After wiping his hands clean, Li Mubai made his way downstairs entering the living room.
Li Mubai had to wash his hands thoroughly as the scent would retain for a longer time.
Xia He and Dong Xue had already tied and hanged Leng Qianxue in the living room.
Her hanging posture could be seen at a distance.
Li Mubai's footsteps soon came to a stop downstairs.
An unconscious Leng Qianxue in a set of leather nightclothes whose hands and legs were tied and hanged in the living room appeared in his vision.
With her left foot barely reaching the ground and her head slightly hanging, her posture resembled a tied-up vertical horse. Her long hair was scattered all over her face while her blood was still oozing from the corner of her mouth. She looked miserable yet charming. (AN: As in the cover pic.)
Li Mubai could reckon that if at all Leng Qianxue woke up and saw her current posture, she would yet again faint from anger.
Li Mubai's gaze then fell on the pair of beautiful twins, Xia He and Dong Xue whose complexions had no change as if what was before them was a normal thing.
Huh?
A smile surfaced on Li Mubai's face. He would've never expected the twins, who usually seemed to be kind, to have such a sinister side...
However, it was to his liking.
He planned to cultivate the twins to become little villains... uh-huh...
That was a good idea!
But that was something he planned to do at a later date.
Now that he had successfully prepared the bait, he had to capture Xiao Qingcheng, the mermaid.
As he thought to himself, Li Mubai took a picture of the current Leng Qianxue on his phone, searched Xiao Qingcheng's contact number, and sent it over to her.
"Miss Xiao, I think you owe me an explanation."
*****
Qingcheng Group, Jinghai.
In the CEO's office, Xiao Qingcheng was still dealing with her company's affairs.
Though it was almost ten o'clock now, Xiao Qingcheng seemed to have no intention to leave her work just yet.
Su Qingyue, the Company Director, who was at the side seeing this couldn't help but advise her.
"Qingcheng, it's almost ten o'clock now. If you continue to work so hard every day, your body wouldn't able to bear the burden!"
Su Qingyue frowned.
She had only returned back here to pick up something she forgot but didn't expect to see Xiao Qingcheng working overtime.
Almost every day, Xiao Qingcheng would work overtime till 11 o'clock before returning back home.
Xiao Qingcheng continued to do this for almost half a year.
Almost every day, she would stay till 11 o'clock.
At times, she would even work overtime until the next early morning!
Su Qingyue really couldn't understand why her bestie who was not just a beauty but even from a prominent wealthy family like the Xiao family in Jinghai, would work so hard.
Compared to the past half-year, the present Xiao Qingcheng was so pale and skinny that Su Qingyue herself could notice the changes with her own eyes.
A woman could enjoy her youth only for a few years. If not well-maintained, one need not mention how swiftly they would age.
Su Qingyue seemed really anxious for her bestie.
"There's nothing wrong, Qingyue. You can return back first."
Rubbing her brows, Xiao Qingcheng didn't bother to listen to her. The firmness in her eyes didn't waver in the slightest.
Seeing this, Su Qingyue helplessly shook her head and could only take her leave.
After Su Qingyue left, Xiao Qingcheng heaved a faint sigh.
Does she really not want to be good to herself, return back home to get a goodnight's sleep?
She does. But remembering her marriage contract that was firmly imprinted on her mind, Xiao Qingcheng, however, hesitated.
It was true that her Xiao family in Su Qingyue's eyes was an influential family in Jinghai. But in the eyes of the Li family, her Xiao family was not much different from an ordinary family.
It could also be said to be the same as an ant!
The Li family's Young Master Li Mubai saw her at a reception a few years back and was smitten by her and planned to wed her.
Later on, when her Xiao family received the marriage proposal from the Li family, they were overjoyed. How could they even think of refusing the proposal?
However, Xiao Qingcheng never really wanted to marry someone like him.
Not only was Li Mubai a few years younger than her, but he was also a playboy lazing around. The term 'mediocre' would define him.
Xiao Qingcheng, on the other hand, was recognized from her childhood for her talent and expertise in the Xia Academy.
At the tender age of ten, she graduated from high school and was admitted to the most leading school in the Xia Country.
At the age of twelve, not only did she finish her major, but also took a second major and got a double Master's degree from Harvard University.
At the age of fifteen, she graduated with a Master's degree and went on to study for a double doctorate.
At the age of nineteen, she graduated with a Ph.D. and returned to Jinghai to start her own business. She was also the founder of the Qingcheng Group which had a market value of around ten billion dollars!
Of all this, could Li Mubai with his Li family's Young Master identity be a suitable match for her?
No way, she'd be willing!
She didn't want to wed him!
Li Mubai wasn't good enough for her!
He wasn't worthy of her!
Never for eternity!
Xiao Qingcheng had also once planned to flee from Jinghai. But if she indeed left, the Xiao family, her birthplace, would be engulfed in the endless revenge of the Li family. As she thought of that, Xiao Qingcheng chose to give up.
Even if she resigned herself to fate and was prepared to obediently marry Li Mubai, her grandpa, the Patriarch of the Xiao family couldn't accept it.
He made a promise to her that if she could lead the Qingcheng Group to become an enormous group with a market value of more than 100 billion within a year, he'd support her decision in nullifying the marriage contract!
That was the reason Xiao Qingcheng was so desperate now!
The fortunate thing was that her efforts were finally paying off.
Due to the efforts, she put in, Qingcheng Group's business was also rapidly developing.
Breaking the 100 billion mark within a year wasn't completely impossible for Xiao Qingcheng!
As she thought to herself, the corner of her mouth curved up a smile that was exclusive to an ice-cold beauty.
"You Li Mubai will never be worthy of me!"
However, she received a message on her phone at that time.
She picked it up and took a look at it.
Li Mubai was the one that sent her the message.
"Miss Xiao, I think you owe me an explanation."
Xiao Qingcheng frowned after reading the message.
She saw a picture after opening the message that made her heart and soul tremble in fear.
It was the picture of the tied Leng Qianxue. Her posture seemed miserable yet charming…
[Ding! Xiao Qingcheng is deeply shocked by Host's behavior, rewarding 500 villain points!]
*****