Chapter 22: I Am the Only One Left

“…”

With just a few brief words, Qin Yu had left Lin Xi doubting everything about her life. She sat on the sofa, her expression uneasy as she looked at him, unable to wrap her mind around what had just happened.

Because of the alcohol, a delicate blush colored her cheeks and the corners of her eyes. Qin Yu felt his heart tighten under the innocent bewilderment in her gaze; she likely had no idea how alluring she looked at this very moment.

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he looked at her with tenderness and brushed her cheek. “Have you been working too hard lately? It feels like you’ve lost weight again.”

He’d heard from Cheng Si that Feiyun had been rushing a project lately, especially the R&D team, who had been working overtime for a week straight. Even when Cheng Si told her to rest, she hadn’t listened.

Today was Saturday—she should have been resting.

“With an employee like you, Cheng Si’s made a real bargain. Are you going into the office tomorrow?”

Their eyes met and clashed in the air, the temperature rising between them until it became almost suffocating.

Snapping back to herself, Lin Xi lowered her eyes, her long lashes trembling. “I’m off tomorrow.”

For some reason, her voice was very soft. She seemed as obedient and reliant as she had been at seventeen or eighteen—back then, her whole world had revolved around him…

“Alright, then how about I take you out to have some fun tomorrow?”

Without even thinking, Lin Xi refused, “I’m going to sleep tomorrow. I’m not going out.”

Sensing that the atmosphere between them had turned oddly charged, she glanced at the time and hurriedly added, “It’s getting late—I’m going to bed.”

Her intention to send him away was all too clear.

Just a moment ago she’d been immersed in his tenderness, and now she’d withdrawn in an instant, her gaze cool and unyielding.

Lin Xi rose and walked toward the bedroom, tossing back, “When you leave, remember to take out the trash and clean up the hallway.”

Qin Yu: “…”

It was only after she heard the door close that Lin Xi let out a long breath.

She wasn’t sure what had just happened. It was as if something had slipped out of control, veering off course when she wasn’t looking.

After her shower, her mind cleared a little.

Back in the living room, she found that Qin Yu was indeed gone, but the card he’d left was still sitting on the table. Beneath it was a slip of paper with a single line:

This is my supplementary card. You know the PIN.

—

That night, Lin Xi slept soundly, undisturbed by dreams.

In the afternoon, she received a call from HR, informing her that her assistant, Xiao Liu, was pregnant.

“She’ll likely be on leave for a while, so Ms. Lin, do you have anyone in mind for a replacement? We can find you a new assistant.”

“Anyone is fine,” Lin Xi said as she watered her plants in the living room, phone in hand. “I’m not picky.”

“Do you have any requirements? After all, you’ll be working closely with this person every day. It’s important to find someone who suits you in every way.”

“Just stick to your usual standards—male or female, any age, I don’t mind. As long as they’re professional.”

The HR manager paused, helpless. “Alright, I’ll handle it and confirm with you again later, just in case?”

“No need. You decide.”

“Okay, understood.”

“Thank you.”

After hanging up, Lin Xi glanced at WeChat and finally noticed messages in the company group.

It was a small group for their R&D department. Since early morning, Engineer Chen and the others had been sending her frantic apologies for mixing up her drinks last night—they’d gotten her the wrong one while drunk.

She hadn’t replied, which left them all on edge.

“Has Ms. Lin not woken up yet? She must have really gotten drunk yesterday.”

“You’re one to talk! Who told you to mess with the drinks? The white liquor was so strong and you mixed it with beer!”

“I was really drunk, you all know how bad my tolerance is! When I remembered this morning, I almost wanted to apologize with my life!”

“Apologize to Ms. Lin first, then you can do whatever you want!”

Lin Xi sent a string of ellipses, and someone immediately replied in the group.

“Ms. Lin, are you just waking up? How are you feeling, all right?”

“I’m fine, don’t worry,” she replied.

She had slept soundly and woke up feeling refreshed, with no sign of a hangover.

“Ms. Lin, you’re really something! Let’s do this again next time!”

After replying to each message, Lin Xi changed clothes and went out for a meal.

With the Qixi Festival approaching, Beijing couldn’t escape a rainstorm. The forecast predicted rain from afternoon into the evening. Before heading out, Lin Xi searched for an umbrella but couldn’t find one, so she put the matter aside.

She took a cab to a trendy restaurant a colleague had recommended.

The restaurant was only a few kilometers from the cemetery. After her meal, Lin Xi went to visit her parents.

It was the weekend, and there were more people than last time. When she saw the fresh flowers placed beside her parents’ gravestone, it didn’t surprise her at all.

She knelt to steady a bouquet that the wind had toppled, gazing at her parents’ photo for a long time before speaking softly about her recent life.

After a while, she paused, her expression falling as she hung her head. “I haven’t seen my brother in a long time.”

“When I first got back to China, I thought about going to see him, but I never felt ready. Knowing his temper, after all these years without visiting, he’d definitely scold me.”

“When I was a kid and got into trouble, Fourth Brother would take the blame for me. Second Brother would step in when I was being scolded. Now, I’m really the only one left.”

She let out a long breath, glancing at the bouquets by her side and asking instinctively, “Has he been coming all these years while I was away?”

Thinking of the past, Lin Xi pursed her lips and complained, “Of everyone, he’s always been the hardest for me to figure out.”

“Always hot and cold with people.”

“With his personality, if he ever manages to find a wife, it’ll be sheer luck. Out of all the guys in our courtyard, he’s the most difficult.”

Of course, she would only dare to say such things here, in secret.

The sky was overcast and rain seemed imminent. Lin Xi joined the crowd heading out. It had just started to drizzle when she reached the security office.

She stood under the pavilion, waiting out the rain, and tried to hail a ride, but the app said there was a queue. She wasn’t in a rush and could wait.

Her driver’s license was from abroad, and since returning, she’d been too busy to get it transferred. She probably wouldn’t be driving until next month.

The rain grew heavier. Lin Xi yawned, leaning against a pillar as she waited.

“The rain’s getting heavy, why don’t you come inside for a while?” The security guard made a call from the office, then came out and gestured for her to come in out of the rain.

“It’s fine, I’m not getting wet here. I’ll be leaving soon.”

Lin Xi had always liked rainy days. Even being stranded like this didn’t bother her; in fact, her mood was rather peaceful. It was the perfect time for contemplation.

In the distance, headlights flashed and shone directly at her, making her squint. She thought her ride had arrived.

But as she turned, she saw someone approaching with an umbrella. She was about to praise the driver for his thoughtfulness—he even brought an umbrella for her, definitely deserving a generous tip.

But when her eyes fell on the item at the stranger’s wrist, her smile froze.

In that moment, it seemed his words had come true—

You don’t need to go anywhere. I will come to you.

[Author’s Note: Is anyone really reading this? T_T]