Fated Love With the Billionaire

Chen Ningxi came to Youle Club for the first time and didn't know the interactions would be so intense. She could still feel her heart pounding after returning to her seat and finally understood Liang Lei's joy. For Liang Lei, it was nothing out of the ordinary, but because it involved Chen Ningxi, it excited her enough to scream.

"Ning Xi, I'll send you the video we just took, it's full of ambiguous vibes, your eyes were practically melting into each other, oh~~ I'm so jealous."

"Don't talk nonsense, it wasn't like that," Chen Ningxi noticed Cheng Qiaobei looking at her through the crowd, her cheeks flushing even hotter, she stood up saying, "I'm going to the restroom."

DJ Ayao switched to the next song, and Liang Lei turned around to yell, "Wow... this is my favorite song."

Xiao Chuan, speaking into the microphone, scanned the crowd and said, "It's getting lively now."

The next second, everyone started singing along, with Liang Lei having the loudest voice.

"sorry I just woke up from yesterday's binge, the girl I met the day before told me I have a nice body…"

Chen Ningxi couldn't quite make out their lyrics, but from their familiarity with them, she could tell they were regulars. She saw freedom and joy in these girls, thinking if she had been half as carefree as them, she wouldn't be living such a strictly regulated life.

The restroom was quieter than outside. Turning on the tap, cold water slipped through her fingers. Chen Ningxi cooled her burning face with her cool, wet hand, and the image of Xiao Chuan coming closer appeared in her mind—his deep eyes, long eyelashes, the bridge of his nose, and the ticklish feeling of his hair brushing her cheek as he offered her a rose, giving her an illusion of love.

These MCs were quite impressive, easily stirring up a woman's heart, and very adept at manipulating emotions.

Taking a deep breath... Chen Ningxi reminded herself to stay calm, not take it too seriously as it's all just stage effects.

Having adjusted her mindset, Chen Ningxi walked out and ran into Cheng Qiaobei coming towards her.

They passed each other without any comments, indescribable feelings surged—like being caught daydreaming about him, her steps quickened, and she dared not look back as she merged into the crowd, wishing she could just hide herself.

The club closed at half past two in the morning, and Chen Ningxi had to work the next day. Pulling Liang Lei close, she whispered in her ear, "I can't stay any longer, got work tomorrow, I'm leaving now."

Liang Lei, a night owl, responded, "Okay, just remember to call a rideshare."

"Got it."

Chen Ningxi said her goodbyes to everyone, and just as she stepped out of the club, Cheng Qiaobei followed.

She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see him.

"You're not playing anymore?" she asked.

Cheng Qiaobei replied, "No, I have to work tomorrow too, can you give me a ride since we're headed the same way?"

It would be inconvenient to refuse since they lived close.

Chen Ningxi took out her car keys and handed them to the rideshare driver. "Didn't you drive?"

"No."

Cheng Qiaobei got into the passenger seat, last time he had given her a ride, now roles were reversed.

The night was deep, yet not overly dark, tinted with a hint of blue, stars twinkling like tiny diamonds, not just people but everything seemed asleep.

The streets were silent and calm, most shops were closed, only their signs lit under the night sky, which added to the city's dreamlike and mysterious ambiance.

Neither of them spoke during the ride, Chen Ningxi sat in the backseat watching through the window, Cheng Qiaobei rested with his eyes closed. As they approached Chen Ningxi's residential block, Cheng Qiaobei opened his eyes, stretched his neck, and said, "Just drop me off by the roadside."

Chen Ningxi responded, "It's very late, I'll drop you off at your building."

Cheng Qiaobei chuckled, "No need for a girl to send a guy home. Just stop by the roadside; I can walk the rest."

Chen Ningxi insisted, "It's too late, not safe."

"I'm a grown man, what's not safe," Cheng Qiaobei said, then signalled the rideshare driver, "Buddy, stop by the roadside."

Before he could finish, Chen Ningxi instructed the driver not to stop and threatened not to pay the rideshare fee if he did; the driver sped past the entrance to the residential area.

Cheng Qiaobei turned to see Chen Ningxi smiling tenderly, reminiscent of the rose she had taken from the club.

The image suddenly overlapped with the time she was face to face with MC, and Cheng Qiaobei's gaze stiffened for a few seconds before he quietly withdrew his eyes.

The confined car was filled with the fragrance of roses, and the alcohol mixed with the floral scent was both seductive and mind-disturbing.

Cheng Qiaobei, trying to divert his attention, asked as his eyes landed on the roses in the cup holder:

"Do you like flowers?"

Chen Ningxi, thinking Cheng Qiaobei was referring to that day's incident, her expression faded, "No, I don't like them."

Seeing her lack of interest, there was no need to continue this topic, "…Oh."

At the entrance of the residential area, Cheng Qiaobei thanked her and got out of the car, just as he was about to close the door, he leaned back in to take the rose from the cup holder.

"Hey... why are you taking my flower?"

Cheng Qiaobei replied as if it was only natural, "You said you didn't like them."

"I…" Chen Ningxi opened her mouth but then faltered.

With a bang, the car door closed.

She muttered to herself, "I said I didn't like the flowers from Guo Heming, not that I didn't like the flowers tonight."

Cheng Qiaobei heard the sound of the car engine fading away before he turned to watch the direction the car left, his gaze deep, hiding many emotions.

That night, some inexplicable bond between them had formed; he looked up at the sky and then down at the rose in his hand, feeling odd himself, maybe it was just too cold.

Inside the bathroom, steam rose and Cheng Qiaobei comfortably sighed while sitting in the bathtub. Looking at the rose in the glass, Chen Ningxi and MC's intimate interactions flashed through his mind again. He got up from the bathtub, grabbed a towel to wrap around his waist, and wiped off the fog from the mirror, comparing his own physique to MC's—not inferior.

Before going to sleep, Cheng Qiaobei booked a flight to go out of town, leaving a message for his secretary that he would be on a business trip for a week.

—Life is unpredictable; it seems like the people we like always come unexpectedly.

Since parting ways at Youle Club, Chen Ningxi hadn't heard from Cheng Qiaobei again, and they hadn't been in contact since. Her life returned to its usual blandness and busyness.

She thought Guo Heming had disappeared until early Saturday morning when she received a call from her mother, Ye Yujun.

"Ning Xi, are you at home?"

Chen Ningxi was still half-asleep, her voice lazy, "Mhm."

"Little Guo is here, come back for a bit."

Hearing his name full woke Chen Ningxi up, sitting up, "What is he doing? We've broken up."

Ye Yujun was in the kitchen, glancing into the living room, lowered her voice: "He came bearing gifts, apologizing as soon as he walked in, explaining a lot. If it's inconvenient for you, I'll ask him to leave."

Chen Ningxi almost cursed out loud, "What's he doing at your place, is he sick!" But then thought better of it, not wanting to involve her parents in her own issues, and decided to go home, "Mom, I'm coming back now,… is dad home?"

Ye Yujun said: "He went to the city for a meeting yesterday, has not returned."

Luckily, Chen Ningxi breathed a sigh of relief, "Okay, I know, I'm on my way back now."

Chen Ningxi quickly got ready and grabbed her car keys to leave; the journey which usually took half an hour took less than twenty minutes.

As soon as she entered and saw Guo Heming's leather shoes on the doormat, anger surged within her; storming into the living room, she confronted Guo Heming without hiding her displeasure.

"What are you doing here at my mom's place?"

Guo Heming stood up cautiously, with a servile smile, said, "I came to deliver river crabs, I was on a business trip to Panshan, the local river crabs are a specialty. I remembered aunt likes them so I bought some to bring over."

Pretending to be so filial and considerate; she hated his hypocrisy, now pretending to be a decent person, but behind the scenes committing indecent acts.

Chen Ningxi restrained her anger, "Guo Heming, stop pretending. I gave you a chance to save face but you insist on causing a scene in front of my mother. Fine, you're going to get scolded right here."