Actually, it was all just a coincidence.

Since Chen Qingxuan has started a company, she naturally has to run the business.

Although Cheng Yize's company has experienced a decline in profits and severe layoffs, it remains a leader in the industry.

For both parties to reach a cooperation agreement, it must be something that is profitable.

Over the past few years, Chen Qingxuan has become a very professional businesswoman. It would be foolish not to do something that is profitable.

Therefore, even though she knew that the person she was dealing with was her ex-husband, she still chose to sign the contract.

Making a profit is the most important thing; can't emotions be exploited?

Upon seeing his ex-wife, Cheng Yize couldn't help but smile: "Long time no see."

"It's only been a few months. I even went to celebrate my son's birthday last time."

Chen Qingxuan was wearing a women's suit and looked stunning, yet her aura made people hesitant to approach her.

Cheng Yize curled the corners of his lips into a smile.

Originally, Cheng Yize had always been in a superior position between the two, and he felt a sense of superiority.

As a "phoenix man" in the eyes of others, he worked hard to gain a foothold in the big city and married a beautiful only daughter. She didn't ask for a dowry and brought her own. At that time, he was the envy of all men.

But after a few years of peaceful life, his wife couldn't stay at home anymore and insisted on going out. To save face, he gave in, and before he knew it, they had been divorced for many years, and both of them had gotten a few years older.

But Chen Qingxuan looks significantly younger than Cheng Yize.

The company has been laying off employees lately. Even though he's a key employee, so what? People won't stop putting pressure on him just because he's a key employee.

Even if he isn't laid off, the company will further reduce salaries, and if the company's performance is poor, then everyone will have to hold on together.

"It has indeed been a few months since we last saw each other. How about we send our son back to play with you for a couple of days?"

When Cheng Yize mentioned his son, Chen Qingxuan's smile faded.

"Forget it. Your son has been spoiled by your father and mother. Now he hates me. I can't control him. Just spend the child support money on him every month."

"You're really bold to say that. Luckily there are no cameras here, otherwise if it were broadcast live, people would criticize you for being an incompetent mother."

Clearly, Cheng Yize was well aware of the online opinions about Chen Qingxuan.

Chen Qingxuan remained unfazed: "It doesn't matter. I believe children are driven by self-interest. Even if he hates me now, when he grows up and needs his parents' help, he will know who his mother is. Don't underestimate today's children."

Cheng Yize looked at Chen Qingxuan with some surprise, and after a long while he laughed and said, "You've really changed completely. I didn't expect to hear such words from you."

Chen Qingxuan smiled at him in return: "This is the difference between being at home and being outside. I encounter too many things outside and see how complicated human nature is. Gradually, I've come to see things more clearly."

"Aren't you afraid he won't be close to you?"

"What difference does it make whether we're close or not? As long as the child isn't taught to be completely devoid of conscience, I don't expect him to amount to anything. I'll help him out if I can in the future, but you'll have to take care of the rest. He'll take your surname when he meets you."

Cheng Yize had a toothache and knew that the person who came to negotiate was Chen Qingxuan, and the company was looking forward to him taking charge.

They thought that Chen Qingxuan was still single after being divorced for so many years because she was still hoping for her ex-husband. They didn't expect that the Chen Qingxuan he met was completely different from the one he knew years ago.

"Look at what you're saying. No matter whose surname they take, they're still our children, that's undeniable."

Chen Qingxuan shook her head: "That's different. Mothers are taught that their children take their father's surname and are still their children. But fathers are taught that their children must take their surname. Isn't that strange? The surname—'girl'—already has the 'woman' radical, indicating that it was born of a woman, yet it still has to take the man's surname."

Cheng Yize's expression turned even more unpleasant.

If he were still Chen Qingxuan's husband and the head of the family, she wouldn't dare to utter a sound even if he yelled at her.

But now Chen Qingxuan is the client, and he is the contractor; he needs to secure this deal.

He tried to steer the conversation away from that topic and continued talking about the children: "How's your daughter doing lately? I haven't seen her in ages."

"You haven't seen her for two years, that's a long time indeed. Did you break up with your last girlfriend or something, or are you still together?"

A smug look suddenly appeared on Cheng Yize's face.

He cleared his throat with a forced sigh: "We broke up a long time ago, I don't like him."

"Oh, I thought the information I gave you had worked."

"Last time, when my daughter said she missed her brother, I took her to see him. Your girlfriend yelled at him, saying she wouldn't get a single penny of the family's property. So I checked your girlfriend's information and found out she had many secrets, like debts. I then had someone pass the information to you. You should have received the message by now."

Cheng Yize's expression changed: "Did you send me the message?"

"Of course, otherwise who would investigate the people around you? If she hadn't bullied my daughter, I wouldn't have bothered her."

Cheng Yize remained silent for a long time.

Actually, his love life has been terrible these past few years.

He originally thought that after breaking up and divorcing Chen Qingxuan, he would soon be able to find someone to take over.

Given his circumstances, finding a decent only child from the city shouldn't be a problem.

In reality, however, his expectations were too high, and there were too many obstacles in reality.

Indeed, he is quite good-looking and has an excellent job, but he has forgotten that this is no longer an era where people only look at the man himself; they also look at his family background.

Cheng Yize's job is decent, with an annual salary of at least one million, but in a first-tier city, an annual salary of one million is not considered top-tier.

But the problems in his family were too serious.

His parents were extremely sexist and had very poor hygiene habits. One of them was arrogant and the other was mean. They went through countless housekeepers, but none of them could tolerate his parents for more than three months.

Any woman who marries into such in-laws will suffer a terrible fate.

Another factor is the influence of traditional ideas. Many people believe that having a son is good, but if you are remarried, having a son is a huge disadvantage.

Fortunately, he was the man; if the woman had a son, the obstacles would have been much greater.

Many people would not go on blind dates with women who have sons, as their traditional values ​​would not tolerate them buying houses and cars for other people's children.

The influence of this feudal dregs prevented Cheng Yize from finding a suitable partner.

He has a son, so does that mean the woman who marries into the family also has to give birth to a son in order to seize the family property?

After all, this family is very patriarchal. If they give birth to a daughter and don't give her a single penny of the property, what's the point of marrying her?