Chapter 174: She Doesn’t Love Me

“Alright!” Jiang Cong exclaimed.

Meanwhile, Li Shaoling continued reading through the agreements, but his brow wrinkled unhappily when he reached the last one. “What is this?”

Baffled, Jiang Cong took the document, and his eyes bulged in shock when he read it. “…How did Second Young Master sign Qiao Biluo? He never informed you!”

Li Shaoling leaned into his chair. “Call him here.”

Jiang Cong nodded. “Yes, boss!”

The clouds outside the window were becoming gloomy and dense when Li Shaogan came in—it was time for another storm.

Li Shaogan moved his wheelchair and finally stopped just in front of Li Shaoling, the red, moist lips over his sickly white face curling into a smile. “Brother, why have you asked for me?”

Li Shaoling threw him the documents.

Li Shaogan flipped one page, with a sneer appearing just beneath his eyes—but suddenly he looked upset and pleading for mercy when he looked up. “Brother, I definitely overstepped in this matter. I should have told you before deciding on my own to sign Qiao Biluo, but you should also be aware of her family expanding their influence across Europe. If I provoked her, what would happen if she came after me and sought revenge against our whole family?”

However, Li Shaoling only showed disdain at that excuse, and held his coldness in his mouth. “Our family is no longer how it was four years ago that just anyone could destroy them, and the Qiao family is not the undisputed kings of Europe either.”

CBS International, which the Li family controlled had its own headquarters in Europe, and was an equal match to the Qiao family’s influence.

Although it was said that one mountain couldn’t hold two tigers, neither the Li family or the Qiao family would benefit if they fought openly.

The Qiao family understood that, and as such they had never taken action.

And though Li Shaogan was paraplegic, his brain was sound. He knew very well about the families’ struggles, which made it clear he was deliberately hiding something despite what he had said.

In fact, Li Shaogan’s smile grew wider at Li Shaoling’s words. He spoke lightly, and although his voice was neither too loud nor too quiet, it simply left anyone who heard it uncomfortable. “Brother, I know that. But you should know that no matter how great we have become, the Qiao family’s roots are in Europe—it’s a matter of establishment, brother! If they become desperate, they might resort to doing what they believe was necessary. You should know, brother, that killing a thousand enemies meant losing eight hundred of our own!”

Li Shaoling’s thin lips curled into a menacing smile. “I know that.”

He then paused and slowly got to his feet. As the clouds became darker outside the window, the coldness that surrounded him only thickened.

Arching his back, he pressed his hand over Li Shaogan’s shoulder as he put so much weight behind every word anyone would shudder. “But in the end, CBS is my territory. You best be careful before you and Qiao Biluo try anything.”

Li Shaoling’s tone was so flat that no one could simply ignore him.

Despite knowing that he could not fool Li Shaoling, Li Shaogan did not show any remorse of being exposed. Instead, he smiled even more sinisterly.

“Brother, just listen to what you’re saying. Everything I do have been for our family’s own good, since I am my father and my mother’s son.”

Li Shaogan deliberately emphasized on ‘my mother’, mentioning on purpose that he was the only direct descendant of the Li family and that bastards had no rights.

“It’s almost autumn.” Li Shaoling’s figure straightened. His dark eyes reflected the gray clouds outside the window, before suddenly turning to look down at the man on the wheelchair, his voice so cold that it sent chills into the bone. “Be careful and keep your legs warm. After all…”

Li Shaoling stared down at Li Shaogan in disdain then. “It’s not doing what it’s told lately.”

Li Shaogan’s unusual look faded immediately. Still, he reacted immediately while keeping his shock from showing. “I will. Thanks for your concern, brother—well then, I’ll be going.”

“Report to me whatever you are doing from now on.” Li Shaoling warned neutrally. “You should know that I’m the president of this company.”

Li Shaogan, who had been wheeling himself away paused and laughed quite loudly. “Got it, brother. Why would I go against you anyway? I’m the younger one here.”

The office was silent and still after Li Shaogan left. Li Shaoling stared calmly as the downpour outside wetted the widows, washing over his shadow.

“Boss.” Jiang Cong knocked on his door and entered.

Li Shaoling acted as if he did not hear Jiang Cong and was caught in his own world. Jiang Cong thought then that Li Shaoling was no different from one of the drifting clouds outside, never pausing to rest and always breaking hearts.

“Boss,” he said lightly in consolation. “You must believe that there’s still Sister-in-law who loves you in this world!”

Li Shaoling turned and shot him a cold look, his voice at once deep and mild. “She doesn’t love me.”

In fact, she might not even like him—all he could feel was her dependence on him.

But he willingly enabled that dependence.

“Boss, no one falls in love from the very start!” Jiang Cong came to him, speaking as if he was richly experience in matters of love. “Boss, there’s something I’m not sure if I should say.”

“You shouldn’t.”

“I have to say it even if I shouldn’t!” Jiang Cong exclaimed, insistent on being considerate over Li Shaoling’s happiness. “Boss, you could attack proactively even if Sister-in-law doesn’t love you! She is the passive-type, that’s why you have to be proactive!”

Li Shaoling showed unconcealed disdain. “I’m not listening to someone single.”

“Trust me, Boss, the onlooker sees more of the game than the player when it comes to love. Trust me, you definitely could get her. How about you fire me if you can’t?!”

Li Shaoling agreed easily. “Sure.”

Jiang Cong looked smug. “I know you still believe in me, Boss! Relax, I guarantee you that she’ll fall in love with you!”

“You’re imagining things.” Li Shaoling said with an impassive look. “I just wanted to fire you.”

“…”

***

Almost everyone was screaming after it was announced that Li Shaogan had signed Qiao Biluo on as a contracted model for CBS.

She made her debut as a magazine model in Europe, and her popularity soared thanks to strong endorsements by her company’s high-ranked officials. Still, she was a private person despite taking on the catwalk of Milan’s fashion week on multiple occasions since she was nineteen, rarely promoting herself with media hype or getting into headlines.

Moreover, she became a goddess to countless men thanks to her mixed ancestry.

For her fans in the country, Qiao Biluo’s contract with CBS was most appropriate. Even if Li Shaogan didn’t announce signing her to the stockholders, they were businessmen too—they were more delighted than they were angry.

After all, Qiao Biluo was one large cake to any businessmen who would only yield greater profits.

Indeed, the various major companies were not surprised by CBS’s latest signing since they were the leaders in multiple enterprises, and no one would feel moved that they had grasp a first-rate resource in the country.

Meanwhile, resting for the day, Ji Weixi had been idle and sketching designs on her couch while Li Shaoling went to work.

The little one lay down on the carpet as he ate some grapes, his little feet dancing because of how tasty it was.