Lin Xi found it absurd and didn't understand what Duan Mingxuan was questioning.
Her temper flared up instantly: "I was drunk, I don't know anything. And even if I left with Duan Yiheng, what right do you have to question me?"
"Xiao Xi, I'm doing this for your own good," Duan Mingxuan said, his head throbbing. "You don't understand, Duan Yiheng isn't a good person. You can't get too close to him."
Lin Xi: "So I have to never see him again? Do you think that's possible?"
Duan Mingxuan: "Why not? You used to stand by me unconditionally, but you and Duan Yiheng wouldn't exchange a single word for a whole year."
Lin Xi scoffed: "You know that, huh?"
Duan Mingxuan gave in: "Don't look at me like that, I'm sorry." "Okay, but you have to promise me you'll stay away from Duan Yiheng."
"Why can't I get close to him?" Lin Xi retorted. "You're my second brother, he's my eldest brother, what's the difference?"
"The difference is huge." Duan Mingxuan shouted. "In this world, only I won't hurt you, only I'm truly good to you."
"Your goodness?" Lin Xi seemed to be back in the private room last night. "Your so-called goodness is knowing I don't like it, yet still using it as an excuse to throw me a welcome party, bringing a bunch of irrelevant, random people? It's knowing your girlfriend has ulterior motives towards me, yet still laughing it off and letting it go?"
The two argued back and forth, neither giving an inch. Until Duan Mingxuan felt utterly guilty, he hesitated for a long time before finally saying, "I broke up with her."
Lin Xi's heart stirred slightly, her throat tightened, and she suppressed all her emotions, saying, "It's not my fault."
"Xiao Xi, I know you don't like her," Duan Mingxuan said. "I really broke up with her. There were so many people around, I didn't want to argue with a woman like her. But she made your friends make things difficult for you, and I really couldn't tolerate that."
"Don't be like that," Lin Xi actually tried to persuade him. "After all, it's been almost a year, it's a pity to break up."
"Who told you?" Duan Mingxuan raised his voice. "Zhang Mo?" Lin Xi really didn't want to talk about Zhang Mo and wanted to avoid the topic.
"Are you angry that I didn't tell you about your relationship with her?" Duan Mingxuan ignored her. "The reason I didn't tell you was because—" Lin Xi interrupted him: "No need to explain, dating is your freedom."
Unable to reason with him, Duan Mingxuan was both angry and helpless.
"Fine." Duan Mingxuan, in a fit of despair, said, "And what about you? You promised me you'd go to England, then you went to America. What the hell did I say?" Lin Xi pursed her lips, biting down hard on a piece of flesh.
"For five years, I visited you without fail, and the moment you came back to China, you forgot all about how good I was to you."
"You even teamed up with Duan Yiheng to make me angry, Lin Xi, don't you have a heart?" Lin Xi felt a pang of bitterness, her vision blurring.
"You…" Duan Mingxuan surrendered again, "Don't cry, I won't say anything more."
Lin Xi felt stifled, moving her tear-stained lips: "The reason I went to America was because—"
"What's wrong with you two?" Chen Baiwei, hearing the commotion, rushed over anxiously, "What are you arguing about?" The truth Lin Xi was about to blurt out was swallowed back down.
It was like swallowing the bitterest thing, wanting to spit it out but unable to, wanting to swallow it but unable to.
"Mingxuan, Xiaoxi is your sister, what are you doing?" Chen Baiwei spoke to Duan Mingxuan, but her eyes glanced at Lin Xi out of the corner of her eye.
Lin Xi understood her implication perfectly and said, "Aunt Wei, I'll go upstairs first."
Chen Baiwei said kindly, "Go ahead." With Chen Baiwei intervening, Duan Mingxuan had no choice but to let her leave.
"Mingxuan, why are you yelling at Xiaoxi?" Chen Baiwei asked Duan Mingxuan tentatively.
Duan Mingxuan was agitated and tugged at his collar: "We always argue when we talk about going to America, Mom. Haven't I been good enough to her? Why does she contradict me when she comes back?"
Chen Baiwei said quietly, "Mingxuan, people change."
"No, Xiaoxi won't change." Duan Mingxuan didn't know if he was saying this to himself or to Chen Baiwei.
Chen Baiwei didn't argue with him. Lin Xi, having been upset by Duan Mingxuan, didn't want to go back to her room to sleep in a huff; it wasn't good for her health. She turned around and went up the external staircase to the courtyard. Strolling along the winding path, Lin Xi took the opportunity to properly consider her job at Silver Sail.
Reaching the central courtyard, she suddenly heard the rustling of leaves ahead. Startled, she wondered, "A landscaping maintenance worker?"
"Who is it?" Lin Xi asked boldly.
"Me." Only one word. Lin Xi didn't understand who it was, so she asked again, "Who are you?" Duan Yiheng came out, and Lin Xi finally recognized him by the light of the ground lamp.
"There are only a few people in this house," Duan Yiheng said. The unspoken message was that he was annoyed that she hadn't recognized him.
Lin Xi felt a little awkward and quickly changed the subject: "What are you doing here?"
Duan Yiheng said, "Visiting Grandpa, just taking a walk."
Lin Xi: "What a coincidence, I'm taking a walk too."
"Wearing so little for a walk?" Duan Yiheng said, taking off his suit jacket and handing it to her. "You spilled hangover soup on my suit last night, so I'm giving you this one tonight."
"Huh?" Lin Xi was taken aback. "You even fed me hangover soup?"
Duan Yiheng: "I couldn't get it in; you weren't cooperating."
"I was asleep, how could I cooperate?" Lin Xi awkwardly tried to make amends, "I'll pay for your jacket." "Do I need a piece of clothing from you?" Duan Yiheng said. "I've already given it to Sister Mei to handle."
Lin Xi thanked him again: "You don't expect me to do something for you, do you?"
Duan Yiheng: "...Do I look like a miser? You say thank you, and I expect you to do something for me? Looks like your previous thanks weren't very sincere."
"Sincere," Lin Xi quickly said, "I'm truly grateful you brought me back and were willing to let me go to Yin Fan."
Duan Yiheng saw through her thoughts and said, "So, instead of sleeping in the middle of the night, you're still thinking about work?"
Lin Xi nodded honestly.
"Go back and rest early," Duan Yiheng said, "I didn't rush you to start work."
Lin Xi turned and followed him back, his suit jacket draped over her shoulders.
When they reached the middle of the two buildings, she took off the jacket and handed it back to him: "Thank you." Duan Yiheng took it. They exchanged a few pleasantries and then said their goodbyes.
The next afternoon, Lin Xi planned to go to Duan Yiheng's company. She wore a pink knit sweater with a silver-gray skirt; she didn't like wearing necklaces, only a pair of round pearl stud earrings.
Not familiar with the area, she called a driver. The Silver Sail headquarters building was located in the heart of B City's business district, its towering presence exuding an imposing aura.
Lin Xi stepped into the building but hesitated at the reception desk.
She was slightly taken aback; Duan Yiheng hadn't told her she needed an appointment. Subconsciously, she considered Duan Yiheng family, not expecting that even seeing a family member required an appointment.
However, there were no relatives in the company, so sticking to business was best. Lin Xi smiled at the receptionist. "I'm so sorry, I'm here to confirm the position of secretary with Mr. Duan. Could you please make an appointment for me? My surname is Lin."
Receptionist: "Sure, please wait a moment." Lin Xi thanked her and was about to wait aside when a clear female voice called out to her: "Lin Xi?" Lin Xi turned to look and saw her childhood best friend, Chen Jingyi, looking at her with interest. Lin Xi's breath caught in her throat, and she felt an urge to run away.