Chapter 50: Your Chance Has Come

Cheng Si rather agreed with what Bai Xu had just said; he too looked down on that woman, Song Ning. Yet he was curious as to why Bai Xu seemed so hostile toward her.

“You seem to have quite an issue with Song Ning,” he asked, feigning nonchalance.

At the same time, Qin Yu’s eyes lifted, and both of them turned to look at Bai Xu.

Receiving Qin Yu’s gaze, cold and sharp as a blade, Bai Xu showed no sign of discomfort. He had long since grown used to this demeanor from his cousin.

“I just don’t like her. A little TV hostess, yet she dreams of entering the Qin family.” Clearly, Bai Xu was hiding something, but in the end he said nothing more.

“Aunt’s taste is really something—so many wonderful girls out there, and she’s set on Song Ning. Say, Third Brother, shall I introduce you to someone? Do you prefer a curvy one, or one with a perky backside?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, a lighter flew straight at his face. Bai Xu dodged quickly and caught it deftly.

“Third Brother, I’m your own cousin! If you broke my nose just now, I’d be truly ruined—how would I ever get married?”

Opposite him, Qin Yu sat up straight, crushing his cigarette out hard on the table. “Say something like that again, and you’ll lose your mouth.”

Bai Xu gave a sheepish grin, not daring to take it as a joke.

He was the darling of the family. His father had died young and he was born premature, so even when he erred, the elders always treated him with indulgence. Only this cousin showed him no mercy whatsoever.

Sensing the tension, Cheng Si stepped in to smooth things over, steering the conversation to Lin Xi.

“How’s she been lately?”

“She’s been having quite a time of it,” Cheng Si replied, picking a few significant incidents to share with Bai Xu. “By the way, isn’t that Lu family boy still hanging around Lin Xi?”

“Who?”

“Lu Bei. Ever since their blind date, he’s been completely taken with her, doting on her all the time. Third Brother, you warned him once, didn’t you? Seems like... it didn’t really work.”

Hearing this, Bai Xu looked at Qin Yu in surprise, wanting to see if it was true.

Cheng Si was a man whose words were three parts fact, seven parts fiction—rarely could you find a true statement in his sentences.

Bai Xu wasn’t sure if Cheng Si had embellished the story or left out anything important.

Qin Yu remained silent, prompting Bai Xu to frown. “Third Brother, you’ve lost your temper after all these months? For a brat like that, what’s the point of a verbal warning?”

Before Qin Yu could respond, Cheng Si knocked on the table, reminding him, “That kid’s the precious son of Mayor Lu. Don’t even think about it.”

Bai Xu was about to retort when he saw Qin Yu glance over as well, his voice low and thick with warning: “No one’s going to clean up your mess.”

There was reason for Qin Yu and Cheng Si to be so serious. Long ago, Bai Xu had truly lost control once.

Despite his usual genteel appearance, he didn’t look like someone who had trained in martial arts. But a child raised in the family compound was bound to have some real skills.

Among the group, other than the eldest Lin brother, Bai Xu was the fiercest fighter. The Lin brother always knew when to stop, but Bai Xu never held back.

Back in their final year of high school, Bai Xu got into a fight at school, nearly killing the other boy. That time, Qin Yu had flown back from abroad and, for the first time, resorted to harsh measures against his cousin. If their grandfather hadn’t intervened in time, Bai Xu would’ve ended up with a broken leg.

It had taken both the Bai and Qin families pulling strings to settle the matter.

But the reason for that fight had always remained a mystery. So many people had asked over the years, yet no one could pry the truth from him.

Cheng Si still didn’t trust him entirely. “You’d better behave yourself. His father isn’t the same man he was when he first arrived in the capital. You absolutely cannot touch that Lu boy.”

The Lu family weren’t natives of the capital. Years ago, the entire family had moved to the city with Lu Bei’s father’s job transfer. At first, they had no real power, but now things were different—they were on the rise.

Lu Bei was their only son. If anything happened to him, his parents would go to any lengths. That would be a real headache.

—

The next morning, Lin Xi was genuinely busy, and her phone kept ringing beside her. Her assistant asked if she wanted to take the call.

“Who is it?”

The assistant glanced at the caller ID. “Unknown number, but local.”

“You answer it. Put it on speaker. It’s probably a telemarketer.”

The assistant did as told. “Who are you looking for?”

There was a pause on the other end. “Lu Bei?”

“You must have the wrong number. There’s no one by that name here.”

“I’m looking for Lin Xi. Isn’t this her number?”

“Ah, yes.” The assistant looked at Lin Xi and asked, “Who’s calling? Ms. Lin is busy. Is there something I can pass on?”

The caller pressed, “And who are you?”

The assistant was left speechless, about to answer when a hand reached over and took the phone.

Lin Xi handed her some documents. “Take these to Engineer Chen and the others.”

The assistant agreed, taking the files and leaving, glancing back with every step.

Lin Xi pulled over a chair and sat down. Only after turning off the speaker did she bring the phone to her ear. “Looking for me?”

“Lin Xi?” The man double-checked her voice, fixated on the male assistant from earlier. “Who just answered?”

“My assistant.”

“A male assistant.”

“Is that a problem?”

“Just by the sound, he’s no good.”

She snorted. “That depends on who you’re comparing him to. Next to you, he’s practically a saint.”

“That joke isn’t funny.”

“Who said I was joking? I’m being honest.”

He clicked his tongue, clearly displeased, and after a long pause replied, “Turns out Cheng Si was right.”

Lin Xi didn’t need to ask to know Cheng Si hadn’t said anything nice.

“What do you want? I’m working.”

“Have you figured out who I am?”

“It would be hard not to.”

“In that case, come out for a meal.”

“I’m at work.”

“How much can you possibly earn? Hurry up, I’m downstairs at your office. If you don’t come out, I’ll barge in. I wonder if Cheng Si’s security guards are any good in a fight.”

...

Ten minutes later, at a nearby tea house.

Lin Xi handed the menu back to the waiter. “That’ll be all.”

“Very well. Please wait a moment.”

Turning her gaze back, she finally looked at the man across from her. After several years, Bai Xu seemed unchanged.

He still wore glasses and a casual suit, appearing cultured and polite. But it was all a façade.

Bai Xu met her eyes, studying her as well. After a moment, he offered unabashed praise. “You’ve grown even more beautiful.”

Lin Xi ignored his compliment.

“Just got back to the capital?” she asked offhandedly.

“Landed just last night. If Cheng Si hadn’t dragged me out for drinks, I would’ve come to see you then.”

He had wanted to see her as soon as he arrived, but Cheng Si intercepted him along the way.

He could have skipped out on Cheng Si without a second thought, but not on Third Brother.

“Were you talking about me?”

Bai Xu gazed at her, nodding with a faint, ambiguous smile. “We even discussed that woman, Song Ning. Third Brother said he’d never marry her—so you still have a chance.”

(End of chapter)