Outside the window, a Gulfstream G550 soared at an altitude of ten thousand meters.
Inside the cabin, everyone comfortably enjoyed their leisurely time.
Zhou Guanghan and two others were playing Dou Dizhu, while Li Xi and a few others were watching news and chatting.
Because the entire aircraft used special materials, the noise was truly minimal.
Chen Pingjiang felt good about everything.
The reason he gathered so many people was to synthesize everyone's experiences and ideas.
"Brother Chen, I definitely think it needs a bed. Occasionally, when traveling internationally for business, even a casual flight is ten hours, and your butt gets numb."
"Hmm, also add a foldable sofa seat."
Everyone chimed in, one after another.
The plane only flew for about an hour before landing.
Chen Pingjiang readily paid a part of the deposit.
"Pingjiang, why must you buy a plane?"
After returning to Zhongshan Villa, Chen Guangming finally spoke.
There were too many people earlier, making it inconvenient for him to talk.
"Your dad is asking you a question, why are you just staring at us?"
Seeing Chen Pingjiang remain silent for a long time, only staring at herself and her boss, Xu Fangjuan felt puzzled.
After a long while, Chen Pingjiang sighed.
"Mom, I'm going to tell you something. You're not allowed to hit me after I say it."
Xu Fangjuan frowned, her heart instinctively skipped a beat.
For Chen Pingjiang, with his current status, to have such a solemn expression, it was clearly not a trivial matter.
"Just say it. How old are you? Would I still hit you?"
"Hmm."
Chen Pingjiang pondered his words:
"It's like this, you might... you might be a grandmother soon."
"What?"
Xu Fangjuan was first delighted:
"Is Yanyan pregnant? That's great news!"
But as soon as the words left her mouth, she sensed something was wrong.
If Yanyan were truly pregnant, why would Chen Pingjiang have such a solemn expression? He would simply state it openly.
They had been dating for several years, both sets of parents had a good relationship, and they had already graduated.
"It... it wouldn't be someone other than Yanyan, would it?"
Xu Fangjuan's voice trembled, her mind instantly thrown into disarray.
Chen Pingjiang nodded:
"You promised not to hit me."
"Old Chen, go to the garage and find the sturdiest fishing rod from your collection."
"Hey, hey! Didn't we agree?"
"Who agreed with you?"
Xu Fangjuan's temper flared instantly:
"Men turn bad when they have money, it's true. How did I give birth to such a philanderer like you? What you've done, how am I supposed to explain this to Yanyan and her parents? No, the more I talk, the angrier I get."
Chen Pingjiang quickly gave Old Chen a look.
Chen Guangming immediately held back his eager wife:
"What's done is done. Your anger won't help. We should think about how to solve it."
Xu Fangjuan shook her arm, flinging off Chen Guangming's hand, and retorted angrily at him too:
"Let go! If a child is not taught, it's the father's fault. Are you still trying to make excuses for him?"
"Hey, you old lady."
Chen Pingjiang pouted:
"I don't know why you're so agitated. If you can't hit me, I'll just get the child aborted."
"Pah! How dare you? Try it if you have the guts!"
Xu Fangjuan bristled like an angry cat, her eyebrows shooting up.
"Alright, alright, I wouldn't dare, okay?"
After a long while, Xu Fangjuan finally regained some composure:
"Tell me, what are you planning to do? That's also a life; the child definitely cannot be aborted. And since you came to tell us, you surely didn't plan to abort it, otherwise, if you had done it secretly, how would we know? Since you told me, you must have your own plans. Who is that woman, what's her background, and has she been scheming?"
A string of questions poured out, very much in Xu Fangjuan's style.
"You've heard of her, but haven't met her. It's the female CEO of my catering company, Ge Mengshi."
Immediately, Xu Fangjuan's mouth dropped open, and Chen Guangming's face darkened.
"Son, you must be truly desperate. I remember you saying that CEO Ge is over thirty, right?"
"Pingjiang, has she been married before? You're not a third party, are you?"
Old Chen also worried.
Chen Pingjiang shook his head like a rattle-drum:
"She's never been married, and she hadn't even dated anyone before me. When she was young, she studied abroad for several years, and she was already in her late twenties when she returned. After coming back, she's been focused on her career and never met a man she clicked with, until she met your handsome and dashing son."
"And although she's in her thirties, she takes exceptionally good care of herself, looking no different from someone in their twenties."
It was a long while before Xu Fangjuan slowly sighed:
"Why did you have to go and provoke other women? Yanyan is such a good girl, I really like her. And I always feel like you're so much younger than her; marrying her would be a loss for you."
Chen Pingjiang counter-questioned with a bewildered expression:
"Who said I was going to marry her?"
"Then..."
Xu Fangjuan felt a bit dizzy:
"Then you're not aborting, not marrying, planning to have an illegitimate child?"
After speaking, Xu Fangjuan seemed to think of something, suddenly turned her head and stared at Chen Guangming for a long time, until he felt a little uneasy and instinctively recoiled slightly.
"Old Chen, you don't have an illegitimate child outside too, do you? Otherwise, why are you shrinking back in fright?"
"What nonsense are you talking? When have I ever not faithfully handed over my earnings? If I had an an illegitimate child, wouldn't I have to support them?"
Chen Pingjiang was full of questions, looking at his clownish parents, thinking,
"We're talking about my business right now, where did this even go?"
"Cough, cough. It's like this, we've already discussed it. Mengshi really wants this child and decided to bring it into the world. She's also willing to keep it hidden, even if it means sacrificing herself, because she doesn't want to make things difficult for me.
Naturally, I can't let her suffer either. Besides not being able to give her a proper title, there will be no difference between her and Yanyan in other aspects."
"I could have not told you about this, and then there wouldn't be so many other issues. But what I considered is that since I can't give her a proper title and she's making such a great sacrifice, family recognition and support become incredibly important."
After the awkwardness in Xu Fangjuan's heart subsided, she also nodded:
"You don't need to say it. Your mother isn't an unreasonable person. I'll ask Sister Lan to make some soup, and we'll go see this girl later. Also, I don't want Yanyan's family to know about this; you understand."
Perhaps it was because he was her own son, or perhaps it was the joy of adding another person to the family, but Empress Dowager Xu gradually felt a little happy in her heart, moving past her initial anger and embarrassment.
Her daily life after retirement was quite boring.
Now, it seemed she had a new goal, becoming full of energy, and personally rushed to the kitchen to make soup.
After Xu Fangjuan left, Chen Guangming patted his son's shoulder and called him to the cigar room, where the two then smoked together.
"Don't think this matter is over with your mother. Your mother and I are honest and upright people, and we never expected to encounter such a thing. Even though what's done is done, I must say that such things are absolutely not allowed to happen again in the future. Also, treat CEO Ge well."
Chen Guangming, who was not good with words to begin with, actually didn't know what to say.
He couldn't very well declare loudly,
"Son, well done."
So, criticism was definitely necessary.
Between the two women, Yanyan would certainly take precedence, but the child must also be kept, as it was a life after all.
The old couple both had the same idea.
Such thoughts were the most genuine, after all, they were Chen Pingjiang's parents and the future grandparents of Chen Pingjiang's child.
"By the way, you haven't been messing around with anyone else outside, have you?"
After taking a puff of his cigarette, Chen Guangming couldn't help but cough slightly.
"Enough already. If you've quit smoking, don't smoke."
Chen Pingjiang went up and snatched the cigarette butt:
"No more."
"Truly none?"
"Truly none!"
Chen Pingjiang answered with full confidence, making it impossible for Chen Guangming to find any flaws.
Even if there were, he'd have to say there weren't.
Confess and be lenient?
More like confess and rot in jail!
...
Ge Mengshi had taken leave to rest at home for the past two days.
When Chen Pingjiang arrived, she was reading books related to childcare.
Seeing Chen Pingjiang, she asked somewhat curiously,
"Aren't you working today?"
"Work isn't as important as you. Now is the time you need more company."
Ge Mengshi felt quite touched, but the next second, she heard Chen Pingjiang say:
"My parents are also here to see you."
"Ah? Why didn't you say something beforehand? I didn't even put on makeup since I wasn't working today!"
Ge Mengshi hadn't expected to meet Chen Pingjiang's parents under such circumstances and immediately felt flustered, looking left and right by the bedside, rummaging everywhere for a hair tie.
Old Chen and Empress Dowager Xu were very considerate and did not enter Ge Mengshi's bedroom, respecting her privacy.
Ge Mengshi insisted on changing out of her pajamas in the bedroom and only came out after putting on a T-shirt.
Hearing the patter of slippers, Xu Fangjuan and Chen Guangming's gazes were fixed on the slightly ajar bedroom door.
Upon seeing Ge Mengshi, the old couple couldn't help but "wow" in their hearts.
Xu Fangjuan said in a mosquito-like voice:
"That little rascal really has good taste. I said he wouldn't be interested in just any older single woman; no wonder."
From Xu Fangjuan's perspective, Ge Mengshi, even without makeup, still had delicate features and eyebrows untouched by the passage of time.
What was most striking was her well-proportioned figure, which not only had a good foundation but also clearly showed signs of extensive exercise.
"Hello, Auntie. Hello, Uncle."
Even though she had seen many grand occasions, Ge Mengshi was still quite nervous, losing her usual composure.
In a way, everyone was family.
"Hey, Xiao Ge, right? Hello, hello."
Xu Fangjuan warmly stood up to greet her, taking Ge Mengshi's hand:
"You've worked hard."
These words warmed Ge Mengshi's heart.
At least, Chen Pingjiang's mother didn't look down on her and still valued her efforts.
She had actually been worried internally before.
If she were with Chen Pingjiang, but couldn't get the understanding and support of his parents, or if they weren't even willing to meet her or acknowledge their future child, how should she conduct herself?
"Auntie, it's not hard work."
"Come, sit down first."
"Girl, how could you be so foolish?"
As she spoke, what left Chen Pingjiang dumbfounded was how his mother's demeanor had changed.
If it were an ordinary woman, she would definitely feel she had no status, had given so much, and would surely burst into tears upon hearing such words from others.
But Ge Mengshi was truly special.
Not only did she show no trace of grievance, but she instead looked at her abdomen with a motherly gaze.
"I've always wanted a child. I think being a mother is the happiest thing, and only Pingjiang could make me feel the urge to be a mother; I was the one who asked him. Besides, Auntie, I don't want to compete or fight for anything. Living a quiet life is fine. I'm a career-driven person and have always been against marriage, but I still really hoped to have a child."
Chen Guangming, who had been silently observing, secretly nodded.
As expected of a CEO who could manage a large enterprise, this girl spoke quite skillfully.
There was no hint of trying to gain status through the child, like in Hong Kong and Taiwan movie plots where a mother seeks to elevate her position through her offspring.
She directly stated her attitude.
Whether this attitude was genuine or not, Xu Fangjuan couldn't help but be moved, achieving an effect beyond any other method.
First, she took on the "responsibility," and then expressed her attitude.
With Ge Mengshi saying this, Chen Pingjiang was touched, and Xu Fangjuan had to be touched as well.
She was too considerate, and too wronged.
"Girl, don't worry. A red marriage certificate doesn't mean everything. Here, as a mother-in-law, I will treat everyone equally, and the child will be the same. As long as I'm here, I'll be your greatest support. Chen Pingjiang shouldn't even think about bullying or letting you down."
Upon hearing this, Chen Pingjiang thought,
"Well, these two have formed an alliance."
Making him feel like he was caught between a rock and a hard place.
As he expected, the next second, Empress Dowager Xu glared at him:
"What are you standing there for? Go to the kitchen and get a spoon and a bowl, and pour a bowl of that soup for Xiao Ge."
Chen Pingjiang grimaced.
This move was classic!
Mothers-in-law seem to love this tactic: putting down their own son to show they're on the daughter-in-law's side. It demonstrates that if the couple ever argues in the future, 'I'll definitely side with you.'
After Chen Pingjiang poured the soup, Empress Dowager Xu picked up the bowl, blew on it, and then said with a smile,
"Come, have a taste. It's black chicken soup I personally made; it's very nutritious."
"Auntie, I can do it myself."
Empress Dowager Xu's enthusiasm made Ge Mengshi a little embarrassed.
"It's all the same, all the same. Come on, quick, have a taste."
"Come, open your mouth."
"There's still plenty of soup; have another bowl."
"..."
Only when Ge Mengshi couldn't drink anymore did she shake her head, begging for mercy.
After spending about an hour at Ge Mengshi's place, Chen Pingjiang and his parents finally took their leave.
After getting into the car, Empress Dowager Xu's expression changed, and she nearly pulled Chen Pingjiang's ear.
"Tell me, you spend all day not doing proper things. How could such a good girl be so devoted to you? You just slip away, and she has to suffer for ten months, and most importantly, without a proper title or status. If I were her mother, I'd have the heart to kill you."
"Cough, cough, Mom, just talk, don't get physical."
Chen Pingjiang saw his mother's aggressive posture and tried to dodge.
Li Fu, driving in the front, didn't change his expression, as if he hadn't heard anything.
"You old lady, seriously, whose side are you on?"
Chen Pingjiang grumbled complainingly.
"Nonsense, of course I'm on your side, but that girl isn't having it easy either, and I need to show that attitude."
Empress Dowager Xu emphasized.
At this moment, Chen Guangming's voice came slowly:
"Her parents don't know yet, do they? How do you plan to handle it? And tell us about the subsequent matters too; we can help you brainstorm."
"How else can I handle it? Of course, I'll honestly go to their home and apologize, carrying a thorny branch. If they want to beat me, let them; they wouldn't really dare to beat me to death anyway."
Chen Pingjiang said with a smile:
"I've already arranged everything for the delivery. After she sorts out her company matters and once I get my private jet, I'll send her to Finland on a special plane for childbirth. I'll prepare a house and other relevant personnel there in advance."
"Hmm, that's the only way."
Xu Fangjuan also said:
"I have no other demands. I just promised her that I would treat everyone equally, so you must also try your best to treat everyone equally."
(End of Chapter)