Chapter 225: Tricked

Yanghuai Road Restaurant.

After Li Dong parked the car and got out, Fang Qingfei said, "Your hair is a bit messy. Let me fix it for you."

Seeing her reaching out to help with his hair, Li Dong hurriedly said, "No need, I'll do it myself."

After saying that, he brushed his hair and noticed that Fang Qingfei's demeanor seemed increasingly strange.

What is this woman up to today?

Is she trying to seduce me?

The more Li Dong thought about it, the more likely it seemed. It was highly probable that Fang Qingfei had developed an interest in him because he had money now.

Li Dong felt a bit disheartened. He had hoped Fang Qingfei would be different from others, but it appeared that everyone was the same; money could indeed corrupt people's hearts.

While he was thinking, Fang Qingfei said again, "By the way, there might be a few friends here later. You don't have to talk; I'll handle it."

Li Dong was startled. "You have friends here too?"

Fang Qingfei laughed awkwardly, "Don't be mad. It's just a meal. If you don't want to talk to them, just stay silent."

"Forget it, I'll just head back. Next time, I'll treat you."

Li Dong turned to leave. Had he known Fang Qingfei's friends would be here, he wouldn't have come.

Dining with strangers was the most troublesome for him; he disliked such an atmosphere.

Just as Li Dong was about to leave, Fang Qingfei grabbed his sleeve and said pitifully, "We're already here. Can you help me out, just this once? Consider it a favor."

Li Dong felt uneasy. What is wrong with Fang Qingfei today? Why does she insist on having dinner with her friends?

Could it be she needs something from him?

That seemed to be the only explanation. Li Dong said with mild dissatisfaction, "I can join for the meal, but I won't agree to anything else."

"No problem!"

Fang Qingfei readily agreed and pulled the unwilling Li Dong into the restaurant.

Upon entering, Fang Qingfei led the way upstairs to a private room without needing assistance from the waiter.

When they opened the door to one of the rooms, Li Dong heard someone laugh and say, "Feifei's here! It's been a few years, and you're even more beautiful."

As Li Dong entered the room and saw the people sitting inside, he felt something was off.

It seemed like he had been tricked by Fang Qingfei!

There were two middle-aged women in their forties or fifties, and a young man in a suit and tie. Their attire was formal and professional.

If Li Dong still couldn't figure out what was happening now, he'd be truly foolish!

Indeed, Fang Qingfei then said with a smile, "Mom, Aunt Huang, you're here."

She then cheerfully said to Li Dong, "Mom, this is my boyfriend. I brought him along. You don't mind, do you?"

Li Dong almost spat out blood in frustration. Damn it!

He knew Fang Qingfei was unreliable, but he hadn't expected to be tricked like this!

Seeing the odd stares from everyone in the private room, Li Dong quickly said, "It's a misunderstanding. It's all a misunderstanding. I'm not Fang Qingfei's…"

"Hehe, my boyfriend likes to joke. Don't mind him."

Before Li Dong could finish, Fang Qingfei leaned in close and whispered, "Help me out. My mom is leaving this afternoon. It's just one meal. You'll be free after this."

Li Dong gritted his teeth in frustration. He smiled and nodded to the others, then whispered to Fang Qingfei, "Are you watching too many soap operas?"

"It's not a soap opera. I was really pressed for time. I happened to run into you."

"So you're really going to trick me like this?"

"Don't be so petty. It's not like you're losing much."

As they spoke, the expressions of the others in the private room changed repeatedly.

Especially Aunt Huang, who looked incredibly displeased.

The young man beside her glanced at Fang Qingfei, then at Li Dong, and said, "Mom, I'm going back first."

He then told the astonished woman opposite him, "Aunt Liu, my company has some matters to attend to. I'll skip the meal today. We can catch up next time."

"Xiao Chen…"

Fang Qingfei's mother called out, but didn't know what else to say.

The woman opposite her forced a smile and said, "Liu Yun, let the kids handle their own matters. I'll wait for an invitation to your family's wedding. My son's company still has issues. It's not worth coming out today, especially since Feifei has found someone she likes. We'll take our leave."

With a heavy sigh, she turned and left.

As they passed Li Dong, both mother and son gave him an odd look.

Her son didn't speak, but the woman sneered, "Young man, keep an eye on your girlfriend. Just because you have a boyfriend doesn't mean you should flaunt it everywhere!"

Li Dong forced a smile and remained silent.

Fang Qingfei was also too embarrassed to speak. Her mother frowned and said, "Old Huang, watch your language. I didn't know about this beforehand. You should be more considerate."

"I'm not being inconsiderate! Liu Yun, if it weren't for our years of friendship, I would've confronted you on the spot!"

"Mom, let it go." The young man beside her pulled his mother and gave Fang Qingfei a glance. "It's good that Feifei found a boyfriend. I told you not to interfere. Our boss's daughter is pursuing me. I'll introduce her to you next time."

Initially, Li Dong thought this guy was decent, but his true nature was exposed with that remark.

Li Dong didn't want to get involved, so he let it be. He was completely caught in an undeserved mess.

As Li Dong and Fang Qingfei remained silent, her mother felt a bit awkward and didn't say anything further. Mother and son, feeling dissatisfied, huffed and left.

Once they were gone, Li Dong felt even more uncomfortable.

Fang Qingfei pulled Li Dong to sit opposite her mother and smiled, "Mom, I told you I had a boyfriend. You didn't believe it. Look at the trouble it caused."

Li Dong twitched his lips. Fang Qingfei really had thick skin and used the preemptive strike strategy well.

Fang Qingfei's mother's expression shifted, and after a moment, she asked, "So why didn't you bring him home when I asked before?"

"Li Dong has been very busy. You know, his business is doing well, and he has a lot of company matters. I was planning to have him visit you in a few days, but then you came here."

Fang Qingfei's mother's expression softened a bit, and she asked Li Dong, "Young man, do you run your own company?"

Li Dong glanced at Fang Qingfei, who looked pleading. He reluctantly said, "Yes, Auntie, I run a small company."

"How old are you this year?"

"I…"

"Mom, Li Dong is twenty-six, a year younger than me," Fang Qingfei quickly interjected.

Li Dong glanced at her and said with a smirk, "Yes, I'm twenty-six, and Feifei is twenty-seven!"

Fang Qingfei usually didn't mention her age, so Li Dong didn't realize she was already twenty-seven.

No wonder her mother was pushing her to go on blind dates. At this age, a woman really is considered an older single.

Fang Qingfei's lips twitched, and she glared at him but didn't say anything.

Fang Qingfei's mother looked at Li Dong with suspicion, not about his age but rather the reactions of the two.

In reality, Li Dong didn't seem like a young entrepreneur, and Fang Qingfei's quick answers made her more doubtful.

Fang Qingfei's mother was a prestigious university professor, and she wondered how their future life together would work out if the gap was too large.

She began to ponder how to dissuade her daughter from this relationship.

After the meal, Fang Qingfei's mother finally said, "Li Dong, if you don't mind, could you take me to see your company?"

After the meal, she felt something was off, sensing that the couple didn't quite seem like a genuine pair.

Plus, with her daughter claiming that Li Dong ran a company, Fang Qingfei's mother found it hard to believe.

After all, Li Dong looked too young and wasn't in a suit, which made him seem less like a businessman in her eyes.

Thinking this, Fang Qingfei's mother suspected her daughter might have deceived her.

Li Dong remained silent, and Fang Qingfei winked at him, "Li Dong, why not take my mom to see your company?"

Li Dong's mouth twitched, and he chuckled awkwardly, "The company is a bit far. Maybe we should just forget it."

It wasn't that he was afraid of being exposed, but there were many people at the company!

Last time, when he brought Qin Yuhan, quite a few people had seen him.

That wasn't the main issue. Qin Hai and Yang Yun, though usually stationed at the logistics company, sometimes came to the headquarters.

If they happened to run into them, how would Li Dong explain himself?

For Fang Qingfei, he wasn't willing to make his own girlfriend and future in-laws upset. He wasn't going to do something so foolish.

After Li Dong spoke, Fang Qingfei's mother's expression turned cold.

Fang Qingfei blinked rapidly and said, "Li Dong, even if it's far, it's okay. How about we go to the supermarket instead? The supermarket should be fine too."

"The supermarket?" Fang's mother asked.

Fang Qingfei quickly said, "Yes, Li Dong runs a supermarket."

Fang Qingfei's mother's expression changed again. First, it was a company, and now it was a supermarket. It might even turn into a small shop next.

Li Dong took a deep breath and sighed, "Alright, let's go to the supermarket."

The supermarket was a better choice. It wasn't too far, and there weren't many people. Qin Hai and Yang Yun usually didn't go there. It should be okay to take Fang's mother for a tour.

Seeing Li Dong agree, Fang Qingfei let out a sigh of relief.

She quickly said to her mother, "Mom, let's go to the supermarket. It's all the same. Li Dong's business is quite big, and the supermarket is also quite sizable."

Fang's mother said lightly, "Then let's go see."

She stood up and left without looking back at Li Dong, clearly skeptical of the situation. Even if her daughter was truly in a relationship, she didn't find this young man very honest.

Her daughter was a respected university teacher, and she might even become an associate professor or professor in the future. If there was too much of a disparity, their married life might not be harmonious.

Fang's mother began to think about how to discourage her daughter from this relationship.