"Duo'er, you..."
"What is this? Let go of my arm."
Upon approaching, Li Chonglou realized Li Duo'er was still clinging to his arms. Their bodies were so close, their posture seemed overly intimate. A sudden pang of jealousy struck him. His smile vanished, his eyes widened, and he scrutinized Li Chonglou from head to toe.
It was clear Li Duo'er was the one making the move, yet he still found Li Chonglou displeasing.
"What business is it of yours? Why do you care?"
"Xiao Qiang, go over there and stay away from us."
Li Duo'er glared at him, lifting her chin and pointing. She then tightened her grip on his arms, almost deliberately.
Li Chonglou's brows furrowed slightly. Hearing the name, a thought crossed his mind; the surname was Xiao. He looked up to examine the man more closely.
Dressed head to toe in designer brands, the diamond ring on his hand was particularly conspicuous, and the gold chain around his neck was subtly visible. With Li Chonglou's sharp eyes, it was not difficult to discern that the diamond ring was worth a considerable sum. Given Xiao Qiang's age, somewhere in his early twenties, he was likely from a very wealthy family. Could he be from the Xiao family of Yong'an?
"Okay, okay, Duo'er, don't be angry."
"I'm doing this for your own good, I'm afraid you'll be taken advantage of."
Seeing Li Duo'er's expression, Xiao Qiang's face immediately broke into a broad smile. Though overflowing with jealousy, he suppressed it. He dared not anger this young lady. Ever since he saw Li Duo'er at his cousin Xiao Yun's birthday banquet, Xiao Qiang had fallen madly in love with her. But this young lady was quite mysterious, always elusive, making meetings rare. The more this was the case, the more Xiao Qiang felt like a cat scratching at his heart, his thoughts consumed by her day and night. He never imagined he would see her here today, and despite the scene before him causing him discomfort, it couldn't dim his excitement at seeing Li Duo'er again.
"Didn't I tell you to go over there?"
"Do you have ears?"
Seeing Xiao Qiang actually sit down opposite them, Li Duo'er's anger flared. She stood up abruptly. Every time she saw this spoiled brat, she felt nauseous. He was clingy, his skin thicker than a city wall, and utterly detestable. Being liked by someone like him was even embarrassing.
"No, no, I just have something to say to you, and then I'll go, okay?"
Xiao Qiang startled and quickly waved his hands. Before he had even settled down, he immediately stood up to explain. Inside, however, he was overjoyed. She had finally let go, no longer holding his arm.
"Duo'er, please sit down. Introduce me to this gentleman?"
Li Chonglou's expression was unreadable as he spoke in a low voice. He felt a bit perplexed and needed to understand the situation clearly. He had no interest in listening to these two continue their bickering.
"Alright. He's from the Xiao family of Yong'an. Xiao Yun is his cousin."
"He's just an incompetent fellow, living off of others. Hmph!"
Although a bit reluctant, Li Duo'er immediately sat down obediently at Li Chonglou's request. At the same time, she spoke with disdain, introducing him quite impolitely.
Seeing how obediently Li Duo'er listened to this man, Xiao Qiang felt as if all sorts of flavors had been mixed up inside him, leaving him particularly uneasy. Just a moment ago, he had felt a surge of pride mentioning the Xiao family. They were a well-known entity in Yong'an City. His cousin, Xiao Yun, was also renowned – capable, beautiful, and currently the head of the entire Xiao family. But in the next moment, Li Duo'er's impolite mockery left Xiao Qiang utterly embarrassed. He cleared his throat twice, rendering him speechless. His anger burned, but he could only endure it. His face flushed and paled, and he cast a helpless glance at Li Duo'er.
"Mm, Xiao Yun's cousin."
"Can you tell me why you came here?"
Li Chonglou was not surprised by Li Duo'er's impolite words. Given this little devil's personality—bold, with clear likes and dislikes—she didn't hide her affections or aversions. Her uninhibited, affectionate actions toward him were evident.
"Get lost!"
"Who do you think you are? Why should I tell you?"
"I'm talking to Duo'er, what business is it of yours!"
Xiao Qiang's pent-up frustration had nowhere to go. He couldn't afford to offend Li Duo'er, so this man was the perfect target to vent on. He already disliked him. His eyes instantly blazed with anger as he yelled back rudely.
Seeing Xiao Qiang's agitation, Li Chonglou, far from being angry, found it amusing. The corners of his mouth twitched, revealing a half-smile. Xiao Qiang was already losing his reason due to Li Duo'er's provocation.
"What are you smiling at? What do you mean?"
"Keep smiling, and believe me, I'll beat you."
Before Li Chonglou could speak, he stood up and kicked out. In Xiao Qiang's view, this incredibly annoying man dared to show a mocking expression. Even more so, after learning he was from the Xiao family, he still dared to disrespect him like this.
"Ah, ouch!"
Xiao Qiang cried out. Not only did his kick miss, but his leg went numb, instantly losing all sensation. He collapsed to the ground, clutching his leg, and simultaneously saw Li Chonglou withdraw his hand.
"You, you, you, who are you? Who are you?"
This action greatly shocked Xiao Qiang. The person before him didn't appear strong at all; he even seemed somewhat thin. How could he possess such power? Sitting there, with just a movement of his hand, he had rendered his leg numb. This was no ordinary person. He felt a prickle of fear. Especially seeing the sharp intensity in Li Chonglou's eyes, cold sweat broke out on his back.
"Can we talk properly now?"
"Come on, sit up."
Li Chonglou's expression remained unchanged as he reached out, grabbed Xiao Qiang by the collar, and pulled him up.
"Tell me, how did you end up here?"
The fear in Xiao Qiang's eyes had not yet faded. He watched Li Chonglou sit there as if nothing had happened. Xiao Qiang didn't dare to make any move. He knew this was someone he couldn't afford to offend. His face flushed bright red; the humiliation he felt was indescribable. He had never been anywhere without being surrounded by attendants. When had he ever suffered such indignity? Today was truly his unlucky day. Two hours ago, he had just walked out of a coffee shop when he was inexplicably ambushed, his head covered, and brought here. Then, he was met with the disgust and mockery of the woman he loved. Even this inconspicuous man was someone he couldn't provoke. What kind of day was this? He shook his head, exhaling deeply. A wise man doesn't fight present battles. He would endure it for now and get revenge once he was out.
"I don't know why I'm here either. I just came out of a coffee shop when some people grabbed me."
"Maybe it's a kidnapping. They all know I'm from the Xiao family."
As he spoke casually, Xiao Qiang suddenly jolted. Yes, kidnapping! After seeing Li Duo'er since arriving, he had been so consumed by jealousy that he had forgotten to be afraid. If this was a kidnapping, would they silence him? Thinking of this, his body began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Are, are you guys also captured?"
Li Chonglou narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Xiao Qiang. Judging by his reaction, he wasn't lying. He himself was being held here, a plan orchestrated by Li Hanlong. He was certain he had never met this Li Hanlong; he had no memory of him in his past or present life. What had happened between him and his master? Was it related to his master's imprisonment? Did the Xiao family of Yong'an have some connection to his master and father? Were they trying to use this pampered brat, Xiao Qiang, to threaten the Xiao family? After racking his brain without success, it seemed his only option was to find some clues from Xiao Qiang.