As the interview drew to a close, Zhong Li asked Duan Yiheng, "What kind of person is Miss Lin to you?"
Duan Yiheng lowered his eyes and chuckled softly, triggering another flurry of comments on the screen—"That smile, ahhh, I'm speechless!" "I really want to know what his girlfriend looks like. How can someone who seems so aloof smile so sweetly?"
"When you truly like someone, you smile unconsciously." "You know what, that smile is really sweet." "I'm different. I just want to know what it feels like to kiss those lips, hehe." Lin Xi:
"..." She'd really learned something new. Was the internet some kind of lawless place? Then the comments veered off course, all asking what Duan Yiheng's lips felt like to kiss.
Lin Xi subconsciously pursed her lips. She glanced around guiltily, then typed "soft, fierce" in the comments section and sent it. After sending it, she realized it wasn't right; fierce was only occasional, mostly gentle. Her comment was drowned out by the comments again.
Lin Xi silently changed it again: Most of the time, gentle. Some viewers in the live chat were unhappy—"What's going on upstairs? Did you kiss her?" "You're acting like it's real. Uninstall that xx novel from your phone right now." Lin Xi:
"..." Although she was speechless, she didn't have time to argue because Duan Yiheng spoke up:
"In one's life, one will meet many people. Some encounters are destined, but if it comes at the cost of her parents' lives, I'd rather there be no such destiny. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Zhong Li smiled and nodded:
"When love runs deep, one only wishes for her well-being. If I have her, I'm fortunate; if I lose her, it's my fate." Duan Yiheng nodded in agreement, thinking to himself, "No wonder he's a host." "Let me say one last thing." Duan Yiheng didn't look at the camera but at Lin Xi.
Lin Xi's heart tightened, as if she were looking directly at Duan Yiheng through the screen. "Lin Xi, from now on, walk this path with me. I'll walk with you too. If you're willing, answer me." Lin Xi took off her headphones, turned around, and said, "Okay."
The person wasn't visible in the live chat, but their voice could be heard. The audience erupted again—"Ahhh, this man is so good at this!" "Openly declaring his ownership, tsk tsk." "The voice is soft, but I'm sure she's a sweet girl."
"I looked her up online, she's definitely from the South. Southern girls are petite and delicate, I can already picture it." "A Southerner who's lived in the North for over ten years, I just want to know if she eats sweet or savory zongzi."
Lin Xi looked at Duan Yiheng, unaware that this comment had sparked a North-South food war in the comments section. Zhong Li also had a look of pure enjoyment on her face. She guided Duan Yiheng to look at the camera and say goodbye to the audience.
Lin Xi saw Duan Yiheng stand up and walked straight over. In the live stream, Duan Yiheng raised his hand and took hers. The live stream ended, leaving a group of onlookers drooling over the sight of the two holding hands.
Next came the public relations department's business. Duan Yiheng exchanged a few polite words with the production team and then led Lin Xi out of the library. The car was already waiting downstairs. Duan Yiheng personally opened the passenger door for Lin Xi. Lin Xi turned around: "My car." Duan Yiheng said:
"Let the driver drive." Lin Xi bent down and got in. Duan Yiheng closed the door, walked around the hood, and got into the driver's seat. Lin Xi fastened her seatbelt and picked up her phone to log into the MW app. Duan Yiheng had just asked her how the live stream was going when Lin Xi said, "You drive your car first."
"What are you looking at?" Duan Yiheng glanced at her phone but saw nothing. Lin Xi said, "I still don't quite believe you're Ryan. I'm going to check our previous chat history." Duan Yiheng shook his head and chuckled:
"Would I impersonate him?" Suddenly knowing this, Lin Xi needed a moment to process it and confirm it. She had even forgotten what she and Ryan had talked about before.
Fortunately, she could find the chat history; it was all in English, and scrolling through it, it was all very ordinary topics. Lin Xi smiled and said, "Back then, I was alone abroad, without any close friends. Looking at our chat history from a year ago, I realized I practically treated you like a confidante; I even sent you quite a few photos." Duan Yiheng handed her his phone: "An encrypted album; the password is your birthday."
Lin Xi paused, then took his phone. The encrypted album contained seventeen photos, all overlapping with the photos in MW. She herself never appeared in any of the photos.
From the autumn colors peeking out from a corner of Fairmont Park to street performances at an Italian market, to art museums and secondhand bookstores. There was also a photo of a shared book list; Duan Yiheng said they were all books for little girls.
Lin Xi didn't refute, even joking that she herself was a little girl. A long silence filled the car. Suddenly, Lin Xi blurted out, "You're so good at hiding things." So good at holding back. The car turned, entering the last stretch of street. Duan Yiheng said, "What else can I do but hide it? Just rush into Penn and kidnap you?" "Then why didn't you tell me later?" Lin Xi turned her face away. "Why didn't you tell me when we were together?" "These things need a trigger."
Duan Yiheng coughed lightly. "What if I suddenly grabbed you and told you, 'Hey, I'm Ryan,' and then you asked me what Ryan?" Lin Xi was amused: "What nonsense! Why did you choose to tell me today?" Duan Yiheng:
"Today's opportunity is good. I can't wait until November and still be hiding something from you." Lin Xi didn't react at first, but when the car entered the villa and came to a stop, her face suddenly turned red.
He had already given her a hint, implying that when the ginkgo leaves were plentiful, he should ask her again if she was willing. Seeing her dazed expression, Duan Yiheng leaned over, unbuckled her seatbelt, and casually pinched her smooth cheek: "Get out of the car, still standing there?"
Lin Xi handed him her phone, opened the car door, and got out. Upon entering the room, Sister Mei immediately asked, "Why is your face so red?" Lin Xi shook her head, "It's nothing, just hot. I'll go upstairs first." Duan Yiheng followed closely behind, but Sister Mei stopped him:
"Did you cause this again?" "Can't you wish me well for once?" Duan Yiheng was both amused and exasperated, "I'm just shy." Sister Mei smiled and stepped aside, "Young lady, you're easily embarrassed."
Duan Yiheng followed her upstairs and saw Lin Xi sitting at the foot of the bed playing on her phone. He went over and lifted her chin, "Be careful not to hurt your neck. The light's off too, can your eyes handle it?" Lin Xi snorted and turned her phone over to show him, "Aren't you very proud of yourself?
Look what they call you." Duan Yiheng subconsciously frowned when he saw the word "husband," but said nothing, turning around to turn on the light. The bedroom was brightly lit, and he saw someone's wrinkled face, looking like she'd eaten several slices of unbearably sour lemon.
Duan Yiheng said casually, "It's through a screen, and you're telling them not to shout?" Lin Xi glared at him, "What did you say?" A slight smile appeared on Duan Yiheng's lips, "Not letting them shout?"