Fated Love With the Billionaire
Chapter 366: Devotion

Chapter 366: Chapter 366: Devotion

Cheng Qiaobei was away on a business trip, and as soon as Chen Ningxi got home, she lay on the bed and took a nap.

Groggily, unsure of how long she had slept, she was awakened by the ringing of her phone.

"Hello..." she answered lethargically, her voice raspy from sleep.

Liang Lei said, "What time did you go to bed?"

Chen Ningxi turned on her bedside lamp and cleared her head before replying, "Aunt Flo came. I’m completely wiped out, and my stomach’s killing me."

Liang Lei asked, "Have you eaten dinner?"

In a weak tone, Chen Ningxi replied, "Not yet."

Liang Lei motioned to Lin Hanrui to pack the thermos container. "Wait for me—I made beef soup tonight. I’ll bring it over."

"No, don’t trouble yourself. I’ll get up and cook something once I’m rested." Another wave of pain hit her stomach, and she groaned, "Ugh..."

"Alright, just wait for me."

With that, Liang Lei hung up.

Chen Ningxi quickly called back, "You’re pregnant! Don’t bother coming over."

Liang Lei said, "Even pregnant women need to get some light exercise."

The snow on the road hadn’t melted yet, and the thought of an accident made Chen Ningxi uneasy.

"How about this—I’ll call a courier to pick it up from your place."

Liang Lei could tell from her voice that she was suffering badly, like she’d been through some intense ordeal.

"I’ll worry if I don’t see you myself. Forget the courier—Lin Hanrui is home; he’ll drive me."

Unable to decline further, Chen Ningxi could only remind them to drive carefully and stay safe.

Not long after, Liang Lei arrived.

Upon entering, she saw Chen Ningxi’s pale face and slumped demeanor.

"Oh my God, look at you—you couldn’t even let me come take care of you." Though her words were reproachful, her tone was full of concern as she held Chen Ningxi’s hand and led her to the dining area.

Lin Hanrui placed the thermos container on the table and went into the kitchen to fetch utensils.

Chen Ningxi took the thermos from Liang Lei and opened it. "I’ll do it myself—you sit and rest."

At five months pregnant, Liang Lei’s belly was visibly rounded, like a little hill.

Sitting down in a chair, she asked, "Do you have brown sugar at home? I’ll make you some brown sugar water."

Holding a bowl and spooning out some steaming beef soup, Chen Ningxi replied, "I’ll make some for myself before bed."

Chatting in the dining area, the two friends caught up while Lin Hanrui, seated in the living room, took out his phone and snapped a photo of them, then sent it to Cheng Qiaobei.

At that moment, Cheng Qiaobei and Deng Yan were having dinner, discussing Golden Faction Boutique Hotel as they ate.

Midway through, Deng Yan paused with his chopsticks mid-air and said, "It seems like there was an error in the information we gathered. Golden Faction Boutique Hotel is registered under Shao Kang, but it’s currently managed by a woman named Fan Jiaqian. Their relationship isn’t ordinary; to my knowledge, Shao Kang’s wife doesn’t have the surname Fan. The hotel was also transferred without charge to Fan Jiaqian—maybe as compensation. I recently contacted Shao Kang, and he told me to address any issues to Fan Jiaqian."

Chewing more slowly, Cheng Qiaobei asked, "Do we have her contact number?"

Deng Yan replied, "Yes, I saved it. I’ll call her first thing tomorrow morning."

Then Cheng Qiaobei asked, "Does she know about our discussions with Shao Kang?"

Deng Yan answered, "Shao Kang said he already briefed her."

Since there was prior communication, Cheng Qiaobei felt more reassured.

When the two returned to Golden Faction Boutique, they passed through a long corridor, and Cheng Qiaobei overheard the receptionist handling their registration speaking on the phone. Judging by her tone, she was clearly talking to her boss, but the other party’s attitude was overtly harsh—even from across the counter, he could hear her being aggressively berated.

Watching the receptionist’s fearful expression, Cheng Qiaobei surmised that this Fan Jiaqian wouldn’t be easy to deal with.

Once inside the elevator, Deng Yan lowered his voice. "This Fan Jiaqian seems pretty tough. I’m worried she might hike up the price."

That concern was on Cheng Qiaobei’s mind as well. "Before their transition is complete, if the negotiation tomorrow doesn’t go well, we’ll contact Shao Kang immediately."

Deng Yan nodded in agreement.

Back in the room, Cheng Qiaobei finally saw the photo Lin Hanrui had sent, and he immediately called him.

Lin Hanrui hadn’t left yet and answered the call, "What do you think? Pretty thoughtful, huh? You’re not home, so I came to keep your wife company right away."

Cheng Qiaobei’s lips twitched slightly. "Thoughtful. Next time you’re not home, I’ll go keep your wife company."

This conversation was fine at first, but the more they thought about it, the more off it seemed.

"Uh?" Lin Hanrui only just realized the odd phrasing. "I meant taking care of her."

Cheng Qiaobei smirked mischievously, "So did I. Taking care of her."

Lin Hanrui stubbornly protested, "Your tone doesn’t sound right—what’s this about keeping someone company?"

Were it not for already knowing Lin Hanrui’s personality, misunderstandings like this could cause countless arguments.

Cheng Qiaobei said, "Just realized? Be more specific next time—it’s easy to misunderstand."

Lin Hanrui asked him, "I have a flight to Wuyuan tomorrow afternoon. Think we’ll meet up?"

Cheng Qiaobei interrupted, "Even if you hadn’t called me, I would’ve called you first. Cancel your flight ticket."

When something pre-scheduled gets disrupted, it’s uncharacteristic of Cheng Qiaobei’s typical way of handling things.

"What happened?" Lin Hanrui asked.

Slouching lazily into the couch, Cheng Qiaobei leaned back and explained the information Deng Yan had uncovered.

"Damn, this boss is slick—splits up but still gives the mistress a hotel. Respect, respect."

Cheng Qiaobei responded, "Slick or not, when I went through the lobby just now, the receptionist was being yelled at by this ’little boss lady’ on the phone."

"That feisty?" Lin Hanrui asked. "Do you think this deal can still go through?"

This was precisely why Cheng Qiaobei wasn’t in a rush to have Lin Hanrui come over—if negotiations truly fell apart, there’d be no point in him making the trip.

"We’ll find out tomorrow when we meet her," Cheng Qiaobei said, not wanting to jump to conclusions.

Looking at the dining area where the two women were chatting, Lin Hanrui stepped out onto the balcony and teased, "If she’s managed to become a mistress, she’s probably good-looking. If she doesn’t agree to the deal, you might have to take one for the team and seduce her."

Cheng Qiaobei scoffed, "Not interested. I only have a taste for home-cooked meals. Unlike you, who loves dining out. Maybe you shouldn’t cancel your flight—come here and contribute to the hotel by offering yourself."

"Hehehe..." Lin Hanrui snickered shamelessly. "That depends on her looks. If she’s pretty, has a big chest, and long legs, I wouldn’t mind sacrificing for your career."

"Oh?" Cheng Qiaobei raised an eyebrow. "Big talk—sacrificing for my career."

"Of course, us bros don’t distinguish between mine and yours. This isn’t about dining out. It’s purely an effort to support a brother’s career." Lin Hanrui said this purely to be cheeky—even if you dared him, he wouldn’t actually do it.

Cheng Qiaobei threatened him, "I’ve recorded this call."

"..."

The receiver went quiet for a moment.

Faltering, Lin Hanrui stammered into the phone, crouching slightly and covering the mic as he apologized. "Uh... about earlier... I was joking, just joking. Leizi, I’m begging you here—I was just being dumb. Don’t take it seriously."

On the other end of the call, Cheng Qiaobei was laughing so hard his shoulders shook. "Respect—the way you dropped to your knees takes the cake. No recording—look at you freaking out."

Instantly, Lin Hanrui straightened his posture. "Can you not mess with me like that? You don’t realize what a scare you gave me—it’s deadly."

Cheng Qiaobei chuckled, "Control your mouth, and no one can scare you."

...

When they finally met Fan Jiaqian, it turned out the saying was true—Cheng Qiaobei just might have to take one for the team for his career.