At first glance, Chen Jingyi recognized it as Duan Mingxuan's car. The second young master of the Duan family was a well-known figure among Yin Fan employees. From his appearance to his family background to his personal relationships, rumors spread far and wide.
Chen Jingyi hadn't expected Lin Xi to be involved with Duan Mingxuan. Could it be that Lin Xi got into Yin Fan because of Duan Mingxuan? Although rumors circulated within the company that Duan Yiheng and Duan Mingxuan were at odds, the group's general manager was Duan Zheng, Duan Mingxuan's biological father.
Hiring someone was just a matter of a word. The only thing Chen Jingyi couldn't understand was: if the brothers were at odds, why was Lin Xi Duan Yiheng's secretary? And why was Lin Xi getting out of Duan Yiheng's car?
The key question now was: did Duan Yiheng know that Lin Xi and Duan Mingxuan knew each other, or even had a close relationship? If they did, Lin Xi getting into Yin Fan was simply giving face to a family member. Then Lin Xi getting out of his car might just be a coincidence.
If one didn't know her, Lin Xi would be seen as a pawn placed by Duan Mingxuan beside Duan Yiheng. Zheng Jizhong had said that Duan Zheng disliked Duan Yiheng and had been intentionally grooming Duan Mingxuan. Did Duan Zheng also know of Lin Xi?
—Lin Xi took a short nap during her lunch break, feeling briefly refreshed. Just as work started, she knocked on the CEO's office door.
"Come in," Duan Yiheng's voice was low, as if he had just woken up.
Lin Xi pushed open the door, and Duan Yiheng beckoned to her: "We'll talk later. Get me a glass of water first."
Lin Xi immediately turned and poured him a glass of warm water.
Duan Yiheng slowly finished his drink, then gestured with his chin towards her: "Tell me the detailed schedule for this afternoon."
Lin Xi: "There's a meeting with the marketing department at 2:30 PM regarding a new product promotion plan. After the meeting, the head of the R&D center will discuss key technical bottlenecks in the new project with you, hoping to coordinate external expert resources. The meeting is expected to last about an hour. Additionally, the legal department has several important contract terms that you need to confirm; the timing depends on your availability."
"Have the legal department come over now," Duan Yiheng rubbed his temples, suppressing his weariness. "Also, notify the marketing department; I don't want to see any rubbish proposals. The meeting must end within forty minutes."
Lin Xi noted it down: "Okay."
Duan Yiheng: "You don't need to attend the afternoon meetings. Find a few quiet, private restaurants..." Finally, confirm with me that I want to treat someone to dinner. "
Lin Xi wrote them down one by one: "Can I ask the other party's identity? In this case, I will have an idea and it will be easy to arrange."
Duan Yiheng: "The CEO of Heitian Investment Company in City S and his wife, please prepare yourself and come with me."
Lin Xi was stunned: "Am I going too?"
Duan Yiheng raised his eyes: "As a secretary, you naturally have to accompany me to some dinner parties."
Lin Xi explained: "It's not that I don't want to go."
Duan Yiheng: "Yinfan and Heitian have always cooperated. I have a personal relationship with their Mr. Lu. He is not here for business this time. I am just showing my friendship as a landlord. He also brings his wife. Of course I need a female companion to socialize."
Lin Xi nodded: "I understand." Throughout the afternoon, Lin Xi screened three restaurants. The first one is simple and quiet, taking the Chinese style route, the second one takes the high-end private kitchen route, and the last one is in the outer suburbs.
After Duan Yiheng finished the two meetings, he directly confirmed the third company with Lin Xi. "Did you do your research?" Duan Yiheng asked Lin Xi.
Lin Xi: "I checked the public information about Mr. and Mrs. Lu. Mrs. Lu studied architecture, and this restaurant on a mountaintop in the suburbs is famous for its unique architectural design. I think Mrs. Lu would be interested."
Duan Yiheng's lips curled slightly: "Not bad." Lin Xi wasn't a kindergarten child who would be smug after receiving a red flower, but Duan Yiheng's casual words made her feel a shy sense of being praised.
Duan Yiheng: "Don't just stand there, come with me to the hotel to pick them up."
Lin Xi quickly followed.
Lu Tong and Chen Li were three or four years older than Duan Yiheng and had no children. Chen Li was tall and had an outstanding temperament; she and Lu Tong looked very well-matched.
The two sides met and greeted each other.
Lu Tong's gaze lingered briefly on Lin Xi before he joked with Duan Yiheng, "I brought my wife. Are you getting married soon?" Misunderstood, Duan Yiheng didn't rush to explain, saying, "It's the little one at home, working at Yin Fan now."
Lin Xi glanced at Duan Yiheng, finding his words ambiguous.
What did he mean by "the little one at home"? It made it sound like she got in through connections. Well, she did get in through connections anyway.
Chen Li became interested: "Could she be Lin Daiyu?"
Lin Xi looked at Duan Yiheng. What Lin Daiyu?
Duan Yiheng coughed lightly: "Let's get in the car first."
He had come to pick her up, and had the driver change to a custom-made extended Mulsanne, with a separate front and rear compartment and four individual seats in the back. Lin Xi and Chen Li faced each other, and Lin Xi first introduced the restaurant they were going to.
She had also thoughtfully prepared photos, which immediately piqued Chen Li's interest. Half an hour later, the Mulsanne disappeared from the city lights and entered the suburbs. The restaurant, perched atop a hill, resembled a giant, stacked pile of building blocks, arranged in a staggered yet harmonious manner.
The driver stopped the car and opened the door for the lady first. Duan Yiheng and Lu Tong, on their own, were guided through the main entrance by the restaurant staff.
Lu Tong glanced ahead, lagged slightly behind, and raised an eyebrow at Duan Yiheng: "Is she the Lin Daiyu Mu Zhao mentioned? This is the first time I've seen her. She looks very young." His tone was teasing, with a hint of "an older man dating a younger woman."
Duan Yiheng: "..." He'd have to sew Mu Zhao's mouth shut sooner or later.
"No wonder you immediately refused when I suggested introducing you to Lizhi's friend."
Duan Yiheng: "..."
"But judging from her expression, she doesn't seem to know you're interested in her. You're thirty, aren't you? Still playing the pure love game? Shouldn't you be focusing on the bedroom stuff?"
Lu Tong's tone was quite pained.
Duan Yiheng: "...Are you having trouble keeping quiet?"
Lu Tong: "If I didn't have this mouth, I wouldn't have been able to win over my wife."
Duan Yiheng: "If you keep talking nonsense, you still won't win over your wife." Lu Tong looked up and saw Chen Li and Lin Xi had already entered the elevator, so he quickly followed.
The elevator was transparent, and it was Lin Xi's first time there. She curiously looked down into the lobby.
That one glance startled her.
"What's wrong?" Duan Yiheng reached out to steady her, following her gaze. In the center of the restaurant lobby, Yu Lang waved at her.
Beside him was a familiar face—the blogger from H City who had traveled with them from the hotel to the airport. The woman was even in first class, right next to Lin Xi.
Lin Xi's mouth hung open in curiosity. How did these two end up together?