Gently bite the jasmine

Chapter 158: Is it for your secretary?

Zhao Yuxin doesn't look like an art student; she looks like a dazzling superstar on stage.

She had long, wavy hair, and her eyes made no attempt to hide her interest in Duan Yiheng. She was generous, enthusiastic, and without any arrogance.

After exchanging greetings, Duan Yiheng and Zhao Hongbo walked side by side toward the court.

At the tee box, Duan Yiheng held his club, his figure tall and slender.

"Mr. Duan, I've heard you're quite good at golf. Would you like to see how you play today?"

Duan Yiheng smiled politely: "Chairman Zhao, you flatter me. I can't compare to you."

Zhao Hongbo laughed heartily.

Looking at the two people in the distance, Zhao Yuxin suddenly laughed and said, "With President Duan's height, my dad looks like a butler."

"..." Lin Xi smiled, "Chairman Zhao has a strong presence and is an upright person. President Duan has great respect for Chairman Zhao."

Zhao Yuxin smiled and accepted the compliment.

Following her gaze, Lin Xi saw the golf ball land steadily in the center of the fairway along a perfect parabola.

Zhao Hongbo casually remarked that Duan Yiheng and he had a good relationship.

Zhao Yuxin looked at Lin Xi with admiration and said, "You're the adopted daughter of the Duan family, right? I saw your news online the other day."

Whether it was something she learned online or something Zhao Hongbo told her, Lin Xi wouldn't hide it from her.

She nodded: "Yes, I am. I'm currently working as Mr. Duan's secretary."

"Just a secretary?" Zhao Yuxin tilted her head slightly, scrutinizing her with her gaze.

"She's just a secretary, of course." Lin Xi's expression remained unchanged. "What does Miss Zhao mean by this?"

"So your marriage to Duan Mingxuan is real?" Zhao Yuxin's tone became much more gossipy when she saw that she didn't seem to be lying.

Lin Xi then feigned a troubled and restrained expression before finally saying, "In truth, this is my private matter. Miss Zhao, shall we talk about something else?"

“Okay.” Zhao Yuxin seemed easy to talk to. “Then tell me about Duan Yiheng.”

Lin Xi wasn't stupid; he naturally saw through Zhao Yuxin's feelings for Duan Yiheng.

"You like him?" Lin Xi asked her directly.

Zhao Yuxin thought for two seconds and said, "My dad said he's a very good person and wants me to get to know him."

Lin Xi remained noncommittal: "Shouldn't you be the one to experience and feel these things for yourself?"

“But everything I have was given to me by my father.” Zhao Yuxin said matter-of-factly, “He would never harm me. If he thinks a man is good, then he is good.”

Lin Xi was speechless for a moment, but he understood a little bit of the meaning, though he wasn't sure if it could be considered "somewhat reasonable".

"I can only tell you about his work ability from the perspective of a secretary," Lin Xi said.

Zhao Yuxin clicked her tongue: "That's right, as a secretary, you shouldn't speak ill of the boss."

Lin Xi smiled.

Zhao Yuxin was very sensible. Even though she was interested in Duan Yiheng, she obediently waited to the side and did not go up to disturb him.

Seeing that she was bored, Lin Xi offered, "Shall I play a few rounds with you?"

Zhao Yuxin smiled awkwardly: "I don't know how."

"..." Lin Xi's expression remained unchanged. "Actually, I'm not that good at it. I just learned it to fool people."

Zhao Yuxin seemed to have found a kindred spirit and suggested, "Shall we go to a coffee shop and sit for a while?"

Lin Xi replied, "Okay."

She glanced back at Duan Yiheng, and just as he turned his gaze away, Lin Xi made a gesture to him, and Duan Yiheng nodded.

Zhao Hongbo waved to his daughter, then gave the caddie a look and asked Duan Yiheng, "What does Mr. Duan think of my daughter?"

Before Duan Yiheng could even see what the other person looked like, he blurted out, "Your daughter has an outstanding temperament, elegant yet lively. She's about the same age as Secretary Lin, right?"

When Zhao Hongbo mentioned his daughter, his eyes were full of warmth: "She's 21, but she's still like a child."

Duan Yiheng chuckled: "She really is still a child. I'm nine years older than her, that's three generation gaps."

Zhao Hongbo, a shrewd man, narrowed his eyes and said, "Being older naturally has its advantages; you're more stable and can handle anything."

"Chairman Zhao, you flatter me." Duan Yiheng became genuinely modest, which was not at all annoying. "If I could handle everything, I wouldn't be here to see you today."

Zhao Hongbo was taken aback, then burst out laughing: "You... The weather is nice, it's indeed a good time to talk about serious matters."

Duan Yiheng nodded, his tone calm: "I'm sure you've heard about my secretary and my brother's affair. To be honest, this has put a lot of pressure on me."

“It’s normal for you to be under a lot of pressure since the equity transfer hasn’t happened yet,” Zhao Hongbo said knowingly. “Your father is indeed anxious.”

To put it bluntly, it's an ugly way of doing things.

These old guys would sometimes get together and complain about Duan Zheng in private. Even though his eldest son was already outstanding enough to make them jealous, he still wanted to cause trouble all the time.

We're all family, so why fight amongst ourselves?

If you lack ability, then just stay put. Otherwise, you'll end up losing both your dignity and your reputation.

If Duan Mingxuan had even half of Duan Yiheng's abilities, these old guys would have hesitated.

These two are completely incomparable.

"Uncle Zhao understands me best." Duan Yiheng subtly changed his form of address.

Zhao Hongbo glanced at him out of the corner of his eye: "I heard your grandfather is in the hospital."

"This..." Duan Yiheng had a "don't wash your dirty linen in public" expression on his face, "I'm sorry you had to see this."

Zhao Hongbo: "Your dad still thinks of himself as a child. Fortunately, your grandfather spoils him, but he's not without limits."

Duan Yiheng continued, "After all, he is Grandpa's only son. Actually, I don't want to compete with him for anything. He is my father after all, but he... well, never mind."

“I know your dad is biased.” Zhao Hongbo patted him on the shoulder. “You treat him like a father, but he only cares about your brother.”

Duan Yiheng gave a bitter smile: "Mingxuan is my younger brother, so of course I won't mistreat him. But I just can't bring myself to like his mother. So many years have passed, and seeing her always reminds me of my own mother."

Zhao Hongbo's wife passed away early, so he can understand Duan Yiheng's feelings.

However, he didn't make any immediate promises, but instead returned to the original topic, this time being much more direct:

"Are you really not going to consider Yu Xin? She can't match Tan Qi's strength, but in a sense, it would be a powerful combination."

"Thank you for your kind offer," Duan Yiheng politely declined. "If she's willing, she can come to our house often. I see that she and Lin Xi get along quite well. If she needs anything in the future, just let me know, and I'll do my best to help."

Zhao Hongbo looked at him: "Is it because of your secretary?"

Duan Yiheng chuckled: "It's all for the company. She and Duan Mingxuan are childhood sweethearts, so my dad made the decision on his own. She doesn't even know why I brought her here today."

Zhao Hongbo punched him in the stomach: "You're a pretty bad guy, aren't you? You ruined someone's marriage right under their noses?"

Duan Yiheng also pretended to be helpless: "I can't help it either."

“Actually, there is a way,” Zhao Hongbo said jokingly. “If your grandfather changes his mind at the last minute, you can marry her and combine her shares with some other shareholders. You have a better chance of winning, since everyone values ​​you more.”

Duan Yiheng chuckled gently, whether as a test or not: "Uncle Zhao, please don't joke with me. Grandpa dotes on her. Her shares were left to her by her parents. No one can touch them, otherwise, they will be touching the old man's sore spot."

Zhao Hongbo didn't say anything more and went to the coffee shop with Duan Yiheng.