Chapter 89: Do Not Start

"Isn’t this a bit inappropriate?" The young girl’s hair was in his hands, so she couldn’t turn her head to see his expression.

He remained silent, so she kept asking.

His entire attention was on her braids, but no matter how he tried, he couldn’t get them right. After a while, he finally replied, “I’ll talk to Eldest Brother when we get back. If he asks, just don’t answer him.”

In truth, it didn’t matter who brought it up or what excuse they used. Eldest Brother already knew; he understood it was her idea.

“All right then. Thank you, Third Brother.”

“Aren’t you done yet?”

She shifted uncomfortably; perhaps he’d accidentally tugged her hair.

That day, he couldn’t manage, and in the end, tied two rather lopsided ponytails for her. Fortunately, she didn’t see herself in the mirror at the time, or she would likely have pulled out the hair ornaments and hurled them at his face.

After that, he began, consciously or not, to learn how to do her hair properly.

But over the years, he’d never had another chance to use that skill.

When they returned home that day, she was still scolded by Eldest Brother and made to stand in the yard as punishment. Later, Second Brother came over, and she tearfully burrowed into his arms, acting spoiled and begging him to speak on her behalf.

Second Brother was famous for being the peacemaker. With him intervening, Eldest Brother would rarely make her continue her punishment.

Thinking back, it seemed only when Second Brother wasn’t around that she would turn to him for help.

——

“Lin Xi.”

“Yes?” He suddenly spoke, and Lin Xi thought he was about to mention what happened today. She was just about to take off her gloves and sit up straight when she heard the man ask, “You really like Second Brother, don’t you?”

Her hands paused, and for a moment, her face was blank with confusion. She looked up at him. “Why bring that up all of a sudden?”

She could tell the “like” in Qin Yu’s words wasn’t the innocent kind.

“Second Brother is a good person,” she replied ambiguously.

She expected him to press further, but Qin Yu merely watched her for a few seconds and then smiled. “Mm.”

“???”

What did “mm” mean?

And why was he smiling…?

It was inexplicably unsettling.

Hesitating, Lin Xi took the initiative. “Third Brother, what is it you actually want to say?”

“Nothing.”

The feeling of being strung along like this was truly unpleasant.

Lin Xi fell silent and lowered her head to continue eating.

She always ate slowly. When she was little and they went out to eat together, the boys finished quickly and were eager to run off to play ball, but every time they had to wait for her. Fortunately, back then, no one was impatient or rushed her.

Whenever she was quietly eating, the boys would start chatting, giving her time to finish her meal in peace.

By the time she was done, half an hour had passed.

She’d already had dinner at the office tonight, so she didn’t eat much.

She got up, wanting to clear the table, but Qin Yu waved her over. “Someone will clean up later. Come here.”

Lin Xi, holding her phone, walked over and sat across from him. Seeing the empty table, she feigned politeness. “I have some tea in my drawer. Would you like some, Third Brother?”

“No need.”

Lin Xi grinned. “That’s perfect, because I don’t feel like moving either.”

“Don’t drink too much of that at night,” he reminded her.

“I know.” Lin Xi plugged in her phone, which she’d turned off in the elevator earlier, and scrolled through her call log. “Did you call me earlier, Third Brother?”

Her tone was casual, almost perfunctory—take it or leave it, I’ve given you an explanation, so please don’t push me into a corner.

“Mm.” Qin Yu didn’t press about why she hadn’t answered. Instead, he surprised her with a question: “Are you all right today?”

She raised a brow. “Which aspect do you mean, Third Brother?”

“Your mood.”

She nodded. “Pretty good, actually. The dishes from Boyu Bay delivered today were all delicious.”

When she ate well, her mood naturally improved.

Ever since she’d mentioned it that one time, Qin Yu really had meals delivered to her office on schedule every day.

She was particular about food, but somehow, he managed to have something different sent each day.

It was rather impressive.

If it were a restaurant, Lin Xi would definitely leave a glowing review and a generous tip.

“That’s good.”

Lin Xi waited a while longer and realized he seemed to have finished speaking, with nothing more to add.

She couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

After a brief pause, Qin Yu chuckled. “Unless there’s something you want to say?”

Lin Xi was tired of circling around the subject. “I saw Aunt Rong and Second Aunt today.”

“I know.”

Just as she thought.

Leaning back, Lin Xi mimicked his boss-like posture. “So you didn’t come here because of that? I said quite a few harsh things to them. Want to hear a live replay, Third Brother?”

“If you’re still upset, I can listen to the live version.” There was not a hint of anger on Qin Yu’s face, only indulgence.

“Aunt Rong seemed quite upset. I thought you came to settle accounts with me.” Lin Xi looked at him, her eyes clear and bright.

Qin Yu asked, “What did you do wrong?”

Lin Xi stayed silent.

He seemed intent on upholding the principle of “reason over family.” “Next time she comes to you, don’t meet with her. Call me—I’ll handle it.”

“There’s no need for you to make any allowances. You don’t have to yield to her.”

“Is it really all right for you to say that, Third Brother?” For the first time, Lin Xi saw someone so willing to take her side over his own family.

“My mother does have a lot of issues. If you accommodate her, you’ll only be wronging yourself.” Qin Yu shook his head at her, gentle. “Lin Xi, there’s no need.”

“No matter where you are, you never need to compromise yourself.”

She was the only daughter of the Lin family’s generation—their future, the treasure the elders wished dearly to protect.

Wherever she went, she could live as she pleased, never needing to cater to anyone.

He understood Lin Xi’s temperament and could guess that the so-called harsh words she’d used were probably not all that harsh. After all, they were elders—she would have held back.

She’d grown up never even uttering a crude word.

The doorbell rang abruptly. Lin Xi’s shoulders trembled, and she looked toward the door.

“Is it your assistant?” she asked Qin Yu.

No one usually visited her here; since she’d moved in, the number of visitors could be counted on one hand.

Especially at this hour…

Qin Yu frowned and pulled out his phone to check his messages. His phone was always on silent, and he hadn’t noticed the earlier call.

A minute ago, his assistant had sent a message: “President Qin, Young Master Bai is here.”

Looking toward the door, Qin Yu’s gaze turned cold.

Lin Xi stood up to open the door. “Third Brother, is your assistant here to hurry you? If so, maybe you should—”

Before she could finish, a hand pressed over hers on the doorknob from behind.

His presence enveloped her completely—unyielding, intense, blocking every escape.

Qin Yu said, “You’re not opening that door.”