Fated Love With the Billionaire
Chapter 184: This is an Apology, Not Hush Money

Chapter 184: Chapter 184: This is an Apology, Not Hush Money

Wan Mingkun said, "Such a big stain, how could the cleaning staff not have noticed it? It’s obvious they just want to extort us."

Cheng Qiaobei put away his phone, "Do you have any evidence?"

Wan Mingkun: "..."

Cheng Qiaobei, "Without evidence, you can only admit it."

The car returned to the hotel to pick up the guest’s headphones and brought along some prepared fruit to the hotel where the guest was staying.

The journey from Milan to Rome was not short, and by the time they arrived, it was already past noon. After getting out of the car, Cheng Qiaobei stretched his shoulders, instructed Wan Mingkun briefly, and carried the fruit tray into the lobby.

The guest opted to stay at a high-security five-star hotel again, so her first concerns were security, accommodation environment, and service. Claiming she wanted to exploit the situation using the bed sheet was a bit far-fetched.

When he knocked on the door, after a few seconds, the peephole on the door turned from dark to light and then back to dark.

A voice asked, "Who are you?"

Cheng Qiaobei smiled politely, "Hello, Miss You, I’m Cheng Qiaobei, the manager of Jade Jiali. I just called you earlier."

"...Oh, it’s you."

You Li opened the door but left the security chain on, peering out through the gap, "Thank you."

Cheng Qiaobei lowered his gaze, looking at the small hand extended through the gap, "I’m sorry, Miss You, for bringing this to you a little late. I hope it didn’t disrupt your plans?"

You Li watched Cheng Qiaobei warily, although she knew he was using the delivery of the headphones as a pretext to get her to delete the video, she was indeed surprised he had come such a long way.

"No. Did you think I deliberately left the headphones to give you a chance to persuade me?"

Cheng Qiaobei smiled, "Of course not. Headphones are so small. It’s easy to forget them anywhere just by dropping them casually. Frankly, I’ve lost five pairs of headphones myself, and now I have three left, two are left-sided, I can’t even make a complete pair."

You Li giggled, "Okay, just give me the headphones."

Cheng Qiaobei said, "Miss You, since headphones are electronic devices, please try them on in person to make sure there’s no problem; it will put me at ease too."

You Li noticed the fruit basket he was holding and could tell at a glance that it was meant for apology.

Once the door was closed and reopened, she invited him in.

Cheng Qiaobei placed the fruit tray and Bluetooth headphones on the desk, stepped back to the entrance area, and maintained a distance to avoid making the guest feel pressured.

He gestured, "Miss You, please try the headphones."

You Li picked up the headphones and said, "Forget about the fruit basket, you can take it back."

Cheng Qiaobei maintained a gentle demeanor, "I noticed your booking note mentioned fresh fruit. Coincidentally, the hotel acquired a batch today from the market; they are quite fresh. I had the staff specially prepare it for you. I hope you like it."

You Li looked at the person standing in the entranceway. Compared to the former manager’s aggressive attitude, this one was much more amiable.

And, there was one more thing; this manager was very handsome.

You Li put on the headphones and fiddled with her phone for a bit before taking them off, saying curtly, "I’ve checked, there’s no problem. You can go now."

Cheng Qiaobei smiled slightly and bowed, "Miss You, I sincerely apologize for the unpleasant experience our hotel has given you. I am truly sorry."

You Li put on a stern face, "No need. The previous manager was convinced I dirtied the sheets on purpose. I’ve never been wronged like this in my life; the mental distress has already been done. What’s the point of apologizing now? Anyway, I will never, ever stay at any Jade Jiali Hotel again."

Cheng Qiaobei continued to express his apologies, yet his smile was as warm as a spring breeze, and his gaze was sincere. He bowed again and said: "Miss You, the issue with the bed sheet was indeed our mistake for not providing you a clean and tidy environment. I fully understand the distress it caused you."

You Li raised an eyebrow, questioning, "You don’t suspect I dirtied it on purpose to frame you?"

Cheng Qiaobei: "Of course not. On behalf of our staff’s rude behavior, I apologize. He was actually very regretful afterward, intending to come and apologize in person, but considering that you might get even angrier seeing him, he dared not come."

In his repeated apologies, You Li’s anger subsided a lot, "Dare not come? It’s not like I’d bite him."

Cheng Qiaobei said, "Miss You, you have been a loyal customer of Jade Jiali for many years, always admiring our service and environment as your prime choice for rest after travel fatigue. You shouldn’t abandon the trust you’ve built over a mistake. The quality of Jade Jiali is still worth giving us another chance to win back your trust."

He took out a black card from his pocket, "This is the Jade Jiali Supreme VIP client card. Anytime you take this card to any Jade Jiali chain hotel, the front desk will prioritize your check-in and provide any room type you want for free, as long as there are vacancies. Additionally, under this card, all dining, entertainment, and beauty services under Jade Jiali are included, and you can bring direct family members with you."

You Li was indeed touched by his words, "Each stay is free?"

Cheng Qiaobei responded with warmth, nodding, "Yes."

You Li, "Is it free when I bring my parents to stay?"

Cheng Qiaobei, "Yes."

You Li, "What about staying in the presidential suite?"

A charming curve formed at the corner of Cheng Qiaobei’s lips as he calmly replied, "That would be free as well."

You Li, "And their meals and entertainment?"

Cheng Qiaobei, "As long as your parents accompany you, they receive the same treatment."

You Li’s eyelashes fluttered lightly. As a travel blogger who frequently travels worldwide, the expenses on food and accommodation every year are substantial. Reducing this expense would indeed be a great thing.

Seeing the change in her expression, Cheng Qiaobei respectfully walked to the table and set down the black card.

Yet, You Li hesitated for a while, worried that accepting the card would expose her to accusations of malicious extortion.

After weighing her options, she decided to refuse, "You’d better take it back. I won’t delete the video on YouTube either."

Cheng Qiaobei knew it wouldn’t be easy to persuade her, but he continued calmly, "Miss You, we are sincerely willing to be monitored as you release the video. Personally, I believe that anything that happens can serve the company’s development. So, you don’t need to worry too much. The card is a symbol of our company’s highest respect and apology to you."

It was an apology, not a hush payment.

You Li admired him for this; from the moment he entered, never once did he mention deleting the video, yet every statement strongly pursued this goal.

Suddenly, Cheng Qiaobei’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen, his eyebrows relaxed, and his gaze towards You Li filled with steadiness.

"Miss You, here’s a video you should see."

You Li, puzzled, watched him place the phone on the table. The video captured a scene when he entered the lobby of Jade Jiali Hotel.

While she was handling the check-in procedures, a couple and two young boys, possibly around seven or eight years old, passed by with chocolate ice creams. In their playful chase, one boy’s ice cream smeared You Li’s backpack, clearly marking the white backpack.

Cheng Qiaobei flipped to the next clip, "Here, the stain on the bag is still present when you enter the room. Later, after going in and out, the stain vanishes. The boy must have accidentally smeared your bag, and placing the bag on the bed resulted in the stain on the sheets."

You Li furrowed her brows, recalling that the stain on the bed sheets indeed appeared after she picked up her bag.

She picked up the white leather bag which was nearby and, upon examination, found a small chocolate stain. Embarrassed, she looked up, unsure of what to say for a moment.

Cheng Qiaobei’s eyes softened as he gazed at her and smiled.

You Li said, "Sorry, it was all a misunderstanding."

Having uncovered the truth, Cheng Qiaobei showed no sign of reproach, maintaining the same gentle composure, "Although it was a misunderstanding, our failure to promptly address your concerns and emotions led to your grievances; my sincerest apologies."

Recalling the video she posted on YouTube and her overly critical remarks, You Li’s face reddened further.

She awkwardly said, "Since it’s a misunderstanding, I’ll delete the video and publicly post an apology."

Cheng Qiaobei bowed and expressed his gratitude, "Thank you for your understanding and patience. Sorry for taking up so much of your time."

He prepared to leave while storing his phone, but was halted by You Li when she handed the black card back to him, "You forgot this."

Cheng Qiaobei nodded, with a rich and pleasant tone saying, "This card represents Jade Jiali’s sincere apology to you and our gratitude to long-time loyal clients who’ve supported us. Please accept it."

After speaking, Cheng Qiaobei departed. You Li watched his silhouette before shutting the door.