Gently bite the jasmine

Chapter 11 What kind of older brother am I to you?

Lin Xi followed his gaze and lowered her head, belatedly realizing the intimacy between herself and Duan Yiheng. She slightly lifted her fingertips and released him.

Duan Mingxuan was concerned about his image, so he suppressed his anger, his facial features tense.

"Xiao Xi, what are you doing here?"

She came with Duan Yiheng.

Lin Xi felt inexplicably guilty, and her gaze couldn't find its target.

Then she paused, confused as to what she was feeling guilty about.

Perhaps it was because, over the past decade or so, Duan Mingxuan had maintained a clear separation between her and Duan Yiheng, leading others, and even herself, to believe that:

She should be on Duan Mingxuan's side, unconditionally.

But she was no longer an innocent and ignorant little girl.

With this in mind, Lin Xi became calm.

Her eyes were calm as she said to Duan Mingxuan, "What a coincidence."

Duan Mingxuan was furious at her attitude.

As if sensing something, Zhang Mo grabbed his arm and said, "Mingxuan, let's go upstairs first. There are people watching over us here."

Seeing the two groups locked in a stalemate, the waiter, unable to understand their relationship, only knew that a fight couldn't break out in the restaurant, so he quickly put on a smiling face and led them upstairs.

Lin Xi took the first step, followed by Duan Yiheng and Duan Mingxuan, who seemed to be his supporters.

Upon reaching the second floor, the four people were led to the left and right respectively.

Lin Xi was burning with intense light from behind; Duan Mingxuan was practically staring a hole through her.

She stiffened and went into the private room on the far side.

The moment Lin Xi went inside, she felt a pang of regret.

The entire private room was dimly lit, with only a spotlight shining from the top of a long table, allowing people sitting opposite each other to see each other clearly.

The private room faces the street, and a small window, like a camera lens, frames a corner of the bustling street scene under the night sky.

Behind the dining chairs was a wall covered in roses, which looked somewhat dim due to the lighting; it was hard to tell if they were real or not.

Duan Yiheng was taken aback by how much it resembled a couple's date spot.

He tried hard to recall if he had conveyed the wrong information to Qin Yang, but after searching his mind for a long time, he felt that it was not his fault.

It seems that Assistant Qin guessed the superior's intentions and acted on his own initiative.

Qin Yang was sneezing violently at home, feeling utterly wronged, because Duan Yiheng had clearly not said that he was going out to eat with his "sister".

Duan Yiheng supported her back from behind and gently pushed her to sit down.

Lin Xi forced herself to sit down and chuckled, "Isn't the food here delicious?"

Duan Yiheng understood the implication in her words and said, "I've never been to the restaurant that Assistant Qin booked."

Lin Xi pursed her lips and nodded. So that's how it is.

Duan Yiheng pushed the dark brown leather menu with gold foil stamping in front of Lin Xi.

Lin Xi shook her head: "You order."

She didn't know Duan Yiheng's tastes.

Duan Yiheng paused for two seconds, then pulled back the menu and ordered his food efficiently.

He ordered two appetizers and five main courses in order from the menu, along with two Chinese pastries and red wine pear.

Lin Xi was a little anxious and said, "Brother, tell me more about Yinfan Technology."

Duan Yiheng didn't respond for a long time. Lin Xi stared at the shadows of his eyelashes cast by the light, wondering why he had suddenly stopped talking.

"Do you call Duan Mingxuan 'Second Brother'?" Duan Yiheng suddenly asked.

Lin Xi was taken aback and shook his head. Why did he suddenly bring this up?

"Then what kind of older brother am I to you?"

He wasn't sitting upright; he leaned casually against the back of his chair, one hand resting casually on the table, staring intently at Lin Xi.

Lin Xi's heart sank.

She called Duan Yiheng "Big Brother" simply because she was following Duan Mingxuan's example.

He's six years older than me, so what else should I call him if not "elder brother"? Should I just call him by his first name? That wouldn't be appropriate either.

"I'm sorry," Duan Yiheng said in a low voice, "I misspoke."

Lin Xi suddenly looked up, puzzled as to why he was apologizing again.

"I just--"

"Excuse me, just a minute, here's the food."

Duan Yiheng swallowed back the words he was about to say.

Some things, some words, once interrupted, are hard to start again.

Duan Yiheng then proceeded to tell her about the departmental issues she was most concerned about.

Because he holds multiple positions, in addition to being in charge of the group's fintech sector, he also serves as the vice president of Yinfan Group.

The general manager is Duan Zheng.

However, Duan Yiheng's abilities were so outstanding that Duan Zheng seemed dispensable in the company.

Duan Yiheng spoke succinctly and precisely, explaining things clearly to her in just a few words.

Lin Xi listened attentively, and asked at the end of the sentence, "I remember Yinfan Technology is on No. 1 Avenue. Why do you usually work at the group headquarters?"

Duan Yiheng replied, "Yinfan Technology's new Taihe Road campus has just been completed, so I'm currently working at the group office. Once everything is ready, I'll still spend most of my time at Taihe Road, and I'll only attend important events at the group office, such as quarterly strategy meetings."

Lin Xi nodded, indicating that he understood.

As the meal drew to a close, Lin Xi turned to look out the window and asked, "I remember there's a flea market across the street, past the tall buildings?"

"You want to go?" Duan Yiheng asked.

Lin Xi nodded: "It's been a long time since I went there. I last went when I was in school."

Duan Yiheng: "It's still early, let's go for a walk."

“Okay.” Lin Xi readily agreed, “Today is Tuesday, so we’ll extend our business hours into the evening.”

When they went out, they didn't run into Duan Mingxuan and Zhang Mo again.

She didn't want to dwell on why Duan Mingxuan had said they should break up, but then they got back together.

The flea market is crowded and cramped, making it difficult for cars to enter.

Lin Xi and Duan Yiheng walked together through the street.

As night falls over the city, the small corner of the flea market is illuminated once again.

Lin Xi strolled around with great interest, her gaze sweeping over each stall.

Duan Yiheng followed casually behind her, like a bodyguard, and asked, "Is there anything you'd like to buy?"

Lin Xi turned around and smiled: "It's more fun to wander around in places like this."

As soon as she finished speaking, she caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye and suddenly quickened her pace and rushed over.

Lin Xi picked up a wooden music box from a stall.

The music box has a retro look and delicate patterns, and from the outside it looks like a jewelry box.

"You like it?" Duan Yiheng squatted down beside her.

Lin Xi nodded: "I think it looks a lot like the one my mom bought me when I was little, but it broke and I just threw it away."

Duan Yiheng asked the stall owner, "How much?"

The stall owner held up a six: "No bargaining."

Duan Yiheng nodded: "Okay."

Lin Xi felt that the item was not worth six hundred, but Duan Yiheng had already paid for it.

She opened the lid of the music box, and musical notes flowed out—it was "Romance de Amor."

Lin Xi closed the box, turned to Duan Yiheng and said, "Thank you. Is there anything you like? I'll buy you one too."

Duan Yiheng: "Let's try moving forward."

"Okay." Lin Xi held the music box with great affection, touching and patting it all the way, without really browsing the other stalls.

Near the end of the market, Duan Yiheng suddenly stopped.

He pointed to a slightly worn black camera in the corner and said, "That one."

Lin Xi picked it up and glanced at it; it was an entry-level film camera from a German brand.

She asked the price, and the stall owner said, "Take it for 1000."

Lin Xi paid and left, handing the camera to Duan Yiheng, saying, "You can't find anything else, why did you buy this?"

Duan Yiheng checked the camera's basic functions and called out, "Lin Xi, turn around."

Lin Xi subconsciously turned her head, and with a "click," she fell into Duan Yiheng's lens.

Duan Yiheng said, "I'll have someone develop it and then I'll show it to you."

Lin Xi nodded: "It's about time, let's go."

The two returned to the parking spot. Just as Lin Xi was about to open the passenger door, she caught a glimpse of Duan Mingxuan looking somewhat forlorn under the tree.

It seems he was waiting for her.