Xi Corporation's Headquarters, 14:35;
Xi Yuan waited until Rong Xinghe and his sister had disappeared from sight before finally sinking into one of the cafeteria chairs. When he looked down, a pair of shoes had already been placed neatly before him—Xi Fang's shoes.
A faint smile curved Xi Yuan's lips—an acknowledgment, both grateful and indulgent, toward his younger brother.
He would have declined the offer—without hesitation, without thought—had it not been for her.
Xi Yuan knew his brother better than anyone. Xi Fang wasn't simply offering him shoes; he was surrendering his own, because Rong Xinghe had asked it of him.
For his younger brother, her word was unquestionable, binding in a way that left no room for argument.
If she wanted Xi Yuan's position intact, then Xi Fang would see it done—even if it meant standing in his tailored socks against the chill of the cafeteria's floor. That was the extent of his loyalty, the extent of the authority she held in Xi Fang's heart.
