Gently bite the jasmine

From death to life, and from life to death, it takes no more than three seconds.

Duan Mingxuan's heart tightened; he felt both panicked and in pain.

He instinctively gripped the steering wheel tightly, his fingertips turning white.

Without further hesitation, Duan Mingxuan slammed on the steering wheel, stepped on the gas, and quickly made a U-turn.

Lin Xi was left stranded in a limbo, unable to move forward or backward. She could only pick up her phone and call the family driver.

As soon as she turned on her phone, a blinding light enveloped her from behind.

Lin Xi pressed herself against the roadside, her eyes full of wariness.

The lights were too bright, so she slightly turned her head to avoid them.

To her surprise, the car stopped right next to her feet.

The car window was half-rolled down. Lin Xi turned her head when she heard the noise. She was surprised at first, then stunned. She then pouted and the tears she had been holding back for a long time finally found an outlet.

"What are you standing there for?" Duan Yiheng looked at her. "Get in the car."

Lin Xi quickly wiped away her tears and climbed into the carriage.

She sat down opposite Duan Yiheng, her grievances welling up inside her. After a while, she asked, "Why haven't you left yet?"

Duan Yiheng: "What will you do if I leave?"

Lin Xi's lips parted slightly, and she felt like crying again. She sniffed and asked, "Where are Mr. Lu and Mrs. Lu?"

"The hotel sent a car over."

"That's good," Lin Xi said. "I saw you leave, and when I chased after you, you were already gone."

Duan Yiheng: "I ran into the restaurant owner and chatted with him for a bit, which took up some time."

As soon as he finished speaking, a car headlight pierced the darkness, merging with and brushing past Duan Yiheng's car headlights.

Lin Xi stiffened and glanced sideways.

Duan Yiheng instructed the driver, "Don't stop, speed up."

The driver responded and immediately increased the speed.

Duan Mingxuan, who was returning, seemed to sense something. His tires screeched on the ground, and the next moment he turned around and chased after them like a beast ready to pounce.

Lin Xi's phone rang, and she knew without even thinking who was calling.

Lin Xi lowered her eyes and hung up.

Duan Mingxuan didn't call again, but honked the horn.

Lin Xi frowned.

Duan Yiheng saw through her thoughts and said, "Old Zhang's driving skills are steady, there will be no danger, unless Duan Mingxuan crashes into him himself."

Lin Xi hummed in agreement.

"Why did he leave you alone?" Duan Yiheng was also momentarily shocked. "Did you have a fight?"

Lin Xi nodded: "He knows we're sharing a room in H City."

Duan Yiheng understood; no wonder he went mad.

He stared at Lin Xi for a few moments and suddenly understood the way Duan Mingxuan had looked at him all these years while standing beside Lin Xi.

That was something to be proud of and to show off.

Duan Yiheng's thoughts were completely opposite to his. Still waters run deep; if it were him, he would simply keep the person hidden.

But Lin Xi won't hide behind others and be a hothouse flower, so you have to have the ability to protect her.

Duan Mingxuan could neither hide nor protect himself; he was destined to fail.

The two cars descended the mountain, weaved through traffic, passed by lights, and turned into the Duan family villa one after the other.

The Bentley was in front, parked steadily downstairs on the east side.

Lin Xi looked at Duan Yiheng in surprise: "Why did you stop here?"

"You go back first." Duan Yiheng said as he got out of the car and walked straight towards Duan Mingxuan.

Lin Xi dared not leave and followed them.

Duan Mingxuan, his chest still burning with lingering anger, slammed the car door shut and confronted Duan Yiheng: "Since you're so rich, why don't you know how to get yourself another room? That shouldn't be difficult, right?"

"Duan Mingxuan, leave my business alone." Lin Xi stepped forward. "Every time, you embarrass me greatly."

"Xiao Xi." Duan Mingxuan looked at her in disbelief.

Duan Yiheng turned around and said to Lin Xi in a somewhat commanding tone, "Go back."

"I--"

"Go back." Duan Yiheng emphasized.

Because he was also her superior, Lin Xi dared not say anything more.

His orders were not to be questioned, and Lin Xi, turning back every few steps, eventually returned to the West Tower.

Duan Yiheng turned his head, his expression mocking: "What right do you have to question me, Lin Xi? A childhood sweetheart with no blood relation?"

Duan Mingxuan's eyebrows shot up: "And what gives you the right to stand between us?"

Duan Yiheng sneered: "If I hadn't stood between you two, she would have been bullied to death by you."

"Who exactly is bullying her?" Duan Mingxuan gritted his teeth and approached, "You know perfectly well."

Duan Yiheng remained unmoved: "Then why don't you tell her?"

Duan Mingxuan said with a stern face, "Xiao Xi is naive. She sees you as an older brother. If she knew your wicked thoughts, I don't know how she would face you in the future. I don't want to put her in a difficult position."

More importantly, Chen Baiwei was always unhappy that her grandfather had paired her up with Lin Xi.

If she knew Duan Yiheng's feelings, given his mother's personality, she would definitely use every means to bring them together.

He had heard Chen Baiwei complain more than once: "Why didn't you marry Lin Xi to that devil Duan Yiheng? Why did you have to come and ruin my Mingxuan?"

He couldn't gamble on even the slightest possibility.

"Don't want to make things difficult for her?" Duan Yiheng laughed. "Everything you've done since Lin Xi returned to China has made things difficult for her."

"The indulgence at the welcome banquet, the questioning at work, the shattered sailboat, your mother's slap, Rong County where two people became one, leaving her alone in the mountains tonight..."

"With all these things to do, what right do you have to question me here?"

Duan Mingxuan was stunned, all his words of rebuttal stuck in his throat.

No, that's not how it works.

“I just wanted to punish her. I didn’t leave; I came back. She never lied to me before.” Duan Mingxuan was eager to prove something. “It’s all because of you.”

"Because I took her away when she was wronged?" Duan Yiheng found it funny. "Have you ever reflected on yourself? Every time, it was clearly you who hurt her, while when she was little, she was the one who indulged you."

Duan Mingxuan could not accept this statement.

From childhood to adulthood, even Lin Xi felt that she was the best person to her.

"If this happens again..." Duan Yiheng's eyes were sharp, and he leaned forward slightly, his posture condescending, "I will not let you off the hook."

Duan Mingxuan staggered backward, understanding Duan Yiheng's meaning—he was referring to the dangerous situation he had put Lin Xi in today.

Actually, he regretted it the moment he floored the gas pedal, but he couldn't bring himself to turn back.

In the past, he would have fought to the bitter end, even at the cost of his own life, but today he received a warning from Duan Yiheng.

Duan Mingxuan took out his phone, wanting to call Lin Xi.

He hung up abruptly after just one ring.

Lin Xi must hate him to death right now.

Duan Mingxuan slammed his fist into his beloved car, regretting it to the core.

His biggest mistake was leaving Lin Xi alone on the mountain road.

But his reason was consumed by rage...

As Duan Yiheng stepped onto the stairs and entered the living room, Lin Xi greeted him warmly.

Duan Yiheng went upstairs in silence, and she followed cautiously.

She stopped abruptly at the bedroom door.

Duan Yiheng turned around, unbuttoning his suit jacket as he looked at her: "Why aren't you following me?"

Lin Xi hesitated for a moment, then stammered, "You...he..."

Duan Yiheng didn't have the habit of throwing his clothes around. He hung his suit jacket on his arm and then tugged at the tie around his neck.

After tearing it open, he slightly raised his eyes and commanded, "Come here."

Lin Xi's eyelids twitched, and she went inside.

"What do you want to ask?" Duan Yiheng stared at her quietly.

Lin Xi looked up: "You...didn't do anything, did you?"

Duan Yiheng stepped forward, his shoe almost touching hers, his voice gentle:

"Are you worried about him? Or are you worried about me?"