Nan Yi walked towards her, wearing a crisp white shirt and casual trousers, with a pair of narrow-rimmed silver glasses perched on his nose, looking as if he had just come down from a lecture hall.
What are you doing here?
Facing her older brother, Nan Xian immediately stood up straight with her hands behind her back, blinked, and said, "Of course it's time to eat... What about you, brother?"
"It was a work dinner." Nan Yi's gaze swept over her skirt. "Who were you having dinner with?"
Her eyes darted around, "Uh, um, friend."
Nan Yi instantly saw through her guilty conscience, his brows furrowed, and he subconsciously adopted the sternness he showed when facing students.
"I heard He Mingxiao is still harassing you. Have you been threatened by him? Was he the one you had dinner with today?"
Nan Xian was secretly annoyed that he had guessed so accurately, but she put on an angry face.
"Brother, do you think I'm still a child? We're divorced now, and I definitely won't have anything to do with him again. Today I'm really just with my friends!"
Nan Yi pushed up his glasses. "Then you wouldn't mind letting me meet your 'friend' too, would you?"
"No, he... he's very shy and doesn't like interacting with strangers!"
Seeing her anxious look, Nan Yi was almost certain of his guess.
Thinking of the malicious speculations and slanders against Nan Xian on the internet when she had just divorced, his anger, which had not been completely suppressed, flared up instantly, and his eyes turned gloomy.
“Take me to see He Mingxiao. I have something to say to him.” He said firmly.
Nan Xian broke out in a sweat in an instant.
To others, Nan Yi is a serious, upright, and ascetic professor who can handle anything calmly and with ease.
But only she knew that when Nan Yi truly got angry, he was completely irrational—
When she was in elementary school, she was bullied by male classmates and her hand was cut.
Nan Yi saw it, and the next day he secretly hid an iron rod and went to school. After school, he waited for the boy and beat him so badly that his hand was shattered.
Later, he even went to learn Jiu-Jitsu, and whenever he had free time, he would wear his training clothes to pick up Nan Xian from school at the school gate.
From then on, no one dared to provoke Nan Xian.
Nan Xian couldn't imagine what would happen if Nan Yi broke He Mingxiao's hand.
But at the very least, she couldn't allow that to become a possibility.
Just as I was frantically racking my brains for a solution, someone suddenly burst into my line of sight—
Black hair, purple dress, a familiar face.
Nan Xian's eyes lit up instantly, and she ran forward to take the man's arm.
"Mingke!"
Yao Mingke was startled and was about to speak when he saw Nan Xian trying to wink at him.
As someone in the same industry, she understood immediately.
"Brother, this is my friend, Yao Mingke. We acted together before." Nan Xian linked arms with her and walked up to Nan Yi, proudly raising her chin. "Now you believe me!"
Yao Mingke immediately picked up the act, smiling as she reached out her hand to Nan Yi.
"Hello, Professor Nan, I've heard so much about you. I was wondering why Nan Xian took so long to go to the restroom, turns out she ran into you."
Nan Yi briefly shook hands with her, his gaze sweeping between the two of them, his eyes deep and unreadable.
"Alright, alright, now that you've seen them, you can finally relax, bro! Go eat, your colleagues are definitely waiting for you!"
He was silent for a moment, then finally nodded, "Well, then I won't take up any more of your time."
He then turned to Nan Xian and lowered his voice: "Be careful on your way home tonight."
Nan Xian nodded like a chick pecking at rice, "Mmm, goodbye brother!"
Watching him leave, Nan Xian finally felt completely relieved and let out a long sigh of relief, clutching her chest.
Yao Mingke raised an eyebrow at her, then suddenly chuckled and said knowingly, "Nan Xian, you're having dinner with President He, aren't you?"
Nan Xian touched her nose. "Yes... thank you for helping me out of that situation earlier."
"It's nothing, don't mention it." Yao Mingke waved his hand. "I'll be going now, let's get together again sometime!"
After saying that, she turned and walked towards the restroom, but suddenly paused and glanced thoughtfully in the direction Nan Yi had left.
**
When Nan Xian returned to the private room, all the dishes had already been served.
"Sorry, I ran into an acquaintance over there and chatted for a bit."
He Mingxiao glanced at her but didn't say anything.
Perhaps because of the earlier incident involving the earrings, the two remained somewhat silent during the meal.
After the meal, He Mingxiao saw her off to her car.
Before opening the door, he suddenly grabbed her wrist.
"Nan Xian."
She turned her head. "What is it?"
He Mingxiao pursed his lips and said in a low voice, "Is there still a chance for us?"
The night breeze blew in through the window, ruffling her hair.
Nan Xian gently broke free, raised her hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, her tone tinged with helplessness.
"Mr. He, we are even now, let bygones be bygones."
A bitter smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"What about friends? Can't I even be friends with them?"
She smiled broadly.
"Of course, we can be very good friends."
She started the car and drove away.
**
Assistant Jiang noticed that the boss was in a bad mood again.
If we were to describe it using the weather, the boss was under a bright sun this morning, but now he's shrouded in dark clouds.
It's obvious who it's related to.
Assistant Jiang glanced at his face in the rearview mirror and secretly sighed in his heart: Sure enough, brine is the best medicine for tofu—one thing can subdue another. It can make the boss, who is usually inscrutable, show a sad look... Miss Nan is truly amazing.
"Jiang Xing, have you ever been in a relationship?"
He Mingxiao suddenly spoke.
Assistant Jiang tensed up instantly. "We dated twice during college."
Do you think there are any tips for pursuing girls?
Assistant Jiang moved his lips, wanting to speak but not daring to.
He Mingxiao looked up. "What, is there something you can't say?"
“Uh, well—” Assistant Jiang’s voice trailed off, “They were the ones who pursued me, I’ve never pursued anyone.”
He Mingxiao: ......
Assistant Jiang: Waaah, the boss's eyes are so scary TT
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