Chapter 161 Follow your heart

"..."
Lin Xi wanted to explain, but she didn't know how to start.
Her ears gradually turned red, and finally, unable to defend herself, she turned her head to look out the window, "playing dead."
"Hey, hey, hey." Cheng Si poked her shoulder. "No way, you're already mad?"
People always said Bai Xu was the most asking-for-a-beating, but Lin Xi felt Cheng Si wasn't any better; one was just as teasing as the other.
They were especially like certain male classmates she had back in school, who would deliberately make girls cry and then say, "Are you crying already? What's there to cry about?"
Just thinking about it made Lin Xi want to hit someone.
"Alright, alright, I was just joking with you." Cheng Si apologized to her, quickly coaxing her, "Let's change the subject, change the subject."
"I'm going to call Third Brother right now, listen closely."
Lin Xi pretended not to hear, closed her eyes, and started to sleep.
Knowing she was faking it, Cheng Si didn't wake her up. She lowered her head to find Qin Yu's number, dialed it, and switched on the speakerphone.
The phone's ringing tone sounded. Though Lin Xi appeared indifferent, she was actually acutely aware of the exact number of seconds the ringtone had played.
All her attention was fixed on the phone.
The call was answered at the thirteenth mark.
"Back?" Qin Yu spoke first.
"Hey, hey, Third Brother, I just got off the plane." Cheng Si was about to say Lin Xi had picked her up, but swallowed the words hard in the next second, changing her story instead: "The company sent a car to pick me up."
"I'm still on the way to the company, aren't I?"
After the greeting, Cheng Si went straight to the point, "Third Brother, are you free tonight? Let's go out for dinner. I'll call Lin Xi, Second Brother, and Bai Xu."
"Does Lin Xi have time?" Qin Yu asked.
Cheng Si made a clicking sound with her tongue. "Look at you, you only care about her. So what now? Judging by Third Brother's tone, if Lin Xi doesn't have time to come out, you aren't coming either?"
Knowing she was joking, Qin Yu cooperated with an "hmm," prompting Cheng Si to make a couple more teasing remarks.
To Qin Yu, these words rolled off his back without leaving a scratch.
But it was a different story for Lin Xi.
As Cheng Si bantered uninhibitedly beside her, Lin Xi's cheeks grew hotter and hotter. Finally unable to bear it, she raised her hand and struck Cheng Si's knee hard.
"Hiss..."
Cheng Si glared at her; this ancestor of hers really knew the best spot to strike.

"What's going on over there?" Qin Yu keenly sensed someone was beside her.
"Nothing, my secretary accidentally stepped on my foot." As expected of Cheng Si, she didn't even need a draft to lie, pulling it right out of thin air.
"Anyway, Third Brother, it's settled then. I'll send you the location later. I'm almost at the company, and I'll go see Lin Xi right after."
Hanging up, Cheng Si snapped her fingers. "Easily done."
"Now the first step is complete, onto the second step." Cheng Si patted the partition. "Old Gao, don't go back to the company. Head to SKP."
"?" Lin Xi opened her eyes. "What are we going there for? I still need to go back to the company to process data."
"What data?" Cheng Si's mouth twitched. "Everything I said to you just now went in one ear and out the other."
"Tell me what we're going for first."
Lin Xi had a bad prefiguring feeling.
With a helpless, deep breath to calm herself down, Cheng Si said:
"To pick out a battle gown for you, of course!"
"?" Lin Xi frowned.
"You surely don't intend to go on a date wearing this work uniform, do you?"
"I admit you're naturally beautiful and would look stunning even in a burlap sack, but we still need a bit of a sense of occasion."
"Although Bai Xu had other motives last time, credit where credit is due, that red dress he picked for you was genuinely fantastic. The moment you appeared, you completely overshadowed everyone else."
"I'm just going out for dinner, why would I wear an evening gown?"
Cheng Si was speechless. "You really are my foolish disciple. What do you mean you're just going out for dinner? You're going on a date!"
Lin Xi took a deep breath. "Still, there's no need to dress this grandly."
Wouldn't Qin Yu see right through that instantly?
It wasn't like they hadn't seen each other in eight hundred years; Cheng Si had only been abroad for a few days, and they were just gathering for a casual meal upon her return. It wasn't a banquet; who went out to dinner with friends in a floor-length gown?
Was she out of her mind?
"Dressing up too elaborately makes your intentions obvious to everyone," Lin Xi said softly.
"True." Cheng Si touched her chin, pondering carefully for a few seconds. "Then we'll pick out a slightly more casual outfit, skip the professional styling, and just wear light makeup. That'll work, right?"
"So it doesn't look too deliberate."
Ten minutes later, Lin Xi followed behind Cheng Si into the mall.
It had been a while since she last went shopping, and since it was still working hours, a lingering sense of guilt weighed on her.

The final outfit was entirely chosen by Cheng Si.
During the process, Lin Xi attempted to offer some input, but every single suggestion was vetoed.
"Perfect, we're done." Cheng Si looked as satisfied as if she had just negotiated a multi-billion-dollar project. "Tonight, you listen to me and wear just like this."
"Next is the third step."
"There's more?" Lin Xi checked the time; she really needed to hurry back to the company. "I have a meeting in half an hour."
This was genuinely not an excuse.
"No rush, we can talk on the way."
"..." In the end, Lin Xi couldn't escape.
The third step Cheng Si spoke of was merely imparting some "art of conversation" verbally.
Summarized, it all boiled down to one sentence: Follow your heart.
"This master has taught you this much; tonight, the rest of the journey depends entirely on you, disciple." She patted her shoulder solemnly.
Anyone watching would have thought she had just passed down some exclusive secret martial arts technique.
"Digest it well this afternoon, huh."
——
Back at the company, despite rushing, Lin Xi still arrived five minutes late.
Fortunately, it was a departmental meeting with no outsiders present.
With her absent, Senior Engineer Chen naturally took charge of the proceedings. Seeing her enter, Engineer Chen signaled her with a gesture. After a brief exchange between the two, Engineer Chen stepped down and yielded the floor to Lin Xi.
"Everyone should have just heard Engineer Chen outline the general contents of this meeting. Next, I will elaborate in detail on the primary issues our department has faced recently."
"There have been relatively frequent personnel transfers in the first department lately, which is quite normal. Most of you here are not workplace novices; you should understand the logic behind it. But I still want to remind everyone: whatever feelings or opinions you may hold toward me, I accept them all."
"However, I hope you understand that these negative emotions should not be brought into your work."
"If you feel uncomfortable, you may request a transfer through HR at any time. You don't need my approval; you can go directly through Engineer Chen. Feiyun has many R&D departments, and I hope everyone can find a team that suits them."
"Additionally, regarding the departed employees, I hope everyone respects the company's disciplinary decisions. I won't interfere with your private interactions, but please mind your own words and actions."
"Also, a temporary notice: there is an intelligent technology conference abroad next week. Engineer Li and your assistant, please prepare yourselves and travel with me."
(End of Chapter)