Hearing that, Tang Yiting tugged at the hem of her skirt and boldly crossed one leg over the other. She shot Li Qiao a sideways glance and asked cautiously, "I heard your childhood fiancé is drop-dead gorgeous. Are you really okay with just letting him go like that?"
"Drop-dead gorgeous?" Li Qiao's lips curled into a faint smile, but the face that surfaced in her mind wasn't Shang Lu's—it was Shang Yu's, striking enough to take one's breath away. She lowered her gaze slightly. "Your taste is broken."
"No way!" Tang Yiting whipped out her phone, swiped a few times, then turned the screen toward Li Qiao with a serious face. "Look closely—how is this face not gorgeous?"
Li Qiao glanced at the screen. It was a formal portrait of Shang Lu.
Plain. Bland. Pretty? Maybe.
Li Qiao shifted her gaze to Tang Yiting's face and gave a lazy smile. "Where'd you get that photo?"
"My cousin sent it to me. He's also the one who told me about the canceled engagement," she added. "You remember my cousin, right? Lu Xiheng—the long-haired dreamboat."
Long-haired dreamboat…
Li Qiao looked confused for two seconds. "Oh…" She didn't remember him at all.
Seeing her expression, Tang Yiting instantly knew her cousin didn't even register in Li Qiao's eyes.
After all, the Li family—Nanyang's wealthiest—had both fortune and face.
When the whole family stood together, their looks could put half the entertainment industry to shame!
And Li Qiao herself? With a face that could bring cities to ruin, she embodied both purity and allure. Campus belle, department belle, class belle—she held every title. But her personality was distant, her demeanor cool, and for years, not a single boy had dared confess to her directly. Too scared of rejection.
Tang Yiting wilted like a frostbitten eggplant, clutching her phone with a dramatic sigh. "Such a beautiful man… what a pity, what a waste."
Li Qiao shot her a glance, shook her head, and stood up. "I'm going for a walk."
"Where to? I'll come with—" Tang Yiting started to follow
Qiao waved her phone at Tang Yiting. "No need. I'm heading to the finance office."
"Alright then…" Tang Yiting gave up with a bit of a pout.
The Nanyang Entertainment Complex was a Li family asset. When it was first founded, Li Guangming, ever the doting father, had gifted Li Qiao 45% of the shares—making her the rightful young boss of the place.
…
After years of development, the entertainment complex now boasted top-notch facilities: a casino, opera house, bars, art museum, restaurants, exhibition halls—countless amenities.
Even in the dead of night, the place was buzzing with life, like a city that never slept.
Li Qiao strolled leisurely down the corridor, took the elevator, and headed straight to the "Blue Night Bar" on the basement level.
As night deepens, indulgence begins.
The bar was split into two sections: one was the mellow lounge with soft lighting and soothing music, while the other was a lively dance area filled with pounding beats and wild energy.
Li Qiao headed straight for the lounge bar. The sound of a violin playing in the background gave the night a hazy, dreamlike quality.
A glass of Mojito was placed in front of her by the bartender. Sitting on a high stool with one foot on the ground, Li Qiao lifted her chin slightly. "Thanks."
"No problem. It's been a while since you came by," the bartender replied.
His name was Wen Shi, 24 years old—two years older than Li Qiao. He came from a modest background and worked part-time here at the lounge while pursuing his postgraduate studies. He was the textbook example of a hardworking student.
Li Qiao wasn't particularly close to him, but every time she came to the bar, he would always prepare a Mojito for her.
At that moment, Wen Shi studied her calm and indifferent expression, then pursed his lips slightly. "I heard you're graduating college next month. Planning to keep studying?"
Li Qiao took a sip of her drink and replied coolly, "Not sure yet."
"I actually think—"
Before Wen Shi could finish, the door of a private booth behind them was suddenly kicked open. A furious voice shouted, "Shang Shaoyan, where the hell is my brother? You're the one who took him! This is a law-abiding society—don't think you can get away with anything!"