Lin Xi didn't go downstairs for dinner. Duan Mingxuan came to wake her, only to find her asleep.
Half of her cheek was buried in the blanket, just like when she was a child, delicate and pitiful.
Duan Mingxuan went over and pulled the blanket up a little. Startled, Lin Xi opened her mouth slightly and murmured, "President Duan." Duan Mingxuan was slightly taken aback. President Duan? Who was she talking about? His father?
He pondered for a moment before leaving Lin Xi's bedroom, then went downstairs to instruct the kitchen to prepare a late-night snack.
Lin Xi slept until almost ten o'clock. Sister Mei, who had been watching her closely, quickly brought the late-night snack to the table when she came downstairs.
She ate slowly and deliberately, then spaced out for a while. Sister Mei found it amusing; Lin Xi always slept with her sleep schedule reversed, and this was how she always looked when she woke up.
In the past, when she returned from abroad and was jet-lagged, she often startled people in the middle of the night. After dawdling for a long time, Lin Xi finally woke up.
Back in her room, Lin Xi started drafting a text message, but after typing "Happy Birthday," she felt it wasn't quite right. Too dry.
Lin Xi opened her laptop, searching for birthday wishes for her boss. Too flattering and official; Duan Yiheng would probably spot it as copied and pasted immediately.
Lin Xi thought for a moment and typed: "Happy Birthday! Thank you for your continued support at Yinfan. Wishing you find your soulmate next year and set sail on a great journey."
When the alarm rang, Lin Xi sent the message.
Lin Xi thought Duan Yiheng was already asleep, but a voice message came back instantly: "Happy birthday and set sail, I accept that, the rest is fine."
Lin Xi pressed the voice message button: "You're still awake? I just remembered Grandpa's suggestion for you to go on a blind date, so I thought I'd wish you well."
Duan Yiheng scoffed: "No need, I have no plans to get married anytime soon." Having spent so many days together, Lin Xi had grown bolder, her spirits high as she gossiped: "Can I ask? Why aren't you married?" After all, according to Grandpa's arrangements, if he married a wealthy heiress of equal social standing, taking over Silver Sail would be a piece of cake.
Duan Yiheng replied: "You want to know?" Of course she wanted to know, otherwise why would she ask?
However, Duan Yiheng's mood was too calm, and his tone was indifferent; she wondered if he thought she was being nosy. Never mind, gossipy boss, he's really asking for trouble.
Just as Lin Xi was about to speak, another voice message came from the other end.
She clicked on the link, and Duan Yiheng's voice was even lower: "Not that person." Lin Xi was taken aback. Did he mean she had someone she liked? Or was the person she expected just not yet appeared? Going any further into gossip would be inappropriate, so Lin Xi didn't ask any more questions.
They said goodnight to each other, tacitly ending their conversation.
The next morning, Liang Yutong picked her up in her car, and the two went straight to the 4S store. At the same time, Yu Lang, with Duan Mingxuan in the back, followed behind them.
"Damn, this crappy car is so hard to drive," Yu Lang complained.
He had borrowed this car from someone else so he and Duan Mingxuan could follow Lin Xi.
Duan Mingxuan: "...Why are you driving like a complete novice? Are you driving a kiddie ride?" Yu Lang: "I'm just not familiar with the car."
"Hurry up," Duan Mingxuan urged, "Liang Yutong is turning right."
With only five seconds left on the green light, Yu Lang quickly accelerated. The two followed Liang Yutong's car to the 4S dealership without incident.
Yu Lang parked his car some distance away and asked curiously, "What are they doing here? Buying a car?"
Duan Mingxuan frowned slightly. "Xiao Xi doesn't need a car. She's probably here with Liang Yutong, right?" Lin Xi's goal was clear: she just needed a car for transportation. She didn't care about the color; having one in stock was best, as she needed it urgently.
Ultimately, at Liang Yutong's suggestion, she ordered a BMW 430i two-door.
Lin Xi left her family driver's information and contact details; the driver would handle the paperwork. Then she and Liang Yutong went to SKP.
Yu Lang continued following, saying, "If she gets out of the car, it'll be terrible if they see her."
Duan Mingxuan: "I told you to investigate for so long and there was no news. Otherwise, do you think I would follow Xiao Xi?" Yu Lang: "Why would I follow her? She's just shopping with her girlfriends."
Duan Mingxuan rolled his eyes at him: "We're already here." Yu Lang resignedly followed.
They quickly regretted their decision. Liang Yutong led Lin Xi into a top-tier luxury brand store and didn't come out again. Duan Mingxuan finally lost patience, nudged Yu Lang's foot, and said, "Let's go back first. They could stay inside all day if they're having a good time."
Poor Yu Lang followed Duan Mingxuan out. Lin Xi and Liang Yutong indeed shopped until the afternoon, returning home laden with purchases. She picked out an office ornament for Duan Yiheng—a 98,000 yuan sailboat-shaped craft. The sailboat was half a meter long, with a jade base.
The sail was made of heavyweight silk custom-made by a top European workshop. Liang Yutong smiled, "This ornament is nice. It matches the name 'Silver Sail' and has a good meaning. It's suitable for the office."
Lin Xi: "The company is moving to a new campus soon. I just had this idea on a whim. Otherwise, I would have had a lot to choose from, not knowing what to give as a gift."
"Did you tell Duan Mingxuan about you becoming Duan Yiheng's secretary?" Liang Yutong asked.
"Not yet," Lin Xi said. "He's strongly opposed to celebrating Duan Yiheng's birthday. If I bring it up now, he'll throw a tantrum."
"Don't you think there's something wrong with him?" Liang Yutong complained. "He acts like he cares about you a lot, like he's jealous, but then he gets a girlfriend and hurts your feelings."
Lin Xi pursed her lips: "Liking him is my own business, he doesn't know that, so there's no question of him intentionally hurting me."
Liang Yutong: "You're still defending him now? Have you thought about the future?"
Lin Xi: "Of course I have. For now, I'll focus on my work. If he gets married in the future, I'll move out of the villa."
Liang Yutong glanced at the birthday gift she gave Duan Yiheng and joked haphazardly, "Why don't you take the exam…" "Think about your brother?"
Lin Xi didn't understand: "Huh? What brother?"
Liang Yutong grinned mischievously: "Duan Yiheng, he's much more reliable than Duan Mingxuan."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Lin Xi's almond-shaped eyes widened. "I've always considered him my older brother."
Liang Yutong: "But if you can be with Duan Mingxuan, you can be with him too. Why didn't Grandpa Duan give you to Duan Yiheng as his child bride?"
Lin Xi: "...Liang Yutong, shut up!"
Liang Yutong quickly begged for forgiveness: "I was just joking."
"You'll joke about anything." Lin Xi waved the thing in her hand. "Hurry up and get the car."
Liang Yutong smiled and opened the car door for her: "I'll take you home now." She hadn't been to the Duan family in a long time, and Lin Xi asked her to stay. Learning from Sister Mei that Duan Zheng and Chen Baiwei weren't there, but Yu Lang was, Liang Yutong decided to stay for dinner.
In the game room, Yu Lang and Duan Mingxuan were dominating the game, their phones beeping repeatedly.
Yu Lang took off his headphones, opened his phone, and saw several photos and videos on WeChat.
"Holy crap!" Yu Lang exclaimed. Duan Mingxuan also took off his headphones and asked, "What's wrong?"
"See for yourself." Duan Mingxuan took Yu Lang's phone; the photos and videos all featured Duan Yiheng and Lin Xi. There was also a schedule from the day of the employee meeting.
A voice message popped up, and Duan Mingxuan opened it with a grim face: "Young Master Yu, I've investigated for you. This Miss Lin works at Yin Fan; she's the secretary of Duan Yiheng, the group's vice president and president of Yin Fan Technology."
The air was deathly silent; Yu Lang didn't dare look Duan Mingxuan in the eye.