C10 Talk to Him!

Lin Han and Lin Kexin had both agreed to investigate Chepapp Company tomorrow before formulating a detailed plan. Glancing at the clock, Lin Han noted it was already past 11 PM. Despite being married in name, they usually didn't share a bed. Their bedrooms were adjacent, yet they each retreated to their own space at night. Aware of the late hour, Lin Han felt it was time to head to his room. "If there's nothing else, I'll head back now."

For some reason, Lin Kexin found herself wanting to share a glass of wine with him tonight. "No rush, let's finish this glass before you go," she suggested, standing up to pour two glasses of red wine and handing one to Lin Han.

Taking the glass, Lin Han offered a wry smile and playfully remarked, "After today's heroic rescue, have you fallen for me? Inviting me for wine at this hour is quite flattering. How about I stay with you tonight?"

Lin Kexin's brow furrowed, perhaps realizing her casual invitation had been misinterpreted. "Wishful thinking," she retorted. "I just didn't want to drink alone, and since you were here, I thought to ask you. Don't read too much into it."

Lin Han knew she was only teasing. They had been married for some time, yet he still knew little about Lin Kexin's past. "When drinking, it's good to have a conversation topic. How about we share stories from our past?" he suggested nonchalantly, settling onto the sofa with his wine.

"The past? What's there to talk about?" Lin Kexin avoided his gaze, her voice tinged with evasion.

Unperturbed, Lin Han began, "I'll start. I grew up in an average family and was quite the troublemaker as a kid. At eight, I loved to pull girls' pigtails. By ten, I had my first crush, and at eleven, I confessed to a girl I liked but got slapped for my efforts."

"I had my first serious relationship at seventeen, and it was after that I dropped out of school and began drifting through life, spending my days in internet cafes, until I met you. Now, it's your turn to share."

Lin Han spoke with a nonchalant air, seemingly detached from everything he described, as if it were all irrelevant to him.

Lin Kexin believed him, her face twisting into a sneer. The Lin Han she knew was just like that: a do-nothing troublemaker. She had agreed to marry him only to secure the general manager position at her company. Her grandmother had insisted that she could only assume the role if she were married. So, she went out, found Lin Han on a whim, and they got married.

Lin Kexin was generally laid-back, so she treated Lin Han fairly well. "Me? I don't have much to say. I've been studying my whole life, always under my grandmother's thumb. She said I had to be married to become general manager, so I found you, we got married, and that's that."

"Compared to you, who's been harboring crushes since you were ten, my life is practically a blank slate," Lin Kexin remarked lightly, taking a sip of her wine.

"Your life is indeed simple. It's no surprise you've never been able to outmaneuver your grandmother or Lee Feng," Lin Han commented offhandedly, yet his words rang with truth.

They continued their conversation deep into the night until Lin Han retired to his room at midnight. It was the first time they had ever sat down for a peaceful chat. Lin Kexin had never opened up to Lin Han like this before.

Accustomed to laziness, Lin Han didn't wake up until after ten the next morning. After a quick wash, he went downstairs to find the house empty. He was relieved that Lin Kexin's mother wasn't there; otherwise, he might have been in for a scolding for oversleeping.

With the house to himself, he left his room and then remembered he was supposed to accompany Lin Kexin on a site visit to Chepapp Group that day. He hurried to the company only to discover that Lin Kexin had left early. When he inquired with her secretary, they were clueless about her whereabouts.

After making a secretive phone call, Lin Han learned that Lin Kexin had gone to conduct a solo inspection at Chepapp Group.

Lin Han quickly exited his company and hailed a taxi to Chepapp Corporation. He knew that although Lin Kexin had agreed with his suggestion, she hadn't truly believed him. Otherwise, she wouldn't have slipped away to Chepapp this morning without a word to him.

Upon arriving at Chepapp, Lin Han navigated the building with ease, swiftly locating the main hall. As expected, he found Lin Kexin seated, sharing tea with an unfamiliar man. They appeared to be acquaintances at best, likely meeting for the first time. The man's gaze, filled with greed and lechery when he looked at Lin Kexin, irked Lin Han immensely.

The man was a department manager at Chepapp. Lin Kexin had intended to make a discreet visit. However, a woman as striking as Lin Kexin couldn't avoid drawing attention. Zhou Dong soon spotted her and approached to introduce himself.

Upon learning that Zhou Dong was a department manager, Lin Kexin explained her visit's purpose, hoping he could assist her with a small favor. Zhou Dong neither accepted nor declined but invited her to sit and join him for tea. With a request to make, Lin Kexin had no choice but to accept.

Lin Han chose not to interrupt immediately. Instead, he sat quietly, observing the man's intentions and assessing Lin Kexin's capabilities.

"Director Lee, you wish to meet our CEO? That's no issue; I'll make sure it's arranged. But with so many prying eyes around, how about we find a more secluded spot to discuss matters?" Zhou Dong suggested, his feet inching towards Lin Kexin's legs.

Instinctively, Lin Kexin withdrew, then responded with composed assurance, "Manager Zhou, there's no need for secrecy. We don't need a quiet place for our discussion; here is perfectly fine."

Lin Han clearly grasped the man's insinuation. Zhou Dong's 'quiet place' was nothing more than a euphemism for a hotel room, likely with the intent of conducting their conversation in bed. As a company's general manager, Lin Kexin was certainly not naive to such implications.

"Director Lee, discussing these matters in front of such a large crowd is hardly appropriate. While meeting with our boss isn't a secret affair, we still need a detailed plan and schedule!"

Zhou Dong cast an annoyed glance around the room.

Lin Kexin managed a strained smile.

"Well then, how about this? Manager Lee, since we're quite close to my company, why don't we have our discussion here?"