Fated Love With the Billionaire
Chapter 85: Delicate and Gentle, Yet with a Strong Character

Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Delicate and Gentle, Yet with a Strong Character

When the story began, we were willing to pay for our crush; when the story ended, paying the bill also became the last easygoing gesture.

She believed Cheng Qiaobei’s impulse was a true expression of his feelings at that moment, but who would pay for the consequences of such an impulse?

Chen Ningxi stiffened, her instinctive reaction already revealing her attitude. Cheng Qiaobei knew she wasn’t ready and slowly released her with a smile, saying,

"I was just teasing you."

Smart people don’t need to say things too bluntly, as making things clear only makes oneself look bad. Chen Ningxi followed his lead and treated it as a joke, replying,

"Stop teasing, go check if Auntie has arrived at the entrance."

Cheng Qiaobei glanced at his watch; there were ten minutes until the agreed time. "She should be here soon. It’s a bit of a traffic jam in Ningkou tonight; she’s probably on the way. I’ll call her and ask."

"No, calling would make it seem like I’m urging her," Chen Ningxi stopped him.

"I’ll go to the entrance and check." Cheng Qiaobei got up reluctantly to meet her at the door.

Meeting through the restaurant, Chen Ningxi noticed the cold relationship between him and his mother, but she wasn’t saintly enough to advise Cheng Qiaobei to let go of the past and reconcile the grievances.

As the saying goes, you can’t advise someone to be kind if you haven’t suffered their pain.

Ding Yuan arrived precisely on time at the restaurant. As she got out of the car, she saw Cheng Qiaobei waiting for her by the parking lot.

Going upstairs, she glanced indifferently at Cheng Qiaobei, "Is having a meal worth being in such a hurry?"

Cheng Qiaobei took a deep breath, not wanting to ruin the atmosphere tonight or affect his own mood.

He said, "The weather’s a bit heavy, and your eyesight gets poor at night, so I came to guide you."

Ding Yuan paused, surprisingly not retorting, and didn’t deliberately look for trouble, "Oh... There was a traffic jam on Qiaonian Road, or I would’ve arrived earlier."

Cheng Qiaobei didn’t expect Ding Yuan to explain and led her into the restaurant.

"Take this path; some slabs on the other route are loose, and you might sprain your ankle."

Ding Yuan was silent for a moment, "...Oh."

Their way of interacting suddenly changed, making both of them feel awkward. It wasn’t as satisfying as their usual bickering.

Ding Yuan walked into the hall, and the manager greeted her as if she were the God of Wealth. Ding Yuan was famously one of the local wealthy women in Ningkou, not only rich but also generous.

The manager beamed and greeted her warmly, "Ding, it’s been a while since you came by. Today I was thinking of calling to check on you, and look, you appear as soon as you’re thought of."

Ding Yuan said, "Make sure the seafood, like Australian lobsters, king crabs, deep-sea fish, and sweet shrimp, are fresh."

"Sure, I’ll arrange that right away." The manager personally escorted them to the private room, and most of the dishes were already ordered.

Before opening the door, Cheng Qiaobei reminded, "Mom, try not to be so sarcastic when you speak today."

Ding Yuan finally found a familiar feeling, frowning impatiently at Cheng Qiaobei, "Aren’t you annoyingly repetitive? Didn’t I agree to that already?"

Cheng Qiaobei took a deep breath and pushed the door open, "Let’s go in."

Chen Ningxi, feeling bored, was fiddling with her phone and immediately put it away when she heard the door open. She stood up steadily, smilingly and politely greeting.

"Auntie, hello."

Ding Yuan lost her initial coldness but wasn’t exactly enthusiastic. "Have you been waiting long?"

Chen Ningxi: "No, we just got here as well."

She brought a gift, and Ding Yuan sat in the main seat, looking very much like the grand madam of a prestigious family, scanning the item in Chen Ningxi’s hand without much interest.

"Auntie, I wasn’t sure what you like for our first meeting, so I picked a few according to my thoughts." Chen Ningxi opened the jewelry box containing the bracelets, "I saw these Nephrite Jade bracelets and thought... Well, it can’t be explained, but I wanted to buy them for you, as I felt they’d look particularly elegant and graceful on you."

Ding Yuan knew she was sweet-talking, but she didn’t expect Chen Ningxi could adapt so well. Her gaze fell on the bracelets, which were modest and unpretentious yet smooth and graceful, with color resembling the beautiful clouds at dusk. They were smooth and cool to the touch; no one could refuse such exquisite sugar-white jade.

"These bracelets aren’t cheap, are they?" Ding Yuan smiled at the corners of her eyes.

Chen Ningxi said, "As long as you like them."

Never mentioning the price, showing her expertise.

"Here’s a set of skincare products, donkey-hide gelatin, and perfume for you to take home and look at slowly," Chen Ningxi said, "Try on the bracelets first to see if they fit."

Ding Yuan raised her hand while her smile deepened when the bracelet slipped over her wrist. It fit perfectly, not too large or small.

"This is just perfect, like it was custom-made for you."

Ding Yuan didn’t look at the other three items, only gesturing to Cheng Qiaobei, "Put the gifts on the table, and have them sent to my car when I leave."

Cheng Qiaobei turned to place the gift box accordingly, surprised that a pair of bracelets could smooth out her temper. She was the first girl his mom hadn’t made things difficult for. When he turned back, he even saw Ding Yuan pulling a thick wad of red envelopes from her bag, wrapped in red paper.

"Auntie, I can’t accept this." Chen Ningxi withdrew her hand.

Ding Yuan clasped her wrist, placing the red envelope in her palm, "Ning Xi, can you refuse a red envelope I give you?"

Chen Ningxi glanced at Cheng Qiaobei, who said, "Go ahead and take it."

"Thank you, Auntie."

Ding Yuan usually bore a proud, noble expression, but now there was rare affection and indulgence in her look.

"Come, sit next to me," Ding Yuan gestured. Chen Ningxi had originally been sitting a little way from Cheng Qiaobei. This change put him at the far end.

Ding Yuan said, "I saw what you ordered for lunch and can guess; you like seafood, right?"

"Did you notice?" Chen Ningxi was surprised and a bit embarrassed, "Oh, it’s so embarrassing to give you such a gluttonous impression on our first meeting."

Ding Yuan laughed, her smile radiant and even smoothing out the crow’s feet at her eyes, "What’s wrong with that? Girls who can eat are blessed. Being a foodie is fine. Back when Qiao Bei’s father knew I liked Lu Zhou’s local fish, he even flew me out there to have it."

After finishing, her smile faded, as if recalling something sorrowful. Chen Ningxi pretended not to notice and quickly changed the topic, "I also love eating the fish from a local Luzhou restaurant; there’s one called Desheng Restaurant or Dexing..."

Ding Yuan’s eyes sparkled as she corrected, "Dexing Restaurant."

"Yes, Dexing Restaurant, wow... Their chef is amazing; the fish is extraordinary."

Ding Yuan said, "...Next time, accompany Auntie to have it there?"

Cheng Qiaobei was momentarily incredulous, seeing a cautious anticipation and the anxiety of awaiting an answer on her face. He hadn’t seen her so vibrant for a long time, and it made him a little sad.

Chen Ningxi readily agreed, "Sure."

The box door was pushed open by a server, as the manager came in to serve the dishes, interrupting their conversation.

Ding Yuan ignored the manager announcing the dishes and said to Chen Ningxi, "It’s settled, right?"

Chen Ningxi said, "I don’t get many days off; apart from weekends, I’d have to wait for May Day or National Day."

"Okay, let’s aim for May Day then. I’ll call ahead to book a spot."

Chen Ningxi paused briefly, but soon agreed, "If I’m not on duty at work, I’ll definitely go with you."

"Alright, I’ll wait for your message." Ding Yuan set the sweet shrimp directly in front of Chen Ningxi, "You like sweet shrimp, you can have the whole plate."

Chen Ningxi was rather flattered and cast a little look at Cheng Qiaobei, who gave her a slight smile.

He understood that what Ding Yuan appreciated wasn’t the bracelet itself, but the thoughtfulness of a person. His father used to say his mother was high-maintenance, but she never changed, only he did.

She was unwilling to be abandoned by someone she deemed important. Over time, what was taken wasn’t just her beauty but also the love and care she once had.

Cheng Qiaobei finally glimpsed the brilliance of her soul and was reminded of the framed words his father had written for her on her dressing table—

"Graceful and gentle, yet with her own bones."