novelraw Chapter 519 - 518: Fewer Rivals in Love, More Friends (Part 1)
Chapter 519 - 518: Fewer Rivals in Love, More Friends (Part 1)
Yang Sheng, who is about to take the reins of the Yang Family, is currently extremely busy. Naturally, he doesn’t have time to come to the airport to pick up Ji Rui, Le Tong, and the others. However, he dispatched a driver to pick them up and take them directly to their hotel.After settling in at the hotel, it was almost lunchtime. Le Tong asked Ji Rui to call Yang Sheng to find out his schedule for the day. Upon discovering that Yang Sheng could only join them for dinner that evening, Le Tong dialed Luo Yifan’s number.
"Tongtong, have you arrived?"
Luo Yifan’s surprised voice came through the phone; it seemed he had been waiting for her call.
"Yes, we just arrived at the hotel. I wanted to see if President Luo had time to recommend a good place for lunch." Le Tong took two very cute coats out from the suitcase and handed them to Baobao, signaling for Baobao to put them on Nuonuo.
Baobao, already in sync, took the coat and asked Ji Rui to help place Nuonuo on the bed. Together, father and son helped little Nuonuo into a thick coat.
"Where are you? I’ll come pick you up now."
"Yuelai Hotel," Le Tong gave the name of the hotel.
"Alright, get ready, I’ll be there in ten minutes." Luo Yifan promptly hung up after speaking.
Given the level of affection with Luo Yifan, if she were too calculating or too polite, it would seem distant.
Thus, she chose to call directly in front of Ji Rui. This way, not only would Luo Yifan be happy, but Ji Rui’s side would also seem more honorable.
Sure enough, Ji Rui had no objections to Le Tong’s arrangements and showed no signs of displeasure on his face.
Le Tong again helped Baobao and Nuonuo tidy up their clothes, ensuring the children wouldn’t catch cold when leaving. She and Ji Rui also dressed adequately before holding Nuonuo while Ji Rui led Baobao out together.
As they stepped out of the hotel door, Luo Yifan’s car conveniently stopped.
"Brother Ji."
Luo Yifan first greeted Ji Rui, then enthusiastically approached Le Tong, reaching out to pinch Nuonuo’s cheek.
"Oh, let Uncle see our lovely little princess."
His hand was just reaching out when it was stopped by a force.
Luo Yifan was slightly surprised; he couldn’t covet the grown-up, but surely he could touch the little one?
He looked down to meet Baobao’s stubborn and determined gaze. "Uncle Luo, your hand is cold; you’ll scare Nuonuo."
Tsk, this protective brother instinct is too strong!
Luo Yifan ruffled the hair of the little one who stopped him, "Oh, this brother is quite formidable."
Ji Rui leaned against the car door, giving him a glance, "If you’re envious, quickly find a partner and have a couple to play with; Uncle Luo has long wanted to be a grandpa."
His words were ostensibly speaking for the Luo family’s elders, but truly, it was to eliminate a rival.
Luo Yifan gave Le Tong an ambiguous glance, "That’s a long way off; let’s first find the right person."
After the family of four got into the back seat, Luo Yifan closed the door and returned to the driver’s seat.
"Yifan, I heard from Yuan’er that you’ve already opened five branches here; things are going quite well!"
Le Tong’s understanding of Luo Yifan’s current situation usually came from Luo Yuanyuan. Although her relationship with Luo Yifan was good, to prevent him from thinking there’s still a chance, she wasn’t very proactive in contacting him.
"Yes, it’s not bad. This is thanks to Brother Ji..."
Le Tong was quite astonished and then heard Luo Yifan say, "Brother Ji, thank you!"
Le Tong turned to look at Ji Rui, her eyes full of question marks.
"Thank what? It was merely a gesture of convenience, besides, Uncle Luo helped me quite a bit before!"
Ji Rui replied lightly, choosing to ignore Le Tong’s inquiries without any intention to explain.
Originally, his covert assistance to pave the way for Luo Yifan had partly stemmed from the desire to keep him away from Le Tong.
He always aimed for precision in his actions, thus preferring minimal obstruction.
Especially at that time, he had no assurance regarding Le Tong, and in desperation, chose an insubstantial way to remove obstacles.
Therefore, on this matter, even if Le Tong subsequently asked him a few times, he never disclosed a word.
"Regardless, I indeed owe Brother Ji a favor. In the future, if you need anything from me, just ask!"
With Luo Yifan speaking to this extent, Ji Rui had no choice but to reply lightly with "Mm."
Luo Yifan’s chain hotels, amidst the ultra-luxurious hotels everywhere in Beijing, could only be considered mid-range.
However, the decoration and style of the hotel are very distinctive, with a layout that exudes a bourgeois ambiance, making Le Tong feel comfortable and relaxed as soon as she walked in.
"Yifan, this place is really nice."
"If it wasn’t for coming out with Ji Rui, I would definitely choose this place as my hotel," Le Tong quickly added.
Ji Rui glanced at Le Tong, "Le Tong, what do you mean?"
If it were before, Le Tong would have thought Ji Rui was angry. Now, she knows clearly that he simply prefers to express his true thoughts in front of her.
"No meaning; President Ji has to stay in a presidential suite or similar, whereas Yifan’s mid-range hotel isn’t targeting your demographic."
Le Tong’s detailed explanation made Luo Yifan nod straight away.
"Tongtong said it right; my target isn’t the likes of Brother Ji but more towards single bourgeoisie tourists who love food and travel."
Luo Yifan smiled with great satisfaction. Although he and Le Tong didn’t become a couple, she seems to understand him well.
Of course, he no longer expects anything from her now; just having her as a close friend is enough.
Ji Rui slightly tilted his head to assess Luo Yifan, "You’re able to stand on your own, which should make Uncle Luo very pleased!"
Ji Rui’s words disregarded all biases, purely statements exchanged between long-time friends.
"Mm, this decision has been the most satisfying to my dad since I was young!"
Of course, Luo Yifan didn’t mention that his father was also very satisfied with Le Tong. However, a woman like Le Tong, who is as smart as ice, is destined to be beyond his reach.
"Work diligently. When the time is right, consider expanding into other tourist areas. If you’re interested, we can discuss the development in D Province in a few days."
While Le Tong took care of Nuonuo and Baobao, she listened to the conversation between the two, understanding by Ji Rui’s words that he likely wants to include Luo Yifan’s chain hotels as a partner in the Ji Family’s collaboration.
Luo Yifan seemed to understand Ji Rui’s intentions and appeared very happy. "Since Brother Ji thinks so highly of me, I’ll join you in returning to R City the day after tomorrow. We can discuss any specific cooperation intentions face to face. Today, let’s just enjoy a meal!"