Gently bite the jasmine

Duan Yiheng was so drunk last night, he probably won't be coming to the company this morning.

Lin Xi made himself a cup of coffee and logged into the Silver Sail internal system.

She had two or three unread emails, which she dealt with one by one, then opened the project management software on her desktop and slowly began to read through them.

Half an hour later, there was a noise outside the door. Lin Xi thought it was the cleaning staff and didn't look up, focusing on the computer screen.

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over Lin Xi, who looked up, her expression froze, and she fell silent.

After staring at each other for a full five seconds, she slowly stood up and greeted Duan Yiheng with a "Good morning."

Then came a tacit silence.

Duan Yiheng wished he could sprout wings on his way here, but now that he's seen the person, he doesn't know what to say.

He paused, his tone somewhat hesitant: "Come to my office."

"Is there something you need?" Lin Xi didn't move.

Duan Yiheng caught a hint of wariness in her eyes and took a small step back: "Could you polish the ending of the strategic cooperation project on my computer and emphasize the complementary advantages of both parties?"

Having important business to attend to, Lin Xi didn't say anything more. She walked around the workstation and followed him into the president's office.

Having not been inside for two or three days, the air in the room wasn't very fresh, so Lin Xi turned on the ventilation system and adjusted the temperature and humidity to Duan Yiheng's preferred settings.

"You go ahead and do your work, I'll go get a cup of coffee," Duan Yiheng said.

In the past, Lin Xi would have rushed to go, but today she didn't say a word and went to his desk to turn on the computer.

Duan Yiheng's office has a small coffee table. He took out plump, shiny coffee beans from the cabinet, scooped a spoonful, and poured it into the grinder.

Grinding, filling, and extraction are all done in one go, filling the air with the rich aroma of coffee.

Duan Yiheng added sugar and milk, picked it up, and walked towards his desk.

Lin Xi glanced at his trouser leg out of the corner of her eye, paused her typing, then continued working as if nothing had happened.

Duan Yiheng took a sip of coffee and asked, "Why don't you sit down?"

Lin Xi didn't even look up: "It'll be ready in a minute, please have a seat."

Duan Yiheng sat down in his boss's chair, finished half a cup of coffee, and rubbed his temples while supporting himself on his arm.

Lin Xi bent over, her eyes fixed on the computer screen, not daring to look away even for a moment.

Duan Yiheng's gaze fell on her fair and slender fingertips, and then moved upwards from them.

Her full, bright red lips were pressed tightly together in a serious manner, as if she were unhappy.

After a long pause, Duan Yiheng coughed lightly and said, "Last night, I—"

"It's fixed." Lin Xi straightened up and moved the notebook to the correct position to show him.

Duan Yiheng was forced to temporarily shift his focus to the computer screen.

He nodded after reading it and said to Lin Xi, "Okay."

Lin Xi: "Then I'll go out first."

"Wait a minute." Duan Yiheng stopped her. "Print out the document, make three copies, encrypt the document and fax it to the other party, and make sure to note the project name and date."

"understood."

As Lin Xi spoke, he bent down again and set the file to be shared in the president's office.

Just as he was about to leave after finishing his business, Duan Yiheng grabbed his arm.

He sat there, head tilted back, his tone pleading: "Let's talk about what happened last night."

"We don't discuss personal matters at the company." Lin Xi didn't dare to look at him. "Besides, nothing happened last night. Let go of me, it wouldn't be good if someone saw us."

Duan Yiheng got up, picked up the remote control, and adjusted the smart glass. The previously clearly visible glass instantly turned into a white blur.

With no one able to see inside from the outside, Lin Xi panicked and tried to escape.

Duan Yiheng pulled her back and pinned her against the desk, gently reassuring her: "Don't be afraid, I've locked the door from the inside."

Lin Xi's pupils trembled: "It's almost time to go to work."

Duan Yiheng: "Qin Yang wasn't at the company this morning. Everyone knows I don't start work until 10 a.m., so people from other departments won't come over this early."

As for the cleaning staff, he has already notified them to come an hour later.

Even so, Lin Xi still felt it wouldn't work.

She didn't want to talk to him about the embarrassing things from last night.

"I still have a lot to do—"

“It won’t take long,” Duan Yiheng interrupted him. “Last night, I—”

"I already said nothing happened last night," Lin Xi said indignantly. "Why do you insist on making things clear? Duan Yiheng, you're my boss, and I'm your secretary. What private matters do you think we can discuss?"

"Lin Xi," Duan Yiheng called to her in a deep voice, "Don't run away."

"What am I running away from?" Lin Xi looked him straight in the eye. "You were drunk last night, and I made you some hangover soup. Nothing else happened."

Duan Yiheng laughed in exasperation; it was utterly a case of protesting too much.

He released her wrists, wrapped his arms around her waist, and braced them against the table, holding her firmly in front of him.

Lin Xi leaned back in fright, her voice trembling as she spoke to Duan Yiheng, who was leaning towards her: "Calm down."

“I think you should calm down,” Duan Yiheng said.

Lin Xi avoided his gaze and asked in a low voice, "What exactly do you want to say? Hurry up and say it, I still have work to do."

Duan Yiheng chuckled: "How come you, a secretary, are busier than me, the president?"

Lin Xi gritted her teeth and glared at him.

At this moment, Duan Yiheng was no longer the disheveled man he had been the night before; his eyes were no longer half-closed and had regained their clarity.

But Lin Xi felt that his gaze was more profound and unsettling than it had been the night before.

Lin Xi stared at the pocket square in his suit pocket, looking like she was refusing to talk.

"I'm sorry, I drank too much last night," Duan Yiheng finally explained. "You can hit me or scold me, I'll take it, just... don't avoid me."

His breath was almost touching hers, and Lin Xi shrank back, whispering, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Duan Yiheng was surprised that even after all this, she still wouldn't admit it. He sighed helplessly, "I don't black out when I'm drunk, unlike you."

Lin Xi stiffened, fearing that he would bring up the past again.

That night in the night, since he didn't say anything, she pretended not to know.

Last night was the same; as long as she didn't admit it, Duan Yiheng couldn't do anything about it.

"I really have something to do, I beg you." Lin Xi's voice trembled as she raised her hand to push against his chest, "Let me go."

Duan Yiheng almost softened his heart.

His kiss last night wasn't an intentional offense; it was a subconscious longing he couldn't have.

Since he did it, and he remembers it, there's no reason to pretend it never happened.

"Lin Xi," Duan Yiheng said solemnly, "I won't run away from what I've done. If I don't tell you, you'll think I'm a drunken scoundrel. If you don't remember, I can describe it to you. How you fed me the hangover soup, how you helped me upstairs, and how I—"

"Don't." Lin Xi interrupted hurriedly, and the moment she looked up, she met his deep, turbulent eyes.

Lin Xi cursed him as a bastard in her heart.

But do we really have to admit it?

Once they acknowledge it, their relationship will never be as simple as it used to be.

Every time I look at his face, I might be reminded of that ridiculous kiss from last night.

The issue that had been avoided since last night was now being exposed by the culprit.

She actually kissed Duan Yiheng! And not just once.