Duan Yiheng was genuinely taken aback, then reached out and put his arm around Lin Xi's back. "What's wrong?" Lin Xi nuzzled against his chest. "Are you angry?" Duan Yiheng was slightly surprised. "Angry about what?"
Lin Xi released him, looked up, and said, "At the company at noon, I didn't mean to argue with you. And since you didn't come back tonight, I thought you were angry." "Let's go inside."
Duan Yiheng gripped her shoulders and pushed her towards the room. "If Sister Mei comes up and sees you arguing with me again..." Lin Xi lowered her eyes and whispered in defense, "I didn't mean to argue with you." Once inside, Duan Yiheng pinched her cheek:
"I'm not angry. I was just afraid something might scare you, so I let you go back to the office." He then had to personally call Tan Qi and arrange a time that evening to discuss the cooperation between the two companies. Lin Xi leaned closer to him curiously and sniffed:
"You didn't drink? Didn't you say you had a dinner party?" "No," Duan Yiheng said, "I was thinking about you." Lin Xi's face flushed, and she muttered softly, "What's there to think about?" Duan Yiheng chuckled, "Didn't I say I'd come to collect a debt tonight?" "Collect what?"
Lin Xi had clearly forgotten about what happened that morning. Duan Yiheng planted a kiss on her lips, his eyes full of laughter: "Collect this." Lin Xi instantly turned bright red. Unfortunately, Sister Mei knocked on the door again at that moment to deliver a late-night snack, and Lin Xi immediately hid on the balcony.
Duan Yiheng took the tray himself, not letting Sister Mei in. "Sister Mei said you barely ate dinner?" Duan Yiheng put down the snack, "Why didn't you eat?" "I wasn't hungry," Lin Xi casually made up an excuse. Duan Yiheng pushed the plate towards her:
"Are you hungry now?" Lin Xi coughed sheepishly, "Yes, I am." "Eat," Duan Yiheng said, "Next time, even if I don't come back for dinner, you're not allowed to go hungry." Lin Xi felt her thoughts were seen through, but she wouldn't admit it: "I wasn't waiting for you."
She was so stubborn. Duan Yiheng said helplessly, "I know, you weren't waiting for me." Lin Xi silently put down her chopsticks, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Yes." Duan Yiheng subconsciously replied, "What?" "I was waiting for you."
Lin Xi lowered her head and was about to eat, "I knew you weren't coming back, so I didn't have an appetite." Duan Yiheng grabbed her hand: "If it gets cold, have Sister Mei prepare another serving." Before Lin Xi could react to his meaning, he pulled her up by the hand.
Then her waist tightened, just like in the restaurant that morning, and she sat on Duan Yiheng's lap. The woven outdoor sofa was large and comfortable. Duan Yiheng leaned back against it, tilting at an angle, forcing Lin Xi to sit sideways against his chest.
Warm, slender fingertips ran through the back of her hair, compelling her to accept his kiss. Lin Xi immediately closed her eyes, clutching his collar tightly. His masculine scent filled the air, and Lin Xi felt his gentle yet firm control over the back of her neck.
The emotions she had suppressed all day suddenly erupted. Duan Yiheng pried open her teeth, entwining and sucking… The hand gripping her collar gradually loosened, and Lin Xi slumped against his chest. She felt as if she couldn't find her own hands and feet, only the distinct sensation of her lips remaining.
Duan Yiheng's breathing visibly erratically, his hands becoming restless, slipping inside her clothes. Lin Xi pressed down on his hand: "No…" Duan Yiheng pinched the soft flesh of her waist, eliciting a soft moan from Lin Xi.
Their lips finally parted, and Duan Yiheng's breathing was unsteady. His forehead pressed against hers, and he whispered, "Why did you admit you were waiting for me? You changed your mind so quickly." "It's just you and me here," Lin Xi said, slightly out of breath, avoiding his gaze.
Duan Yiheng wrapped his arms around her waist, playing with the faint crescent-shaped scar on the back of her hand, and said, "Now you're really having an affair." Lin Xi felt utterly ashamed of the word "affair": "Don't say it."
They weren't exactly boyfriend and girlfriend, yet he spoke of it with such an open and honest expression. Duan Yiheng helped her up: "I'll have Sister Mei bring over another late-night snack." "Don't bother," Lin Xi said. "It's edible like this, it's a waste of food." Duan Yiheng:
"What's the trouble? I'll eat this cold one." Lin Xi's heart stirred slightly, and she didn't refuse his offer. After having a late-night snack with Lin Xi, Duan Yiheng got up to leave: "Go to bed early, I'm going to the study." Lin Xi: "Is there business?"
Duan Yiheng nodded. Lin Xi: "Is there anything I can help with?" Duan Yiheng hinted: "It's about Zheng Jizhong, they're already setting things up, so don't get involved." Lin Xi, a newly arrived secretary, couldn't really get involved even if she wanted to.
However, she still reminded him: "Since you've started, you must be wary of him resorting to desperate measures." Duan Yiheng smiled: "I'm afraid he'll resort to desperate measures? Unless he doesn't want to work in this industry anymore? By the way, have Liang Yutong and Zheng Jianian broken up yet?"
"Yutong's mother took her abroad to relax," Lin Xi said. "Zheng Jianian keeps pestering her, why are you asking?" Duan Yiheng: "Zheng Jizhong won't let go, you need to remind Liang Yutong.
The Liang family loves their daughter and has been very supportive of Zheng Jianian's career. Once they break up, the Zheng family will face financial, resource, and business losses." "The Liang family is only wary of Zheng Jizhong's desperate measures, given the potential losses in business, reputation, and other aspects." Lin Xi nodded. "I'll remind her."
Duan Yiheng said, "If you can't handle it, you can come to me. You must tell Liang Yutong this." Lin Xi immediately understood: "You want to use the Liang family to deal with Zheng Jizhong, but haven't you already made arrangements at the company?" "Just an extra layer of protection."
Duan Yiheng said, "But whether this works out depends on Liang Yutong's attitude. I won't force her." "I promise to pass on the message." Lin Xi saw Duan Yiheng to the door. Duan Yiheng gently rubbed her cheek with his palm before going to the study.
Lin Xi turned around and went back to her room to send a message to Liang Yutong. Liang Yutong's attitude was still firm. One act of infidelity was disgusting enough; was she supposed to endure it for a lifetime for the sake of childhood friendship? Liang Yutong then turned around and gave Duan Mingxuan a lecture.
Lin Xi quickly smiled apologetically, "Calm down, Duan Mingxuan and I have nothing to do with each other anymore. We're just family." "Really?" Liang Yutong didn't believe her. "More real than gold," Lin Xi swore, raising her hand. "I really don't like him anymore." Liang Yutong:
"Duan Yiheng is quite good, you could consider him." Lin Xi hesitated, then tentatively asked, "But to outsiders, we're just like siblings." Liang Yutong didn't care: "Why care about what others think?"
Lin Xi smiled, sometimes she didn't want to care. "Anyway, it's impossible for me and Zheng Jianian. If Duan Yiheng is willing to help, I'll talk to Dad tomorrow." "Okay." Lin Xi exchanged a few more pleasantries before hanging up.
She slept well that night, had breakfast with Duan Yiheng, and then left home one after the other. Just as she arrived at her office, her phone vibrated twice. Lin Xi glanced at it; it was a message from Sun Wenxin. She opened it and froze.
Sun Wenxin sent her two screenshots along with the question: "Secretary Lin, is this true?" One of the screenshots showed Duan Yiheng and Tan Qi leaving a restaurant, and the other was a media report about Duan Yiheng and Tan Qi's upcoming marriage.