"I shouldn't have asked you this, but since you're his secretary, I have no choice but to ask you."
Meng Huaishan's tone was anxious, and Lin Xi's heart sank. "What happened?" she asked.
"You should know about his relationship with Tan Qi, but he resisted because of another woman."
"He won't say who she is. What does that mean?
"It means he clearly knows this woman can't be approved by the old man."
"I'll assume she's incredibly beautiful, but with Yi Heng's status, what woman can't he have? He's just too stubborn."
"The marriage between the Duan and Tan families is about his own future. How can I not worry?"
"The old man has postponed making his will due to health reasons. Thinking about it, it's unsettling." With each sentence he spoke, Lin Xi's face paled further. "To be honest, because you grew up with Duan Mingxuan, I didn't trust you that much before."
Meng Huaishan was now just a worried older brother. "But I trust Yi Heng's judgment. Since he let you work by his side, he must trust your character. I hope you can help me persuade him." Lin Xi arrived at the door of the card room, her heart still pounding.
Meng Huaishan didn't know that the person he was talking about was her. In that instant, Lin Xi felt an unprecedented shame.
After a few sweet days, today she was suddenly exposed, and it even involved Duan Yi Heng's future. Lin Xi felt a suffocating bitterness in her heart. She had a feeling that she and Duan Yi Heng were going to be separated, if not in this second, then in the next.
If she waited until the day they were truly exposed, the consequences would be unbearable. Duan Yi Heng had already noticed Lin Xi at the door. He patted Meng Huaishan on the shoulder as he entered, signaling him to play a couple of cards.
He coughed lightly as he passed Lin Xi. Seeing that no one inside was paying attention to her, Lin Xi turned and followed Duan Yiheng to the living room balcony. It was late at night, and while everyone else in the city was celebrating the New Year, this corner of the club's balcony was quiet.
Lin Xi leaned on the railing, looking at the city lights in the distance. Duan Yiheng stopped beside her. "Seeing you looking so eager, I thought you had something to say to me." Lin Xi smiled.
"I wanted to comfort you, but I kept getting interrupted all night." Duan Yiheng turned around, his back against the railing, and casually wrapped his arm around her neck, pulling her into his embrace.
"I'm standing right in front of you now, what do you want to say?" Lin Xi nuzzled against his chest, her tone slightly coquettish. "You're perfectly fine now." Duan Yiheng tightened his grip on her waist, eliciting a soft groan from Lin Xi.
She gently tapped her forehead against his chest and said, "I heard something from Brother Meng." Duan Yiheng raised his hand and ruffled her hair, asking casually, "What is it?" Lin Xi softened at his natural gesture and smiled:
"What were you feeling when you ran away to the Meng family alone when you were 12?" Duan Yiheng hadn't expected Meng Huaishan to tell her this. After a few seconds of surprise, he pinched Lin Xi's soft earlobe: "What else could it be? I felt sorry for you." Lin Xi joked back:
"I thought you thought I was cute." "You were quite cute." Duan Yiheng suddenly laughed, "Your parents raised you very well, you were chubby, I don't know why you're so thin now."
Lin Xi was about to speak when Liang Yutong's voice rushed into the living room, clearly looking for her. She pushed Duan Yiheng away and was about to leave when he pulled her back.
He stared at her intently, saying nothing. Lin Xi quickly tiptoed and kissed him, then turned and went out onto the balcony. Duan Yiheng smiled, hearing Lin Xi call out to Liang Yutong in a trembling voice. "I knew you'd be alone, so I came back to keep you company."
To get Duan Yiheng out from the balcony, Lin Xi pushed Liang Yutong towards the media room: "Come on, come on, let's go see a movie." "Why is your face so red?" Lin Xi instinctively raised her hand to cover it: "No, it's not." "Where's Professor Zhou? Didn't he come with you?"
Liang Yutong winked at her. "No." Lin Xi shook her head. "He was dragged into playing cards. Tongtong, don't joke around. There's no way we could be together." Liang Yutong frowned. "You don't still like that guy with the surname Duan, do you?"
Lin Xi's first thought was Duan Yiheng. She hesitated for two seconds before stammering, "No, I don't like Duan Mingxuan anymore." Liang Yutong cupped her face in her hands, scrutinizing her closely, making her look at her directly:
"Look into my eyes and tell me you don't like Duan Mingxuan anymore." Lin Xi even raised her hand: "I swear, I really don't like him anymore." "Hmm." Liang Yutong nodded seriously. "You really don't." Okay, what were you stuttering about just now?
Lin Xi's pupils trembled slightly: "No?" Liang Yutong keenly sensed something was wrong: "Huh?" Your behavior... doesn't look like nothing. Lin Xi laughed dryly: "Please spare me." " Liang Yutong realized later and said "fuck":
"You didn't think I was talking about Duan Yiheng just now, did you?" Lin Xi's heart tightened and his mouth trembled: "Don't talk nonsense." "Lin Xi, you have a situation." Liang Yutong was reluctant, "Do you have any secrets from me?
" Lin Xi moved her lips. In fact, it was uncomfortable to hold it in her heart, but it was about Duan Yiheng, so she didn't dare to say anything easily. But Liang Yutong had already seen it... "Do you still think that I am a friend?
"Lin Xi smiled bitterly and told her everything that happened recently, including his entanglement with Duan Yiheng. Liang Yutong was really stunned for a long time. "You and him-" "Don't ask. Lin Xi shook his head, "I'm in a mess myself now."
"Liang Yutong nodded blankly. After the movie ended, the card players gradually left the game room. Lin Xi didn't see Mu Zhao and subconsciously asked Duan Yiheng. Before Duan Yiheng could speak, Meng Huaishan chuckled, "Naturally, he's gone to meet his beauty." Lin Xi:
"...Is he coming back?" Mu Shuo said, "My brother didn't leave; he went upstairs to dance with a beautiful woman." Lin Xi: "..." Duan Yiheng glanced at Lin Xi out of the corner of his eye and asked in a deep voice, "What do you want with him?" Lin Xi replied:
"I didn't see him, so I asked him a couple of questions out of curiosity. Do you have any other activities planned?" She was tired and wanted to go back to her room. Since it was New Year's Eve, they would naturally stay overnight, and Lin Xi shared a suite with Liang Yutong. Meng Huaishan put his arm around Zhou Li's shoulder and said to the others,
"We're going to the bar upstairs. It's almost midnight, aren't you going to countdown?" Lin Xi's gaze seemingly casually swept over Duan Yiheng, who slightly raised his chin: "You guys go ahead, I'm going back to my room."
Zhou Zheng and Lin Xi had only met twice, and it wouldn't be appropriate to leave her alone to spend New Year's Eve with him, so he also decided to go back to his room. Lin Xi and Liang Yutong walked away hand in hand, with Duan Yiheng and Zhou Zheng following behind.
The location of their rooms was also quite intriguing; Lin Xi and Liang Yutong's room was right between Duan Yiheng and Zhou Zheng's. Lin Xi had just entered her room when her phone vibrated. She unlocked it, and as expected, it was a message from Duan Yiheng, containing only four simple words: Come to my room.