Chapter 117: Second Brother Returns Home

Lin Xi suddenly recalled a moment from her high school days. That day, her class had ended late because the evening self-study session was extended. She sat by the window, constantly glancing outside, her urgency and unease apparent even to the teacher. Finally, when the bell rang, she hurriedly packed up and was the first to leave the classroom. It was completely different from now. Back then, every night she went to see Qin Yu, she ran all the way, eager to see him the moment she stepped out. Not like now, when she avoided him at all costs.

After leaving the school gate, she looked around but didn’t see his car at the usual spot. She thought maybe he left because he didn’t wait for her. Her heart instantly felt empty, an indescribable sadness washing over her. Just as she was about to leave, she noticed a car flashing its hazard lights to her right. She was stunned for a moment, then the driver's door swung open. When she recognized the figure, her heart stopped, and she ran toward him like a madwoman. Before he could even close the car door, she had already thrown herself into his arms.

“What’s going on?” The man seemed equally surprised, stepping back half a step from her impact, instinctively wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She shook her head, unable to utter a word. Her heartbeat pounded loudly in her ears. After a few seconds, he realized, “Thought I didn’t come?” He explained, “I checked ahead of time. I knew you’d finish late today and might be hungry, so I went nearby to buy you some supper. When I arrived, the usual spot was taken, so I parked here instead. Don’t worry. Since I promised to pick you up, I would definitely come.”

Taking a deep breath, Lin Xi forced down her emotions and stepped forward softly. She stood beside him and only then noticed the coffee cup by Qin Yu was untouched and cold to the touch. The man had truly fallen asleep, breathing evenly.

“One…,” she reached out to touch his shoulder, but before she could, he suddenly opened his eyes. Caught off guard by his deep gaze, her heart stopped again. A trace of weariness still lingered between his brows, but he quickly regained composure. “Done with work?” His voice was raspy and low from just waking, seductive and captivating. Lin Xi was momentarily stunned, then straightened up, replying slowly, “Yes.” “I worked overtime, got caught up,” she said, the excuse a bit weak. Fortunately, Qin Yu didn’t call her out.

He rose with her, glanced at the time, and asked with concern, “Hungry?” Lin Xi wanted to say no, but her stomach disagreed. After a moment’s hesitation, she stubbornly said, “Not hungry.” Qin Yu’s gaze deepened as he looked at her, ignoring her words. “What about hot pot?” he suggested. She couldn’t resist the temptation at the mention of it. Her expression was complicated, and Qin Yu, reading her thoughts, made the decision for her: “They should still be open. Let’s go.”

As they stepped out of the company, the wind hit Lin Xi, making her sway. Qin Yu noticed and silently moved ahead of her. She simply assumed he was just walking faster because of his long legs, not waiting for her.

Once in the car, Lin Xi took out her phone to reply to messages. Qin Yu had driven himself today, without a driver or assistant. The car was quiet, just the two of them. Ten minutes passed; she had replied to all the messages but still hadn’t put her phone away. Her fingers flicked through various apps, unsure what to look at.

Suddenly, a message popped up from Cheng Si. Cheng Si: “Has Third Brother moved over there with you?” Lin Xi stared in disbelief at Qin Yu, who was driving. He caught her glance out of the corner of his eye. “What’s up?” she was asked. She choked, “Third Brother really moved here?” Since Cheng Si asked, it was almost certain. “Yeah,” Qin Yu replied淡淡.

Lin Xi was confused. “Third Brother doesn’t need to do this. Living here is completely out of the way from the office.” It would be more convenient to live back at the old compound. Qin Yu tilted his head, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment before replying, “I don’t have fixed working hours.” Lin Xi was speechless—she almost forgot he was the boss, free from the worries of an ordinary worker like herself. She fell silent.

Cheng Si: “?” Lin Xi sent back a smiling emoji. Cheng Si quickly understood, “That’s good. Now Third Brother can pick you up and drop you off; we can rest easy.” Reading this, Lin Xi truly couldn’t sit still and replied, “I’m almost twenty-five, not a child.” “It’s a special time,” Cheng Si sent a grinning emoji.

Lin Xi sighed helplessly, “We live in a society governed by law.” Qin Yu and Bai Xu had already warned Song Ning, and they had people stationed nearby. She wasn’t unaware. So what else could possibly happen?

Cheng Si: “Safety first. You’re our key protected person. If anything happened to you, we’d be dead men.” Half serious, half joking. The truth wasn’t quite as dire, but Lin Xi was the only heir of the Lin family. Even minor accidents would be hard to explain.

“Besides, didn’t Third Brother pick you up after school like this before? No difference.” Cheng Si’s words made Lin Xi pause. She started to form a retort but stared at the screen for a long time before quietly turning off her phone.

From that night on, Qin Yu truly moved next door, picking her up and dropping her off punctually every day without fail. At first, Lin Xi didn’t know how to interact with him. Fortunately, Qin Yu didn’t cross any boundaries, and they didn’t talk much. He seemed to understand her thoughts and gave her enough space to slowly adapt and accept his presence.

This continued until the end of the month, when her second brother, Zhou Jingheng, returned to the country. Lin Xi had already taken time off in advance. Her second brother no longer lived at the old compound. The Zhou family patriarch had died early, and their parents’ work was special, so they were currently not in the capital.

In the group chat, her second brother said he was expected to land at the capital’s international airport at three in the afternoon and would leave with his company’s car, so there was no need for them to pick him up.

“I have to go to the office first. Probably won’t be done until around six,” he said.

“No rush,” Cheng Si replied. “We’ll meet at Ruan Dong’s place then.”

That afternoon, Lin Xi was ready to leave by five. As she opened the door, she ran into Qin Yu.

“Heading over so early?” His tone was slightly sour. “You look very pretty today.” Lin Xi had deliberately dressed up a bit today, and his compliment made her feel inexplicably shy.

(The chapter ends)