Fated Love With the Billionaire
Chapter 368: I Have a Problem

Chapter 368: Chapter 368: I Have a Problem

Cheng Qiaobei walked out of the room with the documents, while on the other side of the wall, Deng Yan looked toward the door upon hearing it close.

At this moment, the clock showed 10:03. Wei Lai’s dialog window on the laptop popped up with another message.

Wei Lai: Find some time to look over the contract. If there are no issues, I’ll send it to the other party.

Deng Yan retracted his gaze, saved the document first, and then typed: Call Cheng in half an hour and remind him to reply to the client’s message.

Wei Lai felt puzzled, not understanding why she needed to remind them, given they lived so close to each other.

Wei Lai: What about you?

Deng Yan: I need to review the contract.

Wei Lai: Got it.

A contract takes at most ten-odd minutes to review, does it really require half an hour?

Deng Yan: I bought some specialties from Wuyuan this afternoon and mailed them to the company. They should arrive tomorrow—remember to sign for them.

Wei Lai chuckled at the screen.

Wei Lai: Thank you. Because of you, the four seasons feel warm.

Deng Yan’s lips curved upward slightly.

Ding! The elevator doors opened.

Cheng Qiaobei strode out of the carriage briskly,

when he stopped in front of Room 508, the door was ajar. Rather than entering directly, he politely knocked.

Knock, knock, knock.

Footsteps from a woman sounded within the room, followed by the door opening. Fan Jiaqian appeared before Cheng Qiaobei, dressed in a black strappy long dress.

"Manager Cheng, please come in."

Cheng Qiaobei glanced past her, noting that this was a themed romance room.

Fan Jiaqian also caught on to his unusual gaze but merely smiled and twisted her waist as she walked deeper inside.

Next to the large bed draped in white gauzy curtains stood a dim atmosphere lamp. Through the glass wall, red rose petals floated on the water surface of the bathtub. Candles and incense were lit on the windowsill, while a bottle of red wine rested on the coffee table.

Fan Jiaqian sat down by the sofa, crossing one snow-white leg over the other. She tossed her long hair and exuded charm from both her brows and eyes.

"Please, have a seat, Manager Cheng." Fan Jiaqian poured two glasses of red wine, handing one to Cheng Qiaobei.

He said expressionlessly, "Manager Fan, save the celebratory drink for after we sign the contract."

Fan Jiaqian was equally composed, "Drinking cheers you up. Isn’t that what gets contracts signed?"

Cheng Qiaobei wasn’t one to be swayed. He took the wine glass but set it aside, saying, "My company has an established rule—we don’t discuss business over drinks."

Fan Jiaqian chuckled, "This isn’t exactly a drinking table, is it?"

Cheng Qiaobei exuded authority without anger, staring directly at Fan Jiaqian. He didn’t answer her question but spoke according to his own rhythm:

"Shao Kang left you this hotel. To put it bluntly, he doesn’t want to see you succeed; he wants to see you lose money—everything you’ve got. So, are you planning to follow his script now?"

Fan Jiaqian froze slightly; her expression subtly shifted. Unconsciously, she toned down her flirtatious demeanor, though inside, she was scrolling through memories of Shao Kang’s abrupt indifference toward her.

"What do you mean?"

"Manager Fan, I think you’re a smart woman."

"Ha," Fan Jiaqian scoffed discontentedly, simmering with anger over being dumped by Shao Kang.

Cheng Qiaobei continued, "He opened five hotels in Wuyuan, handing you the ones that were losing money. He called it compensation for your youth, but it’s more like a dismissive gesture. If you want to win, sign this contract; I guarantee you’ll earn more than Shao Kang within three years."

"Why should I believe you?" Fan Jiaqian entertained some interest.

Cheng Qiaobei excelled at understanding people’s hearts, and even better at catching human nature. Tonight, Fan Jiaqian’s intention was to seduce him, but handling her didn’t need to escalate into irreparable consequences—business, not enemies, was his goal.

This deal in Wuyuan was a critical strategic move for market expansion; it had to be secured.

So, with her, all it took was benefits—she couldn’t possibly resist temptation.

Cheng Qiaobei said, "Anyone in the hotel industry knows that the name Cheng Qiaobei carries weight. The opportunity is right here. The only question is whether you’ll seize it."

Fan Jiaqian’s gaze almost glued itself to the contract, but deep down, she refused to believe that any man could resist temptation.

She picked up Cheng Qiaobei’s wine glass, walked over to him, and sat beside him, her body slowly leaning close while her hand slid down along his leg. She said, "I’ll sign the contract, but you have to drink this glass."

Was this about drinking wine? No, this was about taking control of his weakness.

Cheng Qiaobei grabbed her wrist and removed her hand, smiling faintly, "I have a problem."

"Huh?" Fan Jiaqian assumed he had some physical issue, "It can’t be, can it? You’re tall and strong, isn’t it... functional?"

Cheng Qiaobei laughed, "My problem is, apart from my wife, I’m not interested in other women."

Playing hard to get?

Fan Jiaqian drank the wine herself, "You’ve never tried me, how do you know you’re not interested?"

She set down the glass and began climbing onto Cheng Qiaobei, but he pushed her away firmly, his cold voice even harsher than his expression.

"If you keep this up, you’ll forever be Shao Kang’s plaything. Last time I negotiated a deal with Shao Kang, he was picked up by a young girl—do you know what car she drove? A million-dollar luxury car. What do you drive? You should know in your heart. He has money but won’t spend it on you. Are you planning to keep muddling through like this? After suffering such humiliation, you still want men? Can’t survive without a man?"

Awakened by his rebuke, Fan Jiaqian’s face flushed red. She turned her head away, clenching her fingers tightly.

Cheng Qiaobei picked up the contract on the table. "If you don’t want to discuss this, it’s fine."

Seeing him about to leave, Fan Jiaqian hastily stopped him, "Wait."

Cheng Qiaobei stood a step away, looking down at the woman on the sofa from above.

Fan Jiaqian reached out awkwardly, "...I’ll sign."

Cheng Qiaobei walked over to the table, placed the contract back down, and set the pen beside it. He tapped his finger on the tabletop.

"Sit here and sign properly."

The coffee table bore wine, but the tabletop bore a contract.

Fan Jiaqian walked to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down. She picked up the pen and signed her name neatly.

Cheng Qiaobei stored the contract away, saying, "I’ve observed while staying here these past two days—the hotel’s interior doesn’t need renovations. Just replace the external signage. I’ll send a team over for the replacement, and our company will cover the cost. If there’s anything you’re unclear about, feel free to contact Manager Deng anytime."

Fan Jiaqian nodded while clutching the contract. The shawl on her shoulder slid down, and she quickly pulled up her clothing, feeling profoundly humiliated inside.

Last time was intentional; this time was accidental.

Fan Jiaqian escorted Cheng Qiaobei to the door, saying, "I’ve always thought no man could resist temptation—they just love the thrill."

Cheng Qiaobei stepped out of the room and suddenly turned back, saying, "There’s always an exception to everything."

Fan Jiaqian’s mood dipped low, "I know. A woman like me is beneath you, and you don’t respect me."

Cheng Qiaobei replied solemnly, "I came looking for a business partner. If you didn’t have the ability, you wouldn’t even have a chance to sign this contract."

Fan Jiaqian’s eyes lit up with sudden realization, "You think I have what it takes?"

Cheng Qiaobei said, "What I think doesn’t matter. What matters is how you see yourself."

The reason he gave Fan Jiaqian another chance was her tendency, when aware her initial purpose couldn’t be immediately achieved, to retreat and give herself a buffer for adjustment. After he made the stakes clear, she could make a sober and rational choice—that was Fan Jiaqian’s strength.

Fan Jiaqian nodded, "Manager Cheng, I’m sorry about tonight’s events. I hope you forget all of it. Take care."

Cheng Qiaobei turned to leave, and the door behind him closed. At the same time, his phone in his pocket rang.

He picked up the call, "Hello?"

Wei Lai said, "Deng Yan asked me to remind you—you should call back the client now."

Cheng Qiaobei chuckled slightly, "Got it."