After watching for a while and seeing that he didn't leave, Hua Yan felt sleepy and couldn't resist falling asleep. Hu Li stayed downstairs until dawn before finally leaving.
In the morning, Hu Fu called him to buy gifts and arrange a date with Li Jiao Jiao. Hu Li didn't give a definite answer, and by noon, he drove straight to Muyun Pavilion.
Coincidentally, Hua Yan was lounging on a chaise on the second floor, carefully examining a stack of photos. Li Dong, dressed in a suit and tie, was watching her expression with great interest.
Hua's father and Aunt Chang wanted to inquire about the matter, but Hua Yan wouldn't let them interfere, leaving them both distracted even while doing business. They nearly gave customers too much change several times.
“Miss Hua Yan, is it my fault for being nosy and showing you these?” Li Dong asked with an annoying expression.
“You certainly are nosy,” Hua Yan replied with a glance, her voice slow and deliberate. Li Dong’s face immediately darkened, feeling insulted.
Hua Yan couldn’t help but think, "Shameless yet cares about his face."
“You just said your name is Li Dong?”
“Yes, I don't change my name whether sitting or standing, Li Dong.”
“The woman in these photos with the exposed shoulders looks a bit like you. Could she be a relative?”
Hearing Hua Yan emphasize the words "exposed shoulders," Li Dong felt extremely uncomfortable. He suddenly remembered that his sister was also in the photos, partially unclothed.
But he could only deflect and pretend not to know, “Yes, she’s my younger sister.”
“Oh? So Mr. Li has this kind of hobby, willing to let others appreciate such photos...”
“Stop playing dumb. You know why I'm here today.” Li Dong’s calm demeanor wavered for a moment before he regained his composure to discuss the main issue.
“Isn't it because one of the people in the photos is Hu Li? Why trouble yourself with my affairs?”
“Aren't you upset?”
“Your sister getting close with your brother-in-law—why should that upset me?” Hua Yan continued to look at the risqué photos nonchalantly, which infuriated Li Dong.
“Xiao Yan...” Suddenly, Hu Li’s voice rang out, followed by Hua’s father and Aunt Chang, who looked both unhappy and helpless.
“You're here.”
Li Dong’s face darkened upon seeing the intimate interaction between Hu Li and Hua Yan.
However, Hua Yan and Hu Li continued to flirt as if no one else was there.
In truth, Hu Li was just as uneasy. Hua Yan’s murderous gaze made him feel like his guts were about to spill. He racked his brain, trying to recall what he had done to anger her.
Hua’s father and Aunt Chang were persuaded by Hua Yan’s look to go downstairs. They glanced at Hu Li, who still stood there obediently, and inwardly cursed him for being so dense. With Li Dong present, how could she not show him respect?
“The chair over there is clean. You can sit,” Hua Yan said.
Hu Li, feeling a surge of joy, had just sat down when Li Dong sneered, “Brother-in-law seems quite free, not looking for your sister but coming to see Miss Hua Yan?”
“Do I need your permission to do my business?” Hu Li replied coldly.
“Not at all. But as her older brother, I have to consider my sister’s feelings. I wonder if there are lingering ties between you and Miss Hua Yan?”
“You're meddling too much.”
"You..." Li Dong, seething with anger, paused as he remembered he had a few business deals that required Hu Li's help, so he swallowed his words.
"Mr. Li came to show me these photos..." Hua Yan handed the photos over without a hint of emotion.
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Li Dong's face tightened. He tried to snatch the photos, but he was a moment too late.
Hu Li took the photos with suspicion and, after just one glance, exuded a chilling aura. He roared, "Where did these photos come from?"
"Mr. Li brought them here. I think the women in the photos look quite nice. Especially that one's slender waist and snow-white skin."
"Li Dong, explain to me what this is about! Why do you have these photos? Did you install surveillance equipment in my house?" Hu Li's eyes flashed with cold light as he threw the photos.
Some of the photos struck Li Dong's face, which made Hua Yan smile.
Li Dong, no longer holding back his temper, shouted angrily, "If you want to know, go home and ask your parents!" He then shot a venomous glare at Hua Yan, who remained nonchalant, and stormed out.
"Xiao Yan, what do you think of these photos?" Hu Li, his previous fierceness gone, looked at Hua Yan with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Not bad, but unfortunately, you didn't reveal much, so it's hard to see clearly." Hua Yan feigned regret, displaying the teasing skills she learned at Qiang's armed base to perfection.
Hu Li couldn't help but laugh and cry, "A few months apart and you've learned quite a few new tricks. I'm just curious why you didn't believe them."
Hua Yan's expression turned cold, "Don't overthink it. I just didn't want Li Dong's scheme to succeed..."
Before she could continue, the smile vanished from Hu Li's face, replaced by a sudden sadness in his eyes, which left her at a loss for words.
She sighed inwardly, "Didn't sleep well last night?"
"There was an issue last night, so I only dozed off for a bit," Hu Li replied, feeling anxious about why Hua Yan had changed the subject.
"Got involved in a scandal?" Hua Yan teased.
"Xiao Yan..."
"Alright, you probably have other things to do. You should go back," Hua Yan said, her eyes fixed on the photos scattered on the floor.
Hu Li, reminded of Li Dong's earlier words, thought about how their house wasn't easily accessible to outsiders, and the photos clearly involved someone from the Hu family. The servants wouldn't dare do such a thing, leaving only his parents. His face darkened as he realized this, feeling an increasing sense of exhaustion.
"Can I take a nap here?"
"Sure, but there's no room available. You'll have to make do on the chaise longue." She stood up, went to the bedroom, and returned with a thin blanket to cover him.
Hua Yan sat on a chair nearby and continued reading.
After a short while, Hu Li opened his eyes again and, after watching Hua Yan for a moment, asked, "Xiao Yan, if I were all alone, would you still be willing to marry me?"
"Oh? Why would you ask such a thing?" Hua Yan, taken aback by his question, couldn't fathom his reasoning.
"You haven't answered my question."
"I don't know. I don't like you right now, so how can we talk about marriage?"
Hu Li smiled helplessly and continued, "What if I pursue you and win your heart?"
Hua Yan looked at Hu Li with a hint of sincerity and replied seriously, "If you can make me fall in love with you, it doesn't matter if you're not the young master of the Hu family. But you also can't let me go hungry or live in a shabby house."
Hu Li smiled slightly and said, "Of course. Even if I leave the Hu family, I can still take care of you. So, are you agreeing?"
"Are you serious?" Hua Yan was surprised. Hu Li's expression was getting more serious. Was he out of his mind?
"Just remember what you said. I'm not going back to sleep at the office." With that, Hu Li got off the chaise longue.
As he reached the stairs, he turned back and asked, "Can you tell me why you didn't believe the photos?"
Hua Yan smiled, remembering the timestamp in the bottom right corner of the photos—1:40 AM. She recalled checking the time when she saw Hu Li downstairs last night—it was around 2:10 AM.
Thirty minutes, including the drive to Muyun Pavilion, left about ten minutes for any intimate activities. She didn't think that was enough time for undressing and foreplay, let alone the actual act.
"Why are you laughing?" Hu Li asked as Hua Yan chuckled to herself.
When Hua Yan explained her reasoning, Hu Li couldn't help but laugh too. He realized just how clever she was. Watching her laugh so happily, Hu Li felt increasingly trapped by the Hu family's life.
Hu Li's decision that day would later cause significant turmoil within the Hu family.
From that day on, Hu Li either slept in his office's small rest room or went back to his own villa. He avoided staying at the Hu family villa and kept his distance from Li Jiao Jiao.
Li Jiao Jiao, furious with nowhere to vent, was essentially exiled by Hu Li. The Hu parents, after a few days of Hu Li's cold treatment, no longer pressed the issue regarding Li Jiao Jiao.
Li Jiao Jiao wanted to confront Hua Yan at Muyun Pavilion but was stopped by Li Dong, who wisely guessed that if she caused trouble for Hua Yan, Hu Li would certainly sabotage his business in retaliation.
As a result, Hua Yan lived a carefree life while Li Jiao Jiao grew increasingly haggard.
Without Li Jiao Jiao's harassment, Hu Li became even busier. His associates, Hu Da and Hu Er, along with Hu San from Germany, were rarely seen, perhaps only a few times a month.
However, Hu Li's smiles became more frequent.
In a room in a mental hospital, Hu Si and her attending physician, whom she hadn't seen for many days, both looked tense.
"Are you saying that Hu Da and Hu Er are not around Hu Li?"
"Yes, that's what the informant said. Why, have you discovered something? I thought it might be because of the busy Asia-Pacific affairs."
"That might not be accurate." Even if Hu Li was busy, Hu Da or Hu Er would usually stay by his side. Now, with neither of them around, it seems very strange.
"Can you help me find out what they're up to?"
"Hu Si, you might be overthinking this. Don't forget, there are unidentified people lurking outside the mental hospital."
"Are you refusing to help me? I knew it, you men never keep your promises." Hu Si's eyes welled up with tears.
With her delicate, tear-streaked face, her doctor quickly became flustered and pleaded, "Alright, alright, I'll help you gather information. Just stop crying."
"Really? Do you promise?" Tears still in her eyes, Hu Si's face lit up with a smile.
But within two days, their conversation had already reached Jiucheng.