Fated Love With the Billionaire
Chapter 459: Don’t Overthink

Chapter 459: Chapter 459: Don’t Overthink

The weekend always seems to pass especially quickly. The two were about to set off back to Danjiang.

Cheng Qiaobei went to the parking lot to fetch the car, while Chen Ningxi was upstairs packing. Zou Yong’s voice came from the yard.

"Qiaobei, Ning Xi?"

Chen Ningxi ran to the balcony at the sound, looking at the person at the gate and responding, "Mr. Zou, you’re looking for Qiaobei? He went to the parking lot for the car."

Zou Yong pushed open the door and walked into the yard, looking up at the person upstairs, "Ning Xi, I bought you some stuff to take back, and there’s something for your parents too."

Chen Ningxi leaned against the railing with both hands, "Wait a moment, Mr. Zou."

She pulled down her suitcase and walked downstairs. Zou Yong came to the living room, put two boxes of specialties on the table, and trotted upstairs, extending his hand, "Give it to me."

"It’s not heavy, I can manage."

"Let me have it." Zou Yong took it from her.

Chen Ningxi followed him downstairs, explaining, "Inside are just clothes and my skincare products, as well as Qiaobei’s notebook. It’s really not heavy."

Zou Yong placed the suitcase by the door, returned and said, "These two boxes of wild ginseng are for your dad to take back, and this box contains honey and bird’s nest for your mom. These two crates of local strawberries, I saw you liked them yesterday, so I picked them up when I encountered them along the way."

Usually, Zou Yong frequented visits with the Chen Family, never forgetting to bring gifts and specialties when returning from trips. The things he gave weren’t expensive but were thoughtful, naturally, the Chen Family reciprocated in kind, making the relationship between the two families good. Seeing the things Zou Yong brought, Chen Ningxi didn’t reject them.

"Two crates, I can’t finish them, take one back for my aunt." Chen Ningxi lifted a crate and placed it by his side.

Zou Yong waved his hand, "I bought some for your aunt, in the car."

Chen Ningxi accompanied Zou Yong, talking in the courtyard. Zou Yong asked, "Cheng drank too much last night, I let him sleep at my place, but he insisted on coming back."

"How much did you drink last night?" Chen Ningxi asked.

Zou Yong said, "Not much, a bottle maybe."

Chen Ningxi: "White liquor?"

"Yeah." Zou Yong took out a cigarette and lit it; as the wind blew, the smoke drifted towards Chen Ningxi. He quickly raised his hand to disperse the smoke and moved to her other side, standing with his back to her.

Seeing Cheng Qiaobei hadn’t returned after quite a while, Chen Ningxi took out her phone, dialing as she said, "No wonder, I woke up to a room filled with the smell of alcohol. Next time, don’t drink so much, it’s bad for your health. You too should take care of yourself. Since I quit drinking, my health check reports are all normal this time. You should get a health check-up when you have time."

Zou Yong took a deep drag on his cigarette and slowly exhaled, "Okay, I’ll go when I have time."

"Qiaobei, where are you? Still not back yet." Chen Ningxi walked to a tree nearby, "No need to buy more, Mr. Zou brought some for me, even gifts for my mom and dad."

Zou Yong glanced at the person under the tree. She turned to look at him, and Chen Ningxi said, "Qiaobei also wanted to buy strawberries."

Zou Yong laughed while taking a drag on his cigarette, "Tell him to come back."

Chen Ningxi hung up the phone, and Zou Yong stubbed out his cigarette, saying, "I talked with Qiaobei about the collaboration last night. I still have high hopes for ’Eastern First-class,’ but there are many details to be smoothed out."

Regarding business matters, Chen Ningxi neither interfered nor understood, "Since it’s a collaboration, the goal is naturally to maximize benefits. Being cautious is wise."

Zou Yong nodded, "Do you usually ask about Qiao Bei Company’s affairs?"

Chen Ningxi shook her head, "I don’t understand, nor can I help, so I don’t ask. When he comes home, he rarely talks about company matters."

Zou Yong said, "That’s good. There’s no need to bring worries home."

Chen Ningxi detected an implied meaning in the conversation, "Is Qiao Bei Company facing trouble?"

Zou Yong’s expression slightly stiffened but quickly returned to normal, smiling as he said, "No, don’t overthink, and you still have me, Mr. Zou."

Although he covered it well, Chen Ningxi could still sense that Cheng Qiaobei must be hiding something from her.

"Mr. Zou," Chen Ningxi asked seriously, "What exactly is Qiao Bei Company facing?"

Zou Yong smiled and turned to walk indoors, "Nothing, don’t worry."

Chen Ningxi followed him inside, "What’s going on? Don’t make me worry."

Zou Yong reassured her, "Running a company has its ups and downs, which is normal. Currently, ’Eastern First-class’ wants to break through its development bottleneck, needing an injection of funds. However, his current cash flow is quite tight, and if they maintain the current status, the brand will soon be pushed into the second and third-tier lower-end markets. Imagine, his clientele shifts from high-end customers to middle and lower-end consumers. Over time, profits decrease while costs remain unchanged, what do you think will happen to the company eventually."

Chen Ningxi understood Cheng Qiaobei’s predicament.

Zou Yong said, "Don’t let him know I told you these things. No matter how good your relationship is, men have pride, especially Cheng Qiaobei, whose self-esteem is strong and doesn’t want you to see his shortcomings."

Chen Ningxi nodded, "I understand, I won’t say anything."

Brakes screeched outside the door, Zou Yong nodded towards the door, "He’s back now, I’ll move the stuff to the car for you."

Chen Ningxi reached out and managed to grab a bag, "I’ll handle these myself."

As Cheng Qiaobei entered, he saw Zou Yong holding a suitcase in one hand and a gift box in the other, the two meeting each other directly.

"Mr. Zou, give it to me," Cheng Qiaobei went to take them, but Zou Yong urged him, "Go open the trunk."

Cheng Qiaobei opened the trunk, took the suitcase, and placed it inside. Zou Yong put the gift boxes of specialties beside it, reminding him, "The honey is sealed in a glass jar; be careful not to break it while driving."

After closing the trunk, Zou Yong told Cheng Qiaobei, "Think over what we discussed last night when you get back."

Cheng Qiaobei replied calmly, "I will."

Zou Yong opened the passenger door, "Ning Xi, you get in the car first, I want to say a word to Qiaobei."

Chen Ningxi got in the car, Zou Yong closed the door and turned to talk to Cheng Qiaobei, "A bet agreement is just a way of collaboration. I believe in your ability. The agreement itself serves as an incentive for you. Because I believe in you and ’Eastern First-class,’ I proposed this plan to you."

Cheng Qiaobei simply said, "I’ll consider it."

Zou Yong looked him in the eye, "Get in the car, drive safely, and take it slowly."

He watched the Cayenne disappear at the intersection, then turned around and headed back to his residence.

As the car got onto the highway, Chen Ningxi asked, "What were you two talking about just now?"

Cheng Qiaobei looked composed, "Nothing much, just matters about the cooperation."

Chen Ningxi pressed her lips together, observing Cheng Qiaobei’s expression in the rearview mirror, but couldn’t detect anything unusual.

"How are you considering it?" Chen Ningxi asked.

Cheng Qiaobei focused on the vehicle overtaking from behind, "Cooperation is no small matter. There’s no hurry; I need to assess the risks first."

Chen Ningxi agreed with his thinking, "Is there no impact on the company now?"

Cheng Qiaobei’s tone was relaxed, "No, everything’s normal. Why did you suddenly think to ask about the company’s affairs?"

Chen Ningxi said, "You mentioned before, to develop, the company needs to attract investments, but you haven’t met a suitable investor. I’m worried that if this drags on longer, you’ll be under pressure."

Cheng Qiaobei freed his right hand to hold her hand, "I have a clear mind. Don’t worry."