Fated Love With the Billionaire
Chapter 349: Playing Cards Unconventionally

Chapter 349: Chapter 349: Playing Cards Unconventionally

Chen Ningxi had considered it, but Ding Yuan refused to let her open it. She kept it under her pillow, and maybe it was just psychological, but her sleep really had improved.

Cheng Qiaobei shifted his hips. "What’s the meaning of this? You want to get pregnant?"

"No way," Chen Ningxi instinctively pushed him. "It’s my ovulation period today."

Cheng Qiaobei took a small pack of condoms from the drawer, pulling out two. "Pick one."

Chen Ningxi’s cheeks flushed. "They’re all the same. What’s there to pick?"

Cheng Qiaobei’s narrow eyes curved into a smirk. "If you don’t pick, we’ll use both."

"!" Chen Ningxi’s eyes widened, but in the next second, he had stripped her bare.

Late at night, Cheng Qiaobei leaned against the balcony, smoking by the open window.

The Qingshan land had been prepped and could become the flagship store for the Eastern First-class brand. However, the associated costs were indeed high. With his current funds, it would be nearly impossible to acquire the Qingshan project without the shares and dividends that Cheng Xiangheng had seized.

Chen Ningxi opened her eyes to find the spot beside her empty. She grabbed a robe and went out. On the balcony, the red ember of the cigarette glowed faintly. She walked up behind Cheng Qiaobei. "Can’t sleep?"

"No, just craving a smoke," Cheng Qiaobei made an excuse, quickly snuffing out the cigarette and waving off the smoke. He closed the window. "Why are you out here? Don’t catch a cold."

He held her shoulders and nudged her back inside. "Qiaobei, you can’t sleep because of the company issues, right?"

Cheng Qiaobei’s footsteps paused slightly. "...No, don’t overthink."

Chen Ningxi said, "We already have enough money to live on. You don’t need to push yourself so hard."

Cheng Qiaobei slid his hands down to her abdomen, crossing them to hold her tightly. He kissed the top of her head. "You’re so easy to take care of. Aren’t you worried I’ll lose my drive and just give up?"

Many people, upon accumulating a certain amount of wealth, opt to stop trying. But Cheng Qiaobei wasn’t like that. His ambitions were far-reaching, and current profits would never halt his steps.

Chen Ningxi tugged the blanket closer to him. "If you really gave up, I wouldn’t need to be convincing you right now."

Cheng Qiaobei held her, rubbing his chin on her head. "While I still have the drive, I want to see if I can reach the height I’ve envisioned."

Chen Ningxi asked, "How high do you want to go?"

His voice echoed in the quiet room.

"I want to make Eastern First-class one of the top three hotel brands in the country."

The goal was ambitious, but Chen Ningxi believed in him.

"You will. Just work hard for it."

The next day.

Cheng Qiaobei had just entered the company when Deng Yan knocked on his office door, his eyes filled with anticipation.

"Cheng, there’s news about the Qingshan real estate."

Cheng Qiaobei didn’t like being called Mr. Cheng; it reminded him of Cheng Xiangheng.

"Have the bidding prices been announced?" Cheng Qiaobei asked.

Deng Yan replied, "Not yet; it’s just the start of the workday. The information hasn’t been updated."

Cheng Qiaobei said, "Keep a close watch."

Deng Yan nodded. "Got it." He hesitated and then added, "Jade Jiali just updated their official website. They announced plans to build a flagship store in Danjiang this quarter. Their proposal overlaps with ours."

Cheng Qiaobei had a vague feeling that a large net was being cast in the shadows. He smiled faintly. "It’s fine. Similar concepts aren’t a big deal. They’re not competing with us for the same piece of land; there’s no need to worry."

Deng Yan left the office, shutting the door behind him.

Cheng Qiaobei swiveled his chair to face the marked project board, his expression becoming serious. He was pondering which piece of land Jade Jiali, given their scale, might target.

If it were Cheng Xiangheng, he would undoubtedly go for land that is coastal, close to the mountains, and well-connected in terms of transportation. In that case, the Donglai District project would be the first choice. If it were Chairman Yin and Chairman Lian, their considerations would differ slightly, but ultimately, Chairman Lian always deferred to Chairman Yin, who prioritized prime city center locations. The Jinggu Street land would attract them. As for the others, Chairman Zheng follows Cheng’s lead, and Cheng Siluo hasn’t yet reached the capability to spearhead such a significant project. Cheng Xiangheng wouldn’t give her the opportunity either. For now, the Qingshan project seemed safe.

But if someone wanted to make things difficult for him, it wasn’t out of the question for them to fight him for the Qingshan land.

Murphy’s law always hits when you least expect it.

The afternoon sunlight poured in, warm and comforting. Just as Cheng Qiaobei finished reviewing some documents and was stretching his neck, Deng Yan rushed in.

"Cheng, there’s trouble with the Qingshan project."

As soon as he spoke, Cheng Qiaobei felt a pang of unease in his gut. Had the least likely scenario actually happened?

Deng Yan continued, "Mr. Cheng made a move. Word in the industry is that he’s aiming to acquire the Qingshan land."

Danger flickered in Cheng Qiaobei’s eyes briefly, but he quickly regained his composure. "Got it."

Cheng Xiangheng was a leading figure in the hotel industry. If he expressed intent to take on a project, few dared to contest him.

Competitors at his level wouldn’t bother with such a small project, and those beneath him couldn’t afford it.

Now, that left Cheng Qiaobei—a player below Cheng Xiangheng, but one who could still manage the project. But if Cheng Xiangheng decided to play dirty, his odds would not be favorable.

As Cheng Qiaobei sank into thought, a call came from Cheng Xiangheng’s secretary, Chen Qian.

"Hello, is this Mr. Cheng?"

"Yes," Cheng Qiaobei replied.

"Mr. Cheng has instructed me to discuss a matter with you. Are you available to meet at Xiangzhang Tea House at 2 PM?"

Cheng Qiaobei didn’t bother hiding his irritation. "No."

"Wait a moment."

Just as he was about to hang up, Chen Qian interjected, "Aren’t you curious what Mr. Cheng wants to talk about?"

"Not curious."

Chen Qian: "..."

Before Chen Qian could respond, Cheng Qiaobei ended the call and immediately blocked his number.

Unable to reach Cheng Qiaobei’s phone, Chen Qian still needed to fulfill his task.

At that moment, as Cheng Xiangheng passed by Chen Qian’s desk, his expression was as composed as ever, though his commanding presence was unmistakable. "Did you get through to Qiao Bei?"

Chen Qian didn’t dare admit he’d been blocked. "I did call, but Mr. Cheng didn’t pick up. I’ll try later."

Cheng Xiangheng furrowed his brows in slight displeasure. "Get in touch as soon as possible."

Chen Qian replied nervously, "Understood, Mr. Cheng. I’ll call again right away."

He pretended to dial a number as Cheng Xiangheng walked away.

Relieved, Chen Qian sighed, feeling flustered.

Taking advantage of a moment when Cheng Xiangheng wasn’t paying attention, Chen Qian grabbed the necessary documents and left the company in a rush. He had to use his lunch break to head to Eastern First-class.

As he distanced himself from the city center and entered the deserted new district, Chen Qian couldn’t help but grumble at how his lunch break had been ruined by Cheng Qiaobei.

The car stopped in the industrial park’s parking lot. Holding the documents, Chen Qian walked into the office building. One of the elevators on the ground floor had a malfunction sign, while the others wouldn’t open.

Frustrated, Chen Qian muttered to himself, climbing the stairs. "What a terrible place to run a business."

Once he reached the floor housing Eastern First-class, Chen Qian, slightly out of breath, found the office and asked at the door:

"Excuse me, is Mr. Cheng in?"

...

At the same time, Chen Ningxi was in the cafeteria, eating lunch. Lu Xingyan set his tray down across from her.

He smiled and said, "Manager Chen, mind if I share the table? Everywhere else is full."