Chapter 1167: Curious About Our Relationship

Chapter 1167: Chapter 1167: Curious About Our Relationship

"If that’s really what you think, then what if I just refuse to play along?" Zhao Guqing said with contempt. "Can you walk out that door right now and tell me we’ll never see each other again, that there’ll be nothing between us from now on?"

Ye Ning froze.

She really didn’t dare.

She’d finally gotten hold of Zhao Guqing; how could she possibly let go so easily?

Even if, according to what Zhao Guqing said, she still wasn’t his girlfriend.

She was still getting all the benefits.

Back when the restaurant was in its preparation stage, she’d run into all kinds of difficulties and roadblocks.

But ever since she met Zhao Guqing, he’d helped her settle a lot of things.

So that Ye Ning’s restaurant finally managed to open smoothly.

However, running a restaurant in B City was nowhere near as smooth as she’d imagined.

It wasn’t like Ye City, where business had been so good.

In B City, from the most high‑end cuisine to the little hole‑in‑the‑wall joints in old alleys,

there was never a shortage of all kinds of places.

Whether you wanted something classy or something with street‑level warmth, there were countless shops that could give it to you.

People had seen too much; naturally the competition was brutal.

And Ye Ning’s restaurant really wasn’t all that competitive in B City.

It was precisely because she had Zhao Guqing. He might not be investing money in her,

but he organized group dinners and such, and some dining brands placed their promotions in her restaurant.

Thanks to that, the restaurant’s profits had been very respectable up to now.

It hadn’t just gotten her out of the tough spot she was in when she first came to B City; she’d even made quite a bit of money.

Her whole family was living in B City like fish in water.

It was just that she still couldn’t get close to Ye Fei and Xiao Mo.

So even if Zhao Guqing still refused to admit she was his girlfriend, and now wanted her to leave?

Ye Ning didn’t dare.

Ye Ning’s family had absolutely no leverage to hold over Zhao Guqing.

"Do you really have to say it like that?" Ye Ning said at once. "I just... I’m just curious about what exactly our relationship is."

"Isn’t this the kind of thing every girl asks?" Ye Ning said, forcing a bitter smile. "Turns out I misunderstood. I was just being all sentimental on my own. I thought I was your girlfriend. But actually I’m not, you just treat me as..."

"A fuck buddy." Zhao Guqing said it bluntly, without giving her any face.

"So, are you still going to keep being one? If you’re not willing, I won’t force you." Zhao Guqing smiled. "We’re adults. We can part ways on good terms."

Ye Ning put on a wronged yet deeply devoted look and said, "You may see me as a fuck buddy, but I really do like you for real."

"You’re probably too used to it, too used to women liking you, and with your conditions being so good, a lot of women are coming for your money." Ye Ning gazed at Zhao Guqing with deep feeling. "But I’m not like that."

"You might not believe it, but I really am not." Ye Ning said very earnestly. "I want to be your girlfriend."

"But it’s fine, if you’re not willing, I won’t force you." Ye Ning gave a bitter smile. "The fact that you come to me of your own accord means you still like me. Maybe you just like my face, or my figure, but at least there’s something about me that you like."

"And that already makes me very happy. As long as I can stay by your side, I’m happy." Ye Ning said tenderly, "I believe that sooner or later, one day, you’ll understand my heart."

Inside, Zhao Guqing was almost nauseated, though his face still wore that careless smile.

As for this confession of Ye Ning’s, contrived from the inside out, in expression and in words, he didn’t believe a single word.

He’d seen way too many women like Ye Ning.

Besides, did she really think he didn’t know?

She’d even had a child for that Boss Liu for money.

Just thinking about it was disgusting.

In Zhao Guqing’s mind, Ye Ning didn’t even deserve to be played with.

He raised his hand and pinched Ye Ning’s chin, dangling the words in front of her: "Fine, then I’ll wait and see."

Ye Ning burrowed into Zhao Guqing’s arms.

After they’d had a round of exercise, Zhao Guqing again scrolled through the chat history in the family group, checking what he’d missed during the time he wasn’t looking.

As soon as Ye Ning saw the group name and the people inside, she was thrilled. Taking advantage of the posture of leaning against Zhao Guqing’s chest, she used the chance to peek at the content in the group.

She honestly never would have dreamed that she could get this close to the inner circle of the Zhao Family.

Before, it was something she wouldn’t even have dared to imagine.

Even now, if she said it out loud, it’d be enough for her to show off, to brag, to shock people.

Of course, if Ye Fei had been willing to help her, she could have achieved this long ago.

Her own biological younger sister had clearly married into the Zhao Family.

Yet she hadn’t been able to touch even the fringes of the Zhao Family.

It was still all thanks to Zhao Guqing that she’d managed to get this far now.

Just for that alone, there was no way Ye Ning would walk away from Zhao Guqing easily.

Zhao Guqing had already noticed her little move.

It was just that there was never anything serious in the group.

It was all idle chatter.

Just like regular families shooting the breeze in their group chats.

The Zhao Family’s family group was no different.

Usually, when the two elders had nothing to do, they’d share some funny short videos.

Whoever saw some piece of current news would also post it in the group.

And they’d even casually keep an eye on Star Stripes Country’s current affairs, and on whatever crazy stunt that "Te‑something" had pulled now.

Then the two elders would lay into him righteously in the group.

It was the kind of everyday routine normal families have; the Zhao Family was no exception.

So he wasn’t worried about Ye Ning seeing it, and didn’t have to worry she’d pick up anything important or secret from there.

But he hadn’t expected that something he didn’t consider important would shock Ye Ning.

Ye Fei had actually introduced her close girlfriend to Zhao Dingli, and the woman had become Zhao Dingli’s legitimate friend, recognized by the Zhao Family!

Judging from the chat history, Zhao Dingli treated that woman called Li Xiaoyun extremely well.

Old Madam Zhao had even already started looking for an auspicious date for them to get married.

Zhao Dingli was treating Li Xiaoyun with extreme seriousness!

Ye Ning’s heart clenched into a tight knot, she was almost shaking with rage.

She’d asked Ye Fei to give her some benefit from the Zhao Family, and Ye Fei had refused.

But then she turned around and introduced some outsider to Zhao Dingli!

With something like this, Ye Fei didn’t think of her own older sister, and instead let an outsider take advantage!

Tagging along with Zhao Guqing, even though he barely treated her like a person, Ye Ning had indeed broadened her horizons quite a bit. 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

So of course she knew about Zhao Dingli.

He might not have the Zhao Family inheritance rights, but neither did Zhao Guqing.

Compared to Zhao Guqing, Zhao Dingli was much better.

When Zhao Guqing was still getting suppressed under his father’s hand, Zhao Dingli was already running a large company, calling the shots himself.

He already had his own properties and restaurant brands under his name.

And Zhao Dingli’s mother had passed away long ago; marrying him meant no mother‑in‑law issues.

As for his wheelchair‑bound father, who was still alive, that was basically not a problem.

A father‑in‑law normally wouldn’t go out of his way to make things hard for his daughter‑in‑law.