Late at night, at the old Duan family estate.
The bedroom was dimly lit, illuminated by only a faint glow. The Old Master placed his hand over Duan Yiheng's: "Don't forget what you promised me." Duan Yiheng gave a slight nod: "I can't control Anqi. As for Duan Mingxuan—provided he doesn't act foolishly again—I can tolerate him."
The Old Master gave a thoughtful hum: "Go on, then. Be careful with everything at the board meeting." Duan Yiheng turned and headed toward the South Wing, returning to his own quarters. He stood on the third floor, gazing down; everything lay spread out before his eyes. This old villa had been bequeathed to him—a tangible symbol of his status as the head of the Duan family.
Lin Xi had grown up here as a child; if she wished, perhaps they could have the place renovated. Duan Zheng's family would inevitably have to move out; the Old Master had already set aside other properties for them—a clear indication of the family's formal division.
The Old Master knew it himself: once he was gone, this house would no longer truly be a home. Early the next morning, Lin Xi received a message from Liang Yutong—nothing more than a simple "OK" sticker.
Tomorrow was the main event: the board meeting. Lin Xi felt a strange, inexplicable sense of nervousness. Although she typically didn't participate in the company's day-to-day operations, she was entitled to attend board meetings and held voting rights. It was just that, until now, no one had ever really taken her seriously. "Nervous?"
Lin Xi, holding Duan Yiheng's tie, looked up at him and replied, "How did the time pass so quickly?" After Duan Yiheng had arrived at "Tiandu Yuxi" the previous night, they had bathed early and spent a little time chatting idly in bed. The next thing she knew—or so it seemed—they were already standing in the walk-in closet.
She was currently selecting the tie Duan Yiheng would wear to the board meeting that day. Duan Yiheng leaned down and planted a soft kiss on her lips: "Don't be nervous. I've got everything covered. Even if something unexpected happens during the meeting, you must keep your composure—do you understand?" Lin Xi nodded:
"I understand. I just hope everything goes smoothly." Duan Yiheng smiled faintly; "smoothly" was, in all likelihood, not how things would go. As far as he knew, Ke Yu had been meeting frequently with various board members over the past few weeks. Even if every single member were to turn against him, it wouldn't come as a surprise.
After all, every single person sitting in that conference room had—to varying degrees—some skeletons in their closet, some unsavory secrets they couldn't afford to have exposed. Ke Yu might be able to sway *some* of the board members to her side, but certainly not all of them. If the majority of them have suddenly turned against her, Ke Yu must surely have resorted to threats to force their hand.
Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures—followed by appeasement and the promise of future rewards. It is a tactic, certainly, but hardly an effective way to handle the aftermath. No one likes having their vulnerabilities held hostage by another, even if the compromising evidence is destroyed right before their eyes later on.
By acting this way, Ke Yu has struck a raw nerve with her adversaries. They may be temporarily under her thumb, but the moment they spot an opening, they will strike back and tear at her with a vengeance. Ke Yu surely understands this fundamental truth; yet, given the urgency of the situation, she simply cannot afford to worry about the consequences right now.
Moreover, the board members will automatically attribute such ruthless tactics to her father-in-law. Duan Yiheng tightened his grip around Lin Xi's waist; if played correctly, it might not be impossible to turn the tables and win over their hearts and minds in one fell swoop.
Caught off guard, Lin Xi stumbled right into his arms. Assuming he had done it on purpose, she playfully thumped his chest: "Stop fooling around. How about this one?" Duan Yiheng lowered his gaze to look at it—a blue tie with stripes; perfectly conventional. "That one will do," he said. "It's not like I'm getting married." Lin Xi blinked:
"...And if you *were* getting married, would *I* still be the one picking out your tie?" "Who else?" Duan Yiheng teased in a low voice. "Isn't it crucial that the tie meets with your approval?" As she tied his tie for him, Lin Xi replied, "Before we get to the wedding, President Duan, shouldn't we focus on resolving the immediate crisis first?"
They hadn't had breakfast yet, so Duan Yiheng took her hand and led her into the dining room. As soon as they were seated, he asked, "What if I fail?" Lin Xi peeled a hard-boiled egg for him and smiled. "I'll just ask Sister Li right now if she happens to be hiring any farmhands at her place."
Duan Yiheng chuckled at her response. "It won't come to that. Don't forget I still have my private estate; that place is completely insulated from all this. I'll just hide you away there." Lin Xi gave a playful scoff. "Keeping a mistress in a gilded cage, are we? You certainly know how to live it up." "Is that a hint of jealousy I smell?"
Duan Yiheng parried back smoothly. "If I know how to 'live it up,' it's only for the sake of one person—you." Lin Xi bit her lip, unable to hide her smile. After finishing their meal, the two of them stepped into a Lexus LM. There were two bodyguards seated in the back row; counting the driver and the guard in the front passenger seat, there were four of them in total.
Duan Yiheng sat back to rest his eyes, one hand resting against his forehead while the other held Lin Xi's. The vehicle was filled with unfamiliar faces—bodyguards Meng Huaishan had hired for Duan Yiheng. Lin Xi turned her head and asked Duan Yiheng, "What did Grandpa say to you that night when you returned to the old family villa?"
Duan Yiheng kept his eyes closed as he replied, "We discussed Duan Mingxuan; he knows the boy is a handful, so he asked me to keep an eye on him." Lin Xi clearly didn't buy it. "Is that all?" "That's all—just a reminder regarding the Board of Directors." Duan Yiheng opened his eyes and looked at her.
Lin Xi remained silent for a moment before murmuring, "Okay." Duan Yiheng gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Good girl." It was a thirty-minute drive from Tiandu Yuxi to the Silver Sail headquarters. Around 9:40 AM, the executive van pulled to a stop in front of the building.
Duan Yiheng and Lin Xi stepped out of the vehicle, one after the other. Given the van's high clearance, Duan Yiheng turned around like a true gentleman and offered her his arm. Lin Xi took his hand to steady herself as she disembarked; lifting her gaze, she spotted Duan Zheng, flanked by two junior board members.
Lin Xi nodded in greeting to Duan Zheng, but he merely cast a fleeting glance at Duan Yiheng without uttering a word. Lin Xi nudged Duan Yiheng gently, reminding him, "There are people watching—he is your elder." Duan Yiheng pursed his lips, walked over, and called out, "Father."
Duan Zheng acknowledged him with a brief response, then turned to walk alongside Duan Yiheng. They appeared remarkably harmonious—a father-son duo whose relationship seemed far less strained than the rumors suggested. Duan Yiheng personally pressed the elevator button for Duan Zheng and said, "Please go on up first. Grandpa will be arriving any moment now; I'll wait here by the entrance."
Duan Zheng frowned slightly, sensing that Duan Yiheng was trying to curry favor. Yet, the expression in his eyes was entirely open and sincere—devoid of any trace of pretense—reflecting nothing but genuine concern for the old patriarch. As the elevator doors slowly closed between the two men, Lin Xi, whose face had gone stiff from holding a smile for so long, finally let out a sigh of relief.
Duan Yiheng found her reaction amusing. "Why are you so tense?" Instead of answering directly, Lin Xi asked in return, "Did Grandpa say when he'd be getting here?" No sooner had the words left her lips than a Maybach glided to a halt nearby. Lin Xi and Duan Yiheng exchanged a glance and walked out together to meet it.
A Mercedes followed close behind the Maybach; Ke Yu stepped out and personally opened the door for the old patriarch. Lin Xi couldn't help but feel a flicker of admiration for her; at such a critical juncture—she surely knew that the relationship between Lin Xi and Duan Zheng had long since been exposed to the Old Master—she still managed to remain so professional and composed, acting as if nothing were amiss. Lin Xi stepped forward to assist the Old Master: "Grandpa, you're here." The Old Master grasped Lin Xi's hand: "Come along; let's head upstairs." Out of the corner of her eye, Lin Xi turned slightly and gave a subtle nod to Ke Yu.
Ke Yu lowered her gaze and followed them into the elevator. Once the Old Master reached the upper floor, he found the conference room already filled with people; upon seeing him, everyone instinctively rose to their feet. The Old Master waved a hand: "Sit down. Xiao Xi, you just stay right here by my side." Lin Xi was taken aback:
"Wouldn't that be inappropriate?" The Old Master replied: "There is nothing inappropriate about it. Let's begin." Duan Yiheng exchanged a brief glance with Lin Xi, then took his seat.