*Chapter 213: Unexpected Encounter*

"Hey, darling, over here!"

On 45th Street in Times Square, Richard parked his car by the curb and waved when he saw Ms. Bundchen approaching.

"Sorry for the delay, I got held up at rehearsal. Have you been waiting long?"

Ms. Bundchen got into the car and gave him a quick kiss.

"No, I just got here myself. This is for you."

Richard smiled and handed her a bouquet of roses from the backseat.

"Thank you. What's the occasion for the flowers today?"

Ms. Bundchen smiled as she accepted the flowers. "You haven't given me flowers very often since we started dating."

Richard gave an awkward smile. "You're right, that was an oversight on my part. I'll make up for it in the future." He then leaned over to help her with her seatbelt.

"No need for that. We have plenty of plants at home, and fresh flowers are difficult to maintain."

"I heard from Angela that a lot of people give you flowers regularly?"

Richard asked as he started the car.

Ms. Bundchen glanced at him, then suddenly smiled. "Is that why you're giving me flowers today?"

"No, I was just curious. I'm not a jealous guy."

"That's true, you're not jealous at all."

Ms. Bundchen patted his shoulder with a laugh.

The car slowly left Times Square and headed to a high-end French restaurant in central Manhattan. The restaurant was known for its authentic French cuisine and had a professional music ensemble, creating a pleasant ambiance.

"Why are we eating out? We could buy groceries and cook at home."

Ms. Bundchen said.

"Don't always think about being a chef. You work hard all day. Here, you can relax, eat, and enjoy the music."

Richard pulled out a chair for her.

"You're right. This is nice."

Ms. Bundchen smiled as she sat down.

After a while, the food was served: Burgundy escargot, Perigord foie gras, pepper steak, caviar, Provence fish soup, and Brittany stuffed cabbage—authentic French flavors. They had sampled many dishes during their trip to Paris and had been missing them since.

"Cheers, darling!"

Richard raised his glass of red wine.

"Cheers!"

Ms. Bundchen raised her glass with a smile.

The wine was a 1988 vintage from Lafite, deep in color, with a rich aroma and complex flavors—a blend of blackcurrant, tobacco, and coffee, with a lingering aftertaste that lasted over a minute, offering a layered taste experience.

"You mentioned discussing an investment with Ellie. Did you finalize anything?"

Ms. Bundchen asked while eating.

"Not yet. Since I made quite a bit of money last time, I need to discuss it a few more times to finalize things. It’s funny; when I had no money, I was eager to make some. Now that I have it, I'm in a rush to spend it. It's exhausting."

Richard said with a hint of resignation as he cut his steak.

Ms. Bundchen gave him a knowing look, fully aware of his silent pride.

Recently, as internet stocks hit rock bottom, news of bankruptcies and suicides among the wealthy became common. The atmosphere was somber.

She had known that Richard had invested in tech stocks and had been constantly calling to check on him, even spending weekends with him. But to her surprise, not only had he not lost money, but he had also made a substantial profit.

Looking back, she realized he had every reason to be proud. After all, few people could amass such wealth from scratch at his age.

"What do you plan to do after making all that money?"

Ms. Bundchen asked.

"Make even more money."

Richard took a sip of wine. "I used to think that becoming a billionaire would be enough, but then I found out that apartments around Central Park cost over 50 million. That’s when I realized being a billionaire isn't much. So, I need to make more money. The apartment in Tribeca is too small; it doesn’t even have a garden."

"I think Tribeca is quite nice."

"It's fine for two people, but if we have seven or eight kids in the future, the place will feel cramped. So, the bigger the house, the better."

"Seven or eight kids?"

Ms. Bundchen's hand trembled, causing her knife to clink against the plate.

"Don’t you think a home full of children would be more lively?"

Richard took her hand and smiled.

Ms. Bundchen raised an eyebrow. "I see why you brought me here. You want kids, so you're trying to bribe me with good food?"

"That's not what I meant. We’re both busy with work right now. Even if we had kids, we wouldn't have time to care for them. I just wanted to give you a heads-up, or maybe set a goal. I'm not pressuring you to have kids, so don't feel any pressure."

Richard said earnestly.Here's the English translation:

"But you really like children, don't you? Every time you see Ava, you can't wait to snatch her from Keanu's arms and take her home. Keanu gets nervous every time he sees you," Giselle said with a smile.

"That stingy guy always thinks I want to steal Ava from him," Richard shook his head.

Giselle chuckled softly. The last time at the Levi's estate, she found it amusing to see two grown men competing to win over a little kid.

"How about we have a child in a couple of years when we're not so busy?" Giselle hesitated for a moment before saying.

"There's no rush; we're still young. We can have kids after I've made a billion dollars."

"A billion?" Giselle rolled her eyes at him. "If you don't make that money in your lifetime, does that mean you won't have kids? Having children isn't about money; it's a responsibility."

"You're right. This decision is yours to make."

"Of course it's mine to make. You can't have children," Giselle smiled. Actually, having a child wouldn't be a bad idea. Both of them were doing well in their careers, and their lives had improved. A child could stabilize their relationship further.

Besides, Richard had no relatives around, which made the villa feel empty. A child would give him a sense of attachment. However, having a child was no small matter, and she wasn't ready for it just yet.

"Hey, Richard, I didn't expect to run into you here."

As they were discussing children, someone nearby greeted them.

"Eva, Mr. Thompson, it's great to see you!"

Richard looked up and saw Eva Carr and her famous father, Mr. Thompson, along with two young men and women.

"Richard, I often see news about you. You're an impressive young man, and I admire you," Mr. Thompson said with a friendly smile, shaking Richard's hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Thompson. I've read your books on success, and they were very inspiring."

Mr. Thompson had published three books on success: The Art of Business, Endgame: Peak Survival, and The Art of Return. The Art of Business sold over 3 million copies and was named the New York Times Best Seller of the Year, holding the top spot on the sales chart for 32 weeks. It's said that this achievement made Mr. Thompson very proud.

"Haha, Richard, my new book The America We Deserve is about to hit the shelves. It's a fantastic read; you should check it out."

"Sure, I'll definitely read it," Richard said with a light smile. He introduced Giselle and got to know the two people with Eva, who were her classmates at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, where Eva was reportedly a top student.

After chatting for a bit, Eva made a phone call gesture and left with Mr. Thompson.

"Another big shot," Giselle sighed.

"In the future, we'll be big shots too."

Richard wanted to say they'd surpass him in the future, but he decided not to get too cocky.

"Richard, it seems like Mr. Thompson really appreciates you. He even said Eva should be friends with you," Giselle said with a smile.

"Haven't you seen his news? He's a very cunning man, so don't be fooled by him. Besides, I don't need his appreciation. We're still young. Even if we don't reach his level in the future, we won't be any worse," Richard said confidently.

"Yes, you're the best man I've ever known," Giselle said, holding his hand with a smile.

"Thank you. Let's stay up all night tonight," Richard said with a grin.

"Ugh, stop talking nonsense," Giselle replied.

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(End of the chapter)