Fated Love With the Billionaire
Chapter 334: Good Show

Chapter 334: Chapter 334: Good Show

The doorbell rang. Cheng Qiaobei didn’t think much of it, assuming it was Chen Ningxi’s delivery.

But when he opened the door, he saw Cheng Xiangheng standing outside.

His gaze froze. "...Why are you here?"

Cheng Xiangheng glanced behind him. "Not inviting me in?"

He really didn’t intend to invite him in. Just as he was about to grab his keys, the old man from next door came out with his little grandson.

The two families usually greeted each other when they bumped into each other. Before the old man could get a clear look at the stranger standing at the door, Cheng Qiaobei stepped aside to let Cheng Xiangheng into the house.

He smiled warmly, "Taking the child out?"

The old man’s tone was friendly too, raising the small shovel in his hand. "Couldn’t stay inside, heading downstairs to play in the snow."

Cheng Qiaobei casually reminded him, "Wear more layers. It’s cold outside."

The old man, leading his little grandson to the elevator, responded, "Bundled up nice and warm."

Once the door was shut, the smile on Cheng Qiaobei’s face vanished entirely.

Turning around, he saw Cheng Xiangheng standing in the middle of the living room, hands clasped behind his back, looking around.

He walked over. "Have a seat."

Cheng Xiangheng sat on the sofa, placing the file folder he was holding onto the coffee table.

"Do you have tea?"

It would be hard to convince anyone that Cheng Qiaobei didn’t understand hospitality. His lack of response had only one deliberate reason—he was doing it on purpose.

"Don’t have the premium tea Mr. Cheng usually drinks. Hope you don’t mind?"

Cheng Xiangheng smiled faintly. "I don’t mind."

Cheng Qiaobei got up and went into the kitchen, his expression cold and devoid of any emotion or fluctuation. When he returned, he placed the tea on the table and sat back down in his original spot.

In the living room, the only sound was the soft noise of Cheng Xiangheng blowing on his tea.

He kept his eyes lowered and said, "Siluo knows she was wrong. She asked me to bring the house deed back to you. Let this go."

Cheng Qiaobei remained unmoved, his gaze flicking across the file folder, his expression still void of any softening.

"I made it clear over the phone—she needs to kneel and beg me."

"We’re family. Why make things so tense?" Cheng Xiangheng tried to play the peacemaker.

Cheng Qiaobei wasn’t buying it at all and mocked, "Whether I’m family seems entirely dependent on whether you lot need me or not?"

"You’re throwing a tantrum again." Cheng Xiangheng adopted a fatherly demeanor. "Still holding grudges against your sister?"

Cheng Qiaobei had no patience for his circumventions. "Let her kneel and beg me."

"Tch, sigh..." Cheng Xiangheng clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Since when do sisters kneel to brothers? What kind of grudge would warrant that?"

Cheng Qiaobei immediately interrupted him, "You’d better convince her of this. My only demand is for her to kneel and beg me."

Seeing his unwavering stance, Cheng Xiangheng tried to change tactics. "Has Ningxi not finished work yet?"

Cheng Qiaobei furrowed his brows slightly. Since being brought back into the Cheng Family, he had been exposed to Cheng Xiangheng’s methods, manipulations, and even the darker, hidden schemes. He understood it all perfectly.

"Mr. Cheng, stop beating around the bush. Cheng Siluo has suffered such a big loss but still hasn’t learned her lesson. If I don’t make her remember this time, who knows what trouble she might stir up next time."

Cheng Xiangheng put down his teacup and said, "She was just angry for a moment. When something happened to Dongchen, it upset her. A young girl venting a little—doesn’t your wife throw occasional fits too? You should understand."

Cheng Qiaobei lifted his eyelids slightly and said, "Ningxi is emotionally stable, unlike Miss Cheng, who enjoys causing chaos for no reason."

"Don’t talk about your sister like that," Cheng Xiangheng continued to persuade. "The house has already been brought back to you. Doesn’t that count as admitting her mistake? You’re a man. A man should be magnanimous, not quarrel with a young girl over trifles. Let this matter pass, huh?"

Cheng Qiaobei remained unmoved. "I paid for the house, so bringing it back to me is only right. As for her—I’m a man and I do have magnanimity. But I simply choose not to forgive her. You’ve said it yourself: People must bear the consequences of their actions and pay the price. What applies to me should apply to her as well. When did basic principles start differentiating by gender?"

The rapid-fire retorts left Cheng Xiangheng momentarily speechless.

"Must siblings make things so ugly between themselves?" Cheng Xiangheng asked.

Cheng Qiaobei pointed at the file folder on the table, his expression almost indifferent. "Exactly. Must siblings make things so ugly between themselves?"

Another tit-for-tat rebuttal left Cheng Xiangheng flustered once again.

Helpless, Cheng Xiangheng said, "No one is perfect. You have to give her a chance to change, don’t you?"

Cheng Qiaobei raised his hand to prop up his forehead, laughing softly, his shoulders trembling. From Cheng Xiangheng’s angle, his laughter appeared erratic and eccentric.

He let his hand fall and asked, half-smiling, "How many chances have I given her? Do you remember? All you ever sacrifice when weighing gains and losses is me."

Cheng Xiangheng’s expression became somber. "Dad owes you an apology."

Cheng Qiaobei replied, "What’s done is done. Apologies are meaningless. They don’t change anything."

Cheng Xiangheng explained, "Between you and your sister, you’re the more capable one. So in everything, I’ve always favored her a little more."

That meant his measure of fairness was: Whoever is weaker has greater entitlement; whoever is stronger has to endure more.

Cheng Qiaobei almost laughed in exasperation, his dark eyes deep and burning. "You can take care of her; you’re her father. But I am under no obligation. Tell her that if she doesn’t kneel and apologize within three days, I’ll make sure Sun Dongchen stays in there for years—if I’m in a bad mood, maybe even decades."

"Qiaobei, is using Dongchen to manipulate her really that satisfying?" Cheng Xiangheng exposed his intentions.

Unexpectedly, Cheng Qiaobei responded, "It’s satisfying. When she drove me away back then, she gave me three days too. Now we’re even."

"So what do you want in the end?" Cheng Xiangheng asked.

Cheng Qiaobei remained silent for a moment before saying, "Since you can’t bear to see her kneel, I’ll suggest a compromise."

Seeing his attitude ease, Cheng Xiangheng hurriedly said, "Let’s hear it."

"Next month is the Lunar New Year. Before the festival starts, we’ll go back home to pay respects to our ancestors. After that, we’ll have dinner together. Let her publicly toast me in front of everyone."

Just as Cheng Xiangheng was about to shake his head, he heard Cheng Qiaobei add, "Either she kneels and apologizes, or she toasts me with gratitude."

"Gratitude?"

"What’s the issue?" Cheng Qiaobei’s lips curled into a mocking smile. "Gratitude for me letting her off the hook."

That’s the essence of negotiation: Start with an impossible demand, then propose a relatively achievable choice.

The decision couldn’t be clearer.

"...Fine." Cheng Xiangheng answered on behalf of Cheng Siluo.

The clock ticked close to five. Cheng Xiangheng prepared to leave. "I’ve got some things to handle at the office. I’ll take my leave."

Cheng Qiaobei didn’t try to stop him. He stood up to see him off.

While changing shoes, Cheng Xiangheng noticed a pile of business cards from headhunting firms on the entryway shelf. Spotting his lingering gaze, Cheng Qiaobei used a photo frame to press the cards under.

Cheng Xiangheng chuckled softly, "Still haven’t found the right position?"

Cheng Qiaobei looked slightly embarrassed. "No need for you to worry."

"Heh..." Cheng Xiangheng chuckled. "If it doesn’t work out, come back. Start fresh, give yourself another chance."

Cheng Qiaobei opened the door. "Thank you for the kind offer."

He watched as Cheng Xiangheng walked away. After shutting the door, Cheng Qiaobei moved the photo frame aside and looked at the cards he had casually left there. Unexpectedly, they had helped him pull off a convincing act.