National Tide 1980.

"Dad, who is this?"

Suddenly, the little girl in Ning Weimin's arms spoke.

She spoke in Japanese, which Jiang Hui couldn't understand at all. She could only tell that the child's voice was soft and babyish, but her throat was hoarse.

It sounds like a sore throat.

Ning Weimin gently ruffled his daughter's hair, then reminded her, "Have you forgotten again? This is Beijing, speak Chinese."

Then he answered her question, "This is Aunt Jiang, and next to her is her daughter."

The child stuck out his little tongue and immediately switched back to Chinese.

"Hello Aunt Jiang, is this young lady feeling unwell?"

The child's accent was surprisingly standard Beijing dialect, which made Jiang Hui feel even more fond of him.

She tried her best to answer in a gentle tone, "Yes, young lady, you have a fever. What a pretty girl! May I ask your name?"

"My name is Ning Ze. How high is this young lady's fever?" Ning Ze asked, blinking his big eyes.

"She has a fever of 38.5 degrees Celsius."

"Does she need a shot? What's her name?"

Before Jiang Hui could answer, Xiao Nuo in her arms was awakened by the noise. She opened her eyes groggily and, seeing her little sister in front of her, actually responded on her own initiative.

"My name is Xiao Nuo, Nian Xin Nuo. I've already had my shot, it hurts so much."

Although Xiao Nuo's voice was weak and sounded listless, the interaction between the two children was exceptionally friendly, instantly easing the somber mood of the hospital.

Jiang Hui watched as Ning Weimin bent down to tidy his daughter's wind-blown hair, then gently reminded her, "When chatting with children, try to talk about happy things. This girl looks really upset. You want her to cheer up, don't you?"

Ning Ze nodded obediently, straightening his little body, looking exceptionally well-behaved.

"Little sister, I won't ask you about the shot anymore. You need to drink more water and take your medicine properly so you can get better quickly. Go out and play with your mom and dad."

"Okay," Xiao Nuo replied, "Mom promised me that when Dad comes back from his business trip, she will take me to the amusement park in Beijing."

"Beijing Amusement Park? I just went there a few days ago, but only my dad took me; my mom was away on a business trip."

"Really? I haven't been there yet, but a lot of the kids in my kindergarten have been. Do you think it's fun there?"

"It's okay, there are so many people in line, it will take a long time. I don't like queuing. But Dad said that if you want to play, you have to be patient and queue up like everyone else. But Dad also promised that he would find a way to make queuing less unpleasant in the future..."

From the conversation between the two children, Jiang Hui not only clearly felt Ning Weimin's genuine love for the children, but also the effectiveness of his education of the children.

Otherwise, his daughter wouldn't be so well-behaved and adorable, good at interacting with her peers, and full of confidence and friendliness.

What she saw in Ning Weimin was a quality found only in men who had both a successful career and a strong sense of responsibility towards their families—the kind of partner she now longed for.

But now, her life consists only of the risks of speculative ventures in Beijing and the exhaustion of struggling alone.

Just as a sense of loss welled up in her heart, Jiang Hui couldn't help but think of Nian Jing's phone call last night—his urgent tone about needing money, and the news about the "Yalong Bay Resort".

Nian Jing asked her to find out the inside story from Ning Weimin by any means possible. Originally, she had never even thought about it, nor did she intend to care at all.

But who would have thought that after searching high and low, she would actually run into Ning Weimin here.

She bit her lower lip, a hint of hesitation flashing in her eyes.

She was unsure whether she should speak up in this situation.

I wonder if asking this question might offend the other person?

I wonder if the other party will look down on me because of this, or think that I am too mercenary?

But if she doesn't ask, what if Yi Jing and Jiang Hao act rashly and lose everything in Hainan? Her family and life might be completely ruined.

Then who will her little Nuo rely on in the future?

When she looked up at Ning Weimin, she met his gentle gaze, which held just the right amount of concern, adding a touch of inexplicable excitement to her already awkward situation.

Just as I was in a state of extreme distress, the nurse's call came from the examination room.

"Little Ningze, Little Ningze's parents..."

Ning Weimin responded and was about to take a step when the door to the consultation room was suddenly pushed open from the inside.

Upon hearing his response, a middle-aged doctor in a white coat quickly came out, a warm smile on his face, and took the initiative to greet him.

"Are you General Manager Ning? Please come in. The dean has already given instructions. I'm sorry, I had to deal with some urgent business just now. I've kept you waiting!"

The doctor's attitude was so respectful it was almost deliberate, a stark contrast to his aloofness towards other patients.

Ning Weimin nodded slightly, his tone indifferent, "Not at all, it's me who's causing you trouble."

"No trouble at all, it's my honor that you trust me."

The doctor smiled and stepped aside to make way, glancing at Jiang Hui briefly before turning back to Ning Weimin and eagerly leading the way.

"Where does the child feel unwell? Does he/she have a fever? Oh, sore throat, low-grade fever? It's okay, let me check. The child seems fine, it should be nothing serious."

As the doctor spoke, Ning Weimin was about to take the child's hand and enter the room when he suddenly stopped.

He thought of Jiang Hui and turned to her, saying, "You rest here for a while. If there are any procedures that haven't been completed, let Xiao Zhang help you with them. Take a breather and let the child have some water. Once it's all done, we'll drive you home."

Jiang Hui felt her cheeks burning from his gaze and felt bad, so she quickly waved her hand.

"No need, no need, Weimin, you should take the child in to see a doctor. I can do it myself, it's no trouble for you."

The way he called out "Weimin" came naturally, without the previous restraint, which made the atmosphere between the two even closer.

Unexpectedly, Ning Weimin insisted on this.

"Don't mention it. It's so windy and cold today. You wouldn't want the child to be exposed to the wind on the way home, would you?"

After saying that, he instructed Xiao Zhang, who was not far away, "Xiao Zhang, go and run errands for Ms. Jiang and get all the paperwork and medicine for her child sorted out."

"Okay, Mr. Ning."

Xiao Zhang could obviously tell the difference in appearance and immediately responded, his attitude both respectful and efficient.

In this way, Jiang Hui could not refuse this kind offer, and she could only thank her and accept it.

The process in the consultation room was quick, thanks to the expert's "special handling".

In just over ten minutes, Ning Weimin led Ning Ze out, escorted by the doctor.

At this moment, the driver, Xiao Zhang, had already completed all the formalities for Jiang Hui and was standing respectfully to the side waiting.

Perhaps the rest she had just taken had an effect, or perhaps the excitement of seeing her peers hadn't worn off yet, but Xiao Nuo's spirits were noticeably better.

She squirmed in Jiang Hui's arms and whispered, "Mom, I want to get down and walk around."

Jiang Hui was a little worried, but seeing that her daughter's eyes were clear and she was not as confused as before, she tentatively put her down and held her little hand.

After Xiao Nuo regained her footing, she immediately looked up at Ning Ze.

The two little girls smiled at each other, and the pure friendship between them instantly flowed in the air. Soon, the two children whispered to each other and became friends, chatting together.

After a while, when the driver had picked up Ningze's medicine, they were finally able to leave the hospital.

As the group walked to the hospital entrance, the early spring wind still carried a bit of a chill, stinging their faces.

The driver, Xiao Zhang, was a very perceptive person. Seeing the situation, he took the initiative to make the most appropriate arrangements. "Mr. Ning, Ms. Jiang, it's windy outside, don't let the children get cold. I'll go warm up the car first and then drive it over. Please wait in the lobby for a moment."

After saying that, he quickly ran towards the parking lot.

Ning Weimin and Jiang Hui then stayed in the lobby near the entrance with their child to wait.

At this moment, Jiang Hui crossed her arms and subconsciously shielded Xiao Nuo from the wind.

But the conflicting feeling of wanting to ask but not daring to ask resurfaced in her heart, and she couldn't help but steal a glance at Ning Weimin.

Inevitably, I felt somewhat flustered and confused.

Ning Weimin noticed her expression but mistakenly thought that she, as a mother, was still worried about Xiao Nuo's illness.

He turned to the side, using his tall back to shield the mother and daughter from the cold wind blowing from the side of the cotton curtain, and spoke gently.

"You looked so worried just now, were you still concerned about your child's condition? Don't worry, the Children's Hospital is the best specialized hospital in Beijing, with a wealth of experience. The medication they prescribed was exactly what was needed, so your child will be fine. Look how much better she is now, which proves that the treatment was effective."

Jiang Hui was taken aback, not expecting him to take the initiative to talk to her. Feeling warm inside, she quickly nodded.

"Yes, that's what I thought too. Xiao Nuo is definitely in better spirits now. Speaking of which, I really have to thank you. Thanks to your help today, otherwise..."

“Oh, you’re being too polite again.” Ning Weimin interrupted her before she could finish. “We’ve known each other for so many years. We’re both parents now. No matter how you look at it, it’s only right that I lend a hand. Besides, it’s not easy for a woman like you to come to the doctor alone with your child. Even if we didn’t know each other, there’s nothing wrong with me helping out.”

At this point, Ning Weimin suddenly thought of Nian Jing and asked, "Hey, where's the child's father? Why didn't Nian Jing come today? Does he know about the child's illness?"

This practically handed Jiang Hui a free opportunity to say something.

She bit her lower lip, as if she had made up her mind, and finally changed the subject, deciding to ask on behalf of Nian Jing and Jiang Hao.

"Weimin, Nianjing, and my brother are all in Hainan right now."

"Oh?" Ning Weimin raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, surprised but not astonished.

He simply shook his head slightly. "I knew it. So they weren't all in the capital. You must be exhausted. You look pale and tired. You need to take care of yourself."

Hearing that Ning Weimin was still concerned about her health, Jiang Hui's heart trembled, and then she couldn't help but lower her head, as if she had done something wrong, and dared not look Ning Weimin in the eye.

“They’ve been there for over a year, supposedly… supposedly they’re dealing with land in Hainan. I heard from them that the real estate market in Hainan is very hot.”

"Land speculation, huh..."

Ning Weimin nodded thoughtfully, his gaze deepening. "Their business acumen is quite sharp. In recent years, Hainan land has indeed been profitable, especially in Hainan's most populous cities. It's a great place to 'strike gold,' but also a place where it's easy to get lost."

He paused, then suddenly changed the subject, his tone meaningful, "What you hesitated to say earlier, was it related to Nian Jing and Jiang Hao's business in Hainan? If you have something to say, just say it directly. There's no need for us to beat around the bush. It's better to be straightforward sometimes."

Jiang Hui's face flushed red instantly when he saw through her thoughts. She was so embarrassed that she wished she could disappear into the ground.

But since things had come to this, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and continue to pour out her worries.

“Weimin, since you’ve already figured it out, I won’t hide it from you anymore. I don’t know if you believe it or not, but it’s quite a coincidence. Last night, Nian Jing just called me from Sanya, and he mentioned you on the phone… He told me that he heard from people at the land bureau in Sanya that you’re going to invest in an international resort in Yalong Bay, and that it’s already been officially approved. He… he wanted to ask you if the land around the resort still has investment value? He and my brother have also taken a liking to a piece of land, and they also want to… also want to invest.”

As she finished speaking, her voice grew softer and softer, filled with shame.

Using old friendships to pry into trade secrets is incredibly mercenary and unethical.

Besides, Ning Weimin took such good care of her at the hospital today and helped her a lot, so she felt a little uneasy about it.

However, Ning Weimin did not show the slightest aversion or contempt because of this.

He paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on the distant traffic, his tone sincere and serious, “Jiang Hui, although I didn’t announce my real estate investment in Hainan before, it was mainly to prevent any unforeseen circumstances, not because I intentionally wanted to hide it from anyone. Now that the approval has been granted, and you’ve brought it up again, I’ll tell you. Yes, I am indeed leading the Yalong Bay International Resort project; it’s an investment project I’ve long been optimistic about. The project has also undergone thorough planning discussions with the government. Once the news is announced, the surrounding land prices will definitely fluctuate in the short term, and may even surge. If Jiang Hao and Nian Jing want to take advantage of the current Hainan real estate boom to acquire land, buy low and sell high, and make a quick profit, that’s business, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Jiang Huigang breathed a sigh of relief, but Ning Weimin's tone shifted, becoming more serious. "However, I must remind you, and please tell them as well. My investment in this resort is a real business, a long-term investment focused on future operational returns, not a short-term speculative venture. Therefore, my investment is fundamentally different from their pure land speculation. They must not focus solely on my activities there. They must remember eight words—quick in, quick out, and know when to stop. The Hainan real estate market is already inflating; everyone is gambling, betting that someone else will take over. In this game of musical chairs, the worst thing is being unwilling to leave once you've made your money. I experienced this firsthand in Japan not long ago; once the music stops, the last person holding the parcel suffers a terrible fate. So don't let my investment there—building houses, paving roads, and even increasing investment—lead them to believe the market is rock-solid. Those are two different things. Otherwise, they might end up losing everything. I'm not trying to scare you."

Ning Weimin spoke these words frankly, offering both a friendly reminder and the composure of a businessman.

Jiang Hui was shocked and nodded repeatedly. "I understand, Weimin, thank you for reminding me. I will definitely pass this on to them verbatim, and tell them not to be greedy."

Seeing Jiang Hui's relieved expression, Ning Weimin's smile deepened, and he then changed the subject.

"Alright, these things are kind of pointless to talk about. Just keep it to yourself and don't let these worries affect your mood. Let's exchange some parenting experiences instead. Oh, by the way, I just heard your daughter say that she's never been to an amusement park in Beijing and is really looking forward to her parents taking her. Is that right?"

When this was mentioned, Jiang Hui gave a bitter smile.

"Yes. Xiao Nuo has been longing to go to an amusement park. She keeps asking Nian Jing to take her. But ever since the amusement park in Beijing opened a few years ago, Nian Jing and I have never been able to find a suitable time. Either he has something to do, or I have something to do. Ning Ze just told her that he went with you a few days ago and she was so envious. Sigh, to be honest, Nian Jing and I are both terrible parents."

Right after she said those words, Ning Ze looked up, tugged at Ning Weimin's clothes, and said in a childish voice.

"Daddy, poor little Nuo, she's never ridden a carousel before. Shall we take her with us next time?"

Ning Weimin smiled and gently pinched his daughter's nose. Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he took out several beautifully printed cards from the inside pocket of his trench coat and handed them to Jiang Hui.

"If you ask me, since the child wants to go, let's not wait for Nian Jing to come back. I happen to have a few tickets to a Beijing amusement park that don't expire until the end of the year; I'm just giving them away. You can take them first, and once Xiao Nuo is better, take her for a good time. It'll stop the child from constantly thinking about it. As for what you just said, I don't agree. You're a responsible and good mother; I can see that completely. And Nian Jing, business in China isn't as good as it was a few years ago; he has his difficulties, and I understand. Balancing family and career is difficult; it's a new problem in modern society. Even social experts don't have good solutions, so why are you making things so hard for yourself? It's already quite an achievement that you've managed to do this much. Balancing family and career, you deserve the title of 'time management master.'"

Jiang Hui subconsciously took the tickets and was surprised to find that Ning Weimin had given her as many as five or six.

Looking at the exquisite castle pattern on it, she was filled with gratitude.

These words, spoken not only to increase Ning Weimin's votes but also to comfort her, truly touched her heart.

"This...this is too much, it's too valuable. I only need two, you've given me too much, you should keep them to give to others..."

"Take it, it's nothing."

Ning Weimin waved his hand, his tone casual yet carrying an undeniable confidence, "How many of these tickets do I want? I have as many as I want..."

He chuckled softly, looking gently into Jiang Hui's surprised eyes, and said slowly, "Because the Beijing Amusement Park is now my property."

"Your...business?"

"Yes, the Japanese company that originally partnered with the Chongwen District government was a fraud. They've been reporting losses for years and haven't given the district government a single penny. So the district government decided to hand it over to me to manage, replacing those Japanese. Let me give you some more information. As the future manager of the amusement park, I suggest you take your child there as soon as possible, before the weather gets warmer, because I'm going to expand the Beijing Amusement Park. The area around the park will be demolished, and the environment definitely won't be as good as it is now. Besides the noise, there might be dust on windy days."

Jiang Hui was completely stunned; the ticket in her hand felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

Of course she knew that Ning Weimin's business was huge; he had even invested over 100 million yuan in an international resort in Hainan.

However, she never expected that he would even take over the amusement park that everyone in the capital knew about.

This news shocked her more than any business secret she had just heard.

Just then, the black sedan slowly stopped at the bottom of the steps. Xiao Zhang got out of the car and ran into the hall to ask for help.

"Mr. Ning, the car is here."

Ning Weimin nodded, took the lead and stepped down the steps. Before he did, he looked back at Jiang Hui, who was still in a daze, and smiled gently.

"Let's go, I'll take you home. By the way, where did you put your bicycle? I'll have Xiao Zhang put it in the trunk and take it with him."

At that moment, Jiang Hui watched Ning Weimin turn and leave with his two children in his hands. His upright figure looked particularly broad and reliable in the cold wind of early spring.

She suddenly realized that a man's charm might not lie in sweet talk or momentary attentiveness, but in this effortless composure.

He is neither arrogant nor humble in the face of power, gentle and considerate towards the weak, calm and collected when faced with enormous wealth, and meticulous in his family responsibilities.

Every word and action of his was perfectly timed, solving her immediate problem while protecting her dignity. Even the powerful strength he inadvertently revealed made her feel a sense of security she had never felt before.

This mature man's control is like an invisible net; no woman can escape it.

Jiang Hui clutched the ticket in her hand, looking at the black car, a feeling of indescribable loss welling up inside her—this man was ultimately not hers.

His Japanese wife is so lucky. (End of Chapter)