The Favored Heiress-Chapter 835: Not Hiding from Me Anymore?

2:30 PM, Shuhe Peak.

Located in the suburbs near South Sea, Shuhe Peak is at its prime for maple viewing in November.

In the cold rustling wind, a blaze of crimson spread across the mountains and fields, interspersed with a few pine and cypress trees, the red and green colors dazzling to the eyes.

Li Qiao and Shang Yu stepped out of the car hand in hand, looking at a winding path leading upward. The cold wind rushing toward them carried the scent of the grass and trees from the mountain, indeed a good place to clear the mind.

Though South Sea Mountain is stunning in its majestic steepness, it still lacks the charm of Shuhe Peak adorned with maple leaves.

Normally, the weekend crowd for maple viewing would be substantial, yet the path hidden in the forest was devoid of people.

Li Qiao walked up leisurely and realized after a few steps that Shang Yu wasn’t following.

She turned around on the steps and heard the sound of a camera shutter carried by the wind.

It was Liuyun, dragging a DSLR camera, snapping candid photos of her from behind.

Li Qiao felt a rare awkwardness, as she seldom took photos. The only picture with Shang Yu seemed to be their wedding photo.

Below the steps, Shang Yu stood still in his knee-length coat, gazing intently, while Liuyun moved two steps to the left, then swayed to the right, constantly changing angles to take photos of Li Qiao.

He was practically short of shouting, "Look at the camera."

Li Qiao turned her face aside and extended her hand toward Shang Yu, "Let’s go."

The man strode forward, looking at Li Qiao’s twinkling eyes, a faint curve appeared on his lips, "Not used to it?"

"A bit," Li Qiao responded with a cool glance at Liuyun, who was frantically snapping photos, "If the pictures aren’t good, I’m docking your bonus."

Liuyun paused, torn between continuing to take pictures or to stop.

After some consideration, he took the opportunity to hand the DSLR camera to Luoyu, "Maybe... you can do it?"

Luoyu, with a detached expression, weighed the three boxes of Plum Slices in his hand, "I’m busy."

Liuyun felt a little frustrated as he lowered his head to review the photos he just took, feeling that they didn’t have any issues; they all looked quite good.

He should be safe from a bonus deduction.

...

The path led upwards to the best maple viewing spot of Shuhe Peak, the Incense Burner Cave, next to the Green Cloud Villa District. According to Shang Yu’s intention, they seemed to be staying here tonight.

Halfway up the mountain, Green Cloud Villa District was in plain sight.

A few mountain villas were scattered tier upon tier, and vaguely one could see a woman in a woolen long dress and overcoat leaning against a door frame smoking.

On a closer look, oh, it was Xi Luo.

"Welcome to both of you," Xi Luo greeted like a hostess, stepping aside as she spoke, "Please, come inside."

Li Qiao took a glance at her, "What are you doing here?"

Xi Luo casually snuffed out her cigarette, her smile laden with meaning, "Little one, you’ve got it backwards. I am the hostess today."

Once inside the villa, the room was very warm.

Xi Luo poured two cups of tea and propped her chin up with a smile, "Archbishop, are you satisfied?"

Shang Yu crossed his legs and cast a glance at her, "It’s passable."

"So hard to please." Xi Luo pouted, then turned to Li Qiao, "What do you think?"

Li Qiao echoed the same response, and Xi Luo rolled her eyes in silence, having never seen a couple so in sync.

About fifteen minutes later, Shang Yu took Li Qiao to the villa next door. Xi Luo watched them leave, bored out of her mind, and turned on her phone to post on social media.

Your Sister Xi: So bored.

Location: Shuhe Peak.

Before clicking send, she made sure to set the visibility to just one friend.

After posting, she smirked slyly, the fish should bite soon.

...

Next door, Li Qiao lay on the armrest of the sofa, sucking on Plum Slices to suppress the feeling of nausea. The bathroom door opened, and she cast a glance that way.

The man took a napkin and wiped his hands, then caught Li Qiao’s gaze, his thick eyebrows lifting slightly, "What’s up?"

"What did Xi Luo need your help with?"

Shang Yu walked around the coffee table to sit beside her, his thin lips revealing a tantalizing, faint smile, "Wouldn’t exactly call it help, it’s mutual benefit."

"Really?" Li Qiao was skeptical, knowing Xi Luo’s character, she probably wanted to take advantage again.

Li Qiao didn’t dwell on it, and after lying down for a while, she started to feel drowsy.

Shang Yu carried her back to the master bedroom, where outside the window, there was a vast expanse of fiery red maple forest. Li Qiao glanced at it twice then quickly fell asleep.

Time flew by, and it was four in the afternoon.

A black SUV parked in the parking area at the base of Shuhe Peak.

Zong Zhan strode along the walkway, too preoccupied to admire the scenery, intent on capturing Xi Luo to give her a good introduction to the military court.

Today, Shuhe Peak was sparsely populated.

Zong Zhan kept a watchful eye on his surroundings, feeling that something was amiss.

Green Cloud Villa District was in sight, he narrowed his eyes for a good look, and just as he was about to enter, a teasing voice came from around the corner of the villa, "Yo, what kind of wind blew you here?"

Zong Zhan’s gaze was aggressively fixed on Xi Luo, his cheeks puffing incessantly, "Not hiding when you see me?"

"Hiding is terribly boring," Xi Luo leaned against the wall, lowered her head to flick her nails, and said with a smile, "I like to face difficulties head-on."

Zong Zhan licked his back teeth, his eyes and brow steeped in mockery, "Then come here."

"Alright."

Xi Luo walked towards Zong Zhan at a leisurely pace, her wrapped woolen long dress accentuating her statuesque and slender figure.

Zong Zhan scanned her up and down, his left hand brushing aside his coat to reach for the handcuffs at his lower back.

Seeing this, Xi Luo’s smile did not diminish. She stopped three steps away from him, "Chief Zong, look down."

Zong Zhan looked at her intently, his gaze lowering, and suddenly saw a red dot on his chest.

Laser sight.

He raised an eyebrow and laughed, his demeanor increasingly roguish, "Carrying a gun illegally?"

Xi Luo curled the corner of her mouth, "So?"

"You’re not getting away today."

Zong Zhan ignored the laser sight on his chest and stepped forward to reach out for Xi Luo.

According to his understanding of this woman, she would either fight back or turn and run; always full of tricks, she was unpredictable.

Therefore, Zong Zhan was fully prepared, and his movements to seize her were smooth and natural, gripping Xi Luo’s arm in a reverse hold, showing no mercy.

Xi Luo was surprisingly compliant, not struggling at all. As the handcuffs were about to be placed on her, she called out softly, "Take it easy, it hurts."

Zong Zhan’s eyelid twitched, and he gave her a strange look, only to see Xi Luo’s eyes turning red, looking extremely aggrieved.

Then, a slow and mellow voice came from behind, "Third brother."

Zong Zhan turned around, Shang Yu was standing with one hand in his pocket not far away.

A shrewd gleam flashed in Xi Luo’s eyes as she glanced sideways at Zong Zhan and said in a teasing tone, "Chief Zong, better let go quickly, or I’ll accuse you of indecency."

Zong Zhan twisted Xi Luo’s arm forcefully, "Behave."

He used brute force, and it pained Xi Luo so much that her face turned pale.

This damn man really is a scumbag.

At that moment, Zong Zhan forcibly cuffed Xi Luo’s hand, and the other cuff around his own wrist, "Shaoyan, don’t get involved in this."

Shang Yu strode over with his long legs, his deep gaze shifting momentarily between the two of them.

Before he could speak, Xi Luo shook her wrist, "Chief Zong, this is coercion."

The Archbishop didn’t care about her; it would be unjust after all the snitching she’s done.

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