Chapter 87: I Will Not Cling to Someone Who Doesn't Love Me

At the entrance to Feiyun Company.

Lin Xi halted her steps and turned to look at Bai Rong.

“Aunt Rong, is there something you want to tell me?”

The other woman had sent Second Aunt away and offered to escort her, a younger family member. Lin Xi was not naïve enough to believe it was just a simple gesture. Clearly, there was something she meant to say. And as for what it was—well, it wasn’t hard to guess.

Lin Xi could tell with just a thought that it would be some less-than-kind “reminder.” Or perhaps it should be called—a warning.

Now, with only the two of them present, Bai Rong dropped her earlier feigned smile. Lin Xi, as a junior, had embarrassed her in public; Bai Rong had no reason to show her any goodwill.

“The matter between Lu Bei and Bai Xu—you can stop pretending. I know it all started because of you.”

“And the one from years ago, that too, is tied to you.”

“Lin Xi, you shouldn’t have returned to the country. Since you came back, Qin Yu and Bai Xu have been circling around you every day. You must be quite pleased to keep those two brothers dangling, aren’t you?”

“I’m begging you, could you stay away from them? There are so many people—why must it be those two? Why insist on going against our Bai family?”

“….” Lin Xi took a deep breath and asked, with a straight face, “Do you suffer from paranoia? I suggest you have a thorough checkup at the hospital when you have time. At your age, it’s important to pay attention to your health.”

“My relationship with Third and Fifth Brother is purely sibling-like. If you want to say we’re close, well, what about Fourth Brother? We keep in touch quite often too. We grew up together—seeing each other all the time, how could I avoid them?”

“You don’t need to lecture me. In my eyes, they are just family brothers. I have no ulterior motives. You should look for those who do have such thoughts, not waste your time with me.”

“Even if you and I agree to cut off contact with them, I doubt the other elders would consent. When they ask, who explains it? You?”

The elders in the family weren’t fools; with their age, how could they not see through things? Given what happened in the previous generation, everyone knew Aunt Rong didn’t particularly like Lin Xi.

If the elders of the Bai and Qin families asked, no matter how Bai Rong tried to explain, it would be useless. No matter how pleasant her words, they would be futile before the elders.

Lin Xi pressed further: “Are you sure you can handle the aftermath?”

She herself didn’t care—but could Bai Rong?

Bai Rong’s face darkened, barely concealing her anger. Lin Xi smiled slightly, her response entirely different.

“Aunt Rong, I admit, when I was seventeen, I did have feelings for Third Brother. But I’m not someone who dwells on the past—I never cling to someone who doesn’t like me.”

Hearing this, Bai Rong’s expression changed dramatically.

Lin Xi’s meaning was clear, and Bai Rong understood it perfectly.

“After all these years, you’ve become increasingly disrespectful in the way you speak,” Bai Rong snapped.

Lin Xi replied, “If I’d been more articulate back then, these words wouldn’t be left unsaid now.”

“I have even harsher things I haven’t spoken yet, Aunt Rong—would you like to hear them?”

“Back then, your words were far more cutting than mine are now. I was just a teenager then and I endured it. Aunt Rong should…,” she raised an eyebrow, “be able to take it too.”

“You really are a girl with no upbringing!” Bai Rong spat.

At the mention of her parents, Lin Xi’s faint smile vanished instantly. Her expression, as she lowered her face, was eerily similar to Qin Yu’s—cold and intimidating.

“Not as mean as Aunt Rong. As for manners, I believe I still surpass you. Anyone else can say I lack manners, but you, it seems, have no such right.”

“I still respect you as an elder, so I won’t say more. But if Aunt Rong continues to make things difficult for me, I may not have many skills, but I do know how to complain to Grandpa.”

Seeing the Bentley’s window roll down not far away, Lin Xi, worried Second Aunt might be concerned, did not linger and turned to leave.

At the steps outside Feiyun, Lin Xi climbed the last one when her phone vibrated in her pocket.

She pulled it out and glanced at the screen—Qin Yu. She paused, then ignored it, switched her phone to silent, and tucked it back in her pocket.

——

That day, Lin Xi kept her phone on silent, leaving it in her office drawer, not looking at it again.

As the saying goes, avoidance may be shameful, but if it works, so be it.

After finishing her report and getting off work, it was already eight in the evening.

Lin Xi had intentionally stayed late today, working overtime for a while.

On her way out, she only remembered her phone wasn’t with her after entering the elevator.

Retrieving her phone, she leaned against the elevator wall, scrolling through missed calls and messages. As expected, it wasn’t overwhelming, but the sense of pressure was there.

From Qin Yu to Cheng Si to Bai Xu, they’d all taken turns calling her.

Further down, she saw calls from her eldest aunt.

Her finger hovered over her aunt’s number before she finally hit redial.

“Aunt, sorry, I just saw your call.”

“Xi Xi, just got off work?”

“Yes, I was in the lab all afternoon and didn’t bring my phone.”

“No worries, have you had dinner?”

“I’ve eaten, Aunt.”

Soon, her aunt got to the point. “Did Bai Rong come to find you?”

“Who told you that, Aunt?”

It was normal for Qin Yu and the others to know, since Feiyun was their territory. But her aunt shouldn’t have heard so soon—surely the news hadn’t reached the family compound yet? And it wasn’t exactly major news.

“Don’t ask me who told me, just tell me—is it true?”

“Yes, Aunt Rong and Second Aunt came to discuss Fifth Brother with me.”

Lin Xi stepped out of the elevator. The cleaning lady nodded to her, “Working late again, Engineer Lin?”

“Not too late today. I’m heading out. You keep busy.”

“Alright.” The cleaning lady smiled and watched her go.

Stepping out of the company doors, Lin Xi switched the phone to her other hand, continuing her conversation with her aunt about what happened that afternoon.

“She’s up to no good, even bringing Bai Xu’s mother along. Unbelievable!” Her aunt was furious. “What did she say to you?”

“It’s fine, Aunt. If she really said anything unpleasant, I wouldn’t have let it slide. Don’t be upset.”

“I’m only afraid you’d spare her feelings! If she says anything, you must tell me, hear me? Don’t bother reasoning with her—she’s got issues, can’t be reasoned with! I’ll handle her!”

Lin Xi couldn’t help but laugh at her aunt’s words.

“Alright, alright. But I probably won’t meet her alone again. This time was mainly out of respect for Second Aunt.”

She hung up the phone just before reaching her building’s entrance.

Downstairs, before she even entered, she noticed the Rolls-Royce parked off to the side.

Upon seeing her, Qin Yu’s assistant got out of the car and opened the building door for her: “President Qin is waiting for you upstairs.”

“….”

This was hardly just opening the door for her—it looked more like they were afraid she’d run.

(End of chapter)