Lin Xi sat cross-legged in her room, studying project materials on her laptop, trying to write her own proposal. Sister Mei knocked and came in, bringing her afternoon tea. Lin Xi smiled and thanked her, asking, "Is my brother home?"
She wanted to show him the report. Sister Mei shook her head: "He went to the Meng family; he'll probably be staying there for the next couple of days." Lin Xi instinctively asked, "Did something happen to the Meng family?" "No, it's just that Miss Meng's death anniversary is the day after tomorrow," Sister Mei sighed.
Lin Xi took a moment to process what Sister Mei meant by "Miss Meng." A look of surprise flashed in her eyes; so Duan Yiheng's parents were divorced. "It's not that you didn't know," Sister Mei said. "This matter really wronged Miss Meng back then."
Lin Xi gestured for Sister Mei to sit down: "Please tell me." It wasn't a secret anymore. Sister Mei sat down next to Lin Xi on the carpet and said,
"Miss Meng's dying wish was to divorce Mr. Duan, but divorcing while his wife was seriously ill would have caused too much damage to Mr. Duan's reputation and the company's reputation, so the old man didn't agree." "And then?" Lin Xi asked. Sister Mei:
"The eldest son stepped forward and said he would voluntarily give up all inheritance rights, only hoping that his parents would divorce." Lin Xi's heart churned, a dense, indescribable ache spreading through him. "Grandpa didn't agree either," Lin Xi muttered to himself. Sister Mei:
"Yes, given the old man's position, he couldn't only consider one person; he had to consider the company and the entire family. So, they each compromised."
"Miss Meng and Mr. Duan divorced, but not publicly; even at the very last moment, she had to lie in the Duan family's bed." To put it bluntly, she wanted to die in the Duan family. "After all, she still had a child, the eldest young master."
Sister Mei's face showed heartache and regret. "For the sake of the eldest young master's well-being in the Duan family, she had to compromise, and was only allowed to return to the Meng family after her death." As a junior, Lin Xi couldn't judge the grudges of the previous generation, but she felt sorry for Miss Meng, whom she had never met.
She had grown up with Chen Baiwei since childhood, so Chen Baiwei naturally wouldn't tell her these things. Even if she did, Miss Meng would probably be someone with a short life and bad luck in her eyes. "Later, I watched helplessly as a cheerful child became taciturn."
Sister Mei still felt heartache when she thought about it. "Was my eldest brother always cheerful?" Lin Xi couldn't imagine it. "She always smiles."
"The manor at North District No. 1, the villa hidden among the green trees on the south side is where Miss Meng lived before she passed away. There are photos of the eldest young master and Miss Meng there." "North District No. 1?"
Lin Xi was a little surprised. "Isn't that my eldest brother's private club? He used it to conduct business." And last time she went, she didn't see the villa on the south side; isn't there a lake on the south side? Sister Mei smiled:
"The manor villa was the old gentleman's private property. Later, Mr. Duan and Miss Meng's relationship broke down, so he gave it to Miss Meng to live in. When the eldest young master turned eighteen, the old gentleman gave him the manor as a gift."
"Calling it a private club is just a euphemism; it was the eldest young master who changed it later. Before Miss Meng passed away, she told him to live well."
"He renovated part of the manor, and the people he brought to North District No. 1 were all close friends, for serious business discussions. He didn't go there." Lin Xi really didn't know this.
So, he brought his friends there to show his mother that he was listening to her and living well? Did he think that spending free time entertaining friends was living a good life? Lin Xi felt a mix of emotions. She paused, then said,
"Then Grandpa will be discharged on Monday, I'll go pick him up." Sister Mei said, "Mr. Duan is taking the second young master with him." "I understand." Lin Xi nodded. "We'll talk about it later. I have to work, I can visit Grandpa at the North Courtyard tonight."
Sister Mei responded and got up to leave Lin Xi's room. Lin Xi wanted to comfort Duan Yiheng, so she picked up her phone, opened their chat window, typed and deleted, five minutes passed without sending a single message.
Suddenly, "The other party is typing..." appeared at the top of the chat window. Lin Xi was startled, waited quietly for two seconds, and then Duan Yiheng sent a voice message. She opened the message and heard him say, "I've been typing for five minutes and haven't received a single word. What's up?"
Lin Xi didn't know how to explain for a moment, and asked him in return, "Did you need something from me?" Duan Yiheng's voice was a little low: "I'm not going to the company on Monday. All meetings are canceled." Lin Xi: "Okay, I understand. You..." "What about me?" "Nothing."
Lin Xi still didn't say it. Some things are better left unsaid; giving the other person some quiet space is the best comfort. She'd just pretend she didn't know. Even if Duan Yiheng wasn't going to the company on Monday, she would still go.
Qin Yang and Jiang Hulin were working on the H City project together, and they would discuss the project's progress with her in their spare time. Lin Xi had a pretty good grasp of the project's process. After resting for a while in the afternoon, she went to the gym downstairs and spent two hours there.
Around six o'clock, Duan Mingxuan's supercar came out of the garage. After showering, Lin Xi went to Duan Yiheng's study and found a book about financial technology, having already asked permission via phone. At 10:30 p.m., as Lin Xi was about to go to sleep, her phone rang. It was a familiar number. Thanks to her superior memory, Lin Xi couldn't pretend not to recognize it. She thought for a moment, then answered, "Hello?" "Mingxuan is drunk. Can you come pick him up?" Lin Xi: "...I want to sleep. Let the driver go."
Zhang Mo was silent for a moment, then said, "He doesn't want anyone else, he only wants you." Lin Xi frowned: "Give him the phone." A rustling sound came from the receiver. Duan Mingxuan lay on the sofa, his face flushed and his brows furrowed.
Zhang Mo held the phone to Duan Mingxuan's ear. Lin Xi heard his soft moans. "Duan Mingxuan, how are you?" Duan Mingxuan struggled to open his eyes: "Xiao Xi? I...I..." Lin Xi could only understand that he called her name. "Should I have the driver pick you up?"
"No, Xiao Xi, please come pick me up." Duan Mingxuan pulled himself up from the sofa. "Please." His words were strained, as if he was about to cry. "Please, please..." Lin Xi closed her eyes briefly. "Wait for me a bit, don't drink anymore."
"Okay." Duan Mingxuan drawled out the last syllable, laughing through his breath reeking of alcohol. Lin Xi, worried she couldn't manage Duan Mingxuan, had specifically asked the driver to come. When they arrived at the bar, Duan Mingxuan was being supported by Yu Lang and Zhang Mo, standing at the entrance. "Xiao Xi."
Seeing her, Duan Mingxuan rushed forward without a second thought. Yu Lang caught him as he slumped down. "Brother, slow down." The driver quickly went to help him, but Duan Mingxuan pushed him aside and grabbed Lin Xi's shoulder.
Chen Jingyi waited in her car for three hours before finally seeing Lin Xi. She quietly set up her phone in a corner. In the video, Duan Mingxuan refused the driver's help and kept lunging at Lin Xi.
After finally getting him to the back seat, Zhang Mo suddenly stepped forward and pressed down on Lin Xi's shoulder, saying something unintelligible. Lin Xi's attitude was very cold, and she shook off Zhang Mo's hand that tried to pull her away.
Only after Lin Xi left with Duan Mingxuan did she put away her phone and sit in the car, quietly watching the video several times. "Heh..." Chen Liangyi sneered. This video was meant to be used at a crucial moment.