At four o'clock in the afternoon, Li Qiao returned to the Li family villa.
As soon as she entered the door, she heard a crisp and melodious call, "Is it my dear Qiaoqiao coming back?"
A smile crossed Li Qiao's eyes as she responded toward the direction of the living room, "Mom, it's me."
At this moment, Duan Shuyuan rushed out from the living room dressed in a rose-colored two-piece dress, her hair elegantly done up in a bun.
Despite being over fifty, Matriarch Li's luxurious life had preserved her natural beauty and charm.
Though her fair and delicate cheeks bore traces of the years, they did not make her look old but, instead, like a woman just past forty, refined and aristocratic.
Duan Shuyuan quickly approached Li Qiao, embraced her, and rubbed her against her chest, "Baby, Mom's back late, you must've been wronged."
Li Qiao, with her bun now a mess, "..."
Duan Shuyuan and Li Qiao were of similar height, both nearly one meter seventy, and with her high heels, Duan Shuyuan still had a slender yet well-maintained figure.
Li Qiao struggled out of Duan Shuyuan's embrace and neatly arranged her hair bun as if nothing had happened, "Mom, why didn't you go upstairs to rest when you just got back?"
"Mom's not tired. Come here, baby. I bought you several outfits when I went to Fashion Week. Take a look and see if you like them!"
Duan Shuyuan took Li Qiao by the hand back to the living room, sat down on the couch, and started showing off with her phone, "Look at this light yellow skirt, it will definitely be matchless on you, and this one... "
The next twenty minutes belonged to Duan Shuyuan's monologue.
Even as Li Guangming, Li Yan, and Li Jun descended from the second-floor study, Duan Shuyuan was still endlessly showing Li Qiao her shopping spoils.
Three everyday outfits, two dresses, seven pairs of jeans, eight jackets, including some limited-edition hair clips, totaling twelve million in expenses.
All of these were bought for Li Qiao.
Duan Shuyuan took a sip of water to soothe her throat, and then handed the phone to Li Qiao, "Baby, do you like them? The brand will send these clothes directly to us. I was a bit rushed coming back this time, missed four or five shows. I'll buy more for you next time."
Li Qiao held the warm phone, turned off the screen, "I like them, thank you, Mom."
This was an everyday occurrence.
By this time, Li Guangming and the others had taken their seats. Big Brother Xie, a high-ranking official at the South Sea Secretariat, wore a sharp suit that exuded authority and dignity.
He had put off a foreign negotiation meeting and rushed back to the Li family first because of Li Qiao's broken engagement.
Li Jun carefully scrutinized Li Qiao, saw that she looked as usual, still with her lazy demeanor, and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Then, he reached into the inner pocket of his suit, took out a slender, delicate box, and said seriously and with a hint of guilt, "Qiaoqiao, Big Brother has been busy on a business trip; I didn't get you much, just this Montblanc platinum pen for you to play with."
Li Qiao took the small gift box, twirled the pen around her fingers, and thanked Big Brother Xie.
Li Guangming watched the scene with satisfaction, then in the next second, he angrily punched Li Yan on the shoulder, "Look at your big brother!"
Li Yan, stunned by the punch, "..."
After a while, Li Jun straightened the cuffs of his suit, his hawk-like eyes glinting coldly, "Mom, Dad, let's talk business. Did Shang Lu ever hint to you about breaking off the engagement before he suddenly proposed it?"
Accustomed to a position of authority, Li Jun exuded a palpable sense of oppression and legitimacy—qualities befitting someone of his standing.
Before Li Guangming could speak, Duan Shuyuan's previously smiling face darkened instantly, her matriarchal presence fully apparent, "He proposed the breakup unilaterally, never bothering to discuss it with us. If we had known this would happen, we wouldn't have let Qiaoqiao meet with him alone. It's downright bullying."