Chapter 233: No need to keep up the act

Xia Xi said calmly, "I'll remember that slap first; if there's any further offense, I'll return it double next time."

Ling Yan's body stiffened, her thumb pressing into the pad of her index finger; she never mentioned that slap, thinking she could gloss over it. She didn't dare look at Xu Yanfeng's face, nor did she reply to Xia Xi's words, and just walked away.

Lu Mingji clicked his tongue quietly, then began searching his mind to see if he had ever offended Xia Xi—how terrifying.

Xia Xi tilted her head, saw her phone on the bedside table, and exclaimed in shock, "Oh no, I didn't come home last night; my mom must be frantic!"

She hurriedly picked up the phone, but saw no missed calls—this was abnormal.

Xu Yanfeng's voice sounded just in time: "I sent a message to your mom using your phone last night." Knowing she didn't want her family to worry, he didn't mention the hospital at all.

Xia Xi couldn't ignore him any longer, glanced at him, then looked away, and said stiffly, "Thanks."

She saw that message, and Xu Yanfeng, imitating her tone, told Su Jinru she was staying overnight at a friend's place.

Xia Xi threw off the blankets, demanded discharge, confident she was fine and didn't need hospital observation.

Xu Yanfeng respected her decision, called Guan He, and instructed him to handle the discharge paperwork.

Xia Xi had only stayed one night, had nothing to pack, and went to the bathroom to change out of her hospital gown.

The two men exchanged a brief glance, with nothing to say.

After Xia Xi finished changing and walked out, Xu Yanfeng spoke first: "I'll take you home."

"No need." Xia Xi didn't hesitate even a second, refusing outright: "Thanks for the trouble last night, General Manager Xu. Let me know the medical expenses; I'll send you the money via my phone later."

General Manager Xu… huh.

Xu Yanfeng snorted coldly inside, his face sinking; he intensely disliked her deliberate distance, like a cold sculpture, not a living person.

Lu Mingji gave a dry cough twice, advising Xia Xi: "You just left the hospital; who could feel safe letting you take a taxi alone? I'll take you."

Xia Xi thought for a moment, didn't refuse: "Okay."

She simply didn't want to get involved with Xu Yanfeng in personal matters, not trying to show off.

Seeing this, Xu Yanfeng's expression darkened further; he watched helplessly as the two walked out of the ward side by side, Xia Xi still holding in her arms the bouquet of bright yellow roses Lu Mingji had given her.

Because they were cooperating, Lu Mingji turned back, gave a polite farewell: "General Manager Xu, we're leaving now."

After he spoke, Lu Mingji gently put his arm around Xia Xi's shoulders, stepping slowly to accommodate her.

Xia Xi was bewildered by his sudden move, blinked, turned her face away, and whispered, "You're being over the top—I'm not incapable of moving on my own."

Lu Mingji tilted his head, his voice even lower than hers: "Have you forgotten? In General Manager Xu's eyes, we're a boyfriend-girlfriend pair; if we're going to act, we need to act the part. What girlfriend gets hurt and the boyfriend shows no sign of care at all?"

If he hadn't reminded her, Xia Xi would indeed have forgotten about this. It's all because of the truth-or-dare game at the last class reunion, where she had Lu Mingji pose as her boyfriend to defuse the situation.

Back then she never imagined she'd later have any dealings with Xu Yanfeng.

"No need to keep up the act." Xia Xi said, "He can see through us; he's long realized we're a fake couple."

Such a childish ruse might fool him briefly, but not for long—he's not so easily deceived.

Lu Mingji's fingers, resting on her arm, stiffened slightly; he walked to the elevator, naturally let go of her, and pressed the button.

After Guan He completed the discharge formalities and came to the ward, only Xu Yanfeng remained, standing by the window; his silhouette looked utterly lonely, as if shutting everyone else out.

Not daring to barge in and disturb him, Guan He waited silently for a few minutes; seeing he had no intention to leave, he had no choice but to say: "General Manager Xu, you can go now; we have a golf appointment with the Urban Construction Bureau leaders this morning."

Xu Yanfeng turned, his face expressionless, walked over and stopped before him, extending his hand: "Give me a cigarette."

Guan He froze for a second, then hurriedly felt his trouser pockets, handing Xu Yanfeng his usual cigarette along with a metal lighter.

Lu Mingji drove; at a red light he glanced at the distracted person in the passenger seat and said, "If anything feels off when you get home, remember to call me. You heard the doctor—brain injury is no small matter."

Xia Xi's gaze was unfocused, she answered vaguely with an "uh."

Lu Mingji: "Did you hear what I said?"

Xia Xi slightly regained her composure, glanced at him, and said, "You're so talkative, even more than my mom."

Lu Mingji almost choked on his breath.

Xia Xi tilted her head looking out the window and said, "The checkup shows I'm fine; the doctor's comment means I should drink less in the future, not that this time—don't try to twist the meaning."

Lu Mingji let out a "heh": "Well, I actually heard it."

Just now, recalling the scene when she woke up, she thought she'd been dreaming, had hugged Xu Yanfeng and said strange things to him, and couldn't understand why he had responded.

He said he wouldn't leave, that he would always be here.

Is his head not clear either?

Xia Xi couldn't figure out an answer; she couldn't fool herself into thinking he still had feelings for her—perhaps it was just comfort from the party A to a partner. He's just a very good person.

Back home, seeing Zi Heng and Youyou, Xia Xi stopped thinking about anything; it was Saturday, the two kids weren't in school—one was reading a storybook, the other was changing a Barbie doll's clothes; Su Jinru was simmering soup in the kitchen, Grandma was tidying old things in her room, sunlight streamed in, a scene of warmth.

Xia Xi played with the kids for a while, promised to take them out for a big dinner that evening, then returned to her room to work.

After the design competition ended, there were still many things to do; the design drafts had to be perfected step by step until no flaws remained, many facilities couldn't be bought off-the-shelf and needed custom orders, requiring contact with manufacturers for negotiation—at least three months, she couldn't expect any free time.

Xu Yanfeng had originally planned to go home in the evening to have dinner with Zhong Yinghong, but something came up last minute, so only Xu Guanshan and Zhong Yinghong ate dinner together.

The assistant came to report work; Xu Guanshan had almost finished eating, wiped his mouth, and left the table early; as he rose, he pressed his palm on Zhong Yinghong's shoulder to signal her to eat slowly, then he and the assistant went to the side room.

After discussing the main business, Xu Guanshan poured a cup of tea and casually asked, "How's the Jingyu Yuan project coming along?"

The assistant, not knowing the details, said, "I heard the design competition had ended, they'd selected a design firm to cooperate with, and the proposed plan had gained approval from a majority of the upper management."

"Oh? Which design firm?"

The assistant broke into a sweat, truly unaware; this project was entirely under Xu Yanfeng's responsibility. He made no excuse, hurriedly saying, "I'll look into it right away and get back to you."

These days most company affairs are handled by Xu Yanfeng; the Xu clan's business is extensive, with countless big and small projects, Xu Guanshan doesn't micromanage every one, trusting his son's ability. Just now he'd merely recalled this matter, asked casually, and hadn't given it another thought: "No need to look into it—I trust him to get things done."

Even though the chairman said that, after the assistant left he still went to find someone to inquire about it.

Without knowing, you wouldn't realize; once you learn, you're startled.

The car hadn't gone far when the assistant turned back the way he came.

Xu Guanshan had just poured out the remaining tea from his cup, preparing to go to the study, when a hurried footsteps sounded from outside the side room; in the blink of an eye someone stood before him.

The assistant's forehead beaded with sweat, his expression uneasy.

"What's so urgent?" Xu Guanshan frowned.

This assistant has been with him for twenty years; he was capable of heading a department, but because he is consistently steady and reliable, he finds him convenient to use and is unwilling to replace him. He has been using him for so many years.

When have I ever seen him so impatient?

The assistant caught his breath before replying: "The company collaborating with the Xu Clan is a design firm that has only just started not long ago, called Broad and Elegant, and its presentable work is the Fangtian Blueprints Library in Yuanzhou."

Xu Guanshan lit a cigarette, his expression unchanged, believing that Xu Yanfeng's actions had their justification and that he would not treat work as a game. Furthermore, the outcome of the draft comparison was decided by a vote of many Xu Clan senior executives, showing that the opposing party's design proposal was acceptable, and the company's size was not a factor in the consideration.

Some long-established, large design firms have great reputations, but the drafts they produce are not necessarily to one's liking.

"Not..." the assistant's point came later: "Do you know who the person in charge of the project at Bo Ya Design Company is? It's Xia Xi."