58
After marriage, a certain someone indeed went to great lengths to make Ning Ye happy. It was probably the intensive cramming of all that knowledge that provided fresh and eye-opening technical guidance.
Although he stumbled and was often flustered in the initial stages of taking care of the baby.
But when it came to nursing his wife back to health, his methods were endlessly varied and hard to describe.
Her body was thoroughly figured out by him.
A certain someone's gaze also became increasingly ravenous.
In short, by the time her postpartum confinement ended, Ning Ye had completely broken free from the ebb and flow of melancholy. After all, someone simply didn't give her the time to feel sad.
Ning Ye's mindset had completely adjusted. She was very happy just being able to see little Taotao every day.
Under the dual guidance of the nutritionist and the work-from-home CEO, the young mother's slender cheeks plumped up a bit. Her complexion was rosy, her almond eyes were moist and bright, and even her pale fingertips were tinged with a healthy, light cherry blossom pink. She looked even better than she did before giving birth.
Of course, Ning Ye felt that a large part of this was due to the little one's consideration, which spared her from the most painful psychological trauma and allowed her to become a mother as painlessly as possible.
Ning Ye's body recovered very well, so she smoothly ended her maternity leave and returned to the company to continue working.
"In such a hurry?" Bian Xun raised an eyebrow.
The CEO, who could now skillfully solve the problem of the baby crying as soon as she was put down, held the little dumpling in his arms and looked at her with a raised brow.
"Yes, it's time to get back to production." Ning Ye nodded seriously.
Now, she actually had an even more high-spirited and vigorous ambition for her career.
The thought of welcoming the four-year-old Ning Zhi Taotao again made her feel that she would do better than last time. She would be more mature in terms of maternal experience, economic foundation, and every other aspect. She would be an even better mother—this filled her with motivation.
Bian Xun nodded, showing his support.
His dark eyes lingered around the curve of her ear and the bead of her lip, moving tangibly between the collar of her shirt. If she could return to work, it seemed her body had fully recovered.
Well, he was in quite a hurry too.
As Ning Ye ended her leave, the entire Wujiang Group gradually heard the news—
The daddy CEO, who had not shown his face for a long time and almost only appeared in video conferences, was also returning to his position at the group.
It was no exaggeration to say that the entire upper management of Wujiang had never looked forward to President Bian holding a meeting for them so much before—
What exactly was that man like when taking care of a child?? What changes did he undergo after becoming a father??
There shouldn't be any changes, right??
He should still be as cold, ruthless, mean, and indifferent as before, right?
Assistant Zhang, who occasionally spectated the CEO taking care of the baby, just smiled without saying a word, hiding his deep knowledge.
What was a daddy CEO? This was it!
And for some reason, Assistant Zhang always felt that in the future, President Bian would probably hold an even higher position than daddy CEO.
Perhaps it was a projection of his awe for President Bian?
The shockwaves at the top management level temporarily did not affect the departments below.
When Ning Ye returned to the company, Sister Zhou and Jiang Xinghe both gave her small gifts to celebrate her new identity.
"Ning Bao~ Congratulations on having a cute baby daughter ahhh! I don't know if the little girl will be willing in the future, but I hope my stinky boy can become Little Grape's friend~"
Returning to her post, Ning Ye actually felt very grounded. As she organized her workstation, she smiled and said, "No problem."
Her little one loved making friends.
Ever since she saw Ning Ye, Sister Zhou couldn't stop staring at Ning Ye's rosy face, pondering and snickering. Her eyes gleamed mischievously, revealing the tacit and blatant erotic fantasies of a mature woman.
Tsk tsk, the big CEO! Tsk tsk, first love!
Ah~~!!
Meanwhile, Jiang Xinghe's gaze towards Ning Ye remained gentle, his eyes already filled with blessings.
Although he did not remember the little kid who used to vibrantly call him Uncle Doctor Jiang, he blessed Ning Ye's choice, hoping it would bring her happiness for the rest of her life.
Ning Ye smiled and accepted their gifts, feeling a sense of settled tranquility in her heart.
Of course, besides these two close colleagues, the attention from others was no less.
Now, the entire company knew about the relationship between Ning Ye and Bian Xun. However, since it involved their ultimate boss and concerned their livelihoods, everyone was very discreet and did not dare to discuss it openly to her face.
But as soon as Ning Ye entered the department floor, she could feel countless pairs of eyes staring at her.
This was bound to happen sooner or later, so her mindset was very peaceful.
Now she no longer had to worry about the unexplainable issue of Taotao's age, so she was very calm. She continued to do whatever she was supposed to do, earnestly completing the work assigned by the team, and her attitude towards the team leader and director had not changed in the slightest.
She was not transferred to any core department, nor did she skip ranks directly or switch to a cushy job.
Even though she had entered marriage, her self-worth remained important, or rather, even more important.
This low profile was seen as admirable in the eyes of some, while to others, it sparked secret speculation.
It just so happened that there was a promotional event in the group's plaza. As Ning Ye walked among the crowd, she could occasionally hear a few whispers.
"That's her, right? She's still so pretty after having a baby!"
"She's married and had a child with President Bian, yet she hasn't been arranged a position as a general assistant?"
"I heard she hasn't even moved into the Bian family home. It seems these wealthy families are still hard to marry into!"
"If you ask me, it's highly likely a shotgun wedding. Otherwise, with President Bian's status, he would definitely join forces with someone equally powerful."
The veteran employees in the same department who had always disliked Ning Ye were even more energized. Yan Li, Chang Qi, and others gathered together, "Definitely, otherwise why wouldn't they even hold a wedding?"
Ning Ye only caught a few words and smiled, shaking her head. Such gossip was really nothing new; it wasn't even as harsh as what was said on the campus forums when she was in school.
Adults were still too concerned with saving face.
Ning Ye crossed her arms, focusing on the event venue. Her mind involuntarily recalled how Bian Xun handled those rumors back in school, and a smile inexplicably tugged at the corners of her lips. And right at that moment, a not-so-decorous person appeared.
His arrival caused the crowd to automatically part to the sides, clearing a path as if a red carpet had been rolled out on the ground.
The man was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, tightly wrapping his tall and slender physique. His broad shoulders connected to sturdy arms, and he wore the well-tailored, expensive fabric with the texture of a magazine cover. The man's facial features were cold and handsome, his narrow face three-dimensional. Beneath his brow bone, his sharp dark eyes were faintly shrouded. Noble, aloof, and with an extraordinary demeanor, he—
walked over pushing a baby stroller.
The pink baby stroller had its canopy up, printed with several Little Grapes.
The child was covered by a protective net, nestled comfortably inside, being strolled around by her dad with eyes full of curiosity.
The CEO steadily pushed the baby stroller just like that and stopped in front of Ning Ye.
Ning Ye was stunned, staring blankly at Bian Xun.
They had spent a long time at home recently, and it had been too long since they appeared in this company setting, so much so that Ning Ye had almost forgotten what he looked like as a CEO.
Seeing it again, it was still just as shocking.
At this moment, countless gazes converged. Those waiting for a good show were staring with bright eyes, terrified of missing a single second.
Yan Li and the others were actually dying of jealousy secretly. Among colleagues, wasn't it all about comparing class and prospects? They just wanted to see what kind of cold treatment Ning Ye should receive after desperately squeezing into a wealthy family by relying on a child!!
Sure enough, CEO Bian's expression was as cold as ever! He didn't show the slightest bit of intimacy just because of their personal relationship—
Of course, the ordinary employees couldn't see the expressions of the Wujiang executives who had just finished their meeting.
—Are you crazy!
During a two-hour meeting, they had to listen to that man spend an hour sharing his parenting experiences and showing off his wife!
Don't think that just because your face is cold and detached, others can't tell you're showing off??
Assistant Zhang threw his hands up: I told you it would be like this.
In the plaza, the noble CEO standing at the center of attention finally spoke, asking Ning Ye in a low, crisp voice.
"How late are you working overtime tonight?"
Ning Ye blinked. She had just sent Bian Xun a message saying that she had a lot of backlogged work to handle since she just returned to work.
Sister Zhou, standing nearby, had already perked up her ears. And just this simple sentence was enough to make her swoon.
He fully respects your professional identity! He won't ask you to balance career and family just because you have a child! He's even pushing the stroller himself, and his suit pocket has a baby bib in it, ahhhh!
Sister Zhou rolled her eyes from the sheer sweetness of it all. Perhaps because she was a working adult, the feeling brought by this simple sentence was far sweeter than if the two of them had kissed on the street.
Ning Ye coughed softly and touched the stroller. "It'll be early." After speaking, she lowered her voice. "Hurry up and take the baby away."
This was too conspicuous.
The CEO nodded, his cold gaze sweeping over the surrounding crowd, launching an indiscriminate attack, like a khan inspecting his troops.
"No matter how late, the baby and I will wait for you."
His magnetic voice fell, leaving the surroundings in shocked silence.
After speaking, the CEO pushed the pink baby stroller and leisurely walked away.
Sister Zhou looked at the crazed incomprehension on the faces of those who secretly cursed their family for being unhappy, and felt inexplicably thrilled.
A few simple words effortlessly turned the tide. A domineering CEO's romance is just like that—
But Ning Ye was no longer calm.
Even until the event ended, her earlobes were still red.
Crazy, Bian Xun, he's really crazy!
...
When Ning Ye returned home that night, all the matters of her first day back at work had been handled.
But at the same time, she brought back some news.
She came back just in time to catch the launch of a key project, but this meant she might be sent on a month-long business trip in the second half of the year. The downside, of course, was being away from home for a relatively long period. Taotao was still very young, and she would be very worried.
But the upside was that after completing the short-term exchange, she could secure a seat at the table for this key departmental project, and her rank would inevitably rise at the end of the year.
A young mother's efforts in her career inevitably clash with her family life.
Bian Xun quietly listened to her analyze the pros and cons of going or not. Her porcelain-white, plump profile featured bright almond eyes, red lips, and white teeth, full of ceaseless passion and pursuit for life.
Bian Xun certainly knew about this project in the business department.
It would be helpful for her career planning.
So after listening, he nodded.
"Go with peace of mind," the man's expression was cold and noble. He sighed softly, his thin lips parting slightly. "Before I can't take it anymore, I will bring the baby to see you."
Ning Ye blinked.
These words carried a hint of manipulation, a bit less crazy than in the afternoon, and a bit more emotional.
The corners of Ning Ye's lips curled up. Across the child's crib, she held his hand.
Somehow, she suddenly remembered her previous overseas business trip. Bian Xun had rushed to sit next to her at the very last moment before the flight took off. The family of three had squeezed together in economy class for a ten-hour flight, pressed tightly against each other.
He was so anxious at the time because every passing minute and second was costing him money, and the further apart they were, the more expensive it got—this was the teasing of fate.
Thinking of this, Ning Ye found it particularly funny.
Capitalists can only be sanctioned by themselves.
As for now—
Ning Ye looked into the man's deep, dark eyes, which intricately outlined his feelings of dependence. If she left for a little longer, he really would take the child to "chase his wife."
Ning Ye had no doubt about it.
In fact, ever since her body had mostly recovered and she was preparing to return to work, the task of taking care of the child had increasingly been handed over to Bian Xun.
There was no helping it; after all, a CEO had flexible time, unlike a wage earner.
Relatively speaking, Bian Xun was now more skilled in the business of raising a child. Walking the baby every day, coaxing her to sleep, he had gradually formed a new sense of order. He had arrangements for what to do at every point in time.
Watching from the side, Ning Ye seemed to understand why Taotao had said back then that her father always picked her up and dropped her off at school.
Also, after Taotao started kindergarten, all the schedules for her extracurricular classes were managed by Bian Xun, clear and well-organized.
Including the child's future early education classes, kindergarten, preschool transition, elementary school district... even what subjects to choose for the college entrance examination, this man already had a plan.
Crazy, naturally he was a bit crazy.
But Ning Ye's almond eyes shone with a gentle light.
The future the child had once described was slowly unfolding before their eyes.
She looked at Bian Xun for a moment, then couldn't help but stand on her tiptoes and gently touch the corner of his lips.
Baby's daddy, you're pretty great.
As their clothes rustled against each other, Bian Xun's dark eyes instantly deepened. Right now, he was in a state where he would ignite at the slightest spark.
Just a fleeting touch was enough to bring sparks to those dark eyes.
Just as he was about to grab her wrist and kiss her back forcefully, the child, who should have been sound asleep at this time, suddenly started whining. She grabbed at the soft quilt, and then, when her father picked her up, she threw up milk all over him.
Bian Xun closed his eyes.
During the day, he had effortlessly showed off his parenting skills.
In reality, behind the scenes, he was just as disheveled.
What germaphobia, what order—when it came to raising a child, all of that had long vanished into thin air.
His OCD and perfectionism had been almost entirely worn away by the child with ease.
He had a blueprint in his mind, but he also clearly knew that as Ning Zhitao grew up, this blueprint would absolutely undergo various changes.
But what could he do?
It was fine as long as the child grew up naturally.
Sighing, Bian Xun skillfully cleaned himself up, cleaned the baby up, and then coaxed her back to sleep. Only then did he finally rush into the bathroom to take a shower, returning to the bedroom completely clean.
Ning Ye smiled and tugged at his newly changed pajamas. "Taotao threw up on this one too."
Given his level of germaphobia, he should have thrown it away immediately and never worn it a second time.
Back in school, if a classmate accidentally spilled a couple drops of water on him, he would just throw the clothes away. It made Ning Ye's heart ache so much she almost secretly picked them out of the trash for him.
"You're not a germaphobe anymore?" A dimple formed near Ning Ye's lips.
Bian Xun pinched her chin, kicked the door shut with his leg, and pulled her down with him into the soft chair in front of the bed. He rubbed his lips against hers as if venting his frustration, his voice muffled.
"You bought it."
A complete matching family set.
The child throwing up on it could be considered a kind of father's medal.
"Besides," Bian Xun hummed softly and bit her lightly, his dark eyes lowering. "With you, my sense of order had already been ruined."
To be precise, ever since they broke up back then, the order of his life had collapsed.
So now, it was nothing unusual for this boundary to be squashed and molded by their child.
Ning Ye blinked in his arms, her eyes meeting his in the romantic bedroom lighting.
This was actually the first time they had talked about their breakup.
The breakup was so long ago, and they had been through so much since reuniting. Now, their baby was sleeping softly while the two parents began to reminisce about the past.
Today at the event plaza, Ning Ye had recalled their student days. Back then, Bian Xun was the most aloof and mysterious campus idol at Jinghua University. He would be posted on the campus confession wall dozens of times a day. On average, four or five students a week would post on the forum trying to track him down, asking if the handsome guy sitting in a certain row during a certain class had a girlfriend.
After he and Ning Ye got together, there were quite a few snide remarks going around the school.
And what did Bian Xun do? He opened the campus confession wall that he never usually paid attention to, wrote a long essay about his unrequited love, and a few minutes after posting it, claimed it with his own account and shared it to his WeChat Moments with the caption: "Sent it out by accident, heh."
Then, word spread through the whole school like wildfire, everyone gossiping about how he was completely love-struck.
It was exactly the same behavioral pattern as the CEO who made his grand entrance pushing a stroller today.
Ning Ye felt both embarrassed and amused.
Covering the corner of her lips with her cherry-pink fingertips, she thought to herself that Bian Xun was truly out of his mind.
The man in front of her was clearly thinking of the same past event. A hint of a smile surfaced in his dark eyes as he gazed at her from close range.
So, since they were so in love back then, how did they end up breaking up?
Ning Ye's long eyelashes fluttered slightly. With her legs folded, she sat in his arms, her fingertips unconsciously tugging at the collar of his pajama top.
She only found out about Wang Xuebing's extortion later. But even before that day, the Bian family had approached her multiple times, telling her how profound the development of Bian Xun's research field would be abroad.
Besides planning for his future, it was a cruel coincidence that on the day Wang Xuebing told Bian Xun she was his accomplice, Bian Xun went looking for her, only to find out that she had run away with her family. In reality, Ning Ye had just gone to find her mother.
But it was undeniable that, faced with the two paths the Bian family gave her, she had given up Bian Xun and chosen her mother. So after they separated, she never thought they would have a future together.
Bian Xun gave a soft hum.
Perhaps—
Those rumors about him being hopelessly love-struck weren't entirely baseless.
But the CEO would never admit that.
His long, slender fingers pinched her warm, pale earlobe. They wouldn't bring this matter up ever again.
Their families of origin were their own respective issues to resolve. Ning Ye relied on her own efforts to solve hers, and Bian Xun did the same.
He knew that if they ever met again, he couldn't give the Bian family even the slightest chance to interfere. So he needed to secure the highest position, ruthlessly seizing power and suppressing opposition to gain ultimate authority.
That was why, the moment he saw her application to transfer to the Wujiang headquarters, he immediately booked a flight back to China.
To be closer to her.
And now, the ultimate authority of the Bian family had landed on this little bundle, Ning Zhitou.
The corners of Bian Xun's lips curled up. With a lazy posture, he gathered her into his embrace. By now, she had unconsciously pressed her entire body against his chest, fitting seamlessly against him. The man leaned in close to her ear, coaxing, "If we're going to talk about why we broke up, we should first talk about why we liked each other—"
"Why did you like me back then?"
Ning Ye blinked.
Looking at the face in front of her, it seemed... that was already convincing enough.
But Ning Ye actually didn't know why Bian Xun liked her.
Back in school, she felt she was quite inconspicuous. She didn't participate in club activities, didn't join the student union, and certainly didn't take part in any speech or singing competitions. She spent all her time working part-time to support herself, completing her degree coursework, and fighting for scholarships. If it weren't for their stubborn battle over a library seat, they wouldn't have even met.
"What about you?" Ning Ye asked curiously.
The CEO's expression grew distant.
Did that even need a reason?
She seemed completely unaware.
Liking her was the most natural thing in the world.
Her vitality was like the flowers and grass growing in the crevices of high mountains, every inch radiating the glow of the sun.
The veins of her growth carried a delicate yet resilient tension that made people unconsciously linger their gaze upon her.
And she probably never realized how many eyes in the library were fixed on her every time she managed to snag that specific seat.
When she worked part-time serving food in the cafeteria, her line was always the longest.
The only reason Bian Xun started using the confession wall was because the number of people trying to find her on it was also incredibly high.
Looking at his slightly distracted side profile, Ning Ye secretly stuck out her tongue.
Why did she like Bian Xun?
There were probably many reasons, but right now, she could only recall one tiny detail.
They used to fight fiercely over that one seat in the library. Every time Ning Ye lost the battle and was about to retreat in defeat, she would see Bian Xun sitting down leisurely, pulling out sanitizing wipes to disinfect the desk, chair, and drawer.
At first, she thought he was disgusted by her, so she was extra careful, always taking away all her belongings cleanly and even changing into fresh clothes every time. Later, she discovered that every Saturday morning, he would save the seat for her. And then, there would be sanitizing wipes left in the drawer for her to use.
On Saturday mornings, the wipes left for her weren't mint-scented, but jasmine-scented.
It was like a fixed equation, secretly established between him and her.
That kind of equally matched neurosis had an inexplicable attraction.
In short... Ning Ye covered her slightly warming cheeks, thinking that she herself must have been a little crazy to like him.
Ning Ye didn't notice the change in the eyes of the man in front of her.
While she was pondering why she liked him, someone's nerve endings were already buzzing with pleasure.
By the time Ning Ye noticed the swelling beneath where she sat, she was already thoroughly trapped.
Ning Ye shifted her bottom shyly.
It was poking her.
Then she secretly glanced at the calendar in the distance to check today's date.
Was it Friday?
Bian Xun let out a soft chuckle.
Whenever they thought of the past, they would think of countless Friday nights.
So she was thinking about it too.
Bian Xun pulled her tightly against him, their fronts touching, soft curves rubbing against taut muscles.
Ning Ye still didn't know where the previous build-up was leading, but she saw the usually aloof CEO looking serious, his dark eyes clear as he spoke.
"I don't have OCD anymore."
The man spoke slowly and deliberately.
"And I'm no longer sensitive to order."
Ning Ye looked up in confusion, meeting his dark, burning gaze.
Was this the result of taking care of a baby, or the aftermath of their breakup?
The corners of Bian Xun's lips rose higher and higher.
Of course, it was neither.
"This means I no longer need to stick to a fixed schedule or a fixed time."
—And he wouldn't pull out right on the dot anymore.
He would go all the way to the end.
Although he didn't say the second half out loud, Ning Ye suddenly understood his unspoken words. Her cheeks instantly burned red as she gently hit his shoulder and cried out softly, "Bian Xun—"
But her clothes had long been torn open at some unknown point.
He seemed to have mastered some kind of magic.
Pinching all her words into trembling gasps.
Over this long period of time, Bian Xun had already tuned her perfectly.
The elasticity of her body, her sensitive spots.
The angles and positions she accommodated.
Bian Xun cast his eyes down, watching her struggle. In the past, all those times she suppressed her sobs while calling out his full name gave Bian Xun a kind of... thrill that surpassed even the very second of release.
But now, there was another title he wanted to hear even more.
Talk of their breakup or the past meant nothing to Bian Xun at this moment.
Right now, he was only thinking about one thing.
Ning Ye simply did not dare to look at him.
He clearly carried such a cool, lingering scent of sandalwood, so how could his gaze be so scorching?
Who knew what the CEO was thinking. His mind had already run through a wild wave of intense pleasure, yet when he spoke, his voice remained calm and deep, even remarkably polite, as he asked her—
"May I?"
Meanwhile, the handful of drifting leaves had long since turned into a soft, melting pile of snow, as if it had drawn close to the sun and a heat source, steadily melting into a puddle of water.
She looked up in a daze, her voice soft and sweet, "May you what?"
Someone stopped in front of the rich, fragrant path, pausing to reply.
Asking politely.
"Later."
"Can you cry while calling me hubby?"
Here it comes!
Depending on the situation, the next chapter will either be sweet couple moments, or an IF story where Taotao travels to their college days~ Guess who picks up the kid this time ^^
