Few people knew Bai Xi's mobile number. Besides those closest to her, no one else did. Moreover, Shen Mingxun had the network control personnel from the dark department help her set up a special "firewall," blocking all advertisements and scam calls. Therefore, her phone was usually quiet, and she never set it to silent.
The phone was tossed onto the sofa. Not long after, it rang again with a "ding-dong."
Undoubtedly, it was a text message.
She didn't want to look and ignored it, continuing to sleep.
But what she didn't expect was that the text messages kept coming, like a bombardment. And the text message ringtone, at that moment, became continuous as if it were a phone ringtone. This was an experience she had never had before.
In her life, she had no regrets about anything she had done.
Even being used by Old Madam Bai, she had no regrets about her trust in her at the time. Because she felt that trusting someone was not wrong; the mistake was her own youthful ignorance, not knowing that some people were simply not worth trusting.
But now, she regretted it.
She regretted that she must have been crazy yesterday to have given her phone number to Han Rui!
She regretted even more that when he called earlier, she had hung up and tossed the phone onto the sofa instead of turning it off directly!
How idle and bored must Han Rui be to do something like this?
To save her ears from being defiled, she finally sat up from the bed and looked at her phone. Her expression was as if she were looking at a sinner.
Finally, as if resigned to fate, she opened the phone that was vibrating and ringing incessantly. Even at the moment she opened it, the messages hadn't stopped.
One by one, scrolling upwards, she glanced casually. The messages read: "Miss Bai."
"I'm downstairs at your hotel."
"You said you wanted to repay a debt of gratitude."
"If you pretend not to see..."
"I'll keep sending until you reply..."
"Until then."
"Miss Bai..."
"Xiao Xi..."
"Bai Xiao Xi..."
Bai Xi held the phone in her hand. The phone was still singing and vibrating, and the text messages on her screen continued to accumulate, scrolling up...
Even though she had been very sleepy earlier, the outrageous scene now stimulated her so much that she was no longer sleepy.
Her fingers moved slightly, and she dialed the phone number, saying indifferently, "Are you sick?"
Han Rui's laughter came from the other end of the phone: "Do you have medicine?"
Bai Xi frowned, looking at the phone in her hand, feeling an urge to throw it away.
It was one thing to encounter the god of boredom, but it was another to owe this god of boredom a life-saving favor: "If you have something to say, say it. If not, I'm hanging up."
Han Rui seemed to sense Bai Xi's annoyance, and his voice became more serious: "Miss Bai, didn't you say yesterday that you could call me anytime if I figured things out? If so, why didn't you answer my call just now? Are you saying something and not wanting to be responsible?"
Bai Xi frowned.
She had never imagined that she would be cornered by words and even labeled as irresponsible.
When facing enemies, she was ruthless.
When facing villains, she was never soft-hearted.
But when encountering someone like Han Rui, who owed her a favor, was glib-tongued, yet had not overstepped any boundaries... she truly felt exhausted.
"So... you've figured things out. That's best."
If she could end this matter sooner, she could leave Shangyang and, incidentally, distance herself from this lunatic.
Han Rui said on the phone, "I've figured it out. It's okay if you don't want to marry me. I can fight with my grandfather to change the rules of the Han family's trials. However, before that... can you accompany me to the Chu family's banquet?"
Bai Xi raised her eyebrows.
She had seen the information about the Han family that Xuan Feng had sent before. Shangyang was a one-star city, which was considered a large city. The Han family was based in medicine and healthcare and was a well-known aristocratic family in Shangyang, but they were by no means the largest.
The Chu family was the largest aristocratic family in Shangyang, with deep roots and achievements in various commercial fields of Shangyang.
Bai Xi raised her eyebrows: "Why should I accompany you to the Chu family's banquet?"
When attending a banquet, the female companion brought along was usually a partner, a business associate, or a secretary. Why should she accompany him to a banquet?
Han Rui seemed to have expected Bai Xi to refuse, so he had thought of his reply: "The Chu family's banquet today is for the Chu family patriarch's seventieth birthday. This is a major event for Shangyang, so all prominent figures in Shangyang will be there. Didn't Miss Bai say she wanted to help me restore my reputation? Was that just talk?"
Bai Xi instantly understood his meaning.
Indeed, to help Han Rui restore his reputation, using this opportunity would be quick and simple.
"Tell me, how do you need me to help you?"
Han Rui smiled slightly: "You'll know when you get there."
Bai Xi raised her eyebrows: "Alright, I can go, but I won't go as your companion. I will prepare an invitation myself and help you restore your reputation at the banquet."
Han Rui smiled: "Whatever you say."
Bai Xi said calmly: "Is there anything else? If not, I'm hanging up."
Han Rui's voice carried a hint of playful blame and coyness: "Do you think I'm joking? I've really bought you breakfast. It's downstairs at your hotel. It's all Shangyang's specialties, as repayment for you treating me to a meal yesterday."
Bai Xi's tone was flat: "The hotel has a buffet breakfast."
Han Rui raised his eyebrows: "You treated me to a meal yesterday, and today I'm treating you. That makes us even. Do you always want to be even with me? If you don't eat, how can I repay the meal, and how can we be even? Settling accounts in the end is a good thing."
Bai Xi: "..."
Why did she have the feeling of being clung to?
Unfortunately, this tactic was useless against her.
Seeing that Bai Xi didn't speak, Han Rui said again on the phone, "If you don't eat, I'll wait in the hotel lobby. I'm not in a hurry."
Bai Xi said calmly: "Then you can wait."
Playing this game with her was useless.
After speaking, she hung up the phone directly.
This time, Han Rui did not call again, and Bai Xi was too lazy to bother. She lay on the bed to catch up on sleep. She would attend the banquet, but other matters had nothing to do with her.
Han Rui held the hung-up phone, a charming smile playing on his lips.
Three hours later, when Bai Xi arrived at the hotel lobby, she saw Han Rui sitting on the sofas in the lobby. Piled around Han Rui were all sorts of snacks, stacked like a mountain, almost surrounding him, making him appear like an isolated island.
This attracted the curious glances and murmurs of all passersby.
Indeed, the sight of a handsome guy sitting amidst a pile of food could satisfy the desires of a significant portion of people and naturally spark discussions.
Yet, he sat steadily in the center, as if oblivious to their gazes. When he saw Bai Xi coming down, he immediately approached her with a radiant smile, bowing like a gentleman and making an inviting gesture with one hand: "May I invite Miss Bai to have breakfast together?"