18
As soon as the words fell, all the employees were collectively dumbfounded.
Although their big boss was usually cold and majestic, intimidating people like a cold blade, they had never seen President Bian in such a state of fury.
To think he would publicly reprimand a female celebrity like this! And for a low-level employee of Wujiang?
Speaking of which, there was actually a bizarrely touching feel to this.
Everyone looked at each other in dismay, while Director Ma, who had just casually asked someone to advance the payment for the bill, silently changed his expression. Why was President Bian so angry?
The unspoken rule for their company's team-building events had always been like this: whoever was available would front the money first. In short, the top leaders could never be faced with the prospect of paying the bill. Besides, it wasn't like they were really making the employees pay for it; it would eventually be reimbursed, just a little slowly.
Would a man worth tens of billions actually get angry over the cost of a meal?!
Director Ma was terrified.
However, the man's figure striding outward offered no explanation to anyone.
His sharp, upright figure brushed right past Xu Lanyi, whose smile had frozen on her lips.
Leaving Xu Lanyi to face the employees of Wujiang, the awkwardness reached its peak.
Xu Lanyi had never been publicly humiliated like this before.
Since childhood, her Xu family had been a wealthy and influential one, and everyone had to flatter her as the eldest daughter. When she grew up and entered the entertainment industry, her family's strong financial backing supported her, and everyone in the industry had to treat her with respect. After her works became popular, her fans worshipped and cherished her like a goddess.
This was the first time Xu Lanyi had been treated this way, and by a man she had carefully chosen and admired—the very man she had seen in the foreseen plot, walking hand-in-hand with her toward happiness.
Bian Xun's tall figure disappeared directly behind the door, not giving her a single extra glance.
He actually chased after her just like that!
After a moment of silence, the department leaders began to smooth things over, trying to warm up the atmosphere again. But it was still somewhat awkward, and no one was in the mood to fawn over the female celebrity anymore.
However, Xu Lanyi was a woman who had seen her fair share of storms, and she quickly regained her composure.
Truly high-quality men were always difficult to handle, let alone a top-tier man like Bian Xun.
Thinking of the future scenes where Bian Xun became a father—so generous, tender, and responsible... A long-lost sense of challenge and anticipation rose in Xu Lanyi's heart.
The colder this man was in the early stages, the more contrasting and captivating his tenderness would be once he opened his heart.
After all, looking at how he was now, who could imagine that the future Bian Xun would become such a good father?
Then, on second thought, Xu Lanyi suddenly understood.
Ning Ye was currently raising a child and had certainly already spent a lot of Bian Xun's money. Asking her to front the meal expenses meant she would ultimately just ask Bian Xun for it anyway, right?
That was the real reason Bian Xun was angry.
From their brief encounter earlier today, Xu Lanyi could tell that although Bian Xun didn't say it explicitly, he was already fed up with the harassment.
An amount that could bother even Bian Xun must not be small.
This woman must be demanding an exorbitant price, exceedingly greedy.
Thinking of this, Xu Lanyi completely recovered her poise. She smiled faintly and gracefully ordered an extra bottle of wine for each of the employees' tables, putting it on her own tab, and quickly won everyone's adulation once again.
Although the process had caused her some embarrassment, the result was still the effect she wanted.
That was enough.
Meanwhile, Ning Ye had no idea what happened after she left.
She was extremely delighted to be able to leave the banquet early, and she slipped away as soon as she walked out the door.
Her purpose for staying tonight was originally to observe Xu Lanyi, and to observe Bian Xun in passing.
Xu Lanyi's behavior was no different from her portrayal in the original novel. She firmly believed that Ning Ye had sold her daughter for glory, that her entire being was twisted by wealth, fragile enough to shatter with a light poke, and would ruthlessly blackmail Bian Xun if provoked.
Ning Ye was truly speechless.
Actually, she thought about it carefully. Even without the involvement of her and her daughter, Xu Lanyi could clearly complete her storyline on her own. It was nothing more than the vulnerability of a radiant movie queen and the greatness of a strong single mother moving a cold man who was naturally indifferent to blood ties.
Why did they have to drag the two of them in as a control group?
She wasn't going to steal the male lead anyway.
Having been separated for six years, the only remaining relationship between Ning Ye and Bian Xun now was the need to make a baby in the future. Other than that, she would not interfere with Bian Xun's life.
After all, his wealth was the most enduring companionship.
Ning Ye jogged all the way, looking for the restaurant's checkout counter while feeling around in her pocket for the black card.
The restaurant's interior decor resembled a delicate retro pavilion. Outside the private rooms, there were many corridors, and because their department had booked the entire venue tonight, she walked for quite a while without seeing any service staff.
Ning Ye took several wrong turns before finally spotting the front desk in the distance, and she hurried over.
Once she paid the bill, she could sneak back home—
Tonight, for the sake of cyber-contraception, she had also observed Bian Xun.
Bian Xun indeed did not drink. Perhaps the rank of the people tonight was not worth him partaking in alcohol. When several department directors and managers toasted him, Bian Xun merely raised his glass indifferently, and Assistant Zhang would clink glasses and take the drink.
He maintained many habits from his student days. He would look down at his watch on the hour. He barely ate anything on the table, only consuming some healthy dishes that were minimally processed and closer to their original food forms, completely avoiding anything raw, cold, or spicy.
The living habits of an OCD patient were indeed as strict as before. Ning Ye felt relieved in this regard. Looking at the faintly bulging chest and abdominal muscles under his shirt, with their smooth and tight lines, he had probably maintained his exercise habits as well.
If nothing else, the quality of her child's father's sperm should be as outstanding as his other aspects.
Truly a championship-level human.
Ning Ye walked briskly to the front desk. "Hello, could you please print the invoice for the company dinner upstairs..."
This meal expense would be reimbursed by the company, but Ning Ye didn't have much savings to begin with. Suddenly losing so much money made her feel insecure, so out of habit, she prepared to swipe Bian Xun's card to pay.
Of course, she didn't intend to embezzle Bian Xun's money.
She would pay with the black card, and once the company reimbursed her, she would just transfer the money to him.
Ning Ye took the bill and checked the items. They had eaten about sixty or seventy thousand yuan worth of food.
"No problem, I'll pay by card." Ning Ye nodded to the service staff.
At the end of the corridor, the sound of footsteps finally caught up.
Bian Xun's jaw was tight. After chasing her down three flights of stairs, he finally caught up.
In the distance, the young woman's slender figure leaned slightly against the front desk as she pulled out a card.
"The total is sixty-seven thousand, nine hundred and eighty-eight," the service staff at the front desk said, suddenly catching sight of the CEO rushing over from afar.
How strange. When this handsome man came in earlier, surrounded by several assistants and subordinates, his aura was noble and composed. Every step he took seemed to tread on people's hearts, so handsome it defied the heavens and the earth.
Yet now, he was actually sprinting with such large strides, his jaw clenched, his eyes slightly red, looking so out of sorts?
Service staff: Oh my god, he's even more handsome now.
The price was already entered into the POS machine, and Ning Ye smoothly tapped the card against it.
The service staff couldn't help but look at the man rushing over behind her, feeling as if she had been hit in the face by a vigorous, passionate wave of hormones.
Would a handsome guy like this ever risk his life for anything in this lifetime?
Ning Ye skillfully entered the password. Just as she was typing the last digit, a taut, muscular arm suddenly wrapped around her waist.
Bian Xun pulled her waist to the side, and Ning Ye nearly spun into his embrace. The familiar, cool scent of sandalwood, mixed with his slightly erratic breathing, enveloped her. Looking up, she saw the man's jawline was tight as a blade.
In the nick of time, her fingertips narrowly missed the POS machine.
Beep. The card swipe failed.
A breath of cold air parted from the CEO's thin lips.
Even closing a multi-billion dollar project didn't provide the sensory stimulation of this moment.
His adrenaline began to return to normal levels.
Bian Xun held her calmly, calmly took out his own card, and calmly said, "My treat."
"Personal account. No receipt needed."
...
Ning Ye stood to the side, her gaze hesitant and surprised, watching the CEO settle the bill with a grand wave of his hand.
She had no choice but to quietly put away the identical black card in her own hand. Why was her black-hearted boss suddenly being so generous?
It was the first time she had seen Bian Xun in such a rush to pay the bill.
However, it was only sixty or seventy thousand; to him, it really was nothing.
After paying, Bian Xun slowly withdrew his hand, turned sideways, and his dark eyes landed coldly on Ning Ye. He gritted his teeth, "If someone tells you to cover the bill, you just do it?"
Ning Ye looked at him as if he were crazy. Why are you getting mad at me? That's your female lead.
Bian Xun's dark gaze bore down on her from above. "Do you even have the money to cover it?"
Ning Ye: "?"
Fine, fine, fine. So he was looking down on her again.
She realized that Bian Xun was really sensitive about money nowadays.
In the past, he never used to talk about money all the time like this.
It just goes to show that once a person becomes a capitalist, it's inevitable they turn black-hearted!
She really wanted to snap that black card right out of his pocket.
Bian Xun closed his eyes. His dark eyes were cold and quiet. By now, he had regained his rationality, but the sensation of holding her waist still lingered clearly on his arm.
...Her waist was even thinner than back then. He wondered where all the food she ate went.
She was so slender, still looking like a student. How could she have anything to do with a child?
Bian Xun thought of the little girl who looked exactly like Ning Ye, whom he had run into a few times. Could it be a relative's child left in her care? That would explain all the children's items Ning Ye had been buying recently.
Bian Xun's thin lips parted slightly. "I saw..."
Before he could finish, a small group's voices suddenly approached from a distance. Assistant Zhang from upstairs was leading the way. Sister Zhou and Jiang Xinghe were worried, so they had also come down to take a look.
Ning Ye instantly shifted two or three steps away, putting a safe distance between herself and Bian Xun.
She didn't want to be seen entangled with the CEO and become the latest juicy gossip at Wujiang Group.
Bian Xun's expression remained faint, though a trace of displeasure subtly surfaced in his eyes.
He swallowed his words.
From afar, Sister Zhou saw President Bian and Ning Ye standing at the front desk, and her gaze immediately switched to full gossip mode.
Beside her, Jiang Xinghe paused for a moment before the group walked over together.
The crowd showered Bian Xun with another round of compliments. Ning Ye automatically retreated to the side and quietly walked toward the elevator.
It was evening, and everyone was planning to go back, rest, and soak in the hot springs.
But since President Bian was here, everyone naturally assumed the CEO should take the elevator back first.
Assistant Zhang held the elevator door open.
The aloof CEO walked in, turned around, and looked at the group with an indifferent expression. "Aren't you coming in?"
The crowd felt a bit awkward and had no choice but to file in one by one.
The elevator doors closed.
For a moment, it was completely silent.
The CEO stood in the center, the hem of his finely tailored clothes barely a hand's width away from the others. With half-closed eyes, his powerful aura permeated the elevator cabin.
Ning Ye thought to herself, this dog of a boss really doesn't know how to read the room.
Sister Zhou had a phobia of letting the air stay silent for more than three seconds. After the elevator started moving, she began to artificially make small talk about the dishes at tonight's dinner.
However, as soon as she spoke, everyone naturally remembered the big boss's outburst from earlier. It was totally bringing up the wrong topic. Sister Zhou stumbled right out of the gate and nearly bit her tongue.
Seeing Sister Zhou's forehead starting to sweat, Jiang Xinghe, who was always considerate of others, couldn't bear it. He thought for a moment, turned his head down to speak to Ning Ye, and naturally broke the silence in the cabin.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, praising Xiao Jiang in their hearts for truly being a gentle and good man.
Only one person silently opened his eyes.
Bian Xun was expressionless.
What were they talking about?
And why so quietly?
Jiang Xinghe asked in a low voice, "Do you... still need... that medicine..."
A certain someone's temple suddenly twitched slightly. "?"
Jiang Xinghe didn't think Ning Ye buying medicine was anything shameful, so he asked her a few questions in a low voice.
However, the word "medicine" struck a sensitive nerve in a certain someone.
What medicine?
Those medicines Ning Ye bought?
Is it related to this guy?
Trying to get pregnant?
Countless pieces of data flashed rapidly through the young CEO's calm, machine-like brain.
But his strong self-control and psychological fortitude prevented him from turning around to see which dog it was.
Of course, he didn't think Ning Ye would be trying to get pregnant with anyone.
Other than him, what right did anyone else have to even have that possibility?
Besides, what normal person would buy medicine pill by pill? Those prescriptions seemed random, like some kind of quantitative experiment. He leaned more toward the idea that it was a purposeful action whose motive he didn't yet know.
Why?
Did it have anything to do with that child?
When Jiang Xinghe lowered his head to speak, he maintained a social distance from Ning Ye, but he still inevitably caught the faint fragrance of her hair, and his breathing paused slightly.
During this time, Jiang Xinghe hadn't actually asked what specific medicine Ning Ye was prescribed. He had just contacted his family's hospital and told them to sell it to her by the pill.
Selfishly, Jiang Xinghe thought Ning Ye was facing some difficulties. Maybe the medicine was too expensive? After all, she was a single mother, the father wasn't around, and she was so young. How much pressure must she be under raising a child alone? So Jiang Xinghe really wanted to help her.
Ning Ye had an aura that set her apart from others. She possessed the unsophisticated, sunny freshness of a young girl, but at the same time, she had the added gentleness of a mother and a powerful sense of maternity.
These two traits, rarely seen together in someone her age, blended so perfectly in her that Jiang Xinghe often found it unimaginable. In short, by the time he realized it, he was already deeply attracted to her.
Bian Xun remained expressionless, his fingertips resting at his side rubbing together unconsciously.
The group finally endured the elevator ride down to the first floor. As the CEO stepped out, Sister Zhou let out a long sigh of relief and called out to Ning Ye and the others, "Let's soak in the hot springs and chat together tonight!"
A male voice responded, "Sure."
Bian Xun had already walked a few meters away, but from the corner of his eye, he cast a seamless glance back at them. Ning Ye was waving at the group with a light smile.
When she looked up again, she caught Bian Xun giving her a cold, stern side-eye with his dark eyes.
? He's sick in the head.
Why glare at her for no reason?
Ning Ye walked toward the hotel, thoroughly baffled, thinking to herself that in the future, she would buy bowls and bowls of eye drops just to splash them at him.
"?"
After Ning Ye left, the CEO raised his hand slightly, looking unfathomable.
A moment later, Assistant Zhang behind him made a phone call to Director Ma.
...
Ning Ye returned to her hotel room. Ning Zhitao and Zhang Sijie were both in their room.
"Sister Song, I'm so sorry for coming back late." Ning Ye took out a few cultural-themed ice creams from the ancient town from her tote bag, and the two little girls immediately jumped up in joy to pick their favorites.
Song Hua smiled understandingly and said, "It's fine, you had work. Watching one child is the same as watching two, plus they have company this way."
Ning Ye certainly couldn't trouble her any further for the evening.
After the kids had a few bites of ice cream, Song Hua took Zhang Sijie's hand and said goodbye. Ning Ye also prepared to pack up and take her child to the hot springs for a good, relaxing soak.
Just as she finished packing her toiletry bag, she received a call from Director Ma.
"Xiao Ye, I'm really sorry about today. Having you, a new employee, advance the payment in front of outsiders made President Bian quite unhappy. It was very inconsiderate of me."
"Here's the thing, all employees have hot spring vouchers for the hotel, but those are for the public pools. I've upgraded your room's voucher to a private hot spring. Get a good rest tonight."
Without waiting for Ning Ye to decline, Director Ma hung up the phone.
Ning Ye blinked.
Truth be told, a private hot spring was indeed much better than the public pools.
She had originally planned to take the little one to the farthest, least crowded pool to avoid her colleagues as much as possible. After all, it was dark at the outdoor pools and hard to see people clearly anyway.
But if they went to a private hot spring, she wouldn't have to worry about that.
Able to give herself and her child a better experience, Ning Ye naturally wouldn't refuse.
She checked the route to the hotel's private hot springs and walked over with Ning Zhitao.
The private hot springs were located in a small courtyard outside the hotel. After swiping the room card at the entrance, an attendant would lead them to the corresponding hot spring room. The overall style of the courtyard was wabi-sabi and minimalist. Walking through the winding corridors, curling steam drifted out from the wooden windows, indicating the individual private hot springs.
Ning Ye took her child into the room. The wooden doors on both sides led outside. On the inside was a tatami changing and resting area, and on the outside was an entire slate-embedded hot spring pool. The warm water, carrying a medicinal fragrance, gave off a soothing aura.
Ning Ye changed into a simple black swimsuit and led Taotao toward the water. The little one's delicate skin found it too hot; as soon as her chubby little foot dipped in, she splashed right back up, then giggled and ran away barefoot.
"Mommy, it's too hot!"
Ning Ye found it amusing and had to slowly sink into the water by herself. As the warm, medicinal-scented water enveloped her body, a lazy warmth spread all over, and the day's exhaustion slowly dissipated. It was incredibly comfortable.
Ning Zhitao splashed around and tried a few more times, but she was still afraid of the heat. So, she changed into the coral fleece pajamas her mother had bought for her and wandered over to the tatami in the inner room to play by herself.
Ning Ye didn't stay in the water for long either.
Her black hair was dampened by the steam, clinging to her porcelain-white shoulders and arms. In just half an hour, her pale face had been completely steamed to a peach-pink hue, adding a rare touch of rich allure.
She threw on a bath towel and stepped out of the water, opening the door to ask the attendant to lower the water temperature so Taotao could soak for a bit. Unexpectedly, as the sliding wooden door opened, a cold and aloof figure stood at the doorway.
The man stood with his arms crossed, lifting his dark eyes. "Done soaking?"
The temperature inside the private hot spring was high. The sleeves of Bian Xun's shirt were rolled up, revealing lean and attractive forearm muscles. His gaze was cool, but as it landed on the large expanse of skin exposed beneath her towel, it gradually grew warmer.
Ning Ye was startled. Although she was wearing a swimsuit, it only had crisscross spaghetti straps.
The thin black straps actually made her skin look as white as frost and snow. Steamed by the heat, she looked like cream that would melt at a touch, terrifyingly fragrant.
Bian Xun kept his arms crossed, his voice still calm. "Is there someone else in your room?"
He had left her some time to bathe, and when he arrived, he vaguely heard her talking to someone.
Bian Xun pushed off from his leaning posture and took a step toward her. A sense of oppression slowly washed over. The faint, cold sandalwood scent mixed with the warm medicinal fragrance on her body, creating an ambiguity that felt like a lifetime ago.
Beneath those cold dark eyes lay a hidden fire from years past.
She had to admit that after experiencing the tempering of society and taking on authority, the scholarly aura of his student days had been completely replaced by the presence of a mature man. The bewitching tension of her ex-boyfriend's appearance was even stronger than before.
Ning Ye said calmly, "Yes, there is someone. I'm here."
Bian Xun took another step forward, half a leg stepping through the doorway.
There was indeed no man in the room.
Nor was there a child.
Bian Xun lowered his long eyelashes and was about to take another step. A romantic atmosphere permeated with the steam, and his Adam's apple seemed to bob.
Ning Ye suddenly realized something. Wait, he doesn't want to get back together, does he?
Ning Ye immediately shoved him away and slammed the door shut, locking it with a serious expression on her face.
Today was not the child's conception day!
She couldn't allow any accidents to happen. If she disrupted the original timeline and the resulting child turned out to be someone else, what would she do?
Ning Ye: A mother is strong!
Bian Xun: "?"
He was shut outside the door. He paused for several seconds before slowly walking out of the corridor to get some fresh air by the window.
After a long while, he slowly and reminiscently rubbed his fingertips together.
...
Ning Ye hastily dried off the water droplets and returned to the inner resting room, only to find that her child was gone.
She didn't know where Taotao had run off to.
Although the courtyard wasn't necessarily unsafe, there was water everywhere inside and out. If the child accidentally wandered into a pool that was too deep or too hot and fell in without paying attention, she would be in danger.
At this thought, Ning Ye didn't even bother to fully dry her hair. She threw on her clothes and rushed out to look for her.
Bian Xun stood by the window in the empty courtyard on the second floor, letting the cool breeze slowly settle his restlessness.
When Xu Lanyi came looking for him, she saw him looking like a cold, deep pool.
The surroundings were warm and steamy, yet they couldn't taint that bright moonlight.
Xu Lanyi smiled slightly and took a few steps forward, only to suddenly see a little girl pop up next to his leg.
There happened to be a hot drink vending machine in the corner where Bian Xun was standing, and the little girl had come to buy something.
Bian Xun looked down and saw a fluffy little head wearing a fleece jacket with ears. From above, he could see two round, chubby cheeks.
They met again.
This couldn't be a coincidence anymore.
The little girl stood beside him, seemingly not afraid of strangers at all. She pressed herself against the glass of the vending machine, struggling to look up and scan the items. Once she found what she wanted to buy, she lifted her head.
Bian Xun looked down, and two round, shiny black grape-like eyes looked back at him.
"?"
Ning Zhitao locked eyes with her dad, then reached out her chubby little hand and pointed at an item on the second row.
"I want this one~"
Bian Xun: "?"
The little girl had dimples on her cheeks and blinked her eyes. Her tone was soft, cute, yet loud, and her attitude could simply be described as taking it for granted.
Watching from a few steps away, Xu Lanyi was taken aback at first, and then almost laughed out loud.
What kind of upbringing produces a child who asks for things so bluntly?
In Bian Xun's current state, he was obviously still very much a stranger to her. Yet this child was demanding things as if it were her right? Right now it was just food and drinks, but wouldn't she be asking for a house and a car in the future?
Like mother, like daughter. If the adults act this way, the children will naturally follow suit.
Xu Lanyi couldn't help but curl her lips into a light smile. This just went to show the superiority of her own child-rearing.
Since childhood, she had always done her utmost to satisfy Zixun's material needs. By raising her child in affluence, ensuring he lacked nothing materially, he wouldn't become dependent, wouldn't envy others, and certainly wouldn't rudely demand things from strangers.
Perhaps this was exactly how Ning Ye taught her daughter—look, this is your father, he should buy things for you; just ask him directly for whatever you want.
Xu Lanyi sighed and shook her head. A perfectly good little girl falling into the hands of people unfit to be parents would only grow up more and more crooked.
Over the years, Xu Lanyi had always felt that there should be an exam for becoming a parent. Only then could those truly capable of providing for and raising a child be filtered out.
People like her, or like Bian Xun.
Bian Xun fell silent for a few seconds. Although he didn't understand why he was supposed to buy it for her, he reached out and pressed the numbers on the vending machine anyway.
Before he could finish, the little girl stretched out her chubby little hand and flashed a peace sign. "I want two bottles!"
Bian Xun was speechless.
At this moment, Xu Lanyi stepped forward at the right time, smiling as she bent down slightly. "Little girl, do you want me to buy them for you?"
Ning Zhitao looked at the auntie in confusion and tilted her head.
Daddy is Daddy, and Daddy would buy things for her, but why would she let a stranger buy things for her?
Bian Xun cast a faint glance at Xu Lanyi, selected the two bottles the child wanted, and scanned the code to pay.
For anything with a normal price, it wasn't as if he couldn't afford it.
Two glass bottles rolled out from the bottom of the machine. The little girl caught them with stars in her eyes, hugged them tight, and skipped away.
She didn't even say thank you.
Xu Lanyi smiled.
What kind of mother could raise a child like this? It seemed she didn't even need to do anything; the difference in class between her Zixun and Ning Ye's daughter was already clear at a glance.
Bian Xun remained expressionless.
He just felt it was very strange, yet he found it hard to refuse.
Meanwhile.
Ning Ye was walking around in a large circle looking for someone.
Taotao wouldn't have run into someone else's private hot spring. It was possible she saw Zhang Sijie and the others and went to the public pool to play.
She checked them one by one, looking through both the indoor and outdoor pools, ignoring the alternating hot and cold air. When she finally spotted Ning Zhitao holding two bottles of milk, her tone couldn't help but grow a bit urgent.
"Where did you go?"
Ning Ye grabbed her hand. Feeling that the child's palm was warm, she breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Thankfully, she hadn't caught a cold.
When Ning Ye was little, her mother used to bathe her. Back then, of course, they didn't have a bathtub, so her mother would fill an old red basin with hot water and put her inside. Because the water only reached her stomach, her mother would constantly pour hot water over her, always reminding her that the most important thing after a hot bath was to not catch a cold.
There was no concept of hot springs back then, but the red bath basin from her childhood and the warm hot water splashing over her body were deeply branded in Ning Ye's memory. So much so that even now, she strictly remembered not to blow in the cold wind after bathing.
Ning Zhitao was startled by her mother's tone. Her big eyes blinked under her long, curly eyelashes. "Mommy, I went to buy milk. Before, every time Mommy finished soaking in the hot spring, you would drink milk with me."
Ning Ye paused, knowing the child was talking about things in the future.
"Mommy, I asked for two bottles. This chocolate-flavored one is for you." The little girl lifted the glass bottle like she was presenting a treasure, her grape-like eyes full of a sweet and soft smile.
One glass bottle of milk had some weight to it, and two bottles were quite heavy for a four-year-old. Ning Zhitao had been hugging them tightly to her chest, causing the clothes over her belly to wrinkle and roll up, heated by the glass bottles.
Ning Ye also realized her tone had been a bit hasty. Perhaps it was because the alternating hot and cold wind had made her head a bit dizzy.
Ning Ye squatted down, first taking the milk from the child's hands and setting it aside, before saying seriously, "Zhitao, we are outside right now, not at home. If an adult isn't by your side, you cannot run off to a place where I can't see you. Because if something unexpected happens to you, I might not be able to get there in time."
Ning Zhitao nodded obediently. Her hands were still hot, but her mother's fingertips were already cold.
This made her a little sad.
Her tiny fists wrapped around Ning Ye's fingers as her face drooped. "I'm sorry, Mommy, I won't run around anymore. Just now, I saw Daddy over there, so I went over."
"With Daddy there, Taotao is safe too, right?"
Ning Ye froze, and looking at the milk, she finally realized.
"Did your daddy buy this milk?"
"Yeah," Ning Zhitao nodded and pouted. "But Daddy didn't seem very willing. Another auntie wanted to help me buy it, but in the end, Daddy still bought it for me."
Hearing this, Ning Ye knew it was probably Xu Lanyi.
A faint feeling of displeasure suddenly rose in her heart.
It wasn't because Bian Xun and Xu Lanyi were together, but because, right in front of the female lead, Bian Xun was actually being stingy about buying milk for a child?
Even though he didn't know this was his child, Ning Ye could perfectly imagine Xu Lanyi's psychological activity.
She definitely thought her child was demanding things left and right, had no manners, and couldn't compare to her son.
But what was wrong with a child asking her own dad to buy a bottle of milk?
It was strange to say; when Xu Lanyi caused trouble in front of her, Ning Ye didn't feel much emotional fluctuation. But the moment she thought about her secretly mocking her child, Ning Ye felt a strong sense of displeasure.
She even directed some of her anger at Bian Xun.
Couldn't he be a bit more generous and give the child some face?
Sure enough, when there's a stepmother, there's a stepfather.
Ning Ye stood up in a fit of anger, but as soon as she stood, the world almost spun around her.
...
Meanwhile, Bian Xun was frowning in thought.
This child might really be a relative of Ning Ye's family, placed in her care. That would explain all the children's products she had bought before.
Xu Lanyi stood beside him and said softly in the tone of someone with experience, "Children don't know any better. We adults should be more understanding."
"Raising a child requires the long-term nourishment of time and love, not just money. It's a pity that some people just don't understand that."
Xu Lanyi shook her head and sighed with pity.
"Bian Xun, I didn't handle things well tonight. I shouldn't have let Ning Ye advance the funds. What a huge pressure that must be for her."
Clearly, Ning Ye's desire for money had already become alienated and twisted onto the child.
"You must be in a difficult position too, right?" Xu Lanyi asked considerately.
Bian Xun looked up and suddenly saw the two colleagues who had been with Ning Ye exiting the hotel and hailing a cab, telling the driver to go to XX Hospital.
He frowned, still unclear about the situation, but his phone had already received a billing notification.
Just now.
Ning Ye had spent ten million at the hospital.
Bian Xun's dark eyes were calm, suddenly unsure of what this situation meant.
If it was a ten-thousand-fold multiplier, then it was probably just a routine checkup.
If it was a thousand-fold multiplier, then it might be a bit serious.
If it was a hundred-fold multiplier, then she probably wasn't doing very well right now.
If it was a ten-fold multiplier... Bian Xun had already turned around, pulled open his car door, and rushed straight toward the hospital.
"Bian Xun!" Xu Lanyi called out to him, but only exhaust fumes remained in the air.
The Maybach drove through the night in the suburbs of Beijing and soon stopped at the entrance of XX Hospital.
He slammed the car door shut, asked the information desk, found Ning Ye's hospital room, and heard her voice from outside.
"It's nothing serious, don't worry about me."
"It's just that I caught a cold after taking a bath. The doctor mentioned there's a flu virus going around lately, so they drew blood for a few extra tests. It shouldn't be a big deal."
Bian Xun stopped by the door and let out a faint scoff.
A gentle male voice drifted out from the room. "Still, we shouldn't be careless. We need to observe a bit more."
Jiang Xinghe looked worried, his voice soft and warm. "You advanced so much money for the meals today, do you still have enough? You have to pay out of pocket at these suburban hospitals, right? Where is your medical bill? Let me pay it for you first."
Outside the door, a cold sneer curled the corners of Bian Xun's lips.
He had already paid it, alright?
Did she really need another man for that?
Bian Xun raised his hand, just about to kick the door open, when he heard Ning Ye give a weak laugh.
"It's really fine. I paid a thousand, and my medical insurance will cover seventy percent."
"The company also provides corporate medical benefits, and we can process it through the company account to cover another seventy percent."
Ning Ye smiled shyly. "I'll only end up paying a few dozen bucks."
Bian Xun: "?"
President Bian, who had just spent ten million, pushed the door open with a completely blank expression.
"President Bian?! Why are you here?" Sister Zhou exclaimed in shock.
Bian Xun looked at Ning Ye expressionlessly.
He was here to be her critical illness insurance.
Ahhh sorry everyone for the late update, but this chapter is super long!
The update volume suddenly skyrocketed and I haven't quite adapted to it yet. I will try my best to update at midnight tomorrow.
I will still try to give you as many updates as possible!
