I was forced to start the second round because I was raised in poverty

Chapter 370 She is pregnant
For a long time, Su Cheng has been under immense pressure... Whether it's her career path or the details of her life, Su Cheng's life seems to never be her own, but rather a game of chess that she must play well for the sake of the Emperor Group.

No matter how well he does, he always gets the evaluation of "it's just so-so" and higher expectations.

Su Cheng longs to be seen as a person, an independent individual, and not just a "tool for inheriting the Emperor Group".

Under Su Tianyan's oppression, this sense of powerlessness tormented his soul day after day like a dull knife.

This heavy shackle, which had been imprinted in Su Cheng's bones and blood since birth, suddenly broke at this moment.

The exhaustion, frustration, and negative emotions that Su Cheng had kept locked deep inside her finally found an outlet.

His pride in self-control completely crumbled.

He simply buried his face deeply in Ye Li's neck.

An absolute stillness descended upon the room.

The lingering scents of sweat, perfume, and hormones intertwined, creating a warm and humid atmosphere.

"You called me here just for this little thing?"

Immediately afterward, Ye Li regretted saying those words.

She felt a drop of hot, salty liquid fall onto her collarbone, slide down quickly, and make her heart clench.

Su Cheng didn't cry out loud, but her silence was more heartbreaking than any loud sobbing.

Hot breaths mixed with broken moans sprayed haphazardly onto her skin.

Ye Li did not move, and even held her breath, quietly bearing Su Cheng's heavy and fragile weight at this moment.

She wrapped her arms tighter around Su Cheng's slightly trembling, sweat-dampened back, and gently and slowly patted his tense back with her fingertips, using a soothing touch.

The man who was always invincible, elegant, and whose emotions were hidden behind his deep eyes in front of outsiders is no more.

She knew better than anyone how weak and broken Su Cheng was at that moment.

She could hear Su Cheng's breathing, which was no longer steady and strong, but had become broken and rapid, even with a barely perceptible pause that resembled a sob.

It's like a drowning person who, after exhausting all their strength to float to the surface, greedily and painfully takes their first breath of air.

Ye Li felt as if an invisible hand was tightly gripping her heart, sending a sharp pang of pain through her.

She had seen Su Cheng in her prime.

I've also seen Su Cheng's cold and decisive side.

I've also seen Su Cheng's gentle and affectionate demeanor, and her daily cheeky and playful antics in front of her.

Ye Li did not say another word, not even a word of comfort.

She knew that any words would seem pale and powerless at this moment, or even a disturbance.

What Su Cheng needs is not sympathy and comfort, but a corner where he can feel at ease.

Ye Li simply tightened her arms, hugging the man who was breaking down even more tightly and forcefully.

After all the emotions calmed down.

Su Cheng turned to the side and fumbled for the cigarette case and lighter on the bedside table.

The ZkII lighter with its metal casing made a crisp "click" sound in the dim light.

A small cluster of firelight briefly illuminated his sharply defined profile and deep-set eyes.

Su Cheng had just taken a puff when she remembered Ye Li, whose face was still flushed, standing beside her.

He naturally handed over the cigarette he had just lit.

Without the slightest hesitation, Ye Li skillfully used her slender index and middle fingers to hold the cigarette butt, her movements natural and fluid, reflecting the tacit understanding between the two.

Su Cheng lit another cigarette for herself.

Ye Li tilted her head back, her gaze unfocused on the ceiling, and then took a deep breath.

As she inhaled, the cigarette butt suddenly blazed brightly for a moment.

The nicotine quickly slid down her throat and into her lungs, giving her a brief, light, dizzy feeling.

She exhaled the last puff of smoke toward the ceiling, and her limp limbs regained a little strength.

Neither of them spoke.

The tenderness that follows the fading of passion and emotion is like a warm veil, gently covering them.

The cigarette passed between the two signaled the end of the storm and the return of calm.

It is only a momentary comfort.

It is also an unspoken footnote in this intimate relationship.

……

……

The autumn rain in Jiangnan is fine and dense, carrying a unique, bone-chilling coolness characteristic of late autumn.

Inside a traditional Chinese villa on the outskirts of Shanghai.

The courtyard wall isolates the hustle and bustle of the city, leaving only the sound of raindrops.

Inside the courtyard, the bamboo stalks still stood tall, but their color had become much darker.

Beneath the upturned eaves, the corridor was spacious. Bai Zihua sat facing a black ebony tea table.

The autumn rain slanted in, landing on the fallen leaves outside the corridor, splashing up tiny water droplets, which stopped just a short distance from his feet, bringing a cool scent mixed with damp earth and decaying leaves.

He was completely oblivious to the autumn chill, focusing solely on the tea ceremony before him.

A set of purple clay teaware appeared even more warm and inviting in the cool air.

Bai Zihua picked up the copper kettle on the table, poured boiling water into the gaiwan, and the tea leaves unfurled and tumbled in the water, the rising steam carrying a warm aroma of tea.

Several high-resolution digital photos were also placed to his left.

This set of photos contains a complete set of information, clearly recording the actions of both parties. The field team captured the chain of evidence clearly and completely.

From the moment Su Cheng entered the hotel room, to the moment Ye Li entered the hotel, Ye Li knocked on the door, and Su Cheng opened the door, until the two left the hotel together the next day.

As for what Su Cheng and Ye Li did inside, that's not the responsibility of the field team. They are only responsible for tracking, recording, and finally reporting to Bai Zihua and the others.

"These photos haven't been shown to anyone yet, have they?"

Bai Zihua slightly raised his eyes and looked at the leader of the field team: "These photos haven't been shown to anyone else yet, have they?"

"No, Mr. Bai."

"Okay, I'll report to President Su."

"Okay Mr. Bai."

"Okay, you can go back and get busy now."

"Okay Mr. Bai."

Bai Zihua turned the photo face down and put it back into the file bag.

Soon.

The guests that Bai Zihua was waiting for had arrived.

"Xiao Sheng, have a seat. The tea is freshly brewed."

Su Sheng sat down respectfully, his attitude of respect towards Bai Zihua being second only to that towards Su Tianyan.

Bai Zihua asked Su Sheng out today mainly to recount the past of the "poor upbringing" plan.

This time, Su Sheng did not refuse to listen.

He felt it necessary to understand the whole picture.

If he still relies on himself to read, he is very likely to encounter a similar situation as last time and be scolded by his father.

Su Sheng pricked up his ears and listened very attentively to Bai Zihua's story.

After fully understanding his father's succession plan, Su Sheng's face was filled with disbelief. Objectively speaking, this could not even be called a successor training plan, but rather a rather extreme "poor upbringing plan."

A question involuntarily popped into Su Sheng's mind.

Why did the father raise Xiaocheng in this way?
Even without resources, normal training is still possible.

Just like the young master Zhang from the Jin Hong Group that Uncle Bai just mentioned.

That's a bit too extreme.

Su Sheng had no choice but to admit it.

Resources played an extremely important role in his growth.

If he hadn't been adopted by Aunt Tian, ​​Su Sheng might not have been able to go to school.

Even with poverty relief, it wouldn't be of much use; they'd most likely drop out of school after junior high and become street urchins.

Smoking, drinking, dyeing hair, fighting, playing billiards, gambling.

He spends his days playing with a group of children from similar backgrounds and experiences, becoming a marginalized figure in a non-mainstream society.

Su Sheng had rehearsed his life trajectory countless times.

He will most likely have a child with his girlfriend in his early twenties, then invite his friends and acquaintances to a hasty wedding, and begin to have a sense of responsibility and awareness as a father, starting to work hard for his family.

Su Sheng might work on construction sites, work in other places, deliver packages, or be a truck driver.

One thing is certain: Su Sheng won't have time to devote to raising his children; he needs to make money.

They don't have time to educate their children, nor can they provide them with better educational resources.

Because he had already exhausted all his strength to support his family.

It's highly unlikely that Su Sheng will be able to buy a house in a good school district. He might just rebuild his family's homestead, and his child will attend primary school in the village and transfer to the most ordinary school in the township for junior high. There won't be any tutoring classes or private tutors.

Su Sheng himself lacks awareness, doesn't understand education, and is unable to provide good educational resources. Therefore, his children will most likely follow in his footsteps and go down the same path as him, becoming "spiritual young men" and "spiritual young women."

My son smokes, drinks, and gets into fights.

The daughter got a perm, went looking for a blond guy, and didn't come home at night.

Educational resources cannot change a person; they can also produce a useless person.

However, good educational resources can greatly reduce the likelihood of waste.

That's how the Earth works.

But after Su Sheng was adopted by Aunt Tian, ​​things were completely different.

Although he had only lived with his mother for a few years, he truly felt the love of "family" and "mother".

This strengthened his resolve to live and his determination to strive harder.

His father later sent him to an international bilingual school, where he gained experience before graduating from high school. He then transferred to Germany to continue his university studies, graduating with top honors in just four years.

It can be said that Su Sheng's life trajectory was completely changed.

If he hadn't been adopted by Aunt Tian and hadn't received the resources from Father Su, he wouldn't have these things now.

Su Sheng is not the Su Sheng we know today. He is a ruthless, hardened man living in a small county town, someone even dogs would spit at.

Bai Zihua did not answer Su Sheng's question.

He declined to comment on the incident.

Bai Zihua believed that Su Sheng had his own decision.

Su Sheng was filled with all sorts of questions, but he couldn't answer them for him.

Poverty is a terrible thing.

Poverty leads to petty theft, malicious thoughts, and a relatively low level of moral conviction.

Being poor leads to wasting time on financial problems and getting bogged down in trivial matters, preventing one from focusing on their career.

As long as you're poor, the troubles will be endless.

Especially on a psychological level.

On this point, Su Sheng and Su Cheng shared a high degree of agreement.

What Su Sheng couldn't understand even more was... why his father poured so many resources into him, his adopted son, while using such an extreme educational method on Xiao Cheng?
Su Sheng thought about it for a long time but still couldn't figure it out.

Was it because the father worked harder and devoted more effort?
Bai Zihua doesn't have much contact with Su Sheng, but the two have a good relationship, and he has a clear understanding of Su Sheng.

Given Su Sheng's character and personality, he will definitely make a clear judgment.

In the ensuing conversation, Bai Zihua intentionally or unintentionally hinted to Su Sheng that he wanted Su Sheng to stand on his side and that he wanted Su Sheng to be of one mind with him.

Su Sheng understood Bai Zihua's implication.

But he did not make a decision immediately.

Su Sheng needs to consider many things; he can't give Bai Zihua an answer just by chatting for a while.

Su Sheng understood all of Bai Zihua's hints and gained a new understanding of Bai Zihua's role in the plan.

This means that Bai Zihua is a moderate and opposes this matter to some extent.

But Su Sheng had only been part of Xiao Cheng's training program for a short time.

He didn't dare to take sides rashly; he admitted to being timid.

Making decisions without careful consideration is not Su Sheng's style.

Secondly, she was afraid her father would find out.

Because Uncle Bai's stance is, to some extent, contrary to his father's.

If I were to side with Uncle Bai, I would be going against my father's wishes.

Going against your father will never end well.

"Uncle Bai, I need to process what happened today, is that alright?"

Bai Zihua had thought of everything Su Sheng could think of, so he didn't insist that Su Sheng make a statement immediately.

"Okay, sure, you can think about it carefully first."

After seeing Su Sheng off.

Bai Zihua picked up the photos that the field team had sent over again.

He did not intend to show these photos to Su Tianyan.

Because it's not very meaningful.

Bai Zihua was thinking that Xiao Cheng had performed very well in the case just now, and since President Su was in a good mood these days, he felt that he could take this opportunity to reveal something about Ma Shuning to President Su.

Yes.

Bai Zihua has confirmed that Ma Shuning is pregnant.

He personally sent someone to watch Ma Shuning take a pregnancy test.

Upon receiving this result, Bai Zihua immediately flew back from New Zealand.

If he weren't pregnant, Bai Zihua could handle it himself.

But if she gets pregnant, then he can't make the decision.

This matter needs to be brought to the attention of President Su.

Bai Zihua's nerves have been on edge these past few days.

He couldn't reveal anything to anyone, especially Long Ruoli, while at the same time he had to figure out how to tell President Su.

These next few days should be a good opportunity to get to the bottom of things. Maybe if President Su is in a good mood, he won't hold Xiao Cheng responsible for this matter anymore?
Give it a try.

"Prepare the car, let's go see President Su."

(End of this chapter)