She goes crazy, he'll cover for her; the darling of the group is someone no one dares to mess w

Han Xi felt as if a corner of his heart had been stirred, a gentle, itchy, and slightly warm sensation.

He rubbed his fingertips together imperceptibly, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Thank you."

Fang Li: "You're welcome."

The two ate slowly and quietly, and for a moment the room was so quiet that only the clinking of cutlery could be heard.

After a long while, Fang Li finished eating, put down her spoon, wiped her mouth, and looked at the man opposite her.

"Your sudden arrival in Hangzhou, will it cause any problems at the company?"

Han Xi sipped his soup, glanced up at her, and said, "Everything is arranged. There won't be any problems."

Fang Li hesitated for a moment, then said, "Thank you for helping me keep the marriage a secret from Grandpa. Don't worry, I will go to the capital as soon as things are settled here."

Han Xi stared at her sincere face, then suddenly put down his spoon, a low chuckle escaping his throat.

"You went to the capital, and then what?"

"Of course I'll go home with you to visit our elders. Although our marriage is a business arrangement, we are still husband and wife in name and in fact, and we can't be without proper etiquette."

Fang Li spoke earnestly, and he quietly gazed at her fair face and lively eyes.

Going home... she said she wanted to go home with him.

For the first time, Han Xi felt that these two ordinary words sounded so beautiful when spoken by the woman in front of him.

His dark eyes shimmered with a mysterious light, and he suddenly reached out to her, startling Fang Li so much that she froze, unable to move.

He reached his long arm across the table, his slender fingertips gently brushing the strands of hair from her cheek to one side, his cool fingers intentionally or unintentionally brushing across her face.

A deep and alluring voice:

"Have you thought about what would happen if you came home with me and visited the elders?"

Fang Li stared at him blankly.

The man's pleasant voice carried a hint of mockery: "Grandpa has been hoping all these years that I would get married soon so that I could carry on the Han family line. If you come back with me, you might not be able to leave."

"You're willing to do this?"

Fang Li's face flushed slightly.

"You... I was just saying it casually, so forget it if you say that!"

"Angry?"

Fang Li: "No."

“They say when a woman says no, she means yes,” Han Xi suddenly said.

Fang Li looked at him: "Them?"

Han Xi: "A few..."

He suddenly stopped, as if pondering how to describe the other person. After a few seconds, he continued, "A fair-weather friend."

Are you sure you're not just some bad influence?

Han Xi pretended to be serious and said, "I am a human, and I don't like to be friends with animals."

Fang Li's stern face broke into a smile.

I never expected that this man would be like this beneath his serious exterior.

Han Xi watched her laugh, a warm feeling emanating from his brows.

"Fang Li".

Chun Chun's voice, with a hint of helpless huskiness at the end, was like a lover's whisper in her ear. For the first time, Fang Li felt that her name could sound so beautiful.

Her smile faltered.

"what?"

He looked at her and asked, "Did my sudden visit make you uncomfortable?"

Fang Li thought of those three words he had said in the room earlier.

The awkwardness in my heart suddenly softened, and a dull feeling filled my chest, an indescribable sensation.

"No, it's just that I'm a little... not used to it." Her expression became more and more unnatural as she spoke.

"So, you don't mind me coming to see you."

Fang Li paused, then shook her head.

"If I want to see you in the future, can I come to you anytime?"

Fang Li was surprised and looked up at him.

"you......."

The warmth in Han Xi's eyes gradually faded, replaced by an emotion Fang Li had never seen before, like a test, or a plea, heavily suppressed and concealed.

"Do you think that the reason I chose to marry you is just to do the Xu family a favor because of my relationship with President Xu?"

"..."

"Fang Li, if I said I came here for you, would you think I have impure motives and deep thoughts? Would you still be willing to try to be a real Mrs. Han and come to my side?"

Fang Li's lingering anxiety vanished instantly upon hearing Han Xi's words, replaced by a profound sense of bewilderment.

What he said...

-

"Did he really say that?"

On the phone, Xu Fangye's voice was terribly hoarse, whether from a hangover or just not fully awake.

Fang Li nestled in bed, hugging the blanket, her face full of confusion: "Brother, tell me the truth, why would Han Xi be willing to do such a big favor for our Xu family?"

Xu Fangye answered with his eyes closed, "Isn't it all because of you...?"

"I?"

Fang Li was shocked: "So he really did it because of me?!"

Xu Fangye on the other end of the phone jolted awake, sobering up considerably.

He sat up and quickly changed his tune: "What do you mean 'because of you'? It's clearly because of your brother! He and I are good brothers, it's only right that I help my brother with this little thing."

"Besides, you're my sister, Xu Fangye's sister. While your looks might be passable, your behavior a bit rough, and your demeanor ordinary, your brother here is irresistibly charming and loved by everyone..."

Xu Fangye was rambling on and on on the phone, praising himself, completely unaware that his sister's face was gradually darkening.

"Xu Fangye!"

“…Eh.”

Fang Li gritted her teeth: "If you can't speak properly, then shut up! If you're so capable, why don't people invest in the Xu family because of you? In the end, they still have to rely on my sister, who is passable in appearance, rough in behavior, and has an ordinary temperament, to arrange marriages!"

"...Are you angry? I was just saying it casually..."

"Stop talking nonsense. Every time you say something casually, I don't like anything you say. I'm not talking to you anymore."

"Why.....!"

Fang Li didn't give him a chance to talk nonsense and hung up the phone directly.

Haicheng, Zijun Huating.

"woke up?"

A woman dressed in light pink loungewear came in from the doorway and handed a cup to Xu Fangye: "I made some honey water, you'll feel better if you drink some."

"Do you think she'll suspect anything?" Xu Fangye was still thinking about how he almost let something slip earlier, and looked anxiously at his phone.

The woman sighed helplessly, "You should have thought the day you lied that the lie would be exposed sooner or later."

She bent down and sat down beside him, holding a glass of water to his lips.

Xu Fangye obediently opened his mouth and took a sip.

But soon, he impatiently pushed the woman's hand away, "No, now is not the time to expose myself. I need to talk to my brother-in-law."

He pulled out Han Xi's number from his phone and quickly dialed it.

When Xu Fangye called, Han Xi was in a video conference.

He left in a hurry. Although Elara was overseeing things at the company and there wouldn't be any major problems in the short term, he still needed to personally review some project proposals.

The planning manager was reporting the latest project progress via video when his phone on the table suddenly started vibrating.

Han Xi glanced at it but ignored it, focusing on listening to the report.

On the other end of the phone, Xu Fangye was so anxious he kept scratching his head.

Answer it! Answer the phone!