Fated Love With the Billionaire
Chapter 146: Someone Will Accompany You to the Future

Chapter 146: Chapter 146: Someone Will Accompany You to the Future

Humans are bound for losses when filled with greed, and gain when expectations are met.

Ding Yuan didn’t understand this old saying before, but she learned it later, albeit too late.

Cheng Qiaobei placed the suitcase in the guest bedroom, watching Ding Yuan from behind as she surveyed the room, her expression filled with indescribable hope and comfort.

He guessed she truly wanted a home at that moment.

Ding Yuan turned back, meeting Cheng Qiaobei’s gaze. She feigned nonchalance and looked away. "The house is not bad."

Cheng Qiaobei said, "The bathroom is right next door, so if you sleep early tonight, you might hear the water running."

Ding Yuan was a light sleeper and woke up at the slightest noise.

She said, "It’s fine."

Chen Ningxi entered and turned on the humidifier. "Mom, the room’s a bit smaller than the one you had in Ningkou, but at least it’s clean."

Ding Yuan said, "The size of the house doesn’t matter. What matters most is that it’s comfortable to live in. I really like this style of decoration."

The creamy tones exuded warmth and comfort everywhere.

Chen Ningxi opened the wardrobe. "I’ve cleared it out for you. You can hang the clothes you brought here."

Ding Yuan said, "You’re so thoughtful."

"Mom, what do you like to eat? I’ll find a restaurant and we can go out to eat."

Chen Ningxi asked casually, but it struck a chord with Ding Yuan’s pain. Her expression changed slightly as she tugged at the corner of her mouth, forcing a faint smile, "...Let’s eat at home."

Cheng Qiaobei put his arm around Chen Ningxi’s shoulder. "Let’s go. We’ll go to the market to buy some groceries."

Once the two left, Ding Yuan closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, attempting to alleviate the past’s hurt.

Ding Yuan always believed Cheng Xiangheng loved her more than anything, but she lost the bet, making her defeat, under everyone’s scrutiny, both embarrassing and complete.

Not long after she moved, Zheng Rongxi found her again. Her home was trashed and she was beaten. She reported it to the police, but it was suppressed through Cheng Xiangheng’s negotiations.

Moreover, the news that she was a mistress spread like wildfire throughout the neighborhood. People who were once kind to her now avoided her with contempt, gossiping and insulting behind her back, and some unruly men openly made lewd comments to her.

Seeing Cheng Qiaobei growing, staying in the room wasn’t feasible. So she took time every day to take him downstairs to play, passing by gossiping women who would remark disparagingly as if their own husbands had cheated and she was to blame.

Rumors, vicious curses, indecent harassment, surrounded her daily.

Ding Yuan moved for a third time.

In the following year, every time Ding Yuan moved to a new home, Zheng Rongxi would soon find her and make a scene. At first, she endured, but later, she was forced to retaliate, no longer disdainful of such uncivilized behavior until she eventually became what she detested.

She could understand Zheng Rongxi’s hatred, her resentment, but no one could endure this indefinitely.

Until Cheng Qiaobei was two years old and started kindergarten, Ding Yuan intended to rejoin the workforce, but Cheng Xiangheng denied her.

She still remembered his exact words, spoken with a superior disdain, "I give you money, what do you need a job for? Your task is to take care of the child." After speaking, he glanced at her disdainfully, "Look at yourself in the mirror, who would hire you?"

"What about me? What’s wrong with me?"

Cheng Xiangheng said impatiently, "Look in the mirror."

Ding Yuan stood before the mirror, remembering her most beautiful self until she saw the reflection and finally understood what Cheng Xiangheng meant by looking at the mirror.

She carefully scrutinized her two-years-expanded self, with an outgrown body and added weight, a sagging face, thinning hair, dressed in loose home clothes, almost barefaced, she felt revolting even to herself.

Ding Yuan’s eyes reddened, and she cried, wondering where her once-radiant, enchanting self had gone.

Seeing her cry, Cheng Xiangheng tried to comfort her, and she hugged him, as if embracing the last shred of dignity in her world.

From that day forward, Ding Yuan began working out, morning running, and going to the beauty salon for skincare, achieving a perfect transformation over the next year and a half.

With Cheng Qiaobei over four years old, Ding Yuan, now stunning, planned to return to the workplace, arduously earning Cheng Xiangheng’s permission, yet when ready to make a significant comeback, Zheng Rongxi sent people to humiliate and assault her at a business event. She was pinned to the ground by stout women, her clothes torn, while being verbally vindicated as a mistress in front of many people.

Afterward, wherever she appeared, Zheng Rongxi’s people would harass her. Time passed, and Ding Yuan’s mental state was immensely stressed, creating the dilemma of wanting to prove herself fit for a comeback while fearing future harassment.

Until she discovered the truth, Ding Yuan finally awakened and decided to leave Danjiang.

In those times, Ding Yuan was, as Zheng Rongxi called, a slut for money.

She approached Cheng Xiangheng, demanding monthly child support and a house in Ningkou. Cheng Xiangheng insisted she stay in Danjiang, but Ding Yuan was determined to leave.

The day she bid farewell to Cheng Xiangheng, she calmly said, "Cheng Xiangheng, in this world, you don’t love anyone. You love yourself the most."

At first, Cheng Xiangheng thought Ding Yuan was merely acting petty, frequently visiting them in Ningkou; however, as Ding Yuan became more irritable, often disregarding his dignity, Cheng Xiangheng decided to curb her overconfidence and ceased visiting Ningkou.

In the end, Ding Yuan wasn’t affected at all and started her small business in jewelry.

As Cheng Qiaobei grew, his face increasingly resembled Cheng Xiangheng when he was young. The more similar he looked, the more she hated him. All her pain and losses were because of that face he so resembled, and she began to distance herself from Cheng Qiaobei, losing her temper at him, ignoring him.

From when Cheng Qiaobei could remember, he knew his parents didn’t love him.

Back at the market.

The duo bought groceries and headed back, with Chen Ningxi asking Cheng Qiaobei, "Did I say something wrong earlier?"

"No," Cheng Qiaobei replied, shifting the groceries to his other hand and clasping her wrist with his now-free hand. "Don’t overthink it. My mom’s just tired."

"Really?" Chen Ningxi felt uncertain.

"I bought everything she likes. Today, I’ll show you two what I can do." Cheng Qiaobei lightly swung his arm, a smile forming at the corners of his eyes and eyebrows.

Chen Ningxi said, "If your mom sees you cooking and me just standing around, won’t she think this daughter-in-law is lazy for not doing anything?"

Cheng Qiaobei laughed, "No way. My mom has a picky palate and only loves the dishes I cook."

"But," before she could continue, Cheng Qiaobei pointed at the supermarket by the entrance of the community, "Go. I’m thirsty. Buy me an ice cream."

Chen Ningxi’s attention shifted immediately, "Banana flavor again?"

Cheng Qiaobei nodded, "Yeah."

Chen Ningxi went and returned, tearing open the package and offering it to his mouth. Cheng Qiaobei said, "You have the first bite."

She took a bite, not finishing before Cheng Qiaobei quickly, with no one around, took the piece of ice cream from her mouth.

Chen Ningxi’s face flushed red instantly, quickly looking around, "What are you doing? Someone might see."

Cheng Qiaobei wiped the corner of his mouth with his finger, laughing recklessly and wildly, "Your lips are so soft."

Chen Ningxi glared, raising her hand high but only landing it gently. "We’re outside. Can’t you behave?"

She failed to hit him, but he was already running off.

The winding path, paved with cobblestones, with lush trees bowing either side, and sunlight filtering through leaves, fell on them. She laughed as brightly as this sunlight.

No one can predict the future, but some will join you in getting there.