The birthday banquet was arranged at the Qiao family manor.
The red carpet inside the manor was laid from the gate, winding all the way to the main banquet hall, with carefully trimmed shrubs on both sides, covered with a thin layer of snow.
As soon as Li Qiqi and Xu Nantian got out of the car, Qiao Lina, who had been waiting at the door for a long time, greeted them with a charming smile.
She raised her hand and hooked Xu Nantian’s arm.
“Brother Tian.”
Her peripheral vision caught Li Qiqi, who was peeking out from behind Xu Nantian, clutching the corner of Xu Nantian’s suit.
She was a new face, looking timid, but exquisitely beautiful beyond words.
Qiao Lina frowned, squinted her eyes and looked for a few seconds, and recognized Li Qiqi without waiting for Xu Nantian to introduce her.
“Qiqi?”
“Yes.”
Li Qiqi nodded, and under Xu Nantian’s signal, sweetly called out “Little Aunt” to Qiao Lina.
Qiao Lina twitched the corners of her mouth, her smile not reaching her eyes.
“Expensive cosmetics are different. Look at our Qiqi, how beautiful she is when she puts on makeup seriously.”
“Thank you, Little Aunt.”
“We’re all family, what are you thanking me for?”
Qiao Lina gently held Li Qiqi’s small hand clutching Xu Nantian’s clothes, intentionally or unintentionally pushing her away a distance, and stood between the two herself.
“Don’t mention cosmetics in the future, clothes, bags… as long as Qiqi likes them, she can tell Little Aunt, Little Aunt is responsible for choosing, and Little Uncle is responsible for paying the bill.”
Xu Nantian pinched the soft flesh around Qiao Lina’s waist.
“You know how to calculate.”
“Then is Brother Tian willing or not?” Qiao Lina turned her face and pouted, pretending to be angry and acting coquettishly with Xu Nantian.
“Willing.”
Xu Nantian looked over Qiao Lina’s head, looking down at Li Qiqi’s gradually dimming eyes, and deliberately added.
“I’m willing to buy anything for Qiqi.”
Li Qiqi felt uncomfortable all over being stared at by Xu Nantian’s hot and straightforward gaze, and suddenly felt a sense of shamelessness that she and Xu Nantian were having an affair behind Qiao Lina’s back.
She didn’t like this feeling, and tried to pull her hand out of Qiao Lina’s palm, thinking that she should try to stay away from them as much as possible this day.
Then a silver light flashed in Qiao Lina’s eyes.
Qiao Lina lowered her eyes and noticed the silver chain on Li Qiqi’s wrist. The originally bright and charming smile suddenly froze on the woman’s face.
This bracelet was bought by Xu Nantian at the counter alone when she found an excuse to pick a birthday gift for her grandfather.
She had secretly followed and heard the counter lady introduce to Xu Nantian that the silver teardrop necklace symbolized purity and eternal love.
The man bought it without hesitation, and hadn’t mentioned it for several days. She thought Xu Nantian wanted to find a special day to give her a surprise, so she didn’t ask.
But this bracelet… Qiao Lina gritted her teeth.
From the first time Li Qiqi met her, when the other party threw away the necklace she gave, she knew that this girl was definitely not an honest person.
Otherwise, why did she promise her that she would leave Liyuan, but still stick to Xu Nantian’s side?
Qiao Lina had investigated Xu Nantian. Apart from Li Qiqi, who was raised in Liyuan, this man’s private life could be said to be spotless.
So she had never doubted Xu Nantian’s sincerity towards her. After all, if Xu Nantian was interested in Li Qiqi, he wouldn’t have tried so hard to pursue her.
Then there was only one possibility—
The bracelet was asked for by Li Qiqi from Xu Nantian, and Xu Nantian never refused her.
Qiao Lina withdrew her gaze without showing any signs, hooked Xu Nantian’s arm and walked with him towards the interior of the manor.
“Brother Tian, Grandpa is waiting for you in the gazebo in the backyard. You said before that you wanted to take over the casino on Xin Street, but he hasn’t let go. Now he plans to talk to you.”
Xu Nantian glanced lightly at the silver chain on Li Qiqi’s wrist, and then captured the fleeting anger in Qiao Lina’s eyes, the corners of his lips slightly hooked.
The man slightly raised his hand, put his arm around Qiao Lina’s waist, and whispered in her ear.
“I’ll talk to Grandpa myself. Qiqi is timid and shy, you help me take care of her, don’t let her be bullied.”
Qiao Lina didn’t respond, looking like she wasn’t willing.
Xu Nantian stroked her waist gently and affectionately, forcing her to walk forward several steps in a row, making sure Li Qiqi couldn’t hear, and then continued to speak.
“She’s still young, and I’ve spoiled her, she’s ignorant. Unlike you, who are gentle and generous, you are more tolerant, and we won’t live in Liyuan after we get engaged.”
Qiao Lina looked back at Li Qiqi.
Less than five meters away from them, she was trying hard to keep up in high heels, her walking posture was awkward and strange, like a child stealing adult shoes, more like a ridiculous clown.
She nodded at Xu Nantian and pushed the man away to approach.
“Qiqi, you have to straighten your legs when you walk in high heels, don’t hook your toes, come, I’ll help you.”
Qiao Lina taught her meticulously, and Li Qiqi learned seriously.
The two walked all the way from the outer door to the villa in the main courtyard of the manor. Li Qiqi had already walked in a decent manner, and could even walk out with charm.
What a natural goblin… Qiao Lina couldn’t help but snort in her heart.
She led Li Qiqi through the corridor and into the spacious and bright hall in the center.
Qiao Siye’s birthday banquet was attended by almost all the big figures in Kenakin.
On the first floor, there were toasts and conversations, and most of the guests were business owners and wealthy people.
Those who were inconvenient to show their faces would be led by special personnel to the quiet and chic elegant rooms on the second floor.
Li Qiqi was not good at socializing, and her feet hurt so much that she just wanted to find a quiet place to rest and didn’t plan to stay here for long.
Fortunately, Qiao Lina probably meant the same thing, and kept walking, directly leading her through the hall to the indoor heated swimming pool behind the villa.
This was a paradise for young people.
As soon as Li Qiqi stepped into the swimming pool, she saw Qiao Xiao, who was naked from the waist up, wearing sunglasses, lying on a beach chair surrounded by a group of swimsuit beauties.
The one on the left was giving him a shoulder massage, the one on the right was feeding him fruit, and there was another one giving him a back massage behind him.
Besides Qiao Xiao, there was also a group of young masters with similar interests, hugging their female companions wantonly, not only French kissing in public, but also their hands were not honest enough.
Above and below the water, there were scenes of luxury and debauchery.
Li Qiqi frowned and turned around to leave, but Qiao Xiao’s voice came from the crowd.
“Sister!”
Qiao Xiao waved to Qiao Lina, his eyes falling on Li Qiqi, and the man’s eyes suddenly lit up.
He raised his hand and pushed away the beauty next to him, stood up and stretched his loose blue beach pants, and blocked Li Qiqi’s way in a few steps.
“Wow~ What a beautiful girl, sister, where did you get her from?”
“You don’t know her?” Qiao Lina smiled mysteriously.
Qiao Xiao squinted slightly.
He had slept with too many women, fat and thin, and couldn’t remember all their names, but he should have left an impression as long as he had touched such a beautiful woman, so how could he not remember?
Qiao Lina kindly reminded him.
“A few days ago, my brother said that Qiqi was an ugly monster, I didn’t agree, so I specially brought her here to slap your face.”
“Hiss—”
Qiao Xiao stroked his chin and carefully looked at Li Qiqi, and finally remembered that the person in front of him was the girl who sang erotic songs with an ugly face in the private room.
He lowered his eyes and stared at Li Qiqi’s low-cut evening dress. Because it was winter, she wore a warm mink shawl on the outside, but even so, it couldn’t hide her spring light that was about to come out.
Round and upturned, soft bones and slender waist… Not only was her small face good-looking, but her figure was also excellent.
Qiao Xiao smiled lewdly and patted his face.
“Slap face! Haha, hiss~ It really slaps face, Baby Qiqi is not an ugly monster, it was Brother Xiao who misjudged.”
Li Qiqi was so frightened by Qiao Xiao’s “baby” that goosebumps rose all over her body. She carefully bent over, smiled politely at Qiao Xiao, and wanted to bypass the man and leave here quickly.
But Qiao Xiao grabbed her wrist directly before she could take a step, blocking her footsteps and looking at Qiao Lina, the meaning in his eyes was obvious—
Does this chick have an owner?
The siblings were always tacit, Qiao Lina shook her head imperceptibly, and then looked at Li Qiqi.
“Qiqi, I have to go to the hall to entertain guests. You play with my brother in the swimming pool for a while, and when your uncle is done, I’ll come and pick you up with him.”
“I don’t…”
Li Qiqi didn’t want to be with Qiao Xiao, she was so panicked and scared, she shook her head and refused, and pushed Qiao Xiao away suddenly, and ran out.
Qiao Lina gave a look, and Qiao Xiao immediately understood.
The man rushed to her almost at the same time Li Qiqi stepped on the steps, bent over, and carried her on his shoulders by holding her knees with one hand.
Whistling, he strode towards the swimming pool.
“Brother Xiao!! No, don’t do this, put me down, I’m scared!!!”
Li Qiqi clenched her fists and kept hitting Qiao Xiao’s back, but the small fists hit it like a gentle drumbeat, with no lethality at all.
Instead, it made Qiao Xiao smile evilly and stop, holding her legs and shaking her up very badly.
“Don’t move, you’ll fall.”
Li Qiqi trembled violently, turned her face, and cast a look for help at Qiao Lina, Qiao Lina just smiled at her.
“Don’t be afraid, my brother has a sense of propriety, relax, you young people will definitely be able to play together.”