The following morning, Lin Xi contacted Tan Qi's assistant. The assistant did not give an immediate answer; it wasn't until that afternoon that she replied, stating that Tan Qi would be available two evenings hence, between 7:00 and 9:00 PM.
Lin Xi informed Duan Yiheng of the arrangement, and he promptly cancelled a business engagement to keep the appointment with Tan Qi. Tan Qi had assumed Duan Yiheng was meeting her to discuss a project; she was taken aback, however, when he began making inquiries about her friend instead. Tan Qi's expression turned frosty: "The person you're interested in isn't my friend, is it?" Duan Yiheng looked genuinely shocked:
"What on earth are you thinking?" Tan Qi retorted, "Then why are you asking about Xu Minghui? Shouldn't you be discussing our potential collaboration project with me today?" Duan Yiheng replied:
"To be honest, this matter cannot be resolved without involving your friend. Her sister-in-law happens to be the Corporate Secretary for Silver Sail—and Duan Zheng has been colluding with her." Duan Yiheng chose to spare Duan Zheng a little face by phrasing it that way.
Tan Qi frowned. She was naturally well-aware of the affairs involving the Zheng family; although Duan Yiheng hadn't explicitly spelled it out, the implication was instantly obvious to her: "Are those two involved with each other?" Duan Yiheng nodded:
"I need you to pass a message on to your friend, for her to convey to her mother: tell them that I am willing to collaborate with them." Tan Qi scoffed:
"So, you're just using me as a tool." Duan Yiheng raised his glass in a toast to her: "We've crossed paths before, and we're about to enter into a collaborative relationship; surely, Miss Tan wouldn't refuse such a gesture." "Fine." Tan Qi stood up, preparing to leave. "I have other matters to attend to, so I'll be going now."
Duan Yiheng felt a flicker of confusion; Tan Qi hadn't mentioned the project at all. After all, Silver Sail was the only entity capable of meeting the specific criteria set by Likang Corporation. "Oh, one more thing," Tan Qi said, turning back just as she reached the door. "Two days from now—same restaurant, same time—bring your secretary along with you."
Duan Yiheng felt a surge of satisfaction, misinterpreting this as a positive signal regarding their potential collaboration. That very evening, inside the CEO's office, Lin Xi asked Duan Yiheng: "Should I go as well?" Duan Yiheng replied: "She specifically asked for you to be there, so naturally, you must go." "Understood,"
Lin Xi acknowledged. "In that case, I'll draft a preliminary Letter of Intent for the collaboration." Duan Yiheng nodded: "It looks like we really will be working overtime tonight. Go ahead and start writing it; I'll review it and provide my feedback later. I need to hop on a video conference with Qin Yang first."
Lin Xi acknowledged the instruction and turned to exit the CEO's office. Most departments at Yinfan Technology were working overtime on various projects; when Lin Xi left the office building at ten o'clock, the majority of its windows were still lit. Duan Yiheng took Lin Xi by the wrist:
"Take my car; I'll drive you home." Lin Xi replied, "But then what would I do tomorrow morning? Never mind—I'll just drive myself." Duan Yiheng countered, "Let my driver take your car; you ride in mine." While Lin Xi hesitated, Duan Yiheng gently ushered her into the passenger seat.
Whenever she worked late, Duan Yiheng invariably insisted on driving her home. Tiandu Yuxi was truly close by—so close, in fact, that Lin Xi felt there was absolutely no need for him to escort her. Stepping out of the car, Lin Xi waved to Duan Yiheng: "Drive safely on your way back." Duan Yiheng smiled:
"I'm heading back to the office to crash for the night." Lin Xi blinked in surprise: "You're going back to work more?" Duan Yiheng shook his head: "I can't be bothered to go all the way home. The villa is a bit far, and I'm feeling pretty tired today."
Lin Xi murmured, "Oh." As she watched his car engine start up again, she suddenly stepped forward to stop him. Duan Yiheng rolled down the window: "What is it? Did you forget something?" Lin Xi pursed her lips: "How about... you just come upstairs with me?"
She knew the office lounge was fully equipped, but since Duan Yiheng had mentioned he was tired, she felt a pang of concern at the thought of him running back and forth. Duan Yiheng looked momentarily surprised: "Really?" Lin Xi nodded: "Come on up. We can just head to the company a bit earlier tomorrow morning; you can change into a fresh set of clothes in the lounge."
Duan Yiheng chuckled: "But what am I supposed to wear tonight?" Lin Xi replied, "Tiandu Yuxi is surrounded by luxury boutiques. Just give your butler your measurements, and have him pick up some emergency essentials for you." Successfully persuaded, Duan Yiheng turned off the engine and followed Lin Xi upstairs.
He relayed his requests to his private butler, who immediately set about fulfilling them. Lin Xi turned to Duan Yiheng and said, "Well, you wait here for a moment; I'm going to go take a shower." Duan Yiheng wrapped his arm around her waist and stole a long, lingering kiss.
Lin Xi hadn't even made it into the shower yet, but her face was already flushed crimson. The butler proved to be highly efficient, promptly delivering the items Duan Yiheng needed. Just as he finished plugging his phone in to charge, Lin Xi emerged from the bathroom. Duan Yiheng waved her over. Once she drew near, he stroked her long hair with a gentle, doting tenderness and said, "In this very moment, I suddenly feel that you truly belong to me." Lin Xi looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"
Duan Yiheng grasped her shoulders, his fingertips brushing lightly against her skin, and murmured, "Whenever you saw me in the past, you were almost always dressed impeccably—even at home in your pajamas, you'd have a robe draped over your shoulders. But right now... I can touch you, and I can kiss you." Lin Xi shrugged.
"We weren't close back then, so naturally, I wasn't comfortable letting you see me in my pajamas." "And now we are?" Duan Yiheng chuckled softly. Lin Xi blushed. "...Just go take your shower already." *Duh—after getting that intimate, if we aren't close now, then what exactly are we supposed to be?*
Duan Yiheng's shower was significantly shorter than Lin Xi's; he emerged while she was still in the middle of her skincare routine. Duan Yiheng was stunned—he thought to himself, *She was already slathering on stuff from those little bottles and jars before I went in, and she's still at it even after I've finished showering?*
He fully respected her space and routine, so he simply picked up his phone to glance at it for a moment, though his eyes kept drifting back to her. Finally, Lin Xi finished her regimen. She turned around and gave a start. "Why are you staring at me like that?" Duan Yiheng beckoned her over. "Come here; I want to tell you something." Lin Xi obediently walked toward him.
Duan Yiheng reached out, pulled her onto the bed, and rolled over to pin her beneath him. He grinned. "Let me take a whiff and see if you've been thoroughly 'marinated' yet." Lin Xi laughed, trying to squirm away.
"You're such a goofball... Haha, stop it! That tickles!" Duan Yiheng planted a flurry of kisses on her neck and cheeks before finally stopping, leaving her hair in a delightful mess. She lifted the covers, burrowed into Duan Yiheng's embrace, and said, "Help me fix my hair."
Duan Yiheng obligingly smoothed out her long tresses, strand by strand, until they lay neatly and obediently against the bedsheets. Lin Xi nuzzled against Duan Yiheng's chest, thinking to herself, *If only every day could be just like this.* As if sensing her thoughts, Duan Yiheng spoke up:
"Once the transfer of shares is complete, we'll go public with our relationship. As for Grandpa... I'll handle him." Her grandmother's visit had already served as a clear signal; the old man surely wouldn't fail to grasp his meaning. Uncle Deng knew about the situation between Duan Zheng and Ke Yu; he wouldn't keep it hidden from the Old Master forever.
The Duan family was already sparse in numbers; aside from Duan Yiheng, the Old Master had no one else to rely on. Lin Xi whispered, "I'm sleepy." Duan Yiheng kissed her forehead gently. "Go to sleep." Being with Duan Yiheng, even her dreams felt sweet.
The next morning, they rose early and headed to the company. Duan Yiheng changed his clothes in the lounge; no one had any idea that he had spent the previous night sleeping at his secretary's home. On the day they were scheduled to meet with Tan Qi, Lin Xi and Duan Yiheng arrived at the restaurant ahead of time to demonstrate their sincerity.
Seeing them carrying a stack of documents, Tan Qi suddenly let out a chuckle. "Did you two come here to discuss a project?" Her tone carried the distinct satisfaction of someone who had finally exacted their revenge. Duan Yiheng merely lifted his gaze. "That depends on you." Tan Qi gave a soft huff, then turned her attention to Lin Xi, her expression looking somewhat uneasy.
Lin Xi exchanged a glance with Duan Yiheng, then asked her, "Do you have something to tell me?" Tan Qi hesitated. "...I'm not quite sure how to bring it up; it's rather difficult to talk about." Lin Xi was left speechless. *What on earth could it be? Something so sensitive that it's actually hard to voice?*