Gently bite the jasmine

Lin Xi found it absurd and didn't understand what Duan Mingxuan was questioning.

Her temper flared up immediately: "I was drunk and didn't know anything. And even if I left with Duan Yiheng, what right do you have to question me?"

"Xiao Xi, I'm doing this for your own good." Duan Mingxuan's head was throbbing. "You don't understand. Duan Yiheng isn't a good person. You can't get too close to him."

Lin Xi: "So I have to never have anything to do with him again? Do you think that's possible?"

Duan Mingxuan: "Why is it impossible? You used to stand by me unconditionally, but you and Duan Yiheng didn't exchange a single word for a whole year."

Lin Xi scoffed, "So you do know that?"

Duan Mingxuan gave in: "Don't look at me like that. I was wrong, okay? But you have to promise me that you must stay away from Duan Yiheng."

"Why can't I get close to him?" Lin Xi retorted. "You're my second brother, he's my eldest brother, what's the difference?"

“The difference is huge,” Duan Mingxuan said loudly. “In this world, only I will not hurt you, only I am truly good to you.”

"Your so-called kindness?" Lin Xi seemed to be back in the private room last night. "Your so-called kindness is knowing that I don't like it, but still using it as an excuse to throw me a welcome banquet and bring a bunch of irrelevant, random people? It's knowing that your girlfriend has ulterior motives towards me, but still just laughing it off and letting it go?"

The two argued back and forth, neither willing to give in.

Duan Mingxuan was so guilty that he didn't know what to say for a long time before finally saying, "I broke up with her."

Lin Xi felt a slight stirring in her heart, and a lump formed in her throat. Suppressing all her emotions, she said, "It's none of my business."

“Xiao Xi, I know you don’t like her,” Duan Mingxuan said. “I really broke up with her. There were so many people around, and I didn’t want to argue with a woman like her. But I really can’t tolerate her making things difficult for you with her friends.”

"Don't be like that," Lin Xi actually advised him. "After all, it's been almost a year, it would be a pity to break up."

"Who told you that?" Duan Mingxuan raised his voice. "Zhang Mo?"

Lin Xi really didn't want to talk to him about Zhang Mo and wanted to avoid the topic.

"Are you angry that I didn't tell you about your relationship with her?" Duan Mingxuan ignored him. "The reason I didn't tell you was because—"

Lin Xi interrupted him: "No need to explain, it's your freedom to date."

Unable to reason with him, Duan Mingxuan was both angry and helpless.

"Fine." Duan Mingxuan was in a terrible mood. "And what about you? You told me you were going to England, then you went to America instead. What the hell did I say?"

Lin Xi pursed her lips and bit down hard on a piece of meat.

"I've visited you without fail for the past five years, but as soon as you returned to China, you completely forgot all the good I've done for you."

"You even teamed up with Duan Yiheng to make me angry, Lin Xi, don't you have a heart?"

Lin Xi felt a pang of sadness, and her vision blurred.

“You…” Duan Mingxuan surrendered again, “Don’t cry, I won’t say anything more.”

Lin Xi felt aggrieved and moved her tear-stained lips: "The reason I went to America in the first place was because—"

"What's wrong with you two?" Chen Baiwei asked anxiously as she ran over after hearing the commotion. "What are you arguing about?"

The truth that Lin Xi was about to blurt out was once again swallowed back down.

It felt like eating the bitterest thing ever; I wanted to spit it out but couldn't, and I wanted to swallow it but couldn't.

"Mingxuan, Xiaoxi is your sister, what are you doing?" Although Chen Baiwei was speaking to Duan Mingxuan, she glanced at Lin Xi out of the corner of her eye.

Lin Xi understood her implication perfectly and said, "Aunt Wei, I'll go upstairs first."

Chen Baiwei said kindly, "Go ahead."

With Chen Baiwei's intervention, Duan Mingxuan had no choice but to let her leave.

"Mingxuan, why are you yelling at Xiaoxi?" Chen Baiwei asked Duan Mingxuan tentatively.

Duan Mingxuan was getting agitated and tugged at his collar: "We always argue whenever we talk about going to America, Mom. Haven't I been good enough to her? Why does she always contradict me when we come back?"

Chen Baiwei said quietly, "Mingxuan, people change."

"No, Xiao Xi will never change." Duan Mingxuan didn't know whether he was saying this to himself or to Chen Baiwei.

Chen Baiwei didn't argue with him.

Lin Xi was upset by Duan Mingxuan and didn't want to go back to her room to sleep in a huff, as it wouldn't be good for her health. So she turned around and went up the external staircase to the courtyard.

Taking a stroll along the winding path, I used this time to properly consider working at Silver Sail.

As we walked around to the courtyard, we suddenly heard the rustling of leaves ahead.

Lin Xi was taken aback. A landscaping maintenance worker?

"Who is it?" Lin Xi asked boldly.

"I."

There was only one word that Lin Xi didn't understand, so he asked again, "Who are you?"

Duan Yiheng came out, and Lin Xi finally saw him clearly by the light of the ground lamp.

“There are only a few people in my family,” Duan Yiheng said.

The subtext was that he was upset that she hadn't recognized him.

Lin Xi felt a little embarrassed and quickly changed the subject: "What are you doing here?"

Duan Yiheng said, "Let's go see Grandpa and take a walk along the way."

Lin Xi: "What a coincidence, I'm also taking a walk."

"Wearing so little for a walk?" Duan Yiheng said, taking off his suit jacket and handing it to her. "You spilled my suit with hangover soup last night, so I'm giving you one tonight."

"Huh?" Lin Xi was taken aback. "You even fed me hangover soup?"

Duan Yiheng: "You're not cooperating because you didn't get it in."

"I was asleep, how could I cooperate?" Lin Xi awkwardly tried to salvage the situation by saying, "I'll pay for your clothes."

"Do I need one of your clothes?" Duan Yiheng said. "I've already handed it over to Sister Mei to handle."

Lin Xi thanked him again: "You don't want me to do something else for you, do you?"

Duan Yiheng: "...Do I look like a ruthless exploiter? You say thank you and I expect you to do something for me? It seems your previous thanks weren't very sincere."

“I’m sincere,” Lin Xi quickly said. “I’m truly grateful that you brought me back and were willing to let me go to Silver Sail.”

Duan Yiheng saw through her thoughts and said, "So you're still thinking about work in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?"

Lin Xi nodded honestly.

"Go back and get some rest," Duan Yiheng said. "I didn't rush you to start work."

Lin Xi turned around and followed him back, wearing his suit jacket draped over her shoulders.

When they reached the middle of the two buildings, she took off her coat and handed it back to him, saying, "Thank you."

Duan Yiheng took it.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries and then said their goodbyes.

—

The next afternoon, Lin Xi planned to go to the company to find Duan Yiheng.

She wore a pink knit sweater with a silver-gray skirt. She doesn't like wearing necklaces, so she only paired it with a pair of round pearl stud earrings.

She wasn't familiar with the roads, so she called a driver to take her.

The headquarters office building of Yinfan is located in the core business district of City B, towering majestically with an imposing presence.

Lin Xi stepped into the building, but got stuck at the reception desk.

She was slightly taken aback; Duan Yiheng hadn't told her that she needed to make an appointment in advance.

Subconsciously, she considered Duan Yiheng as family, but she didn't expect that she would need to make an appointment to see her family.

However, since there are no relatives in the company, it's best to handle things strictly by business.

Lin Xi smiled at the receptionist and said, "I'm so sorry, I'm here to confirm the position of secretary with Mr. Duan. Could you please make an appointment for me? My surname is Lin."

Receptionist: "Okay, please wait a moment."

Lin Xi thanked her and was about to go to the side to wait when a clear female voice called out to her: "Lin Xi?"

Lin Xi glanced to the side and saw her childhood best friend, Chen Jingyi, looking at her with great interest.

Lin Xi's breath hitched, and she suddenly felt like escaping.