64
Bian Xun was stunned in place by these words.
The black fringe of hair that fell softly as he leaned close to her trembled slightly, and his wildly beating heart tightened for a second.
Then, he lowered his eyes in slight disbelief.
No dating?
One second later and he would have kissed her.
Ning Ye's soft, fair cheeks were mere inches away. Her almond eyes were serious, and her soft pink lips parted, exhaling a puff of white breath into the winter night, making her features look as misty and beautiful as a painting.
Yet, the words she spoke were incredibly rational. "Raising a child is very expensive, Bian Xun. Your paternity test results are out, right?"
"...Yeah." Bian Xun had no choice but to take out his paternity test report first.
His original intention was that, having confirmed their status as parents, they would naturally grow closer and be together.
It seemed there was some difference in their mindsets.
But no dating?
Impossible.
Ning Ye had never seen a paternity test before. She carefully opened it, saw the 99.99% marked on it, and let out a breath.
Since she was indeed Bian Xun's daughter, then...
Ning Ye looked down. Ning Zhitou was watching them curiously; she seemed to vaguely understand that her mom and dad were talking about her.
From the little girl's conversations with them, Ning Ye could feel that the child was very familiar with her and knew her situation well. Most importantly, love and intimacy couldn't be faked.
Even without her own DNA being tested yet, just looking at the little girl's face that so closely resembled hers, Ning Ye already believed it ninety percent.
To think that such an unimaginable thing could actually happen to them. The "future" suddenly became clearly visible, but since things had come to this, they had to start facing it.
Raising a child—Ning Ye had never considered this before, but today she had made a rough mental list of a child's expenses, and the rough estimate was already staggering.
If adults didn't date or enjoy themselves, it wouldn't be a big deal. But if a child wasn't raised well, they might not grow tall, suffer from malnutrition, or go astray... The priorities were very clear.
After all, this was their child.
Ning Ye looked up at Bian Xun, her cheeks a little hot.
But her eyes were as clear as water. "Right now, we are the only two people in this world who can take responsibility for her. But neither of us has enough financial capability yet, so we can only reduce unnecessary expenses."
Besides, dating itself didn't actually require much money. Strolling around the school track together during their student days could be very sweet too.
"What do you think?"
Bian Xun stood there, his beautiful dark eyes beneath his prominent brow bone looking deeply at her. He didn't want to use his family background and wealth to overwhelm people, but right now he desperately needed to put her mind at ease regarding this matter. So, he cleared his throat slightly and spoke tactfully:
"I have money. You don't need to worry about that."
Really.
Very rich.
"I know," Ning Ye looked at him gently and nodded.
She was also a proud person, so she could completely understand Bian Xun's need to act tough, and she wasn't going to expose him.
Ning Ye looked around the residential community. It was within walking distance of the school, and the buildings didn't look new. With Bian Xun's limited funds, it was already very difficult for him to rent a small place here, which also helped her solve a major problem.
Of course—Ning Ye had never checked the housing prices in this neighborhood.
In this prime location, surrounded by top-tier elementary, middle, and high schools, how much a square meter cost here was completely beyond the comprehension of nineteen-year-old Ning Ye.
She was simply kindly protecting his self-esteem, and didn't even offer to go up and see his little rented room.
Don't look down on a poor youth, after all.
Judging by the child's clothes and how well she was raised, their future selves must have achieved material satisfaction, which was why the child was so innocent and loving.
Thinking of this, Ning Ye suddenly drew strength from this unbelievable situation. As long as they kept working hard and moving forward, life would always get better.
The anxiety that had lingered around her all day settled at this moment. She gently held the little girl's hand, swung it lightly, and asked Ning Zhitou:
"Do you have all the daily necessities you need right now? Is there anything else you want?"
Ning Ye knew that letting the child live with Bian Xun was the only solution for now, but she couldn't let him bear all the burden. She had to contribute wherever she could.
There was another reason. Bian Xun was, after all, the child's father, and his care for a little girl might not be meticulous enough. Ning Ye thought further ahead: she still needed to be the one to prepare the child's changes of underwear, towels, bath towels, bedsheets, and duvet covers.
Bian Xun slowly lowered his head, his pale, cool neck slightly stiff. He had already realized that the romantic, heart-fluttering atmosphere from moments ago had suddenly been replaced by a grounded, everyday illusion of being an old married couple.
Bian Xun closed his eyes. He did not agree to this.
But his fingers suddenly brushed against something warm and soft. Ning Ye tucked the paternity test report back into his hand and even patted it gently, as if telling him that she would share these burdens with him.
Bian Xun paused. He curled his fingers, wanting to hold her hand, but their touch parted as quickly as it met. Ning Ye had already been enveloped in a chubby hug by the little girl.
"I only need Mommy!" Ning Zhitou smiled sweetly, revealing her dimples.
Ning Ye's slightly curled eyelashes fluttered gently as she met the little dumpling's eyes. Both of them wore warm, cozy smiles.
Bian Xun stood to the side, looking aloof and cold.
"?" Did anyone care about him?
Ning Ye reached out and carefully placed her hand on the little girl's head. Her hair color wasn't like Ning Ye's; it was more like Bian Xun's—jet black and shiny. It felt fluffy and soft to the touch, and the back of her head was exceptionally round.
"I might be a little busy lately. Once my exams are over, I'll take you out to play, okay?" Ning Ye asked carefully.
She still didn't know the exact standards for being a child's mother.
Ning Zhitou nodded immediately. "Daddy and I will be good at home!"
Letting a cold-faced handsome guy like Bian Xun "be good"—Ning Ye couldn't picture that scene, but just found it very amusing.
She straightened up and looked at the young man in front of her.
Bian Xun was zoning out, following the child's words to imagine a picture of the future. The word "home" had struck some unknown nerve in him.
Ever since he came of age, he had lived alone and disliked returning to the Bian family's old residence. Before this, "home" to him was just a series of interchangeable houses. But now, he seemed to see the future—a picture of him having a wife, a child, and money.
From now on, he could be happy continuously for over a decade.
Thinking about this, the corners of his lips suddenly became very hard to suppress.
—"Alright, then we've reached a consensus."
The corners of Bian Xun's lips straightened slightly as he snapped out of his feverish happiness.
? What consensus.
"I'll bring the child's underwear tomorrow. I'll have to trouble you to look after her these next few days. If you have classes or an internship or something, just tell me in advance and I'll come keep her company..."
Ning Ye meticulously went over the general arrangements, and finally looked up at Bian Xun's cold, otherworldly handsome face.
Mmm... he's still so handsome.
To think that over a decade later, he would actually become the father of her child.
Feeling inexplicably soft and fluffy inside, Ning Ye looked at him with smiling eyes, turned around, and headed back toward the school. "I have to get up early for my part-time job tomorrow and then review for exams. See you tomorrow~"
Bian Xun's Adam's apple bobbed. "Wait..."
Ning Zhitao was already waving sensibly, "Bye-bye, Mommy!"
"Bye-bye~"
Bian Xun: "..."
Watching her back disappear out of the residential complex, Bian Xun stood rooted to the spot. After a long moment, he sighed, resignedly picked up the little girl, and prepared to take her home.
Just as he started walking, something suddenly fluttered out from the paternity test report in his hand.
Bian Xun looked down. A few cash bills had fallen to the ground, lying among the fallen leaves.
Ning Zhitao squatted down, picked them up, and honestly handed them to her dad.
Bian Xun was slightly stunned. He flipped open the paternity test report, only to find a few more bills tucked inside.
Ning Ye had secretly slipped cash into his test report.
She had transferred him money for meals earlier that day, but Bian Xun had returned it. She wasn't in a rush to prove anything; instead, she had gone to the school's ATM, withdrawn cash, and secretly slipped it to him.
The warmth from the girl's fingertips still seemed to iron against the back of his hand, making him suddenly crave to grab her hand back fiercely, intertwining their fingers.
All sorts of thoughts rolled through his mind, eventually melting into a pool of sweetness.
Just how wonderful was she?
Resilient, autonomous, independent, and caring toward those around her.
And a person like this liked him.
Although she was too shy to say it outright, he could read the affection in her eyes—fine and dense like a light mist, seeping right into his bones and muscles.
Bian Xun spent a long while thinking about her, feeling a mix of anxiousness and a thrilling, bittersweet joy in his heart, before he suddenly realized something.
But why was she worried about his finances?
Bian Xun had always thought her financial stress stemmed from her own situation. After all, he knew her circumstances well; he knew her guardians were no longer around and she had to rely on herself for everything.
But it seemed she was considering his situation with the exact same mindset.
Bian Xun suddenly paused in thought for a second.
Could it be that she didn't know his actual circumstances...?
If her feelings for him weren't entirely built on knowing his true financial status...
Then wait, were they considered to be together right now?
Bian Xun suddenly halted his secretly delighted footsteps, standing on the steps with a solemn expression.
"Daddy, what are you spacing out for?" Ning Zhitao stood on a higher step, hands on her hips, tilting her head.
Right, he was now the child's father.
She had agreed to be the child's mother.
Bian Xun pursed his lips in deep thought, suddenly struck by a wave of insecurity.
But had she agreed to be his girlfriend?
...
Ning Ye was genuinely incredibly busy. Right after New Year's Day came finals week. Her GPA every semester was extremely important, directly affecting whether she could get the national scholarship.
Everyone who managed to get into Jinghua University was brilliant. The department was full of top-tier students, and the competition was fierce. This semester would have the first official exam rankings.
For example, that male top-scholar classmate who was relentlessly pursuing her was very formidable. Ning Ye didn't know if she could rank above him, so she could only double her efforts in studying outside of her part-time jobs.
Scholarships were already crucial to her, and now that there was an even larger expense in her life, securing that scholarship became an absolute must.
While Ning Ye was studying diligently, Bian Xun was determined to play his part.
Whether as the child's father, or as a boyfriend and future husband.
Bian Xun quickly demonstrated the entire process of how, from his perspective, one should handle a child that fell from the sky.
First, the child's origins were inexplicable and couldn't draw public attention, otherwise it would bring unnecessary trouble. Bian Xun had no desire for his and Ning Ye's daughter to help physics achieve any breakthroughs.
The child needed a household registration. Fortunately, he had many properties under his name. He first transferred his registration to one of them to set up a separate household register for himself. Then, he registered the child under his household, simultaneously retroactively applying for all necessary documents so she wouldn't be an undocumented citizen in this timeline.
Though slightly troublesome, it could all be solved with money.
Bian Xun handled all of this single-handedly; there was absolutely no need for Ning Ye to worry about a thing.
After all, at this point in time, she was just a young girl who had recently started college.
It was already incredibly rare and precious that she could accept this situation in such a short time, treating the child with gentleness and kindness despite her own poor financial conditions.
However, while Bian Xun could solve the money issues, how should they handle the child on a daily basis if both of them were busy?
When Professor Lin's daughter and son-in-law were busy with work, they would drop their child off at Professor Lin's place.
Leave his child with the Bian family? That was impossible.
Bian Xun simultaneously began looking for kindergartens around the university. This was the top school district in Jing City. There were many kindergartens, and parents had to fight tooth and nail to get their kids into any of them. Enrolling at this time of year meant entering as a transfer student, which was even more difficult, but not impossible to resolve.
That very night, Bian Xun filtered out the kindergarten with the best location, facilities, and teaching staff. He then spent an entire day making phone calls to coordinate, and even took Ning Zhitao for a personal visit, finally finalizing her enrollment.
The entire process was extremely swift and efficient, and he didn't disturb Ning Ye once during it.
Only after finishing all this did his pace become leisurely as he led the little girl toward the Jinghua University campus under the night sky.
He also slipped a face mask on Ning Zhitao. She looked way too much like Ning Ye, so to avoid people making connections, he simply told outsiders she was a kid from his family.
He walked toward the library, knowing she was probably done reviewing by now.
And the matters regarding the child were mostly settled.
He didn't mean to claim credit, but he hoped Ning Ye wouldn't have to worry about money anymore.
She had him, after all.
Stepping through the night to the front of the library, Ning Ye's familiar figure was bathed in the glow of a streetlamp, but a guy was standing in front of her.
The two were talking about something.
The guy had dressed up meticulously. Wearing a pair of glasses, he had his head lowered, speaking to Ning Ye cautiously yet excitedly, his face flushed red. But they were too far away to hear the exact words.
Ning Zhitao blinked. "Daddy, you're holding my hand too tight. It hurts."
Bian Xun snapped back to reality, loosening his grip and gently rubbing the child's palm.
His dark eyes were gloomy, a heavy aura surrounding him. He didn't want to speak.
But the kid's little mouth kept chattering away.
"Daddy, are you mad?"
"Daddy, why aren't you going over there?"
"Who is that uncle? Is he Mommy's friend?"
Ning Zhitao scratched her head innocently. "Daddy, why do I feel like that uncle also likes Mommy?"
Bian Xun took a deep breath, the cold air slowly passing through his lungs, and let out a cold scoff.
Ning Zhitao tilted her head to look at her dad, then looked at her mom in the distance, and suddenly had a revelation. She was very clever, her little brain spinning fast; she knew her mom and dad only got married after they started working. But right now, they were still in college!
"Daddy, Mommy isn't your wife yet, is she?"
Little friend Ning Zhitao delivered a soul-piercing question.
Bian Xun: "."
Little friend Ning Zhitao began spinning in triumphant circles.
"But she's still my mommy ^^~"
Bian Xun: "..."
He took a deep breath, his dark eyes profound, and stepped forward toward the library.
Of course, he trusted Ning Ye completely.
They already had a child together; there was no way she could be interested in other men.
Heh.
Ning Ye was also nursing a bit of a headache. She had already made things clear to this top-scholar classmate in the cafeteria last time, but the straight-laced science major was showing an extraordinary level of stubbornness regarding this matter.
From elementary school all the way through high school, boys had always shown interest in Ning Ye, but she had never developed any interest in dating.
Later she developed this interest in Bian Xun, but now this interest had also become a responsibility.
Romance wasn't important; striving to live well was more important. They were already poor parents supporting each other, sharing responsibilities that only the other could understand.
The top scorer must have had a very good family background, covered head to toe in designer brands that Ning Ye recognized. He was a proud son of heaven with outstanding academic performance, which was why it was so hard for him to accept being rejected.
"Do you really like Bian Xun? But he graduates next year, while I can still stay with you for three years."
"If I come in first in the final exams this time, give me a chance, okay?"
After saying this, as if afraid she would refuse, Mr. Top Scorer hurriedly ran off on his own.
Ning Ye let out a sigh and helplessly withdrew her hand.
Then she absolutely had to get first place.
Ning Ye shook her head and turned around, just in time to see the deep-eyed young man and Ning Zhitao, who was wearing a mask. Her lips curved up, her mood suddenly lightening, and she trotted over.
Bian Xun looked as if nothing had happened.
The two walked out of the campus together, planning to find a place to eat.
On the way, Ning Ye kept talking to Ning Zhitao, asking about her day, and only then realized that Bian Xun had efficiently handled so many things.
She was somewhat shocked. Although Bian Xun was older than her, he was only a senior in college; did he really have such strong problem-solving skills?
A certain someone, however, had no intention of claiming credit at the moment. Seeing that they were about to leave the library area and it wouldn't be convenient to bring up the topic again, he casually asked her.
"Who was that guy just now?"
"What does he do? Oh, same department."
"You're in the same grade? Oh."
Ning Ye answered one by one, making Bian Xun suddenly realize that in the coming years, her classmates might be physically closer to her than he was.
The sourness that had been fermenting for days turned into pure vinegar.
"That guy looks a bit stupid. I didn't expect him to be your classmate," Bian Xun said with a slightly caustic tone.
Ning Ye froze for a moment. "But he was last year's top science scorer."
"...Oh."
Bian Xun gave a faint chuckle. "Lucky him."
This was blatant sarcasm.
Ning Ye was a little surprised and turned to look at him.
In the night, the young man with black hair and cold white skin revealed an aggressive nature in his bones, like a predator pacing slowly in the jungle, guarding his territory, coldly licking his claws.
Ning Ye blinked. This state... was very fierce.
But also indeed... more handsome.
This noble posture didn't seem like something a child from an ordinary family could build.
Ning Ye thought about it; he was probably jealous.
So he was being very aggressive.
She couldn't hold back a smile. Looking at his cold, mountain-like profile, she explained softly, "There's nothing between me and that male classmate. We haven't even spoken before."
Bian Xun raised an eyebrow. Because of her proactive explanation, his nerves began to release signals of pleasure.
"I know, I believe you," he said nobly.
Ning Ye nodded in relaxation. "Yeah, besides, I don't like that type."
Bian Xun's heart immediately soared with satisfaction, and he gave a reserved "Mm."
"His family is very well-off, which gives me a sense of distance," Ning Ye peeked at him. "In a relationship, I hope to be independent and mutually compatible with my partner. If the family backgrounds are too disparate, it's hard to keep going."
Bian Xun's footsteps paused slightly. "..."
A huge information gap had appeared.
His expression remained unchanged, but he quickly recalled the clothes of the guy just now. Everything was mass-market stuff; his background probably couldn't even be called a family background.
He looked down at himself discreetly.
Very good, not a single logo, no visible price tag.
"..." Bian Xun suppressed his shock and continued to listen to her.
"If two people are unequal, the relationship will have pressure, so it's best to be evenly matched."
Just like how they fought over seats tit for tat.
Having similar difficulties allowed them to understand each other.
Bian Xun closed his eyes.
How was he supposed to explain his OCD, perfectionism, sensitivity to order, germaphobia...
"Dad, your palms are sweating," Ning Zhitao said, tilting her head up casually.
Bian Xun closed his eyes.
From this moment on, he had to take it slow. He couldn't let her see the disparity in an instant and understand his true background.
Otherwise...
But as luck would have it, they happened to walk to the entrance of the study abroad foundation building.
Several staff members spotted Bian Xun at a glance and swarmed over with bouquets and cameras. Seeing the crowd pushing, Ning Ye instinctively pulled Ning Zhitao close and dodged to the side, and they were instantly separated by the crowd.
"Young Master Bian, I knew you would still come to give a speech!"
"Young CEO Bian, say a few words to the students?"
"What do you think of our Jinghua study abroad program connecting with the UC system?"...
Bian Xun: "?"
Bian Xun closed his eyes, really wanting to kill them.
Outside the crowd, Ning Ye blinked and slowly lowered her head.
Ning Zhitao looked up at her mother's gaze and immediately explained telepathically, "Dad is a small boss now, and he will be a big boss in the future."
"Then his family..."
The chatter from those people in the distance had already revealed a lot of information.
Ning Zhitao scratched her head. "Grandpa and Dad are both very rich! Mo—mua."
She cleverly swallowed the word "Mom" back down.
Ning Ye's heart skipped a beat, not knowing what kind of mood it was, just instinctively asking, "Then, then are you still willing to come with me?"
...If the conditions were so vastly different.
Her face burned red with embarrassment. What had she been saying to Bian Xun these past few days?
But even though she asked, she had no confidence at all. She couldn't provide a better life for the child, so how could she let the child make this choice?
Ning Zhitao grabbed her hand. "Of course I am! Can I sleep with you tonight?"
Mom mua!
Bian Xun finally managed to break free from the group and squeezed out of the crowd, only to find that Ning Ye's figure had already walked far away.
A thin back, holding a little girl.
Bian Xun's heart tightened, and he took large strides to catch up.
Ning Ye took the child to a small path outside the school where she often took walks. Suddenly, her arm was pulled from behind, and she was pressed into someone's embrace.
Bian Xun held her with one hand and shielded the child's face with the other.
"Ning Zhitao, close your eyes."
Ning Zhitao obediently closed her eyes.
And even covered her own ears.
Ning Ye looked up, only feeling the cold sandalwood scent falling all over her, but the temperature was scorching.
Through the winter clothes, she seemed to be able to hear the powerful beating heart beneath his chest.
"Sorry, I didn't communicate with you in time."
Bian Xun held her tightly. This was their first embrace, slightly clumsy.
His voice was slightly panting from sprinting. Between the white mist of his breath, her fair ears were close at hand, eyes downcast, rich features hidden beneath her hair, expression unclear.
"I still have many problems, such as obsessive germaphobia, routines, and due to my upbringing, I am caustic, aloof, value interests, and greedy—"
But the fact that you still like me 12 years later gives me tremendous encouragement.
Bian Xun thought.
Perhaps in the future, after experiencing so much, he would eventually become a good husband and a good father, willing to give his all for his family. But the most important part was that it had to be with her.
Ning Ye froze. She raised her eyes, suddenly realizing that his previous words about "having a daughter" were not the actual confession.
"I am greedy, it's true."
His dark hair rested just above his brow bone. The man's eyes seemed to draw in all the light, surging with an intense and burning passion.
"I want to be a father, I want you to be the mother, and I want us to be together."
"Even many years from now, when our children have grown old, I still want us to be together."
There, on the small path just outside the campus.
In the winter of 2019, a twenty-something Bian Xun spoke these words to nineteen-year-old Ning Ye.
"I like you."
"Will you be with me?"
