Ski resorts have special restaurants, because they cater to different groups, and all star chefs are invited.
Many people will choose to go back for a nap after eating here, and then continue skiing.
Wen Li has been skiing smoother and smoother throughout the morning, and Xia Chen, who has fallen countless times, is also skating more and more confidently.
By the time Wen Li looked at the time again, it was almost half past two.
“Eat something and go back and rest for a while.” Fu Yuxiu led Wen Li forward.
Fei Ran followed dutifully and picked up the two people's skis and handed them to the bodyguard next to him.
It is a world of ice and snow outside, but it is warm inside the restaurant.
As soon as Wen Li entered the door, she raised her hand to take off her clothes, but her view was blocked by the woman coming over.
The woman was about to reach out. Wen Li took a step back. Li Qing, who didn't touch her clothes, froze in place.
"Young Master." Li Qing looked at the man and called out, facing Wen Li a little aggrievedly, "I just want to help her take off her coat."
It’s very hot in the restaurant, and most people who come in take off their coats.
In order to prevent guests from getting sick due to the huge temperature difference, they walked through a long temperature-controlled corridor before entering the restaurant.
The time and temperature are both right now.
Wen Li glanced at Li Qing in front of her. Although the temperature in the restaurant was not low, this person was wearing too little.
A very generous white sleeveless dress with a wide open neckline, you can almost see the rough waves underneath.
Pure color and desire, a sight to behold.
However, although Li Qing has a delicate and ordinary appearance, she has a really good figure.
She also knows very well how to use this advantage of hers, and her dressing style can better highlight her figure.
“Miss Wen, let me take off your coat for you.” Li Qing said and was about to come over.
Wen Li raised her hand to interrupt her, "No need."
Then she pointed to Fu Yuxiu next to her, "He will take care of me, it's not your turn."
Li Qing glanced at the man next to her. She had originally thought he would be angry at Wen Li's impolite words.
As a result, she watched helplessly as the man took off his gloves, raised his hand to help Wen Li unbutton the collar and pulled down the zipper.
“Having a good time?” Fu Yuxiu took a tissue from Fei Ran’s hand and wiped the little girl’s sweat.
"Not bad."
Xia Chen, who was waiting nearby, raised his eyebrows. Why did he feel that something was wrong with the boss today?
In the past, if you said ten things, she might not even reply one.
She has been talking with Mr. Fu a lot in the past two days, and she answered all his questions.
“Okay, let’s go in and see what you want to eat.” Fu Yuxiu raised his hand and half-hugged the person into the restaurant.
Li Qing looked at the two people who acts as if they were alone, and the anger in her heart was rising.
"Miss, don't miss this important matter." The waiter passing by whispered.
After listening to the reminder, Li Qing calmed down and straightened the expression on her face before walking over.
“The braised shrimps and French escargots here are very good, and there are also fresh truffles flown in by air. You can also try them.” Li Qing stood by the dining table.
Fu Yuxiu put the menu in Wen Li's hand, and now she was staring at the menu and planning to order.
“Miss Wen has just finished exercising, so it’s better to eat some lighter food. Simple cooking can best maintain the original flavors of the food.”
Just as Li Qing finished speaking, she saw the menu handed to her.
She is a little dazed.
"Since you are so knowledgeable, you decide." Wen Li said.
Li Qing took the menu with a smile and skillfully named a few dishes.
“All the water in the restaurant is melted from pure snow collected from the top of the snow-capped mountains. Isn’t there a saying that if the water is good, the dishes and tea will taste better?”
Mo Xiao came from the side and looked at the two people already seated at the dining table.
“I took a look just now. Miss Wen is really good. She can ski like this for the first time. The biggest feature of this ski resort is cross-country skiing. You can have forest adventures and the connected back mountain is accessible. If the young master is interested, you can come over and give it a try in the afternoon.”
Adventures in the woods are different from ordinary cross-country skiing.
A large part of the backside of the mountain connected to the ski resort is an undeveloped area, that is, a place where access is not allowed.
That mountain has preserved its original snowfield scenery, with many wild animals and plants, and endless glaciers and streams.
I went hiking there with some provisions, and there were professional people to guide me, so I could see a lot of scenery.
“Hiking?” Wen Li became interested.
Mo Xiao nodded hurriedly, "Yes, if Miss Wen is interested, I will make arrangements right away."
“We can give it a try. How about tomorrow? I don’t want to go today.”
Mo Xiao nodded, "Okay, I'll get it done right away."
Most of the rich people who come here are looking for excitement, so they will go into the mountains with cameras and a group of bodyguards.
It wasn’t a far journey anyway, they will only walk a few kilometers and then come back.
There are many unknown dangers in this mountain, and no one wants to stay in the ice and snow for too long.
Seeing the little girl is interested, Fu Yuxiu poured her a glass of hot water and pushed it over.
“You want to go into the mountains so much?”
Wen Li leaned over and said, "Have you ever heard of Snow Lotus?"
The man raised his eyebrows and said nothing.
“The mountains that have been frozen for many years are a natural treasure trove, hiding many medicinal materials that have not been seen for centuries, and some particularly precious medicinal materials mature and grow during the extremely cold season. Now is a good time to go into the mountains.”
If it were winter, people would not be able to enter because the mountain is blocked by heavy snow.
But it’s autumn now, and the snow won’t fall so frequently. It’s a good time to go into the mountains to collect herbs.
She has never been near such a snow-capped mountain before, so many very precious medicinal materials produced in the snow-capped mountains, she had only seen in books.
This is a great opportunity to go into the mountains to collect medicine for a couple of days.
"If you're afraid of the cold, you don't have to go. I'll just take Xia Chen with me." Wen Li replied.
Fu Yuxiu pinched her face with a little force and said, "If you are going. Of course, I will go with you. Otherwise, who will take care of you?"
Li Qing could clearly hear the man's tone emphasizing the words "take care".
This man did it on purpose.
The chef served the dishes very quickly, and soon the table was full.
Li Qing also did a good job as a waitress, doing her best to serve the men with dishes and Wen Li with soup.
“Miss Wen, try it. This is a soup made from snow algae unique to the snowy mountains. It is sweet and delicious, and it also has beautifying effects.”
Wen Li glanced at the bowl she handed over and had to say that Li Qing's posture was indeed very humble.
"Miss Li, please sit down and eat together." Wen Li said.
Li Qing was moving the chopsticks for picking vegetables with Fu Yuxiu when she stopped, feeling a little embarrassed and said, "This won't work."
"You don't need to be so polite. You're a young lady of the Li family, not a maid who serves us. Sit down and join us for the meal."
Wen Li said this, and Li Qing gave a nod in response.
The waiter behind her stepped forward and pulled out the chair two seats away from Fu Yuxiu.
Li Qing glanced at him, a bit embarrassed, "May I sit next to the young master? It would be easier to look after him."
“No, this is Miss Li’s position.” Fei Ran said coldly.
"Allowing this woman to remain by the young master's side is already a display of his great mercy—yet she still dares to ask to sit beside him."
This woman must be completely delusional.
“But I still have to serve soup and dishes to the young master.” Li Qing said, her voice tinged with grievance.
Wen Li leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand as she chuckled. "So Miss Li enjoys serving others?"
Li Qing bowed her head and her nails biting into her skin. "This is my father's command. I dare not defy him."
What a delicately charming and pitiful little figure.
"Eat quickly. Your lunch break’s almost over," Fu Yuxiu said, grabbing Wen Li’s hand and nudging her toward the food.
At the far end of the table, Li Qing flicked her fork absentmindedly, her gaze drifting toward Fu Yuxiu. Not once had he looked at the dishes she'd served him.
Even the soup she had served to Wen Li remained untouched.
Li Qing took a bite of the salad, but it was flavorless, as if her senses had dulled along with her mood.
After much effort, they finally returned to the villa—the largest unit in the entire resort. It boasted two floors above ground and two below, a testament to its grandeur. The yard was already swarming with bodyguards, their presence casting a quiet tension over the estate.
Before stepping inside, Li Qing glanced back—Mo Xiao still hadn’t returned.
The thought of their scheme made her cheeks flush. She gritted her teeth and pushed forward into the villa.
She hadn’t come for leisure. This trip had a purpose, and she refused to return without success.
Li Qing looked up at the man before her once more, her face tinged with shyness. He was unlike any man she’d ever met in North City—more refined, more captivating.
To be held and loved by him—just once—she would welcome death with a quiet smile.
Wen Li had just slipped off her coat and was ready to collapse onto the bed—when someone suddenly yanked her upright.
“Tell me what you plan to do.” The man cut straight to the point, looking down at the girl sitting on the edge of the bed.
With a sleepy yawn, Wen Li murmured, “Don’t you already know?”
He already understands—so why ask at all?
“Why did you agree to let her come back with us?” Fu Yuxiu sat down next to her.
“The Li and Mo families—it is clear that something’s wrong. People only resort to desperate measures when they’re cornered. This is Li Jie’s opening move. If you don’t let them play it, how will you ever know what they are really after?” Wen Li picked up the glass of lemonade that had been poured beside her.
Wen Li’s words were calm, clear, and perfectly reasoned.
“So you let your man sacrifice his looks?” Fu Yuxiu raised an eyebrow, a hint of teasing in his voice as he glanced at her.
Wen Li choked on the cold drink, coughing lightly as she looked up at the man with a sour expression.
“Sacrifice your looks?” Wen Li scoffed. “She didn’t even come close to touching you.”
“She won't dare.” The man chuckled.
If Li Qing recklessly followed along today, then that person was already as good as finished.
“Once I’m asleep, you should head out,” Wen Li reminded quietly. “She’s probably guarding the door already.”
As a result, the man soon rolled onto the bed with her in his arms, pulled the quilt over, and wrapped it around them both.
Wen Li lay on his chest, tightly pinned down and unable to move.
“Our little girl’s going to sleep—of course I'll stay with her.”
As he spoke, his limbs had already wrapped tightly around Wen Li, his legs locking firmly around her waist.
The two of them were closely entwined, and then he lowered his head, pressing her firmly against his chest.
"Sleep."
Wen Li squirmed in his grasp and muttered, “Let go. Holding me like this is uncomfortable.”
“Either sleep like this, or don’t sleep at all.” Fu Yuxiu murmured the warning against her ear, eyes already closed.
“Then ease up a little,” Wen Li murmured, trying to negotiate some space.
The man nodded and loosened his hold—just barely, the shift so slight it was almost imperceptible.
Wen Li: .....
With quiet resignation, she closed her eyes, surrendering to the moment.
By seven in the evening, darkness had fully settled over the place.
Li Qing, still waiting outside, kept glancing at the door. She’d already downed eight cups of coffee.
The sight of that closed door gnawed at her, each passing moment feeding the restlessness in her heart. (Runa: With 8 cups of coffee in your system, I am not surprised that your heart restless don't blame the closed door. XD)
She took out the compact mirror from her bag and carefully touched up her makeup.
Indeed, from a woman's perspective, the appearance of the woman by the young master's side was truly unmatched.
But a woman’s worth isn’t defined by looks alone—there are other qualities that matter just as much.
The Li family invested heavily in cultivating their daughters—not just in appearance and voice, but in every aspect. Among them, she stood out as the finest.
Naturally, she was chosen and sent to Fu Yuxiu.
A man like the young master isn’t one to be swayed by appearances alone. She knows this—and she’s certain she can win him.
Moreover, while the girl beside the young master is strikingly beautiful, she’s still quite young.
She’s just a naive little girl—what could she possibly know? Can she really serve the young master in a way that brings him comfort?
With that thought, Li Qing’s confidence grew.
The door creaked open from within, and a man in a black bathrobe stepped out.
The loosely draped bathrobe parted at the chest, revealing the sculpted lines of his torso. With each breath, his abs and V-line rose and fell in quiet rhythm, a subtle display of strength beneath stillness.
His damp, tousled hair framed his striking features with effortless allure, adding a touch of raw seduction to his already beautiful face.
“Young Master.” Li Qing hurried over.
Lu Min, ever watchful, emerged from the darkness and silently barred Li Qing’s way.
“Hush. Let her rest.” Fu Yuxiu’s voice rasped softly, the hoarseness adding weight to his words.
Li Qing softened her voice, obedient and warm. “Young Master, may I prepare rock sugar snow pears for you? Your voice sounds a little hoarse.”
Fu Yuxiu didn’t respond. His narrow phoenix eyes swept over her briefly before he turned and disappeared back into the room.
Fei Ran entered the nearby study, arms full with a stack of documents.
“Mr. Lu Min, may I prepare a cup of rock sugar snow pear for the young master?” Li Qing asked gently.
“It’s up to you.”
Lu Min watched silently as the figure headed toward the kitchen. From the side, Xia Chen peeked out.
“Why don’t you go over and take a look?”
"No need."
Miss Wen Li gave clear instructions—once that woman enters, she’s free to do as she pleases. No one is to stop her.
Li Qing moved swiftly, and in no time, two cups of rock sugar snow pears were ready.
With a shadow crossing her face, she lifted the gleaming container. From within her sleeve, she drew two packets of powder and slipped them in, one at a time.
Given the young master’s status, he would never accept a woman whose body carried disgrace.
Besides, even if the young master desires her, once she takes this medicine… she won’t survive.
Li Qing ascended the stairs, balancing the tray with practiced ease. Outside the door, Xia Chen and Lu Min sat in silence, keeping watch. She approached them with a gentle smile.
“This is for Miss Wen. Would you mind taking it in for me?”
Xia Chen examined the contents of the crystal cup, then drew a silver needle from his pocket and dipped it in.
The needle came out spotless, gleaming like new. He signaled for someone to extract samples from each crystal cup separately.
A bodyguard stepped forward without a word, lifted the cup, and drank—his face devoid of emotion.
Li Qing stood motionless, her face unreadable as the two men examined the contents. Delivering this to Fu Yuxiu was no simple task—it involved layers of caution and complexity.
The bodyguard who drank it showed no reaction, his expression unchanged. Xia Chen quietly put the needle away.
“Take it in.”
Li Qing gave a subtle nod. The toxin had cost a fortune—its potency matched its price.
So long as the dose is minimal, it won’t kill. It leaves no trace, no sign.
But once the toxins build up past a certain point, there’s only one outcome—death.
“The young master is in the study. You may take it in,” Lu Min said, pushing the door open.
Li Qing stepped into the study. Sunlight spilled across the room, where a man sat behind the desk, fingers wrapped around a gleaming gold pen.
With his head bowed in concentration, the man’s features appeared sculpted by divine hands—flawless, unshaken.
Suppressing the flutter in her chest, Li Qing stepped forward and set the items gently on the table.
“Young Master…”
He turned his head slightly, noticing the striking red mark that stood out on the woman’s white palm.
Noticing his gaze, Li Qing quickly withdrew her hand, flustered. “I burned it earlier by accident. It’s unsightly—I must’ve startled the young master.”
She’s like pear blossoms in the rain—fragile, luminous, unforgettable. A woman like that always has stories to tell.
Wen Li sat before the monitor, absorbing every detail unfolding in the study with a single glance.
“I don’t know how it tastes.”
She lowered her gaze, studying the contents of the crystal cup with quiet interest.
A bony hand reached forward and, without hesitation, dropped the crystal cup into the trash before her.
“If you want to drink it, I’ll make it for you later.”
She gave a slight shake of her head. “No need. I don’t care for it much.”
Fu Yuxiu lifted his hand and gently ruffled her hair. “What’s next?” he asked, voice low.
“This is a well-known aphrodisiac. It stirs desire in the heart and magnifies it beyond control. Even a drop can overwhelm—let alone the whole dose.”
Before her voice had faded, the stillness broke. The study stirred—each figure already moving as if on cue.
The man seized Li Qing and forced her down onto the desk, his movements raw and unfiltered.
A hand moved swiftly, shielding Wen Li’s eyes with precision. The man’s voice followed, low and displeased, brushing past her ear.
“If you’re that curious, I’ll take my clothes off and show you.”
The hand covered Wen Li’s eyes so firmly, not a sliver of light slipped through.
“Alright, alright—the person’s almost here. Try to act a little more convincingly.”
Wen Li said.
He reached out, brushing her nose with a fingertip. “What comes after this?”
Wen Li smiled, then gently completed the words he hadn’t managed to say.
“Once that desire is spent, all that remains is an empty shell. And from that emptiness, life cannot be saved.”
Mo Xiao and his entourage stepped into the first-floor lobby, arriving at the villa with perfect timing.
Li Jie and Mo Xianjun arrived with the group. As soon as they stepped through the door, every weapon was swiftly confiscated.
Fei Ran and his men closed in, their expressions hard and unreadable as they surrounded the group.
“Hall Masters, we were just about to send someone to fetch you—how fortunate that you’ve come of your own accord,” Fei Ran said.
They exchanged blank glances—Li Jie and Mo Xianjun, both adrift in a fog they couldn’t shake.
“What did Mr. Fei Ran say? Did we… do something wrong?”
“See for yourselves.”
The bodyguards upstairs dragged the two disheveled figures out of the study. Their clothes hung loose, half-untied, exposing the chaos they’d just endured.
As she entered the hall, the fresh air stirred around her. Li Qing’s gaze sharpened, her pupils clearing. She could only watch, helpless, as a crowd seemed to materialize before her.
"Ah!!"
She let out a sharp cry, scrambling for anything to shield herself. Only a pillow lay within reach, and she clutched it to her bare skin.
Surrounded by countless stares, Li Qing trembled, consumed by a mix of humiliation and rage.
Li Jie’s eyes widened. “What’s going on?” he asked, voice tight with disbelief.
“What else could it be?” Mo Xianjun sneered. “Your daughter humiliated herself, throwing herself at the young master like that.”
Li Qing turned sharply. Her eyes widened, pupils dilating as she stared at the stranger beside her. “Who are you?!” she cried, voice trembling.
It was not the man she wanted.
The man before her was no one she knew—plain-faced, with a pointed face and monkey-like cheeks.
“Where is the young master? Where is he?” Li Qing cried out, her eyes scanning the hall in a panic.
She searched the hall, but the man with whom she’d shared a fevered affair was gone.
She was certain—it had been the young master. But now, as if reality had twisted, he was no longer there. How could it change so suddenly?
How could this happen?
The man convulsed, collapsing before he could utter a word. His eyes rolled white, blood spilled from his mouth—and then, silence. He was gone.
“This is the rock sugar pear Miss Li brought to the young master. Something’s been added—something that shouldn’t be. Hall Master Li, is White River Hall trying to poison him?”
Fei Ran’s voice rang out, charged with energy. His expression was sharp, his words cutting like a blade.
“No! That’s not true!” Li Jie cried, waving his hands in panic. “Even if I had a hundred lives, I wouldn’t dare poison the young master. This must be a misunderstanding!”
“Then explain this,” Fei Ran snapped, pointing at the man collapsed on the floor. “Why did the drink she served to the young master do this to him?”
Several figures stepped forward at once, quietly removing the dead man from the hall.
He faltered, struggling to respond. Poison? The accusation was absurd—he never instructed anything of the sort.
“They say the Li family excels at raising daughters,” Mo Xianjun said dryly. “I didn’t expect this to be their idea of ‘success.’”
"You!"
“It was Hall Master Li who brought Miss Li here,” Fei Ran said. “But after what’s happened, suspicion naturally falls on the Li family.”
Li Qing sat dazed on the ground, her thoughts spinning. Mo Xiao had never said the medicine would be lethal.
Why did that man die in the blink of an eye?
Li Jie quietly resolved to stay composed. The young master hadn’t been harmed, and there was still room for civility.
A sudden noise up the stairs caught his attention—and with it, Li Jie felt despair take hold.
“Our young lady’s been poisoned!” Xia Chen shouted, rushing down the stairs, panic etched across his face.
Fu Yuxiu followed close behind, his expression cold. As he descended the stairs, his gaze locked onto Li Jie—stern and unyielding.
A chill ran down everyone’s spine. Under that gaze, their knees nearly buckled.
“Li Jie.”
As Fu Yuxiu spoke, he extended his hand. Without hesitation, Feiran stepped forward and placed a black pistol into his palm.
“Bang!”
In an instant, the bullet grazed the tip of Li Jie's ear.
Blood trickled down Li Jie's ear.
Li Jie bowed low, ignoring the sharp pain ringing in his ears. “Young Master, spare me! Spare me!” he cried, voice trembling.
Now that the young master’s companion has been harmed, all fingers point to the Li family. No matter what they do, the stain of suspicion won’t wash away.
“You’d better give me an explanation,” Fu Yuxiu said, his voice low and cold—like Satan himself, reaching up from the depths to collect a soul.
“Young Master, I swear—I didn’t know Qing’er would do such a thing! This wasn’t the Li family’s doing, it truly wasn’t!”
Off to the side, Mo Xianjun and his son watched with thinly veiled amusement, as if enjoying a well-staged drama.
“Poisoning the young master is no small offense,” Mo Xianjun snorted. “It seems your Li family is eager to be cast out of North City.”
Li Qing dropped into a crouch, trembling uncontrollably. Everything had happened so fast—she hadn’t even had time to breathe, let alone react.
But then her gaze landed on Mo Xiao—and there it was, that mocking smile curling at his lips.
In that instant, Li Qing understood—she had been deceived. The truth hit her like a blow.
“That’s not the case. I swear—it’s not!”
Li Qing tried to rise, panic in her eyes, but the bodyguard’s grip was firm—unyielding. She couldn’t move.
“It’s not me! It’s really not me! It’s...”
Just as Li Qing opened her mouth, a hand struck her face. The impact twisted her head sharply to the side.
“You dared to poison the young master? You truly don’t know your place! I’ll make sure you learn today.”
Mo Xiao withdrew his hand, eyes cold as he stared down at the woman crumpled on the ground. His voice was sharp, cutting through the silence like a blade.
That slap landed with justice—sharp, deliberate, and impossible to ignore.
“That’s not true! You lied to me!” Li Qing screamed, pointing with trembling fury. “It was you—Mo Xiao!”
Mo Xianjun raised his hand, and the bodyguard moved swiftly to silence her. “The crimes of your Li family,” he spat, “and you dare pin them on mine?”
“Was it I who placed you beside the young master? Did I tell you to poison him? Now that the truth is out, you dare to smear my Mo family? Do you truly think the young master is so easily deceived?”
With every mention of poisoning, the Li family was vividly nailed to the pillar of shame.
Fu Yuxiu lifted his eyes and cast a glance—calm, indifferent, cutting. “Mo Xianjun.”
The words died on Mo Xianjun’s tongue. He stood motionless, quiet as stone, waiting for the young master to speak.
Mo Xiao glanced down at Li Qing, pride flickering in his eyes. She was impulsive, reckless—and far too easy to manipulate.
Fu Yuxiu cast a cold glance at Li Jie. “Do you have anything else to say?”
At this time, everything is a foregone conclusion.
If the head of the Fu family was here, the Li family wouldn’t just be in danger—they’d be dismantled without mercy.
Throughout history, those who framed their superiors had to surrender the power they held.
Thinking this way, Li Jie steeled himself.
He snatched the gun from the bodyguard beside him and aimed it at his daughter on the ground.
"Bang!"
Scarlet blood seeped into the carpet, blooming like a cruel flower.
“The Li family does not need a child so unfaithful, so unfilial. Poisoning the young master is a grave taboo. We cannot shield her. Only by casting her out can we reclaim our honor!”
Li Jie made his move very quickly, leaving almost no time for people to react.
Li Qing collapsed, her eyes wide and unblinking—frozen in disbelief that her own father had turned on her.
Mo Xianjun also sneered; he could even take action against his own daughter.
Li Jie had always treated his daughters as bargaining chips. He has over ten daughters of all ages.
To him, daughters were expendable. If giving one away served his interests, so be it. Her death? Barely a ripple.
He would rather kill his daughter than hand over White River Hall.
Before one’s wings are fully grown, restraint is strength. In this, Li Jie has shown remarkable discipline.
“It was my daughter who erred. Though she’s gone, I’ll carry the blame. Do what you must, young master. I, Li Jie, have no complaints.”
Li Jie bowed at a ninety-degree angle, lowering himself humbly to the ground.
“Hall Master Li has already lost his beloved daughter. I’ll say no more. Let’s treat this as if it never happened.”
The man looked magnanimous.
Li Jie nodded, "Thank you for your understanding, young master."
The matter has come to this, and it is hard for the Mo family to say anything more.
The living room was cleared with practiced efficiency. Blood lingered in the air, heavy and unmistakable. Windows were opened wide, sandalwood lit to chase away the stench.
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