Gently bite the jasmine

Lin Xi winked at Duan Yiheng, who smiled and looked away.

"Grandpa, I don't plan to get married for the time being."

The old man pondered for a moment: "Is it because of your father?"

Duan Yiheng shook his head: "No."

The old man clearly disagreed: "My health is getting worse and worse, and Yin Fan will have to be handed over to you sooner or later. I met your Grandpa Tan's granddaughter the other day when I was fishing. Go and meet her."

This wasn't a question; it was a forceful demand.

Duan Yiheng had an amazing memory, and a noble, beautiful, yet cold silhouette appeared in his mind.

“Tan Qi?” he asked.

The old man nodded: "I think she's quite good. She joined our company six months ago, and Old Tan praised her to the skies. I think she's a good match for you."

Duan Yiheng naturally didn't want to see him, but he never disobeyed the old man's orders.

Finally, he compromised and made an excuse: "We'll talk about it later, I've been quite busy lately."

He had met Tan Qi two or three times at business banquets and they also had each other's contact information.

It's fine to explain it privately.

The servants came to call them to eat, but the old man waved his hand and said, "You two go and eat."

He was a patient and an elderly man, so his meals were prepared separately.

Duan Yiheng and Lin Xi washed their hands, sat facing each other, and were busy eating, exchanging only a few words between glances.

After finishing their meal, Duan Yiheng led Lin Xi away from the North Courtyard.

It was still early, so he suggested, "Let's walk back."

He could tell that Lin Xi wasn't really keen on going back.

The villa is huge, almost completely separated from north to south; walking like this would take more than ten minutes.

However, Lin Xi did not refuse.

The ground lights illuminated the road, and Lin Xi chuckled softly as she stepped into the light.

Duan Yiheng turned his head and asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Lin Xi shook his head.

She just felt that nothing in this world is certain.

When she was six years old, she was obediently waiting at home for her parents' gifts, but instead received news of a plane crash.

She thought that after fulfilling her five-year promise with Chen Baiwei, she could return to China and express her feelings to Duan Mingxuan, but instead, she was met by Zhang Mo.

And someone she had little contact with in the first half of her life was now accompanying her on a walk.

Back in the South Courtyard, Duan Yiheng escorted her a few steps eastward.

Lin Xi said, "The shirt is washed. Wait a moment, I'll go get it."

Duan Yiheng wanted to say there was no rush, but Lin Xi had already run far away.

Duan Mingxuan couldn't muster the energy to do anything all day.

Playing online games with Yu Lang and a few of his cronies, I lost my usual skill level and got chased and scolded by Yu Lang.

"Holy crap, what's wrong with you? If you're really having trouble, let's go out for a drink."

Duan Mingxuan was feeling uneasy, so he threw down the game controller and said, "See you at the usual place."

Instead of keeping it to myself, I'd rather go out for a drink.

Yu Lang could offer him advice, but he just didn't want Lin Xi to go celebrate Duan Yiheng's birthday.

Duan Yiheng may appear respectable, but he wears a cold and aloof exterior, and in reality, he is full of filthy thoughts.

He went downstairs and saw Lin Xi hurrying by.

Duan Mingxuan instinctively reached out to call her, but then stopped himself.

After hesitating for a while, he watched helplessly as Lin Xi also went downstairs and headed straight for the side door.

Duan Mingxuan followed suspiciously and saw two figures by the bushes in the front yard.

He stood far away and couldn't hear their conversation, but he saw Lin Xi hand the bag to Duan Yiheng.

Duan Yiheng took the bag and joked, "Did you wash it by hand?"

Lin Xi stared with her almond-shaped eyes, giving off an expression that said, "Aren't you afraid I'll ruin it by washing it myself?"

"You don't want it just because I didn't wash it by hand?" Lin Xi was slightly speechless.

Duan Yiheng: "Then I still want it."

Lin Xi suspected he was causing trouble, but had no evidence.

To avoid being extorted, it was best to leave first. She said, "I'm going back now. I still have a lot of information to read."

"Go."

Lin Xi turned and stepped onto the stairs, unaware of Duan Mingxuan hiding in the darkness.

Duan Yiheng lifted his foot and turned around, but upon hearing the noise behind him, he stopped in his tracks.

He turned around and saw Duan Mingxuan, whose face was ashen.

Duan Yiheng's expression visibly calmed down.

The two brothers, one dressed in a suit and tie, aloof and arrogant, the other sporty and casual, unruly and rebellious.

Despite being three centimeters shorter, Duan Mingxuan inexplicably felt that he was a head shorter than him.

"Big Brother," Duan Mingxuan said in a low, piercing voice, "Are you getting close to Xiao Xi?"

"Approaching?" Duan Yiheng raised his eyes. "If that's what you think, that's fine too."

"If it's not getting close, then what is it? What exactly is your purpose?" Duan Mingxuan's handsome face was filled with anger.

Duan Yiheng smiled: "It wasn't my purpose to make her cry after all."

"You—" Duan Mingxuan was speechless in the face of his accusation.

"Duan Mingxuan," Duan Yiheng suddenly called out to him seriously, "Can't you see what kind of person she is in your house?"

"It's none of your business." Duan Mingxuan frowned in disgust. "No matter what, Xiao Xi has always grown up with me. She will never, ever choose you."

Duan Yiheng remained expressionless, saying lightly, "So how long do you plan to hold this debt of gratitude, which carries enormous benefits, hostile?"

Duan Mingxuan understood.

Lin Xi did not come to the Duan family alone, but brought with her "Guangxi", which her parents had founded.

Grandpa treated her like his own granddaughter, but Duan Zheng and Chen Baiwei felt that the benefits Lin Xi brought to the Duan family were only right and proper.

There's another point that Duan Yiheng deeply resents.

That is, Duan Zheng and Chen Baiwei are heartless and ungrateful. After using her, they kicked her aside, disdaining her status as an orphan and feeling that she was not good enough for Duan Mingxuan.

“What do you mean by repaying a debt of gratitude? I’ve never had such a thought,” Duan Mingxuan retorted. “My mother is outspoken and may have accidentally said something that hurt Xiaoxi, but she will apologize to Xiaoxi.”

Duan Yiheng scoffed: "Putting everything else aside, just considering Lin Xi's decision to go to the United States alone for five years, I wonder if she will have a moment of regret after hearing what you said."

"What do you mean?" Duan Mingxuan frowned.

Duan Mingxuan was indeed angry when she went to the United States without permission.

But later I couldn't bear to leave her alone in a strange place, so I would visit her every month.

What gives Duan Yiheng the right to say that? What qualifications does he have?

Duan Yiheng was too lazy to waste any more words with him, leaving Duan Mingxuan standing alone in the night.

After a long while, feeling unhappy, Duan Mingxuan drove to the bar where he had arranged to meet Yu Lang.

He immediately downed three drinks, and Yu Lang noticed something was wrong with him and asked him a few questions.

Duan Mingxuan spoke selectively, mentioning only a few things.

Yu Lang patted him speechlessly: "It's just a birthday, why are you reacting so strongly?"

“You don’t understand.” Duan Mingxuan’s face was flushed. “I always felt that Xiao Xi was hiding something from me. She used to barely speak two words to Duan Yiheng in a year, but since she came back, I’ve seen the two of them come back together more than once.”

Yu Lang, unaware of his inner turmoil, said bluntly, "Then just ask Lin Xi."

"She didn't tell me, and she was hiding it from me."

Yu Lang: "Then what do we do?"

Duan Mingxuan hooked his arm around Yu Lang's neck: "Here's what we'll do, find someone to help me investigate."

"Are you sure?" Yu Lang asked. "Wouldn't Lin Xi be angry if she found out?"

"Aren't you going to keep it from her?"

Yu Lang gave in: "Alright, alright, I'll have someone check for you right away."

Duan Mingxuan took a swig of wine and acquiesced.

He was just worried about Lin Xi, nothing more. Xiao Xi wouldn't be angry with him even if she knew.

He just... wanted to know what she was doing.