Fated Love With the Billionaire
Chapter 45 Formal Introduction

Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Formal Introduction

Danjiang’s winter had a distinct aroma, with the cool air seeping into your nose and the crispness after a heavy snowfall. In short, you could smell a northern winter coming.

Cheng Qiaobei no longer needed Chen Ningxi as his human GPS. As they neared Forest Bubble Hall, Chen Ningxi called Liang Lei.

"Are you there?"

Liang Lei: "Yes, I’m in the lobby waiting for you."

Chen Ningxi glanced at Cheng Qiaobei through the car’s rearview mirror. "Uh... I brought a friend along."

Liang Lei assumed it was a female friend. "Sure, the more, the merrier."

Chen Ningxi laughed. "Wait for us."

After hanging up, Cheng Qiaobei smirked. "Aren’t you afraid Liang Lei will be shocked when she sees me since you didn’t mention bringing a guy?"

Chen Ningxi could already imagine the scene. "It’s a surprise for her."

Cheng Qiaobei raised his eyebrows slightly, wearing an amused expression.

The car parked in the plaza in front of the bathing center, and the two of them walked into the lobby one after the other. Liang Lei sat in a sofa chair facing the door, and when she saw Chen Ningxi enter, she grabbed her down jacket and handbag and hurried over to greet her. "It’s the weekend, quite a crowd today."

Before she could finish her sentence, she spotted Cheng Qiaobei behind Chen Ningxi. She froze for a couple of seconds, initially wanting to comment on the coincidence of meeting him, only to realize Cheng Qiaobei was following Chen Ningxi’s lead toward her.

"Did you two meet at the entrance?"

Cheng Qiaobei looked to Chen Ningxi, waiting for her to deliver the surprise.

Chen Ningxi said, "He gave me a ride."

"So you two met on the way here, what a coincidence."

Liang Lei could never have guessed they had become a couple. In Liang Lei’s memory, Chen Ningxi had mentioned that she definitely wanted to find someone within the system to be with.

Chen Ningxi shyly continued, "Let me formally introduce: This is my boyfriend, Cheng Qiaobei."

Liang Lei blinked, still in shock. Cheng Qiaobei flashed a bright smile. "From now on, I’ll be hanging out with you guys, so take good care of me."

Liang Lei exclaimed twice, "Oh my God," and with great surprise asked, "You guys are something! How long has this been going on? How did I not know? Last time, when I suggested introducing him to you, you said no need, and then you made a move yourself? Ningxi, you’ve turned bad."

"Who’s turned bad?" Chen Ningxi nudged Liang Lei toward the front desk. "Come on, are we getting a bath or not?"

They each received a locker key at the front desk and headed to the men’s and women’s changing rooms.

From the moment they went inside, Liang Lei’s radar was on full blast, asking thoroughly about the couple’s story. Hearing about how Cheng Qiaobei had confessed first made Liang Lei so excited that she couldn’t help but scream in the baths.

"Ahhh... I never expected it, really didn’t expect it at all. Cheng Qiaobei, that cold kind of man, couldn’t hold it in first. Oh my, tsk tsk, you really can’t judge a man by his appearance. When he came to our club that day, so many female team members were interested in him and tried to strike up conversations, but he was quite indifferent and hardly responded at all. Oh my... hahaha..." Liang Lei stomped her feet. "Finally, the charming ones are ruled by fate, and you really did me proud by snagging the hottest guy in the club. Oh, Ningxi... hahahaha... I’m so happy for you."

Chen Ningxi noticed the strange looks from people around them and tugged at Liang Lei’s hand. "Keep it down, everyone can hear you."

Only then did Liang Lei restrain herself, but the grin tugging at her lips still betrayed her inner excitement.

Chen Ningxi said, "Look at you giggling like a fool, anyone who doesn’t know would think you’re the one in love."

"Do you understand that feeling? Our club has so many beauties, wealth, looks, and figures, yet he only likes my friend." Liang Lei leaned on Chen Ningxi’s shoulder. "I’m proud of you."

Chen Ningxi got goosebumps all over, recoiling her shoulder and pushing Liang Lei away, speaking with a helpless smile. "Alright, we haven’t even scrubbed yet, don’t inch any closer, or else we’ll scrub dirt out later."

"Speaking of scrubbing, haven’t we soaked long enough? Isn’t it time for our turn?"

The two stepped out of the bath and walked to the scrubbing area.

Lying on the table, Liang Lei told the lady scrubbing them, "Ma’am, we’d both like the honey milk treatment."

By the end of the full treatment, an hour and a half had passed. They changed into bathrobes and walked through the passageway to the second floor, with Liang Lei asking on the way:

"Does he know to wait on the second floor?"

Chen Ningxi said, "He knows, he messaged me."

Liang Lei smiled meaningfully. "He’s quite considerate."

Chen Ningxi said, "Whether he’s considerate or not is yet to be seen. We’ve just started dating, and we’re still in the adjustment period. Even if he has flaws, he can pretend for a while. I need some time to observe him."

Liang Lei disliked how she approached everything with such a calm demeanor. "What’s the point of dating if not for a passionate, reckless, future-unconcerned relationship, completely immersed in the process? Why worry, think about it so much? What advantages or flaws, whether you’re compatible or not, even an observation period. By the time you finish observing, he could be at his cooling-off stage, you’d never be in sync, ending up only with going your separate ways.

Think of Guo Heming earlier, wasn’t he an example?"

Her words, even though not entirely right, did remind Chen Ningxi.

Liang Lei feared her words might have struck too deeply and harmed Chen Ningxi, so she softened her tone. "Ningxi, I just hope you’re happy, whoever you’re with."

Chen Ningxi curved her lips into a smile.

The second floor had a sauna and a buffet. After finishing the sauna and freshening up, they went to the buffet area to find Cheng Qiaobei.

He had already picked a spot by the window and waved at them.

Chen Ningxi said, "Have you been waiting long?"

Cheng Qiaobei noticed the slight sheen of sweat on Chen Ningxi’s forehead and pulled a tissue to dab at it. "Let’s switch to a seat inside? I worry you’ll catch a chill sitting by the window."

"Oh wow," Liang Lei, the avid spectator, laughed watching the two of them. "How considerate!"

Chen Ningxi felt embarrassed. "No need, this spot is good."

At this moment, the floor-to-ceiling windows allowed the warm sunlight to wash over them, creating a cozy feeling without any discomfort.

"Liang Lei, I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I got the things Ningxi likes. Anything else you want, I can get it for you." Cheng Qiaobei courteously pulled out two chairs.

Liang Lei said, "No need, I’ll take a stroll and pick myself what I like."

Giving the two some alone time, Liang Lei also wanted to further observe Cheng Qiaobei, after all, Chen Ningxi was her best friend.

She was a VIP at Bubble Hall and knew the manager. Seizing a chance while getting food, Liang Lei called him over.

"Manager Qian, you’ve been busy today?"

Manager Qian was overseeing the dining area’s cleanliness when he turned around to see Liang Lei. "Indeed, the place is packed today."

Liang Lei’s gaze turned to the table near the window and asked Manager Qian, "Did you see that gentleman at the table, third from the window?"

Manager Qian chuckled, "Yes, saw him, hard not to notice someone that handsome."

Liang Lei asked again, "Could you do me a favor and ask today’s servers if he approached any women to chat?"

Manager Qian was surprised. "Do you know him?"

Liang Lei grinned knowingly. "He’s my girlfriend’s boyfriend."

Manager Qian agreed without hesitation. "Sure thing."

Liang Lei then nonchalantly went back to browsing the buffet area.

Some high-ranking playboys couldn’t be easily exposed.

Precisely because they excelled in education, height, looks, and money, that’s what attracted the finest catches.

So, in Liang Lei’s eyes, meeting a man excellent in every aspect called for extra caution.