Chen Ningxi and the engineers moved through the construction site, the deafening noise from the massive machines drowning out the phone notifications. After making a round of the site, they returned to the makeshift office made of temporary prefab units. Engineers, technicians, and construction workers took turns reporting on the project progress and the issues that needed solving.
By the ti the eting ended, it was almost two o’clock. The boxed lunches from the cafeteria had gone cold. Soone suggested going to a restaurant to eat, but Chen Ningxi knew the progress couldn’t be delayed. The morning was spent on civil engineering, and the afternoon involved checking the chanical and electrical sections, leaving little ti to waste. She joined everyone in making do with the cold lunchboxes.
When Chen Ningxi headed back from Donggou, it was already 4:30 in the afternoon, and she was so exhausted that she fell asleep in the car.
The driver parked the car in the courtyard and lowered his voice to call the woman in the back seat.
"Manager Chen, Manager Chen, we’re here."
"Uh..."
Chen Ningxi opened her eyes, seeing the familiar surroundings outside the car. "How did I fall asleep?"
Wang Xiaoqi laughed and said, "Running around the construction site all day, it’s normal. No one is made of iron."
Chen Ningxi checked the ti and said to Wang Xiaoqi, "Today was tough for you."
Wang Xiaoqi replied, "I’m just a driver. It’s what I’m supposed to do. By the way, your phone rang while you were asleep."
Only then did Chen Ningxi rember she had forgotten to reply to Cheng Qiaobei’s WeChat. She took out her phone from her pocket while heading toward the parking space.
At that ti, Cheng Qiaobei had been stuck with Lin Hanrui for so long that he started mocking him for not replying to ssages soon after getting married.
Chen Ningxi dialed Cheng Qiaobei’s phone number, and he picked up almost imdiately.
"Hello."
Chen Ningxi opened the car door and sat in the driver’s seat, "I went to the construction site today. It was too noisy to hear, and then I saw your ssages but got sidetracked, so I forgot. Sorry, honey."
Cheng Qiaobei didn’t really focus on the long string of explanations, except for the last sentence, which ward his heart.
"You don’t need to apologize. I know you’re busy."
His voice was so gentle, as Lin Hanrui would say, that it could almost drip water.
Chen Ningxi asked, "How did your eting go?"
"It went well. I’ll be managing Chairman Zheng’s three overseas hotels."
"Do you have to go abroad?"
"Yeah."
Cheng Qiaobei felt guilty that they would be spending little ti together so soon after getting married.
"I’ve already prepared a detailed renovation report, so I won’t be gone as long as before. I’ll co back to be with you in between."
Chen Ningxi never believed marriage should slow down one’s career. You have your career to focus on, and I have my work to handle. We connect spiritually, support each other’s ambitions, and et at the top as successful individuals.
To put it more clearly, Chen Ningxi was never soone who got lost in romance. She was rational and clear-headed in her career pursuits. Marriage and a partner were rely the cherry on top of life’s achievents.
Cheng Qiaobei was always drawn to the drive in Chen Ningxi. It was precisely because she was like an ever-moving clock, always moving forward.
What he admired was Chen Ningxi’s ntal world, and Chen Ningxi needed soone strong enough to accompany her spirit.
"I know you’re busy. Don’t worry about . You need to focus on your work," She sympathized with his current situation in the company, "Since you just took over the hotel, there are bound to be people waiting to see you slip. Don’t get distracted, achieve so results, and shut those mouths."
Suddenly, Chen Ningxi changed the topic, "Cheng Qiaobei, you’re not worried I’m going to cheat at ho, are you?"
"No, no," Cheng Qiaobei repeatedly denied, "Absolutely not. I trust you entirely. My wife has such awareness, such perspective, such high thinking, such vision. Initially, you didn’t even fancy , so how could you fancy anyone else? As far as I know, no one around you looks better than ."
"Pfft..." Lin Hanrui spat tea, quickly grabbing tissues to wipe it up, remarking to himself, "I’ve t people with no sha, but never soone this shaless, saying no one looks better than him around you. Tsk, tsk, tsk..."
Cheng Qiaobei’s long eyes lifted, forming a charming arc as he looked at Lin Hanrui, clearly conveying, "Bro, I’m handso, what can you do about it?"
Chen Ningxi said, "You’re quite confident, aren’t you, Manager Cheng?"
As the sky darkened, Cheng Qiaobei said, "I just called Dad. He’ll be ho in half an hour. When are you getting off work?"
Chen Ningxi replied, "I’m about to leave now."
Cheng Qiaobei asked, "Do we need to buy anything?"
He motioned to Lin Hanrui by waving his hand, signaling he was leaving.
"No need, my mom should have everything ready."
"Mom called at noon, said she prepared everything, and insisted I don’t cook. She absolutely won’t let near the kitchen."
"You have no idea. When Dad’s ho, Mom’s always the one cooking. He’s spent a lifeti eating her food, even says my cooking doesn’t suit his taste." Chen Ningxi started the car, "Alright, I’m about to drive."
Cheng Qiaobei put away his phone and started the car, heading toward the Chen Family’s house.
Approaching the community gate, Cheng Qiaobei received a call, the screen displaying a string of unfamiliar numbers. Unconcerned, he answered through the car’s hands-free system.
"Hello."
A gentle female voice said, "Long ti no see, Cheng Qiaobei."
Cheng Qiaobei paused, "...What made you think of calling ?"
"I returned to the country. Where are you?"
Clearly, she was excited to call him.
Cheng Qiaobei looked at the residential building in front of him, nearing the building of the Chen Family.
He said, "Heading to my wife’s house for dinner."
"..."
There was a long silence on the other end before the woman’s voice returned, "... You, when did you get married?"
Cheng Qiaobei said, "Got the certificate a few days ago, haven’t held the wedding yet."
"Why did you suddenly decide to get married?"
Cheng Qiaobei parked the car, his expression unusually calm, "Found soone I love; marriage didn’t take long. Do you have anything else? I’m driving."
"Uh, you’re driving, so you go ahead. We’ll talk later." Her voice was dry, clearly not ready to accept the fact he was married.
Cheng Qiaobei said, "If it’s not important, it’s best we don’t contact each other."
"Cheng Qiaobei, even though we dated before, contacting as friends shouldn’t be an issue, right?" the woman questioned.
Seeing Chen Ningxi’s car approaching from afar, Cheng Qiaobei said, "Can exes really be just friends? Don’t kid yourself. We can’t be just friends, and besides, I’m married now. eting other won privately isn’t appropriate; goodbye."
With that, Cheng Qiaobei decisively ended the call.
He locked the car and walked toward Chen Ningxi.
"We arrived together." Chen Ningxi locked her car, walking shoulder to shoulder with Cheng Qiaobei into the building.
While waiting for the elevator, Cheng Qiaobei wrestled with his thoughts and finally couldn’t overco them, saying, "Ning Xi, my ex-girlfriend just called ."
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