Gently bite the jasmine

Duan Yiheng, still reeking of alcohol, went back into the bar.

Almost instantly, his head began to ache from the heavy metal-like notes.

Walking along the booths and through the crowd, Duan Yiheng saw Mu Shuo waving at him.

People around him were shocked by his appearance and wanted to go up and chat with him, but Duan Yiheng didn't even give him a second glance.

He strode over to Lin Xi, bent down, and touched her cheek: "Lin Xi?"

Lin Xi glanced at him: "Who are you?"

"..."

Duan Yiheng grabbed her arm and coaxed her softly, "I'll take you home."

"I don't want to." Lin Xi shook off his hand. "I still want to drink."

Duan Yiheng's gaze sharpened slightly. He suddenly grabbed her hand and asked, "What's wrong?"

Liang Yutong noticed that Lin Xi's fingers were noticeably redder than the surrounding skin and was taken aback: "No way? Xiao Xi got burned too?"

Duan Yiheng turned around, his eyes indifferent: "What's going on?"

Liang Yutong briefly described what happened in the ward, adding a curse as she went:

"That green tea bitch must have done it on purpose. Xiao Xi isn't that kind of person. How could she do it just because she likes him—"

Liang Yutong suddenly stopped talking and glanced at Duan Yiheng.

Mu Shuo, unsure of Duan Yiheng's current mood, took the initiative to flatter him: "Brother Heng, how about we go up to the third floor first? There's some ointment for burns there."

Duan Yiheng grabbed Lin Xi's arm, trying to hug her, but the peacock-like woman beside her raised her hand to stop him: "Who are you? You—"

Duan Yiheng viciously gripped the man's wrist and forcefully twisted it backward, causing the man to break out in a sweat from the pain.

Duan Yiheng, having reached his limit of restraint, grabbed the other person by the collar, lifted him up, and threw him to the ground, causing him to crash into the bar stool with a loud thud.

Duan Yiheng paid no attention to the commotion he had caused and carried Lin Xi upstairs.

Lin Xi was not behaving himself; he waved his hand and accidentally hit Duan Yiheng's chin.

With tears streaming down her face, Lin Xi said in a soft, coquettish voice, "It hurts so much."

That's where the burn is.

Duan Yiheng's heart skipped a beat. He lowered his head and gently scolded, "You know it hurts, yet you still move around and drink alcohol?"

Lin Xi couldn't see his face clearly and cried out, "Who are you? Are you crazy? Why are you bothering me?"

"..."

Duan Yiheng carried her into the VIP room, took the ointment that Mu Shuo had asked the butler for, and then dismissed all the other staff.

Only the two of them remained in the private room.

Liang Yutong was about to follow him in when Mu Shuo stopped her: "Brother Heng seems a bit angry. Let's not go in and provoke him. Shall we go for a drink instead?"

Liang Yutong trusted Duan Yiheng completely and accepted Mu Shuo's invitation.

Duan Yiheng took Lin Xi's hand and applied medicine to her.

The lights in the private room weren't very bright. Duan Yiheng lowered his head, and his rugged profile fell into Lin Xi's eyes.

My fingertips were enveloped in white cream, which was then gently spread out.

A slight itch arose from the stinging sensation.

Lin Xi leaned back on the sofa, and when she looked straight ahead, her gaze fell directly on Duan Yiheng's collarbone.

Lin Xi's throat was dry from the alcohol, so she licked her lips, didn't ask for bottled water, and boldly asked, "Handsome, wanna add me on WeChat?"

Duan Yiheng laughed in exasperation: "No."

Lin Xi had never struck up a conversation with anyone before, so she racked her brains and came up with an idea: "Hey bro, wanna add one?"

Duan Yiheng was cold and unapproachable, his tone turning somber: "I'm your older brother."

"Big brother?" Lin Xi moved closer to him, her breath catching his nostrils. "You've been drinking too?"

Duan Yiheng lowered his head suspiciously and sniffed lightly. Could it be that the smell was too unpleasant?

"It smells so good." Lin Xi was so drunk that she couldn't tell which way was which. She pounced on him and said, "What are you drinking? Share a glass with me."

"Maotai." Duan Yiheng reached out and caught her.

"tasty?"

He stared at her reddened lips and said, "You're not home in the middle of the night because Duan Mingxuan is drinking here with a strange man?"

“Tongtong said that there is more than one man in this world than Duan Mingxuan.” Lin Xi suddenly lowered her head, her forehead touching his chest.

“The second time.” Duan Yiheng lowered his eyes. “You got drunk in front of me for the second time. I won’t be so lucky as to let you throw yourself into my arms a third time. I can still tolerate that, understand?”

"Endure what?" Lin Xi murmured against his chest, "I want to forget Duan Mingxuan, I want to fall in love, I want to find a man."

Duan Yiheng's face darkened completely. He grabbed her arm and threw her onto the sofa.

She was below, he was above.

Duan Yiheng lowered his head and looked into her eyes: "Say it again."

Lin Xi, for some unknown reason, was provoked and shoved him hard in the chest.

"What's wrong with me saying it again? I want to forget you, I want to date, I want to find a man, is it any of your business?"

Duan Yiheng: "..."

This means he's impersonating Duan Mingxuan again.

“I was abroad for five years, and you were always there for me, visiting me every month. I thought you might have had some feelings for me too.”

"Otherwise, why do you always get angry and sabotage things when other people are pursuing me?"

"I came back intending to tell you that I like you, but you kept it from me and got a girlfriend."

Lin Xi choked back sobs, the smell of alcohol mixed with bitterness as she poured herself onto Duan Yiheng.

"I thought you were serious, but then you broke up with me again, swearing that you had broken it off completely, but you still have lingering feelings for each other."

"Now……"

Lin Xi's nose twitched, and she let her tears blur her vision: "Now she has risked her life to save you again. The bond between you two in this life is tied to that scar on her lower back."

"I know I should let go."

"But I'm so sad inside, you don't believe me."

"You don't believe me... Duan Mingxuan..."

"I don't want to be alone, I want to..."

Lin Xi was so aggrieved that she couldn't even finish a sentence.

Duan Yiheng wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes: "What do you want? Tell me, and I'll give it to you."

"You can't give me that." Lin Xi's tears flowed even more fiercely, as if she wanted to vent all the grievances she had suffered since returning to China.

Duan Yiheng asked again, "What do you want?"

“I want… a home,” Lin Xi said slowly.

Duan Yiheng's fingertips were wet with her tears. He leaned closer, his nose almost touching hers.

"Can anyone do it?"

Lin Xi shook her head: "Only if you love me."

Duan Yiheng chuckled softly: "All I need to do is love you, not for you to love him?"

Lin Xi completely followed Duan Yiheng's rhythm of speech and replied, "Only if he loves me can I feel it and only then can I possibly love him back."

"Feelings?" Duan Yiheng murmured to himself, his brows furrowed.

In Lin Xi's first year abroad, her grandfather entrusted her safety to Duan Zheng.

Duan Zheng was busy with company affairs and left them to Chen Baiwei.

Chen Baiwei didn't care. He chose a new apartment for Lin Xi with advanced security systems, a dedicated driver, and a bulletproof vehicle.

They also established an emergency contact mechanism in the name of Yinfan Group, in cooperation with the security department of her school.

In the years that followed, he quietly resolved all the social, academic, and safety issues she encountered.

She knew none of these things.

Today's words have awakened him, stirring deep emotions within Duan Yiheng.

So... I had to let her know for there to be a chance of liking her.

The light was blinding, and Lin Xi squinted, clearly drunk.

The man in front of me looks a lot like Duan Mingxuan.

She grabbed his suit collar and yanked it off.

Duan Yiheng was caught off guard; his nose brushed against her cheek, and his lips touched her warm, wine-scented lips.

The shadows had fallen, and the light was no longer blinding. She climbed onto his neck, preventing him from leaving.

Duan Yiheng's heart was churning, and he remained stunned for a long time before managing to distance himself. Lin Xi frowned again.

"Will you still remember tomorrow?" Duan Yiheng asked softly, his lips almost touching hers.

"Ok?"

Duan Yiheng gripped her waist tightly, and as she winced in pain and slightly parted her lips, he lowered his head and kissed her.