"Without trying, how would you know if it couldn’t be solved?" Li Qiao’s gaze was long and distant as she continuously caressed the edge of her cell phone, "Apart from me, no one has ever left, so what’s this about going back?"
Xi Luo knew very little about Xiao Yehui, and only had a vague understanding of affairs concerning the Border Seven Sons.
Hearing Li Qiao’s explanation, she was utterly confused, "You seem to really understand him, come on, tell me, what does he actually want to do?"
Li Qiao looked down at the palm of her hand, gently tracing the lines there, and after a long while, she smiled indifferently, "He’s just using Yun Lih’s life as a bargaining chip. If you want to save Yun Lih, you have to accept his threats. Otherwise, what does going back even mean? Go back where?"
Would it be that if Liuzi went back to find Xiao Yehui, he could willingly provide the antidote to Yun Lih and then everyone celebrated as the Seven Sons made peace with a handshake?
At this point, who would be foolish enough to think that the Seven Sons could mend their relationship?
Xiao Yehui’s goal was never about the Border Seven Sons.
At that moment, Xi Luo touched her forehead with a semblance of a smile, sighing, "No wonder he said you understand him, who else would do something so extreme?"
After thinking for a bit, she added on her own, "It also fits the external perception of the Charlman Family. With a dad like the Old Duke, who has such a dark psyche, it would be surprising if Xiao Yehui were normal."
After returning to Myst Town, Li Qiao went straight to Su Moshi’s laboratory.
When Xia Siyu got the news, she hurriedly tried to find her, almost colliding with Xi Luo as she rushed out the door.
"Rushing to be reincarnated, are we?" Xi Luo dodged her collision with nimble grace, holding her purse and a lollipop in her mouth, teasing with a smile.
Xia Siyu brushed the hair from her face, slightly out of breath as she asked, "Sister Luo, where is Qiaoqiao?"
Xi Luo took the lollipop out of her mouth and pointed with her lips towards a western-style house in front of the town, "She went to find your Fourth Brother."
"Oh..." Xia Siyu hesitated, her head drooping as her entire demeanor spelled out despondency in capital letters.
She wanted to go over, yet was fearful at heart.
That’s how contradictory the human heart is, the more you care, the more likely you are to adopt an ostrich mentality.
Xi Luo took a brief look and detected Xia Siyu’s melancholy. Her gaze flickered, and she assumed the pose of an understanding elder sister, hooking her arm over Xia Siyu’s shoulder and probed, "Xia Wu, let me ask you something. You tell your sister the truth, alright?"
Xia Siyu nodded absently, "Sister Luo, speak."
"Do you like Yun Lih?"
Xia Siyu was lost for words.
Xi Luo wore an expression that said ’I’ve been through this, don’t try to hide it from me,’ and commented, "It seems I guessed right."
Xia Siyu bit her lower lip, sizing up Xi Luo several times before finally nodding in resignation.
All women harbor ordinary desires, don’t they?
Seeing this, Xi Luo narrowed her eyes, making an excuse to start a conversation, "How much do you like him?"
Xia Siyu sensed there was more to the question and pondered for a couple of seconds, "Sister Luo, what are you trying to say?"
Xi Luo put the lollipop back into her mouth, turned her face away, and chuckled meaninglessly, "Hey, I’m just curious. You like him so much, I’m just wondering, if one day you get carried away with heroic sacrifice, wouldn’t I have to rush over to enjoy the spectacle?"
Xia Siyu’s already heavy heart shattered into pieces with those few words.
She couldn’t help but laugh and bumped Xi Luo’s shoulder, pretending to be annoyed, "I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you; that day will not come."
"Is that so?" Xi Luo’s tone was tinged with intrigue.
She was genuinely curious, when faced with a matter of life and death for Yun Lih, how would the former Border Seven Sons choose?
In the end, Xia Siyu didn’t go to the laboratory to find Li Qiao. She slowly returned to the western-style house’s living room, sat down, and began to space out.
Meanwhile, in the research lab.
Su Moshi took off his glasses and leaned against the chair, massaging his brow, "Did he really say that?"
"Mm." Li Qiao played with a petite human skeleton model, lifting her eyes and raising her eyebrows slightly, "Does the Medical Alliance have any research on Traditional Chinese Medicine?"
Su Moshi let out a long sigh, "There is some, but it definitely can’t compare to the old Chinese Medicine practitioners in our country. If it was indeed Chinese Medicine principles used to poison, the detection would indeed be very difficult."
Li Qiao, with a click, detached the small arm from the skeleton model, twirling it between her fingers before smirking, "Is there a result from the blood test yet?"
"Not yet, too many factors could affect that indicator, and the research center doesn’t dare to jump to conclusions lightly."
Li Qiao broke off the other arm of the skeleton model, her expression lazy, "Keep looking, I’ll figure something out for the Chinese Medicine part."
Su Moshi’s mind sparked with an idea, and just as he was about to speak, Luoyu knocked on the door from outside, "Ma’am, the head of the family has arrived."
Li Qiao’s gaze ignited slightly as she dropped the arm of the model and got up to walk towards the door.
From afar, on the other end of the path paved with green bricks, Shang Yu and Shang Zonghai were approaching side by side.
Li Qiao and the man locked eyes across the distance, her lips unconsciously curving upwards.
In a moment, they met outside the lab’s door, where Shang Yu strode up to Li Qiao, taking her hand, his expression slightly stern, "Why didn’t you call me?"
Li Qiao pinched the palm of his hand, then promptly nodded towards Shang Zonghai first, "Dad."
The man pursed his lips, his displeasure clear between his brows, "Wearing so little, let’s talk inside."
Before Li Qiao could retort, her slender frame was enveloped by Shang Yu’s arms and she was drawn into his coat.
Shang Zonghai was unexpectedly fed a dose of dog food.
He watched with a hidden smile as Shang Yu assertively led Li Qiao away.
Su Moshi hurried forward to greet him, and the group quickly returned to the mansion.
In the living room, Liuyun and Wang Yue were making tea, while Luoyu was dragged outside by Gu Chenn for a smoke to cheer up.
Shang Zonghai, having removed his coat and handed it to Wei Ang, sat with composure in a single-seat sofa, wearing a grey mandarin collar shirt.
After Liuyun and others brought hot tea, he waved his hand, "All of you go out."
At that moment, Li Qiao subtly studied Shang Zonghai and wasn’t sure if it was an illusion; away from the Parma’s old mansion, he exuded an extremely restrained grace and aura.
Gone was the leisurely contentment of fishing in the back yard; he seemed like a high-ranking figure in total control, his gaze much sharper and more serene.
Perhaps, this was the true Head of Shang Family.
Shang Zonghai’s left wrist still sported the Buddha Beads as he beckoned Li Qiao while leisurely unbuttoning his shirt cuffs to roll them up.
Li Qiao didn’t hesitate and sat naturally in the sofa beside him, spreading her hand open.
Seeing this, Shang Zonghai placed three fingers together on her wrist.
In less than half a minute, he revealed a gentle and relieved smile, "You’ve worked hard, take good care of yourself."
Li Qiao blinked, glancing at her wrist, "Hua Mai?"
Shang Zonghai gently pressed his lips together in a nod, then looked towards Shang Yu at the Husband-Watching Stone, "If there’s nothing major in the British Imperial, you might as well head back earlier. The early stages of pregnancy can’t withstand too much strain, don’t be negligent."
The man responded with a sound, his gaze constantly on Li Qiao, quite dismissive towards his father.
Shang Zonghai was not annoyed and sipped his tea, lost in thought.