
Li Qiao raised her eyebrows slightly, "There’s no room temperature one at home."
Shang Yu caught her gaze and then walked toward the living room with a lazy stride.
Li Qiao, spinning her barstool, watched him and in a blink, saw him stoop to fetch two cans of room temperature beer from under the coffee table.
The man returned to the bar, popped the tab, and handed her the beer, "Not planning to let them know?"
Li Qiao, holding the can, shook it slightly, "It would just add to the worries. No need."
The kindness Mr. and Mrs. Li showed in raising her surpassed everything else.
Setting aside all entanglements of interest, she has always regarded them as her biological parents.
Even with the Mu Family, it wouldn’t change her perspective.
Her lingering in Parma and not leaving wasn’t about doing something for the Mu Family, but rather out of concern that the people behind her would target Mr. and Mrs. Li.
A story buried for over twenty years, she intended to uncover the truth by herself, as a way to repay them for raising her.
Shang Yu’s thin lips curved slightly, and his dark eyes held an intense emotion, "As long as you don’t forcefully stand up for the Mu Family, you can do whatever you want."
Li Qiao took a sip of beer, her usually reserved eyes revealing a rare softness, "To me, the Mu Family is just a group of strangers with a somewhat deep impression. Aside from family and you, no one can make me stand up for them."
The man pressed his lips together, making a serious nod, "I rank second?"
Li Qiao amiably repeated, "Besides you and the Li family members, no one can make me forcefully stand up for them."
Shang Yu brewed a satisfied smile, and nipped forcefully on her lips, "Good girl. Feng Yi has news."
Minutes later, Li Qiao and Shang Yu sat in the study, with the phone laid on the table on speaker, Feng Yi’s voice emanating from it.
"I’m not sure if that person is Yun Lih you’re looking for, but he does look quite alike."
Li Qiao narrowed her eyes as Feng Yi continued to speak, "My dad had gone to the ducal study, and my elder brother and I took a stroll around the Ducal Residence.
Near the stable area, we incidentally saw Captain Yin speaking with a male servant in the horse barn. The guy was tall, dressed in servant attire.
After discovering us, Captain Yin even punched the servant, as if scolding something, but I felt it was done intentionally for us to see."
In Shang Yu’s hand was an unlit cigarette, he picked up a lighter from the table, voice deep and cold, "Did you manage to take a picture?"
Feng Yi fell silent for two seconds, then scoffed with laughter, "What do you think I was doing, shopping? Besides, there was nobody around at that time, Captain Yin and the servant were being sneaky. If it weren’t for you asking me to look for someone, I’d think they were having an affair."
Feng Yi’s imagination was indeed rich.
Shang Yu exhaled smoke from his lips, his dark eyes fierce, "Find a way to go in again and strike up a conversation with Yin Mo."
"Strike up a conversation?" Feng Yi laughed in disbelief, "Why don’t you just tell me to pursue her? Do you think the Ducal Residence is a market?"
Li Qiao’s eyes brightened, and meeting Shang Yu’s gaze, they both instinctively curved their lips without saying a word.
She said, "Second Brother Feng, pursuing Yin Mo... is indeed a good excuse."
Feng Yi, who had just trapped himself, "..."