28
"Didn't we already buy the apartment?"
The CEO asked his assistant coldly, a hidden pain in his eyes.
Assistant Zhang wiped his sweat. "The two-bedroom apartment Miss Ning was renting has indeed been bought. The property rights have been transferred, and the apartment now belongs to you. You see, this month's rent should have already been transferred to your account."
Bian Xun closed his eyes and looked down at his bank transaction records. After the painful loss of 8.5 million.
There was indeed an income of 8,500 yuan.
Bian Xun: "..."
At least it didn't randomly multiply by 10,000 times.
The CEO rubbed the center of his brows miserably, his expression devoid of joy or sorrow, and notified Assistant Zhang: "Cancel her lease contract. There's no need to collect rent from her every month from now on."
Assistant Zhang suddenly realized that this was why his boss was unhappy.
How could he still let Miss Ning pay rent? She was already working hard raising their child on her own. The boss's original purpose for buying this apartment must have been for this exact reason.
Simply put, the CEO felt he hadn't spent enough money!
Assistant Zhang blamed himself inwardly for his negligence, silently reminding himself to pay more attention in the future.
Bian Xun saw through his thoughts. His thin lips parted, hesitating for a moment before he pinched his brow and waved his hand.
"Also, pay off the TV she bought on installment."
Stop all those automatic payments for her.
Otherwise, they would stab him in the back at any moment.
Assistant Zhang looked admiring: "Yes, sir."
If you love her, you can't let her spend money! Even for small amounts like interest-free installments, the CEO took care of them one by one.
So even a cold-hearted and ruthless man like President Bian was the same when he fell in love.
Bian Xun: "..."
Bian Xun said coldly: "You may leave."
Although in a sense it was true—but businessmen value profit, and his motives couldn't be that pure.
Besides, under the prospect of ten-thousand-fold profits, this money was nothing.
Heh.
...
As for whether Bian Xun's large expenditures involved any bad habits, Ning Ye found it inconvenient to ask too much.
But according to her observations, Bian Xun still had a regular routine, was healthy, and highly disciplined.
The child also said that in the future, her father would return to his bedroom at the same time every day and loved staying in his room.
So although Ning Ye verbally expressed concern about him being involved in pornography, gambling, or drugs, she knew in her heart that given Bian Xun's OCD and perfectionism, he probably wouldn't allow himself to touch such inferior, uncontrollable things.
Although he was cold and mean, he was actually someone who took proactive action and never had any self-loathing or self-destructive tendencies. In a way, he was actually a psychologically healthy, black-hearted capitalist.
Perhaps this was the foundation of his potential to become a good father.
As Ning Ye put away the things he bought for the little one, she rubbed her chin and pondered: What could those single payments of 1.21 million and 8.5 million possibly have bought?
But that was his freedom to spend, and it wasn't her place to interfere.
So those large bills... maybe he just simply had high living expenses ^^
The next day was Monday.
The entire business department was heading to Hangzhou one after another. Before leaving, Ning Ye prepared to take the little one to Bian Xun's place first.
As soon as she went out, she didn't expect his Maybach to already be parked at the entrance of her residential compound.
Ever since Ning Ye argued her case last time, Uncle Liu from the property management at the gate stopped charging him parking fees, and happily greeted Bian Xun every time.
This was how the CEO saved small money but spent big money.
"..." Bian Xun closed his eyes.
Ning Ye paused slightly while holding the child's hand. The man's exceptionally well-structured face looked out from the car, his expression still faint, resting one hand on the car window. "Get in."
She was fine before, but realizing they were actually going on a business trip, Ning Ye's gaze toward Bian Xun suddenly became unnatural.
At the thought of what might happen on this business trip, those almond eyes blinked slightly, a hint of evasiveness creeping into her bright pupils.
Even though she clearly knew that a child could only be created in one way, she and Bian Xun had, after all, been broken up for six years.
To jump from a completely estranged physical relationship directly into that level of physical contact—
It was truly hard for anyone to face calmly.
She maintained her composure as she put Taotao into the child seat. Bian Xun cast a glance through the rearview mirror. "Bring the kid along."
Ning Ye froze for a moment. It wasn't that she hadn't thought about it before, but she was going to be very busy this time. "What about the kindergarten..."
Bian Xun's dark eyes were steady and certain, his tone revealing a bit of ease. "I already asked for a leave of absence for her."
Given his current authority at the kindergarten, the teacher fully agreed.
Of course, Bian Xun didn't want to talk about being surrounded by other kids shouting "Papa-lord". Recalling that scene still made his temples throb.
Children were still very noisy creatures.
Ning Zhitao was just a special species among children.
Ning Ye thought about it and felt this was fine too. Since both of them would be on-site, there would always be someone to look after the child.
As the organizing party, Ning Ye's department had a set agenda running from nine in the morning to seven in the evening, requiring them to be at their posts almost constantly for two days.
In contrast, Bian Xun's itinerary was extremely simple—he only needed to attend the important sessions. The rest of the time, he would occasionally meet with leaders from other companies, drink tea, and chat about collaborations.
Having another person's help with taking care of the child definitely made things much easier for Ning Ye.
Because today involved early setup and rehearsals, many colleagues from her department had also chosen this flight.
On the way, she received messages from Sister Zhou and Jiang Xinghe asking if she had arrived at the airport yet.
Ning Ye suddenly felt a bit nervous. When picking the flight, she had planned to go alone, but now she had a little kid with her, and on top of that, she was riding in the boss's car—
Bian Xun glanced at her phone through the rearview mirror and gave a nonchalant smirk.
"Assistant Zhang has already upgraded your cabin."
You won't have to sit with your colleagues.
Ning Ye was taken aback, but she didn't hypocritically decline. "Then thank you."
Bian Xun's dark eyes fell on Ning Ye through the narrow mirror reflection. Thinking of the more than ten billion and ten million he had lost, he seized the opportunity to patiently guide her.
"In this world, money can solve most problems. How do you feel about that?"
Ning Ye's almond eyes were like water, looking slightly ashamed: "I feel like I've betrayed my class."
The thought of secretly sitting in a company-paid first-class seat behind her colleagues' backs gave her a sense of immoral thrill.
Bian Xun: "?"
Upon arriving at the airport, Bian Xun took the adult and the child straight through the VIP channel, checking in early at a separate counter, completely avoiding her colleagues.
Boarding the plane and walking toward first class, the flight attendants offered eager smiles.
This was Ning Ye's first time flying first class. Although she wasn't completely lost, she was very unfamiliar with the bunch of buttons around her seat.
Holding things in her hands, she momentarily didn't know where to put them.
Just as she was figuring it out, a chubby little hand suddenly reached out and helped her pull out the tray table from the gap next to the seat.
Ning Zhitao looked up at Ning Ye with sparkling eyes, like a little penguin resting beside her, ready to help her mom with something at any time.
It seemed the little one was more experienced than she was. Ning Ye curled her lips into a smile.
She didn't feel embarrassed that a child knew more about flying first class than she did. She only felt that the future Ning Zhitao must have seen a lot of the world. A child like that would always be confident and radiant, never feeling inferior or timid no matter where she went.
How wonderful!
...
After Ning Ye carefully studied and figured out the various functions of the first-class seat, she went to check Ning Zhitao's seatbelt. Ning Zhitao was dangling her little legs in her seat, clearly very happy.
Their seating arrangement had Ning Ye in the middle, with Ning Zhitao on her right across a narrow aisle. Bian Xun was on her left, his seat right next to hers, separated only by a partition.
Bian Xun walked over and stood up to take off his coat.
Ning Ye turned her head and saw him, suddenly blushing for no reason.
This man was really strange... He was obviously just taking off a coat, but he did it so slowly and methodically. His long, slender arms slipped through the sleeves, he folded the garment, and then his pale, cool fingers slowly loosened his tie...
Ning Ye didn't know what she was thinking of, but she quickly straightened her gaze, her almond eyes wide open.
When they got to that step, would they have to take off all their clothes? Actually, not taking them off would be fine too... It wouldn't affect anything...
After not seeing each other for six years, being that bare and honest was really... very shameful.
But even if he didn't take off his clothes, she could actually remember it clearly.
A few images flashed before Ning Ye's eyes, and the tips of her ears unconsciously turned red, a stark contrast against her pale, porcelain-like profile.
She sat up straight, but suddenly, a cold fingertip touched the shell of her ear, startling her so much she almost jumped out of her seat.
"Are you hot?" Bian Xun asked, lowering his eyes.
She had a... very indescribable aura about her today.
A kind of melting fragrance.
Bian Xun leaned over to grab the remote control by her armrest.
When he leaned over like this, his chest and abdomen were right in front of Ning Ye. The lines of his profile were like rolling hills, a faint, cool sandalwood scent wafted from his collar, and the muscles of his arms bulged firmly beneath his black shirt, casually brushing against her waist.
With just that fleeting physical contact, Ning Ye had already tensed up.
For a brief moment, his arms were propped up above her, forming an absolute space that felt both familiar and strange.
Ning Ye silently closed her eyes.
She began to calmly think about the matter of making a baby.
They currently had a relationship devoid of romantic feelings. Given Bian Xun's sense of order and rules, this kind of thing normally wouldn't happen.
So the original situation was highly likely just that drunken accident that made everything happen.
Before that, she should face it calmly.
Besides, even if it was very embarrassing and uncomfortable, did that mean they just wouldn't make love?
That was impossible.
The little girl was right next to her, eagerly watching TV. If she didn't step up, the little girl would very likely cease to exist structurally.
Ning Ye opened her eyes, secretly took a deep breath, and regained her composure under the hormones released by a certain someone.
Bian Xun took her remote, straightened back up, and adjusted the air conditioning temperature for Ning Ye.
He lowered his eyes, feeling that her aura had changed slightly again.
The melting fragrance had become a bit more restrained.
But still... it lingered in his every breath.
Bian Xun's eyes reflected her figure, as if tracing it. A moment later, he turned and sat down.
After the plane took off and leveled out, Ning Zhitao let go of the hands covering her ears.
"Mommy, let's watch TV together!"
The little girl's cheerful voice came from the right.
She was so happy today; it had been a long time since she went on a long trip with her mom and dad!
Although the flight to Hang City took less than three hours, Ning Zhitao had already selected three cartoons she wanted to watch on the small screen in front of her seat, and enthusiastically invited Ning Ye to watch them synchronously on both screens.
Her short fingers poked and tapped. "Just like this, if we both press play at the same time, we can watch it together!"
Ning Ye smiled and played along. "Then you blow the whistle."
"Yay!"
Raising a daughter was really interesting.
This was a thought that began to pop up occasionally after Ning Ye had spent two months with the little girl day and night.
Admittedly, raising a child was troublesome, but with a daughter, they could go to the bathroom together when going out, take baths and soak in hot springs together, and go shopping and eat together.
A daughter was like her youngest best friend, yet loved her more than any friend ever could.
The thought that this little girl's eyes, nose, and mouth would all rely on her to be born, and that her health would almost entirely be bestowed by her, gave Ning Ye an inexplicable sense of the sacred.
She began to objectively observe the man beside her.
Their genes each made up fifty percent, so the father's traits were also very important.
After noticing Ning Ye's gaze for the third time, Bian Xun finally changed his posture calmly, put down the tablet in his hand, and turned his head to look at her.
Meeting his dark eyes, Ning Ye didn't look away, but subconsciously pondered who the child's eyes actually resembled more.
The overall eye shape was of course more like Ning Ye's, but looking closely, the folds of her double eyelids seemed to have a bit of Bian Xun's shadow.
At this moment, Ning Ye was already holding a mindset of scientific research.
However, to a certain someone, that look seemed to hold many subtle hints.
Bian Xun suddenly found himself unable to focus on the things in his hands.
He didn't know why, but being stared at by her made him feel a bit warm. From the side of his forehead where her gaze landed, down to his upper body within her line of sight, he began to feel inexplicably hot.
After being reunited for so long, this was the first time Ning Ye had looked at him like this.
Bian Xun's profile remained impassive. After a long while, he reached out and lowered the temperature of the air conditioning on his side as well.
Then he slightly undid a button on his shirt.
What was she looking at?
Bian Xun forced his gaze to focus on the financial reports at hand, letting reason take control, but out of the corner of his eye, he could still feel the lingering warmth of her stare.
She stopped looking?
Ning Ye looked up at the approaching flight attendant—it was mealtime on the flight.
Bian Xun: ?
He thought coldly, was he not even as attractive as a meal?
The CEO coldly and rationally looked back at his reports.
The flight attendant began providing menus to the first-class passengers. Ning Ye was very satisfied with the dishes listed, but after looking up and down, she found there was no kid's meal suitable for a child.
The flight attendant noticed her need and smiled, bending down in front of Ning Ye. "Hello, ma'am. Our flight also provides customized dining services. Would you like to order something for the little one?"
So this part wasn't included in the ticket. Ning Ye didn't know how much it would cost to add a custom meal.
Bian Xun cast a glance at her and was about to speak, but Ning Ye naturally nodded. "Yes, please. Sorry for the trouble."
Ning Zhitao was engrossed in her cartoon and didn't pay attention to this little interlude, but she fully trusted her mom and dad; what they gave her was always the best.
Ning Ye indeed tacitly agreed with this.
Since they had a child, parents should do everything in their power to give the child the best. Otherwise, what was the child brought into this world for? To suffer?
This wasn't just because she controlled the child's father's child-rearing funds, but also because deep in an adult's subconscious, they perhaps wished their own childhood had been treated this way too.
Bian Xun slightly turned his head. When those clear almond eyes looked at the child, they unconsciously held a few more traces of a smile. Her clean profile featured incredibly delicate eyelashes, showing much more softness and resilience than before.
Then what kind of look was she giving him?
Bian Xun stared at her, sizing her up.
A faint sense of happiness flowed through this scene. The flight attendants standing in the distance had been secretly paying attention. Seeing this picture, their eyes practically turned into stars. This family's attractiveness was just way too high—the dad was handsome, the mom was beautiful, and even the little kid was so adorable.
In the eyes of others, they were a family of three.
However, Bian Xun maintained a sliver of clear-headedness throughout.
He withdrew his gaze; the unlit, black TV screen reflected his placid expression.
Although he had forcibly inserted himself into this family and become the child's father, there was still no relationship between the child's father and the child's mother.
Ning Ye was busy helping the little one eat, so her previously warm gaze was no longer focused on him.
Bian Xun cast a sidelong glance at Ning Ye.
No, they did have a relationship.
A rare kind of investment relationship.
Rationality taking over his brain, Bian Xun thought of an angle.
The kids' meal was prepared and delivered to Ning Zhitao's tray table. The carrots on the macaroni were carved into the shape of little pigs, with two blueberries for eyes and sprinkled with parsley flakes that looked like little freckles. The whole plate had nothing special about it other than being cute, yet it cost an extra 288 yuan.
Ning Ye was very willing to spend money when it came to her child.
This was a breakthrough point he hadn't thought of before.
Educational costs—that could also fuel her desire for money.
Starting from age four, how much capital would need to be reserved to cultivate a child into a global elite?
Bian Xun's gaze deepened.
He was going to discuss this matter with her tonight.
...
After the plane landed, Ning Ye explained the situation to the little one, handed her over to Bian Xun, and hurried to the conference venue first.
By the time the other colleagues dropped off their luggage at the hotel and arrived, they assumed Ning Ye had taken an earlier flight, which avoided a lot of unnecessary trouble.
Sister Zhou and Jiang Xinghe came over together to find her. Sister Zhou originally wanted to ask her which room she was staying in, but her eyes rolled around and suddenly she decided not to ask.
Then she chuckled to herself, pondering over it for a while.
Jiang Xinghe brought the materials they needed to distribute. These things were heavy, so he carried them himself, only handing them over to Ning Ye when they reached the venue: "Shall we begin?"
"Okay." Ning Ye smiled gratefully.
There were many things to handle today. The department colleagues worked together to set up the venue and rehearse the schedule.
This time, Ning Ye was responsible for liaising with the visiting guests from provincial branches and other enterprises, writing parts of the speeches, and appropriately controlling the floor during the panel discussions.
The seating arrangement for the front two rows of the conference hall had been finalized in advance, and Bian Xun was naturally in the center C-position of the first row.
When Yan Li heard that President Bian had actually landed in Hangzhou today, she shot Ning Ye several glances, feeling incredibly sour in her heart.
How did she know about it last time?
Ning Ye kept her head down and worked. While distributing the nameplates, she suddenly noticed an extra one bearing the name of the boss of Xinyang Group.
Ning Ye's hand paused. She had asked Bian Xun about this before; the higher-ups at Wujiang couldn't possibly have invited the rival company to attend. How did this nameplate get added in?
Ning Ye's mind instantly went on high alert.
This boss named Li Shunye was said to be the nephew of Xu Lanyi's father. Since Xu Lanyi couldn't show her face this time, was this person coming to compete commercially with Bian Xun, or to stand up for Xu Lanyi?
She thought for a moment and put Li Shunye's nameplate away for now.
The whole day passed by in a rush. At noon, she just had a simple boxed lunch and sent a message to check on Ning Zhitao's situation. The little one was doing great hanging out with her dad, eating and drinking outside, and even sent her a picture of her meal.
It wasn't until the evening that Ning Ye finally sat down to rest for a moment, carrying her bag back to the hotel.
She went to the front desk to check in, got her room card, and only realized after swiping it in the elevator that she was on the top floor.
She stepped out of the elevator and found this floor to be very quiet and secluded. There were only a few rooms in total. Her room was at the end of the right-hand side, directly opposite another room.
Ning Ye swiped her card to enter, only to realize that it was actually a luxury suite. The interior was extremely spacious, divided into a master and guest bedroom, plus a children's room. The overall decor was very lavish. It clearly wasn't the room type she had requested for her business trip; it seemed this was Bian Xun's doing again.
Ning Ye looked at the children's room. It was indeed much more comfortable than having the child share a bed with an adult, and it would also greatly improve her own sleep quality during the trip.
In her heart, she was still appreciative.
After looking around the room, she figured Ning Zhitao was probably still with her dad. Ning Ye looked down at the time and decided to go work out.
The personal trainer at the yoga club had heard she was preparing for pregnancy and designed a relatively scientific and systematic workout plan for her, requiring about half an hour of exercise every day. Ning Ye had accepted it with a blushing face.
So, even though she had worked all day and was already somewhat exhausted, Ning Ye still changed into her sportswear and went to the hotel gym.
Opposite her, in the other suite.
Bian Xun glanced at Ning Zhitao, who was still happily watching TV and drinking coconut juice, then looked down at his phone again.
The drawback of booking two presidential suites became apparent: the soundproofing was too good. Sounds from the hallway couldn't get in, so he didn't even know if Ning Ye had returned.
Bian Xun walked over to the sofa and sat down next to the little one. "Do you want to ask where your mom is?"
Ning Zhitao took her eyes off the TV, glanced at her dad, crossed her legs like an old sage, and wagged her finger. "No need, I know where Mom is."
Bian Xun raised an eyebrow, finding the kid's behavior somewhat amusing, a hint of a smile appearing in his dark eyes. "How do you know?"
Ning Zhitao looked very proud. "Lately, Mom always exercises around this time."
Bian Xun paused. "Why?"
"I don't know," Ning Zhitao scratched her head. "It seems like she has some very important mission!"
"?" What mission could be more important than him and the child?
A moment later.
Bian Xun changed his clothes, told Ning Zhitao that he would be back soon with her mom, and then grabbed his room card and left.
The hotel gym was on the fourth floor. The hotel booked by the company was an old-school five-star establishment; the facilities were decent, but of course, they couldn't compare to the club where he had bought her a membership. Why was she so actively working out lately?
When Bian Xun walked over, there were already quite a few people in the gym.
By this time, Ning Ye had already done some light aerobics, finished her yoga stretches, and was power walking at a slow pace on the treadmill.
Next to the treadmill, a figure was chatting with her. Both of them were wearing coffee-colored sportswear.
They looked very harmonious.
Bian Xun's eyes darkened, but his expression remained unreadable.
When Ning Ye arrived at the gym, Jiang Xinghe was already there.
He very tactfully didn't ask which floor she was staying on, only occasionally giving her a few tips on physical activities.
Ning Ye discovered that although Jiang Xinghe's main profession wasn't a doctor, growing up immersed in a hospital environment made him almost half a doctor.
It just went to show how great an impact the environment had on a child!
As she was pondering over educational issues in her mind, Jiang Xinghe beside her suddenly straightened his back and nodded toward the area behind her. "President Bian."
Bian Xun cast him an indifferent glance.
Jiang Xinghe probably worked out as well, maintaining good exercise habits, which contrasted a bit with his handsome, gentle exterior.
This man's attitude was just like his current position—not aggressively offensive, but silently guarding from the sidelines, like a steady, quiet stream.
That was useless too.
Bian Xun's dark eyes were cold as he turned to look at Ning Ye.
Sure enough, as soon as Ning Ye saw him appear, she stopped the treadmill and stepped down. "Is Taotao asleep yet?"
"Not yet," Bian Xun cast a leisurely glance at Jiang Xinghe, wrapped an arm around Ning Ye, and led her out, saying without batting an eye, "But the child misses you."
Whether she actually missed her or not, Ning Zhitao would be very happy to see her anyway.
Ning Ye didn't suspect a thing. She turned back to greet Jiang Xinghe before being led away by Bian Xun.
From Jiang Xinghe's perspective, that slender, pale figure was loosely encircled by a pair of arms, radiating a strong, albeit subtle, sense of possessiveness.
Back in the hotel room, Ning Zhitao was already looking a bit sleepy.
Normally, this was about the time Ning Ye finished her workout, which was also the perfect time for the little one to wash up and go to bed.
Upon seeing Ning Ye, Ning Zhitao drowsily threw herself over. "Mommy!"
Ning Ye caught her skillfully and looked up at Bian Xun. "Thanks for your hard work today. I'll take the child back now?"
It was quite fascinating; with a child present, even in a hotel suite, there was no romantic or intimate atmosphere between them.
Bian Xun gave a soft "Mm," and just as she stood up, he suddenly said, "Come over for a chat after the child falls asleep."
Ning Ye was startled, her fingertips growing slightly hot. Bian Xun wasn't drunk today, was he?
Ning Zhitao leaned limply against her arm, her head bobbing like a little chicken pecking at rice. As soon as the child's presence diminished, the temperature in the room suddenly seemed to rise.
She asked dryly, "Chat about what?"
The man's dark eyes gazed at her coolly.
His tone was incredibly rational and rigorous. "About the child's education, of course."
...
Since it concerned the child, Ning Ye didn't refuse.
The CEO paced around the spacious suite, calmly planning a capital accumulation scheme.
He wanted to make Ning Ye fully realize the high cost of education, thereby increasing her desire for money. At that point, he would guide her to invest in funds, securities, gold, and even cryptocurrency... Perhaps before the child even started elementary school, his wealth would be enough to last them ten lifetimes.
Ning Ye settled the little one into the children's bed. She was still smacking her lips in her sleep, apparently very satisfied with what she had eaten and drunk today.
Ning Ye turned off the light and stepped out, but hesitated before taking a shower. She felt it would be a bit weird to go to Bian Xun's room freshly showered.
But she had just finished working out; she couldn't possibly discuss education covered in sweat, right?
Besides, Ning Ye had another purpose in mind that required observation.
She simply rinsed herself clean, dried her hair, and put on a proper set of long-sleeved and long-pants pajamas before entering Bian Xun's room.
Bian Xun had also showered.
The man's dark hair rested slightly damp against his brow bone. Wearing black silk pajamas, his relaxed appearance was vastly different from his usual suited-up look.
Seeing her enter, he gave a faint nod and pointed to a spot on the sofa next to a water glass. "Sit."
It was a three-seater sofa, leaving a full seat between them. The distance was safe, and the atmosphere was very formal.
Ning Ye relaxed and sat on the edge of the sofa. "What made you think of discussing education?"
Bian Xun glanced at her. Her fair cheeks were tinted with pink, and her soft, smooth tea-colored hair draped over the front of her pajamas.
"I'm used to planning ahead," Bian Xun said with a steady voice.
Ning Ye nodded. She understood this very well.
Bian Xun stood up to grab the remote, sat back down on the sofa, and pressed play.
This was a children's education seminar he had Assistant Zhang find earlier that day, covering everything from preschool all the way to studying abroad.
Assistant Zhang had been completely swept up by the CEO's intense drive, and after filtering through most of the similar seminars on the market, he had fallen into a deep state of educational anxiety.
Now, this anxiety was starting to spread from person to person.
As the seminar started, an old expert passionately shouted a slogan at the camera: "Don't let your child lose at the starting line!!"
Ning Ye immediately shuddered. Even though she wasn't a tiger mom, the shout made her heart pound.
She began to watch obediently.
Bian Xun frowned as he watched the seminar Assistant Zhang had picked out. It clearly contained elements of exaggerated propaganda, but he didn't stop it.
He rested his arm on the back of the sofa and cast a slight sideways glance. The glow from the TV enveloped her in a soft halo, and she was only about twenty centimeters away from him.
The expert then delivered a soul-searching question to the parents in front of the screen: "At what age do you think it isn't too late to start planning your child's education?"
Ning Ye's internal expectation was to wait until kindergarten graduation, right before the child started elementary school. She would definitely have to choose a better school for Taotao; although grades weren't important, the environment was crucial.
— "Elementary school? Wrong!"
Ning Ye fell silent: "."
"The best time to plant a tree was ten years ago; the second best time is now! The best time for you to plan is also now."
Ning Ye shifted uncomfortably in her seat, feeling that this seminar was peddling way too much anxiety.
They didn't have this kind of planning when they were young. The elementary school she attended was just a regular one closest to her home, the kind where half the students failed the high school entrance exam, and forty percent ended up in vocational schools. Even starting from such a line, she still managed to test her way out, eventually getting into Jinghua University.
Of course, Ning Ye didn't think schools were unimportant; rather, she clearly knew that the most crucial thing was one's own effort.
However, she couldn't deny that the competition for early childhood education in the city was incredibly fierce nowadays. Sister Zhou's child was two years older than hers, and ever since starting first grade, she had been worrying every single day.
So regardless of whether this information was accurate or not, it wouldn't hurt to learn more.
Ning Ye was very serious, her attitude proper.
Bian Xun had his eyes half-closed, leaning lazily next to her.
Without knowing when it happened, the distance between them had shortened to only half a body's width.
She was now sitting within his arm's reach, as if in an embrace.
The suite provided the same bath products, so their post-shower scents were identical, blending seamlessly in the air.
Bian Xun slightly lowered his eyes and took a breath through his thin lips, forcing rationality back into his mind.
He was managing finances right now.
Calm down.
"Of course, dear parents, pushing your kids is not as good as pushing yourselves. Do you know how much money your child will cost starting from kindergarten?"
This point actually made Ning Ye truly nervous.
"First, taking the city as an example, the current average price of school district housing in the Hai X District is still over 98,600 per square meter, and the upper limit in popular districts is even higher. Even for non-essential school district housing, parents need to prepare at least 3 million in savings."
Ning Ye took a slight breath of cold air.
If they really were to buy a school district house, she certainly couldn't let Bian Xun pay for all of it; she would have to cover a portion herself. But even if they split it one to nine, she would still need to prepare at least 300,000.
"Once your child enters elementary school, if it's a public school, it might seem like there's only ten or twenty thousand in tuition and fees each year, but can you really avoid enrolling your child in various extracurricular classes? For a middle-class family, this expense is at least 50,000 to 100,000 a year. If it's an international school, the tuition for grades 1-8 is between 270,000 and 300,000 a year. Over eight years, you need to prepare at least 2 million."
Ning Ye's shoulders tensed up, and her expression began to grow dazed.
"By high school, your expenses will be even greater. The tuition for various international schools averages over 180,000 a year..."
"If you also want your child to go abroad to see the world, the average annual cost in mainstream countries is around 300,000, and if it is an international metropolis..."
Money.
Lots and lots of money.
By the end of it, Ning Ye was in a trance, her soul seemingly leaving her body, feeling that the world was just a bottomless pit for money.
No wonder Sister Zhou was so anxious, Ning Ye could finally understand now!
Ning Ye leaned weakly against the back of the sofa, the back of her neck unconsciously resting on Bian Xun's arm.
Bian Xun also felt his temples throbbing as he watched.
This further strengthened the capitalist's determination to make money generate more money.
He lowered his eyes and looked at Ning Ye.
She leaned back limply on the sofa, her pupils slightly dilated, her lips parting, breathing weakly.
Bian Xun's gaze landed on the corners of her lips, and he suddenly paused.
The veins on his arm resting under the back of her neck twitched slightly.
Ning Ye remained in a daze for a moment before firmly propping herself up and continuing to listen to the rest of the expert's lengthy lecture.
She felt that this was no longer about children's education, but a real adult education after graduation.
How could there be anyone like her in the world?
The child hadn't even been truly conceived yet, and she was already being educated into a state of utter confusion.
At the very end, a QR code appeared on the TV screen, saying that scanning it to buy a course would enter them into a lucky draw for cashback.
Only then did Bian Xun finally regain his senses.
Without realizing when, he had leaned in close to Ning Ye, supporting her tottering body that had been heavily impacted by the educational views on money, and whispered softly into her ear to inject some spirit into her: "So, you need to let the money flow and be a smart mother."
Ning Ye shakily scanned the code and spent 88 yuan to buy the course.
Clicking open the gift package, she actually won the grand prize of 188 yuan. Ning Ye was so touched. After this battle, she truly felt a desire to earn more money!
Bian Xun raised an eyebrow.
A difference of 100, which meant he could get a margin of one million.
...That works too.
At least it guided her to start changing her mindset.
Bian Xun lazily lowered his eyes to glance at his phone.
The income was just 100 yuan.
There were no four zeros behind it.
"?"
He remained expressionless, realizing one thing.
Her consumption inflation rate was random, so the return on investment would also be random.
After tossing and turning for four hours, the CEO's hourly wage was 25.
It was worse than working at McDonald's.
Ning Ye yawned, rubbed her eyes, and stood up. "Thank you for giving me such valuable information."
Bian Xun: "...You're welcome."
Where was the value.
Ning Ye was extremely exhausted by now. Her mind was still thinking about her purpose for coming here, but having been battered to pieces by too many prices, in her sleepiness, words finally slipped out without passing through her brain. "By the way, Bian Xun, you yourself shouldn't, overindulge."
Before preparing for pregnancy, men needed to abstain from sex to keep their little tadpoles healthy.
Bian Xun's dark eyes suddenly shrank.
The children's channel suddenly switched to the adult channel.
She was so sleepy that a few tears seeped from the corners of her eyes. Her thick, slender eyelashes rested wetly on her eyelids. When she yawned, the moist tip of her tongue flashed past in her mouth, only to be blocked and hidden away by her beautifully shaped teeth.
After saying that, she swayed and slowly went back.
On the side of the man's cold, white neck, his Adam's apple bobbed slightly after a long while.
The CEO stayed awake all night.
In the early hours of the morning, he suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze calm.
Does she have a physiological need for me?
Mhm.
Ning Ning: For the baby.
CEO Bian: Burning up.
See you tomorrow at noon.
