Although Li Mo couldn’t excuse herself, observing Wen Runan’s situation was still something she could easily do.
From the moment Li Beichen approached to talk, her peripheral vision would occasionally glance over. The interaction and clinking of glasses between the two did not escape her notice.
Does this count as burying the hatchet with a drink? A cold glint flashed in Li Mo’s eyes, and the emotions deeply hidden within began to stir.
“President Li, the Forbes list is about to update. I’ll congratulate you in advance on becoming the youngest richest person in the country,” the speaker looked mostly drunk; if he weren’t seated, he’d probably be passed out by now.
“President Chen, you’re too kind. I just benefited from owning the most shares,” Li Mo replied modestly. “I’ll need your continued support in the future, President Chen.”
“Don’t you worry. We’ve signed a five-year contract; I’m definitely following you,” President Chen laughed heartily. “But President Li, I recently heard rumors that you’re dating a young person?”
“That’s correct.” Li Mo didn’t deny it. She had suppressed the online gossip, but she hadn’t intentionally concealed the news within the social circles.
“President Li, this question I’m asking might be a bit offensive. If you’re unwilling, just pretend you didn’t hear it,” saying this, President Chen let out a hiccup, using his drunkenness as an excuse. “The rumor circulating in the small circles is that President Li’s successor will be chosen from Junior President Li’s descendants. Is that true?”
Li Mo subconsciously frowned, looking displeased. “President Chen, where did this rumor come from? It’s preposterous.”
“Hahaha, nothing, maybe I misheard,” President Chen laughed it off. As long as it’s a rumor, it’s enough.
After seeing off the old fox, Li Mo pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a little dizzy. Her alcohol tolerance was indeed good, but it couldn’t withstand the sheer volume of alcohol. She estimated she had consumed two or three bottles of red wine tonight.
Finding Wen Runan’s figure missing from the crowd, Li Mo lowered her brow and pulled out her phone. She then saw the message Wen Runan had sent her an hour ago.
Wen Runan: I’m sorry! Something very urgent came up with my friend. I need to go to the next city right away. I expect to be back tomorrow afternoon. Don’t worry about me. Mua—
Something very urgent came up? Li Mo’s frown deepened. If it weren’t for the Mua— at the end, she would have thought someone else had sent the message on Wen Runan’s behalf.
Li Mo gripped the back of the chair with one hand. Finding Wen Runan’s phone unreachable, she scanned the surroundings again. This time, she wasn’t looking for Wen Runan, but for Li Beichen.
Very well. Li Beichen is also gone. It seemed this so-called friend was just an excuse Wen Runan came up with, and the two people who disappeared from the banquet most likely left together.
“Momo, this is hangover soup. Drink it quickly to feel better,” Luo Yalan came over at some point, carefully holding the soup bowl with both hands.
“Thank you, Auntie Luo.” The guests hadn’t all left, so Li Mo didn’t drop her guard, but the smile on her face was very faint.
“Where is my brother? I remember he drank a lot of wine too. He should also need a bowl of hangover soup, right?” Li Mo picked up the bowl, sniffed it, and then placed it on a nearby table.
“A guest wasn’t feeling well earlier, so Beichen probably accompanied him to the hospital,” Luo Yalan asked with concern, her tone betraying a hint of guilt. “Does my homemade hangover soup not suit your taste? Why aren’t you drinking it?”
“It truly doesn’t suit my taste. It has too many ingredients, I don’t like it.” Li Mo looked at Luo Yalan with a half-smile. “Auntie Luo, you also drank quite a bit of wine. Why don’t you drink this bowl yourself first?”
“No need!” Luo Yalan’s reaction was slightly over-the-top, and she looked even guiltier when meeting Li Mo’s gaze. “I already had some earlier. I’m still full.”
“Is that so.” Li Mo gave her a deep look and dialed Li Beichen’s number again.
As expected, the familiar tone indicated a disconnected phone. Li Beichen’s phone was also switched off.
“Where is he?” Li Mo asked, the smile having completely vanished from her face.
“Enn? Are you asking about Beichen? He went to see off a guest. I’m not entirely sure where he went…” Luo Yalan hadn’t finished speaking when she felt her collar seized by Li Mo. As Li Mo pulled upward, the neckline quickly became a noose around her neck.
“You…” Luo Yalan began to find it difficult to breathe. The remaining few guests stared with wide eyes, one of them exaggeratedly rubbing his eyes, thinking he was hallucinating.
“Tell me, where is Li Beichen?” Li Mo’s voice was icy, devoid of any emotion.
It was almost midnight now. She didn’t want to guess what might happen with Wen Runan and Li Beichen alone together.
“I… I really don’t know. I only know he left on an urgent matter…” Luo Yalan began to struggle. The feeling of suffocation was unpleasant.
Li Mo was unmoved, even intensifying her grip, amplifying the suffocating sensation. “Besides here, where does Li Beichen go most often?”
“Yujinyuan… at the foot of the mountain…” Luo Yalan’s face flushed red, and she struggled to take any fresh air. “Building… eight…”
Having gotten the answer she wanted, Li Mo let go, ignoring the astonished looks of those around her, and strode out of the banquet hall.
“Master, this car has been tampered with. You can’t drive it,” seeing Li Mo intended to drive herself to find Wen Runan, 033 quickly warned her. “And you’ve been drinking. If anything happens, it’ll be a clear case of drunk driving, and you’ll be burdened with disgrace!”
Hearing 033’s warning, Li Mo’s movement of opening the car door paused. A second later, she remembered the backup plan she had prepared.
Slowly exhaling, Li Mo made a call, instructing her assistant, who was already on standby nearby, to drive over.
“Is this the so-called clash of destiny power?” Li Mo leaned against her sports car, rubbing her forehead. “Wen Runan went with Li Beichen just to ensure I would drive myself.”
033 didn’t say anything. It had guessed part of the truth, but it didn’t dare speak.
“Destiny power is truly bizarre,” Li Mo closed her eyes, recalling her impulsive actions just now.
The remaining guests didn’t carry much weight; even if they saw it, they probably wouldn’t dare speak out. No big deal.
“President Li, do you need me to drive you home?” The assistant arrived within five minutes.
“Go to Yujinyuan at the foot of the mountain. Drive…” Li Mo paused while speaking, a trace of displeasure flashing in her eyes. “Drive steadily. It’s raining, so be careful.”
At the same time, Wen Runan and Li Beichen sat facing each other, one of them’s eyes full of haziness.
“Repeat after me: ‘What happened tonight?’” Wen Runan’s tone was incredibly gentle, as if coaxing a child to sleep, extremely soft.
“Wen Runan drank wine laced with a sedative. Then I took advantage of her blurred consciousness and led her away from the old house,” Li Beichen’s expression was slightly off, but the words he spoke were unnaturally clear.
“I brought her to Yujinyuan, and then I removed her clothes…”
Li Beichen repeated these phrases over and over. With each repetition, images gradually formed in his mind. The entire plan was proceeding exactly as he had envisioned, perfectly.
About twenty minutes later, looking at the completely unconscious Li Beichen, Wen Runan exhaled a breath of stale air.
Even though I haven’t used it for several worlds, my hypnotism technique is still great!
Standing up to stretch her muscles, Wen Runan began the penultimate step: staging the scene.
To make the scene more realistic, Wen Runan frowned and stripped Li Beichen of his clothes, rumpling them and tossing them haphazardly.
I feel like something is still missing. Wen Runan fell into thought after washing her hands.
Recalling the scenes after her intimacies with Li Mo, Wen Runan slightly blushed, picked up the bottle of red wine that was still more than half full, splashed some on the bed and carpet, and then tossed the bottle, letting it roll toward the doorway.
She then found an unopened shirt in the closet and put it on, before deliberately tearing her formal dress and throwing it to the side.
Perfect! Seeing this perfect scene of a drunken liaison, Wen Runan couldn’t help but applaud herself.
Just as Wen Runan was about to leave, a loud crash rang out. Li Mo, radiating a killing aura, kicked the door open and looked over with a dark expression.
Wen Runan blinked and instinctively looked down at herself.
She was barefoot, a man’s shirt loosely hanging on her body, her face still flushed, and her breathing was even a little ragged.
This, combined with the room full of alcohol fumes, the ambiguously scattered clothes, and the person lying naked and face down on the bed…