My Queen, My Rules - Extra Chapter 5

Extra Chapter - The Daily Life of Raising a Baby (2)

When baby Cen Yan was still very young, Ji Mingchu and Cen Sen didn't have much of a parental realization, because even when the baby cried or fussed, it was mostly just babbling, and the nanny could soothe him in most situations.

However, by the time Yan-Bao was a year and a half old, able to speak simple, disjointed sentences, and had grown close to his novice parents, he would cry with tear-filled eyes, calling for "Mama and Dada," and he would call out quite genuinely and heartbreakingly.

A simple coaxing from the nanny could no longer solve the problem; Ji Mingchu or Cen Sen had to step in personally.

Although soothing a child could be a bit of a headache, as Yan-Bao grew day by day, Ji Mingchu and Cen Sen gradually realized that he wasn't just a little toy that they could hold and play with when they had time, and ignore when they were busy. He was an indispensable part of their lives who would be with them for the long haul, and many things should never have been left to others in the first place.

Ji Mingchu and Cen Sen’s own original families were actually quite broken, and both understood just how important a complete and warm family was for a child's upbringing, so they became more and more attentive to Yan-Bao.

Today, Cen Sen had officially taken charge of Jingjian, serving as both the President of Junyi and the Vice Chairman of Jingjian. The burden on his shoulders was heavier, and his work was even busier, but he still cleared two days every month to arrange outings for the family of three, and on days without business trips, he would return home early to keep Ji Mingchu and little Cen Yan company.

Ji Mingchu’s interior design studio was also on the right track, with five official designers, including herself, and ten design assistants.

The studio currently only handled creative interior design, with clients mostly being art galleries, cafes, private villas, and the like, and they undertook a fixed quota of pro-bono public welfare interior design projects every year.

Although the studio’s quotes were very high, those who came seeking their reputation were endless; design services were basically booked three months out, and Ji Mingchu herself only accepted cases that interested her.

There was no help for it; she had many social activities, and her baby was very attached to her, so she really didn't have the energy to spend on projects she wasn't interested in.


When Yan-Bao was two and a half, the plan for kindergarten had to be put on the agenda.

The Imperial Capital was dazzling with public and private kindergartens. Ji Mingchu compared a few good ones, but she always felt that each had its pros and cons and couldn't make up her mind, so she gave Cen Sen a call.

When Cen Sen received the call, he was playing poker at a private club with Chi Li and Jiang Che.

Chi Li and Jiang Che were recently intending to collaborate on a new internet platform development project, but both sides weren't very familiar with each other, so Cen Sen acted as the intermediary for this introduction.

After the call ended, Cen Sen placed his phone aside and leisurely fanned out the cards face down on the table. He pulled out a pair of Queens, tapped them lightly against the edge of the table, and while playing them, he asked in a calm tone: "Which kindergarten does Jiang Sizhou attend?"

Jiang Che easily trumped him with a pair of Kings. "Your Cen Yan is starting kindergarten?"

Cen Sen gave a soft "Mm."

Jiang Che said again: "The kindergarten Jiang Sizhou attends is not bad, but it’s in Star City. Are you sure?"

Cen Sen paused slightly, finally remembering the issue of them not being in the same city, and then looked at Chi Li.

Chi Li didn't even lift his eyes, tapping his finger bone lightly on the table, and said with a double entendre: "Pass."

Chi Li was several years younger than them and hadn't even married, so he certainly couldn't talk about having any understanding of kindergartens.

Cen Sen didn't ask further. When the hand ended, he stood up and took his coat from Zhou Jiaheng. "You guys chat. Something came up at home; I’m leaving first."

The two sat there, neither trying to keep him.

After he left, Chi Li lowered his eyes and shuffled the cards, scoffing lightly: "Wife-slave."

Across from him, Jiang Che raised an eyebrow but didn't pick up the thread.

Chi Li put the cards down and, suddenly remembering something, laughed dismissively: "Forgot, President Jiang is one too."

"Being a wife-slave isn't a bad thing." Jiang Che took a light sip of his whiskey and shifted the topic, finally bringing up the project.

While Chi Li and Jiang Che continued to chat about the collaboration, the actual "wife-slave" had already returned home to keep his wife company while choosing a kindergarten.

Ji Mingchu: "I think the environment and teaching staff at this international kindergarten are quite good. Their elementary school is also excellent. If he stays from kindergarten all the way through elementary school, he’ll have the same classmates the whole time, and won't have to adapt to a new environment once he starts elementary school."

"Overall, I think it's pretty good, but they require a green card or Hong Kong residency. There should be room for negotiation on that, though."

Ji Mingchu pointed to another one for him. "This one is also not bad. It has a great reputation and has been open for many years. But the number of people in each class is a bit high, and the facilities are a little old."

"And this one... this one doesn't have any major flaws. The only downside is that they only offer full-time boarding. Little Sloppy is so young, I’m still a bit reluctant to leave him in full-time care."

After introducing them, Ji Mingchu was still conflicted. "Anyway, it’s just these few; you look at them too."

Cen Sen nodded and, with the same spirit he used to review contracts, carefully looked through the kindergarten materials Ji Mingchu handed him.

Ji Mingchu sat on the side, resting her chin on her hand, mumbling: "But why are kindergartens so exaggerated now? It wasn't this crazy when we were in school, right? Every single one of these requires the parents to participate in an interview."

"What do you think they’ll test us on in the interview? Do we need to prepare a resume or something? I don't think it's necessarily... You should have someone drop a word when the time comes; it’s best to avoid an interview. Besides my university interview, I haven't been interviewed in so many years."

Cen Sen listened to Ji Mingchu’s muttering while seriously comparing the kindergarten data.

Just then, the newly promoted General Manager of Junyi suddenly called him, saying they intended to hold a routine meeting with the Australian branch and asking if he had time to attend.

He replied directly: "Not available, at home." The General Manager understood in a second, politely hung up the phone, and tactfully stopped bothering him.

Returning to convey the message to the executives in the conference room, the General Manager also said directly: "President Cen is at home." Everyone exchanged looks—you know, I know.

Cen Sen’s level of domesticity over the past two years was known to everyone in the group, and even the outside world joked about it quite often.

In the few years since he returned from Australia, the business empire of Jingjian had expanded quite a bit. Under the support of the Cen family, the Ji family was also showing signs of returning to their peak. Especially with Ji Mingchu’s second uncle being promoted year after year, the speed was jaw-dropping. In the Imperial Capital, this unbreakable in-law relationship between the Cen and Ji families could be said to be known by everyone.

The reason it was called unbreakable wasn't just because of the interest ties between the two families. Over these past few years, the love and importance Cen Sen placed on Ji Mingchu, both openly and privately, were clear for all to see.

The most direct manifestation was that Ji Mingchu’s status in the circle of socialites and noblewomen was as steady as Mount Tai.

When Cen Sen rarely accepted a financial interview, he never forgot to restrainedly mention his wife and son once or twice.

And for the past two years, when attending social events, not only did he not bring a female partner himself, but he wouldn't even allow his business partners to bring one.

Once, someone who didn't know better had tried to push a woman onto him. Somehow, the collaboration that was practically settled ended up falling through. The other party didn't know why at first, but after careful inquiry, they realized it was the act of pushing a woman that had displeased Cen Sen. As time passed, this became an unspoken, unwritten rule at Cen Sen’s side.

Furthermore, rumors often circulated in the industry that the moment Mrs. Cen made a phone call, President Cen would walk out of a drinking party, and that gifts sent to President Cen had to be things that Mrs. Cen and the little Prince Cen could actually use to be considered thoughtful. In private leisure time, there were quite a few people who joked about his domestic life.

After all, in today's society, it’s hard for men who are rich, powerful, young, and wealthy to be devoted. Not cheating is already a rare breed; being family-oriented and whole-heartedly devoted, calling him a "wife-slave" is not an exaggeration.

Cen Sen was discussing the kindergarten issue with Ji Mingchu when little Cen Yan woke up, and under the nanny’s care, he came "tap-tap-tapping" down the stairs with his short little legs.

Two-and-a-half-year-old baby Cen Yan was as cute as jade. His little bangs rested softly on his forehead, bouncing with his walking posture,萌 (cute) enough to make one’s heart tremble.

As soon as he walked down the stairs, he pounced over, gave a "chirp" kiss on Ji Mingchu’s cheek, and another "chirp" kiss on Cen Sen’s face, crying out crisply: "Mama! Dada!"

Cen Sen scooped little Cen Yan up with one hand and placed him in the middle of him and Ji Mingchu. "Mama and Dada are picking out a kindergarten for you."

A question mark popped up in little Cen Yan’s mind. "What is a kindergarten?"

Ji Mingchu hugged him to sit on her lap, pinched his little cheeks, and lifted his little hands to do stretching exercises, patiently explaining: "It's a place where there are many other little friends just as cute as you, where you can play together."

Little Cen Yan asked with wide-eyed innocence: "Then, does it have my little sister there?"

Cen Sen and Ji Mingchu paused in unison and looked at each other.

Little Cen Yan continued to ask: "Why do Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa often say I have a little sister, but I haven't seen her yet?"

Cen Sen asked as if casually: "Do you want a little sister?"

"Yes, yes!" Little Cen Yan nodded like a woodpecker, counting on his little chubby fingers. "One, two, three, four! If we have a little sister, there will be four of us, and I won't be the youngest in the family anymore! I can take my little sister to play in kindergarten!"

Ji Mingchu held his chubby little hands up high and, putting on a fierce expression, said seriously: "No, you can't! You stinky Little Sloppy!"

Little Cen Yan pursed his lips, twisted his head aggrievedly to look at his mother, and said in a tiny voice: "Yan-Bao is not Little Sloppy, Yan-Bao can do it!"

Cen Sen let out a faint, imperceptible laugh, his voice light and clear. "It’s not impossible for you to want a little sister, but that requires your mother’s cooperation."

When little Cen Yan heard this, he blinked his bright, round, shining eyes and looked at Ji Mingchu with anticipation. "Mama, you hurry and cooperate!"

"..."

"Do you think your mother is a scallop?"

Little Cen Yan couldn't understand yet, his little face filled with confusion.

Cen Sen crossed his legs, leaning back on the sofa while flipping through the materials, and said nonchalantly: "Ask Mama if she wants to eat braised pork ribs tonight."

Little Cen Yan shook Ji Mingchu’s arm. "Mama, do you want to eat braised pork ribs tonight!"

Ji Mingchu was expressionless: "Mama doesn't eat it; Mama refuses.”