When Gao Qinghe returned home, Lin Xi was about to go out.
Unlike the workwear style last time, Lin Xi was now wearing a white knitted dress with a high collar and sleeveless design.
The gold threads dotted on the dress sparkled with fine and gorgeous light under the soft lighting, complementing her dazzling golden hair, interweaving a full sense of luxury and nobility.
Her makeup was still very bold, with sharply upturned eyeliner outlining an aggressive fox-eye shape.
However, she had carefully applied thick and long false eyelashes that fluttered with every blink, making it hard to look away.
The only thing that clashed with her current outfit was the white cotton slippers on Lin Xi’s feet.
But Lin Xi was tall and graceful, and even just standing in front of the dining table, head down packing things, she stood straight, still exuding an innate noble aura.
Gao Qinghe couldn’t help but look at the full-length mirror by the door, comparing her own outfit and makeup with Lin Xi’s one by one.
‘When it comes to makeup, mine is definitely more attractive. The Chanel makeup artist perfectly nailed the pure and seductive style. As for Lin Xi’s makeup… well, it’s pretty, but it’s really a bit too exaggerated to the point of making people shy away.’ ‘As for clothes, my outfit is dignified yet sexy; this dress highlights all the advantages of my figure. Lin Xi’s clothes focus on elegance and nobility. I don’t know the brand, but they look too solemn, making her look much older than her actual age, without that youthful vitality.’ ‘Hmm, in my opinion, I still come out on top. Nice, this time I’m sure to win.’
“Lin Xi, are you going already?”
Gao Qinghe put down the shopping bag containing her changed clothes.
“Then should I call a taxi? Is the address still the same as before?”
“…Ah? Yeah, wait a moment.”
Lin Xi didn’t look up.
She moved quickly, putting compact powder and lipstick into a small Dior-logo makeup bag one by one, then stuffed the makeup bag into a white leather small backpack that looked very high quality but whose brand Gao Qinghe also couldn’t identify.
She reached into the bag and pulled out her phone.
“It’s fine, you don’t need to call a taxi. Xiang Bei will come to pick me up by car… Why isn’t he here yet? Didn’t I tell him we need to leave early?”
Gao Qinghe frowned.
‘Ah, it’s over. I just scolded Xiang Bei harshly yesterday without considering the consequences. Would it be awkward to take his car with Lin Xi now?’
‘Hmm, it’s okay. I’ll just sit in the back seat and play mute, let Lin Xi take the front passenger seat. The drive is less than half an hour; I can bear it for a little while. What’s done is done, can’t worry too much. The exchange meeting is important.’
“Then should I go with you guys? I thought the time would be the same as last time… If I go early, will I have nothing to do?”
Lin Xi heard Gao Qinghe’s words and paused her movements.
She looked up, saw Gao Qinghe’s outfit, and was startled again, her beautiful eyelashes fluttering slightly.
Gao Qinghe recognized the admiration in her expression and felt a secret thrill.
Unexpectedly, the admiration was quickly replaced by surprise and hesitation.
Lin Xi looked at her, and for some reason seemed to think something was out of place.
‘What? I shouldn’t have overdressed, right? At least I put in about the same effort as Lin Xi?’
Before Gao Qinghe could figure out where her hesitation came from, Lin Xi spoke.
“…Qinghe, it’s like this. This exchange meeting is by invitation only.”
She frowned slightly, looking troubled, bowed her head, then looked up at her as if determined.
“I’m not sure if you can get in.”
‘What? The previous exchange meetings were fine, weren’t they?’
“What do you mean, Lin Xi? Don’t joke around.”
Gao Qinghe’s tone was strained.
She forced a smile and flicked her hand gently.
“I’m all dressed up. See, I even bought a necklace specially for today.”
She smiled awkwardly, her fingers lightly lifting the Chanel long necklace that matched the dress perfectly, then paused.
“Hey, if it’s inconvenient for you and Xiang Bei, I can just take a taxi myself… Why say something like that?”
“…This exchange meeting is indeed special.”
Lin Xi put down what she was holding, turned to face Gao Qinghe, her eyes serious.
“But even for the previous meetings, I made an exception to bring you in. If I made you misunderstand, I apologize first.”
“What… what does that mean?”
Gao Qinghe’s smile froze on her face.
For a moment she couldn’t react, feeling something stuck in her mind.
She spoke, her voice trembling but with a forced smile.
“Didn’t you say… didn’t you say before that you encouraged me to meet more people and that’s why you took me to the exchange meetings? How did it become an exception, Lin Xi…”
Bzz—bzz
The buzzing vibration interrupted Gao Qinghe’s stammering question.
Lin Xi picked up her phone from the table.
“Ah, it’s Xiang Bei. He should be here.”
She unlocked her phone and typed on the screen without looking up.
“Sorry, Qinghe. Can we talk about this when I get back? I might be running late.”
“…Is it because of what happened before? Just because I didn’t ask for leave?”
Gao Qinghe walked up to Lin Xi in her high heels.
The 6-centimeter heels made her the same height as Lin Xi.
She stared at her intently.
“Is this some kind of revenge?”
She pressed closer.
“…No way? Over something like this?”
“No, Qinghe, where are your thoughts going?”
Lin Xi finished replying and looked up.
She seemed startled by Gao Qinghe’s expression, surprised, and stepped back slightly.
“Didn’t you say before that you didn’t like the atmosphere of the exchange meetings? So I didn’t think to take you anymore… Hey, don’t overthink it. I really don’t mean anything else.”
She glanced anxiously at her phone, her expression mixed with a sympathy that irritated Gao Qinghe.
“My talk is at the very beginning of the event. I really have to go now, or I might not make it in time.”
“No…”
Gao Qinghe hadn’t recovered from the shock.
She opened her mouth but couldn’t say a word.
Lin Xi hesitated, then bowed her head and walked around her to the door.
Gao Qinghe could only hear a sharp ringing in her ears.
She felt all her blood rushing to her head, making her dizzy.
She quickly grabbed the corner of the dining table to barely support herself.
She looked up.
Lin Xi’s figure flashed past her.
She had put on a pair of pointed-toe leather shoes that clicked on the wooden floor.
She searched around the house, then came back to pick up the keys that were on the dining table.
As she passed by, Lin Xi turned back, her posture crisp and straight.
She lowered her head slightly and smiled apologetically at Gao Qinghe.