late at night
After breakfast, Bai Yi sat in the living room with her phone and tablet, trying to keep Zhong Yunxi out of her sight.
She wanted to kick him out, but her father said he wanted to talk to him about company matters. Bai Yi knew that her father was deliberately making excuses for Zhong Yunxi.
Zhong Yunxi asked if he could use the first-aid kit at Wang Ma's house. When Bai Yi heard this, he almost instinctively looked over.
Just then, Zhong Yunxi was looking at her. He smiled at her but said to Wang Ma, "Iodine or hydrogen peroxide will do."
Bai Yi knew that it was to treat the wounds left from the two times he had bitten him.
Compared to the mental damage Zhong Yunxi inflicted on her, her physical attack was negligible.
She turned her gaze back to her phone, pretending not to have heard.
Turning east from the living room leads to the open-plan dining area, and further in is the kitchen. Bai Yi doesn't allow Zhong Yunxi to work in the living room; he works in the dining room, where he can easily see into the living room by simply leaning out.
Throughout the morning, Zhong Yunxi heard her sometimes talking on the phone about her experiments, sometimes playing games in the background, and when there was no sound, Zhong Yunxi would peek at her, seeing her lying on the sofa reading a book or scrolling on her tablet.
She was like this when she was at Boyuntan. Only back then, he could sit beside her, or have her come to his study to work with him. Now he doesn't even have that right anymore.
Bai Yi also told Wang Ma not to let her see the Kayla Roses, and to throw them all out.
Bai Yeliang could only sigh and say to take the flowers to the guest room on the first floor.
Zhong Yunxi personally made wonton noodles for lunch, but Bai Yi didn't eat any.
She went upstairs for a nap, and Zhong Yunxi stayed in the sunroom next to her bedroom. Bai Yeliang knew that this room was unusable at night, so he said he would move the bed from the guest room upstairs.
Zhong Yunxi said there was no need for trouble, just a folding single bed would be fine. Since the second floor was Bai Yi's main activity area, he didn't want to change the layout of the room.
He read two of the books Bai Yi had placed in the sunroom; they were National Geographic magazines.
The last page of each book contains a simple greeting, asking how she is doing, followed by the signature, a single character "å»", and the date.
He didn't know who she was; after all, he couldn't possibly know everyone in her social circle.
When Zhou Kemin called him, he didn't answer. After thinking for a few minutes, he called back.
The voice on the other end sounded flustered. "Mr. Zhong, Zhou Qi is young and impatient. Please don't take it to heart. I've already taught him a lesson. Assistant Xue said you've been staying with General Manager Bai at Qiwu Mountain Residence these past few days. If it's convenient, I'll personally visit you today."
Zhong Yunxi, flipping through the magazine, listened to him finish speaking and only said one sentence: "You don't need to ask me when you come to visit, just ask the owner of this house."
He knew that Zhou Kemin was afraid that he would target Zhou Qi's Qingyang Technology Equipment Company. He needed to inform the project team at the board meeting that Qingyang would not be able to get any business from Tiansheng in the future.
He went to Baiyi's balcony and glanced at her. She was still asleep, but her sleeping posture was as strange as ever, with her feet sticking out of the thin blanket. He gently pushed the door open and went in to cover her up.
As soon as he came downstairs, Bai Yeliang was in the living room. "I was just about to call you. Vice Chairman Zhou is coming over. What do you think..."
Zhong Yunxi nodded: "Let him come. Dad, if it's convenient, have Chen Zhaoyang come over too."
Bai Yeliang understood that he wanted to explain things as clearly as possible to Bai Yi.
After these people arrived, Zhong Yunxi went to call Bai Yi. When she wasn't working, she never took a nap at a set time. Sometimes she would sleep for half an hour, and sometimes she would sleep until almost evening. Then she would stay up all night because she couldn't sleep at night.
"Xiaoyi, we have guests. Dad is waiting for you in the living room." Zhong Yunxi tried to take the bunny from her arms and wake her up.
She hugged the rabbit tightly and rolled over. "His guest isn't mine. Zhong Yunxi, why are you in my bedroom again?"
"The people who came were Zhou Qi and Chen Zhaoyang." He bent down and hugged her.
Hearing him say that, Bai Yi frowned even with his eyes closed.
She reluctantly got up, glared at him, and before she could speak, Zhong Yunxi said, "No rush, take your time changing your clothes, washing up and putting on makeup. I'll go downstairs first."
As he came downstairs, several people stood up to greet him. Out of courtesy for being at the Bai family's residence, he nodded politely and said, "Please sit down."
Zhou Kemin glanced at Bai Yeliang and spoke first: "I'm so sorry to bother you on the weekend. I heard that President Zhong and Xiaoyi got married. This is just a small token of my appreciation."
Then, he presented the red envelope with both hands.
Zhong Yunxi asked with a smile, "Did Xiaoyi say that? She hasn't decided when to hold the wedding, so she hasn't told outsiders about getting the marriage certificate."
Zhou Qi said, "She mentioned it to me in Sunan."
Although he knew that Bai Yi was using the marriage proposal to completely reject Zhou Qi and had no other intentions, Zhong Yunxi couldn't help but smile. He didn't stand on ceremony and reached out to take the gift, saying, "Once the wedding is settled, I will definitely invite Chairman Zhou."
Bai Yeliang admired his composure and calmness, while Bai Yi almost kicked him out. It was hard to say whether the marriage would even go through, yet he still dared to accept other people's red envelopes.
The group chatted idly for over ten minutes without getting to the point before Bai Yi finally came downstairs.
Zhong Yunxi got up and went over to her, taking her hand. She glanced at him, pulled away, and didn't say anything unpleasant.
Those present could see clearly that the two were having a tiff.
He let Bai Yi sit in his seat, and he stood next to her, laughing and saying, "Xiao Yi is angry with me because she thinks I asked Jay Chou to maliciously accuse her cousin. Since Jay Chou is here today, he should explain things to Xiao Yi."
Zhou Kemin, being a quick-witted person, hurriedly said, "Tiansheng is such a large group, the audits are all professional, there's no personal grudge involved. As for Zhao Yang's matter, the audit report was sent to the board of directors in detail, it was impossible to suppress."
Zhou Qi lowered his eyelids, a half-smile playing on his lips.
Chen Zhaoyang remained silent with a sullen face.
Zhong Yunxi put his hand on her shoulder: "Xiaoyi, the personnel adjustments after Tiansheng's restructuring are indeed troublesome. The audit implicated more than just your cousin. I'll find a lawyer to help him get a reduced sentence. It won't be long. After this trouble is over, I'll try my best to arrange for him to return to Tiansheng."
Bai Yeliang said, "Some of the things Zhao Yang did in the past were indeed outrageous. It's not a bad thing for him to reflect on them and reform himself."
Since Zhong Yunxi had made a promise "in the future," Chen Zhaoyang naturally wouldn't speak so recklessly as he had yesterday. "Uncle, I promise to turn over a new leaf and do things properly in the future. Thank you, President Zhong."
He also knew who held the most influence among those present, and said, "Xiaoyi, I'm sorry."
Zhong Yunxi brushed the hair off her shoulder: "Back then, I didn't even know Chen Zhaoyang was your cousin."
She glanced up at him but didn't say anything. He was a businessman by nature, always discreet in his words and actions, yet he was still trying to clear his name.
Zhou Kemin took the opportunity to probe Zhong Yunxi's intentions: "President Zhong, Tiansheng and Qingyang have several business deals recently, which will be discussed at the meeting next week. We would appreciate your assistance."
He took out two imitation crystal hair clips from his pocket, tidied Bai Yi's hair, put them on, and casually replied, "Okay."
Bai Yi got annoyed by his little actions, so she reached out, took off the hair clip, and stuffed it back into his hand.
He opened his palm, bent down slightly, and showed it to her: "I bought this for you when I was on my business trip. Don't you like it?"
Zhong Yunxi deliberately took advantage of this opportunity to get close to her, but she pushed his hand away and glanced at him sideways, saying, "No."
He could only laugh and put it in his pocket.
Bai Yi didn't want to stay in the living room and listen to their idle chatter, so she got up and said, "I'm going back to my study to take care of some work. You two chat."
Zhong Yunxi nodded to the others and followed Bai Yi upstairs.
Once they reached the second floor, he grabbed her wrist: "I know you won't believe me, but I'll try my best to clean up the mess. I won't deliberately make things difficult for Zhou Qi and Chen Zhaoyang. Xiaoyi, I'm just sometimes too goal-oriented when I do things."
āIām willing to make it up to you however you want. Just talk to me, say something to me, okay?ā He pulled the person in front of him.
Bai was still angry and had no intention of talking to him. Why should she forgive him for a mistake he made just one day ago? That would make his mistakes too easy to justify, and she would be too easily appeased.
"Who wants to talk to you? Go away, don't touch me." She shook off his hand again.
Zhong Yunxi watched her go into the bedroom and lock the door, and sighed.
At dinner, with Bai Yeliang's help, Zhong Yunxi sat down at the table, a privilege he hadn't enjoyed at lunchtime.
He sat next to Bai Yi, who then moved to a seat diagonally opposite him, the furthest away from him. He put down his chopsticks after eating very little; Bai Yi's constant rejection of him made it difficult for him to eat.
A whole day has passed, I've apologized countless times, people involved have come to see me, and I've explained everything that needed to be explained, but she's still angry.
I chatted with Bai Yeliang for a bit in the evening. When I went upstairs, I found that she had taken away several books from the sunroom and locked the door to her balcony.
Zhong Yunxi was almost at a loss.
Even when the conflict erupted, he never felt as powerless as he does now; he thought he could handle it.
Perhaps the survivor bias that arises when people make mistakes, and the overconfidence in their ability to solve problems at that moment when problems occur, are the driving forces that have led Zhong Yunxi to his current situation.
It simply pushed him toward this predicament.
He picked up his phone to text Bai Yi, only to find that Bai Yi had been deleted from his WeChat and his phone number blocked.
He was completely helpless, separated by only a wall.
He was initially captivated by Bai Yi's naivety and innocence, and now he's at his wit's end in the face of that same untainted innocence.
Although she wasn't born into a top-tier wealthy family, she grew up in a well-off environment and was pampered by her parents. After starting work, she was the beloved junior colleague in the research team. With such an upbringing, Bai Yi never used worldly calculations to please anyone, including someone of Zhong Yunxi's status.
His sophisticated and skillful methods of managing people in social situations were completely useless against Bai Yi.
He texted Lu Xin: "Tomorrow, you organize a gathering and invite Bai Yi."
Lu Xin: ?
Zhong Yunxi: It's not that I lost three cups of wine to you, I'll pay you back double tomorrow.
Lu Xin: !
Lu Xin: Reason?
Zhong Yunxi: We had a fight. I haven't been able to make up with him all day.
Lu Xin: To what extent did you make a mistake?
Zhong Yunxi: I don't think it's serious. I explained and apologized, but Xiaoyi wants a divorce.
Lu Xin: ...
Lu Xin: I told you a long time ago, my junior sister has a bad temper. Why did you provoke her for no reason? I'm even afraid that if I help you behind your back, she'll block me one day. I think I should just cut ties with you.
Zhong Yunxi: ...
Lu Xin: I'll call her first and see what she thinks.
Lu Xin called Bai Yi, but no one answered.
Bai Yi only saw it after taking a bath. She guessed it was probably about her and Zhong Yunxi. She always had to return her senior's calls.
Lu Xin was smart enough not to bring up Zhong Yunxi right away, "Junior sister, shall we have dinner together tomorrow?"
Bai Yi applied body lotion: "I don't want to go out."
Lu Xin laughed: "You're such a homebody. It's almost late autumn and the weather will get cold. Take advantage of the good weather this weekend and go out for a stroll and get some sunshine."
Bai Yi was so angry with Zhong Yunxi that she had no mood for anything: "What's there to see?"
Lu Xin told her about some fun things lately: "I heard there's a Disney pop-up store near the East Tower on Hong Kong Island. Don't you like Rena Belle? There's also the pop-up store for that anime you like, Frillie. I'll give you some plush toys."
Bai Yi laughed: "Why did you suddenly give me something?"
Lu Xin said smugly, "The three drinks you lost to me on Friday for Zhong Yunxi are enough for me to hold my head high at my childhood friends' gathering for three months. He's like a fox, who can beat him at drinking? Three drinks, no doubt. I've finally found his weakness."
Bai Yi was silent for a few seconds, then Lu Xin asked, "What's wrong, Junior Sister?"
Bai Yi took a breath and said, "It's nothing."
Lu Xin tentatively asked, "Then I'll pick you up tomorrow afternoon?"
Following the principle of getting people to meet first, he didn't mention that he had a dinner appointment that evening.
"Okay." Bai Yi closed the bottle of body lotion. Anyway, Zhong Yunxi was always in front of her at home, which was annoying to death. She might as well go out and listen to her senior brother talk to relieve her boredom.
After hanging up the phone, Lu Xin gave Zhong Yunxi an OK sign.
Zhong Yunxi replied: Thank you.
Bai Yi went to the balcony again to make sure the door was locked. She couldn't let Zhong Yunxi into her bedroom so easily again.
On the table were several books she had brought back from the sunroom. She picked up the collection of Neruda's poems and flipped through it casually. When she saw the line with many little hearts drawn on it, she was lost in thought.
On the last page of the poetry collection was Zhong Yunxi's name, which she had written many times. She immediately noticed that one of the pages wasn't hers; it must have been written by Zhong Yunxi himself when he was reading it last night. She felt a stinging sensation in her eyes for a moment, and the thought of him made her feel wronged and angry. In a fit of pique, she tore off that page, crumpled it up, and threw it into the trash can.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
