Chapter 40
After Li Qinyue finished speaking, Zhuo Zhi stared at her for a long time, then suddenly laughed.
She patted Li Qinyue’s arm, “Why are you always thinking about that kind of thing, Sister?”
“I’m not always thinking about it,” Li Qinyue looked at her, “I only think about it with you.”
Zhuo Zhi shook her head seriously, “No.”
“Hmm?” Li Qinyue was a little surprised, surprised not by Zhuo Zhi’s rejection, but by her serious tone.
Usually, Zhuo Zhi would just brush it off as Li Qinyue teasing her. Today was different.
“No,” Zhuo Zhi repeated, “That kind of thing requires a special relationship.”
“Like what?” Li Qinyue found her adorable and rubbed her back again.
“Like a couple, or husband and wife,” Zhuo Zhi said.
“Oh, aren’t you my girlfriend?” Li Qinyue asked.
“We’re fake,” Zhuo Zhi laughed.
Li Qinyue was about to ask her about the difference between real and fake when Zhuo Zhi added, “And for me, even if we were a real couple, it’s still not okay right now.”
“Why?” Li Qinyue tugged at her ponytail.
“I haven’t met my master yet,” Zhuo Zhi said, “Master said, if I’m dating someone, I have to bring them to her and let her approve before we can do that kind of thing.”
“Your master is so old-fashioned.”
“But I promised her, otherwise she wouldn’t let me come down the mountain,” Zhuo Zhi said seriously.
“Little Miss Goody-Two-Shoes,” Li Qinyue thought for a moment, then tilted her head, “Wait, your master’s logic is flawless. You have to bring your partner to meet her, but she doesn’t allow you to go back for a year. Does this mean that no matter what, it’ll have to wait at least a year?”
Zhuo Zhi chuckled, unable to contain her laughter, “Yeah, my master is very clever.”
“Are you lying to me?” Li Qinyue looked at her.
“No, I wouldn’t lie to you,” Zhuo Zhi shook her head.
“Then do you like me?” Li Qinyue asked immediately.
“Yes.”
“That kind of like,” Li Qinyue squeezed her neck.
“Hmm…” Zhuo Zhi looked at her for a moment, then lowered her head, fiddling with her fingers, “Well… I don’t know… I’ve never liked anyone before…”
“Does your heart race when you kiss me?” Li Qinyue’s finger tapped Zhuo Zhi’s chest.
“Does yours?” Zhuo Zhi looked up at her, returning the question.
“I forgot,” Li Qinyue raised an eyebrow, “Why don’t you kiss me again so I can feel it?”
“No way,” Zhuo Zhi jumped off her lap, “It’s getting late, I’m going to bed.”
Only then did Li Qinyue realize that no matter how tightly she held Zhuo Zhi, the little girl could escape effortlessly whenever she wanted.
Her body, Zhuo Zhi’s, was a mystery. So slender yet strong, able to fight fiercely yet also soft as a kitten.
Li Qinyue’s mind filled with inappropriate thoughts. She took a deep breath, feeling like she was torturing herself.
Yearning for something she couldn’t have, unable to use force, and having to pamper her instead.
Zhuo Zhi had already disappeared. Li Qinyue shouted from the sofa, “You haven’t answered my question yet!”
“I forgot too!” Zhuo Zhi’s voice drifted back, her tone cheerful, making Li Qinyue smile.
Li Qinyue chuckled. She felt that tonight’s harvest was plentiful. Contentment was happiness, contentment was happiness.
Mi Xingyi didn’t press charges against Rong Hua. After being released from the police station, she disappeared.
The person behind the scenes was found, but it was a personal matter for Mi Xingyi, and he didn’t tell Li Qinyue the details.
For Li Qinyue and Zhuo Zhi, this matter was considered closed. Some stories didn’t have happy endings, and some might never have an ending at all.
Li Qinyue had initially worried about Zhuo Zhi’s mood, but she soon realized that the girl’s ability to recover was astonishing. She didn’t dwell on it and just carried on with her life, making things easy for Li Qinyue.
They would spend a few days at the villa complex, then go into the city for a couple of days. Life was quite pleasant.
Christmas Day happened to be the day Lan Xi’s episode of “I’m a Musician” was broadcast.
Li Qinyue hadn’t remembered the date, but Zhuo Zhi had prepared snacks and fruits, turned on the TV, and tuned in to the show, not even missing the commercials.
Li Qinyue, feeling a little unhappy, pinched Zhuo Zhi’s cheek and asked, “Do you have a crush on Lan Xi?”
“Huh?” Zhuo Zhi was busy looking at both the TV and her phone, “A crush on who?”
“You know who I’m talking about,” Li Qinyue tugged at the soft flesh on Zhuo Zhi’s cheek, “Can’t you feel pain?”
“You’re not using enough force, Sister,” Zhuo Zhi smiled and leaned closer to her, “I think Lan Xi’s performance this episode might get a good response.”
“Why do you care about her?” Li Qinyue asked.
“Aren’t you planning to sign her?” Zhuo Zhi said, “Of course I have to care.”
Li Qinyue chuckled, “Why don’t you quit being a bodyguard and pick any position at ‘Shengle’, become a nine-to-five office worker.”
“If you become a nine-to-five CEO, then I’ll become a nine-to-five office worker,” Zhuo Zhi picked up a jujube and held it to Li Qinyue’s lips, “Try this, it’s definitely sweet.”
Li Qinyue took a bite but didn’t eat it immediately. She asked Zhuo Zhi, “Does it look good?”
“What?” Zhuo Zhi didn’t understand what she was asking.
“Me,” Li Qinyue’s voice was muffled. She leaned back on the sofa and struck a model pose.
The bright red jujube against Li Qinyue’s red lips did look good. Zhuo Zhi smiled and said, “Very beautiful.”
Li Qinyue was finally satisfied. She took a bite of the jujube, “If it looks good, then keep looking at me. Ignore everyone else.”
“Hahahahaha…” Zhuo Zhi laughed and rolled on the sofa, “How can I recognize people if I ignore their faces?”
“Just recognize me.”
“I’m not a dog, only recognizing its owner.”
“I wish you were a dog, I’d keep you in the house, not letting you go anywhere.”
“Hahahahaha…” Zhuo Zhi burst into laughter again.
Once the show started, Zhuo Zhi barely spoke to Li Qinyue. She watched intently, taking notes in a notebook. When Li Qinyue asked her a question, it would take her a few seconds to react and answer.
Li Qinyue felt like she had spoiled her bodyguard rotten.
She lay down in her “master’s” lap, resting her head on her thighs. Zhuo Zhi propped up her arm, creating a space for her head, and continued writing.
“What are you writing?” Li Qinyue wasn’t interested in the show. She looked up at Zhuo Zhi’s chin through the gap between her fingers.
“Votes, audience votes and judges’ votes.”
“I took you to see the live show, don’t you already know the results?”
“I only saw the later part of the show, I’ve been catching up on the earlier episodes. Now I can calculate each contestant’s support rate, the official Weibo account has published the voting results from each platform…”
“Damn…” Li Qinyue couldn’t help but curse.
Zhuo Zhi lifted her hand, leaned down, and kissed Li Qinyue on the lips.
“That wasn’t a curse word!” Li Qinyue exclaimed, “It was an interjection! An exclamation!”
“You can use…” Zhuo Zhi paused, “Oh my god~~ that kind of thing.”
“Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn…” Li Qinyue said.
“You did that on purpose, no more kisses,” Zhuo Zhi pouted.
The episode was an hour and a half long. Zhuo Zhi watched it intently without missing a single second. Then she immediately started checking the feedback on various platforms.
“Sister, did you buy trending topics for Lan Xi?” she asked.
“I didn’t,” Li Qinyue looked up, “She probably bought them herself.”
“She’s really willing to spend money.”
“You can’t catch a wolf without using bait,” Li Qinyue said, “If she misses this opportunity, she’ll have to wait another twenty years.”
“That’s an exaggeration, ‘Shengle’ isn’t some…” She stopped mid-sentence.
Li Qinyue squinted at her, “Go on.”
“‘Shengle’ is doing well,” Zhuo Zhi said.
“Hehe,” Li Qinyue said, “Just wait, next year, ‘Shengle’ won’t be worth the same.”
“I know, at least two contestants from ’12 New Stars’ will make it big,” Zhuo Zhi was even more aware of the situation than Li Qinyue, the hands-off boss.
When it came to promoting someone, the quality of the content was still the most important factor in determining the final outcome.
Although the trending topics Lan Xi had bought were controversial, her performance on the show was undeniably good.
And it was the kind of performance that easily fooled ordinary viewers.
She wasn’t unattractive, mainly, her aura was unique. If she hadn’t dyed her hair back to black, the effect might have been even more explosive, but it was a requirement from the authorities, there was nothing they could do about it.
That night, Lan Xi gained many followers on Weibo. Her Weibo account had been managed beforehand, with many videos of her band’s performances, showcasing her rock and roll style, which was effective in attracting fans.
As Li Qinyue browsed through it with Zhuo Zhi, she couldn’t help but think to herself, “As expected of someone I chose.”
Although she hadn’t done anything, or rather, hadn’t done anything significant, but as someone who could catch her attention in a crowd, Lan Xi did possess a certain charm.
Of course, this was just Li Qinyue’s private thought. Zhuo Zhi was still bothered by what had happened at “Shengge”, and Li Qinyue didn’t want to remind her of it.
Zhuo Zhi, however, was straightforward. She didn’t hide her interest and asked Li Qinyue, “What about the results of the next two episodes?”
“That’s confidential, how would I know?” Li Qinyue raised an eyebrow.
“You definitely know,” Zhuo Zhi stared at her.
Li Qinyue smiled, “Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”
“Then how can I get you to tell me?” Zhuo Zhi asked.
“Hmm…” Li Qinyue glanced out the window. The villa complex management loved creating a festive atmosphere. Two Christmas trees, decorated with colorful ornaments and twinkling lights, stood in front of Li Qinyue’s house.
“Something special has to happen,” Li Qinyue said slowly, fiddling with her fingers.
“Hey,” Zhuo Zhi jumped off the sofa, “Sister, let’s go out!”
“It’s late at night,” Li Qinyue wasn’t interested in anything happening outside the house, “I don’t want to go out.”
“Come on, come on,” Zhuo Zhi grabbed her hand and shook it, “We don’t have to go down the mountain, there’s a Christmas party at the plaza.”
“You know how to dance?” Li Qinyue looked at her.
“No,” Zhuo Zhi said, “But there’s a lucky draw!”
“Tell me what prize you want, I’ll buy it for you,” Li Qinyue said confidently.
“Not for me, for you!” Seeing that her pleas weren’t working, Zhuo Zhi bent down, scooped Li Qinyue up, and carried her upstairs, “Can a prize be the same as something you buy? There’s no surprise in things you buy.”
“Are you trying to be a domineering CEO in a forced love story?” Li Qinyue asked as Zhuo Zhi carried her upstairs, her light steps making Li Qinyue bounce.
“Hehe,” Zhuo Zhi said, “I’m taking you to change. You always take so long to get ready to go out.”
“It won’t take long if you help me change,” Li Qinyue teased.
“I need to change too,” Zhuo Zhi’s cheeks warmed, “Let’s wear the scarves we bought together last time.”
“Okay,” Li Qinyue chuckled.
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