Chapter 88: It Was I Who Insisted on Bringing You Out

Recalling the time of that missed call earlier, Lin Xi didn’t rush to go inside.

“When did you get here?” she asked.

The assistant glanced at his watch and quickly provided an exact answer. “Around six fifty.”

It was already past eight now.

She let out a breath between her teeth. “Why didn’t you just come find me at Feiyun?”

“President Qin heard you were still working overtime and didn’t want to disturb you,” the assistant replied, “so he came here to wait for you.”

At first glance, that sounded rather considerate.

Lin Xi clicked her tongue softly, nodded at him, and went inside.

“Wait a moment.” The assistant had just been about to close the door and head back to the car when her voice stopped him.

“Miss Lin?”

He looked over.

“Was Third Brother at the company all day?”

“Yes,” the assistant replied helpfully. “President Qin had no social engagements today. After finishing his meetings, he came straight here.”

Lin Xi gave a quiet acknowledgment and gestured for him to leave.

The assistant nodded slightly. Only after watching her enter the elevator did he close the door.

Inside the elevator, Lin Xi’s thoughts raced. When she stepped out, she entered the code at a leisurely pace. As she opened the door, warm yellow light poured out from inside. She changed her shoes and glanced toward the living room.

A familiar figure sat in the single armchair, his side facing her. The scene had a touch of warmth to it, a vague sense of home.

It was as if, no matter how late one returned from work, there would always be someone waiting for you.

It had been a long time since Lin Xi had felt this way.

When she lived abroad with her uncle, he was always busy and came home later than she did. Most nights, there were only the servants at home, and everyone kept a polite distance, a clear sense of boundaries.

Back then, it felt less like a home than a temporary place to stay.

Setting her bag down, Lin Xi walked toward the living room. “Third Brother.”

At the sound of her voice, Qin Yu looked up, studied her for a few seconds, and gestured with his chin toward the dining room. “Go eat. I brought roast duck for you.”

Lin Xi had been about to say she’d already eaten, but at the mention of roast duck, she swallowed her refusal.

The dining room was open to the living room. After she sat down, she only had to raise her head to see Qin Yu.

She rolled up her sleeves and put on a pair of disposable gloves. “Did you come all this way just to bring me a midnight snack, Third Brother?”

She’d thought he would get straight to the point as soon as she walked in. Judging by his demeanor now, things didn’t look good. It felt like a last supper before execution.

But she was always ready to meet whatever came her way. Soon, Lin Xi put all her attention on the meal before her.

There were plenty of troubles to think about, but those could wait until after she’d eaten.

She couldn’t let herself go hungry, after all.

She ate with obvious enjoyment, something even Qin Yu, sitting across from her, could sense quite clearly. Not wanting to spoil her mood, he didn’t answer her question.

Lin Xi was quiet when she ate, never one for conversation, and unlike her peers, she didn’t look at her phone.

In those moments, her mind was solely on the food.

Usually she was decisive and efficient, tolerating no mistakes at work. But now, it was as if she’d returned to childhood in an instant—the moment she tasted something delicious, her entire demeanor relaxed, and the joy in her features couldn’t be hidden.

Qin Yu watched her, and though no words were exchanged, his once-drifting heart seemed to find its anchor, filling in an instant.

He remembered how, even as a child, she loved to eat.

Because she was picky, her eldest brother disliked taking her out for meals. She’d throw childish tantrums and refuse to change, stubbornly challenging her brother.

In the end, unable to win out, she’d sneak off to find her second brother and Cheng Si.

Among their group, those two were the easiest to talk to and the ones closest to her.

Even at such a young age, she knew how to pick her audience.

But in the end, her eldest brother always found out in time and put a stop to it.

With no other option, she’d finally come to him.

He still remembered—it was one summer evening.

He was reading by the window, which was open, and from outside came a persistent rustling sound. He couldn’t quite tell what it was.

When he glanced outside, the yard was empty, no one in sight.

The sound continued, on and off, making it impossible for him to focus on his book.

Before he could call someone to investigate, a pair of small hands gripped the window ledge, and then a little head struggled into view.

She clearly hadn’t expected him to be sitting right there, staring at her. Startled, the little girl blinked at him, then timidly called, “Third Brother…”

“Mm.” He responded, giving her a once-over. “What are you doing out there?”

Even as he asked, he realized what that noise must have been.

Their windowsills were built high up, and Lin Xi had been quite small then—her height lagging a little due to her growth. If she’d simply stood outside the window, he might not have noticed her at all.

Clearly, she’d found something to stand on, though she wobbled unsteadily.

“Looking for me? Come inside and talk.” He motioned for her to use the front door.

“No, no.” The little girl shook her head vigorously. “I’ll be gone soon.”

“…What do you need?”

She was more afraid of him than of anyone else.

“Third Brother, have you eaten yet?” Her wide eyes blinked rapidly, glancing up at his face.

Just that one question, and he guessed her purpose.

He checked the time and realized it was nearly dinner.

Dinner in their compound was early and always at the same time.

“Are you hungry?” he asked back.

“Ah, a little,” she admitted. She was clever, even then, never stating her intentions outright, instead circling the topic. “What are you having for dinner, Third Brother? My house is making braised ribs—do you want some?”

“I don’t know what Uncle Liu’s made today. You can go ask,” he said deliberately.

“Ah…” She hesitated at the window for a long while, still not getting to the point, until he finally closed his book and said, “What do you want to eat? I’ll take you out.”

In that instant, her eyes lit up.

“We can go out?”

He hadn’t been much older himself then. Coming and going freely from the compound wasn’t allowed, especially not with her in tow—it was bound to attract attention.

“We can. I’ll make up an excuse.”

“Okay!”

That evening, he took her hand and led her out of the yard. She was nervous the whole way, ducking behind him whenever they saw someone, terrified they’d be spotted and reported to the eldest brother.

Only once they’d passed the main gate did she finally relax, her little hand slipping from his like a slippery fish, without a hint of reluctance.

She ran ahead, eager to get to the duck place across the street from the compound before the daily supply sold out.

“Come back,” he called, and from that day on, began worrying about her every move. He chased after her, holding her hand again.

He’d always been quiet, and just those two words were enough—she obeyed, not letting go of his hand until they reached the restaurant.

“Third Brother, what if Eldest Brother asks where we went?” she fretted after eating, only now worrying about consequences.

He helped tidy her loosened braid. “Blame it on me. Just say I insisted on taking you out.”