No one knew exactly when it started, but somehow, the eldest young master of their family had resumed using WeChat.
It seemed to have happened after he met Miss Li.
At this moment, Shang Yu lazily accepted the phone handed to him. Unsurprisingly, the message was from Li Qiao.
It contained only a few brief words: Yan Master, where are we having dinner tonight?
The young lady seemed unusually concerned about his dining arrangements today.
Rubbing his temples, Shang Yu tapped out a simple reply: "Hotel."
And with that, the conversation abruptly ended.
He exited the chat screen, just about to lock the phone, when something caught his eye — a red notification dot next to the Moments tab on WeChat.
Acting on impulse, he tapped into it. The first post that loaded at the top of his feed was from Li Qiao.
No caption. Just a photo of a vibrant tulip field.
But what really made Shang Yu pause was the location tag beneath the photo: Yancheng, World Horticultural Expo.
His eyes narrowed slightly, the shifting lights outside the window casting flickers of shadow and glow across his chiseled features.
If Liu Yun were to glance back at that moment, he would've seen the faintest hint of a smile curling at the corners of Shang Yu's rose-colored lips.
This time, instead of replying on WeChat, Shang Yu exited the app and went straight to his call log. He dialed the number labeled BabyGirl.
"You're in Yancheng?"
The moment the call connected, Li Qiao heard his deep, magnetic voice. She smiled and replied in an unhurried tone, "Yeah, I heard the World Horticultural Expo opened. Thought I'd come by and clear my head."
In her mind, that reason deserved a perfect score.
Shang Yu held the phone in one hand, eyes drifting to the city lights racing past the window. Remembering the WeChat message Li Qiao had sent him earlier, he suddenly understood. "Haven't eaten yet?"
Glancing at the two-person table in front of her, Li Qiao's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Not yet. Just ordered. Waiting on the food. Got time to join me, Yan Master?"
"Location."
"Yancheng Royal Hotel, Western Restaurant."
…
About twenty minutes later, the motorcade arrived at the Yancheng Royal Hotel, where Shang Yu was staying.
As Liu Yun opened the door for him, he leaned in and whispered, "Boss, Miss Li is at Table 01 in the Western restaurant."
"Mhm."
Shang Yu undid his tie and casually handed his suit jacket to Liu Yun. Dressed in a black dress shirt and slacks, he strode confidently into the hotel lobby.
Liu Yun stood there holding the jacket, questioning reality.
How did Miss Li manage to pinpoint exactly which hotel the boss was staying at?
All the summit attendees were staying at the State Guesthouse.
Only their boss had chosen to stay here — at their own hotel — for the enhanced privacy and security.
How the hell did she know?! What kind of network does she have? That's wild!
Inside the Western restaurant, the atmosphere was elegant. Soft piano music drifted through the air.
Li Qiao sat at Table 01, chin resting on her hand, eyes fixed on the figure of Shang Yu walking toward her beneath the crystal chandelier — tall and striking, his presence unmatched. Even the wrinkles on his shirt sleeves couldn't dim his noble aura.
They were the only guests in the restaurant that night.
Li Qiao wore a champagne-colored cocktail dress. Her light makeup highlighted her radiant features, giving her a softer, more alluring charm than her usual cold, lazy demeanor.
She smiled. "Thank you for squeezing me into your busy schedule, Yan Master."
Clearly teasing him about rejecting her lunch invitation earlier.
Shang Yu tilted slightly to pull out the chair and sat down. Resting his arm on the table, he tapped it lightly with his fingers. His voice was slow and tinged with a lazy drawl. "When did you get here?"
"Just this afternoon." Li Qiao smoothed the hem of her dress and slid a glass of lemon water toward him. "I'm guessing… you skipped lunch?"
A faint weariness clouded Shang Yu's eyes. He looked up at her, his gaze deep and dimly lit.
"You trying to make it up to me?"