The yellow diamond possessed a rich, pure color, gleaming brilliantly even indoors at night. Though not large in weight, it was perfectly suited as a jeweled clasp, and could also be used as a brooch chain.
Duan Yiheng picked up the gemstone and examined it, saying, "This looks like women's jewelry?"
Lin Xi nodded. "I bought it at an auction abroad; it's an earring."
"One?" Duan Yiheng asked curiously, "Why did you give it to me?"
"It was a birthday gift from a designer mother to her daughter. Sadly, she only made one before the mother passed away. Later, the daughter sold it due to family circumstances, and it eventually ended up in my hands."
The story was poignant, and Duan Yiheng gleaned a sense of comfort from Lin Xi.
He smiled. "I really like it, but I don't know how it will look on you."
"You haven't taken your suit off yet," Lin Xi said. "How about I help you try it on?"
Duan Yiheng stepped aside. "Come in." Lin Xi entered the room, took the lapel chain, adjusted its position, and threaded the chain through the lapel eyelet.
The suit was dark, the fabric crisp, and Duan Yiheng displayed its composed and sharp style with great charm.
The bright yellow diamond was like the light of dawn breaking in the darkness, complementing the suit perfectly.
Lin Xi touched the gemstone and smiled. "Isn't it beautiful?" Duan Yiheng looked down at her eyes, which were brighter than diamonds, and nodded gently. "Beautiful."
Lin Xi remembered the horse he had given her and asked, "Will we be able to go to North District No. 1 to see the ginkgo trees in a few days? Did the butler call you?"
Duan Yiheng said, "He sent photos. The ginkgo leaves are just starting to turn yellow; they're not quite at their peak golden color yet."
Lin Xi suddenly fell silent, her eyes conveying a sense of unspoken words. Duan Yiheng noticed, removed the chain from his collar, and carefully placed it in the box.
After waiting a while, she still didn't speak. Duan Yiheng shook his head helplessly and asked, "What do you want to say?"
Lin Xi looked at him and casually asked, "Was everything you did tonight because of me?" Duan Yiheng wasn't one to boast, and could easily deny it, but the words lingered on his lips, and he softly murmured, "Mmm."
"Thank you." Lin Xi glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "But this matter could be a big deal or a small one. Aren't you going to tell Grandpa?"
Duan Yiheng: "I limited Chen Baiwei's spending, not Duan Mingxuan's. What can Grandpa say?"
Lin Xi: "...I'm just worried."
"Worried about me?" Duan Yiheng turned around, leaning against the railing, looking down at her in the bright moonlight. Lin Xi noticed his gaze, subconsciously looked over, then awkwardly looked away.
She tucked her long hair behind her ear, and seeing him still staring, couldn't help but ask, "Why are you staring at me? You're beautiful."
Duan Yiheng coughed lightly, "Your eyes are a little swollen."
"It's nothing," Lin Xi touched her eyelids, "I can be at work on Monday."
Duan Yiheng: "...Am I a skinflint? If you can't go to work because of your health, would I force you to?"
"I didn't mean that!" Lin Xi looked at him pleadingly, "You're the most understanding boss, okay?"
"No." Duan Yiheng teased her. Lin Xi's eyes widened: "I can't even compliment you?"
Duan Yiheng was amused by her reaction and said, "Okay, then I'll take you to see the ginkgo trees next week, okay?"
Lin Xi readily agreed: "Of course I can, that road will definitely be beautiful then."
It was late at night, and seeing her tired expression, Duan Yiheng told her to go to sleep. Lin Xi went up to the third floor. Sister Mei tidied up her room, almost restoring it to its previous layout.
Lin Xi was touched and rolled around on the bed a couple of times.
Duan Mingxuan had only temporarily compromised on her living in the west wing. He had originally wanted to talk to Lin Xi, but Zhang Mo wouldn't let him go. Fortunately, he and Lin Xi had agreed to go to Rong County, where it would just be the two of them, allowing him to have a proper chat with her.
Lin Xi waited two days over the weekend but didn't receive a call from the old man. She breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed Duan Yiheng had indeed handled everything well.
She privately inquired about Chen Baiwei's whereabouts from Sister Mei, who said that Duan Zheng had contacted Duan Yiheng. Lin Xi couldn't help but feel a little worried again.
When Duan Yiheng returned home that evening, she couldn't wait to greet him: "I heard Uncle Duan was looking for you? Was it about Aunt Wei?" Duan Yiheng handed his coat to Sister Mei, saying, "Just a warning not to go too far, nothing serious."
He walked with long strides, and Lin Xi had to jog to keep up. Duan Yiheng noticed and slowed his pace. Lin Xi braked abruptly but couldn't stop in time and bumped into his back. Lin Xi wrinkled her nose: "Why did you suddenly stop?"
Duan Yiheng asked, amused: "Weren't you the one chasing me? I stopped to wait for you."
Lin Xi resigned herself to her bad luck: "I just wanted to ask, when are you planning to let her out?"
"It depends on my mood." Duan Yiheng walked towards the dining room. Lin Xi was about to say something when Duan Yiheng's phone rang.
She glanced at it out of the corner of her eye; it was Qin Yang, probably about work. She didn't disturb him and sat down opposite him.
Lin Xi served Duan Yiheng a bowl of soup. Duan Yiheng nodded to her and quietly answered Qin Yang's call, "I've read the report. It still has market potential. I'll have Secretary Lin arrange the schedule for half a month from now."
After he mentioned her, Lin Xi asked after he hung up, "Are you going on a business trip?" Duan Yiheng replied, "Yes, probably for about a week, scheduled for the latter half of the month. There's no rush; I'll focus on my current work."
Lin Xi asked, "Where are you going?"
Duan Yiheng "H City."
Lin Xi was taken aback. "H City? Rong County is a county under the jurisdiction of H City."
"Yes." Duan Yiheng knew this, but his business trip to H City was purely coincidental. "Is there anything fun to do there?"
Lin Xi smiled awkwardly. "Although I was born in H City, I came to B City when I was six, so I really don't know."
Duan Yiheng: "Then I'll go and see first, and I'll tell you what's fun."
Lin Xi chuckled; it sounded like a vacation.
"But plans don't always go as expected," Duan Yiheng said. "I promised to go see the ginkgo trees with you."
Lin Xi was flattered. In her mind, work was naturally more important. Duan Yiheng's tone made it seem as if seeing the ginkgo trees was more important than work.
"Ginkgo trees are there every year, but the project waits for no one," Lin Xi said. "I'll go arrange your itinerary now."
Duan Yiheng wanted to say there was no rush, but Lin Xi had already left. He shook his head; he'd never seen anyone so obsessed with work, not even wanting to rest when he got home at night. Due to a business trip later in the month, all of Duan Yiheng's work was cut short.
Lin Xi stared at the schedule, speechless. The schedule was incredibly packed. Duan Yiheng was still energetic after a long day; being a boss really wasn't something you could just decide to do.
Two weeks later, Duan Yiheng flew to H City, and Lin Xi, as his secretary, suddenly had a much lighter workload.
She counted down the days, and at the end of November, on a Friday evening, she and Duan Mingxuan flew to H City, then transferred to Rong County. By then, Duan Yiheng was almost finished with his business trip.