Chapter 17 Confidante

Lin Xi and Wen Jin were ordered to rest. In her own lounge, Lin Xi found herself alone with Lu Yuxiu after he sent everyone else away.

Lu Yuxiu’s gaze was sharp, his lips pressed together as he looked at her, his usually calm face betraying a suppressed storm of emotion.

The moment he saw Lin Xi dart out, his heart nearly stopped; then he realized that his little girl actually possessed some fighting skills, something outsiders would never notice.

This surprised him most of all. He was desperate to know her secrets—why had she forgotten him? Why did she know martial arts? What had she experienced abroad?

Lin Xi was a bit uneasy. She didn’t know why she felt guilty toward Lu Yuxiu, nor could she pinpoint where the feeling came from. Her emotions concerning him were tangled and uncertain, which left her frustrated.

Unable to bear the atmosphere, Lin Xi broke the silence. “Yuxiu, I’m really fine. I only went to help after making sure I’d be safe.”

Lu Yuxiu still didn’t voice his questions. He wanted to let things take their course, wanted her to fall in love with him slowly, to tell him her secrets when she was ready. He didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable in any way.

“Alright, but don’t do that again next time,” Lu Yuxiu sighed, his voice mild.

Seeing that his expression had returned to normal, Lin Xi relaxed, though she couldn’t agree with him. “If time could go back, I’d still do the same.”

Hearing her resolute tone, Lu Yuxiu helplessly reached out and patted her head, his voice tinged with cautious tenderness. “But I’ll worry about you.”

His eyes, locked on hers, were no longer indifferent; there was a hint of vulnerability, almost as if he were coaxing her.

Lin Xi froze—she was always helpless against that look of his. Being a sucker for a pretty face, and faced with Lu Yuxiu’s handsome features, her heart softened instantly.

“Alright… I promise you,” Lin Xi replied, falling for him all over again, probably forgetting what he had even asked.

Lu Yuxiu’s smile grew unruly—this little girl was still so easy to fool.

At noon, Lin Xi took the opportunity during lunch to knock on Wen Jin’s door, worried that the girl might be left with some psychological trauma.

“Wen Jin, I’m coming in, alright?” Lin Xi knocked gently.

Wen Jin opened the door and quickly ushered her in; she was alone in the room.

“Lin Xi, come in,” Wen Jin said, smiling shyly.

Having spent some time with her, Lin Xi felt Wen Jin was a delicate and sensitive girl, always suffering in silence, her thoughts easily perturbed.

When they’d talked that day, Wen Jin’s face had worn a trace of timidity and self-doubt. She was like a snail hiding in its shell, averse to new experiences, clinging to old habits, unwilling to open her heart.

Whenever Lin Xi saw her, she was reminded of herself after her own bout of amnesia—fragile, suspicious, trusting no one, content only in her small, familiar room.

Because of her illness, she had rejected everyone and everything, feeling only fear and alienation. Her brothers had been at their wits’ end; Feng Mo had hired countless therapists, but none had helped.

In the end, it was Miya who made a difference—her kind, gentle smile, childlike manner, and patient companionship slowly warmed Lin Xi’s heart.

Gradually, Lin Xi let down her guard, opened up, and after a year of recovery, finally emerged from the darkness. Surrounded by the endless affection and company of her brothers, she became the lively, cheerful girl she was now.

Lin Xi knew that what Wen Jin needed most was family, friends, and unconditional support.

She felt deeply for Wen Jin, not knowing what the girl had endured, but determined to try her best to help her open up.

Lin Xi smiled and took Wen Jin’s hand, deciding to take things slowly. “Wen Jin, I know we’re the same age, but I don’t know your birthday. Mine is January 11th. When’s yours?”

Wen Jin, not sure what to make of this, answered honestly, “Mine’s August 22nd.”

Lin Xi made a mental note of her birthday—it had already passed this year. She patted Wen Jin’s shoulder. “We’re practically the same age. From now on, call me Xiaoxi, and I’ll call you Xiaojin.”

At Lin Xi's words, a flicker of surprise passed through Wen Jin’s eyes. Since her mother’s death, it had been so long since anyone called her Xiaojin.

“Hmm? Xiaojin,” Lin Xi said softly, her eyes gentle.

Wen Jin was a bit awkward, her expression slightly unnatural. “Xiaoxi.”

“Good,” Lin Xi replied, her smile bright. “From now on, we’re good friends. You can tell me anything. I just wanted to check on you—today’s events didn’t leave you with any trauma, did they?” she asked with concern.

True gentleness, Lin Xi believed, wasn’t about soft voices or slow words, but about never putting others on the spot and being naturally considerate.

Wen Jin quickly waved her hands, looking anxious. “No, no, not at all. I should be thanking you—you’ve helped me twice now.”

“Well then, you’d better treat your new friend well!” Lin Xi teased, winking playfully.

A… friend?

Wen Jin paused, then looked at her and nodded solemnly.

The two girls looked at each other and shared a smile.

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When Lin Xi returned to her lounge, she found Lu Yuxiu waiting for her with a script in hand.

“Where did you go?” Lu Yuxiu asked, expressionless.

Lin Xi pretended to think, then replied mischievously, “It’s a secret!”

“A secret?” Lu Yuxiu’s brow furrowed, his eyes darkening. “You have far too many secrets…”

“What did you say?” Lin Xi asked, lifting her cup for a sip of water, not quite catching his words.

Lu Yuxiu’s face darkened, his tone bland. “Nothing.”

Lin Xi didn’t notice, and spoke with mock seriousness, “It’s just a girl’s secret. Boys aren’t supposed to know.”

Hearing that it was about girls, Lu Yuxiu finally relaxed.

“Have you finished your lunch? Be careful or your stomach will act up again,” he said, noticing the lunchbox still half-full and seizing the chance to change the subject.

“Not yet,” Lin Xi answered, resting her chin on her hand as she sat beside him, watching as he opened the box for her.

“You never eat properly, always snacking in the afternoon, and even eating ice cream in the dead of winter. Last time, if I hadn’t stopped you, you’d have eaten the whole thing yourself. No wonder your stomach keeps hurting. You need to watch your portions, eat regularly, and get enough sleep…” Lu Yuxiu began to nag without realizing it.

Lin Xi puffed her cheeks in boredom, then suddenly turned to him with a serious look. “You sound just like my brother.”

Lu Yuxiu choked on his next words, closing his eyes in mild frustration. The last thing he wanted was to be her brother.

“Wait a minute!” Lin Xi’s almond-shaped eyes narrowed suspiciously at him. “How do you know I have stomach problems?”

Lu Yuxiu’s hand froze as he opened the box. He blinked, then reacted quickly, “Gu Yao told me.”

He replied in a panic, not even recalling that after the car accident, it was Zhou Jun who had accompanied Lin Xi for check-ups—he could have easily said it was Zhou Jun. But Lu Yuxiu, guilt-ridden, didn’t want her to know he’d been investigating her behind her back.

“Oh, that explains it—my fourth brother never knows when to keep quiet,” Lin Xi sighed, mercilessly criticizing her brother.

Lu Yuxiu swallowed, not feeling the least bit sorry for throwing Gu Yao under the bus.

Meanwhile, in the recording studio, Gu Yao was singing the chorus when he suddenly sneezed, catching everyone off guard. He paused, blinking in confusion. Well, this take would have to be redone.

“In any case, you need to eat properly from now on, no picky eating. I’ll be keeping an eye on you,” Lu Yuxiu said sternly, handing Lin Xi a spoon.

Lin Xi pouted in protest, but took the spoon and ate a mouthful, mumbling, “You’re so overbearing! Aren’t you already keeping an eye on me?”

Lu Yuxiu was left speechless once again.

Then he picked up some vegetables with his chopsticks and forcefully added them to her spoon. “Eat!” he commanded, determined to shut her up.

Lin Xi glared at him, but resigned herself to eating the vegetables in one bite.

In the afternoon, the crew completed their investigation of the surveillance footage and confirmed that the incident hadn’t been caused by foul play.

It turned out the harness pulley had been left by the previous crew—the props team, thinking it was new, had used it without realizing the quality was so poor, leading to the accident.

Lu Jin breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing it wasn’t sabotage. That made things much easier. If someone in the crew had truly been responsible, it would have caused chaos—not only would the cast and crew have been thrown into panic, but they’d have had to recast roles and reshoot scenes.

The props team went to apologize to Wen Jin and thank Lin Xi. Both girls graciously forgave them, even offering comfort so they wouldn’t feel too guilty.

After the incident, the crew grew closer, their bonds stronger and friendlier. People invited each other for drinks or meals, and everyone got along more like friends, creating a joyful and relaxed filming atmosphere.

Even Lu Yuxiu lost his “idol aura” in everyone's eyes—he laughed and joked with Lin Xi every day, sometimes putting on a stern face to “lecture” her.

Their daily interactions convinced the crew that the two were secretly dating, right under “parent” Lu Jin’s nose.

Lu Jin, however, seemed more than happy about it.

Everyone decided it was a romance approved by the guardian—how enviable! People praised them as a perfect match, excited to be the first to know the inside scoop: the “Divine Yuxiu” was in love!

Lin Xi, of course, was completely oblivious, while Lu Yuxiu… tacitly accepted it.

On the other side, in Longcheng.

Since the banquet, Lin Tianyou had begun targeting the Wen Corporation behind the scenes. With ruthless methods, he intercepted their brand deals and gathered ample evidence of Wen Yiming’s bribery and tax evasion. Now, he was only waiting for the right moment to take over the company completely.

But he was in no hurry—he wanted to torment Wen Yiming slowly, to watch him struggle in vain.

A cold hatred surged in Lin Tianyou’s heart.

Wen Yiming had been overwhelmed these days; he knew Lin Tianyou had noticed him at the banquet.

Though the company appeared calm on the surface, internally it was in chaos. Many senior employees had left for other jobs, but Wen Yiming continued to hold on, unable to let go of the company he’d spent half his life building—he couldn’t let it be destroyed by a junior.

In the chairman’s office, Wen Yiming opened a long-locked drawer and took out an old, yellowed photograph. His fingers gently traced the face of the young woman in the picture.

My Pei’er, your son has truly inherited the commanding presence you once had at the Lin Corporation.

And your precious daughter, the little girl you died protecting—she looks just like you. Tell me, is she your compensation to me? Is she? Don’t worry, she’ll be mine as well.

A twisted smile on his face, Wen Yiming pressed a kiss to the image of the radiant woman in the photograph.