Chapter 224: Hosting a Dinner

After leaving the tea shop, Li Dong called Cheng Nan. 

After hanging up, Li Dong shrugged and said, "I told you it was useless to come to me about this. Cheng Nan said to leave it alone."

Meng Qiping, who had been full of hope, immediately deflated when he heard this.

He sighed for a while, then said helplessly, "I knew it would turn out like this."

Li Dong smirked and said, "It was obvious. If you ask me, you're done for this time."

"Can you stop discouraging me? I came to you for comfort, not for you to beat me down," Meng Qiping complained.

Li Dong replied dismissively, "Serves you right. Who told you to not control your own urges?"

Meng Qiping was immediately indignant. "Dong Ge, don't stand there talking nonsense. Just answer me, when your wife isn't around, have you never been unfaithful?"

"Sorry, but I haven't."

Li Dong laughed, patting Meng Qiping on the shoulder, and said, "Fatty, don't assume everyone is as shameless as you. Your Dong Ge here is very pure."

"Is that true?"

Meng Qiping looked skeptical. In his view, with Li Dong's wealth and the fact that his girlfriend wasn't in Pingchuan, it wouldn't be surprising for him to have ten or eight women.

Li Dong, uninterested in arguing further, hummed a few times without responding.

After a bit more conversation, just as Li Dong was about to leave, Meng Qiping's phone rang.

When he saw the caller ID, Meng Qiping shivered.

Li Dong noticed and asked, "Is that the woman?"

Meng Qiping nodded hurriedly, looking troubled. "Should I answer it?"

"I don't know. It's up to you," Li Dong said irresponsibly with a smile.

Meng Qiping wrestled with himself for a moment before answering the call.

Li Dong couldn't hear what was said on the other end, but Meng Qiping's expressions kept changing.

After hanging up, Meng Qiping sighed and seemed both frustrated and relieved.

Li Dong was curious. "What did she say?"

"She said it was a mistake, the child isn't mine."

Li Dong burst out laughing, almost gasping for breath from laughing so hard.

After a while, he managed to calm down and, with a forced serious face, said, "Are you two playing a comedy routine?"

Meng Qiping had a dark look on his face and was frustrated. "Why did this happen to me? I must have been cursed for eight lifetimes."

He continued, "She also said I have to cover the abortion expenses, otherwise, she will keep harassing me. Do you think I'm being wronged?"

"Wronged my foot! If you ask me, this girl really loves you. Otherwise, she would have scammed you out of more. You had some fun with her; spending a bit of money to settle things isn't a loss."

Meng Qiping had no words to argue with this.

Thinking it over, Meng Qiping decided to spend the money to ensure peace.

Otherwise, if that woman kept bothering him and caused a scandal at school, it would be troublesome. Although Jiang Da didn't explicitly forbid one-night stands, such things would ruin his reputation and might lead to disciplinary action, which wasn't worth it.

Li Dong smiled and asked, "Do you have enough money? If not, I can lend you some."

Meng Qiping rolled his eyes. "I'd be shameless to borrow money from you for this."

"Do you have any shame?" Li Dong mocked.

Meng Qiping glared at him and grumbled without responding.

However, Meng Qiping felt relieved in his heart, at least he had resolved the trouble with that woman.

With no more interference from her, persuading Cheng Nan would be easier, which was a small piece of good news.

Just then, someone said behind them, "Meng Qiping, you really have no shame!"

Meng Qiping was immediately enraged and turned around to yell, but when he saw who it was, his face turned bitter. He couldn't believe it—how did he run into her here?

Li Dong also looked amused and said, "Fang Qingfei, how come you're everywhere? You appear out of nowhere."

Fang Qingfei huffed and glared at him. "You're no good either!"

Li Dong retorted, "What does that have to do with me? Fatty's the one with a mistress, not me. Did I provoke you?"

"Dong Ge, don't make baseless accusations!" Meng Qiping couldn't help but interject.

"Accusing you? Have I wronged you?"

Fatty looked distressed. Seeing Fang Qingfei glaring at him, he quickly said, "You guys talk. I'm leaving!"

He then hurriedly ran off.

Fang Qingfei glared at his retreating figure a few more times before turning to Li Dong. "Don't follow his example. Stay away from people like him in the future."

Li Dong laughed a few times but didn't respond.

After dealing with Meng Qiping, Li Dong asked, "What brings you here?"

"I came to eat..."

As she spoke, Fang Qingfei's eyes darted, and she smiled at Li Dong. "Li Dong, let me treat you to lunch."

Li Dong smiled and said, "So polite?"

"Hehe, it's not a big deal. I still need to thank you for helping Jia Jia and me so much. If it weren't for you being so busy, we would have invited you earlier," Fang Qingfei said with a sweet smile.

Li Dong felt a bit uncomfortable with her smile, thought for a moment, and declined, "Forget it, maybe next time. I have something else to do later."

"Don't be like that. It's rare to run into you. Let's have a meal together," Fang Qingfei insisted.

Li Dong wanted to refuse but saw Fang Qingfei's earnest expression, as if not going would be a grave mistake.

After hesitating for a moment, Li Dong finally said, "Alright, let's go together. But I'll treat you..."

"I'm treating!"

Before he could finish, Fang Qingfei interrupted, then asked, "Did you drive here?"

"Yes, my car is at the north gate."

"Perfect. You drive, and we'll go together."

Li Dong said, "Let's just eat nearby. No need to go far."

Fang Qingfei immediately responded, "Listen to me today. It's a rare encounter. Give me some face, okay?"

Li Dong thought for a moment and didn't insist. It was just a meal, and at most, it would only cost a few thousand yuan.

At worst, he could pay in advance and wouldn't take advantage of Fang Qingfei.

Once they got into the car, Fang Qingfei glanced at Zhou Haidong and whispered to Li Dong, "How about you drive yourself? The place isn't far. Let the driver find a spot to eat first."

Li Dong glanced at her and told Zhou Haidong, "Old Zhou, you go ahead and eat."

Zhou Haidong didn't say anything and got out of the car.

He wasn't worried about Li Dong's safety; besides him, the security department was fully protecting Li Dong.

Even though only Zhou Haidong was usually by Li Dong's side, there was actually a van trailing them with four elite soldiers inside.

After Zhou Haidong left, Li Dong drove, and Fang Qingfei took the passenger seat.

"Go to the Western restaurant on Yang Huai Road. Do you know the way?"

"Yes. Western food? Let's just eat something else for lunch."

"It's fine. Even if we go to a Western restaurant, we might not only have Western food. They also offer a mix of Chinese and Western dishes," Fang Qingfei said quickly.

Li Dong didn't argue further but began to feel suspicious. Fang Qingfei seemed a bit strange today.

But since she was being so enthusiastic about hosting, he felt it was rude to refuse.

Fortunately, it was daytime, and Li Dong wasn't worried about Fang Qingfei doing anything to him. As a grown man, he wasn't afraid of losing out.