Category: Little Bodyguard(GL)

Chapter 4

Five minutes before midnight, Zhuo Zhi brought a steaming bowl of instant noodles to the table.

The villa’s dining room was luxurious, with a long marble table with gold trim. Only this bowl of noodles sat on it, looking lonely and eerie.

Zhuo Zhi handed the chopsticks to Li Qinyue and urged her, “Eat, eat quickly, while it’s hot.”

Li Qinyue felt like her brain must have short-circuited, as she actually took the chopsticks and slurped up a mouthful.

The noodles were cooked well, neither too soft nor too hard, just the right texture.

Zhuo Zhi leaned over the table and stared at her, looking happy, “I also added a sausage.”

Li Qinyue picked out a thin slice of sausage and threw it into her mouth.

Zhuo Zhi asked her, “After being used to delicacies, having this kind of commoner food, isn’t it quite unique?”

Li Qinyue grinned, “I’ve eaten instant noodles for a month straight.”

“Eh?” Zhuo Zhi was stunned.

“I was traveling, and the local food was inedible,” Li Qinyue explained briefly.

“Oh,” Zhuo Zhi paused and said, “With me around, there won’t be any inedible food in the future.”

Li Qinyue looked up at her. Zhuo Zhi patted her chest and guaranteed, “I can cook, and I can also cook using local ingredients.”

“This?” Li Qinyue pointed at the bowl in front of her.

“I brought this myself,” Zhuo Zhi said, “I don’t know if they have this brand here.”

“No,” Li Qinyue lowered her head and continued eating the noodles, “It’s too cheap.”

After the clock struck twelve, Li Qinyue put down her chopsticks, “Tell me, what’s the bad news?”

Her attitude was calm and composed, so Zhuo Zhi didn’t hide anything. She recounted what she had heard, omitting the harsh words, and told her everything.

“Oh,” Li Qinyue threw away the wet wipe she had used to wipe her hands, her emotions unmoved, “Did you see who it was?”

Zhuo Zhi took out a flip phone from her pocket, opened it, and placed it in front of Li Qinyue.

Li Qinyue actually laughed this time. She picked up the phone and looked at it from all angles, “An antique.”

“It’s very durable,” Zhuo Zhi blushed a little, “It was a birthday gift from my master.”

“Hmm,” Li Qinyue saw the photo. The pixels weren’t high, but it was clear, so she could recognize who it was at a glance.

She handed the phone back to Zhuo Zhi and concluded, “I see.”

Zhuo Zhi looked at her. Li Qinyue stood up and stretched, her body revealing a beautiful curve, “I’m sleepy, I’m going to bed. Thank you for the noodles.”

Zhuo Zhi stood up, “Aren’t you going to wash the bowl?”

“If you want to wash it, wash it. If you don’t want to, just throw it away,” Li Qinyue’s tone was as lazy as her attitude.

“I’ll wash it,” Zhuo Zhi was a diligent and frugal good girl.

Li Qinyue ignored her and walked slowly upstairs. As she stepped onto the stairs, Zhuo Zhi finally couldn’t help but ask, “That’s it?”

“What do you mean?” Li Qinyue turned her head and asked.

“The bad news,” Zhuo Zhi frowned, “Aren’t you going to do anything about it?”

“I have a lot of people like that around me,” Li Qinyue looked at her meaningfully, “If someone doesn’t try to scheme against me, I’d feel uneasy.”

“Then why do you associate with those people?” Zhuo Zhi asked.

“Conflict of interest. Simply put, to make money.”

“There are plenty of good people in the world, why not cooperate with good people to make money?”

“People who are too good can’t make money,” Li Qinyue paused and added, “They can’t make a lot of money.”

“How much money is enough?” Zhuo Zhi persisted, taking a few steps towards Li Qinyue, “Is it worth it to collude with these bad people and even become a bad person yourself for that money?”

“Are you done?” Li Qinyue really couldn’t talk to this little girl for more than three minutes without getting angry, “Are you here to be my bodyguard or to preach? Are you trying to save my soul? The sea of suffering is boundless, turn back and you’ll reach the shore, reform yourself and become a new person, right?”

“I just…” Zhuo Zhi’s voice lowered, “I’m sticking up for you.”

“Then go and fight! Aren’t you good at fighting? Why are you nagging at me?”

“I did,” Zhuo Zhi said.

“Huh?” Li Qinyue was stunned.

“I did,” Zhuo Zhi repeated, looking up at her with the same expression as her niece who had done something wrong but was still righteous.

“Ling Xi and Lin Haitao?” Li Qinyue couldn’t believe it, “That’s their territory, how did you fight them?”

“I’m not stupid,” Zhuo Zhi said, “I fought them secretly.”

The security in this villa complex was good, but the number of surveillance cameras was seriously inadequate.

This was a problem Zhuo Zhi had discovered when she first entered. After Li Qinyue told her that the naked men were bought services, Zhuo Zhi understood that this was to protect the privacy of those who came here to play.

So, it was very easy for Zhuo Zhi to beat up those who flattered her employer on the surface but plotted and insulted her behind her back.

It was so easy that she didn’t hesitate at the time. She avoided the surveillance cameras, followed the two to the garage, covered their eyes with two rags she had taken from the bathroom, and delivered a series of quick punches.

She only aimed to cause pain, not injury. To avoid exposing herself, she used a rare set of boxing techniques.

She was quick and decisive, not lingering in the fight. By the time the two were groaning and finally pulled off the stinky rags covering their eyes, Zhuo Zhi had already disappeared without a trace.

It was a satisfying release of anger, but as she dragged her suitcase towards Li Qinyue’s residence, Zhuo Zhi belatedly realized the problem.

This was Li Qinyue’s business after all. She should have followed her orders. Acting on her own would probably anger her unpredictable employer again.

So, at this moment, she couldn’t hold it in any longer and confessed everything.

After she finished speaking, Li Qinyue leaned against the railing of the stairs and remained silent for a long time.

She took out a cigarette from her pocket, lit it, and took a deep drag before saying, “Aren’t you a law-abiding angel of justice?”

“I’m not that…” Zhuo Zhi lowered her head and fiddled with her fingers, her voice soft, “I grew up fighting, I’m just used to it, sometimes I can’t help it, I don’t think… That’s why my master made me memorize legal articles before letting me come down the mountain…”

“Heh,” Li Qinyue chuckled.

Zhuo Zhi looked up at her, a little panicked, “Won’t this affect you?”

“Tell me what other illegal things you’ve done,” Li Qinyue said.

“I just arrived today, and I… had two fights…” Zhuo Zhi thought for a moment, her face suddenly turning red, “And I… climbed over the wall of your house…”

“What?” Li Qinyue’s hand holding the cigarette trembled.

“Listen to my explanation, I usually don’t trespass. I was hungry at the time, I wanted to get my suitcase, I closed the door when I went out, and I couldn’t get in when I came back. I didn’t have your phone number…”

“You could have pressed…”

“I couldn’t find the doorbell.”

“It’s not a doorbell.” Li Qinyue thought of Zhuo Zhi’s flip phone and gave up on explaining, “Forget it, where did you come in from?”

“The back garden,” Zhuo Zhi said.

“There’s an electric fence on the garden wall,” Li Qinyue couldn’t help but glance at the person in front of her.

“It’s not a problem for me,” Zhuo Zhi smiled, quite proudly.

“Damn…” Li Qinyue cursed softly, took another drag of her cigarette, and reached out her hand, “Give me your phone.”

Zhuo Zhi immediately took out her phone and handed it over.

Li Qinyue entered her phone number, “Call me if you need anything in the future.”

“Okay!” Zhuo Zhi was very happy.

Li Qinyue blew out a smoke ring, and Zhuo Zhi dodged to the side.

Li Qinyue smiled with the cigarette in her mouth, “Do you still have the nerve to lecture me about smoking and swearing?”

“That…” Zhuo Zhi waved her hand, “Smoking is mainly bad for your health.”

“Is climbing over an electric fence good for your health?” Li Qinyue’s eyes narrowed when she smiled, like a fox.

Zhuo Zhi thought she was really beautiful and didn’t talk back.

Li Qinyue turned around and walked upstairs, “The rooms on the left side of the second floor, you can choose whichever you want to live in.”

“Okay!” The accommodation issue was resolved, and Zhuo Zhi responded loudly.

“There’s food in the fridge, help yourself.”

“Okay! Thank you, Sister Qinyue!” The food issue was resolved, and Zhuo Zhi’s thanks were sincere.

Li Qinyue paused, but didn’t turn around, “Good night.”

“I beat people up, will it really not affect you?” Zhuo Zhi seized the opportunity to ask.

Li Qinyue laughed, “It’s no big deal, they deserved it.”

They really did deserve it, but if they hadn’t brought the matter to Li Qinyue’s attention, she wouldn’t have been so blatant about hitting them directly.

There were really too many people who flattered her to her face but stabbed her in the back, or rather, in this circle, there were too many people who were jealous, resentful, but had to interact with each other, so no one would make friends with sincerity.

Li Qinyue didn’t care about these people, so naturally, she wouldn’t feel the slightest bit sad about it.

Zhuo Zhi had helped her vent her anger, and it felt refreshingly straightforward, something she hadn’t experienced in a long time.

It was really to her liking.

Except for the fact that she was a spy sent by her father, Zhuo Zhi was becoming more and more to her liking.

When she was explaining how she had beaten up those people, the gleam in her eyes made Li Qinyue envious. She had to admit that for a moment, her heart trembled.

She really wanted to fight this little girl, even if it meant getting beaten up badly.

She also wanted to see what else this wolf cub in sheep’s clothing could do after coming down the mountain. The thought of it made her adrenaline surge.

Exciting. Li Qinyue had always admired the strong.

At the turn of the stairs, she extinguished her cigarette.

Halfway up the stairs, Li Qinyue saw Zhuo Zhi carrying the huge suitcase as if it were a cloth bag, effortlessly going upstairs.

Even when she reached a point where she could drag it, she didn’t. She probably found it troublesome to switch hands, so she carried it all the way to the door of the room.

Sensing Li Qinyue’s gaze, she tilted her head when she pushed the door open, revealing a signature little white flower’s silly sweet smile, “Sister Qinyue, good night.”

Two-faced, a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

It was so damn cute.

“I’m going to sleep in tomorrow, don’t wake me up,” Li Qinyue suddenly wanted to talk to her more.

“Okay!” Zhuo Zhi readily agreed.

“There’s a computer in the room, go online and learn how to use modern devices.”

“Okay…” Zhuo Zhi blushed a little.

“Are you really ready?” Li Qinyue smiled, “To be my bodyguard?”

“Always ready to accept any challenge!” Zhuo Zhi stood at attention.

“Okay,” Li Qinyue nodded, turned around, and continued upstairs. The second half of her sentence was so soft that only she could hear it, “Then don’t blame me for bullying you.”

Chapter 3

After cursing, Li Qinyue felt much better.

She had never been a well-behaved child, nor could she be described as gentle and kind. She had grown up being indulged, a veritable wild horse without reins.

With just a little pocket money for investments, she wouldn’t have to worry about food or clothing, and it would be a good life if it continued like this.

But at this age, when she had matured and become strong, her father suddenly wanted to put a metal halter on her, tie her to the family company, and make her a shrewd and capable heir.

And then arrange some sort of overbearing CEO’s commercial marriage like in romance novels, signing a contract and getting married, having two kids in three years, and a house full of children and grandchildren.

What a ridiculous dream. Li Qinyue would rather be chopped up and stewed into horse meat.

After venting her anger on this rigid and moralizing little spy, Li Qinyue went upstairs barefoot, her steps carrying the imposing aura of a charging army.

Zhuo Zhi stood still, watching her back.

She was initially angry, but Li Qinyue’s red dress swayed, her waist slender and her ankles delicate, and Zhuo Zhi’s attention was quickly diverted.

The villa had an impressive ceiling height, and this staircase was both luxurious and long.

When Li Qinyue reached the top and turned the corner, disappearing from sight, Zhuo Zhi also forgave her rudeness and unfriendliness in her heart.

She had come down the mountain to gain experience, and this was her first job.

Master had said that he had gone through great lengths to get her this comfortable job that didn’t require working under the sun or rain, so Zhuo Zhi had to cherish it.

This little unpleasantness with Li Qinyue was nothing.

The villa was quiet, and the sound of Zhuo Zhi’s stomach growling was loud.

She had set off before dawn, walked five kilometers, and taken a four-hour car ride.

As soon as she entered the city, she rushed to the client, listened carefully to the instructions, and then rushed to this villa complex.

She had thought she would have a hot meal first, but unexpectedly, she ended up fighting to maintain public order.

She was physically and mentally exhausted, and now her stomach was growling with hunger.

Zhuo Zhi looked around and walked towards the main door.

She picked up the down jacket that Li Qinyue had worn and thrown aside, carefully opened the door, and carefully closed it slowly.

With a “beep,” the electronic lock clicked shut.

The villa complex was located halfway up the mountain, with good feng shui, moist air, and smooth airflow.

There were stars in the sky. Zhuo Zhi looked up as she walked. Tomorrow would be a sunny day too.

There was a special fragrance on the down jacket, like flowers blooming in summer.

Zhuo Zhi sniffed and silently noted that this was Li Qinyue’s scent.

She had seen the layout of the villa complex in the brochure, so she knew where the restaurants were concentrated.

But when she had passed by in the car earlier, she had glanced at them and they all looked expensive.

With limited funds, and having to pay for the medical expenses of the naked men, Zhuo Zhi could only choose to go get her dry rations.

Her suitcase was at the baggage claim in the ballroom. Zhuo Zhi walked back along the stone path, pulling up the hood of the down jacket to cover her head before entering.

In a place with such lax security, she could come and go silently and quickly.

But as she passed a corridor, she stopped and hid in a secluded corner.

Just around the corner, someone was talking.

They were talking about Li Qinyue. As her bodyguard, Zhuo Zhi had a duty to eavesdrop.

“She really thinks highly of herself,” a young male voice, a heavy voice user.

“Hasn’t she always been like this?” a somewhat familiar female voice, with a mocking tone.

“Acting like a saint while being a whore. If she has the guts, don’t take a penny from her family.” The words were harsh, and Zhuo Zhi frowned.

“You’re not wrong. Add a little more fuel to the fire, and she’ll definitely put on a ‘rebellious rich kid breaks ties with family’ show.”

“Haven’t you added enough fuel already?”

“Didn’t she come back? I thought she was so passionate about her death-defying career. Her dad made one phone call, and she obediently rolled back, didn’t she?”

“What are we going to do next?”

“No need to rush,” the female voice said slowly, “The second son of the Zhang family will be back in a few days. Remember to stuff him with a few young models, preferably let our Miss Li witness her fiancé’s ‘unstoppable golden gun’…”

***

Her teammates were good this round. Li Qinyue led the team to victory in the game, her fingers were almost pruned when she finally put down her phone.

She got out of the bathtub, the water cascading down her body. The room was warm, so she didn’t bother drying herself, just wrapped a bathrobe around her and walked out of the bathroom.

The clock on the wall showed that there were still twenty minutes left of this long day. Li Qinyue bit into a long, thin chocolate stick, deciding to play two more games.

Just as she matched up with her teammates, someone suddenly knocked on the bedroom door, startling her.

She didn’t live in this house often, so the cleaning was always done on a temporary basis. There shouldn’t be any noise at this time.

After a moment of confusion, she remembered that it should be the little girl she had left on the stairs.

So, she walked over slowly and opened the door a crack, the background music of the game on her phone still playing, loud and exciting.

The chocolate stick moved up and down with her lips as she spoke. Li Qinyue felt that her extravagant and dissipated  aura was outstanding.

“What’s the matter?” she asked.

Zhuo Zhi looked up at her, took a breath, and said, “There’s good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?”

Li Qinyue frowned, took out the chocolate stick, and pointed it at Zhuo Zhi’s small face, “I really hate this question. This is everyday life, don’t make it like a third-rate TV drama.”

Zhuo Zhi nodded, “Then I’ll say…”

“Say the good news,” Li Qinyue interrupted her.

Zhuo Zhi’s words were cut off and she pursed her lips.

Li Qinyue looked at her with her lower eyelashes, incredibly arrogant.

Zhuo Zhi took a step back and lowered her head, “The good news is…”

Li Qinyue became alert, her fingers moved, and she muted her phone.

Zhuo Zhi raised her head, her face beaming with a smile, as if the previous confrontation had never happened. She held something in her hands and presented it to Li Qinyue, “Happy birthday!”

Li Qinyue was stunned. Her real birthday was not the one printed on her ID card, so all formal celebrations would not be held on this day.

The people who knew this date and still remembered it were few and far between. The whole day had passed, and only her grandfather had sent her blessings.

“What are you talking about?” Li Qinyue frowned.

“Happy birthday!” Zhuo Zhi repeated, pushing the thing in her hands forward.

“How do you know today is my birthday?” Li Qinyue threw away the chocolate stick in her hand.

“Mr. Li told me. He also said that I was his birthday gift to you,” Zhuo Zhi answered smoothly without hesitation.

Li Qinyue’s temples throbbed. Such a childish way of giving a gift. It was one thing for the old man to do it, but he actually told the “gift” itself?

Her voice unconsciously became angry again, “Aren’t you supposed to be rich, strong, democratic, civilized, harmonious, free, equal, just, and ruled by law? You’re happy to be given as a gift? What about human rights?”

“I’m also dedicated, hardworking, harmonious, and friendly,” Zhuo Zhi said, “Mr. Li was just joking. He’s giving you the gift of security.”

“What kind of bodyguard are you? Go sell insurance.” Li Qinyue was angry at her serious look.

“Gift~” Zhuo Zhi shrugged, trying to defuse the situation.

“What is it…” Li Qinyue frowned and looked down at her palms.

A green lump made of grass. Li Qinyue didn’t hold back and poked it, adding, “What kind of crap is this…”

“A pig,” Zhuo Zhi replied, “You, you’re a pig.”

Li Qinyue abruptly looked up and stared at her, her eyes piercing Zhuo Zhi’s face like knives.

Zhuo Zhi’s smile faltered. She asked blankly, “What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?”

Li Qinyue didn’t speak for a full half-minute. Finally, she exhaled and said, “If anyone else said that to me, I would have slapped them.”

“Why?” Zhuo Zhi looked puzzled.

“Don’t you realize that sentence is an insult?!” Li Qinyue roared.

“Insult…” Zhuo Zhi paused, finally realizing it. She pursed her lips and smiled sheepishly, “Sorry, I didn’t notice.”

Li Qinyue continued to yell, “This is the good news you were talking about?!”

“Your birthday, of course it’s good news,” Zhuo Zhi said, “Such a beautiful person like you coming into this world, isn’t that great news?”

Li Qinyue’s next roar got stuck in her throat. She looked at Zhuo Zhi, speechless for a long time.

Zhuo Zhi also looked at her, openly and honestly.

The villa was silent, except for their breathing, there was no other sound.

The heating was a bit high. Li Qinyue’s emotions were fluctuating, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on her body.

“Gift…” Zhuo Zhi couldn’t help but urge her again.

“How does this look like a pig?” Li Qinyue poked the grass ball in her palm.

“Pick it up and look closely,” Zhuo Zhi chuckled, “I’m not very good at it.”

Li Qinyue pinched the ball with two fingertips, looked at it from all angles, and felt like she had been bewitched by Zhuo Zhi. She actually saw a pig-like resemblance.

She frowned, feeling like she was insulting herself.

Zhuo Zhi knew that her gift was a bit perfunctory, but in a hurry, this was all she could do.

She hadn’t originally planned to do this. It wasn’t necessary for a bodyguard to give a birthday present.

But she had overheard Li Qinyue’s friends betraying and plotting against her. To tell her employer such bad news, Zhuo Zhi wanted to find something happy to lighten the upcoming sadness first.

Li Qinyue was still examining the hastily woven grass pig. It seemed that she didn’t hate it as much as she appeared to.

Zhuo Zhi suddenly felt a little sorry for her.

A masked and illegal grand ball was not as sincere as a pig made in a minute while walking.

Zhuo Zhi lowered her head and thought that she should do something more.

With a flash of inspiration, she turned to open her suitcase.

Li Qinyue asked, “What are you doing? When did you bring a suitcase here?”

“I went to the ballroom just now,” Zhuo Zhi found something, hid it in her arms, quickly got up, turned around, and hid it behind her back.

That bright, birthday-wishful smile appeared on her face again, “I have something else to give you.”

“What?” Li Qinyue frowned even more deeply.

“Ta-da!” Zhuo Zhi held up the Master Ke Braised Beef Noodles in her hand, “Longevity noodles, wishing you blessings as boundless as the Eastern Sea and a lifespan as long as the Southern Mountains!”

“…”

Li Qinyue: I want to curse, but I can’t bring myself to do it.

Chapter 2

Li Qinyue was beautiful, and her family was rich and powerful. She was constantly being flattered.

With so much experience, she naturally knew how much sincerity and hidden motives were behind a compliment.

What surprised her was that when the little white flower said this, there was no pretense in her expression, nor was there any hint of flattery.

She simply and directly expressed her current feelings, which made Li Qinyue feel pleased.

Even after hearing it countless times, women still enjoy being complimented on their beauty.

So, Li Qinyue’s regal demeanor softened. She leaned slightly forward, resting her elbows on the railing and her palm on her chin.

With a slight smile, she asked the little white flower in the middle of the hall, “How beautiful?”

The little white flower looked at her and said seriously, “I couldn’t help but keep looking at you while fighting.”

Those words really… caused a murmur of amazement among the onlookers.

Li Qinyue’s lips curled into a smile, “Why were you fighting?”

The little white flower frowned, her expression serious, “Intentional public nudity, refusal to comply with warnings, and attempted indecency. After three warnings, I used force.”

This time, it was the hall’s occupants who gasped.

Ling Xi muttered a low “Damn,” and looked at Li Qinyue in disbelief, “Did you call real police?”

Li Qinyue straightened up and walked down gracefully, “Let’s ask and find out.”

After their previous conversation, when Li Qinyue and Ling Xi arrived in the center of the hall, everyone around, both the onlookers and the beaten strippers, were silent as if struck dumb.

The little white flower stood in front of the crowd, calm and composed, as if this was her duty, as if it was the natural order of things.

Li Qinyue stopped in front of her. Her already impressive height, combined with her 10-centimeter heels, made her look like an adult towering over a child.

“What’s your name?” she asked.

“Zhuo Zhi,” the little white flower replied.

“What are you doing here?” Li Qinyue leaned slightly closer to the young face, blocking Ling Xi’s line of sight.

“I’m looking for you,” Zhuo Zhi answered without hesitation, without any concealment.

“Okay,” Li Qinyue straightened up and walked to the side, “Come with me then.”

Zhuo Zhi quickly caught up, walking beside Li Qinyue, head held high, like a tall poplar tree, not losing an inch of her aura.

Ling Xi caught up, whispering, “President Li, are you just leaving like this?”

“What else should I do?” Li Qinyue didn’t turn her head.

Ling Xi wanted to say something, stumbled, took out her phone and sent a message to Li Qinyue.

Buzz, buzz, buzz. Li Qinyue’s phone vibrated repeatedly. She glanced at it and replied:
-Put the medical expenses, condolence money, and compensation on my account.

Away from the noise and bright lights, with the wind brushing her face, Li Qinyue realized she’d forgotten her coat.

A thick fur coat would have perfectly complemented her dress, but because of the troublemaker beside her, she didn’t plan to go back for it.

Zhuo Zhi walked beside her, her footsteps light and quick. Compared to the sound of Li Qinyue’s heels clicking on the ground, it was so quiet that only the warmth of their bodies could be felt.

Li Qinyue took a breath, as if speaking to the person beside her, or to herself, “What a nice gift indeed.”

A rustling sound, and Zhuo Zhi’s down jacket was draped over Li Qinyue’s shoulders.

It was initially a bit cold against her skin, but it quickly warmed up. Li Qinyue turned her head to look at her, “When did you get the jacket?”

Zhuo Zhi obviously misunderstood, and quickly said, “I took it off before the fight and put it on a chair. I just grabbed it when I came out. It’s not sweaty, it’s clean.”

Li Qinyue subconsciously sniffed. The unique animal smell of the down jacket mixed with the scent of laundry detergent was unpleasant, but it was indeed clean.

Zhuo Zhi smiled, noticing her little action and insisted on saying it out loud, “Right? It smells nice.”

Li Qinyue didn’t know why she found it funny, but she suddenly started laughing.

She couldn’t help but pull on the edge of the down jacket and laughed for a while.

Seeing her happy, Zhuo Zhi became even happier.

The two of them laughed happily as they walked through the stone path, taking a shortcut back to Li Qinyue’s private villa.

As soon as the door opened, the warm air rushed in. Li Qinyue took off the down jacket and threw it on the coat rack by the entrance, kicked off her heels, and stepped onto the soft, fluffy carpet.

Zhuo Zhi froze at the edge of the carpet, looking around, a little lost.

Li Qinyue didn’t pay attention to her. She went into the living room, grabbed a pack of cigarettes, and smoked half of it before regaining her composure.

A girl like Zhuo Zhi, with such high combat effectiveness, if she were to be found on any roadside during one of Li Qinyue’s outings, a few words exchanged and she would likely end up liking her.

If she displayed her skills like she did today, Li Qinyue might even flirt with her before anyone else could compliment her on her beauty.

But since she was a spy sent by her family, she couldn’t have these feelings.

Being soft on your enemy is being cruel to yourself. If you give way even a little in the tug-of-war with your family, you could lose control completely.

Zhuo Zhi was still standing by the edge of the carpet. Li Qinyue looked over and said, “What did you come to me for?”

“To be your bodyguard,” Zhuo Zhi quickly took out a neatly folded piece of paper from her pocket, “This is the letter of commission.”

“How come I don’t know anything about my bodyguard?” Li Qinyue flicked off some ash, “Who commissioned you?”

“Mr. Li Yuanxi.”

She mentioned Li Qinyue’s grandfather’s name.

Li Qinyue took a puff of her cigarette and smiled. Her father was getting more and more clever.

He had specifically chosen someone who fit her preferences and sent her to her, all under the guise of her grandfather.

Li Qinyue had been spoiled by her grandfather since she was a child. Even though the old man had now joined her father’s side, Li Qinyue couldn’t openly oppose him.

So, she would accept the person, but she wouldn’t let her go easily.

“Being my bodyguard is not easy,” Li Qinyue put out her cigarette, stood up, and walked over to Zhuo Zhi.

Zhuo Zhi frowned slightly, but quickly said, “You can test me.”

“Don’t like the smell of smoke?” Li Qinyue’s lips curled into a smile.

“Smoking is harmful to health,” Zhuo Zhi said.

“Oh,” Li Qinyue responded, deliberately leaning down, closing the distance, and with her breath, causing Zhuo Zhi to sway slightly.

Children’s emotions are easily visible on their faces. At that moment, no matter how beautiful Li Qinyue was, Zhuo Zhi still felt a sense of disgust.

That was exactly the effect Li Qinyue wanted. Not only did she not create distance, but she leaned in even closer.

Close enough to see the fine hairs on Zhuo Zhi’s cheeks and the slight crack in her lips.

“How old are you?” Li Qinyue asked slowly.

“Eighteen years and three months,” Zhuo Zhi stiffened her back and didn’t back down. Her lips moved minimally when she spoke, her voice sounding like it was sliding out.

After a pause, she added, “I’m an adult.”

“Really an adult?” Li Qinyue smiled ambiguously at her, reaching out to touch her shoulder, tapping it repeatedly, “Guess how much money you cost me tonight.”

“Money?” Zhuo Zhi’s brows genuinely furrowed, “I didn’t spend your money.”

Li Qinyue straightened up and sighed, “Those men who were intentionally exposing themselves in public, I paid for them.”

Zhuo Zhi’s eyes widened.

“You enjoyed the service that was meant for me and beat them up. Not only did you ruin my fun, but you also made me pay a lot of compensation.”

Zhuo Zhi took a sharp step back, her face full of disbelief, “I didn’t enjoy it!”

“You said they harassed you. How did they harass you?” Li Qinyue looked at her.

“I told them to put on their clothes, but they took off another piece in front of me, twisting and turning in front of me, trying to touch me with their bodies!”

“Oh,” Li Qinyue smiled, “That’s what the service adults buy is like.”

Zhuo Zhi froze, not speaking or even blinking for a full half-minute.

Li Qinyue was almost laughing her heart out, but she had to maintain this supposedly vulgar adult expression, which was quite tiring.

She simply turned around and said, “You have to pay me back, deduct it from your salary.”

Zhuo Zhi finally abandoned the idea of not stepping on the carpet and followed in two or three steps, “I’ll only pay for the medical expenses of those I beat up.”

“Why?” Li Qinyue walked upstairs.

“Article 66 of the Public Security Administration Punishment Law, prostitution, is punishable by detention of 10 to 15 days and a fine of no more than 5000 yuan. Since it is an illegal act, I stopped it, you can’t ask me to pay compensation.”

She spoke smoothly, like a stream of words tumbling out, but Li Qinyue stumbled on the stairs and almost fell.

When she swayed, Zhuo Zhi thoughtfully grabbed her arm, politely and professionally. As soon as Li Qinyue regained her balance, she quickly let go.

Li Qinyue turned and glared at her, all her thoughts condensing into a single sentence, “What?”

Zhuo Zhi lowered her eyes, staring at the stairs, her mouth still muttering smoothly, “Organizing or forcing others into prostitution is a violation of criminal law, punishable by imprisonment of 5 to 10 years. Enticing, accommodating, or introducing others to prostitution is punishable by 10 days…”

“Say those words again,” Li Qinyue interrupted her, wanting to punch someone.

Zhuo Zhi looked up at her. She didn’t pretend that she didn’t know which words Li Qinyue was referring to.

Her lips trembled, and she whispered, “You can’t force me to accept that kind of service.”

Li Qinyue almost burst out laughing, “Should I praise you for your excellent logic and legal knowledge?”

“I haven’t studied it,” Zhuo Zhi said, “I just memorized it.”

“Quite proud of yourself?”

“Anyway, I’m not paying that money,” Zhuo Zhi straightened up, not looking at Li Qinyue, “That’s wrong.”

Li Qinyue was a mixture of emotions.

Having male or female escorts at parties, or even more high-end, having a few minor celebrities as companions, was commonplace in her circle of rich second-generation kids.

While she remained morally upright and not interested in these things, she had seen what she should and shouldn’t have. But she had never connected them to the articles Zhuo Zhi had recited.

Because whenever these articles came up, it was always related to the police escorting a line of disheveled women and clients from television. It was too down-to-earth, it simply never appeared in Li Qinyue’s world.

But can you refute it? Can you say it’s not the same?

You can’t…

Li Qinyue originally wanted to disgust the young girl with these vulgar adult activities, to make her feel repulsed and give up early on.

In the end, Zhuo Zhi kept talking about prostitution and made Li Qinyue feel like she had been doused in manure.

“Damn…” she muttered.

Zhuo Zhi looked at her, her lips moved slightly, but she didn’t speak.

“Are you going to tell me it’s wrong to swear?” Li Qinyue was surprised that she had so quickly caught on to this little girl’s train of thought.

“Yeah,” Zhuo Zhi’s eyes shone, full of anticipation.

“Fuck you,” Li Qinyue calmly replied.

Chapter 1

Li Qinyue had just gotten off the plane when her phone started buzzing incessantly.

It wasn’t just one call; as soon as she hung up, another one would come in. These kids were really free, weren’t they, constantly monitoring her flight.

Knowing that she wouldn’t be able to leave the airport lobby without being surrounded, Li Qinyue casually answered one of the calls. Without any pleasantries, she asked directly, “What have you arranged?”

The other side gasped, as if they had won the lottery, “Sister Yue! The cars are all lined up outside. You can take whichever one you like. Your luggage…”

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll get it myself,” Li Qinyue interrupted, frowning. “Stay away from me.”

“We’re already far away. Brother Ling knows you like to keep a low profile and don’t like a big scene.”

“Okay, see you later.” Li Qinyue hung up.

It was only a few minutes of peace and quiet. When Li Qinyue dragged her suitcase to the parking lot entrance, a group of men and women rushed towards her like robbers, snatching the things from her hands.

“President Li!”

“Sister Yue!”

“Long time no see!”

“Your skin tone is…getting more and more beautiful!”

They chirped like sparrows, familiar and unfamiliar faces, dazzling and attracting the attention of many around.

Ling Xi squeezed beside her and slapped her on the shoulder, “Everything’s arranged, let’s head over directly.”

No wonder they called her “Brother”. Ling Xi’s hair was even shorter now, almost a buzz cut in the middle of winter. Wasn’t she cold?

The crowd finally made way for Li Qinyue. Looking at the row of equally dazzling cars, Li Qinyue twitched the corner of her mouth and said to Ling Xi, “This is what you call low profile?”

“Low-key luxury, it matches your status,” Ling Xi lowered her voice. “The pink Maserati on the left, I just got it repainted, give me some face.”

Li Qinyue didn’t respond, walking straight to the nearest black Mercedes-Benz, opened the door, and got in.

“Hey,” Ling Xi was quite unhappy.

Li Qinyue slammed the car door in her face and said to the driver, “Let’s go.”

Not sharing the ride with anyone, the journey was quiet. The car drove into a familiar villa complex where Ling Xi often held parties. In the quietest corner, Li Qinyue had a private villa.

It got dark quickly in winter. At this time, dusk was just beginning, and one could see a brightly lit place from afar, which must be the “surprise” Ling Xi had prepared for her.

Li Qinyue looked down at her hiking boots and said, “Stop here.”

The driver didn’t say anything. Li Qinyue got out of the car directly, “You drive over.”

The car headed towards the brightly lit place. Li Qinyue took out a cigarette from her pocket, lit it, and held it in her mouth, slowly walking towards her villa.

Ling Xi called her midway, but she hung up. When the phone rang again, Li Qinyue replied with a message: I’ll be there later.

When everyone saw Li Qinyue again, it was an hour after the party had officially started.

She had changed out of her previously tightly wrapped clothes into a burgundy long dress, revealing her back, shoulders, and sleek, beautiful legs as she walked.

Her makeup was casual yet sophisticated, her hair exuding a captivating charm.

Paired with her tanned skin, she no longer looked like an empty, rich second generation who was bored enough to go exploring in the mountains.

High-class, Li Qinyue could always effortlessly carry herself with elegance.

Ling Xi greeted her, teasing with a smile, “Beautiful lady, dressed like this, how can those kids compete?”

Li Qinyue glanced at her and chose a spot overlooking the hall to sit down, “Am I here to watch them compete?”

“Isn’t this a welcome back party to entertain you?” Ling Xi sat down beside her. “I know you weren’t having fun this time and came back half a month early. What happened?”

Li Qinyue played with the glass in her hand, “Someone told my dad where I went and what I was doing.”

“Who!” Ling Xi immediately shouted, “Who the hell is so disloyal! A villain! Don’t let me find out, otherwise I’ll…”

“What will you do?” Li Qinyue looked at her.

Ling Xi stumbled over her words, “Peel, peel their skin.”

“Too uncreative.” Li Qinyue waved her hand.

“There’s something fun today,” Ling Xi changed the subject. “I definitely won’t let you be bored.”

The show must have been prepared for a long time, and now it was finally time to perform.

Li Qinyue looked over. A microphone stand was set up on the central stage. A young boy in tight leather pants walked onto the stage. When he looked up and smiled at Li Qinyue, she got goosebumps.

Damn, she cursed silently in her heart, his face is even smaller than mine.

The boy started to sing. Ling Xi looked proud, “Believe it or not, in two months, this kid will be a huge hit.”

“I don’t believe it.” Li Qinyue looked at the boy who was already getting hyped up before the song even reached its climax and cursed out loud, “Is he fucking high?”

Ling Xi didn’t say anything. The glass in Li Qinyue’s hand suddenly hit the table, “How many times have I said it, no matter what the messed up trends are in your circles, there can’t be any in my company…”

Before she could finish, several people in SWAT uniforms suddenly entered through the doors around them. They were burly and fully equipped.

Li Qinyue stood up. The SWAT team quickly entered and walked towards the stage. The people jumping around quieted down, and when the SWAT team grabbed the boy’s hand on stage, the music stopped abruptly.

Li Qinyue looked at Ling Xi, who seemed to be glued to her seat.

The SWAT team began to question the boy. Li Qinyue suddenly sat down again, crossed her arms, and started to sneer.

The tense atmosphere didn’t reach the hall. After half a minute, the music suddenly resumed. The SWAT team members threw off their jackets, revealing their muscular bodies, and started dancing with the boy.

The sudden surprise elicited screams from the hall. The muscular SWAT men on stage sandwiched the leather-clad boy, their clothes gradually coming off.

It should have been a scene that stimulated adrenaline, but Li Qinyue concluded, “Boring.”

Ling Xi’s carefully planned entertainment didn’t achieve its desired effect, and she was not happy, “Even I, a hardcore lesbian, found it fun. Don’t you, a straight woman, have a little bit of a heart-racing moment?”

“Too boring,” Li Qinyue repeated, her phone on the table started vibrating.

She picked up the phone and left the chaotic hall, “I’ll take a call.”

The balcony was half warm and half cold. Li Qinyue was cold-resistant and didn’t bother to change places.

It was her father calling. Apart from the initial “Where are you?”, which was relatively normal, everything else was filled with irritable scolding.

Li Qinyue had always been puzzled by this. Her father, after all, was a well-known entrepreneur who had experienced the ups and downs of the business world. Yet, when facing her, he acted like a menopausal woman.

Guessing that the striptease in the hall was about to end, Li Qinyue interrupted her father’s nagging and wanted to end the call.

Her father roared, “You can’t go on like this!” then handed the phone to her grandfather.

Li Qinyue sighed, changed her tone to be more affectionate, “Old man~”

“My good girl,” Grandfather suddenly said, “Happy birthday.”

Li Qinyue’s expression froze for a moment, but quickly, her lips curled into a smile, perhaps the first genuine smile of the evening.

“Thank you,” she said, “I’ll visit you tomorrow. I dug up a wild ginseng root. I’ll soak it in alcohol for you.”

“Okay,” Grandfather’s mind was obviously not on the hand-dug ginseng. He quickly got to the point, “Your father and I have prepared a birthday gift for you.”

Li Qinyue felt a sense of alarm. A gift with her father involved, it couldn’t be good.

“The gift is on its way,” Grandfather tilted his head and asked, “Where did you go?”

“*It’s* almost there…” her father’s faint voice.

“I’ll be done soon,” Li Qinyue quickly said, “Don’t send it, I’ll pick it up when I go home.”

“*It’s* arrived…” her father’s clear voice.

At the same time, Ling Xi’s voice echoed across the room, “Holy crap, Li Qinyue, where did you summon this god from?!”

“What?” Li Qinyue frowned. Her father hung up the phone.

“Damn, damn, damn, I spent a fortune on these strippers, if you didn’t like it, just say it!” Ling Xi shouted as she reached her, grabbed her arm, and pulled her back into the hall, “Was there a need to beat someone up?!”

“Who the hell beat someone up!” Li Qinyue, brimming with anger, yelled back.

“Your people!” After a few steps, Ling Xi pulled her back to the best vantage point overlooking the entire hall and pointed, “They barged in and claimed to be your people, I didn’t even dare to call the security!”

Li Qinyue looked over and saw that there was indeed a fight going on. A figure was darting through a group of men stripped down to their underwear. One punch here, a kick there. One muscular man staggered back and fell, another fell to his knees in pain. The scene was thrilling and vivid, like a movie scene.

After the previous fake SWAT team show, the audience was not nervous at all, they all considered it another performance, cheering and enjoying themselves.

Ling Xi was so anxious that she almost wanted to join in, “Li Qinyue, you’re a ruthless counter-attack, damn!”

“Damn…” Li Qinyue muttered, her eyes fixed on the figure, “That person’s martial arts are good.”

“You’re still pretending! Is it your person or not? If not…”

“If they win, they’re my person.” Li Qinyue raised her voice, a little excited.

This villa complex wasn’t somewhere anyone could enter, and this party wasn’t for everyone to crash.

This was the first person who knew her, Li Qinyue, and dared to claim to be her person. The timing couldn’t be more coincidental. This was indeed something her father could do.

Send someone to follow her, monitor her, control her. He thought this way he could control her.

Think again. Li Qinyue licked her lips, feeling that this was the most interesting part of the night.

True to expectations, the figure won a landslide victory. The naked men fell to the ground, groaning in pain, and the figure finally stopped.

Under the chaotic, colorful lights of the hall and the rhythm of the intense music, Li Qinyue saw that it was a young, delicate girl.

She was wearing a rustic tracksuit and had a high ponytail that suited her well, looking out of place in this environment like a white flower that had fallen into the mud.

The white flower turned around and looked up, meeting Li Qinyue’s gaze precisely. Her delicate features, illuminated by the lights, flashed with the brilliance of stars in her eyes.

Everyone was waiting. Li Qinyue straightened up, wanting to give the white flower a regal, cold and arrogant warning.

But before she could speak, the white flower beat her to it, “Are you Li Qinyue?”

Her voice was as young as her face, and she addressed her by full name, sounding both ordinary and like a challenge.

Li Qinyue narrowed her eyes and replied, “Yes.”

The white flower suddenly smiled, as bright as the rising sun, completely different from the ruthless look she had when fighting multiple people.

Then, she said something no one expected, “You are very beautiful.”