Everyone in the lobby of Duan Mingxuan's building was stunned, not understanding why Duan Yiheng had come.
Even the security guards, the receptionist, and Chen Jingyi remained motionless.
Lin Xi couldn't call him "Big Brother" under these circumstances.
However, the hint of grievance in her eyes was easily caught by Duan Yiheng.
"Mr. Duan," Duan Yiheng stopped, his gaze falling on the security guard blocking Lin Xi's path, and asked in a deep voice, "What's going on?" The receptionist stepped forward respectfully, "Mr. Duan, this young lady is being unreasonable. We will ask her to leave immediately. We apologize for the inconvenience."
"Unreasonable?" Duan Yiheng's voice suddenly softened, a faint smile playing on his lips. The smile puzzled everyone, including Lin Xi.
He cleared his throat again and asked her, "What are you being unreasonable about?" The obvious smile left Lin Xi speechless.
She didn't understand the meaning behind his sudden teasing. Lin Xi was somewhat annoyed.
Seeing this, Duan Yiheng coughed lightly, "I thought you'd need two or three days to consider it, but I didn't expect you to come today, so I didn't notify the front desk to let you in."
His familiar tone startled the front desk and security guard, followed by fear, while Chen Jingyi's eyes flashed, her face slightly darkening.
Lin Xi had actually come to apply for the job; she wasn't lying. But when did the president's office create a secretary position?
As Duan Yiheng's direct subordinate, she hadn't received a single tip-off. Lin Xi didn't want to stay here anymore; Chen Jingyi's gaze made her feel defensive. Duan Yiheng, however, didn't leave, asking the security guard for details.
The security guard looked bewildered: "Mr. Duan, we're not quite sure. We were just notified to come and ask them to leave."
Duan Yiheng's gaze was stern: "Ask them to leave? You used that word inappropriately. The security and administration meetings were a waste of time."
Fearing dismissal, the security guard quickly bowed his head and admitted his mistake: "Mr. Duan, we were wrong. We remember that the company, for humanitarian reasons, allows unauthorized personnel to wait temporarily in special circumstances, such as inclement weather. This lady was not carrying any dangerous items, nor was she making any noise, nor did she disrupt the company's normal operations or reception order. Ms. Lin, we are sorry, we sincerely apologize to you."
Lin Xi was taken aback by the sudden apology. She subconsciously shook her head: "It's alright, I'm not angry."
Duan Yiheng was somewhat satisfied with this attitude. He slightly raised his chin, signaling them to return to their posts.
The receptionist, seeing this, also apologized to Lin Xi. Lin Xi frowned but remained silent.
At this moment, Qin Yang returned to the lobby after seeing off a client. Duan Yiheng said to him, "Find out what happened here and handle it according to company regulations. I'll take her upstairs first."
The receptionist was about to say something when Qin Yang stopped her. Chen Jingyi, uninvolved, nodded slightly to Qin Yang and followed.
Lin Xi heard the "tap tap" of footsteps on the floor tiles behind her, her scalp tingling. She involuntarily moved closer to Duan Yiheng. Duan Yiheng's gaze shifted back, stopping in front of the elevator.
He appeared tough and cold at the company, but was relatively gentle with his subordinates; sharing an elevator was common.
But he had noticed Lin Xi's resistance. For the first time, he spoke to her, "Go take another elevator."
Chen Jingyi was stunned, even wondering if Duan Yiheng was talking to her.
"Mr. Duan, I am—"
"Don't you understand what I'm saying?" Duan Yiheng didn't turn around, his displeasure and arrogance displayed perfectly.
Chen Jingyi clenched her fists, watching helplessly as the two went inside, and then watching the elevator doors close in front of her. Her eyes flashed with a fierce light, as if what stood before her wasn't a door, but an obstacle to climb upwards. She wanted nothing more than to smash it!
At this moment, years of buried inferiority complex surged back like a bone-deep ailment. Chen Jingyi knew clearly: she and the two people behind the door were from different worlds, or rather, not on the same social class. But what right did Lin Xi have?
She was just an orphan; why did she get to encounter all the good things in the world? Was she supposed to live under Lin Xi's naive smile all these years? What she found most unbearable was Duan Yiheng's indifference.
She had attended numerous meetings with him alongside her department head, yet she hadn't even become a familiar face to him. Lin Xi, filled with intense jealousy, breathed a sigh of relief in the elevator.
Duan Yiheng looked down at her. "You know that woman from earlier?"
Lin Xi looked up. "The receptionist called her Manager Chen. Don't you recognize her?" Duan Yiheng shook his head. "I don't remember her." Every company has a different organizational structure. The fintech division he was in charge of had many departments, and each department had several different types of managers.
In meetings, he only listened; he had no interest in remembering what the other person looked like.
Lin Xi said "Oh," and then added, "We used to be classmates."
"What happened between you two?" Duan Yiheng asked directly, "Or is there some kind of grudge?" Lin Xi dodged the question, "There were some unpleasant things, and I just felt uncomfortable thinking about it."
Duan Yiheng didn't press further, simply nodding and asking again, "Have you thought it through regarding working at Yin Fan?"
Lin Xi confirmed, "Yes, I have."
"Don't you need to discuss it with him...they?" Lin Xi didn't understand his question and replied blankly, "I told my grandfather."
Duan Yiheng's lips curled slightly. So he had received some expert guidance; no wonder it wasn't so quick.
They arrived at the 36th floor, and Lin Xi followed Duan Yiheng into his office. Lin Xi curiously looked around; the dark gray Italian pure wool carpet silently absorbed their footsteps.
A heavy desk stood neatly and efficiently, and behind it, against the wall, were densely packed bookshelves, covering everything from history to business warfare, from the West to the East, from ancient to modern times… everything imaginable. Behind the sofa in the reception area was a temperature-controlled wine cabinet displaying fine wines.
She could even imagine Duan Yiheng standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, a wine glass in hand, overlooking the city lights below. Duan Yiheng personally poured her a glass of water, and Lin Xi sat on the sofa somewhat reserved.
Duan Yiheng talked to her at length about the secretary position, from secretary training to itinerary management, from document processing to meeting organization, from daily reception to dress requirements… nothing was too small. The more Lin Xi learned, the more at ease she felt.
They chatted until dusk, until it was time to leave work. Duan Yiheng glanced at his watch, without asking Lin Xi, and directly had Qin Yang book a restaurant.
He said matter-of-factly, "After you join the company, you'll be the hub connecting the president's office and all the departments. I'll explain the different departments to you in detail when we eat." Lin Xi couldn't refuse.
Since they were going out to eat, she told the driver to go home first.
After going downstairs, she passed the reception desk again. Only a woman in her early thirties was standing there; the one who had made things difficult for her earlier was nowhere to be seen. She wanted to ask, but couldn't find the right words, and was afraid that Duan Yiheng would pry into her relationship with Chen Jingyi.
Because she had gone downstairs ten minutes early, no one saw her get into Duan Yiheng's car, which relieved Lin Xi. But that relief returned once she reached the restaurant. It seemed fate always loved to play tricks on her.
Just as she entered the restaurant, under the ornate crystal chandelier in the center of the lobby, she encountered Duan Mingxuan and Zhang Mo. Her instinct was to pull Duan Yiheng away, but it was too late.
"Xiao Xi?" Duan Mingxuan's tone was surprised, but his gaze was fixed on the fingers of hers gripping Duan Yiheng's arm.