{Trying to freeload. 1}

Yu Suyue, focused on arranging a venue for her junior so she didn’t stay too long in the little treehouse at Bian Yuan’s home.

Bian Yuan could see early on that her mind was elsewhere.

However, he intentionally had Bian Yixing stay with her, quietly observing the subtle changes in her expression, enjoying the look of indecision on Yu Suyue’s face as she wanted to leave but didn’t dare to.

Bian Yixing knew her mother was a college student and would have to leave sooner or later, but their time together felt far too short. Especially today—after much fussing and clamoring to see her mother, her father arrived and took most of her mother’s attention, leaving her no chance to show off…

“Susu, are you really in such a hurry to leave?”

How could Yu Suyue bear to turn away from those heart-wrenching, sparkling eyes, with tears ready to spill from long, curled lashes?

She crouched down to explain, “Susu wants to go out and earn some money, so that when I have some pocket money, I can make cookies for Xingxing, okay?”

Children always reveal the softest parts of a person’s heart.

Yu Suyue wished there were 48 hours in a day, so she could spend 24 hours with Xingxing.

“Can’t we leave the money-making to Dad?”

Listen to that nonsense.

Yu Suyue thought she already owed Bian Yuan enough, but she hadn’t expected his daughter to have such awareness.

Meanwhile, Bian Yuan sat silently, watching her with a thoughtful expression, waiting for her rejection.

Yu Suyue really wanted to say that it wasn’t impossible. But she had to refuse firmly, saying, “Xingxing, adults are independent entities; we must learn to take responsibility ourselves.”

But Bian Yixing couldn’t understand that. She only felt that the secrets kept from her father affected their relationship.

As her father, he should be responsible for the family’s finances.

How could she bear to see her mother working so hard outside?

But Yu Suyue was determined to leave; she had already calculated the party materials she needed from a few underground markets and was just waiting to get out of there.

As she said goodbye to Bian Yixing, she felt a strange, inexplicable emotion splitting her inside.

She was reluctant to leave.

This reluctance wasn’t forced upon her; it was something she could only experience when interacting with her own parents.

“Xingxing, don’t be like this. Once I finish my work, I’ll come back to see you.”

Bian Yixing blinked her lively eyes and asked sincerely, “What time?”

Yu Suyue knew she was lying and wanted nothing more than to escape from there, while Bian Yuan insisted on escorting her back to the underground market near her university.

“Are you sure you want to go to a place like this?”

The air quality in the underground market was concerning, filled with various snacks and heavy oil fumes. Yu Suyue knew that someone of Bian Yuan’s stature wouldn’t want to venture there, so she quickly had him stop the car not far away.

“I can go by myself.”

“Afraid I’ll learn about your industry’s internal costs?”

“Of course not.” Yu Suyue unfastened her seatbelt, listening to Bian Yuan ramble on.

However, she felt her small business was not worth explaining in detail to him, so she hurriedly said goodbye. Yet, Bian Yuan didn’t easily let her go. When he learned that she was leaving not because of another man, but for a business deal, a small wave of joy seemed to ripple through him. He usually kept his emotions hidden, and his only way of expressing himself was to continue teasing her.

“What if I want to learn about other industries?”

Yu Suyue should have refused. She had spent a whole night with him for no reason, and after finally managing to slip away that morning, she felt as if she was fleeing from a situation she didn’t want to take responsibility for. Coincidentally, they ended up spending an afternoon together again because of Bian Yixing.

Knowing Bian Yuan wouldn’t truly compete with her for business, Yu Suyue realized, “This place isn’t suitable for you; your suit will get stained with cheap oil fumes.”

Instead of being offended by her rejection, Bian Yuan was friendly as he said, “Then, after you’re done shopping, I’ll drive you back to school?”

“No, that would be troublesome.”

Yu Suyue quickly shook her head to refuse. She really didn’t want to impose on him, and she found Bian Yuan’s unusual behavior puzzling.