Gently bite the jasmine

Lin Xi stared at the photo, lost in thought.

She knew that coming out of the restaurant together didn't mean anything.

But when did Duan Yiheng make the appointment with Tan Qi? He knew his schedule well, and she didn't interfere, so it must have been Duan Yiheng who contacted her personally.

Lin Xi restrained herself and told herself not to think about anything.

Qin Yang passed by the door and saw her dazed look, so he walked over out of curiosity.

"You're gossiping too?"

Lin Xi was startled: "What?"

"Regarding Mr. Duan and Ms. Tan," Qin Yang said, "a marriage seems quite reasonable. I contacted Ms. Tan's assistant, and the two of them met right afterward."

"You contacted Miss Tan's assistant?" Lin Xi asked in surprise.

Qin Yang: "Yes, isn't it your responsibility to arrange the itinerary? I asked about it and got scolded by President Duan."

Lin Xi forced a smile.

Given her current relationship with Duan Yiheng, it's understandable that he's keeping it from her.

Lin Xi nodded: "Assistant Qin, you go ahead with your work, I need to get back to work too."

Qin Yang responded and returned to his office.

At ten o'clock, Duan Yiheng arrived at the company. Lin Xi showed no sign of anything amiss and went to his office to report on the day's work process.

"The marketing department has submitted last week's promotion data report. Registrations are better than expected, but user retention is not ideal. Please take a look."

Duan Yiheng: "Should the marketing department increase advertising spending?"

Lin Xi: "Yes, but I think we need to find the reasons. Simply increasing advertising spending is not a long-term solution."

Duan Yiheng nodded: "Analyze the reasons and have them give me an analysis report and improvement plan within a week."

“Okay,” Lin Xi said. “During the cooperation negotiations with Qintian, they wanted to increase their equity stake and have more say in technology research and development.”

Duan Yiheng frowned: "Notify the heads of the legal department and the technical department right now to come upstairs for an emergency meeting."

Lin Xi responded and turned to do it.

A meeting went on until noon. Duan Yiheng rubbed his temples and left the meeting room.

Lin Xi was at her workstation when she saw him and immediately got up and went over: "Would you like me to order something?"

Duan Yiheng loosened his tie: "Let's go to the cafeteria and get two meals to eat together."

Lin Xi noticed the weariness between his brows, responded, and turned to go to the cafeteria.

It took some time for them to come and go. Lin Xi knocked on his office door, and after receiving permission, she opened one of the meals for him and handed him the chopsticks.

The two of them grabbed a quick bite at the coffee table in front of the liquor cabinet.

Duan Yiheng placed a piece of spare rib on her plate and asked, "What do you think of the conditions proposed by Zhentian?"

Lin Xi was taken aback: "Didn't you have a proper meeting?"

Duan Yiheng said, "I just want to hear your thoughts."

Lin Xi paused for a moment, then said, "The other party's conditions will greatly weaken Yinfan Technology's control over the cooperation project, which may also restrict its decision-making."

Duan Yiheng chuckled softly: "Go on."

Lin Xi: "We have the technology, and it's mature and complete. If the other party gets involved, it will disrupt our original R&D pace."

“But since we’re going to cooperate with Zhentian, it’s because we’re eyeing their resources and channels in the market,” Duan Yiheng said. “We can’t just give up like that.”

Lin Xi: "From the legal department's assessment, there are no major problems. So we will negotiate with Qintian again within a certain range of flexibility and ask Qintian to compensate us for our concessions on equity and R&D with other favorable conditions."

Duan Yiheng's eyes were filled with admiration.

“Decision-making and key decisions should be distinguished,” Lin Xi added. “The contract should include a veto right for key decisions, and for others, we can only strive for a larger share of profits.”

"Not bad," Duan Yiheng said. "Let's eat."

Lin Xi didn't know the outcome of their meeting, but judging from Duan Yiheng's reaction, it was probably pretty much what she had said.

After finishing her meal, Lin Xi planned to take a nap, but Duan Yiheng stopped her and said softly, "Just go to my rest room."

Lin Xi brushed his hand away: "This is not good, I'll go out first."

Duan Yiheng didn't insist. He went into the lounge, and his phone rang.

It was Mu Zhao calling, and Duan Yiheng answered without hesitation.

"Congratulations, bro."

As the eldest son of the Mu family, Mu Zhao has always been unreliable, and Duan Yiheng has gotten used to his occasional eccentricities.

Thinking of himself and Lin Xi, he smiled and asked, "How did you know I had some good news recently?"

"Damn, it's made the news, it's all over the industry, how could I not know?" Mu Zhao said speechlessly, "So you were just keeping it from your brother?"

Duan Yiheng's heart sank. Everyone knew about his affair with Lin Xi?

"Miss Tan is a good match for you. She is beautiful, capable, and from a good family. You've finally come to your senses after all these years."

Duan Yiheng asked, "Who are you talking about?"

Mu Zhao: "Tan Qi, the news says you two are going to get married, and the Tan family has already acknowledged it."

After hanging up the phone, Duan Yiheng immediately searched online and saw photos of himself and Tan Qi appearing online, which made him furious.

He immediately called Tan Qi and demanded, "What's going on with the news?"

"I'm sorry." Tan Qi was also at her wits' end. "My mom was fighting with her mistress and thought she could get some relief by clinging to you."

Duan Yiheng: "Deal with it immediately, or don't blame me for being impolite."

Tan Qi chuckled: "Afraid your sweetheart will see?"

Lin Xi has been busy until now, and has eaten with me, so she probably doesn't know yet.

"Tell your mother that if this happens again, your face won't matter." Duan Yiheng hung up the phone.

In the afternoon, seeing that Lin Xi showed no unusual reaction, he went to the research and development center as scheduled.

After getting off work, Lin Xi received a call from Chen Baiwei, asking her to go to the east side.

As expected, the question was about the marriage between Duan Yiheng and Tan Qi.

"Aunt Wei, I'm not quite sure. Why don't you just ask my brother?"

Chen Baiwei frowned: "You're his secretary, how come you don't know anything? Do you know that if he marries into the Tan family, Mingxuan will have to live at his mercy from now on?"

Lin Xi was powerless to respond and could only remain silent.

"Don't you like Mingxuan?" Chen Baiwei's gloomy expression softened again. "Why don't you think about him?"

“Aunt Wei, I don’t like it anymore.” Lin Xi looked into her eyes.

Chen Baiwei didn't believe it at all: "Are you kidding me? You were the one who begged me to stay, and you endured five years of separation for Mingxuan. When you found out that Mingxuan had a girlfriend, you looked heartbroken. Do you think you can let it go so easily?"

Lin Xi chuckled: "But I've already let it go. Didn't you say I wasn't good enough for you?"

"Why are you so rigid?" Chen Baiwei said.

Lin Xi: "When Grandpa mentioned my marriage to Mingxuan, you knew that I had agreed to go to England with Mingxuan, but you came to my room that night to coax me to go to America. The result now is all the result of the seeds sown back then."

"I--"

"boom--"

Chen Baiwei and Lin Xi turned around at the same time. The door was kicked open, and Duan Mingxuan, who was standing outside, looked on in disbelief.