35
Ning Ye was currently in no mood to care about the Bian family or any plotlines. Sitting in the back seat of the car, she looked down and touched the child's feverish forehead, her face filled with anxiety.
Unnatural red swelling had appeared on the child's cheeks and neck, yet her complexion was covered in a pale, clammy layer. A large red ring surrounded her little lips and nose, and her facial features were tightly scrunched up in discomfort.
Taotao was allergic to this kind of plant, but as her parents, they had no idea.
On the way out, she had wanted to call for an ambulance, but Bian Xun calmly stopped her.
This was the Bian family's old residence. It couldn't be found on a map and was located deep within the hutongs. It would be very difficult for an ambulance to drive in and even harder to back out.
At a time like this, him driving to the hospital was the fastest option.
The Maybach sped through the night. Ning Ye let Taotao lie flat on the back seat, gently patting her shoulder.
The man in the driver's seat had a tense profile. With both hands on the steering wheel, he stepped hard on the gas pedal the whole way.
At this moment, they were just like any ordinary parents taking their child to the emergency room in the middle of the night.
Ning Ye cupped Taotao's cheeks and stared at the red light through the windshield. Anxious, she asked Bian Xun, "Was your allergy severe back then?"
She herself didn't have any allergens; this was genetics from the child's father's side, and she had zero experience dealing with it.
"Yes," the man's voice was slightly tight.
After pausing for a few seconds, he tried his best to answer in a calm and rational tone.
"I was too young when I had the allergic reaction, so I only have a vague impression of it. When I woke up, I was already in the hospital. I never encountered the Crown of Thorns again after that, so I had forgotten about this."
Just as the red light ended, the Maybach barely came to a steady stop before Bian Xun closed his eyes.
"It was my negligence. I'm sorry."
Ning Ye knew this wasn't Bian Xun's fault either. After all, he was currently experiencing allergy symptoms too. The red heat was obvious on his cold, white skin, yet he managed to maintain his rationality throughout.
From his voice and silhouette, one couldn't tell there was anything unusual about him.
Only the steering wheel knew that the fingertips of its owner were still ice-cold.
So.
Ning Zhitao was his child?
His and Ning Ye's child.
Even though Bian Xun hadn't seen the paternity test report yet, and there was no definitive conclusion on paper, with such a rare allergy characteristic, how could it be so identical if they weren't blood-related?
He lowered the rear window by an inch to let the night breeze blow in slightly, maintaining air circulation in the car to prevent the child's breathing from being obstructed.
While doing these things, his brain could still calmly direct everything, but his muscles were tense and spasming, and the artery in his neck throbbed from time to time—a sign of a rapid heart rate.
Perhaps the allergy symptoms from the Crown of Thorns were also affecting him.
From his temples to his chest, it was itchy and burning hot.
All the allergy symptoms mirrored his mood at this moment.
Bian Xun was also very worried about the child's current condition.
But throughout the entire journey, he didn't even dare to turn around and look at the mother and daughter.
Just like that, they sped all the way, rushing to the hospital at maximum speed.
On the way, Bian Xun had already made a call and had someone arrange for a doctor.
Facts proved that efficiency was the most crucial thing at a time like this. The child was too young and it was her first exposure to this allergen. In just about ten minutes, her eyelids had already swollen, and her little face looked like it had been stung by a bee. She looked extremely pitiful.
The doctor quickly performed an examination and arranged for the nurses to make preparations.
Ning Ye nervously watched the little girl being wheeled out and bowed solemnly to the doctor. "I leave her in your hands."
The doctor hastily helped her up, not daring to accept such a bow, and comforted her, "Don't worry, Mom. Fortunately, the child was kept away from the allergen in time. Currently, it seems to be just restricted circulation causing angioedema. There are no severe respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms."
Ning Ye nodded repeatedly as she listened. Although Old Master Bian's behavior left people speechless, if he hadn't immediately noticed the Crown of Thorns and had someone move it out right away, in a relatively enclosed ancestral hall with so many people, Taotao's allergic reaction would definitely have been much more severe than it was now.
"So please rest assured, the child is not in a highly critical condition. Please wait a moment, you and CEO Bian."
The limp little girl was taken into the treatment room, leaving Bian Xun and Ning Ye outside.
After rushing frantically the whole way, it was only now that their hearts settled slightly.
Ning Ye slowly sat down on the bench outside the treatment room. She thought Bian Xun's germaphobia would prevent him from sitting, but unexpectedly, he also took a deep breath and slowly sat down.
A nurse walked over holding allergy medication and medical cold compresses. "CEO Bian, you should get treated as well."
His anti-allergic immunity had improved a lot after adulthood. Bian Xun's condition wasn't severe right now; his breathing was just slightly rapid.
Ning Ye turned to look at him. The hospital lights were bright, and only then did she clearly see that the area from the corners of his eyes to his neck was completely red, yet he hadn't cared for himself.
Sensing her somewhat concerned gaze, Bian Xun paused slightly.
He still didn't dare to look at her.
He didn't know why.
It felt as though if he turned his head right now, he would see his entire future.
Anxiety and excitement were like two unhealthy emotions, simultaneously occupying the two halves of his heart.
But whether it was the anxious part or the excited part.
They were all his.
He could be certain, they were all his.
The man closed his dark eyes, which were surging like the deep sea. Under the hospital's incandescent lights, he tilted his neck back. The red allergic marks seemed to be dyed by his emotions at this moment.
Ning Ye thought he was simply worried about the situation and comforted him, "It's okay. The doctor said it's not severe. We'll be able to go in soon."
After a long while, the man finally responded.
"Mhm."
Bian Xun finally slowly raised his dark eyes to meet Ning Ye's.
Only then did Ning Ye realize that his emotions were fluctuating greatly. She was a bit confused; Bian Xun's attitude seemed to have subtly changed. Could it be that he had gained a new understanding of being a father?
Bian Xun's gaze was fixed on her.
Although it was unbelievable, this child was his. That meant, she was his too.
Six years later, she still chose him.
Bian Xun didn't know what to say at this moment, but something inside his heart was growing wildly.
He felt like he had acquired some kind of pass.
A sense of control.
A justified right to care, to approach, and to demand.
A sense of order revived once again within his cold, silent body.
He was going to build a paradise upon the former ruins and set it in motion once more.
The door to the treatment room opened, and the doctor nodded to the parents outside, his eyes comforting.
Ning Ye suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. Knowing the little girl was fine, she finally relaxed.
Bian Xun also slowly stood up.
"Do a comprehensive check-up for her."
"Understood, CEO Bian," the medical staff agreed.
Bian Xun slowly rolled his shoulders and neck.
When the anxiety and panic completely faded away, a dense sense of excitement began to dominate his brain.
There was no need to look at the paper paternity test report anymore; the answer was already clear.
And all his back-and-forth struggles would completely rot in his heart, known to no one.
Ning Ye just remembered that she had Jiang Xinghe as a medical contact. Because they were in a rush today, they had come to a nearby comprehensive Grade 3A hospital. Ning Ye typed out a message, wanting to ask him how a children's hospital would normally handle a child's allergic reaction.
Before she could finish typing the message, the screen was turned off by someone.
Bian Xun pulled her phone away and slipped it back into her pocket. His distinct knuckles brushed past the side of her waist, carrying an undeniable sense of authority.
What was his status now?
And what was the status of the person outside?
"There are pediatric specialists here as well," Bian Xun said lightly.
Ning Ye thought about it. It wasn't appropriate to bother others this late, so she nodded. "Alright."
Bian Xun raised his slender fingers, slowly opening a medical dressing and applying it to the side of his neck. He looked down at Ning Ye and smiled after a moment.
"Happy birthday."
After a night of tossing and turning, her new year of life had arrived.
As had his new life.
...
In the hospital room.
Ning Zhitao had taken her medicine and was now asleep wearing an oxygen mask.
Her breathing looked even and steady; she seemed to be out of the woods.
The redness and swelling on her eyelids and cheeks were slowly fading, and her wrinkled little face gradually relaxed. Ning Ye's heart also eased.
"Doctor, about when will she wake up?"
"Probably in another half hour." The doctor checked his watch.
Ning Ye nodded and sat on the small sofa next to the bed, wiping the little girl's hands and face.
In less than half an hour, Ning Zhitao woke up.
"Mommy?"
Although her face was much less swollen, the little girl's pretty double eyelids were stretched into single eyelids. Her eyes, like two black grapes, looked as if she had been crying. Her small fists were a bit difficult to clench, looking even rounder due to the slight swelling. She sat blankly on the hospital bed, looking both comical and pitiful.
Ning Zhitao looked left and right. Although the environment was unfamiliar, both her mommy and daddy were here, so she felt very safe.
After taking a long moment to process, Ning Zhitao realized the situation.
Had she just fainted from being so angry at Grandpa??
She was indeed very angry, but to think she was actually angry to this extent??
Grandpa was truly very, very bad.
Ning Zhitao crossed her arms, looking like a small, angry steamed bun.
Ning Ye used the back of her fingers to check her forehead. Her temperature had come down. "Do you still feel uncomfortable anywhere?"
Ning Zhitao shook her head. "No more."
She shouldn't be that angry anymore, after all, Mommy and Daddy looked very worried.
Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she cleverly caught sight of the digital clock hanging on the wall.
The time right now was zero something!
Where was midnight?
Where was the midnight she had been waiting for over a month for!
She wanted to be the first to wish her mommy a happy birthday!!
Ning Zhitao's just-calmed mood collapsed again. She tilted her head back and began to cry sadly: "Wuwuwuwu."
Because she was angry, she missed it!
She hated Grandpa!
Ning Ye hurriedly stood up. "Does it hurt anywhere, Taotao?"
Ning Zhitao rubbed her eyes and shook her head, asking her cautiously, terrified of getting a negative answer.
"Mommy, am I still the first person to wish you a happy birthday?"
Ning Ye froze for a moment, her peripheral vision catching a certain man sitting quietly with his arms crossed, and nodded without hesitation. "Of course you are!"
"Today has just begun. No one has wished me yet."
Bian Xun: ? Then what am I.
Ning Zhitao instantly felt a bit happier. Good thing adults were all dummies.
Ning Zhitao rolled over and sat up on the bed, looking everywhere for her little backpack. "Daddy, where is my backpack?"
"Daddy, did you bring it for me?"
"Daddy! Help me find it."
Listening to these continuous calls of "Daddy," Bian Xun slowly stood up.
His allergic symptoms had completely faded. The tall and slender man stood up, looking refreshed and invigorated.
He was her biological father.
How come he hadn't noticed it before?
Bian Xun stood up, looking around with a hint of regret. Their ward was private, so there were no other patients or family members around.
Otherwise, there would be at least a room full of people envying him.
This was his child.
And the mother of his child.
So, Ning Ye was his...
Feeling utterly refreshed, Bian Xun gave her a deep look from the corner of his eye, then walked back to the car with his hands behind his back and retrieved the child's small backpack.
"?" Ning Ye didn't know what he was feeling so good about, but she had the distinct feeling that ever since they left the ancestral hall, this father's demeanor had undergone some sort of change.
The little girl was completely oblivious, having forgotten all about the uncomfortable allergic reaction from earlier. She covered her mouth tightly with her red little fingers, trying hard not to let her giggles slip out.
Teacher Youzi said that Mommy would definitely be super, super surprised when she saw her gift!
She would be super, super happy!
Ning Ye felt she was carrying all the expectations of a little child, so she acted completely clueless. Seeing the bulging backpack, she asked in confusion, "Why do you need your backpack? Is Taotao going to do her homework right now?"
These words perfectly hit the spot for the little girl's mood of creating a surprise!
Mommy didn't notice at all, she even thought she was going to do homework!!
Bwahaha!
Ning Ye also tried hard to suppress the corners of her lips.
Ning Zhitao's face no longer itched, and she was no longer angry. Suppressing her excitement, she hugged the backpack and looked up to ask her.
"Mommy, have you also not received any birthday gifts today yet?"
In the little girl's worldview, the whole world should be giving her mommy gifts today, so she was scrambling to be the first, terrified that she had missed her chance.
Ning Ye felt as if she were being held up by a pair of soft little hands, her eyes turning gentle. Even though the birthday venue had become a hospital room, Ning Ye didn't mind at all.
She wouldn't tell her little girl that this was far more than just the first gift of today.
You are the first in many years.
You yourself are a gift.
Ning Ye's almond eyes were soft as water as she nodded. "That's right, I haven't received any yet."
Bian Xun watched from the side, his expression faint, but the corners of his lips had curled up at some point.
Then he would settle for second place.
Ning Zhitao cheered, unzipped her backpack, and showed it to her.
"Mommy, this is my gift to you!"
It was a transparent acrylic box wrapped in the back of a drawing. It had to be opened to see the inside of the drawing, but a faint, sparkling light could be seen shining through the box.
Even without seeing the contents, Ning Ye's eyes lit up. "Wow!"
She didn't need to fake this feeling of surprise. Faced with such a thoughtfully prepared gift from the little girl, her heart was already soaked in joyful sweetness.
Ning Zhitao stared intently at her mommy's expression. Seeing her happy and excited smile, she was so thrilled she wanted to roll around on the hospital bed.
The little girl didn't care about the location anymore.
"Mommy, Mommy, open it quickly!"
Ning Ye carefully popped open the lid of the acrylic box and gently pulled out the front of the entire drawing. Before she could even make out the contents, she was blinded by a flash of light.
So shiny, it was absolutely dazzling!
A necklace adorned with diamonds was attached to the drawing paper. Hit by the overhead light, it refracted a brilliant fire that sparkled like a cluster of stars.
Looking closely, Ning Ye realized that each main diamond was pinned to a specific point on the picture, and that point was a hand-drawn little figure. Ning Ye could tell at a glance that it was herself, wearing her usual work commute outfit and carrying a laptop bag.
Under the next diamond was a crayon drawing of her wearing matching mother-daughter pajamas.
Under the one after that, she was wearing a hat and scarf, riding a bicycle, and there was even Ning Ye wearing clothes she hadn't seen before, perhaps what she would look like in the future.
Each little figure had a diamond "worn" on its neck and hands. Connected together, the necklace formed the shape of a heart.
Below it was written, "I love you~"
Ning Ye stared at the artwork, a gentle, glistening light reflecting in her eyes.
The child's clumsy strokes meant the portraits weren't refined, but every little figure represented her observation of her mother—the mother seen from a child's height, through a child's eyes.
"Mommy, do you like it?"
"I love it very much."
Ning Ye reached out and hugged the child, kissing the top of her head. Her voice melted into the little girl's soft, jet-black hair, as did the faint shimmer at the corners of her eyes. Bian Xun stood quietly to the side, watching her lips move slightly.
Thank you, my little one.
And just like that, in the hospital, she celebrated her first birthday together as a family of three.
And here, he welcomed his family of three.
...
Of course, the little girl definitely hadn't bought this necklace herself.
So Ning Ye was also very grateful to Bian Xun.
"It's just too expensive." Ning Ye looked at him, feeling a bit embarrassed.
The CEO's dark eyes held countless thoughts as they lazily landed on her porcelain-white collarbone, mentally picturing how that diamond-studded necklace would look resting there.
It would definitely be very fitting, very beautiful.
His status now was different from the past. Giving her a necklace was perfectly justifiable.
The CEO slowly straightened his back, his figure tall, noble, and aloof.
"How much was the necklace? I should pay the bulk of it," Ning Ye decided.
Bian Xun's subtle, all-night inward satisfaction suddenly came to a halt.
Ning Ye knew the necklace would be very expensive.
It was the child's heartfelt gift, so she certainly couldn't return it.
But even though she and Bian Xun were the mother and father, he shouldn't be giving her such an expensive gift that wasn't meant for raising the child.
This necklace was entirely for her, a purely decorative item. That made it a bit like a hot potato, and quite inappropriate.
The excitement in Bian Xun's eyes faded a little, his dark eyes looking at her coldly.
They were clearly not on the same page.
Since he was the child's biological father, it was only natural for him to give her anything.
Did she still think they were broken up?
Could people really raise a child together after breaking up?
Besides, who would dare let her spend money?
Heh.
Bian Xun parted his lips slightly, but after turning it over in his head from a few different angles, the words on the tip of his tongue sounded like a love confession no matter what.
Yet the almond-shaped eyes before him were crystal clear, holding no romantic feelings for him whatsoever, only responsibility and love for the child.
...It wasn't the right time yet.
Bian Xun's jaw tightened for a moment. He swallowed the words that would only bring him humiliation and said flatly, "This is a gift from the child. If you want to pay, pay her."
The CEO aloofly adjusted his cuffs.
As for his gift, she hadn't even received it yet.
......
Since the child had come to the hospital for an allergic reaction, they decided to do a comprehensive allergen test that night so they could be more careful in the future and prevent this from happening again.
"What about your family..." Ning Ye asked while they waited for the results.
"Don't worry about them," Bian Xun scoffed coldly.
The old man definitely hadn't expected this outcome.
Of course, neither had he, for that matter.
True, Ning Ye thought. She wouldn't take the child to the Bian family again anyway, and the Bian family didn't welcome them either.
That same day.
The Bian family's Winter Clothing Festival ancestral worship ceremony ended with Old Master Bian suffering a massive blow and being hospitalized.
In the hospital's senior VIP ward, the highly-respected Old Master Bian was already on a ventilator, his breath weak as a thread, with various monitors tracking his vitals nearby.
"It's nothing serious, just that his emotional fluctuations were too extreme. He hasn't rested well for several days, and going from great joy to massive shock all at once, his body couldn't handle it..."
The butler spoke in a low voice to the person on the other end of the phone, "Miss Lanyi, please tell Old Mr. Xu not to worry too much. The Old Master is fine, he just needs some rest and recuperation."
Xu Lanyi's voice flowed as elegantly as a cello, though it still carried a tone of concern. "I'll go see Grandpa Bian tomorrow. It was supposed to be a proper ancestral worship day, how did it turn out like this?"
She had already heard the full story.
Ning Ye's daughter had actually angered Old Master Bian into the hospital?
This level of savagery completely exceeded her imagination.
From the butler's verbal account of the scene, Xu Lanyi could perfectly picture it: the Bian family's ancestral hall, solemn and majestic, honoring numerous glorious ancestors, yet that little girl had been disrespectful to her elders right in the hall, spouting nonsense, and ultimately angering Old Master Bian so much that he collapsed to the ground.
She heard that he had collapsed right after reading the paternity test report, and was then rushed to the hospital.
Xu Lanyi hung up the phone, able to predict what happened.
It was naturally a heart attack brought on by shock and fury—such an ill-bred child was actually Bian Xun's biological flesh and blood?!
Born into a prominent family just like Bian Xun's, Xu Lanyi knew exactly how important the ancestral worship day was to someone like Old Master Bian.
So now, the entire Bian family knew about Bian Xun's illegitimate daughter born out of wedlock. The girl's rudeness and lack of upbringing had been thoroughly exposed to everyone, and Bian Xun must have deeply felt it too.
And her time had finally ripened. After all, even if Old Master Bian kept this biological flesh and blood, he would never keep her mother—especially a mother with a bad reputation.
Her assistant said hesitantly, "But we still haven't found out which hospital Miss Ning gave birth in, nor have we found her exact pregnancy timeline anywhere on the internet, and there are no images to prove it."
Xu Lanyi smiled faintly. "Can't find pregnancy photos? Can't we just synthesize some?"
......
On the other side, the old butler outside the hospital room also put down his phone.
He shook his head as well. Was the Old Master not suffering from shock and fury?
If only he had finished reading the report before saying all those things! The regret?!
The old butler pushed open the door to the ward. Old Master Bian shakily reached out his hand. "H-how is it..."
The butler hurriedly supported him. "You are fine, you just need to rest. The doctor prescribed some soothing physical therapy..."
"I'm asking," Old Master Bian weakly tugged at him, "how is that child?"
When the little girl fainted from her allergy to the crown of thorns, it instantly reminded him of Bian Xun's childhood.
Back then, he was also a boy carved of jade. When he first had an allergic reaction, they didn't know what was going on and thought he was choking. They delayed for so long that little Bian Xun was hyperventilating, severely suffocating, and almost died right there.
That terrifying memory had been abruptly dragged back up today.
The butler thought to himself, Now you decide to care. "She's fine now. They got to the hospital in time, so it wasn't as severe as when the Young Master was little."
Only then did Old Master Bian feel relieved, leaning back faintly. "Mm."
Seeing his expression, the butler knew the old man was still putting on airs. He had spoken so absolutely in the ancestral hall; who knew what would happen in the future.
Old Master Bian lay there pretending for a good while before ordering, "Bring me the paternity test report again so I can look at it..."
The butler presented it to him.
Even if he looked at it a hundred times, it was still 99.99%, written in black and white, set in stone.
Old Master Bian closed his eyes and waved the butler away.
The old butler understood perfectly, stepping back to let him have some peace and quiet.
In the hospital room, the old man examined the paternity test over and over, nearly shedding tears of old age.
He had thought that Bian Xun, this unfilial son, would end up dying alone.
At his age, he actually had a great-granddaughter!!
The biological daughter of his eldest grandson!!!
He really hadn't handled things right today, but little kids don't hold grudges. Besides, the child didn't know him before and had even called him old grandpa.
Without expectations, there is no heartbreak. He could definitely make it up to her in the future. Soon it would be the end of the year when the Bian family gives out New Year gifts. If the child received a big red envelope, she might just forget everything...
Old Master Bian pondered for a long while, quietly wiped his face, and then remembered something. Suddenly, his old eyes widened.
Bian Xun hadn't seen this paternity test report yet.
So he knew, didn't he?
He knew from the very beginning that this was his own biological daughter?
Then why did he pretend he was raising someone else's child?!
Pretending to be so deeply devoted??
This unfilial brat, is this how he deceives his own grandfather!
...
The next day, when Bian Xun handed Ning Ye the property deed, he received the exact same glare.
He slowly placed his birthday gift into Ning Ye's hands.
The big red booklet of real estate registration.
The CEO carried himself with an arrogant posture and a casual expression, showing extraordinary generosity.
He planned to transfer this apartment in Xialu to her name.
It was a bit small, but after all, it was the first house the mother and daughter had lived in together, making it highly memorable.
For him, it also held an extraordinary meaning.
After all, the CEO had bought it for 8.5 million plus 8.5 million plus the price of the house itself.
Truly unforgettable.
Ning Ye glared at the man in front of her.
It really wasn't her imagination; ever since they returned from the ancestral hall yesterday, something about him had truly changed.
But what exactly was it??
Just like at this moment, he didn't politely stand outside the threshold. Instead, he lowered his head and grandly stepped right in.
He entered their home in the Xialu residential complex.
The entryway was very narrow. When Bian Xun turned sideways, his presence almost filled up this small space. He slightly lowered his head, and Ning Ye found herself trapped between his chest and the entryway cabinet, the air growing stifling.
Bian Xun lowered his eyes and saw her eyelashes flutter. A certain secret thrill in his heart began to grow once more.
What should she call him now?
Bian Xun strolled into the apartment as if taking a leisurely walk, his gaze sweeping around. This apartment, with a monthly rent of 8.5 million, was a very small two-bedroom place, with an interior area of probably no more than fifty square meters. That meant—
For every floor tile the CEO stepped on, he had once paid 17,000 yuan a month.
Heh.
The little girl was taking an extracurricular class in her room, waiting to go out for a birthday feast as a family of three once she finished.
The apartment was cleaned spotlessly. The children's picture books scattered on the sofa didn't look messy; rather, they felt very cozy.
But it wasn't just cozy.
There was an iron drying rack on the bay window. A woman's light green bra swayed in the breeze, suddenly reminding him of that night in the hotel, when the light green hem of her underwear pressed against her porcelain-white thighs.
...He wondered what the complete set looked like when worn.
The CEO silently raised his hand, pinched the end of his eyebrow, and sat down imposingly on the sofa.
This was their trivial everyday life, and this life should include him.
Up until now, he hadn't truly shown his skills in being a father.
He leaned back on the sofa. The faint fragrance of clothes carried by the wind from the window lingered at his nose, and his thoughts drifted slightly.
Ning Ye poured him a cup of tea, and Bian Xun looked down at it.
Ning Ye knew he was a germaphobe and wouldn't use teaware that others had used, so she explained, This cup is new.
Bian Xun looked at the other two cups on the coffee table. One lid had a little grape on it, and the other had a leaf. At first glance, they were a matching set with an adorable style.
But the one Ning Ye gave him was a guest cup, a very ordinary patterned glass.
Bian Xun faintly lifted his dark eyes. Where is mine?
Ning Ye: ? What is yours.
Bian Xun pointed to the mother and daughter's cups, taking it as a matter of course. Shouldn't there be one for me?
An exclusive one for Dad.
Ning Ye was stunned.
She felt that they seemed to lack some communication, but she really couldn't figure out which nerve of his was crossing.
However, ever since Bian Xun found out about Taotao, he had been actively taking on the responsibilities of a father.
After all, if he wasn't the child's father, who would willingly do all this?
Therefore, Ning Ye had never doubted this point.
But now, his identity hadn't changed, had it?
Bian Xun scanned the room, adjusted his tie, and then looked down at his guest slippers. And this.
...Alright.
He had brought gifts and visited in person. Even if she couldn't accept the house, Ning Ye wouldn't refuse such a small request.
She nodded. I'll buy you a pair next time.
No need, Bian Xun suddenly became alert. Send the link to my assistant, I'll buy it myself.
?? Ning Ye deeply felt that the man was crazy, but since the conversation had reached this point, it was a good opportunity to have an open and in-depth chat about the child's future upbringing.
How to contribute money, how to contribute effort—they would cooperate and work together with only one goal: for Taotao to grow up healthy and strong.
Thinking of this, Ning Ye became a bit more solemn. She got up to wash a plate of fruit so they could talk slowly in detail.
Bian Xun's lips curled up.
He belonged to this family.
This firm realization made his heart darkly delighted.
Ning Ye's computer was open on the coffee table, and the webpage displayed the URL of the photo album they had looked at the other day.
Today was a good time to verify whether this album would update according to the date and provide more photos.
Bian Xun casually clicked refresh.
This time there was no need to pay again. Bian Xun sneered coldly; at least it had some bottom line.
The album loaded, and sure enough, there were a few more photos this time.
Bian Xun was in a good mood, slightly narrowing his eyes.
The child's appearance could only be explained by quantum mechanics, but these photos might be parallel information previews.
Among them was a photo that could be identified as a birthday cake even from the thumbnail.
Sure enough.
His guess was verified.
Further down, there was a photo of Ning Ye's back, wearing a birthday hat.
Bian Xun scrolled down with great interest. The next one was suddenly an old photo. It was a printed photograph with a specific year and date marked in the lower right corner, dating back about four years ago, and the image in the album was a picture taken of that physical photo.
In the photo, it was actually Ning Ye holding her pregnant belly.
Standing in front of some unknown maternity hospital.
?
The photo was very blurry, but at that moment, Bian Xun couldn't look closely at all. His boundless secret thrill came to an abrupt end, and his posture suddenly shifted.
Wait.
Didn't the child appear out of thin air through quantum mechanics?
If the child was born four years ago, was he still the child's father?
Bian Xun was still relatively calm at the moment. After all, he had already convinced himself that this child just popped out of nowhere, and that Ning Ye had only just started being a mother, which was the only way to explain how she smoothly got through her previous years of working.
However, the next photo was actually a close-up of her large pregnant belly, and there was a man standing not far away—who was definitely not him.
The impact of this picture was far too intense.
Bian Xun stood up abruptly.
It wasn't that he couldn't accept the child being someone else's.
But he couldn't bear to lose it after finally getting it.
From stepfather to biological father, and then demoted back to stepfather.
From being on the verge of becoming her husband, falling back to being a backup option once again.
The tremendous emotional plunge was like falling off a cliff; an intense fear of loss easily stripped away every ounce of his joy.
Bian Xun took a deep breath, suddenly pulled out his phone, and calmly began to call Old Master Bian.
One look at the paternity test report, and everything would come to light.
Bian Xun started pacing the living room, but the call went unanswered.
"Sir, the Young Master is calling you," the butler said, picking up the phone.
"Don't answer! Let him play the devoted lover," Old Master Bian replied angrily.
Bian Xun frantically called three times, but they all sank like stones in the ocean, perfectly mirroring his current mood.
He began to recall what kind of expression the old man had worn last night before he carried Ning Zhitao away.
But he had been in such a rush to take the child to the hospital that he hadn't noticed at all.
Bian Xun then switched to calling the butler.
"Sir, the Young Master is calling me now."
"He already knew anyway. Is he calling now to show off his happy father-daughter relationship? Don't answer!"
After frantically making a round of calls with no answer, cold sweat slid down Bian Xun's forehead.
Could it be that the result was actually negative?
Just then, the door to the child's bedroom opened, and Ning Zhitao poked her head out. "Daddy?"
At that moment, the CEO turned his head with an almost tragic solemnity.
He realized that regardless of what the results said, he would treat this child as his own flesh and blood.
Bian Xun squeezed his eyes shut. In that split second, he even considered mimicking the ancients by doing a blood-drop test to determine kinship, but he couldn't bear the thought of pricking the child with a needle, nor could he scientifically convince himself of its validity.
Where exactly were the results?
He stood on the precipice of a massive emotional cliff, searching for a door to survival. When he opened his eyes again, Ning Ye was looking at him peacefully, handing over two reports.
One was for her and the child.
The other was for Bian Xun and the child.
She had already completed the testing long ago.
Ning Ye's soft, almond-shaped eyes were bright and clear. Completely oblivious to his inner turmoil, she placed the answer to his salvation right into his hands.
"Yes, you guessed right. Taotao time-traveled from five years in the future. She is our biological daughter."
Bian Xun trembled.
"Although we are not suitable for each other and have no plans to get back together, the appearance of this child is our joint responsibility. From now on, let's work together, distribute the tasks reasonably, and ensure she has a happy childhood, okay?..."
Ning Ye spoke earnestly for a long time, yet the man before her remained entirely silent and motionless.
She finally looked up, meeting a pair of dead yet burning dark eyes.
"Hello? Are you still there?"
The CEO stood rigidly in place. After a long pause, he finally spoke, his throat feeling as dry as smoke.
"Yeah, still alive."
