Rejected by the Campus Belle, I Find My True Love

It was just a small project worth over a hundred million, so they would usually send a branch manager to handle the negotiations. Yet now, he was insisting on going personally.

The reason is obvious. The Chairman clearly cares a great deal about the Young Miss, yet he acts so indifferent. I just hope she can understand his good intentions.

Jiawen Li shook his head helplessly. After finishing all his work, he left the office for the day.

「」

After finishing his work, Xue Yang gestured to Lin Xi that it was time to go home.

Lin Xi hadn’t drawn much of her comic because she had been chatting with Si Wen the entire time. She packed up her supplies, then followed Xue Yang out the door.

Just as they stepped out, they ran into Li You.

Upon seeing Xue Yang and Lin Xi together, she froze like a mouse cornered by a cat. It was clearly too late to run. She had no choice but to stand rooted to the spot, her head lowered as she greeted them.

"Hello, Madam Boss. Hello, Boss."

Xue Yang nodded slightly. Lin Xi told him to go on ahead, while she remained behind.

Li You’s heart instantly clenched with apprehension. Is the Madam Boss... here to make trouble for me?

From a short distance away, Wu Xiaoya shot Li You a sympathetic glance. The other employees settled in to watch the show. Everyone knew that Li You often took the opportunity to clean the boss’s office during the lunch hour when no one was around.

She had been caught red-handed by the boss this afternoon. Normally, that wouldn’t have been a big deal, but the problem was that the Madam Boss had also arrived. Wasn’t this shaping up to be great drama?

Li You had already braced herself for public humiliation, but instead, Lin Xi just smiled and said, "Hello! Your pickled vegetables are delicious. I tried some, and look, I’m taking the rest home to eat."

As she spoke, she lifted the bag for Li You to see.

Li You was stunned and flattered. "Thank you for the compliment, Madam Boss."

"Don’t mention it."

With that, Lin Xi hurried to catch up with Xue Yang, and the two left the car dealership together, arm in arm.

Li You watched as Lin Xi ran to Xue Yang’s side and affectionately linked his arm, the two of them laughing and talking. Their current behavior was a complete one-eighty from what she had witnessed in the office that afternoon.

If she couldn’t understand such an obvious warning, then she was a true fool.

Seeing that the main characters had left, the others turned their attention back to their work.

"I can’t believe I actually thought the Madam Boss would see Li You as a rival! How stupid of me."

Feeling apologetic toward Lin Xi, everyone worked even harder.

「」

It was already dark when they got home. After dinner, Lin Xi went back upstairs to continue the drawings she hadn’t finished during the day.

Not long after, Xue Yang came up.

He pulled out a suitcase, opened the wardrobe, and began packing a few sets of clothes before gathering some toiletries.

"Xue Yang, what are you doing?"

"Taking you somewhere fun."

As he spoke, Xue Yang added a few more items to the suitcase.

"Where could you possibly be taking me this late at night?"

"See if there’s anything else you need to bring. We’ll be staying there overnight."

A trip... Sunscreen is a must, and so are my toiletries... Lin Xi mentally listed what she’d need, then went into the bathroom to pack some essential skincare products for the trip.

Half an hour later, Lin Xi followed Xue Yang downstairs, where the car was already waiting.

It was only after she got in that Lin Xi realized Zhong Hailan and Xue Yuanqing were there too.

Slightly startled, she asked, "Uncle and Auntie are coming too?"

"As it happens, your uncle and I haven’t been on an outing in a long time, so we decided to tag along," Zhong Hailan said with a smile.

Lin Xi pouted at Xue Yang. "You still haven’t told me where we’re going."

Xue Yang settled into the driver’s seat and adjusted it. "Didn’t I tell you I’d take you to the seaside once you came to Hui City?"

Lin Xi immediately asked, her voice filled with excitement, "You mean we’re going to the beach!?"

Xue Yang nodded.

"Wow, that’s great! Xue Yang, thank you!"

Lin Xi happily flung herself from the passenger seat onto Xue Yang and planted a big kiss on his handsome face with a loud SMACK.

The next second, she abruptly remembered that Xue Yang’s parents were also in the car. She was so embarrassed she wanted to find a hole to crawl into. How could I have forgotten something so important? This is mortifying!

Zhong Hailan quickly broke the awkward silence. "Oh, right. Honey, have you finished telling everyone about the housewarming?"

"I have. I only invited close family and relatives, so I estimated it’ll be about ten tables. The restaurant is booked, too—it’s that farmhouse restaurant I went to the other day. It’s not too far, only about five kilometers away. Xiao Yang, what do you think of your father’s arrangements?"

Lin Xi silently shrank back into her seat, sitting perfectly still. This time, she didn’t dare make another reckless move.

The car started moving, heading toward the coast.

Xue Yang’s home was not too far from the beach. The drive typically took about an hour. However, since it was a Saturday during summer vacation, some traffic was inevitable. Luckily, being in the evening, the congestion didn’t last long. The entire journey took about two hours.

As they neared the coast, the air filled with the salty scent of the sea. Lin Xi opened her window, letting the sea-scented evening breeze wash over her, feeling completely relaxed.

Since there were four of them, Xue Yang had booked a high-end hotel with a private beach called Shili Silver Beach. Even from the outside, it looked luxurious and grand.

Just inside the entrance, large tanks held a wide variety of live seafood. The seaside atmosphere permeated every corner. All in all, the environment was lovely.

Although it was nighttime, the hotel was buzzing with activity. It was full of families on vacation, just like theirs. There were also plenty of couples, creating a very lively ambiance. The public areas were packed to the brim.

Lin Xi had been to beaches abroad, but this was her first time at a domestic one. It was a bit different from what she had imagined—more vibrant and down-to-earth.

"Your rooms are ready. Please follow me," a hotel employee said enthusiastically, leading them away.

"What time is low tide?" Xue Yang asked. This trip was primarily to let Lin Xi experience clam digging on the tidal flats, as he had promised.

"Honored guests, low tide at our beach is tomorrow morning around 8-9 AM. The tide will start coming back in about two hours after that. You can have the hotel prepare any seafood you catch, or you can take it home with you."

The morning was the perfect time, as it wouldn’t be too hot yet.

"Thank you."

"The hotel offers a seafood buffet that you are welcome to enjoy whenever you feel hungry. We also have an outdoor barbecue experience available. Swimsuits have already been placed in your rooms for your convenience. If you need anything at all, please feel free to call the front desk, and we will arrange it immediately."

"Okay, thank you."

"If there’s nothing else, I’ll let you get settled. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday."