Chapter seven

Immediately, any thought of escaping the building left Lin Xi's mind. He was determined to get to the bottom of things. Just as he was about to follow them, the phone in his hand started ringing. Thinking it was Duan Shen calling to look for him, he walked into the elevator again without a second thought.

It was only when he picked up that he realized it was Lu Lingxing. "How about you come directly to Tang's new mansion."

It was only after a moment's trepidation that he remembered he had called to make plans last time. "The suburbs are so far. How about you pick me up in your car?"

Lu Lingxing sounded exasperated. "My dear Mr. Lin, why don't you just call a cab?"

"I could," Lin Xi's face was drawn, "You pay for it. I forgot to bring money out."

Lu Lingxing smacked his lips together mockingly. "Really, Mr. Lin? Your brother won't even give you allowance anymore?"

"Lu Lingxing, do you have f.u.c.king ears or not? Wait for me at the mansion's entrance." Lin Xi hung up curtly and walked out of the elevator.

While he squatted on the side of the road outside of the building, waiting for a cab, Duan Shen was standing in front of the floor-length windows in his office, talking business with his a.s.sistant. Su Heng placed the department's plans on his desk and reminded him, "Mr. Duan, Fang Ruojian and his manager are here. They're in the guest–"

Duan Shen's eyes swept down the sight from the windows, and a slight frown came over his features. Raising a hand to interrupt Su Heng, he picked up his phone from the desk and made a call.

When Lin Xi saw the incoming call, he glanced up at the building behind him, pulling his hood over his head halfheartedly before taking the call.

Duan Shen got to the point. "Where are you?"

Lin Xi cleared his throat. "I just got on the car. Going home to pick something up."

Duan Shen didn't expose him. "I read your apology. It was–"

The moment the word "apology" entered his ear, Lin Xi blushed, hurriedly raising his voice to interrupt the other man, "Huh? What? My signal's really bad over here on the highway. We'll talk about it when I get back."

He didn't even wait for a response before hanging up.

Duan Shen put his phone down casually, looking up to see Su Heng, who was dumbfounded at the contents of the call. Leaning down, he grabbed a bunch of keys and threw them to the table and commanded, "Take the car keys."

Su Heng jumped, coming back to himself. Taking the keys, he remarked, "Mr. Duan, you're planning on going out?"

Duan Shen returned to the window, pointing at Lin Xi. "Drop him off."

Su Heng followed his gaze. "Where to?"

"Ask him," Duan Shen sat down in front of his desk, "No matter where he wants to go, just get him there."

Su Heng nodded, slack jawed.

"Other than that," Duan Shen tapped his fingers against the table and turned, "Bring him a message from me."

Two minutes later, an unfamiliar car pulled up before Lin Xi. Frowning, he backed away, but the window rolled down, revealing a familiar face in the driver's seat.

It was a face he knew from this morning in Duan Shne's office. The corners of his mouth twitched, and he plucked the hood off, revealing his own face.

That was when Duan Shen's a.s.sistant addressed him, "Please get in the car."

Lin Xi: "…"

He stood outside the car, not budging an inch. "Where to?"

"Do you not know where you're going, sir?" Su Heng helped him open the backdoor, "Mr. Duan said you can go wherever you want."

"Lin Xi: "…….."

Forty minutes later, the car pulled to a stop outside a suburban mansion. After thanking the man, Lin Xi was about to get out of the car, when Su Heng called him to a stop. "Mr. Duan has a message for you."

Lin Xi hesitated. "What?"

"Mr. Duan said," Su Heng repeated the words syllable by syllable, "He'll be picking you up tonight."

Lin Xi let a breath out, and pushed the door open. One leg was already out when Su Heng spoke again, "He also said that your apology was written well, that he was rather pleased."

Although Lin Xi's body stiffened, he casually gave an affirmative response as he continued to walk away. The moment he turned around, blood flushed into his face and he turned bright red.

Lu Lingxing came up to greet him, his eyes glancing at the car disappearing into the distance as he rubbed his chin, "Who dropped you off? Nice ride."

There was a long pause, but Lin Xi didn't answer. Glancing at Lin Xi instead, Lu Lingxing's eyebrows shot up, "Why are you blus.h.i.+ng like that?"

Before he even finished his sentence, the corners of Lin Xi's eyes twitched upwards in rage as he glared at him and walked past him into the suburbs.

It was only a few months later when rich kid Mr. Lu found a well-educated, smart girlfriend that he learned the meaning of "embarra.s.sment breeds anger".