In late March, the biting cold of late spring finally dissipated completely in Boston.
In the Brookline District, a detached house with a spacious backyard has a fireplace where the firewood is crackling softly.
With the arrival of the two little ones, Lin Qi's original apartment downtown was clearly no longer enough. To provide sufficient space for the children, two highly paid postpartum care specialists, and shifts of private security personnel, Lin Qi bought this house and moved in.
At this moment, Lin Qi was wearing a soft cashmere sweater and a baby burp blanket draped over his shoulders. He was holding his second son, " Senna," upright against his chest with great skill, gently patting his back.
Not far away, on a wool rug, Beth, dressed in loose loungewear, was leaning against a cushion, playing with her eldest son, " Mingjie," who had just woken up.
Since the birth of his twins on March 10th, Lin Qi has indeed kept his promise. He canceled all non-essential business meetings and moved his office back home. Aside from handling core documents in his study, he dedicates the rest of his time to learning how to be a good "stay-at-home dad."
"Belch..."
Little Senna, nestled on Lin Qi's shoulder, let out a loud burp, then closed his eyes, nuzzled contentedly against Lin Qi's neck, and drifted off to sleep.
Lin Qi carefully placed his youngest son back into the temperature-controlled crib and let out a long sigh of relief. He sat down on the sofa, his gaze naturally falling on the TV remote control on the coffee table.
At that moment, CNN news was playing silently on the living room TV screen. Lin Qi picked up the remote, his thumb already on the channel switcher, ready to switch to TNT Sports.
Tonight is the Celtics ' game, and it's also a crucial point in Hill return. He wants to see how well he's gelled with Rick Carlisle's rotation.
"Snap."
A plush bear flew through the air in an arc and landed precisely on the back of Lin Qi's hand.
Beth raised an eyebrow, looking at him with a half-smile, " Lin Qi, what were our three rules? During the vacation, no talking about basketball, no watching games in this house. If you press that button, you'll be sleeping in the guest room downstairs tonight."
" Beth, I just want to check the score, to see how many points Grant Hill scored tonight..." Lin Qi gripped the remote, trying to make a last-ditch effort.
"No. Absolutely not." Beth's attitude was firm, even carrying a hint of unquestionable authority from a courtroom. "I know it's impossible for a control freak like you to completely shut down from work at home, and I've allowed you to spend two hours in the study every day. But at least, you can't have your mind filled with your Celtics 24/7, can you? You need to clear your head and give it a rest."
Lin Qi helplessly raised his hands in surrender and obediently put down the remote control.
"Okay, whatever you say." Lin Qi leaned back on the sofa. "Let's watch something light. What's CNN broadcasting today?"
He casually picked up the remote and turned the TV volume up a bit.
A striking breaking news headline scrolled across the bottom of the screen. " Arthur Andersen Accounting Firm Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Obstruction of Justice."
This was a major event that shook the entire United States in March 2002. As the Enron Corporation accounting scandal continued to unfold, Arthur Andersen, one of the world's top five accounting firms, was completely engulfed in a vortex of destruction, and a crisis of trust was spreading wildly throughout Wall Street.
" Wall Street is in complete chaos right now." Beth, a top-tier corporate M&A lawyer, watched the news. Her professional instincts were extremely sharp. "With Arthur Andersen's collapse, the auditing and legal compliance of hundreds of listed companies will need to be reshuffled, and a large number of M&A deals will be stalled due to a lack of financial transparency. Those old men in finance and real estate are probably having a sleepless night now."
"So your law firm's partners must have made a fortune these past few months." Lin Qi poured Beth a glass of warm water. "Speaking of which, Wang Jialian's acquisition of the New Jersey Nets has actually benefited from this Wall Street turmoil. Ratner's real estate cash flow was slightly affected, but Charles's progress has been very smooth. If all goes well, the acquisition should be completed before June."
As they talked, Lin Qi looked at his fiancée, who, even after giving birth to twins, still exuded the sharpness and wisdom of a career woman, and couldn't help but feel a complex sense of admiration.
He personally witnessed Beth working until February while heavily pregnant. It wasn't until less than a month before her due date that he forcibly "detained" her at home to rest.
" Beth, you don't really need to work so hard, and you don't have to rush back to work in May." Lin Qi held her hand, his tone serious as he brought up a topic they had discussed before. "With Lin Qi Capital's current size, plus the Europe Basketball Union and Long Island real estate projects that just started this year, the legal fees and M&A cases I generate each year are an extremely large sum."
Lin Qi looked at her and offered a suggestion that would drive any woman crazy. "I can directly fund a brand new, top-tier law firm for you, even locating it in Boston's tallest building. I'll handle all the cases, and you won't need to grind for seniority with those rigid old men in the firm. You'll be a founding partner from the very beginning, your own boss."
Hearing this, Beth wasn't angry. She gripped Lin Qi's hand tightly and looked directly at him with her captivating eyes.
" Lin Qi, I know what kind of power you possess, and I know you can do all this easily." Beth's tone was gentle, but each word was clear, carrying a pride that belonged to her. "But I refuse."
Lin Qi didn't speak, but listened quietly.
"The reason I worked until February while heavily pregnant is because I'm about to receive my partner nomination at our law firm this year. It's something I've worked countless all-nighters in this industry, cracking one difficult M&A case after another, and snatching it from those old white men."
Beth reached out and gently stroked Lin Qi's cheek.
"I love you, and I enjoy our family life now. As your fiancée, I've never hesitated to use my relationship with the Celtics owner to expand my network, exchange business cards with important people at parties... Leveraging connections within reasonable limits is a smart professional tactic."
A confident and charming smile appeared on Beth's lips, and her eyes sparkled with a captivating light.
"But Lin Qi, you can't use your checkbook to buy out my career. I won't allow you to rob me of my sense of accomplishment."
She leaned closer, her voice becoming deep and magnetic. "I'm going to make those old men in the law firm admit, with their noses in their mouths, that they made me a partner because they absolutely need my problem-solving skills, because I can make them a lot of money. Not because they're afraid of my fiancé's power."
Looking at Beth's radiant face, Lin Qi felt a deep respect rise in his heart, and even a long-lost feeling of his heart racing.
This is not being willful, but rather a woman's defense of her self-worth.
"And..." Beth traced a circle on Lin Qi's chest with her finger, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "If I were to completely submit to you, accept your charity, and become a pretty vase only good for arranging flowers and drinking afternoon tea, or merely a toy to satisfy your desires..."
Beth looked up, her eyes filled with undisguised desire.
"... Then that wonderful 'tension' between us will probably soon disappear completely. Don't let me lose all interest."
Lin Qi paused for a moment, then burst into laughter. He pulled Beth into his arms and kissed her on the lips.
"You're right, Ms. Finneran. The image of you in a business suit, cornering your opponent in a meeting room, is indeed captivating."
Lin Qi held her tightly, resting his chin on her hair, inhaling her faint fragrance.
"Go get your partner's seat. I'll have the best Boston champagne ready for the day you officially sign."
"That's more like it." Beth leaned contentedly against Lin Qi's chest, then glanced at the two little ones sleeping soundly in the insulated bed.