The engagement was with the younger brother, but I've fallen for the older brother.

Si Yimian looked down and rummaged through her handbag, using the act of looking for materials as an excuse to take a small step back, subtly withdrawing from the invisible boundary between the two of them.

Then he looked up and smiled at Chong He Nanxian, his tone soft but his words firm.

"Brother Nanxian."

"I used to take a detour to see you, now it's your turn to get used to me not taking a detour."

He Nanxian tightened his grip on the car keys.

Immediately afterwards, Si Yimian waved her hand at him.

"The review meeting is indeed running late. Riding in Dr. He's car will allow us to go through the data ahead of time."

"Business is more important."

He looked at her, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Then he nodded and didn't press the matter.

"Alright, business comes first."

He put the car keys back in his pocket and took a step back.

Si Yimian walked to He Sichen's car and opened the door.

Before he bent down to crawl inside, He Nanxian's voice came from behind him.

"Oh, right, Mianmian."

She turned back again.

"The He family is having a family dinner tonight. Grandpa organized it and specifically asked you to come."

Si Yimian paused for a moment, then tightened her grip on the car door.

"what?"

The old master of the He family doesn't appear often in the original work, but every time he does, he sets the tone.

He's over eighty years old and his mind is clearer than that of a young person.

"You are my fiancée."

When he said those three words, his gaze passed over her and landed on He Sichen's face.

"How could you miss the Crane family's banquet?"

"At 7 p.m., at the He family's old house."

He opened the car door and smiled at her.

"It wasn't a formal occasion, just a casual meal."

"I'll come pick you up after your review meeting."

Si Yimian raised her eyebrows slightly.

It's over, this is a trap.

The timing was quite ruthless.

In front of her brother, she said that the elders of the He family had invited her to dinner.

The title of official status is something that He Nanxian possesses, but He Sichen does not.

Si Yimian neither immediately agreed nor refused.

"The end time of the review meeting is uncertain; we'll discuss the specific arrangements later."

"it is good."

Immediately afterwards, He Nanxian nodded to He Sichen in the car.

"Brother, you're here too."

He Sichen did not answer.

He Nanxian didn't care. He turned around, got into the car, closed the door, and started the engine in one smooth motion.

Si Yimian stood there, watching the taillights of the Maybach turn out of the parking space.

She opened the passenger door and got in, muttering to herself as she fastened her seatbelt.

"Dr. He, is your brother launching a surprise attack?"

He Sichen started the engine, turned the steering wheel once, and the car slid out of the parking space.

"Um."

"Your grandfather invited you to dinner, and your father and stepmother were there too?"

"Highly likely."

Si Yimian took a deep breath, leaned back, and stared at the roof of the car in silence for a while.

"Dr. He, do you think it's too late for me to fake being sick?"

He Sichen glanced at her: "Too late."

Si Yimian choked.

As the car drove out of the underground parking garage, sunlight streamed in, and she squinted, turning her head to look at him.

He held the steering wheel with one hand and rested the other on the gear shift, his wrist bone prominent and his lines clean.

She suddenly reached out and touched his wrist with her fingertips.

Are you going tonight?

He Sichen neither dodged nor looked at her.

"go."

"Then you can shield me from it when the time comes."

She withdrew her hand and began rummaging through her bag for her lipstick.

"If your stepmother asks me when I'm getting married, I'll just say I'll do whatever Dr. He says."

He Sichen tapped his finger on the steering wheel: "Listen to me?"

"Yes, I'll marry you if you say so."

She paused, unscrewed the cap of the lipstick, and applied it to the rearview mirror.

"If you say you won't marry me, I'll wait a little longer."

After applying the lipstick, she pursed her lips and turned to look at him.

"Dr. He, what do you think?"

He Sichen looked at the road ahead, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"Then my opinion is..."

"Don't tell."

She reached out and covered his mouth, her palm pressed against the corner of his lips.

"What you say will definitely not sound good."

He Sichen didn't struggle as she covered his mouth.

His gaze shifted from the road ahead to her face; the morning light reflected in her light-colored pupils.

He raised his hand, grasped her wrist, and pulled her hand away from his mouth, but didn't let go.

"The judging session starts at nine o'clock, so please prepare accordingly."

He released her, looked ahead again, and his tone returned to its usual indifference.

"Don't waste time thinking about these things in the car."

Si Yimian looked down at her wrist, which he had held.

She pulled her hand back into her sleeve, which was long enough to cover half of her fingers, and shrank further into the seat, saying something softly.

"Dr. He, you are such a hypocrite."

He didn't respond.

……

Chenxi Group, Top Floor Conference Room, Building A.

On both sides of the long table, the expert professors of the review panel, the core members of the project team, and the data analysts stood in a row.

He Sichen sat in the chairman's seat, wearing a dark gray suit and a neatly tied tie, with a thick stack of materials spread out in front of him.

Si Yimian stood in front of the projection screen, and the presentation went smoothly.

Si Yimian put all the lessons He Sichen had taught her into practice.

She answered the judges' questions directly, without beating around the bush or being evasive.

She meticulously recounted her month-long observations during her internship at Yu'an, incorporating case studies and data, combining theoretical depth with practical application.

He Sichen sat in the audience, watching her without saying a word.

He suddenly remembered that on her first day in the clinic, she even had to write down the sample numbering rules in a notebook.

Now she stands on the stage, facing a group of industry leaders, without stage fright or hesitation.

She learned everything he taught her.

In fact, it did even better than he expected.

After the presentation, the review panel members asked questions.

Two were within her prepared scope, one was beyond it.

She didn't panic. She pulled up the original experimental records on the spot and dissected the logic for handling the outliers.

After the dismantling was completed, it was discovered that the judge had nodded in approval first.

After the last question was answered, applause rang out sparsely.

The five experts exchanged glances, and one of the elderly professors with gray hair turned to look at He Sichen.

"President He, the people Chenxi sent this time are quite capable."

He Sichen lowered his eyes and turned to a page of the rating sheet.

"Her basic skills are alright."

The old professor smiled: "The fact that you said 'not bad' is already the highest praise you could give."

He Sichen didn't reply, but checked the last column of the rating sheet.

excellent.

The final vote passed unanimously, and the project moved to the next stage.

The review meeting ended, and the crowd dispersed.

He Sichen and Si Congshan were kept behind by several experts for a talk.

Si Yimian walked out carrying her notebook. As she passed the administrative office area, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye.

The door to the personnel department was open, and a person was standing inside.

Si Ningyou.

She was wearing a white shirt, her hair was tied in a low ponytail, and she was holding a cardboard box.

The HR specialist next to her was speaking to her in a low voice, but the corridor was quiet and every word was clear.

"Ms. Si, your resignation procedures have been completed. These are the last of your personal belongings."

Si Ningyou nodded without saying anything.

She turned around, clutching the cardboard box, and met Si Yimian's gaze.

The two people looked at each other.

The corridor was long, with sunlight streaming down the middle, like a dividing line.

What Si Congshan said at the hotel that day wasn't just said in anger.

Si Ningyou is no longer a member of the Si family.

Chenxi lost his job, his driver was dismissed, and even the supplementary credit card he had been using for over a decade was suspended.

Si Ningyou clearly hadn't expected to run into her. She paused for a moment, preparing to step aside.

"Wait a moment."

Si Yimian spoke, her tone as casual as if she were calling out to a passing colleague.

Si Ningyou stopped and turned around.

"What's up?"

Si Yimian leaned against the corridor wall, holding her notebook, and looked at Si Ningyou with her head turned to the side.

"The last time I missed the review meeting, it was also in this corridor, in this very spot."

"When you stood there watching me leave, didn't you feel incredibly satisfied?"

Si Ningyou raised her head and looked at Si Yimian.

His eyes were vacant, like a stagnant pool.

"You stopped me just to bring up old grievances?"

Si Yimian shook her head.

"I'm here to thank you."

Si Ningyou frowned slightly.

"Thank you for never changing, for always being this bad."