In September, Chen Pingjiang went to Helsinki alone.
He hadn't seen Xiao Doubao in a long time and missed her terribly.
He wasn't in a hurry initially, but when he heard Ge Mengshi say that Xiao Doubao could call "mama", Chen Pingjiang instantly couldn't sit still.
Babies unconsciously call "daddy" and "mama" when they are 7-8 months old, and it was about that time.
There were only three people at the airport.
Chen Pingjiang, Yin Zhen, Yin Hui.
So everyone became a bit more relaxed.
"Mr. Chen, are you going to see the baby this time?"
Every time Yin Zhen saw Chen Pingjiang, she seemed very happy, especially since they had been intimate, which added to their familiarity.
Chen Pingjiang nodded,
"I'll be back after staying there for a week. Why isn't your sister coming in to sit? Is she feeling a bit awkward?"
Yin Zhen pursed her lips and smiled,
"She probably doesn't know how to face you? Don't worry about her, she'll accept it given time."
Neither of them thought much of it, assuming Yin Hui just couldn't accept Chen Pingjiang's relationship with her sister for the time being.
The journey was boring, and Chen Pingjiang soon dozed off.
Yin Zhen sat obediently beside him, gently massaging Chen Pingjiang's temples.
The perfume on her was rich and captivating, as alluring as summer fruits, intoxicating and unforgettable.
Before long, Chen Pingjiang actually reacted.
This scene did not escape Yin Zhen's gaze; a smile played on her lips, and her hand movements became lighter and softer, as if possessing infinite magic, captivating the soul.
"Mr. Chen, would you... like to go inside and rest?"
Chen Pingjiang suddenly opened his eyes, then stood up with a smile and walked towards the bedroom at the back of the cabin.
Yin Hui, sitting in the front operating room, was reading a book.
Just as Yin Zhen had said, she didn't know how to face Chen Pingjiang, so she simply hid there.
Before long, her expression subtly changed, her pretty face flushed red, and she gritted her teeth resentfully,
"How shameless, this is still on a plane, and they're not even considering the implications."
About half an hour later, Yin Zhen reappeared neatly dressed in front of Yin Hui.
"Oh, sis, are you not feeling well? Why is your face so red?"
Seeing Yin Hui's appearance, Yin Zhen was startled.
Her face from cheeks to earlobes was crimson, and there was a hint of bloodshot in her eyes.
She quickly reached out to touch Yin Hui's forehead, finding nothing wrong.
"Do you need to go to the hospital after we land? Where do you feel unwell?"
Yin Hui glared at her,
"I'm perfectly fine, no need for a hospital. You, on the other hand, are too bold."
Yin Zhen chuckled,
"What's the big deal? What does it matter? This is Mr. Chen's private plane anyway."
Knowing Chen Pingjiang was coming, Ge Mengshi had already been waiting on the lawn in front of the villa with Xiao Doubao.
Upon seeing Chen Pingjiang, Ge Mengshi went up with a smile and hugged him.
"The journey must have been a bit tiring, wasn't it?"
"Not at all, let me see my little darling."
Saying this, Chen Pingjiang picked up Xiao Doubao from her stroller and rubbed his slightly stubbled chin back and forth on Xiao Doubao's chubby little face, only stopping when Xiao Doubao was about to cry.
Ge Mengshi stood by, smiling sweetly, and said to Xiao Doubao,
"Call 'daddy', 'daddy'."
Xiao Doubao felt she was falling into the clutches of a demon, so she had no mind to call out.
She promptly gave Chen Pingjiang a punch on the forehead, which made Chen Pingjiang burst into laughter.
"Pingjiang is here,"
Ge Bingyi and Mother Ge also walked out to greet Chen Pingjiang.
"How have you two been doing lately?"
Ge Bingyi smiled and said,
"Physically and mentally I feel clearer, but it's a bit too boring. Being too relaxed isn't good either."
Chen Pingjiang nodded.
After retirement, if one has no hobbies, life can be very boring every day.
Moreover, Ge Bingyi wasn't very old.
Back in China, he had businesses to run and occasionally needed to socialize.
Coming to Helsinki, he didn't even have a friend to talk to or drink with.
Initially, Chen Guangping accompanied him, but after Chen Guangping left, Ge Bingyi spent a lot of time daydreaming every day.
"If you're really bored staying here, let's all go back this time. If you're afraid relatives and friends might ask, just find an excuse. You don't necessarily have to stay here," Chen Pingjiang thought for a moment and said, "It's inconvenient for me to come over every time, and it's too much trouble to see my daughter occasionally."
As soon as he said this, it was clear that several people were swayed.
Ge Mengshi could never let go of the domestic catering group, which was slated to go public by the end of the year.
Ge Bingyi and Mother Ge had also been out for over a year, and it was time to go back for a visit, especially since Xiao Doubao was now old enough to fly.
Ge Mengshi nodded,
"Then let's go back."
Seeing Ge Bingyi still hesitant, Chen Pingjiang immediately stepped forward with a smile and put an arm around his "father-in-law's" shoulder.
"Uncle Ge, a second child is definitely happening, won't it be the same to have it in China? Staying abroad all the time is too boring. Besides, you can always come back when you have one, can't you?"
Ge Bingyi opened his mouth, and finally nodded.
Chen Pingjiang's promise that the second child would take the Ge surname had always been Ge Bingyi's greatest hope, and also the motivation that sustained him in Helsinki for so long.
Chen Pingjiang couldn't understand the old man's ingrained old-fashioned ideas.
After the family reached an agreement, they all went back to pack their luggage.
Upon hearing the news that they could finally return, Chef Old Li and the nanny-confinement nurse also breathed a sigh of relief, smiles on everyone's faces.
They had been away for a year and missed their families terribly, but could only rely on WeChat video calls to ease their longing.
They also didn't dare to reveal any information about Chen Pingjiang's family to outsiders, only saying they worked for a big boss.
Everyone went to busy themselves, leaving only Chen Pingjiang with Xiao Doubao.
Fortunately, Xiao Doubao wasn't as prone to crying after growing up and was soon giggling at Chen Pingjiang's antics.
As Ge Mengshi was tidying clothes in the bedroom, Dong'er smiled and pointed to the lawn outside the window,
"Ms. Ge, look."
When Ge Mengshi heard this and walked to the bedside, she saw Xiao Doubao slowly crawling on the lawn, with Chen Pingjiang beside her in a crawling posture as well.
The two were racing to see who could reach the finish line first.
"Chairman Chen is completely different outside than he is at home. Who would have thought he could be so happy accompanying Xiao Doubao, even making such childish movements to amuse her? There's none of that domineering CEO persona he presents to the outside world."
Ge Mengshi smiled, walked to the headboard, picked up her phone, snapped several photos of the scene on the lawn downstairs, and then set one as her screen saver.
Dong'er continued,
"It's clear that Chairman Chen really cares about you and Xiao Doubao."
Once the thought of returning home emerged, it could no longer be suppressed.
After just two days of packing, the group finally boarded the plane for their return journey.
Including Chen Pingjiang, there were a total of nine people and over a dozen suitcases.
Fortunately, the Gulfstream G550 was large enough to fit everything.
This time, neither Chen Pingjiang nor Yin Zhen dared to act recklessly again.
Each of them behaved themselves.
After an eight-hour flight, the group finally arrived at Dongjiang Airport.
Chen Guangping and Xu Fangjuan had already received the news ahead of time and rushed over.
They waited at the airport, watching the Gulfstream G550 come to a steady stop, then gazed eagerly at the cabin door.
After everyone disembarked, Chen Guangping walked over first with a smile and greeted them,
"Old Ge, you've worked hard, Shishi too. Let's go home."
Xu Fangjuan, on the other hand, took Xiao Doubao from Ge Mengshi's arms and wouldn't let go of her granddaughter.
"My little darling, Grandma missed you terribly. You've grown so beautiful after all this time."
Dong'er had received Chen Pingjiang's instructions beforehand and immediately gave the chef, nanny, and confinement nurse time off, allowing them to go back and reunite with their families.
Before they left, each received a large red envelope containing 30,000 yuan.
"Old Chen, is it convenient to go to Zhongshan Villa? Will it..."
Ge Bingyi looked at the setup, then hesitated for a while before asking.
Before Chen Guangping could speak, Chen Pingjiang waved his hand.
"Of course, Uncle Ge. Your house has been vacant for so long, it's covered in dust. How can you live there without cleaning it? At least clean it thoroughly before you move back. Stay at Zhongshan Villa for these few days; I've made arrangements, and then you can go back."
As he said this, on the way back to Zhongshan Villa, he suggested to Ge Mengshi,
"I want to get you a house in Zhongshan Villa. Then you can live nearby, and I can occasionally go there to stay, seeing our daughter whenever I want. Your parents can either go back or stay in Zhongshan Villa. That way, you won't have to worry about your relatives and friends asking questions."
After hearing this, Ge Mengshi was indeed somewhat swayed.
On one hand, she also wanted to spend more time with Chen Pingjiang.
On the other hand, Doubao was still young, and having her father around more might be beneficial for her growth.
"Isn't Zhongshan Villa quite popular? Weren't phases one and two sold out long ago?"
"There should still be some lakeside villas left in Phase Three, Zinan Garden. I'll go get one tomorrow. During the renovation, you can stay at my friend's house. They also bought a house in Zhongshan Villa originally, but haven't moved in after the renovation due to their child's schooling."
After convincing Ge Mengshi, Chen Pingjiang finally relaxed.
In the future, he could see his daughter from time to time, without having to spend ten-odd hours each time he wanted to visit.
As for the potential Shura field, Chen Pingjiang didn't give it much thought.
......
The next day, Chen Pingjiang went to He Zhiyu to get the keys to his villa in Zhongshan Villa.
This villa had been renovated but never occupied, which ended up benefiting Chen Pingjiang.
In recent years, prices at Zhongshan Villa had soared, reaching 40 million, and even then, there were no properties available on the market despite the high prices.
Chen Pingjiang didn't let He Zhiyu suffer any loss; he insisted on paying the rent, which left He Zhiyu speechless, continuously saying that Chen Pingjiang was becoming distant.
For the next month or so, Chen Pingjiang seemed like a changed man, avoiding business trips as much as possible, and if he had to travel, he tried to go and return on the same day.
Every day after work, he would retreat into Zhongshan Villa, skipping all social engagements and parties.
On the morning of October 6th, Chen Pingjiang was playing with Xiao Doubao as usual.
"Ba...ba!"
Seeing her old father make a funny face, Xiao Doubao excitedly waved her arms and legs, calling out in a childish voice.
Chen Pingjiang didn't pay attention at first, then reacted, looking at his daughter in surprise,
"Sweetheart, say it again."
"Baba!"
In that instant, a soft spot in Chen Pingjiang's heart was heavily touched; immense joy filled his chest.
He spun around with Xiao Doubao in his arms.
"MWAH, Daddy will get you a sports car tomorrow. What brand do you want? Ferrari, Lamborghini, or what?"
Xu Fangjuan, who had just returned from outside the villa, frowned and snapped,
"Showing off, can she even drive at such a young age?"
Ge Mengshi also smiled and said,
"What's making you so happy?"
"Xiao Doubao can call 'daddy' now."
Xu Fangjuan's expression changed instantly; she hurried over and picked up her granddaughter, smiling,
"Really? Xiao Doubao is so clever! Now, call 'grandma'."
Xiao Doubao, drooling at the corner of her mouth and held in Xu Fangjuan's arms, very graciously called out,
"Ne... nei."
"Oh my, my little sweetheart."
This little one made Xu Fangjuan so excited she was almost in tears.
As Chen Pingjiang watched this heartwarming family scene, his phone rang.
The caller ID showed Lin Bin.
"What's wrong?"
"Steve Jobs is dead."
"Oh, well, if he's gone, he's gone. Weren't there rumors about his condition worsening a while ago? Besides, Cook has been managing Apple for so long."
"..."
After hanging up the phone, Chen Pingjiang frowned.
He wasn't surprised by this day.
In late August this year, Jobs had resigned as Apple's CEO, handing over the world's most valuable company to his successor, Tim Cook.
Just as the industry was questioning Cook's abilities, Jobs made the most important decision of his life six weeks later: to leave this world and go make phones for God.
It is said that Apple lost its vital innovative power after Cook took over, and this is not false.
But similarly, Cook's contributions to Apple were also immense.
He made Apple the most valuable and profitable company in the world.
He meticulously built overseas supply chains, signed manufacturing contracts with Foxconn, employed hundreds of thousands of Chinese laborers for Apple's production lines, and provided extremely stable gross profit margins for many years.
He also led Apple to surpass ExxonMobil and Saudi Aramco in market capitalization.
Jobs' greatest contribution was changing mobile phone hardware and interaction, thereby revolutionizing human communication and online life.
After 2011, Apple phones had few innovations.
For instance, the first to launch a dual-camera design was the HTC G17, which released its first dual-camera phone as early as 2014.
Major manufacturers subsequently followed suit, while Apple only introduced a rear dual-camera design with the iPhone 7.
Xiaomi released the world's first full-screen phone in 2016, while Apple was a full year late in releasing its first phone, the iPhone X, which it called a full-screen phone.
However, it couldn't be considered a true full-screen phone because its notch was truly hideous; it could only be called a notched-screen phone.
If Jobs were still alive, he definitely wouldn't have designed the iPhone X to be so ugly; he was a perfectionist.
Such a disgusting design as the notched screen would probably have made him faint from anger if he were still alive.
Jobs succeeded because of perfectionism, and he died because of it too.
Because he couldn't confirm if doctors could cut his body with "golden ratio" precision, he decisively rejected their proposal to surgically remove the lesions.
In a meeting with doctors, when they used PowerPoint slides for their presentation, Jobs cursed at them, asking why they weren't using Apple products.
Subsequently, the consultation's atmosphere suddenly shifted, with Jobs personally teaching the doctors how to use Apple products.
He was almost gone, surely he would have surgery this time? He refused to wear the anesthesia mask because it was too ugly, ordering doctors to design five different masks.
He even found the monitor designs unsightly.
You can just imagine the extent of this person's stubbornness.
Jobs' death didn't particularly affect Chen Pingjiang, but a bunch of people on WeChat Moments and Weibo started to mourn loudly.
You weren't this agitated when Old Qian passed away.
After the news of Jobs' death was announced, Twitter users posted a total of 2.5 million messages related to Jobs within 12 hours.
In comparison, domestic Weibo users posted over 50 million messages within 12 hours.
Chinese people mourned Old Jobs' passing with 20 times the fervor.
To commemorate Jobs, Sina's nearly defunct Weibo platform even changed its usual "iPhone, iPad" clients to "Jobs' iPhone, Jobs' iPad."
Lee Ka-Fu: "A friend living near Apple called to tell me: while driving the kids to school early this morning, they saw a brilliant rainbow in the sky even though it hadn't rained. Perhaps this is Heaven's way of honoring Jobs." "Rest in peace, Chief Jobs. Your products changed the world, and your vision inspired a generation."
Ren Zhiqiang: "The world spontaneously mourns Steve Jobs not because he was a political titan or a Nobel laureate, but because the products he created conquered the globe. Through innovative vision, he became a spiritual leader, making irreplaceable contributions to human progress. He won a war against himself."
Tang Jun: "A CEO who could seamlessly fuse technology, art, and industrial design into one—he was the only one. There was none before him, and there won't be another for the next fifty years. Turning a near-bankrupt company into #1 in the world won't be repeated in a century."
The tendency toward peer pressure and blind bandwagoning was on full display.
Posts ranged from elegies and tribute artwork to jokes about God wanting an iPhone 5 or reflections on domestic education and innovation systems—which quickly devolved into scolding Chinese knockoffs, accidentally dragging Chen Pingjiang, Lei Jun, and Pan Shiyi into the crossfire.
Chen Pingjiang truly suffered a wave of undeserved misfortune.
When Jobs was alive, they worshipped Jobs; when Jobs was gone, they worshipped Musk.
A long list of celebrities mourned Jobs one by one on Weibo, but netizens noticed that Chen Pingjiang was the only one who hadn't made a statement.
Soon after, Chen Pingjiang's Weibo was flooded.
"Chen Pingjiang, aren't you going to say something about the elder?"
"Mr. Chen, compared to Jobs, you're just dog shit."
"..."
Chen Pingjiang was dumbfounded.
After some thought, he still posted on Weibo:
"I never interacted with Mr. Jobs, so while I feel regret at his passing, there isn't much emotional fluctuation. Everyone doesn't need to scold me; after all, I didn't cause his death. In contrast, when Old Qian passed away the year before last, I almost cried, because he was truly my idol."
Aren't you cursing me?
Then I'll fight magic with magic.
As soon as Chen Pingjiang posted this Weibo, no one dared to attack him; attacking him would be to negate Old Qian.
Of course, there were also those who weren't afraid to die.
Faced with such people, Chen Pingjiang directly banned their accounts for ten thousand years.
Liu Qiangdong, Xiao Ma Ge, and Wang Chuanfu, seeing this situation, all liked Chen Pingjiang's Weibo post.
Jobs certainly did well.
If you mourn, mourn properly.
Why be so fanatical?
Is it reasonable? Is it normal that the number of Weibo messages in China exceeded the global total?
Those who didn't speak up were also scolded.
They were truly possessed.
Some people were truly sadder than if their own parents had died.
......
Cong Nini, who hadn't seen Chen Pingjiang in a long time, was somewhat fervent.
After a round of intimacy, as Chen Pingjiang was replying to messages.
Cong Nini unexpectedly saw a baby photo on his screen saver.
"This baby is so cute, and surprisingly, she looks a bit like you."
Chen Pingjiang smiled and said,
"What you're saying is nonsense. If my daughter doesn't look like me, who else would she look like?"
"Huh?" Cong Nini was stunned. "You're not kidding, right? This is your daughter? Who did you have her with? It's definitely not Yan Yan, I just saw her a while ago."
"You wouldn't know her if I told you."
"What's her name?"
"Xiao Doubao."
"Oh?" Cong Nini's eyes darted around. "So Yan Yan doesn't know?"
Chen Pingjiang shook his head,
"She doesn't know. Keep your mouth shut."
"Hehe, don't worry, I wouldn't dare say anything." As she spoke, Cong Nini re-embraced Chen Pingjiang's arm. "Husband, do you think there's something wrong with me?"
"Huh?"
Chen Pingjiang paused.
Cong Nini continued,
"We've gone without protection a few times, and you've come inside, but why haven't I gotten pregnant?"
Chen Pingjiang rolled his eyes impatiently,
"Are you crazy? You don't know any common sense. Didn't you say it was my safe period? How can you get pregnant during a safe period? Even if you could, the chances would be miserably low."
Cong Nini pouted pitifully,
"But I saw such a cute baby, and I want a baby of my own too. Husband, can you give me a baby?"
Well, well, she was waiting for me with this.
Chen Pingjiang thought to himself.
"You're still so young. First tell me why you want a baby, and how will you explain it to your family?"
Cong Nini casually tilted her fair neck.
"Explain what? I'll just say I got married outside and then divorced. Anyway, my parents just do their own thing and don't really care about me."
Chen Pingjiang had once asked Cong Nini about her family situation.
The answer he received was that Cong Nini's parents had been divorced for many years.
Her mother had remarried, and as for Cong Nini's father, he had a modest amount of assets and was either playing with women or at the card table, never caring for her, only knowing how to give money.
Such a dysfunctional family upbringing also shaped Cong Nini's rebellious personality when she first entered university.
It also explained why Cong Nini sometimes couldn't be bothered to go home for Chinese New Year, was even more insecure, and always feared Chen Pingjiang would leave her.
To put it bluntly, the core of her rebellious personality was actually an extreme lack of love and extreme low self-esteem.
Like a weak person desperately waving their fists to show strength when facing a beast.
Lacking love, Cong Nini enjoyed the eager flattery of her 'spare tires' and 'lick dogs', and due to her insecurity, she intensely admired strength.
After some thought, Chen Pingjiang said,
"Don't be so impulsive. You're still young. Do you know what it means to have a child? It means you'll be completely tied down, unable to go anywhere. You still want to travel? Dream on."
"Husband! I want one!" Cong Nini whined playfully, "Everyone else has babies, but I don't. What will I do if I grow old and lose my looks, and you don't want me anymore?"
Chen Pingjiang saw through Cong Nini's facade at a glance.
To put it plainly, Cong Nini wanting a child and Ge Mengshi wanting a child stemmed from different mindsets.
Ge Mengshi was at an age where if she didn't have a child soon, she would become an older mother.
As for Cong Nini wanting a child...
It was to compete for favor, to completely tie down Chen Pingjiang, and to elevate her status through having his child.
"Stop shaking, stop shaking. If you want one, then have one."
After a long pause, Chen Pingjiang helplessly shook his head.
Who told him to be greedy?
Not giving Cong Nini a child, wouldn't that be depriving her of the chance to be a mother?
Could he really abandon Cong Nini? Even if Cong Nini agreed, Chen Pingjiang wouldn't want to.
"Really? Then can I actively contact you during my ovulation period in the future?"
"If that's the case, what are we waiting for? One more time, one more time."
"Hehe, Husband, I've actually already planned it out. If you didn't agree, I'd poke holes in all the condoms at home with a needle."
Chen Pingjiang was speechless; given Cong Nini's personality, she would absolutely do such a thing.
But he also had a headache thinking about how to explain all this to Yan Yan later.
It would be fine for a short time, but it couldn't be kept secret forever.
Chen Pingjiang secretly vowed in his heart that he really couldn't touch other women anymore, or he would die because of it someday.
Just thinking about the tangled mess of relationships made his scalp tingle.
If he didn't find a way to handle it well, it would always be a ticking bomb.
(End of Chapter)