All sound was swallowed by the darkness, the entire city frozen in a silent pause. Lin Xi and Duan Yiheng locked eyes, the sound of their hearts pounding clearly audible.
"You…" Lin Xi stammered, "Have you mistaken me for someone else?" The hangover soup warmed his stomach, bringing a sliver of clarity back to Duan Yiheng's mind. But only a sliver.
He moved closer to Lin Xi, seemingly to confirm he hadn't mistaken her for someone else, but then he caught a sweet, yet not cloying, fragrance. This scent drew him ever closer. Lin Xi, still holding his hand, couldn't bear his advances after his ambiguous words.
She pressed down on Duan Yiheng's shoulder, her gaze unfocused, and said, "Let me take you upstairs to rest. You have work tomorrow." "Work?" Duan Yiheng's usually sharp mind was momentarily slow. Taking advantage of the moment, Lin Xi quickly stood up:
"Yes, I have work. Let me take you back to your room." Duan Yiheng's head was still foggy, but he was still thinking about work. He swayed as he got up, startling Lin Xi, who supported him with her entire weight. "Cooperate a bit."
Duan Yiheng followed her, struggling towards the stairs. Fortunately, he still had some sense and cooperated, walking step by step back to the room. Lin Xi, panting, didn't dare let go; Duan Yiheng was simply too heavy.
She understood the狰狞 (zhengning, meaning ferocious or hideous) look on Meng Huaishan's face when he brought him back. Finally reaching the bedside, Lin Xi didn't dare to let go like Meng Huaishan had. Because she was holding Duan Yiheng's waist, she patted him lightly: "You're too heavy, I can't move you. Sit down first."
Duan Yiheng obediently sat down beside the bed, and Lin Xi stood between his legs, reaching out to grab his tie: "I'll take off your tie and suit before you sleep." As for showering, she'd deal with that tomorrow morning.
Lin Xi ripped off his tie and tossed it at the foot of the bed, then grabbed his hand and pinched the cuff of his suit jacket. "Lift your hand up a bit." Duan Yiheng was easy to please when drunk; a dose of hangover soup and he'd do whatever she asked.
She took off his suit jacket and tossed it at the foot of the bed as well. Just as Lin Xi was about to help him lie down, her waist suddenly tightened. A pair of arms locked her firmly, pulling her down. Lin Xi couldn't resist his strength and landed on his lap.
Lin Xi was completely stunned for five seconds. When she came to her senses, Duan Yiheng's head was buried in her neck. Lin Xi's almond-shaped eyes widened, her face flushing red from her neck to her cheeks. "Duan Yiheng," Lin Xi exclaimed in disbelief, "Are you crazy? Let go of me!"
Duan Yiheng not only didn't loosen his grip, but held her even tighter. He was holding a pot of jasmine; if he loosened his hold, it would fall. "Duan Yiheng…" Lin Xi grabbed his arm, but couldn't pry it off, almost crying in her anxiety. Lin Xi had a bad feeling; all she wanted now was to get back to her room.
The unmoving mattress gave Duan Yiheng a sense of security. He held Jasmine in his arms and pressed her onto the bed. This way, she wouldn't get hurt. Lin Xi stared in shock at the man above her. Duan Yiheng's hot breath reeked of alcohol, and his body temperature was slightly higher than usual.
The two bodies pressed tightly together. Lin Xi stiffened, raising her hand to press against his chest. Suddenly, Lin Xi felt a strange familiarity with the scene… as if they had once been in a place filled with the smell of alcohol, gazing at each other in this ambiguous position.
But she didn't have time to think further, because Duan Yiheng leaned down. "Duan Yiheng," Lin Xi's heart pounded, "What are you doing?" Duan Yiheng's fingertips lightly touched her cheek, his thumb pressing against the corner of her mouth. What did he want to do? He wanted to hold the jasmine blossom between his lips. "I want...to be despicable one more time." Lin Xi's heart pounded, her hands, which had been pressed against his chest, were pushed back. Duan Yiheng, reeking of alcohol, leaned down and kissed her. He was going crazy!
Lin Xi's scalp tingled. She instinctively opened her mouth to refuse, but he seized the opportunity, biting and kneading her lips. Duan Yiheng wasn't gentle; his breath was heavy against hers, his muscles tense, trembling with excitement.
This kiss came unexpectedly, yet was surging and rapid. She closed her eyes in fright and bit down hard. Duan Yiheng winced in pain, but didn't release her lips, still holding her soft lips.
Their breaths mingled, and Lin Xi was completely overwhelmed. Tears welled in her eyes, and even her breath was stolen away. Lin Xi suddenly froze, remembering everything in the heat of Duan Yiheng's kiss.
She burned her hand with scalding hot porridge at the hospital by Zhang Mo. Duan Mingxuan didn't believe her, and heartbroken, she went drinking with Liang Yutong. In her drunken rage, she didn't recognize Duan Yiheng, crying and cursing at him. Under the glaring lights, she and Duan Yiheng shared a passionate kiss.
Lin Xi let out a few incoherent trembling sounds. She desperately pounded his shoulder, finally being released when she couldn't breathe. With her last ounce of strength, Lin Xi pushed Duan Yiheng away and stumbled back to her room.
"Bang—" Lin Xi slammed the door shut, her back pressed against it, and she slid to the floor. She grabbed her hair in frustration. She had initially thought Duan Yiheng had gone too far, but it turned out she was just as wild when drunk. How absurd! Why had she gotten entangled with Duan Yiheng?
Lin Xi was completely baffled. Why did Duan Yiheng kiss her? Her thoughts raced, one idea flashing through her mind, which Lin Xi forced herself to ignore. She pounded her head hard, hoping Duan Yiheng would sober up by tomorrow and forget everything.
Lin Xi's hands trembled as she set three alarms, too afraid to appear before Duan Yiheng the next morning. —The next morning, Sister Mei got up early.
At eight o'clock, she went upstairs and knocked on Duan Yiheng's door. After waiting three or four minutes with no response, she didn't dare go in and turned to go downstairs to the kitchen. Duan Yiheng was startled awake by the knocking. His hangover made his head throb, and he couldn't fall back asleep.
He sat up, glanced down at himself, and frowned in disgust. He got out of bed, went into the bathroom, grabbed a toothbrush, squeezed on toothpaste, and opened his mouth, the toothbrush hitting his tongue. Duan Yiheng looked up and saw a cut on his tongue.
Instantly, memories of last night flooded his mind like a tidal wave. Duan Yiheng felt dizzy and disoriented, and instinctively went to find Lin Xi. Had he scared her? But his current appearance was truly unsightly. He quickly went into the bathroom and showered as fast as he could.
After changing his clothes, Duan Yiheng went to Lin Xi's door. He stood outside for a full three minutes before finally knocking. There was no response. It was almost time for work; Lin Xi couldn't possibly still be asleep. Duan Yiheng had a suspicion, so he grasped the doorknob and pushed open her door.
Sure enough, Lin Xi's bedroom was empty. She was avoiding him. Duan Yiheng quickly went downstairs and called his driver to bring the car down. Hearing the commotion, Sister Mei immediately followed: "You haven't had breakfast yet!"
Duan Yiheng had no appetite for breakfast and strode out the door. Sister Mei was worried. He had a hangover last night; what was he in such a hurry to do, skipping breakfast? He only needed to be at the company by ten, and it was only eight-thirty. "Drive faster."
Duan Yiheng instructed the driver, more urgently than ever before. Seeing his eagerness, the driver assumed something important and urgent at the company required his attention. But the truth was, when they arrived at the company, the receptionist hadn't even arrived yet.