Chapter 32: The Beginning of a Nightmare

In the end, Lin Xi was unable to shirk this business trip assignment.

Cheng Si had something come up at the last minute and couldn’t make it, so he told Lin Xi to go ahead and report with her assistant.

“Why aren’t we taking a flight? Wouldn’t that be faster?” At the high-speed rail station, the assistant stood behind Lin Xi, a bit dissatisfied as he asked.

Ahead, Lin Xi kept her head down, replying to Cheng Si’s message.

For some reason, the station was unusually crowded today, with a long queue just for security at the entrance.

The assistant waited for a while, saw her finish texting and put away her phone but still ignore him, so he frowned and edged forward. “I mean, why aren’t we—”

Lin Xi stood straight and cut him off. “Are you talking to me?”

The assistant replied, “Who else?”

At that, Lin Xi turned, narrowed her eyes, and asked seriously, “Has anyone ever told you that you’re ill-mannered?”

“No.”

She curled her lips in a mocking smile. “Now someone has.”

The assistant was left speechless.

Seeing her turn away with a cold face, he felt baffled. It wasn’t until after passing security that it dawned on him.

“Lin—Engineer Lin.” He was still unused to the shift from classmates to superior and subordinate.

“Is my title hard for you to say?”

He twitched his lips. “No.”

“Engineer Lin, why aren’t we flying? I checked, there are plenty of tickets. It’d only take a little over two hours to get to Huaicheng.”

In the lounge, Lin Xi leaned back on the sofa to rest. Just as the assistant thought she’d fallen asleep, she finally replied, “No reason. I just feel like it.”

“If you find it troublesome, you can still catch a taxi to the airport. You don’t need to go with me.”

They weren’t heading to Huasheng until tomorrow; today, after arriving in Huaicheng, there wasn’t anything urgent—just rest—so there was no need to travel together.

After a moment’s silence, the assistant decided to change the topic. “Engineer Lin, I heard you went straight for a doctorate?”

“Mm.”

She kept her eyes closed, offering nothing more.

The assistant pursed his lips and shut up. He understood now—there was no point in trying to get close to Lin Xi; she simply wouldn’t give anyone that chance.

It was as if her face bore the words “Keep Away,” like someone owed her millions.

Yet she was contradictory. Normally, she seemed graceful and well-mannered. He’d never heard her curse, but when she rebuked people, even without vulgarity, her words were sharp enough to cut to the bone, leaving one utterly humiliated.

He still hadn’t figured out her family background. Her temperament, that prideful air, reminded him of a noble miss. Her previous “brother” exuded wealth. But if she was rich, why work so hard?

She was more diligent than those of them without privilege, which made no sense. In his impression, wealthy kids were supposed to be carefree second-generation heirs, born in Rome with no need to strive.

He’d asked her former assistant, Xiao Liu, who was secretive and only said, “Just do your work and keep quiet. Engineer Lin may seem cold, but she’s even colder inside.

As long as you’re diligent, don’t slip up, and don’t try to stand out in front of her, she’ll never make trouble for you.”

“Really?”

“Of course. I only worked with her for a week and even offended her, but Engineer Lin didn’t hold it against me—she gives people a bit of face. Just don’t try to be clever; that’s her sole taboo. Apart from that, as a superior, she’s actually… pretty good.”

—

By the time they arrived in Huaicheng, dusk had fallen.

Lin Xi had slept the whole way, and when she got off, she looked drowsy, her eyes shimmering like water, appearing fragile and innocent—none of the usual assertiveness, much more approachable.

The assistant turned to ask if she wanted to eat first, but as he looked back, he found himself lost in the depths of her eyes, unable to extricate himself.

“No need, I’m going back to the hotel. Suit yourself,” she said.

Without looking at him, Lin Xi pulled her luggage and walked past him toward the parking lot.

The assistant belatedly followed, sneaking another glance to confirm it wasn’t his imagination—her gaze was gentler, soft and warm. Only at moments like this did he feel they were peers, equals.

Of course, if she didn’t speak, that would be best.

Thinking of this, he almost missed the Lin Xi of old, the mute girl, who though not any friendlier, at least wouldn’t say things that made people uncomfortable.

“I’ll go back to the hotel with you first,” he said.

She didn’t respond—her ears clearly worked, she just chose not to.

Yet this aloofness was infuriatingly endearing. Back in school, many knew she had a physical defect but couldn’t help being drawn to her, so it was no wonder so many threw themselves at her like moths to a flame.

He still remembered the first time he saw Lin Xi. News had spread a beauty had transferred to the neighboring class, so everyone flocked to catch a glimpse during break.

He squeezed to the front and saw Lin Xi quietly reading by the window. Someone whistled at her on purpose, provoking her to frown and look out coldly.

That single frosty glance sent a wave of awe through the crowd; everyone was stunned by her features. The girls later whispered with envy that Lin Xi’s looks were too perfect, God far too partial.

Even after her condition was known, admirers didn’t diminish—some were sincere, others just wanted a fling. He was half-and-half.

Initially, he was dazzled, but once he learned her situation, he thought, what use was beauty? How could a flawed person match him, and how would his friends mock him if they dated?

He came from a wealthy family, was a campus figure, liked by many girls—why bother with Lin Xi?

Yet he couldn’t resist joining his friends to see her after class, and after hearing her reject so many, they made a bet to see who could win Lin Xi over.

He thought himself the most likely, but Lin Xi repeatedly proved him wrong. At first, it was tolerable, but when she finally lost patience, smashed his gift, and told him to get lost, it became the start of his nightmare.

After school, that man led a group to block him, nearly breaking his hand.

He expected his parents to call the police and catch the guy, but his family’s company suddenly hit a financial crisis. While his parents scrambled, they kept blaming him for offending the wrong person.

He was expelled, and not just from the local schools—he couldn’t attend any high school in the entire northern region.

From start to finish, he never learned who that man was; his parents said they didn’t know either. The only certainty was that he was Lin Xi’s brother—a major figure in the capital.

Apparently… his surname was Qin.