Half an hour later, Li Qiao leisurely walked out of the laboratory.
The elevator door opened, and she walked inside while looking down at her phone, then bumped into a man’s embrace.
Li Qiao let out a muffled groan and looked up to see Shang Yu smiling softly at the corner of his lips.
She blinked a few times, leaned forward, and rubbed her forehead against his chest.
"Are you tired?" Shang Yu lowered his gaze, placing his palm on the back of her neck and giving it a gentle squeeze.
Li Qiao furrowed her brow and replied in a soft and low voice, "A bit."
"Finish your meal and get an early night’s sleep," Shang Yu suggested as he pressed the elevator button and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, saying softly, "Tomorrow, the laboratory equipment will be maintained."
Li Qiao looked up, suddenly refreshed, "How long will the maintenance take?"
Indeed, the laboratory equipment needs regular maintenance, but the issue is... the equipment in the mansion has been in use for less than three months, does it need maintenance?
The elevator arrived on the first floor, and as the doors opened, Shang Yu turned his head slightly to look at her, "It’s uncertain."
She rubbed her forehead, her tone somewhat listless, "Then I’ll use your study."
"Jin Rong is using it," the man replied, one hand in his pocket as he led her out of the elevator, his thin lips curling upward with deep meaning.
Unaware, Jin Rong was busy picking out nutrients for Li Qiao: "..."
Li Qiao paused her steps, pursing her lips, "Then I’ll go to the foundation company."
Shang Yu’s brow relaxed as he looked leisurely at Li Qiao, without saying a word, just watching her.
A few seconds later, Li Qiao turned her face away, and smoothly changed her words, "I’ll wait until the laboratory maintenance is over before using it."
Take care of your own man, pamper him yourself.
"Mm, good girl." The man smiled, leaned over, and kissed the top of her head, feeling content and satisfied as he led her towards the dining room.
Due to Yin Mo’s ankle injury, she couldn’t walk temporarily.
Luoyu took on the responsibility of delivering meals to her.
Strangely, He Chen, who usually seemed elusive, appeared idle after Yin Mo showed up, lounging in the mansion and freeloading.
That night, Li Qiao was sleeping soundly.
Shang Yu leaned against the headboard with a book titled "Pregnancy Precautions" in his hand, reading attentively.
The warm light from the bedside lamp fell on his distinct and handsome face, revealing a trace of leisurely laziness.
At this moment, a vibration broke the tranquility of the night.
He glanced at the nightstand, saw the caller, and raised his eyebrows slightly before picking up the phone and heading to the walk-in closet.
As soon as Shang Yu answered the call, Shang Zonghai asked with a smile, "Is the girl asleep?"
"Mm, calling so late, is there an emergency?"
In other words, if there’s no emergency, why are you calling in the middle of the night?
Shang Zonghai took a sip of tea and teasingly said, "Even if there was an emergency, would calling you help?"
Shang Yu pursed his lips, silent for a moment.
"That Archbishop identity, do you want it or not?" Shang Zonghai shifted the topic, speaking directly.
Shang Yu replied with a composed expression, "Whatever."
Shang Zonghai shook his head with a chuckle, "I knew you’d feel this way, looks like... Old George might have miscalculated with this move."
"He values not me, but you."
Shang Zonghai leafed through the data in his hand, his expression indifferent, "That’s not important. If you want the Archbishop identity, I’ll keep it for you. If you don’t, let it go. You don’t need to meddle in the British Imperial affairs, and as for the news over there, there should be a result by the day after tomorrow at the latest."
Shang Yu’s Adam’s apple moved, leaning against the storage cabinet in the closet, his cold eyes narrowing slightly, "Keeping the Archbishop doesn’t mean I need to wade into muddy waters."
"That’s your idea; the Xiao family doesn’t think that way."
The man’s eyes revealed a trace of sharp darkness, "Hold onto it, talk after New Year’s Day."
Shang Zonghai agreed knowingly, "I received an invitation to the wedding banquet in Myanmar, just the right time to catch up with Wu Lv, whom I haven’t seen for many years."
Shang Yu raised his eyebrows almost imperceptibly, "You know Prince Wu Lv?"
"Get some sleep early, I’m hanging up."
Shang Yu removed the phone from his ear, looking at the already ended call, lost in thought.
The next day, the weekend.
Shang Yu didn’t go to the company, and as he mentioned, the laboratory closed its doors for an indefinite period of maintenance.
Li Qiao sent a few WeChat messages, arranged everything, and then went to the guest room to visit Yin Mo.
She knocked on the door and then turned the handle.
Having not seen He Chen this morning, Li Qiao thought he had left.
So when she pushed open the door, she turned expressionlessly to leave upon seeing He Chen holding Yin Mo’s head against his chest with a displeased face.
"Qi Zai, don’t go." Yin Mo suddenly pushed He Chen away, almost causing him to stumble, anxiously calling out to Li Qiao’s retreating back, "I have something to discuss with you."
Li Qiao paused at the door, glanced back, raising her brows, "Brother Chen, could you step aside?"
Having just settled, He Chen heard her words, licked his back teeth, and stood up, "Where’s Shaoyan?"
He Chen nodded, took a few steps before turning back to Li Qiao with a tilt of his chin, "After you’re done talking, I also need to discuss something with you."
Li Qiao smirked and walked leisurely to sit by the bed, her gaze lingering on Yin Mo’s ankle, "How’s the injury?"
"It’s fine." Yin Mo moved her leg slightly, awkwardly explaining, "It’s not what you think, he and I..."
Li Qiao crossed her legs, tapping her fingers on her knee, "Second Sister, this is... a transparent defense."
Their gazes met, Li Qiao smiled slightly, "What do you want to tell me?"
As for Yin Mo and He Chen’s relationship, she didn’t want to ask too much.
Things , as the saying goes, people drinking water know its warmth.
Besides, Yin Mo isn’t foolish; if she truly disliked He Chen, she would have a hundred ways to reject his advances.
As for the seemingly frivolous player, he wasn’t as careless as he appeared.
Yin Mo picked up her phone from the table, glanced at it, and then raised her eyes to ask, "Can you prepare a computer for me? My phone has been turned off, and I’m concerned Xiao Hongdao might become suspicious."
"I can do that," Li Qiao responded lightly, "and then?"
Yin Mo lowered her eyes, her thumb rubbing the edge of her phone, "I can’t be out of contact for too long, or my parents might be in danger. I... I might send some messages back to the Ducal Residence, but don’t worry, they’ll be inconsequential things.
Since Yun Lih managed to infiltrate the Ducal Residence before, I want to use this excuse to placate Xiao Hongdao, at least... to dispel his doubts."
Reflecting on her previous visit to Xiao Hongdao, her father’s repeated warnings seemed very unusual.
Xiao Hongdao assigned her to the South Sea, mostly likely as a way to leverage her father.
Upon hearing this, Li Qiao readily agreed, "As long as you’re mindful, I’m fine with it."
Yin Mo’s gaze trembled with gratitude as she held Li Qiao’s hand, "Qi Zai, thank you."
Li Qiao lifted her eyes, her tone very calm, "Have you ever considered taking your parents out of the Ducal Residence?"
Yin Mo nodded wistfully, "Of course I have, but they’re too blindly loyal, I don’t know..."
"Then break their blind loyalty."