You Have the Right to Keep a Secret Love

To Qi Xi's surprise, the next day, the person in charge of the film and television company arrived at the law firm right on time and no longer made a fuss. This time, they brought a lawyer and finally showed a business-like attitude.

As soon as negotiations started, Gu Xuehan acted very efficiently. She had already communicated with Chen Xiang and Ai Xiang's side to understand their bottom line. She quickly presented several feasible compensation plans to the film and television company. In order to express their willingness to breach the contract, Chen Xiang's side was willing to offer compensation beyond the contract amount as emotional appeasement.

Collaborating on a film and television project involved a massive investment. If there were obstacles from the original copyright holder at the beginning and disputes arose after substantial investment, it would be even more problematic. Therefore, this time, the person in charge of the film and television company reluctantly accepted the compensation plan that was most favorable to them.

However, before leaving, he couldn't help but vent some grievances, saying, "Luckily, I just acquired the copyright and haven't invested any money yet. Otherwise, if the project had progressed too far, I might have had to bear the losses myself."

"But Ai Xiang won't go far. He's too shortsighted. I had already arranged a top-tier team to handle the project for his new book. Although the price for the film and television rights was indeed not the highest, at that time, he wasn't famous yet. The price I offered was quite sincere. Besides, even though I might sound crude, I've been in the film and television industry for over 20 years. My project production and actors are top-notch, and I planned to find a well-known screenwriter for the script. The contract was almost ready to be signed, but with him causing trouble like this, fine, let him be."

The other party sneered, "There's no wall that doesn't let wind through. I know which company can afford the 20 million price now. I can only say that they come from humble beginnings, real estate bosses trying their hand in the film and television industry, without a complete team that has handled a project before. Let's see what they can do with this project. The temptation of 20 million is great, but people who breach contracts solely for money have no business ethics. Sooner or later, they'll get into trouble."

When two parties reach a cooperative agreement, they will naturally say all the nice things to each other. However, once they part ways, they can say whatever unpleasant things they want.

Chen Xiang wasn't too concerned about this. Although she was the one in breach of contract, her education and attitude were very gentle. Despite the other party's almost personal attacks, she kept apologizing and accepting the insults.

Qi Xi felt that if it weren't for Chen Xiang's demeanor, the film and television company might not have agreed to terminate the contract so quickly.

Chen Xiang was clearly very satisfied with the negotiation and thanked Gu Xuehan repeatedly, saying, "My husband will sign the contract today and send it to the law firm. I've left Lawyer Qi Xi's contact information. After that, I'll ask my husband to pay the legal fees as soon as possible. Thank you so much for your help."

The first case went much smoother than Qi Xi had expected, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Not long after, she did receive the express delivery of the signed power of attorney agreement from Ai Xiang.

However...

As Qi Xi glanced casually at it, she realized that it was a local courier.

Didn't Chen Xiang say that Ai Xiang was away on a business trip?

But this clearly...

Maybe he's back now?

Qi Xi quickly followed the office's procedure and applied for the official seal to complete the power of attorney contract. She then contacted Chen Xiang to send one of the two copies back.

Curious, she asked, "Ms. Chen, should I send it to you or your husband?"

Chen Xiang's voice on the other end of the phone was warm, "You can send it to me. He's still away on a business trip discussing cooperation."

…

Qi Xi hung up the phone but still felt somewhat conflicted.

Zhao Yiran had mentioned before that Chen Xiang used to be a lecturer at a university, which was a stable and respectable job. Before Ai Xiang became famous, it was this job that supported their lives. But after Ai Xiang gained fame, there were numerous interviews, collaborations, and other trivial tasks, so Chen Xiang resigned from her job and became Ai Xiang's assistant to handle these matters. This included daily proofreading, correcting typos and grammar mistakes, and now, even hiring lawyers to negotiate the termination of contracts.

However... Ai Xiang's money didn't seem to be given to Chen Xiang. Because if not just for work affairs, assuming financial authority was also handed over to Chen Xiang, there would be no need to wait for Ai Xiang to return from his "business trip" to pay the legal fees.

Though this case was now resolved, Qi Xi still felt somewhat curious.

During lunch break, she decided to search online for information about Ai Xiang.

Naturally, Ai Xiang was a pen name, and the meaning of this pen name was also related to his wife. It was derived from the homophonic sound of "Love Xiang."

Qi Xi came across Ai Xiang's Weibo account and discovered that his posts, apart from promoting his works, were almost all related to his wife. This included daily expressions of affection for her and frequent displays of their love for each other.

Due to the recent popularity of "Encountering Immortals," Ai Xiang was also invited to participate in many interviews. In almost every interview, he couldn't help but talk about his wife, earning him the title of "wife-flaunting maniac" from the public.

This was what had Zhao Yiran swooning over their fairy tale romance.

In truth, Ai Xiang wasn't particularly good-looking; one might even say he was ugly. He had completely abandoned weight management due to long-term home-based writing, his skin was dark, and he had slightly triangular eyes. However, his speech and humor were quite charming. His unwavering loyalty to love and his wife not only won him countless female fans like Zhao Yiran but also a large number of male supporters. They felt a sense of vicarious success through him, thinking that as long as you have an interesting soul, you can attract a beautiful appearance.

It was supposed to be a heartwarming and positive story, but the more Qi Xi watched Ai Xiang's interview videos, the more uncomfortable she felt.

"Yes, I'm almost completely devoted to my wife. I take her to the most expensive rooftop restaurants, prepare 999 roses*, and even airship wine from France..."

*99 roses means I will love you until the day I die. While the arrangement of 999 Roses symbolizes my love will last forever.

"I hope she won't have to work anymore because I can totally support her with my current income."

"In fact, back then, I applied for a job as a property security guard in her community. I fell in love with her at first sight. At that time, in order to pursue her, I really put in a lot of effort, writing love letters every day and standing outside her house daily. She was beautiful and had many other suitors, all driving luxury cars. So, I used all sorts of excuses to keep them from entering the community... At first, she wasn't interested in me at all and rejected me. She even threatened to call the police. But in the end, she just gave in to me."

In the video, the host jokingly called Ai Xiang a "jealous king," and the comments below were full of laughter. However, Qi Xi couldn't help but feel extremely uncomfortable.

Wasn't Ai Xiang's behavior that of a harassing, creepy man? How could it be whitewashed as romantic just because he succeeded in the end? Moreover, all of his wife-flaunting behavior seemed more like self-praise than praise for his wife—praising himself for being great, even though he was poor and poorly educated, he managed to pursue and marry a beautiful and wealthy woman. He now earned a lot of money and could afford to give his wife many extravagant romantic gestures...

But did Chen Xiang really need all of this?

Qi Xi felt that, judging by Chen Xiang's temperament, she wasn't the kind of person who highly desired material things or enjoyed a flashy and extravagant lifestyle. On the contrary, the faint traces of exhaustion in her facial features were hard to conceal. The image of her rushing to pick up her child was lingering in Qi Xi's mind.

Just then, the sound of the seat next to her being pulled caught Qi Xi's attention.

It was Gu Yan coming back.

Gu Yan went to the court in the morning, so he didn't participate in the negotiation for the termination of Chen Xiang and Ai Xiang's contract.

Qi Xi promptly updated Gu Yan on the successful progress of the contract termination and expressed her gratitude, "Gu Yan, it's thanks to you that the other party arrived on time at 10:30."

"Mhm."

Unfortunately, Gu Yan didn't show much of a reaction and just sat down, opening his computer, appearing ready to focus on his work.

However, Qi Xi noticed something unusual.

Gu Yan, who usually liked wearing cool-toned clothes, was wearing a pink shirt today!

Most guys didn't look good in light pink shirts, but Gu Yan managed to pull it off completely with his sophisticated cool-toned skin.

Honestly, he looked really good in that pink shirt.

Qi Xi couldn't imagine what he would look like in pink, but now that she saw it, her previous flattery had come true.

"Pink really suits you, Gu Yan!"

"Aren't you bored? Can't you focus on something professional?"

But although he said that, Qi Xi keenly noticed that despite his cold tone, Gu Yan's complexion visibly improved.

"The Complete Gu Yan" is not deceiving me; he really likes pink! He also enjoys having his preferences recognized and praised!

Her words must have had some effect! After all, if Gu Yan hadn't taken her praise to heart, would he have boldly worn this pink shirt to work for the first time?

It seemed that her encouragement, understanding, and tolerance had given Gu Yan considerable support.

Qi Xi's heart was filled with determination to do better. With perseverance, even the hardest metal could be ground into a needle. No matter how cold and difficult Gu Yan was, she believed that if she continued to cater to his interests, couldn't they eventually coexist peacefully?

Gu Yan might be first in everything, but being invincible was lonely. If there was someone by his side who was equally outstanding and supported and agreed with his eccentric interests, wouldn't they quickly become kindred spirits?

Thinking of this, Qi Xi took out a whole fresh durian that she had specially bought during her lunch break and placed it heavily on Gu Yan's desk. "Gu Yan, this is for you, specially bought by me!"

Since she had so accurately aimed at his preferences, as she pulled out the durian, Qi Xi felt that Gu Yan's heart was intensely shaken. His gaze fixated on the durian, and he remained silent for a long time before finally regaining his voice and composure. "What's the meaning behind buying this?"

The first step to becoming good friends and drawing close was to share common interests. Whenever two people had similar hobbies and interests, they would quickly become friends.

Although Qi Xi didn't like durian, and even found its taste a bit repulsive, she remained composed under Gu Yan's gaze and said, "Because durian is my favorite fruit. Even though many people don't like its taste, I can't resist recommending it to the whole universe! I believe that there must be someone out there who loves durian as much as I do!"

Gu Yan didn't directly respond, but instead, he looked at Qi Xi. "You really like durian?" His dark, shiny eyes were fixed on her. "Then why have I never seen you eat it during college?"

Although she hadn't eaten durian in college, the way Gu Yan said it made it seem like he understood her every move.

Qi Xi laughed awkwardly, "We lived in dorms in university, you see, even now, when this durian hasn't fully ripened, you can smell it from close by. If it were fully ripe, wouldn't it overwhelm my roommates? Besides, when you eat this kind of fruit, you should have someone who likes it too to accompany you; otherwise, it won't feel right or have the right atmosphere. But they don't like it, and even if they don't mind the smell, eating it alone feels lonely."

She had laid the groundwork, and now she just needed the final blow.

Qi Xi casually glanced at Gu Yan, "If you like it, we can eat durian together in the future! It's too much for one person! I don't usually find anyone who shares my interest, so I don't have many chances to eat it! So, Gu Yan, do you like durian?"

Gu Yan stared at the whole giant durian on the table, probably so surprised that he couldn't find the words. He looked composed, frozen in place for quite some time before looking back at Qi Xi, and in a restrained manner, he managed to say just two words, "It's alright."

Qi Xi didn't expect that Gu Yan would be somewhat shy. She had gone this far, but he was still reserved. Faced with such a large King-grade durian, he could only come up with "It's alright," and he said it so reluctantly, making it seem like he was pretending!

If it weren't for having "The Complete Gu Yan" in her hands, Qi Xi might not have been able to see through Gu Yan's words and expressions. He was quite a pretender.

Gu Yan continued to stare at the durian, his expression hard to describe. Qi Xi couldn't figure out what he was thinking. After a moment, he finally turned to look at her, "So you bought this durian for us to eat together?"

"No, no! No need! I bought two! I also had one sent to my home! You can take this one directly home! Let's each enjoy it in our own homes!"

Seriously, the smell of this durian alone made Qi Xi want to hold her breath. Let alone actually opening and eating this thing, she couldn't comprehend Gu Yan's fondness for such fruit.

Gu Yan looked at her, "Didn't you say earlier that eating it alone feels lonely?"

"No, no! Now that I've found a kindred spirit like you, I no longer feel lonely! Even if we're not eating in the same place, I know that within the same city, someone who loves durian is also savoring this exquisite durian with the same emotions as me. It's as if I've found my home!"

Gu Yan pursed his lips and looked at the durian, then fell silent.

However, although he could now enjoy the durian alone, Gu Yan didn't look too pleased. Could it be... Could it be that she bought too small of a durian?

Qi Xi quickly tried to remedy the situation, "Next time, you can accompany me to the supermarket, and we'll get a bigger one. I mainly got a small one today because I had to carry it back alone during lunch."

He must be unhappy that she bought a small one, so Gu Yan completely ignored Qi Xi.

However, their silence was soon broken by a call from Gu Xuehan, an internal call. "There's a contract from our collaboration partner that needs to be signed tomorrow. They've requested a bilingual version, so you both need to translate it into English tonight. It's urgent. I'll email it to you later. You two may need to work a bit of overtime."

As a newly employed intern lawyer, Qi Xi was still in a state of excitement with her energy bursting at the seams. Now that she had been assigned a task, she was absolutely radiant. She had studied Legal English quite well during her undergraduate years, so she was brimming with confidence when it came to translating contracts.

What better opportunity to impress Gu Yan with her flattery than this?

Qi Xi immediately looked at Gu Yan with a sincere expression, "Gu Yan, you should just leave work on time tonight and go home to rest. You don't need to worry about translating the contract anymore; I can handle it by myself! Take the durian with you and enjoy it at home!"

As Qi Xi finished speaking, an email notification from Gu Xuehan arrived.

Qi Xi still had a smile on her face, appreciating Gu Yan's consideration. She casually opened the email attachment and saw...

A fifty-page contract.

But her smile slowly froze as she scrolled down through the contract.

These fifty pages were not just standard template clauses. It was a bulk purchase agreement for optical instruments, and due to the technical specifications and equipment involved, most of the wording was highly specialized. Just the "Definitions" section alone, which Qi Xi couldn't understand even in Chinese, spanned two pages...

Qi Xi nervously looked at Gu Yan and said, "Gu Yan... maybe..."

Gu Yan also saw the email and calmly looked at Qi Xi, "Didn't you just ask me to leave work early? In that case, I'll head out first."

"..." Qi Xi felt embarrassed about her sudden change of mind and quickly came up with an excuse, "I think that durian of yours is too big. Eating it alone might cause you to feel unwell. I just thought that eating durian is best enjoyed with someone else to create the right atmosphere. So, why don't you stay, and we can translate the contract together? We can eat the durian in the meeting room later when everyone else has left."

Qi Xi was purely making things up; she didn't really expect Gu Yan to stay. However, to her surprise, Gu Yan put down his bag, returned to his desk, and said, "Sure."

He didn't look at Qi Xi again, but he cleared his throat as if to explain, "Oh, my parents don't like durian, and the smell is too strong at home. Later, in the meeting room, it will be better with some ventilation after eating."

Then Gu Yan opened his computer and downloaded the contract attachment, "I'll translate the first twenty-five pages, and you can handle the next twenty-five."

As he said this, he casually glanced at Qi Xi, "We'll need to wait for everyone to leave anyway, and since I have nothing else to do, I'll stay and help with the translation. That way, you can finish earlier and enjoy the durian sooner." He paused and added, "Plus, I don't know how to open it properly."

That was just perfect!

And although it sounded fair for each of them to translate twenty-five pages, the specialized terms and "definitions" in the contract were mainly concentrated in the first twenty-five pages that Gu Yan was responsible for. The second twenty-five pages mainly contained standard legal terms and clauses, such as the parties' rights, obligations, breach of contract responsibilities, confidentiality agreements, etc.

One had to admit that Gu Yan was exceptionally efficient in his work. While he was terrifying as an opponent, once he became a teammate, he was someone you could truly rely on.

"I quickly checked, and some of the specialized terms also appear in the clauses you'll be translating later. Since I'll be translating the same terms in the first twenty-five pages, to ensure consistency in the contract translation, you can leave those specialized terms blank for now. After I finish translating my section, I'll review the entire contract, and then we can cross-check and polish each other's translations for a consistent result."

Qi Xi immediately gave a swift thumbs-up gesture, "No problem."

Once they both entered work mode, they were fully dedicated to their task.

Although it was their first time working together, Qi Xi and Gu Yan surprisingly had great chemistry. Their proficiency in legal English allowed them to communicate effortlessly, and their efficiency and speed were almost equal.

In the past, Qi Xi disliked group study and preferred working alone because her group members often couldn't keep up with her pace or train of thought. However, this time, working with Gu Yan made her experience the benefits of having a companion. Together, they quickly translated the entire contract.

At this moment, it was almost nine o'clock in the evening, and there were no other colleagues in the office.

This...

Though Qi Xi was reluctant, she knew it was time to share the durian with Gu Yan...

Durian was so stinky... Qi Xi didn't even like eating it...

But... she had said that she liked durian too, and they agreed to share it after finishing the translation...

Qi Xi could only put on a forced happy smile, muster her courage, and pick up the huge durian as she walked towards the meeting room. "Come on, Gu Yan, it's time to enjoy life! The joyful durian time has begun!"

Gu Yan might have been too absorbed in the translation, as the technical terms made him a little tired. He didn't react immediately when he saw the durian in Qi Xi's hands. He seemed even a bit dazed.

Nevertheless, Gu Yan followed Qi Xi into the meeting room.

Qi Xi struggled to pry open the durian with a fruit knife. As soon as it was opened, an indescribable smell filled the entire room. Qi Xi had to rely on her strong will to maintain a composed expression and even managed to squeeze out a few smiles at Gu Yan, attempting to get closer through their "shared interest".

"Gu Yan, smelling this familiar fragrance immediately lifts my mood. I really don't understand why some people don't like durian. It's just too delicious. But from now on, we'll share the joy of eating durian together. We can consider ourselves kindred spirits!"

However, perhaps just one durian wasn't enough to win over the composed Gu Yan. Despite his love for the fruit, he maintained an almost expressionless face. Yet, the faintly furrowed brow betrayed some emotional fluctuations underneath, as if he was struggling to suppress something.

Needless to say, he must be enduring the immense pleasure and satisfaction that comes from indulging in such a delectable treat!

Gu Yan was truly someone who refused to face his true desires. So fake!

Look at him, pretending not to be moved by this large, ripe durian. He was trying to convey a message to Qi Xi: he wouldn't easily forgive her just because of a durian bribe.

But that wasn't a big deal.

Qi Xi took a deep breath and confidently thought, if one durian wasn't enough, then two; if two weren't enough, then three...

As long as she persisted, and if necessary, launched a weekly durian offensive, couldn't she eventually make Gu Yan reveal his true feelings for durian?

While she contemplated this, she immediately took out the largest piece of durian flesh and placed it on a disposable plate, handing it to Gu Yan. "Here! The biggest piece is for you!"

Perhaps because of her proactive gesture, Gu Yan, holding the durian, seemed to have a more profound and complex expression beneath his seemingly emotionless exterior. Upon closer examination, it seemed like...

A bit overwhelmed?

So, because one shouldn't bite the hand that smiles at them, facing her current durian offensive, even though Gu Yan didn't want to forgive her, he still felt a bit embarrassed?

The hatred he held for Qi Xi and the mutual love they shared for durian put Gu Yan in such a contradictory and conflicted state that he almost wanted to die?

It seemed like she was on the right track.

In order to fit in with this new team, Qi Xi felt that all the sacrifices she made were worth it.

Thinking this, she also cut a large piece of durian and, under Gu Yan's complicated gaze, forced herself to pretend extreme happiness, taking big bites of the durian flesh.

At that moment, Qi Xi was on the verge of tears.

Gu Yan paused, as he hadn't eaten yet, and just looked at Qi Xi. "Why do you look like you're about to cry? Is it not tasty?"

With tears in her eyes, Qi Xi replied, "It's delicious! How could it not be? It's incredibly tasty! Just thinking that someone will eat it with me this time almost makes me cry with joy!"

Save me... This flavor is just too overwhelming... How can I even brush my teeth after eating it?

But under Gu Yan's gaze, afraid of revealing any flaws, Qi Xi passionately expressed her love for durian, "Eating it makes you want more! You just can't stop!"

Her clumsy actions, like buying such a large durian, had finally made Gu Yan drop his guard and fully accept that she was also a fellow durian enthusiast. He lowered his head, looked at the durian in his hands, and then as if undergoing significant mental preparation, took the first step in forgiving Qi Xi—

He took a bite of the durian she bought.

Good! The first step of the Long March has been taken!

Qi Xi, holding back the taste that was hard to swallow, wanted to applaud Gu Yan on the spot.

Soon, Gu Yan, with an indescribable expression, took a second and third bite...

However, maybe because he loved durian too much and hadn't had it in a long time, Qi Xi noticed that Gu Yan was eating faster than usual. It was almost like he was wolfing it down, despite usually being considered a gentleman for his elegant and slow eating.

It seemed that the durian she bought was of good quality and completely met Gu Yan's taste! Look at how quickly he's eating it, as if he didn't even chew before gulping it down.

This slightly comforted Qi Xi, who had made a great sacrifice, and she continued to force a smile while eating durian with Gu Yan.

After finishing most of the durian, Qi Xi felt that her taste and sense of smell were on the verge of necrosis*.

*Necrosis is a type of cell death that occurs in living tissue due to factors like lack of blood supply, infection, or injury. Unlike programmed cell death (apoptosis), necrosis is uncontrolled and can cause inflammation and damage to surrounding cells.

Gu Yan had also eaten a fair amount, but he didn't seem energized from the durian; on the contrary, he looked like he had suffered a tragedy and was quite exhausted.

It was probably because he was tired from the previous translation!

She owed a lot to Gu Yan for the translation of those 25 pages of technical terms today!

She looked at Gu Yan and asked, "Is the durian delicious?"

Gu Yan seemed to pause for a moment, then looked outside the window, his expression somewhat dazed, before managing to say two words—

"It's okay."

Saying one thing but meaning another!

Qi Xi thought that next time, she should buy durian several more times to reward Gu Yan.

If she endured humiliation and made more sacrifices a few more times, Qi Xi felt she would soon be able to become friends with Gu Yan.

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