Category: Little Bodyguard(GL)

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 64

    Chapter 64

    The match lasted quite a while. The audience was enthusiastic, and the two fighters in the ring showed no signs of fatigue.

    In the end, Officer Zhao, with his remaining sanity, called for a timeout. He cautiously entered the ring, his hands raised, saying to Zhuo Zhi and Fang Yi repeatedly, “Take a break, take a break, that’s enough, enough…”

    Like trying to calm down two agitated kittens.

    Zhuo Zhi immediately smiled, wiping the sweat from her face. Li Qinyue saw the droplets of sweat fly off and land on the ground.

    “I’m fine, Officer Zhao, it depends on whether Officer Fang has had enough,” she said.

    Officer Zhao chuckled, turning to Fang Yi, “Have you had enough, Officer Fang?”

    “Brother Zhao,” Fang Yi started, then paused, leaving his sentence unfinished.

    Officer Zhao smacked his lips, “Seems like he hasn’t had enough yet.”

    Li Qinyue shouted from outside the ring, “It should end now, sparring partners charge by the hour, you know.”

    Officer Zhao pointed at her, “All you care about is money.”

    Li Qinyue didn’t deny it, “What else do us ordinary people like most besides money?”

    Officer Zhao glanced at the table outside the ring, then turned to Zhuo Zhi, “So, how do we settle this bet?”

    Zhuo Zhi said, “There’s no winner or loser, Officer Fang is very skilled, we were just sparring and learning from each other.”

    Fang Yi nodded in agreement. He was a straightforward person, not one to beat around the bush or boast about his own skills.

    It was indeed just a friendly spar. It might have looked intense to outsiders, but only they knew it was like discussing what they had learned and read.

    There was no winner or loser, and to be honest, he hadn’t even had enough yet.

    Officer Zhao was now in a dilemma. He turned to Li Qinyue, “Xiao Li, what about this gambling debt…”

    “Let’s just forget about it, it was just for fun, who would dare to gamble openly in front of police officers?” Li Qinyue looked around, “Don’t you all agree?”

    “Yes, yes, yes,” Everyone had only bet a small amount anyway, and now they had enjoyed a free show, they all agreed readily.

    Li Qinyue shrugged and said to Zhuo Zhi, “Comrade Xiao Zhuo, no late-night snacks for us.”

    Zhuo Zhi walked over to the ring, her eyes on Li Qinyue, her smile wide and bright, “Do you still love me, Sister?”

    Li Qinyue was about to tease the sweaty girl, when Fang Yi suddenly said, “I’ll treat you to late-night snacks.”

    Everyone was stunned. Fang Yi then asked Zhuo Zhi, “What do you want to eat?”

    Heh, he was completely ignoring her, the loving girlfriend.

    Li Qinyue looked at Officer Zhao, “Brother Zhao, control your officer, he’s not tired, but Xiao Zhuo is, he doesn’t want snacks, he just wants to keep fighting.”

    “Yes, yes, yes,” Officer Zhao said, pulling Fang Yi aside, “That’s enough for today, it’s getting late, time to go home and rest.”

    Fang Yi was about to say something, but Officer Zhao dragged him away to buy drinks.

    The crowd dispersed. As they left the gym, Li Qinyue didn’t give Fang Yi another chance to talk to Zhuo Zhi. She put her arm around Zhuo Zhi and walked away, “We’re leaving, see you later, Officer Zhao~”

    Officer Zhao said, “Wait for Fang Yi to bring the car over and give you a ride.”

    “It’s not far,” Li Qinyue waved her hand dismissively, “We’ll walk and let Xiao Zhuo cool down.”

    Officer Zhao chuckled.

    Comrade Xiao Zhuo did need to cool down, she was practically steaming.

    Li Qinyue pointed at her unzipped jacket. Zhuo Zhi, being perceptive, quickly zipped it up.

    Li Qinyue took out a pack of tissues from her bag and handed it to Zhuo Zhi, who quickly wiped the sweat from her face and neck.

    “Happy?” Li Qinyue asked her.

    Zhuo Zhi observed Li Qinyue’s expression. Seeing that she didn’t seem upset, she smiled and said, “Yes!”

    “Could you have defeated him?” Li Qinyue asked.

    “I’m not sure,” Zhuo Zhi replied.

    “You said you didn’t know before the fight, and you still don’t know after sparring with him?”

    “We didn’t go all out, it was just a friendly spar,” Zhuo Zhi said.

    “Tsk,” Li Qinyue looked at her, “Look at you, a martial arts master.”

    “Just average, hehe,” Zhuo Zhi chuckled for a moment, then her expression turned serious, “It’s rare to see someone so skilled.”

    “You’re talking about Fang Yi?” Li Qinyue scoffed, “Didn’t you have a bunch of masters on the mountain? What’s so special about him?”

    “Those masters have been training since they were young, you guys don’t.”

    “You guys?” Li Qinyue stopped walking.

    “Yes, you all focused on studying.”

    Li Qinyue felt a pang of displeasure.

    Zhuo Zhi had categorized her with “those people,” while Fang Yi was categorized with “her people.”

    “I think that Fang Yi…” Li Qinyue paused, lying effortlessly, “He doesn’t seem like a good person, stay away from him.”

    “Huh?” Zhuo Zhi was stunned.

    “Who’s better at judging people, you or me?” Li Qinyue asked immediately.

    “You.”

    “Then listen to me,” Li Qinyue took Zhuo Zhi’s hand and tucked it into her pocket, “By the way, you didn’t give him your contact information, right?”

    “No,” Zhuo Zhi said, “We were together all night, he didn’t ask.”

    “Were you disappointed that he didn’t?” Li Qinyue glared at her.

    “No, no, no, I mean, if he didn’t ask, I definitely wouldn’t have given it to him.”

    “Would you have given it to him if he had asked?”

    “Sister, hahahahaha…” Zhuo Zhi doubled over with laughter, “You’re so cute, hahahahaha…”

    Li Qinyue initially wanted to hit her, but her hand landed on the back of Zhuo Zhi’s neck, warm and damp with sweat, and she stopped.

    She couldn’t help but laugh with her.

    They went back home, laughing. Zhuo Zhi went to take a shower, while Li Qinyue went to the kitchen, washed some fruits, and brought them out.

    Zhuo Zhi was surprised to find that Li Qinyue had washed fruits for her.

    Li Qinyue turned on the TV, peeling longan fruit and playing with her phone.

    Zhuo Zhi sat down next to her, hesitated for a moment, then said, “Sister, do you think I can teach martial arts at a gym?”

    Li Qinyue chuckled, “Still thinking about finding a job?”

    “Of course,” Zhuo Zhi said, “How can we survive without working?”

    Li Qinyue tapped on her phone, then handed it to Zhuo Zhi, who saw a notification about a deposit into her Alipay account.

    It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough to cover their living expenses for the past few days.

    Zhuo Zhi’s eyes widened, “Where did you get this money, Sister?”

    Li Qinyue smiled smugly, “Just a few taps on my phone.”

    “But it’s a lot of money! If you can earn this much with a few taps, we won’t have to worry anymore!”

    “We never had to worry, it’s just you who’s worried,” Li Qinyue said, taking back her phone.

    “So where did it come from?” Zhuo Zhi hugged her arm, her voice serious, “Is it related to your past…”

    “It has nothing to do with my past, my money, my connections, or my family,” Li Qinyue interrupted her, “But it has something to do with me. I am who I am because of my past, that can’t be changed.”

    “That definitely can’t be changed,” Zhuo Zhi smiled.

    Li Qinyue looked up at the ceiling, “Come to think of it, my rebellion seems pointless. After all, I’m still a product of my upbringing.”

    Zhuo Zhi thought about it, it made sense, but this was a philosophical question, not something worth pondering right now. It was better to focus on solving real-life problems.

    “So how did you earn this money, Sister…”

    “Playing games,” Li Qinyue said.

    “Huh?” Zhuo Zhi was confused.

    “Don’t you understand what I mean by playing games? Esports, have you heard of esports? You can earn money by playing games.”

    “I know that,” Zhuo Zhi paused, “I just didn’t expect you to be a professional…”

    “I’m not a professional player, I just play for fun. But even casual gaming can be profitable. I played in a tournament for someone.”

    “Wow,” Zhuo Zhi was truly impressed, “You’re amazing, Sister.”

    But Li Qinyue was lost in her own worries. She put down her phone and continued staring at the ceiling, “If I want to completely escape from this circle, I guess I can’t even play games anymore. The best solution is for you to support me and let me stay at home…”

    “Sister, do you think I can start practicing gaming now and in how long…”

    Li Qinyue interrupted her before she could finish her sentence.

    “Did you like me for my money? For my status?”

    “No, no, no!” Zhuo Zhi said immediately, “I like you for who you are.”

    “But I am who I am because of my family…”

    “Oh, come on!” Zhuo Zhi was exasperated, she slapped the sofa with her butt, “Stop thinking about this!”

    “Okay,” Li Qinyue replied, “Forget about gaming, if you make it your career, your hands will be ruined.”

    “I can…”

    “But you don’t enjoy it,” Li Qinyue looked at her sideways, “Have you ever logged into that game account I gave you since we played together?”

    “No…”

    “See?” Li Qinyue continued pondering.

    Zhuo Zhi joined her in contemplation. After a few minutes, she suddenly remembered, “Sister, what about that idea of me being a martial arts instructor at a gym?”

    “Instructors need qualifications, they need to be properly trained.”

    “I’ll get certified.”

    “I won’t allow it.”

    “Why not?”

    “What kind of instructor doesn’t touch their students?” Li Qinyue looked at her intently, “I won’t allow you to touch anyone else.”

    “Sister…”

    “Hmm?”

    “You’re so jealous.”

    “Yes,” Li Qinyue admitted readily, “I want sweet and sour pork ribs tomorrow.”

    “Hahaha…” Zhuo Zhi laughed.

    There were times when she felt she understood Li Qinyue, but there were also times when her thoughts were beyond Zhuo Zhi’s comprehension.

    For example, now that they were in this situation, Li Qinyue, who was multi-talented, wasn’t even considering finding a proper job. And Zhuo Zhi, after exploring all possible options, any job she thought she could do was vetoed by Li Qinyue for various reasons.

    This made Zhuo Zhi feel uneasy. When she was on the mountain, her life was repetitive and boring. Now, every day was unpredictable, and she felt insecure.

    This contrast in emotions brought about many realizations, but in the past six months since she had come down the mountain, she had learned that many of her initial epiphanies were likely to be overturned. In this world, she was still just a child who had just opened her eyes.

    Thinking about this, Zhuo Zhi felt like she was growing up.

    She could only absorb half of what was on TV. Zhuo Zhi looked at Li Qinyue, who was in a similar state.

    And Zhuo Zhi felt that Li Qinyue was also growing up.

    Growing up together was a wonderful thing. Zhuo Zhi used to envy people who had siblings. Now, she felt like she had one too.

    And this person was her girlfriend.

    Her first love.

    To have such a wonderful person as her first love.

    Heh.

    Zhuo Zhi couldn’t resist leaning over and kissing Li Qinyue’s cheek.

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 63

    Chapter 63

    Over the next few days, Zhuo Zhi was much calmer.

    She would often go out, claiming to be looking for a job, but she didn’t get into any more trouble.

    Li Qinyue, true to her word, was being taken care of. She didn’t have to cook, wash dishes, or even leave the house. All she had to do was wait to be fed.

    The internet was connected, the TV was fixed, Zhuo Zhi had added many new things to the apartment, making Li Qinyue very comfortable.

    Li Qinyue, seeing Zhuo Zhi working so hard, felt a little guilty. She helped with chores like sweeping the floor and taking out the trash, experiencing the unfamiliar hardship of housework.

    After a week of this pampered life, Li Qinyue received a call from the police station. They had caught the thief, it was a gang, and the case had yielded significant results.

    Although Zhuo Zhi had made her unhappy that day, this news was definitely good news.

    Li Qinyue said to the officer on the other end, “Hold on, I’ll call Zhuo Zhi over, she’ll be happy to hear this.”

    Officer Zhao chuckled, “Actually, I wanted to talk to Xiao Zhuo.”

    Zhuo Zhi was called out from the kitchen. She wiped her hands and asked Li Qinyue, “Who is it?”

    Li Qinyue put the call on speakerphone, “Officer Zhao.”

    Zhuo Zhi immediately rushed over, grabbing Li Qinyue’s wrist and shouting into the phone, “Officer Zhao, Officer Zhao, did you catch the thief?”

    Officer Zhao laughed, “With your enthusiasm, I would be embarrassed to call you if we hadn’t caught him.”

    “No, no, no,” Zhuo Zhi giggled, “You really caught him?”

    Officer Zhao repeated what he had told Li Qinyue earlier. Zhuo Zhi jumped up and down excitedly.

    Li Qinyue’s hand was being pulled up and down. Normally, she would have shaken it off in annoyance. But Zhuo Zhi had played a crucial role in this case, and now, seeing her so happy, Li Qinyue couldn’t help but smile, letting Zhuo Zhi tug at her arm.

    After jumping around for a bit, Zhuo Zhi asked Officer Zhao, “Did you find that girl’s phone?”

    “We found it. It’s not easy to get rid of stolen goods these days.”

    “That’s great!” Zhuo Zhi couldn’t contain her excitement, “Officer Zhao, can I go to the police station to see?”

    “See what?” Officer Zhao sounded confused, “See the thief?”

    “Yes,” Zhuo Zhi said enthusiastically.

    “He’s not at the station anymore, we can’t keep him here forever,” Officer Zhao said, “Of all things, you want to see a thief. Don’t you trust me?”

    “Of course I trust you!” Zhuo Zhi quickly said, “You’re a righteous police officer, Uncle Zhao.”

    Officer Zhao chuckled, “You call everyone ‘uncle’ regardless of their age.”

    “Hehe, I’m just excited. That’s great then, thank you for your hard work, and thank you for calling to tell me, Uncle Zhao.”

    “Are you hanging up already? I have something else to tell you,” Officer Zhao said.

    “Go ahead, go ahead!” Zhuo Zhi was eager to hear it.

    “Well, remember that spar you had with Xiao Li and Xiao Du the other day? I filmed you guys.” Officer Zhao chuckled awkwardly, “It somehow ended up in the station’s group chat, and everyone was impressed by your skills. You know, young people are competitive. Officer Fang from the city bureau is here today to discuss some work, and he asked if he could meet you.”

    “Ah…” Zhuo Zhi was stunned, “M-Meet me?”

    “Yes,” Officer Zhao quickly explained, afraid of causing a misunderstanding, “This Officer Fang, you can think of him as a martial arts fanatic. He’s been looking for a worthy opponent, and he’ll be disappointed for months if he misses this opportunity.”

    Li Qinyue interjected, “Is this Officer Fang a man or a woman?”

    Officer Zhao said, “We don’t have many female officers here, miss.”

    “Oh,” Li Qinyue drawled, “Then I have to go too.”

    Officer Zhao chuckled, “Of course, of course. So, if you’re both free, how about we have dinner together tonight?”

    “Okay,” Li Qinyue agreed readily, “Let us know when you’re off work.”

    “Alright,” Officer Zhao happily ended the call.

    Li Qinyue hung up the phone. Zhuo Zhi looked at her, her eyes sparkling.

    “What?” Li Qinyue asked playfully.

    “Am I going too?” Zhuo Zhi asked cautiously.

    “If you don’t go, am I supposed to fight him myself?” Li Qinyue squinted at her.

    Zhuo Zhi ran over and wanted to hug her arm, but then looked at her apron and stopped, “Then won’t you be angry if I fight him?”

    “Am I angry that you fight people?” Li Qinyue said, “Have you forgotten how much I enjoyed watching you fight at the boxing gym? Go ahead, I’m happy to see you spar.”

    “Ah! Okay, okay, okay!” Zhuo Zhi dashed back to the kitchen, washed her hands, then dashed back, cupping Li Qinyue’s face and kissing her, “Thank you, Sister!”

    “Damn…” Li Qinyue was caught off guard.

    Zhuo Zhi kissed her again and ran away.

    Later that afternoon, close to seven o’clock, Officer Zhao called, saying their car was waiting at the entrance of White Birch Lane.

    Li Qinyue hadn’t expected the police officers to pick them up. She quickly called Zhuo Zhi, and they hurried downstairs.

    A shiny police car was parked at the entrance of the old residential complex, looking very conspicuous. Everyone within sight was staring at it.

    Li Qinyue held Zhuo Zhi back, telling her to slow down and walk at a normal pace.

    Zhuo Zhi, her steps light, said, “Wow, Officer Zhao is so nice, Sister!”

    “It would be even better if he hadn’t come in a police car,” Li Qinyue muttered.

    They had just moved into White Birch Lane, and now they were getting into a police car in full view of everyone. She wondered what kind of gossip the nosy neighbors would come up with.

    But the police officers were probably used to this kind of thing. Seeing them approaching, they opened the car doors and got out.

    They were both in plainclothes. Officer Zhao had a friendly smile on his face, while Officer Fang, whom they hadn’t met before, had a stern expression, his eyes fixed on Zhuo Zhi, his back straight.

    Li Qinyue put her arm around Zhuo Zhi’s shoulder and whispered something in her ear.

    It wasn’t anything that needed to be said secretly, but this kind of intimate gesture was necessary. If this Officer Fang had any ulterior motives, she needed to nip them in the bud.

    They approached the officers. Li Qinyue shook hands with Officer Zhao, exchanging pleasantries. They were both smiling, dispelling any suspicions the onlookers might have.

    Officer Fang, however, was impatient. He opened the car door and said, “Please get in.”

    Li Qinyue and Zhuo Zhi got in. Officer Fang sat in the front passenger seat.

    When it came to familiarity with this area, no one could beat Officer Zhao. This area was under his jurisdiction. As he drove, he kept talking.

    He talked about recent incidents in the neighborhood. Zhuo Zhi, intrigued, asked questions non-stop.

    Li Qinyue couldn’t stop her. The two of them, with the biggest age gap in the car, were having a lively conversation, and Li Qinyue eventually gave up on trying to intervene.

    They arrived at the restaurant. The four of them sat at a table, enjoying the delicious food. They didn’t order any alcohol, just toasted each other with drinks.

    Officer Zhao and Zhuo Zhi continued their conversation, and Li Qinyue occasionally chimed in. Officer Fang, however, was like a piece of wood, only speaking when spoken to.

    From Li Qinyue’s perspective, this dinner was a bit strange. She had agreed to this dinner because she thought it would be beneficial to be on good terms with the local police station.

    After dinner, Officer Zhao seemed to like Zhuo Zhi even more. Li Qinyue had achieved her goal.

    Now, after dinner, they walked out of the restaurant. It was time for Officer Fang’s purpose to be fulfilled.

    As soon as they stepped out, Fang Yi looked around, finally uttering the first words he had spoken voluntarily all night, “Brother Zhao, where’s a quiet spot?”

    Officer Zhao patted his shoulder, “So eager, huh? We can’t fight on the streets. If you two attract a crowd, I’ll have to mediate.”

    Zhuo Zhi chuckled.

    Officer Zhao said, “Let’s go to the gym we usually go to, they have a boxing ring there, it’s usually empty.”

    Zhuo Zhi said, “I don’t know how to box.”

    “Just fight however you want,” Officer Zhao said, pointing at Fang Yi, “He’s also self-taught.”

    Now that it was decided, Fang Yi couldn’t wait to get started.

    He looked like he wanted to run to the gym, it would be a good warm-up.

    Li Qinyue, sensing that Zhuo Zhi would follow, quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the car.

    Fang Yi sat in the front passenger seat, cracking his knuckles.

    Li Qinyue leaned closer to Zhuo Zhi and whispered, “Are you confident?”

    Zhuo Zhi also leaned closer and whispered back, “I don’t know.”

    “Can’t you tell?” Li Qinyue asked.

    Zhuo Zhi chuckled, “How can I tell?”

    If she couldn’t tell, then they would just fight.

    The gym wasn’t far away, they arrived in a few minutes.

    The boxing ring was indeed just a casual setup, placed in the brightest spot in the gym, more for show than anything else.

    The gym was quite crowded at this hour. Most people were sweating on the treadmills, a few were grunting in the weightlifting area.

    The gym owner was familiar with Officer Zhao. He led them to the ring and said, “Feel free to use it.”

    Officer Zhao pointed at Fang Yi and Zhuo Zhi, “You two, want to warm up?”

    Zhuo Zhi bounced on her feet, “No need.”

    Fang Yi immediately echoed, “No need.”

    “Youth is wasted on the young. Be careful,” Officer Zhao waved his hand, “Go ahead.”

    Zhuo Zhi looked at Li Qinyue, who also gestured, “Go ahead.”

    They stepped into the ring, attracting the attention of several people.

    Zhuo Zhi looked at the boxing gloves. Fang Yi said, “No need for those.”

    Zhuo Zhi smiled, “Good, I don’t like wearing them either.”

    “Then…” Fang Yi said, “Let’s begin.”

    “Let’s begin,” Zhuo Zhi bowed to him.

    They took their stances, and the next second, they were fighting.

    Officer Zhao, who had been talking to the gym owner, stopped mid-sentence, his eyes fixed on the fight.

    Li Qinyue frowned. Her initial confidence had vanished, replaced by thoughts of how to comfort Zhuo Zhi if she lost.

    You could tell a master just by watching them fight.

    Li Qinyue didn’t understand martial arts, but anyone could tell that these two were skilled.

    There was no prolonged testing, no unnecessary movements.

    They countered each other’s moves, quickly gauging their opponent’s skill level, their movements becoming faster.

    Li Qinyue caught a glimpse of Zhuo Zhi smiling, a genuine smile of excitement, the kind that ignited a fire in her heart.

    When Zhuo Zhi kicked at Fang Yi’s chest, and he blocked it with both hands, the gym owner couldn’t help but shout, “Good!!!”

    He was a muscular giant, and his voice boomed through the gym, making several people stop their workouts and gather around the ring.

    Li Qinyue felt a surge of nervousness. From the looks of it, this fight wouldn’t be over soon. She shrugged, trying to calm her nerves.

    There was a table nearby with paper and pens. Li Qinyue asked the gym owner, “Can I use this?”

    The owner, engrossed in the fight, waved his hand, “Go ahead.”

    Li Qinyue quickly tore off two pieces of paper, wrote two words on them, slapped them on the table, and shouted to the onlookers, “Place your bets!”

    Her shout stunned not only the onlookers, but also the gym owner.

    With police officers present, she was openly organizing gambling?

    The two fighters in the ring didn’t stop, probably too focused to notice what was happening outside.

    Officer Zhao pointed at Li Qinyue, chuckling, “You…”

    Li Qinyue smiled at him sweetly, “I can’t fight, it’s boring, I just want to have some fun.”

    Officer Zhao walked over and asked, “How do we bet?”

    Li Qinyue pointed at the two pieces of paper, “Male, female. Write your name and the amount you’re betting on the paper of the person you think will win. We’ll settle the payment through mobile phones later, I know no one carries cash these days.”

    “Okay,” Officer Zhao happily wrote on the paper with “Male” on it: Zhao Shangxing, 5 yuan.

    “Hahahahaha…” Li Qinyue burst out laughing, “That’s too stingy, Brother Zhao!”

    Officer Zhao whispered to her, “I think he’s going to lose, but I can’t not support my colleague, so I have to minimize the damage.”

    Li Qinyue gave him a thumbs-up.

    Seeing the officer take the lead, the gym owner immediately came over to place his bet.

    But he didn’t dare to bet too much, hesitant, he wrote down twenty yuan.

    Seeing the owner’s action, the crowd became excited and started writing down their names and bets.

    Li Qinyue looked at the small amounts and couldn’t help but chuckle. This whole thing wouldn’t even earn her enough for a game of mahjong.

    But even though the money was small, the atmosphere was lively.

    Li Qinyue shouted to Zhuo Zhi, “Go, Xiao Zhuo! Our late-night snacks depend on you!”

    The people around them, some knowing her name, some not, also started cheering, finally getting the attention of the two fighters.

    Zhuo Zhi paused, and Fang Yi also stopped.

    From this, it was clear that Fang Yi was a good person, an upright police officer, he wouldn’t take advantage of someone’s distraction.

    Zhuo Zhi shouted, “What are you doing, Sister?!”

    Li Qinyue smiled and shouted back, “Fight! I love you!”

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 62

    Chapter 62

    When they arrived home, the first thing Zhuo Zhi did was to try to take off Li Qinyue’s shoes.

    Li Qinyue, who was in the middle of changing her shoes, hopped aside, “What are you doing, what are you doing?!”

    “Let me see your foot,” Zhuo Zhi squatted down and followed her, moving surprisingly fast like a frog.

    Li Qinyue was amused by her strange posture, “Aren’t you afraid they’ll stink? Go away.”

    “They don’t stink,” Zhuo Zhi insisted, still looking down, “You smell good all over.”

    “Marinated in perfume,” Li Qinyue pointed at her, “Can you wait a minute? Let me change my shoes first, okay?”

    “Okay,” Zhuo Zhi finally stood up.

    The old apartment hadn’t been connected to the central heating system this year, so they could only rely on air conditioning for warmth. Zhuo Zhi had turned on the air conditioner as soon as they entered, but the temperature hadn’t risen yet.

    Li Qinyue instinctively took off her jacket, took two steps, and feeling cold, put on Zhuo Zhi’s childish down jacket.

    She tightened the jacket and walked towards the bedroom, “Let’s go to the bedroom, it’ll warm up faster in there.”

    Zhuo Zhi quickly followed her.

    The bedroom was small, so it would indeed warm up faster.

    But they were staying in the guest bedroom. After fitting in a bed and a wardrobe, there wasn’t much space left. They could only sit on the bed.

    Li Qinyue took off her pants, revealing her long, slender legs in black leggings. She swung her legs, looking at Zhuo Zhi, who was staring at her feet, “Since you’re so eager to be filial, go get a basin of hot water, I want to soak my feet.”

    “Okay!” Zhuo Zhi immediately responded, turning and leaving the room. “Soaking your feet in winter is good for your health!”

    It had been years since Li Qinyue had heard those words. She was a trendy young person, young people didn’t care about health regimens.

    But this room held many memories. For instance, they used to have a large foot bath basin. On winter nights, her mother would fill it with hot water and make the whole family soak their feet together.

    Big feet, small feet, dark feet, fair feet, rough skin, smooth skin, all warm and cozy.

    Zhuo Zhi quickly returned with a basin of steaming water.

    As soon as Li Qinyue dipped her feet into the water, Zhuo Zhi, squatting beside her, reached out and grabbed her foot.

    Li Qinyue instinctively pulled her foot back, “What are you doing, what are you doing, what are you doing?”

    “I’m just checking,” Zhuo Zhi didn’t let go, holding her foot like a fish she had just caught.

    “Use your eyes to check, ” Li Qinyue said, pulling her foot away, “Do you need to use your hands?”

    “You’re moving too much,” Zhuo Zhi said matter-of-factly.

    Unable to break free, Li Qinyue took a deep breath and relaxed, letting Zhuo Zhi hold her foot.

    But whether she tried to ignore Zhuo Zhi’s hand or focus on the sensation, she couldn’t help but laugh.

    “Hey, don’t touch my soles, hahahaha…” Li Qinyue almost splashed water everywhere.

    “Oh, okay, okay,” Zhuo Zhi quickly shifted her hand, “Your toes seem fine, a little red, but the rest of your foot is also red, probably from the hot water.”

    “They were fine to begin with,” Li Qinyue said, “Am I the kind of person who pretends to be tough when I’m hurt? I’m delicate, you know.”

    “I’m glad they’re fine,” Zhuo Zhi looked up at her with a smile, relieved.

    “Okay, can you let go now?” Li Qinyue wiggled her toes.

    Zhuo Zhi looked down, then asked hesitantly, “Sister, should I wash your feet for you?”

    Li Qinyue was speechless. She stared at Zhuo Zhi, “Then you should call me Mom, ‘Mom, wash my feet,’ one of the most touching commercials on CCTV.”

    “Hahaha…” Zhuo Zhi chuckled, “I don’t have a mom, I only have Master and you, Sister.”

    “As it happens, I don’t have a mom either,” Li Qinyue leaned forward and gently lifted Zhuo Zhi’s chin with her finger, “But I have a little girlfriend.”

    “Heh,” Zhuo Zhi blushed, “I can also give foot massages.”

    “No, no, no, no, no!” Li Qinyue exclaimed, “Not that kind of reflexology, my soles are ticklish, it’ll be fatal.”

    “Then not reflexology,” Zhuo Zhi scooped up some hot water and poured it over Li Qinyue’s feet, her hands gently massaging them, “This is comfortable too, right?”

    Li Qinyue looked at the top of Zhuo Zhi’s head and hummed in agreement.

    Zhuo Zhi was truly dedicated to this massage. If Li Qinyue hadn’t stopped her, she probably would have even massaged the spaces between her toes.

    After changing the water once, they finally stopped when Li Qinyue’s feet were red from the heat.

    The room had warmed up, and they were also feeling warm. Li Qinyue took off her extra layers of clothing and lay down on the bed.

    She was tired after a long day, she didn’t even feel like taking a bath, she just wanted to fall asleep.

    Zhuo Zhi emptied the basin, washed up, and returned to the bedroom.

    Li Qinyue had fallen asleep in the same position she had been in while soaking her feet, her legs still dangling off the bed, her face relaxed.

    Zhuo Zhi approached quietly, bringing Li Qinyue’s pajamas, thinking of waking her up so she could at least change her clothes and be more comfortable.

    As she neared the bed, Li Qinyue rolled over.

    Zhuo Zhi quickly looked at her face. As expected, Li Qinyue’s eyes were open.

    But what she said was unexpected, “Turn off the air conditioner in the living room.”

    “I turned it off when we came in,” Zhuo Zhi said.

    Li Qinyue smiled lazily, “You’re good at managing a household.”

    “I’ve always been good at it,” Zhuo Zhi had grown up on a mountain, after all.

    “My mom was too,” Li Qinyue said, “My dad’s family was always wealthy, he was a spoiled rich kid. My mom came from an ordinary family. When I was a child, in this very room, I would often hear my mom lecturing my dad, telling him to conserve water and electricity, to be frugal…”

    Seeing that she was in a good mood, Zhuo Zhi asked, “Wasn’t Uncle Li rich? Then why did you move into your mom’s house?”

    “He went bankrupt, he was too embarrassed to ask his family for money, so he brought us here to live a simple life.”

    “This isn’t a simple life,” Zhuo Zhi chuckled, “It’s quite similar to our current situation.”

    “They were struggling financially, we’re struggling for love,” Li Qinyue said.

    “Both are conflicts with our elders,” Zhuo Zhi said seriously, “And part of growing up.”

    Li Qinyue leaned over and gently pinched Zhuo Zhi’s nose, “Little philosopher.”

    Zhuo Zhi chuckled.

    “Do you feel wronged being with me?” Li Qinyue asked.

    “Not at all!” Zhuo Zhi’s eyes sparkled, “I love this kind of life!”

    “Tsk, acting like the boss now, are we?” Li Qinyue pinched her cheek again. “By the way, put the cost of that dinner I treated the police to on your tab.”

    “It was already on my tab,” Zhuo Zhi said, “My phone notified me about the payment.”

    “Tsk, tsk, tsk…” Li Qinyue shook her head, “Such a penny-pincher.”

    “I’m not a penny-pincher,” Zhuo Zhi shook the clothes in her hand, “Change into your pajamas and go to bed, Sister.”

    Li Qinyue raised an eyebrow, “You change me.”

    “Oh, come on…” Zhuo Zhi turned and got off the bed, “It’s not appropriate for me to help you change.”

    Li Qinyue threw the pajamas at her, “Little monk, little nun, ‘form is emptiness, emptiness is form’, right? Am I that unattractive to you, Sister…?”

    But after her complaints, she still went to the bathroom to wash up, changed her clothes, and lay down in bed.

    Zhuo Zhi closed the windows, drew the curtains, turned off the lights, and slipped under the covers like a little mouse.

    Li Qinyue reached out to pull her closer, but Zhuo Zhi propped her elbow against Li Qinyue’s chest, “There’s still one more thing, Sister.”

    “What?” Li Qinyue opened her eyes slightly.

    “About smoking,” Zhuo Zhi said.

    Although it was too dark to see, Li Qinyue’s eyes widened, “You’re actually bringing this up?”

    “Of course I have to,” Zhuo Zhi said seriously, “I calculated that you haven’t smoked for a while now. If you smoke tonight, won’t all your effort to quit be wasted?”

    “I didn’t quit smoking,” Li Qinyue said, “When did I say I was quitting?”

    “Not smoking is the same as quitting,” Zhuo Zhi said, “It’s a good thing, we have to keep going, stay strong, don’t relapse.”

    “Heh, so now it’s my fault,” Li Qinyue pouted.

    “It’s my fault,” Zhuo Zhi quickly said, “I was too impulsive and reckless, I made you angry, that’s why you smoked.”

    “You know that now?”

    “So I won’t be impulsive or reckless anymore, I won’t make you angry, and we’ll continue with the quitting smoking plan, okay?”

    “When did I ever agree to quit smoking?” Li Qinyue was truly exasperated.

    Zhuo Zhi leaned closer and kissed her on the lips, “How about now?”

    “That won’t work,” Li Qinyue said, “Quitting smoking is so difficult, you think one kiss is enough?”

    Zhuo Zhi wrapped her arms around Li Qinyue’s waist, snuggling closer, “How about two kisses?”

    Li Qinyue was enjoying this.

    She loved it when Zhuo Zhi acted clingy and affectionate like this, soft and fragrant.

    “No,” But she still had to maintain her tough facade.

    “Three?” Zhuo Zhi moved even closer.

    “No.”

    “Four?” Zhuo Zhi eliminated all the space between them.

    “Do you know what you’re doing?” Li Qinyue looked at her, her eyes getting used to the darkness, able to make out her silhouette.

    “I’m trying to persuade you to quit smoking.”

    “You’re playing with fire,” Li Qinyue said.

    “Hehe,” Zhuo Zhi loosened her grip slightly.

    “Quitting smoking is a major issue, we’ll talk about it later,” Li Qinyue said, “You still haven’t paid your debt.”

    “That’s not how it works,” Zhuo Zhi said.

    “If you don’t pay now, I’ll light a cigarette, believe me.”

    “I already hid your cigarettes,” Zhuo Zhi said.

    “Damn…” Li Qinyue muttered, “Have you done this before?”

    “Yes,” Zhuo Zhi boldly admitted.

    “I knew it, my cigarettes always go missing. You’re so bold.”

    “I dared to hide them before because you had plenty of money, you could buy them anywhere,” Zhuo Zhi chuckled, “It’s different now, now I’ll know if you buy cigarettes.”

    Li Qinyue was truly shocked. Everyone would think that she, Miss Li, was the one in control, with Zhuo Zhi obeying her every command.

    But in reality, Zhuo Zhi had been steadily moving towards her goal, controlling Li Qinyue step by step. Now that she had control over the finances, she had completely turned the tables.

    “You’re so smug,” Li Qinyue couldn’t help but say.

    “Hehe,” Zhuo Zhi smiled smugly.

    Li Qinyue grabbed Zhuo Zhi’s breast, “Do you think I can’t handle you now?”

    “Sister!” Zhuo Zhi was startled.

    “Don’t move,” Li Qinyue said, “I’ll be angry if you move.”

    This threat worked. Zhuo Zhi didn’t move.

    The soft, bouncy feeling in her palm was exhilarating, but the layer of clothing between them was frustrating.

    Li Qinyue didn’t let go of Zhuo Zhi’s breast. With her other hand, she slipped it under Zhuo Zhi’s clothes and placed it on her stomach.

    Zhuo Zhi’s stomach tensed instantly, her abs contracting.

    Li Qinyue murmured, “Should I play with the top or the bottom?”

    “Sister, we can’t play anymore,” Zhuo Zhi’s voice trembled, “This isn’t right.”

    “What’s not right?” Li Qinyue’s fingers traced circles on Zhuo Zhi’s stomach, her mood lifted.

    “We agreed that this isn’t urgent,” Zhuo Zhi said.

    “Oh,” Li Qinyue didn’t move.

    “And today it should be…” Zhuo Zhi paused, “It should be… me taking the initiative…”

    Li Qinyue let go of her, her hand outstretched, a smile on her face, “Okay, you take the initiative.”

    Zhuo Zhi hesitated for a few seconds, then leaned closer to Li Qinyue, her lips brushing against hers, “You still owe me those kisses.”

    “Okay,” Li Qinyue moved her lips slightly.

    Zhuo Zhi was already an expert at kissing.

    And she was a clever girl, she knew what Li Qinyue liked. So, she didn’t just focus on her own pleasure, she wanted to make Li Qinyue happy.

    And that made the experience even more enjoyable.

    For the first kiss, they were lying on their sides.

    For the second kiss, Li Qinyue lay flat, her body relaxed, while Zhuo Zhi propped herself up, her hand gently cupping Li Qinyue’s cheek.

    For the third kiss, the distance between them disappeared completely. Zhuo Zhi was on top of Li Qinyue, their bodies pressed together, her movements becoming more passionate, making Li Qinyue gasp.

    The fourth kiss seemed to be far away. Li Qinyue was a little lightheaded from the kisses, her body burning hot.

    She couldn’t take it anymore and pushed Zhuo Zhi away.

    A faint light reflected in Zhuo Zhi’s eyes, making them sparkle.

    Li Qinyue took a few breaths to calm down. Zhuo Zhi stared at her, then after a while, said, “You said something wrong, Sister.”

    “Did I even speak?” Li Qinyue’s voice was hoarse, as if she had just woken up from a dream.

    “Just now,” Zhuo Zhi said with a smile.

    “You have the nerve to smile?” Li Qinyue glared at her.

    “Why not?” Zhuo Zhi leaned down and gently bit her lip, “You like this, don’t you?”

    Li Qinyue pushed her away.

    Zhuo Zhi sat up, “You haven’t even asked me which sentence.”

    “Which sentence, which sentence?” Li Qinyue mumbled, “You’re so annoying.”

    Zhuo Zhi looked at her, waiting until Li Qinyue finally met her gaze, then said, “You said you’re unattractive to me.”

    Li Qinyue’s lips twitched, she didn’t want to speak.

    Zhuo Zhi suddenly slid down the bed, moving to the foot of the bed.

    “What are you…” Li Qinyue couldn’t finish her sentence, only managing a curse.

    Damn, this little brat kissed her foot.

    “That’s your punishment for smoking,” Zhuo Zhi said, her breath tickling Li Qinyue’s foot, making her curl her toes.

    Zhuo Zhi’s lips landed again, soft and fleeting like a dragonfly skimming the water. The last kiss landed on the sole of Li Qinyue’s foot.

    The tingling sensation was unbearable, yet strangely arousing.

    “Sister,” Zhuo Zhi called her, her breath like a feather.

    Li Qinyue couldn’t answer. She tried to move her foot, but the moment she did, Zhuo Zhi grabbed her ankle.

    At this moment, the little girl’s strength was undeniable. Li Qinyue didn’t even need to struggle, she knew she couldn’t move an inch.

    “What are you doing?” she tried to sound fierce, but her voice betrayed her.

    Zhuo Zhi chuckled softly, “I wanted to do this when I was washing your feet earlier. Your feet are so beautiful, Sister.”

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 61

    Chapter 61

    During the initial sparring, Zhuo Zhi was trying to find the right balance in holding back.

    She would throw a couple of punches, then glance at Li Qinyue, retreat a few steps, and glance at her again. But Li Qinyue ignored her completely.

    Officer Zhao, however, wasn’t happy. He pointed it out, “Xiao Zhuo, be serious!”

    His voice was loud, his uniform lending him an air of authority, making Zhuo Zhi tense up.

    After a few exchanges, Xiao Li and Xiao Du realized that Officer Zhao wasn’t exaggerating, the girl in front of them was skilled.

    Now, not only was Officer Zhao unhappy, but Xiao Li and Xiao Du were also unhappy.

    Xiao Li said to Zhuo Zhi, “Little Sister, let loose, even if you hit us, we’re not afraid of a little pain.”

    Xiao Du even took off his jacket and threw it to Officer Zhao, his face full of excitement, “Your name is Zhuo Zhi, right? By not taking this seriously, you’re basically looking down on us. It’s already embarrassing enough for two grown men to fight a little girl, if you keep this up, we’ll be the laughingstock of the entire station tomorrow.”

    His words hit home. Not giving your all during a sparring match was indeed a sign of disrespect towards your opponent.

    When she used to go to the temple on the mountaintop, the monks always sparred with her seriously, which was why she had trained diligently for so many years. Although she liked to show off, she was aware of her own limits.

    Thinking about this, Zhuo Zhi looked at Li Qinyue again.

    Li Qinyue, probably because she hadn’t smoked for a while, was taking big drags, half of the cigarette already gone. Her face, hidden in the smoke, still gave no indication of what she wanted Zhuo Zhi to do.

    Zhuo Zhi stomped her foot, making her own decision.

    She would spar seriously. If she offended the officers, she would apologize sincerely later. As long as she was speaking from the heart, Zhuo Zhi wasn’t afraid.

    Xiao Li and Xiao Du had taken their stances again. Zhuo Zhi bowed to them and said, “No offense, brothers.”

    “Hey,” Xiao Du was delighted, “The little sister is finally getting serious.”

    Zhuo Zhi was indeed serious this time. She blocked every move from the two officers, but she didn’t use any fancy techniques. It was just a friendly spar, so she held back her strength.

    Officer Zhao watched from the side, impressed, and took out his phone to record.

    Xiao Li and Xiao Du, after taking a few punches from Zhuo Zhi, became even more energized. They were young men after all, full of vigor. After realizing Zhuo Zhi’s true strength, they didn’t hold back either.

    They even started coordinating their attacks, flanking Zhuo Zhi from both sides. Gradually, Zhuo Zhi also broke a sweat.

    After finishing her cigarette, Li Qinyue didn’t light another one.

    She watched the three of them fighting, but her gaze was always on Zhuo Zhi’s face.

    The deep blue sky, the light from the police station entrance, a bare old locust tree.

    A gust of wind blew past. It should have been cold, but Li Qinyue’s face was hot.

    She wasn’t sure if it was from anger or from the inappropriate thoughts swirling in her mind.

    Zhuo Zhi, that fool, she could protect her when she was rich and powerful, and she could also protect her now, when she was pretending to be poor and powerless.

    But if she truly lost everything, the person Zhuo Zhi would have to fight wouldn’t be a thief, wouldn’t be a police officer, it would be her, Li Qinyue.

    So naive, so out of touch with reality, so stubborn that she wouldn’t turn back even after hitting a wall.

    Li Qinyue felt like she should stop her, lecture her, but a part of her wanted to indulge her.

    This was what Li Qinyue found so endearing yet terrifying about Zhuo Zhi. It was both her charm and her biggest flaw.

    When the fight finally ended, Li Qinyue turned away and let out a slow breath.

    Officer Zhao and the two young officers were good people. Zhuo Zhi hadn’t gone too far and humiliated them.

    The atmosphere was harmonious. Xiao Li and Xiao Du chatted with Zhuo Zhi for a while, then Officer Zhao led Zhuo Zhi to Li Qinyue and said earnestly, “Your sister is quite something.”

    Li Qinyue smiled faintly.

    Officer Zhao continued, “She said she’s not going to college for now, I think your family should reconsider that. The police academy, the National Defense University, they would be perfect for Xiao Zhuo.”

    “Hmm,” Li Qinyue replied, “We’ll definitely consider it.”

    “It’s getting late, you should go back,” Officer Zhao said with a smile, “Normally I would remind you to be careful on the road, but with Xiao Zhuo here, I don’t think I need to.”

    Zhuo Zhi was happy, “Thank you, Officer Zhao!”

    Officer Zhao patted her shoulder, “I’ll let you know when we have updates on the theft case.”

    Zhuo Zhi thanked him again, then she and Li Qinyue finally left the police station.

    It was less than two kilometers from their apartment. They didn’t take a taxi, walking back in silence.

    Li Qinyue wrapped her coat tighter around herself. Zhuo Zhi, on the other hand, unzipped her jacket, letting the wind blow through it.

    Li Qinyue glanced at her and said coldly, “Zip it up.”

    “I’m not cold,” Zhuo Zhi wiped her forehead and showed her hand to Li Qinyue, “I’m sweating, look, Sister.”

    Li Qinyue ignored her, her gaze fixed ahead, “Zip it up.”

    Zhuo Zhi looked at her with a mischievous smile, but obediently zipped up her jacket.

    After walking in silence for a while, Zhuo Zhi said, “Don’t be angry anymore, Sister.”

    Li Qinyue didn’t speak. Zhuo Zhi tugged at her sleeve, “I feel bad when you’re angry at me, Sister.”

    “What?” Li Qinyue looked at her sideways, “So I can’t even be angry for your own good?”

    “That’s not what I meant,” Zhuo Zhi looked at her, her eyes shining, “If you’re angry at me, you can scold me, you can hit me, but don’t ignore me. I don’t mind being ignored, I’m just worried that you’ll hurt yourself by bottling up your anger, and I’ll feel bad…”

    “Heh,” Li Qinyue scoffed.

    “Sister Qinyue~” Zhuo Zhi shook her sleeve, her deliberately soft voice making Li Qinyue shiver.

    “I won’t be so impulsive anymore,” Zhuo Zhi said, “I won’t show off my skills unless absolutely necessary.”

    “Can you even control yourself?” Li Qinyue squinted at her.

    Zhuo Zhi swallowed, then said after a moment of hesitation, “I’ll try my best.”

    Li Qinyue fell silent again.

    Zhuo Zhi thought this sister of hers was great in every way, except for her habit of sulking, which was really annoying.

    Sometimes Zhuo Zhi could guess the reason for her anger, sometimes she couldn’t. This current situation was the most troublesome. She felt like she had only guessed part of the reason, leaving her frustrated.

    Li Qinyue quickened her pace. Zhuo Zhi followed closely, still holding onto her sleeve.

    She tried to reflect on her actions, “I won’t show off anymore. I won’t interfere with police work, I’ll just provide information.”

    Li Qinyue walked even faster.

    Zhuo Zhi quickened her pace, “I won’t talk to any guys or girls unless absolutely necessary.”

    Li Qinyue started jogging.

    Zhuo Zhi ran after her, “I’ll work hard to earn money, so you don’t have to take the bus anymore, Sister Qinyue. I’ll buy a car, get my driver’s license, and be your chauffeur…”

    Li Qinyue shook off Zhuo Zhi’s hand, her long legs carrying her forward as she sped up.

    Zhuo Zhi didn’t give up, quickly catching up, “I’ll buy you lots and lots of lipstick, a different shade for every day, and I’ll buy you a villa, like the one you used to live in. You don’t have to work anymore, Li Qinyue, I’ll support you. You won’t have to cook or wash dishes…”

    Li Qinyue, realizing she couldn’t shake off this fool, stopped, her voice breathless, “Am I useless?!”

    Oh, wait, she was scolding herself.

    Li Qinyue, frustrated, kicked at a flowerbed.

    “Damn.” She bent over in pain.

    Zhuo Zhi was startled. As she squatted down to look at Li Qinyue’s foot, she lost her balance and fell to her knees.

    “Sister, Sister, did you hurt your foot? Damn, you wanted to kick me, but you kicked yourself instead!”

    Li Qinyue was still in pain, she didn’t speak.

    Zhuo Zhi’s posture looked like she was kissing Li Qinyue’s foot. When she looked up and saw Li Qinyue’s pained expression, her face turned pale, “Does it hurt a lot? Is it broken? Hospital, where’s the nearest hospital?!”

    Her voice was loud, attracting the attention of a passerby.

    Li Qinyue tried to push her away, but before she could, Zhuo Zhi stood up and lifted her into her arms.

    It had been a while since Zhuo Zhi had carried her like this.

    Li Qinyue felt strange. Usually, she was a rebellious and domineering person, wanting to beat up everyone she disliked and control everyone she liked. But when Zhuo Zhi held her like this, she felt like a princess, a delicate little girl, as if she were the naive female lead in a CEO romance novel, wanting to bury her face in Zhuo Zhi’s chest and cry.

    But before she could start sobbing, Zhuo Zhi was already on the verge of tears.

    She rushed towards the passerby, her voice filled with urgency, “Ma’am! Do you know where the nearest hospital is?!”

    The woman stared at Li Qinyue’s stomach, her expression horrified.

    Li Qinyue, having recovered from the pain, shouted, “I’m fine!!!”

    The woman was startled and pointed, “There’s a clinic over there.” Then she scurried away as if trying to escape.

    Zhuo Zhi ran towards the clinic, “Let’s go get it checked, just in case…”

    “Get what checked, my ass!” Li Qinyue shouted, “Stop!”

    “We can’t stop…” Zhuo Zhi mumbled.

    “Are you stupid?! I said I’m fine! Damn it!” Li Qinyue punched Zhuo Zhi’s shoulder. “I just stubbed my toe, it might swell a little, that’s all!”

    Zhuo Zhi didn’t look at her, her eyes fixed ahead, “If we stop, you’ll be angry again, and you’ll hurt yourself when you’re angry…”

    “Am I an idiot?!” Li Qinyue felt like she was going to explode.

    Zhuo Zhi didn’t answer, continuing to carry her towards the clinic. Seeing that they were heading in the opposite direction from their apartment, Li Qinyue took a deep breath and softened her tone, “I’m not angry anymore.”

    Zhuo Zhi finally slowed down, looking down at her, “You’re not?”

    “I’m not.”

    “You won’t kick any more flowerbeds?”

    “I won’t.”

    “Will you talk to me?”

    “I will.”

    “Sister…” Zhuo Zhi burst into tears, two teardrops landing on Li Qinyue’s face, “Don’t scare me like that anymore, I thought you didn’t want me, didn’t want to be with me anymore, and you were hurting yourself…”

    “I wasn’t hurting myself!” Li Qinyue struggled out of Zhuo Zhi’s arms and kicked her butt. “I was just frustrated, and I couldn’t bear to hit you. But it’s fine, I can now…”

    Zhuo Zhi didn’t even try to dodge. She even jumped slightly, bending over and presenting her butt to Li Qinyue, making it easier to kick.

    “Sister, don’t use the foot you hurt, it’ll hurt.”

    Li Qinyue’s foot froze in midair.

    What kind of touching filial piety was this? What kind of feudalistic scene was this? Li Qinyue felt like she had suddenly been transformed into a tyrant emperor, pampered and spoiled.

    “Stand still, Sister,” Zhuo Zhi said, her face full of concern.

    “Don’t you need to support me?” Li Qinyue looked at her in disbelief.

    Zhuo Zhi immediately turned sideways so she could support Li Qinyue and present her butt for the emperor’s kick.

    Li Qinyue lowered her foot, switched to her hand, and gave Zhuo Zhi a hard slap. Then she stood there, fuming.

    Zhuo Zhi watched her quietly.

    After calming down, Li Qinyue frowned and asked, “Does your master get angry often?”

    The question was unexpected, but Zhuo Zhi quickly answered truthfully, “Yes.”

    Li Qinyue’s frown deepened, “So you always coax her like this?”

    “No, no, no,” Zhuo Zhi waved her hands frantically, “When Master is angry, she punishes me. Like making me run ten kilometers, carry buckets of spring water down the mountain, or copy scriptures from the neighboring nunnery…”

    She paused and glanced at Li Qinyue cautiously, “So I don’t have to coax her.”

    “Do you feel wronged coaxing me?”

    “No, no, no, you’re my girlfriend, it’s my duty.”

    “Do you think I’m being unreasonable?”

    “No, no, no, you’re so good, Sister, you must have a reason for being angry. It’s just that I’m stupid, I can’t always guess.”

    “I’m angry because you always rush into danger,” Li Qinyue sighed, then finally said what she had been holding back, “Whether it’s your business or not, you never think about the consequences, you don’t realize the dangers, you’re so stubborn, you never consider…”

    Li Qinyue paused, “That someone might be worried about you.”

    Zhuo Zhi’s lips moved, but she couldn’t speak.

    Li Qinyue’s face was still flushed with anger, but her eyes had softened.

    Zhuo Zhi’s heart ached. Only two people had ever been this angry with her, and only two people had ever cared this much about her.

    Her master and Li Qinyue.

    These two people, so different yet so similar, had both given her a sense of belonging.

    Her master had given her a world where she could live carefree, and Li Qinyue had opened up another world for her.

    This was Li Qinyue’s life, but it had become intertwined with hers, like two rivers merging, flowing towards the same destination.

    She was indeed wrong. She hadn’t yet gotten used to the fact that her actions now affected Li Qinyue.

    “Sister…” Zhuo Zhi, who had become even more emotionally dependent since coming down the mountain, could only utter one word before tears welled up in her eyes.

    But this time, Li Qinyue didn’t want to hear her apologies. She put her arm around Zhuo Zhi’s neck and pulled her into a hug.

    Zhuo Zhi sobbed a couple of times, and Li Qinyue patted her back, not gently, but firmly.

    The pats turned Zhuo Zhi’s sobs into hiccups.

    “We need to communicate from now on,” Li Qinyue said, “But don’t think I’m breaking up with you because of this. Am I someone who’s afraid of trouble? Didn’t we have fun beating that guy up? We’re kindred spirits.”

    “Soulmates,” Zhuo Zhi hiccuped.

    “You’re quite good at finding nice words for yourself,” Li Qinyue patted her back again, “Remember this, Miss Li doesn’t do unprofitable business. I haven’t even gotten to taste you yet, why would I throw you away now?”

    “You’re always thinking about that,” Zhuo Zhi hiccuped again.

    “Heh,” Li Qinyue let go of her and turned to walk home, “If you’re not, then think about how you’re going to pay for that cigarette I just smoked.”

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 60

    Chapter 60

    By the time they finished giving their statements, it was already dark.

    The man they had apprehended was indeed carrying a weapon. The girl who had lost her phone had been dragged to the police station by Li Qinyue and couldn’t escape. At this point, there was nothing more for Zhuo Zhi and Li Qinyue to do.

    But Zhuo Zhi insisted on telling the police that she could identify the man’s accomplice if they let her watch the surveillance footage from the bus.

    Li Qinyue tried to pull her away several times, but Zhuo Zhi’s determination and confidence amazed the police officers, so they let her stay and review the footage with them.

    Li Qinyue couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

    The girl who had lost her phone was ready to go home. Zhuo Zhi followed her out and said at the door, “Don’t be afraid. If anyone threatens you, call me, I’ll come right away.”

    Li Qinyue, standing behind her, rolled her eyes so hard they almost reached the back of her head.

    The girl waved her hands, looking like she wanted to escape from Zhuo Zhi’s overzealousness.

    Li Qinyue, fuming, turned away, afraid she would explode.

    But she could still hear them. The girl didn’t even ask for Zhuo Zhi’s contact information and quickly left with the friend who had come to pick her up.

    Li Qinyue walked over and slapped Zhuo Zhi’s shoulder, “Do you have a crush on her?”

    “What are you talking about, Sister?!” Zhuo Zhi glared at her, “I’m not like that!”

    “Heh,” Li Qinyue scoffed, “You were so eager to walk her home, you probably even wanted to go upstairs and have tea with her, right?”

    “No!” Zhuo Zhi said anxiously, “I was just worried…”

    “How big is your heart?” Li Qinyue poked Zhuo Zhi’s chest. “Do you have to worry about everyone you meet?”

    Zhuo Zhi’s lips moved, but she didn’t know what to say.

    “Get lost, go back inside, it’s freezing,” Li Qinyue waved her hand dismissively, pushing Zhuo Zhi towards the police station entrance.

    She turned to leave, but Zhuo Zhi immediately followed her, “Where are you going, Sister?”

    “Home,” Li Qinyue said, her voice laced with annoyance.

    “Wait for me!” Zhuo Zhi grabbed her arm, “Officer Zhao said it’ll be done soon.”

    “Officer Zhao, Officer Zhao, you’ve been chasing after him for hours, I bet you have a crush on him,” Li Qinyue pulled her hand away, “Let go, I’m going to buy a pack of cigarettes!”

    Zhuo Zhi let go, mumbling, “It hasn’t been hours, just an hour. Don’t be angry, Sister…”

    “Do you think I can just stop being angry if I want to?” Li Qinyue pointed at her, “Don’t follow me, go back. Do you think Officer Zhao will wait for you when the surveillance footage arrives?”

    At the mention of the footage, Zhuo Zhi didn’t follow her anymore.

    Li Qinyue clicked her tongue and walked away.

    When Li Qinyue returned, she not only had a pack of cigarettes, but also a large bag of food.

    It was shift change time, but because some cases were still unresolved, many officers were working overtime.

    Including, of course, the case of the stolen phone on the bus, which Zhuo Zhi insisted on solving.

    Li Qinyue distributed the food and drinks to the officers on duty. At first, they politely declined, but Li Qinyue, with her beauty and charisma, used her charming words to persuade them, thanking them for their hard work and apologizing for her troublesome sister. It was dinner time, everyone was hungry, she was just running errands, and the time they saved could be used to serve the people.

    Within minutes, she had created a warm and friendly atmosphere, making Zhuo Zhi speechless.

    Li Qinyue tossed her a piece of bread and a milk tea, ignoring her, and went to talk to Officer Zhao.

    Officer Zhao was in his thirties, a typical northern man, with a mature and steady demeanor.

    Li Qinyue offered him a cigarette, which he repeatedly declined. Li Qinyue took out her lighter and said with a smile, “I need to ask you for a favor, please accept this cigarette.”

    “Tell me what you need first,” Officer Zhao said.

    “It’s a small matter, about my sister,” Li Qinyue pointed at Zhuo Zhi, “You saw her today, she’s a bit reckless and rushes into danger because she knows some martial arts. That man had a knife, it was dangerous. She’s just a kid, I’ve told her many times, but she doesn’t listen. The only person she respects is the police. So, I’m asking you, after this case is closed, don’t praise her, criticize her a little. Tell her that even when doing good deeds, she needs to be careful and not overestimate her abilities.”

    Officer Zhao chuckled and took the cigarette, lighting it. “Your sister is quite interesting. How many years has she been training? How can she be so bold?”

    “It’s just some basic skills, nothing compared to professional police officers. Her master taught her to be honest and straightforward, that’s why she’s a bit childish. Please don’t take it to heart.”

    “It’s commendable that she’s righteous and kind,” Officer Zhao took a puff of his cigarette and exhaled slowly, “But I understand your concern. I’ll tone down the praise and offer more advice.”

    “Thank you so much,” Li Qinyue said with a smile, “Thank you for your hard work today.”

    Li Qinyue stayed with Officer Zhao until he finished his cigarette. When she returned to the room, she still ignored Zhuo Zhi.

    Zhuo Zhi looked at her, her eyes full of curiosity, dying to know what they had talked about.

    Li Qinyue sat down on a chair and started playing with her phone. Later, when they were reviewing the surveillance footage, Zhuo Zhi performed excellently, identifying the man’s accomplice who had taken the stolen phone. The officers praised her for her sharp eyes and intelligence, but Li Qinyue didn’t show any sign of pride or happiness.

    This made Zhuo Zhi feel uneasy.

    After all the effort, the thief was detained, and Officer Zhao said that further investigations would be conducted. The case was considered closed for now.

    He walked Zhuo Zhi and Li Qinyue out of the police station and, as Li Qinyue had requested, gave Zhuo Zhi a lecture on safety.

    Officer Zhao had probably given this kind of lecture many times. He spoke eloquently, listing points one to five, giving examples, his words flowing smoothly.

    Zhuo Zhi listened, stunned.

    Officer Zhao finally finished and patted her shoulder, “At your age, you should focus on your studies. Become a pillar of society in the future, then you can better serve the country.”

    Zhuo Zhi nodded and bowed, saying obediently, “Thank you, Officer Zhao, I’ll keep that in mind.”

    Then she added, “But Officer Zhao, I’m different from other girls, I’m very good at fighting.”

    Officer Zhao smiled kindly, “I’ve heard. But you can’t be reckless, no matter how skilled you are, you’re still flesh and blood. A knife can easily injure you, it’s very dangerous.”

    “He wouldn’t be able to touch me,” Zhuo Zhi said confidently, “Even if two of them attacked me at the same time, they wouldn’t be able to touch me.”

    Officer Zhao looked at Li Qinyue and said, “Your sister is very confident.”

    Li Qinyue shrugged, looking helpless.

    Officer Zhao suddenly zipped up his jacket and stretched his limbs, “Then come and spar with me, let me see your skills.”

    Li Qinyue’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly tried to stop him, “Officer Zhao, all kids think they’re invincible, she’ll learn that there’s always someone better someday. We’ve already troubled you enough tonight, we should be going now. You should go home and rest.”

    She glared at Zhuo Zhi, who finally came to her senses and rushed to Li Qinyue’s side, “Yes, we’ve troubled you enough tonight, Officer Zhao…”

    “Hey, it’s my job, don’t mention it,” Officer Zhao was excited. He had already taken a fighting stance, “Just think of it as relaxation, come on, Zhuo Zhi, spar with me.”

    He then winked at Li Qinyue, his meaning clear: Watch me teach this arrogant little girl a lesson.

    Li Qinyue’s lips twitched, she couldn’t force a smile.

    Zhuo Zhi tugged at her hand. Li Qinyue looked at her, her smile not reaching her eyes, “Then go and show him your skills.”

    Her voice was slow, laced with threat.

    Receiving the message, Zhuo Zhi quickly nodded. As she stood in front of Officer Zhao, her legs weren’t even steady.

    But she had overestimated Officer Zhao’s fighting skills. Although he was in his prime, Officer Zhao either hadn’t warmed up properly or hadn’t been training regularly. He didn’t even notice the deliberate openings Zhuo Zhi created. Their exchange felt weak and effortless, she couldn’t even pretend to be struggling.

    Zhuo Zhi didn’t know how to end this gracefully. She glanced at Li Qinyue.

    Li Qinyue was standing under a streetlight, the light shining directly on her, her face hidden in the shadows, her expression grim.

    Distracted, Zhuo Zhi instinctively blocked Officer Zhao’s punch. She realized what she had done when her foot had already moved to sweep his legs.

    She quickly pulled back her strength. Fortunately, Officer Zhao wasn’t knocked down, but her own balance was off, and she stumbled backwards.

    Officer Zhao might not be a skilled fighter, but he wasn’t blind.

    He shook his hand, surprised but not angry, chuckling, “Heh, the little calf was holding back on me.”

    Zhuo Zhi waved her hands frantically, “No, no, no…”

    “Don’t be modest,” Officer Zhao looked at Li Qinyue, intrigued, “Your sister has been training for years, what style is that? She was circling me, I didn’t even notice.”

    Li Qinyue thought to herself, I don’t know either.

    As if on cue, two people came out of the police station. Officer Zhao raised his hand, “Xiao Li, Xiao Du, come here!”

    The two young officers jogged over. Officer Zhao clapped his hands excitedly, “Zhuo Zhi, didn’t you just say you could take on two people? These are the new officers, they’re very skilled, unlike me, old and slow…”

    Zhuo Zhi was still waving her hands, her face panicked, “No, no, no, I can’t, I can’t, Officer Zhao…”

    “I think you can,” Officer Zhao pointed at her, “No holding back this time, let me see your true skills.”

    Xiao Li chuckled and bumped Officer Zhao’s arm, “Brother Zhao, what are you doing, making me bully a little girl?”

    “Who knows who’s bullying who,” Officer Zhao pushed him, “Both of you, attack her, spar with her.”

    Xiao Du gaped, “Both of us? Brother Zhao, that’s not fair, we’re at the entrance of the police station, what if someone sees us? It’ll be embarrassing.”

    Officer Zhao kicked him, “It’ll be embarrassing if you can’t even defeat her, take this seriously.”

    Zhuo Zhi was still waving her hands, but no one paid her any attention.

    She looked at Li Qinyue pleadingly. Li Qinyue, her lips twitching, stepped back, leaned against a tree, took out a cigarette, lit it, and put it in her mouth.

    She looked like a detached observer, enjoying the show.

    At this moment, Zhuo Zhi finally snapped out of her heroic excitement. She pouted, feeling wronged.

    Sister, I was wrong.

    She sent Li Qinyue an apologetic look.

    Heh.

    Li Qinyue took a drag of her cigarette, a cold smile on her face.

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 59

    Chapter 59

    After Li Qinyue said that, the air turned awkward.

    Zhuo Zhi shifted her weight from one foot to the other, attempting a clumsy subject change, “Sister, look, they’re dancing.”

    Li Qinyue followed her gaze, seeing a group of children awkwardly practicing dance moves in a studio.

    Li Qinyue: “Hehe.”

    Zhuo Zhi rubbed her head, “You’re so skilled, Sister.”

    “Skilled at what? I don’t even…”

    “At makeup. I didn’t understand half of what you said.” Zhuo Zhi quickly interrupted her, “And I don’t think there’s much difference between those shades. You could tell which ones were suitable just by looking…”

    Li Qinyue’s lips twitched, “Should I have used my heart to judge?”

    “That’s not what I meant… I mean…” A light bulb went off in Zhuo Zhi’s head, “You could be a makeup artist, Sister! You’re even better than that sales assistant. Working in a department store, you’d be indoors, you could wear nice clothes, and you would get employee discounts on makeup, right?”

    Li Qinyue was speechless. After a while, she pointed at herself, “Me… become a makeup artist?”

    “Ah,” Zhuo Zhi stammered, “I don’t know how much they earn…”

    “I’m not saying being a makeup artist is bad,” Li Qinyue gestured around them, “Following your logic, I could earn even more as a teacher.”

    “You can be a teacher?!” Zhuo Zhi’s eyes widened.

    “Damn, am I that useless in your eyes?!” Li Qinyue was exasperated.

    “No, Sister,” Zhuo Zhi poked Li Qinyue’s cheek, “Teachers can’t swear.”

    Li Qinyue was distracted by her logic, “You’re right about that.”

    Zhuo Zhi said seriously, “Can you really be a teacher, Sister? Do you know how to dance?”

    “I learned ballet when I was a child.”

    “Wow!!!”

    “I quit because my feet hurt.”

    “Oh.”

    “I also learned painting.”

    “Wow!!!”

    “I gave up because I would get numb from sitting for so long.”

    “Oh.”

    “I can play the piano, the flute, sculpt, play chess…” Li Qinyue gestured around, “I can do a little bit of everything.”

    “Oh,” Zhuo Zhi had lost all hope.

    “And calligraphy,” Li Qinyue paused, “I can do that too.”

    “Oh,” Zhuo Zhi’s praise was halfhearted, “You’re so talented, Sister.”

    “You don’t believe me, do you?” Li Qinyue looked at her sideways, “You sound so unenthusiastic.”

    “I believe you,” Zhuo Zhi carefully chose her words, “But being a teacher is different from having a hobby. You need to be more knowledgeable and patient, otherwise you’d be misleading the students.”

    “Heh,” Li Qinyue grabbed Zhuo Zhi’s hand and led her towards a nearby music store.

    “What are we doing, Sister?” Zhuo Zhi was starting to fear Li Qinyue’s unpredictable whims.

    “Nothing, just showing you my skills, so you don’t think I’m useless,” Li Qinyue said, her chin held high.

    They entered the store. A sweet and gentle sales assistant greeted them. Li Qinyue spoke to her for a while. Zhuo Zhi couldn’t understand most of their conversation, but it sounded professional.

    The sales assistant led Li Qinyue to several pianos. Li Qinyue tested a few notes, then sat down at a beautiful grand piano, her posture confident and graceful.

    Zhuo Zhi stood there, mesmerized.

    The music flowed smoothly. It was a melody she had never heard before, unfamiliar yet captivating.

    Li Qinyue playing the piano was a sight straight out of a movie, too perfect to be real.

    But she was wearing Zhuo Zhi’s clothes, as if this scene somehow connected to her, this little fool from the mountains.

    And it was connected, wasn’t it?

    This person, this talented pianist, was her girlfriend. It felt surreal, like two completely different worlds merging. At first, it had felt so natural that she hadn’t even noticed. But now, realizing it, she was filled with a sense of wonder.

    This was possible, meeting someone like Li Qinyue, sharing such an intimate bond, experiencing such an exciting and novel life.

    Thinking about it, Zhuo Zhi couldn’t help but smile.

    Her lips curved upwards, her heart overflowing with happiness and pride.

    After Li Qinyue finished a short piece, Zhuo Zhi burst into applause.

    There were few people in the store, and her applause echoed loudly. The sales assistant looked over and smiled at her, making Zhuo Zhi blush and stop clapping.

    Li Qinyue was amused. She put her arm around Zhuo Zhi’s shoulder and continued talking about pianos with the sales assistant.

    Zhuo Zhi listened, her face red, wanting to ask the sales assistant, “Isn’t my girlfriend amazing? Isn’t she talented?”

    But Li Qinyue asked it for her, “I saw the job advertisement outside. What are the requirements for being a tutor?”

    “Just a basic certification. We’re currently recruiting private tutors for beginner children,” the sales assistant said, glancing at Li Qinyue again. “You would be overqualified for that position.”

    “Hmm,” Li Qinyue wasn’t being modest, “I’ll look around.”

    “Okay,” the sales assistant stepped aside.

    Li Qinyue walked around the store with Zhuo Zhi, explaining some basic knowledge about musical instruments, then they left.

    As soon as they were out of sight, Zhuo Zhi slapped Li Qinyue’s back and exclaimed in a low voice, “You’re amazing, Sister!!!”

    “That’s a normal reaction,” Li Qinyue said, her lips twitching. “I was trying to be modest, and you took it seriously, you really think I can’t even be a tutor?”

    “My fault, my fault! You looked so beautiful playing the piano, Sister! I was just stunned, otherwise I would have filmed you.”

    “How embarrassing,” Li Qinyue chuckled, ruffling her hair.

    “So, Sister…” Zhuo Zhi hesitated. “Do you want to try being a teacher? It’s a great job, I saw their small group classes, only two hours a day…”

    “Didn’t she just say I’m overqualified for that kind of class?” Li Qinyue said.

    “But we don’t mind! You can teach one class if you want, or two if you want to earn more…”

    “You’re truly a fool, honey,” Li Qinyue cupped Zhuo Zhi’s face and squeezed it. “You didn’t understand her implication.”

    “What implication?” Zhuo Zhi mumbled, her cheeks distorted.

    “When hiring for a position, employers want someone who will stay long-term. What kind of candidate is most likely to meet that requirement?” Li Qinyue looked at her sideways. “Someone who’s a perfect fit for the position, of course. Someone who’s not too skilled to leave at any moment, and not too unskilled to hinder the work. I’m not suitable for that position, she could tell at a glance.”

    Zhuo Zhi wanted to ask, Did she tell because you obviously lack the patience to teach children? But Li Qinyue was still squeezing her cheeks, making it difficult to speak, so she gave up.

    After Li Qinyue released her cheeks, Zhuo Zhi let out a long sigh.

    Li Qinyue asked with a smile, “Are you that worried about me finding a job?”

    Zhuo Zhi said honestly, “I just don’t think this is sustainable. I’m afraid you’ll go back to your old life soon, and then our relationship…”

    Li Qinyue covered her mouth, “Let me put it this way. Although I’ve never had to struggle, it doesn’t mean I can’t. I don’t do those jobs because there’s no need. Trust me, I would probably end up fighting with the parents, and that would be a lot of trouble. If you’re so worried about money, I have a solution.”

    “Hmm?” Zhuo Zhi’s eyes lit up.

    “How much money do you have? Keep some for living expenses and give me the rest,” Li Qinyue said, “I’ll return it to you doubled next month.”

    Zhuo Zhi’s eyes widened in disbelief.

    “I definitely won’t use my old money,” Li Qinyue said.

    Zhuo Zhi blurted out, “You sound like a scammer, Sister.”

    Li Qinyue slapped her forehead, both amused and exasperated. “With your courage, you want to make big money? Keep worrying then.”

    Zhuo Zhi chuckled and dragged Li Qinyue to a restaurant for dinner.

    For the rest of the afternoon, Zhuo Zhi wandered around the mall, “looking for business opportunities,” as she put it.

    She suggested many possibilities for Li Qinyue, who seemed capable of doing anything, but wasn’t willing to do anything.

    According to Li Qinyue, it was a personality flaw, and personality flaws were her biggest weaknesses.

    Zhuo Zhi pouted, feeling it was a shame.

    Following the same logic she had used to try to find a job for Li Qinyue, she started considering her own options.

    She didn’t understand most of the shops in the mall. There was a rock-climbing gym, and she decided to show off her skills.

    She had hoped to demonstrate her strength and ask if they were hiring, like Li Qinyue had done. But the manager, a young man, lectured her for a while.

    Something like, “I know you’re skilled, but those moves are against safety regulations, very dangerous. Don’t do that again.”

    Zhuo Zhi was scolded like a child. The manager’s earnest tone and patient demeanor clearly showed he had experience dealing with children.

    Li Qinyue stood at the side, watching and laughing, not attempting to help Zhuo Zhi, who had no choice but to listen to the lecture, then grabbed Li Qinyue and ran away.

    Li Qinyue laughed out loud.

    They spent a long time at the mall. As they walked out, Zhuo Zhi looked at the gray sky and let out a long sigh.

    “Okay, let’s go back,” Li Qinyue patted her back, taking out her phone to call a taxi.

    Zhuo Zhi stared at a security guard nearby. “If nothing else works out, I can be a security guard.”

    “Come on, what kind of security company would hire you? You look like someone who needs protection.”

    “I can show them my skills, I bet I can beat up their entire staff.”

    “Do you think security guards are hired to fight? How often are there real emergencies? Most of the time, it’s just about being a deterrent,” Li Qinyue patted her head reassuringly. “You’re more suited to be a personal bodyguard, for someone with special needs.”

    Zhuo Zhi’s eyes lit up.

    Li Qinyue chuckled, “But you can forget about that, you were my bodyguard, you’re mine now.”

    “Huh?” Zhuo Zhi didn’t understand her logic.

    “I won’t let anyone else have this opportunity…” Li Qinyue muttered, grinding her teeth.

    Seeing Li Qinyue’s current state, Zhuo Zhi stopped her from calling a taxi and led her to the bus stop instead.

    Li Qinyue couldn’t protest because, after opening the ride-hailing app, she remembered that she had no usable accounts.

    Riding the bus again with Zhuo Zhi after such a short time brought back many memories.

    The bus wasn’t overly crowded, but there weren’t many empty seats either.

    When they got on, there was one vacant seat. Zhuo Zhi insisted Li Qinyue take it. But halfway through the ride, a woman carrying a baby got on, and Li Qinyue gave up her seat.

    Zhuo Zhi praised her and stood beside her, holding onto a handrail. Simple pleasures.

    Li Qinyue wrinkled her nose at the smell coming from a nearby garbage bin, then smiled wryly.

    “Two more stops,” Zhuo Zhi said, gently holding onto Li Qinyue’s waist to steady her.

    “I’m young and strong,” Li Qinyue declared. “No need to be so careful.”

    “Hehe, I’m just worried about you,” Zhuo Zhi said, her head down.

    At that moment, the bus lurched, sending the passengers swaying. Zhuo Zhi, instinctively protective, wrapped her arms around Li Qinyue’s waist.

    Li Qinyue smiled but didn’t say anything.

    The bus continued on its bumpy journey, stopping at the next station.

    Quite a few people got off here, crowding the exit.

    Just as the rush subsided, a girl at the front of the bus suddenly yelled, “My phone!”

    The crowd surged. The hand on Li Qinyue’s waist disappeared.

    Just before the doors closed, Zhuo Zhi squeezed through the crowd, grabbed a man, and in a few quick moves, had him pinned to the ground.

    Something flashed in the man’s hand. Li Qinyue’s heart leapt into her throat, but before she could panic, she saw Zhuo Zhi expertly kick the knife out of his hand.

    Screams erupted inside the bus, and a crowd gathered outside.

    For a moment, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. People shouted for the driver to stop, to call the police, to help.

    The bus stopped, and several passengers rushed out, brushing past Li Qinyue.

    Li Qinyue clutched her chest, overwhelmed by the situation.

    Was it their destiny to be heroes every time they took the bus? With Zhuo Zhi’s personality, would they be involved in every incident?

    Li Qinyue got off the bus, pushed her way through the crowd, and looked Zhuo Zhi up and down, “Are you okay?”

    Zhuo Zhi shook her head, “I’m fine.”

    The girl who had lost her phone also pushed through the crowd, saying repeatedly, “Thank you, thank you, where’s my phone…”

    Zhuo Zhi pressed the man down, immobilizing him, “Take out the phone.”

    The man shouted, “I didn’t steal it!”

    “Why did you run if you didn’t steal it?” Someone in the crowd yelled.

    “I was getting off the bus, why would I run? Search me! Search me!” The man struggled desperately.

    Li Qinyue said to the girl, “He must have an accomplice, call the police.”

    The girl was stunned, “I don’t have my phone, I can’t call.”

    Someone else in the crowd shouted, “I’ll call, I’ll call, the police are on their way!”

    “I’m not afraid of the police! I didn’t steal anything!” The man sounded confident.

    Li Qinyue kicked the knife aside, “Carrying a weapon is illegal too.”

    Then, feeling a little unsure, she looked at Zhuo Zhi, “Right?”

    Zhuo Zhi, who had memorized all the relevant laws, said, “Yes, endangering public safety, serious offenses are punishable by up to three years in prison, detention, or control.”

    Li Qinyue smiled. The fool wasn’t that foolish after all, she knew to make the situation sound serious.

    The man started yelling and struggling, but Zhuo Zhi held him down firmly, eliciting gasps from the onlookers.

    Li Qinyue said to a few middle-aged men nearby, “Sir, she’s just a small girl, can you help her out? She might not be able to hold him down much longer.”

    The men readily agreed. Someone offered his belt, and they all gathered around the man, tying him up.

    Whenever something like this happened, ordinary people loved taking pictures and videos. Li Qinyue pulled Zhuo Zhi aside. The girl who had lost her phone came over and asked, “Did you see him steal my phone?”

    Zhuo Zhi said, “I saw him panic when you shouted that you had lost your phone.”

    The girl frowned, “But what if he didn’t steal it…”

    Li Qinyue said, “He’ll still be in trouble, didn’t you hear what we just said?”

    “Maybe…” the girl looked down, fiddling with her fingers, “Let’s just forget it, it’s just a phone, it’s not expensive, I’m afraid of provoking this kind of person…”

    “It’s too late for that,” Li Qinyue grabbed the girl’s arm, “My girlfriend will have to go to the police station as a witness, you, as the victim, need to at least give a statement.”

    The girl struggled, “I don’t want to get involved, I don’t want the phone anymore…”

    “No,” Li Qinyue interrupted her, her eyes cold, “Don’t be ridiculous, she helped you, don’t be ungrateful.”

    The girl couldn’t break free and remained silent.

    Zhuo Zhi wanted to ease the tension. Just as she uttered a word, Li Qinyue cut her off.

    “You, shut up,” she said.

    Zhuo Zhi was confused.

    Li Qinyue sighed and said to her, “According to our agreement, I have no money or connections now. What happens to others will also happen to you. Doing good deeds comes at a price.”

    Zhuo Zhi nodded, “I’m not afraid.”

    Li Qinyue smiled, “I know you’re not, little spider.”

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 58

    Chapter 58

    Li Qinyue had a very pleasant night. When Zhuo Zhi woke her up early the next morning, she was surprised to find she wasn’t grumpy.

    Zhuo Zhi was leaning over the bed, looking at her with a sweet smile, “Breakfast is ready, Sister.”

    Li Qinyue rubbed her eyes, also smiling, “Didn’t you go for your run today?”

    “I woke up late,” Zhuo Zhi placed the clothes she had chosen for Li Qinyue on the bedside table. “Don’t come out in your nightgown, the heating isn’t on high outside.”

    “Okay,” Li Qinyue covered her eyes with her hand, “Go out, I’m going to sleep a little longer.”

    “You can’t sleep anymore,” Zhuo Zhi tugged at her arm, “The food will get cold.”

    “Hey, hey, hey… that hurts, stop pulling!” Li Qinyue shouted.

    Zhuo Zhi’s hand stopped, “I didn’t use any force.”

    “You did last night,” Li Qinyue said with a smile, her eyes still closed.

    “Didn’t you say the pressure was light?” Zhuo Zhi stood up.

    Li Qinyue looked up at her, “It felt light then, but it feels heavy now, so what?”

    “Nothing, massages need to be firm to be effective,” Zhuo Zhi turned and left the room.

    Li Qinyue lay in bed, chuckling to herself. Although they had stayed up late last night, she felt energized. She got out of bed without any further delay.

    She changed her clothes, put on her slippers, and went to wash up. She hadn’t brought her toiletries, so she used Zhuo Zhi’s baby-themed set, which was sitting on the sink.

    The set was quite complete: facial cleanser, moisturizer, hand cream, all smelling milky and sweet.

    It was the scent of Zhuo Zhi when she had snuggled in her arms last night.

    When Li Qinyue came out of the bathroom, Zhuo Zhi was still busy in the kitchen.

    Li Qinyue walked over and, seeing that Zhuo Zhi had only just started preparing the ingredients, said, “Look at you, learning to lie now.”

    Zhuo Zhi didn’t turn around, “Don’t you usually take a while to get out of bed? You’re quick today.”

    Li Qinyue suddenly hugged her from behind, “Today is different from usual.”

    “Be careful, Sister!” Zhuo Zhi took a big step back, “I’m about to pour hot oil!”

    “Go ahead, I’m not stopping you.”

    “How can I pour it with you holding me?! It’ll hurt if it spills on your hand!”

    “Oh, is that all you’ve got?” Li Qinyue didn’t let go, “I don’t care, I haven’t had enough hugs yet.”

    Zhuo Zhi looked at the chopped vegetables on the counter and mumbled, “You haven’t had enough after hugging me all night…”

    “Of course not,” Li Qinyue immediately replied, her chin resting on Zhuo Zhi’s shoulder, “If I had enough after just one night, that would be a cheap girlfriend, wouldn’t it?”

    “Are girlfriends meant to be used?”

    “Of course,” Li Qinyue said with a smile, “You were quite useful last night.”

    Zhuo Zhi remained silent. Li Qinyue nuzzled her shoulder, “Don’t you want to ask for feedback?”

    “You said it was good,” Zhuo Zhi’s voice was very low.

    “Let me tell you how good it was,” Li Qinyue got excited, “First of all, your massage technique is amazing. I didn’t even realize my legs and feet were sore, but after your massage, my body feels like an old machine that’s been dormant for twenty years and has finally been restarted…”

    Her analogy made Zhuo Zhi chuckle.

    Seeing her laugh, Li Qinyue continued, her voice laced with amusement, “Secondly, your hands are so warm. Putting them on my back is like cupping therapy. All the chills I accumulated this winter have been expelled by your massage…”

    Zhuo Zhi giggled.

    “Lastly…” Li Qinyue paused, her lips brushing against Zhuo Zhi’s neck, “You’re my girlfriend after all, every touch sends shivers down my spine. Just a massage was enough to tire me out. You’re so powerful, how am I going to handle you in the future?”

    Zhuo Zhi’s laughter died down, her face turning the familiar shade of crimson.

    Li Qinyue couldn’t resist leaning in to kiss her cheek again, asking, “Can you smell it?”

    “Smell what?” Zhuo Zhi asked mechanically.

    “My scent,” Li Qinyue said, “It’s the same as yours.”

    Breakfast was a struggle, just like the massage last night had been a struggle.

    Whenever Li Qinyue decided to tease Zhuo Zhi, Zhuo Zhi felt like she was being attacked from all sides. Just when she thought she had become more mature and capable, she was quickly reduced to a flustered mess.

    Li Qinyue was a demoness, the kind who had been practicing her seduction techniques for centuries. As Zhuo Zhi ate, she thought to herself, I can’t rush this, there’s plenty of time.

    After breakfast, Zhuo Zhi cleaned up and got ready to go out. Li Qinyue watched her choose her clothes and asked, “Where are you going?”

    “To buy you a phone,” Zhuo Zhi said, “And to look for a job.”

    “It’s so cold outside,” Li Qinyue said, “No rush, we can do it later.”

    “It’s not urgent, we can take our time,” Zhuo Zhi took a long down jacket from the closet and handed it to Li Qinyue, “Sister, wear this.”

    “I have clothes…”

    “The ones you have here are too thin, it’s below zero today, dress warmly.”

    “This jacket…” Li Qinyue paused, swallowing her words of disapproval.

    Zhuo Zhi pouted, “You wore my clothes last night too.”

    Li Qinyue held the down jacket and laughed for a while, “Fine, I’ll wear it.”

    Since she was wearing Zhuo Zhi’s childish clothes, Li Qinyue didn’t bother with makeup.

    Besides, her only makeup now was a tube of lipstick and a powder compact in her bag. She was truly broke.

    They left the apartment. Zhuo Zhi didn’t insist on taking the bus. Their goal was clear: to buy a new phone first.

    If it had been the old Li Qinyue, she would have just had the latest model of her favorite brand delivered to her doorstep.

    Now, wearing Zhuo Zhi’s clothes and spending Zhuo Zhi’s money, she could only browse and consider the “cost-effectiveness” of the phones.

    Zhuo Zhi, on the other hand, was happy to spend money on Li Qinyue. In the end, when choosing between two models, she chose the more expensive one.

    Leaving the phone store, Zhuo Zhi was excited. She immediately wanted Li Qinyue to insert her SIM card and try out the new phone.

    Li Qinyue said, “I didn’t bring my SIM card.”

    Zhuo Zhi looked at her bag, “You actually took it out, Sister?”

    Li Qinyue switched her bag to her other hand, “Of course, I’m a meticulous person.”

    Zhuo Zhi pouted.

    Li Qinyue pointed ahead, “There’s a mobile service store over there, let’s get a new SIM card.”

    “Don’t you already have one?”

    Li Qinyue pulled her towards the store, “New life, new phone number.”

    Zhuo Zhi had no choice but to get a new SIM card for Li Qinyue, who didn’t waste any time setting up her phone and then called Zhuo Zhi.

    “Change my old number,” Li Qinyue said.

    “I have it saved,” Zhuo Zhi said.

    “Delete the old me, embrace the new me. The old me wasn’t your girlfriend, the new me is.”

    “It’s useless even if you delete it,” Zhuo Zhi could guess what Li Qinyue was thinking, “I already memorized your number.”

    “Tsk,” Li Qinyue hung up, “You fool.”

    Zhuo Zhi linked arms with her, “You should consider my current status before calling me names.”

    “Tsk,” Li Qinyue played along, “CEO Zhuo.”

    “Yes!” Zhuo Zhi answered proudly.

    “CEO Zhuo, I like that lipstick,” Li Qinyue tilted her chin, pointing randomly.

    “Let’s buy it,” Zhuo Zhi said without hesitation.

    “You’re so generous, CEO Zhuo,” Li Qinyue teased her, “Is your meager salary enough for me to splurge? I might buy a whole set, you know.”

    “How much is it?” Zhuo Zhi whispered.

    Li Qinyue burst out laughing and patted her head, “If you run out of money, I’ll take you as payment.”

    Zhuo Zhi chuckled, “You love teasing me.”

    But her eyes were still drawn to the cosmetics counter.

    There was a girl trying on lipstick, showing each shade to her boyfriend, who clearly didn’t understand the difference, but was still trying his best to offer his opinion.

    Zhuo Zhi found it sweet.

    “Sister,” she tugged at Li Qinyue’s hand, “Let’s just buy one.”

    “Hmm?” Li Qinyue followed her gaze, “I don’t need it, I already have one.”

    “Those are just leftovers from your old life,” Zhuo Zhi said, “You should have a new one.”

    “I don’t like that brand,” Li Qinyue said.

    Zhuo Zhi was stunned.

    “Have you ever seen me use that brand?” Li Qinyue asked, looking at her sideways.

    Zhuo Zhi was even more stunned. She had never paid attention to these things, “Isn’t it… a decent brand? It looks quite… expensive.”

    “Not expensive enough,” Li Qinyue pulled her into a hug, “You have to understand, it’s easy to go from frugal to extravagant, but hard to go from extravagant to frugal. I’m used to more expensive brands, I can’t lower my standards now. Since I can’t afford my usual brand, I won’t use any. Don’t I look good without makeup?”

    “You do,” Zhuo Zhi quickly said, “Very beautiful.”

    “Then that’s settled,” Li Qinyue led her away, “Let’s go look at something else.”

    Zhuo Zhi looked back. The girl was still trying on lipstick. Zhuo Zhi suddenly felt a pang of sadness.

    What Li Qinyue had said was true, but she was also trying to save Zhuo Zhi’s money, wasn’t she?

    Li Qinyue had never been frugal when they went out together before. Now that their roles were reversed, Zhuo Zhi couldn’t satisfy Li Qinyue’s needs.

    This made Zhuo Zhi feel uncomfortable, and she suddenly understood what it meant to “build a family and establish a career”.

    Having someone to love, protect, and be responsible for, she wanted to provide them with a stable, carefree, and happy life.

    Li Qinyue dragged Zhuo Zhi to the escalator. Zhuo Zhi looked back again.

    Li Qinyue let go of her hand, sighed, and said, “Fine.”

    Zhuo Zhi was stunned, “What?”

    Li Qinyue pulled her hand and walked back towards the cosmetics counter, her long strides making them move like the wind.

    The sales assistant greeted them, but Li Qinyue ignored her and said to the girl who was still trying on lipstick, “That shade you’re wearing, it’s death Barbie pink. Even I can’t pull it off, are you serious?”

    The girl looked up at Li Qinyue, stunned, and put down the lipstick.

    Li Qinyue pointed at the color chart, “You have a yellow undertone, your lips are pigmented, and it’s winter. This one, this one, and this one will work. This one would look best with your coat today.”

    The girl gasped softly.

    Li Qinyue glanced at her and added, “And don’t use shimmery eyeshadow if you have puffy eyelids, it makes you look like you’ve been beaten up.”

    The girl’s face flushed crimson.

    Li Qinyue pulled Zhuo Zhi back, “And lastly, you’ve only tried on a few shades, and your lips are already chapped. Do you really want to buy lipstick with your lips in this condition?”

    This time, without waiting for anyone to react, she pulled Zhuo Zhi away.

    They left as quickly as they had arrived.

    Fortunately, they managed to squeeze into an elevator just as the doors opened. Once inside, Li Qinyue couldn’t help but laugh.

    There were many people in the elevator, so Zhuo Zhi didn’t ask, just watched her laugh.

    They didn’t get off at any floor. When they reached the top floor, they finally stepped out.

    Zhuo Zhi looked around. This floor was occupied by tutoring centers, with the least amount of foot traffic. There was nothing they needed here.

    She looked at Li Qinyue, “Are you running away, Sister?”

    “Huh?” Li Qinyue was still laughing, her eyes crinkled, “I didn’t steal anything, why would I run?”

    “You ruined that girl’s mood and the sales assistant’s business, you’re afraid they’ll beat you up, aren’t you?”

    “They wouldn’t dare,” Li Qinyue patted Zhuo Zhi’s head, “I have you, who would dare to hit me?”

    “But you can’t just go around provoking people…” Zhuo Zhi stopped mid-sentence.

    Li Qinyue pinched her cheek, “Look at you, so bold now, saying whatever you want.”

    “Hehe,” Zhuo Zhi chuckled ingratiatingly.

    “Why would I go around provoking people? Can’t you use your brain?”

    “Her boyfriend was buying her lipstick, but I didn’t buy you one…” Zhuo Zhi’s smile vanished, and she looked a little sad, “So you were jealous…”

    “Damn…” Li Qinyue was dumbfounded by her logic. She pointed at herself, “I’m jealous of her? Huh? Am I not as pretty as her? Is my girlfriend not as handsome as her boyfriend? Or maybe she’s just richer than me.”

    “Then what’s wrong?” Zhuo Zhi tugged at her sleeve.

    “You kept staring at her! I was jealous, okay?!”

    “No, I wasn’t, I didn’t…” Zhuo Zhi quickly denied, “I swear, I was just thinking that her boyfriend could buy her lipstick, but I couldn’t, so I… I was jealous…”

    “Damn…” Li Qinyue cursed, then burst out laughing, “You’re projecting your own foolishness onto me.”

    “Oh,” Zhuo Zhi lowered her head.

    Seeing her like this, Li Qinyue’s heart softened. She patted Zhuo Zhi’s head, “I wasn’t just jealous about that. You looked so envious, it annoyed me. I don’t think we’re any worse than them.”

    “Yeah,” Zhuo Zhi nodded.

    Li Qinyue paused for a moment, her voice lowering, “No, they do have something we envy.”

    “What?” Zhuo Zhi immediately looked up, her competitive spirit ignited.

    Li Qinyue said wistfully, “They definitely have a sex life.”

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 57

    Chapter 57

    Zhuo Zhi counted. Li Qinyue had kissed her three times already.

    But she still hadn’t had enough.

    It was halftime. Li Qinyue had her arm around Zhuo Zhi, her hands clasped together. The pressure wasn’t strong, but the point of contact was making Zhuo Zhi blush.

    Zhuo Zhi’s position, half lying in Li Qinyue’s embrace, felt awkward. She tried to adjust, but the moment she moved, Li Qinyue’s arm tightened, pressing closer, their bodies molding together.

    “Don’t move,” Li Qinyue said lazily, leaning back on the sofa, “I’m like the Immortal-Binding Rope in Journey to the West, the more you struggle, the tighter it gets.”

    Zhuo Zhi said, “I’m not running away, I just want to change positions.”

    Li Qinyue’s interest was piqued. She leaned closer to Zhuo Zhi’s ear and asked, “What position do you like?”

    Zhuo Zhi said, “A normal one.”

    “You’re so boring,” Li Qinyue loosened her grip, “Show me what you consider a ‘normal’ position.”

    Zhuo Zhi quickly jumped off the sofa, putting some distance between them.

    Li Qinyue looked at her. Zhuo Zhi chuckled, “Time to get down to business.”

    “Isn’t this what I’m doing?” Li Qinyue asked.

    “I need to clean up the kitchen so we’ll have breakfast tomorrow morning,” Zhuo Zhi said.

    “I’m asking you again,” Li Qinyue propped her arm on the sofa, “Isn’t this what I’m doing? Didn’t we agree that you’ll kiss me every time I swear? What, changing your mind on the first day of being my real girlfriend?”

    There were so many things wrong with her words that Zhuo Zhi didn’t know where to start.

    She couldn’t quite read Li Qinyue’s mood. She didn’t seem to be smiling or angry, but who knew what this capricious girl would do next?

    To avoid angering her, Zhuo Zhi decided to answer her questions one by one, “Food is the most important thing.”

    “Sex is just as important.”

    “It’s not ‘kiss me every time I swear’, it’s ‘kiss me if you don’t want me to swear’.”

    “So you’re saying I can swear freely now?”

    “This isn’t changing my mind, we already kissed, and for a long time.”

    “Only three times,” Li Qinyue said, “Just enough to offset the curses I uttered during dinner. Did you count how many times I cursed when we were downstairs?”

    Zhuo Zhi couldn’t help but laugh at her shameless logic.

    “Aren’t your lips tired?” she asked with a smile, “I kissed you so much they’re probably numb.”

    Li Qinyue also smiled, “Come here, let me see.”

    “No.”

    “You’re learning to lie now, I bet you’ll lie to me more in the future.”

    “I only tell harmless little lies when necessary,” Zhuo Zhi waved her hand, “I’m going to clean the kitchen now.”

    Li Qinyue didn’t stop her, watching from the sofa as she entered the kitchen.

    “Leave the door open,” Li Qinyue said.

    “Are you scared being alone in the living room?” Zhuo Zhi asked with a chuckle from the kitchen.

    “I just miss you, I want to see you all the time.”

    There was a clattering sound from the kitchen, then Zhuo Zhi’s voice, soft and teasing, “You can’t see much even with the door open.”

    “I’ll take whatever I can get,” Li Qinyue said.

    After a while, she added, “Why didn’t you say ‘I want to see you so much I’ll wash the dishes in the kitchen’?”

    Zhuo Zhi said, “I was just saying that, I didn’t really mean it. There’s no dishwasher here, it’s too troublesome.”

    “You don’t want me to work?”

    “It’s mainly because if you’re in the kitchen, I won’t be able to work.”

    “Your mind is quite open, do you think I’ll do something in the kitchen?”

    “No, I think you’ll be in the way.”

    “You’re getting bold.”

    “You’re not even angry, hehe.”

    They chatted like this. By the time Zhuo Zhi finished cleaning the kitchen, Li Qinyue was still on the sofa, hadn’t moved an inch.

    Zhuo Zhi walked over and asked, “Are you bored without your phone, Sister?”

    “I’m not bored with you here,” Li Qinyue squeezed her hand, her brow furrowing, “Why are your hands so cold?”

    “I just washed them.”

    “You used cold water in this weather?” Li Qinyue sat up straight, “Is there no hot water? Is the water heater broken, or are you saving electricity?!”

    “No, no, no, I used hot water. It’s just that they’ve been exposed to the air for a while, they’ll warm up if I rub them.” Zhuo Zhi rubbed her hands together vigorously, “Feel them now.”

    Li Qinyue took her hands and held them for a while, they were warm again.

    Zhuo Zhi let her play with her hands, “I wouldn’t save money on electricity, Master taught me that we can conserve resources, but not at the expense of our quality of life.”

    “Your master is right,” Li Qinyue said again, “Don’t worry about money.”

    Zhuo Zhi chuckled, “My master is amazing, she always says wise things.”

    “Except for one thing that was completely unreasonable,” Li Qinyue looked at her.

    Zhuo Zhi knew what she was referring to and chuckled.

    Li Qinyue, after warming up Zhuo Zhi’s hands, felt satisfied yet not fully satisfied.

    After all, it was their first day as a real couple, it felt a bit too ordinary to just let it end like this.

    Although for most people, breaking up with their family, moving to a working-class neighborhood, giving up their phone, confessing their feelings and being accepted, going downstairs with a cleaver to resolve a domestic dispute, and kissing their girlfriend until her lips were swollen… All of that was far from ordinary.

    But for Li Qinyue, it wasn’t exciting enough.

    She stared at Zhuo Zhi until the smile on Zhuo Zhi’s face faded, then said, “I’m tired, I want to sleep.”

    “Okay, okay, it’s getting late,” Zhuo Zhi glanced at the bedroom, “The bedding was clean last time…”

    “It’s still clean,” Li Qinyue said, “I have someone come and clean and air the bedding regularly.”

    “Okay, okay, that’s why we could move in so quickly. You’re so well-prepared, Sister,” Zhuo Zhi flattered her, “Then I’ll go make your bed.”

    “My bed?” Li Qinyue raised an eyebrow.

    “That room,” Zhuo Zhi pointed at the guest bedroom.

    “Yes, that room, I used to sleep there when I was a child,” Li Qinyue said, “But it’s not my bed now, it’s our bed.”

    “But there’s also…” Zhuo Zhi pointed at the other bedroom.

    “That’s my parents’ master bedroom, I can’t let you sleep there, can I?”

    Zhuo Zhi’s lips moved, but she didn’t speak.

    “Okay, stop being dramatic,” Li Qinyue patted her back and walked towards the bedroom, “It’s not like we haven’t slept together before.”

    Zhuo Zhi watched her figure disappear into the bedroom, her mind a jumbled mess.

    They had slept together before, but nothing had happened then, and she had still suffered from insomnia. Now, with Li Qinyue having a legitimate reason, would she, Zhuo Zhi, get any sleep?

    She stood there for a while, lost in thought, until she felt thirsty.

    Her throat was dry, her lips dry. Zhuo Zhi licked her lips and went to pour herself a glass of water, which helped her calm down a little.

    Li Qinyue’s voice came from the bedroom, “If you don’t come soon, I’ll have to sleep on the floor.”

    Zhuo Zhi hurried over, “I’m coming, Sister…”

    Li Qinyue was standing next to the already made bed, the sheets fluffy and soft, “What are you doing?”

    “Didn’t you say you couldn’t make…”

    “Can you listen properly? Am I an idiot? Can’t I even make a bed?”

    “Ah…”

    “Ah what? Apologize for your rudeness.”

    “I’m sorry.”

    “Show me some action.”

    “I’ll give you a massage, Sister.”

    “Hey! That’s a good idea!” Li Qinyue suddenly became excited, “I almost forgot about that. Wait for me, I’m going to take a shower, I’ll be quick, ten minutes, no, five minutes…”

    “Don’t rush, Sister…”

    “Want to join me?” Li Qinyue shouted from the bathroom.

    “No, no,” Zhuo Zhi quickly waved her hands, then realized that Li Qinyue couldn’t see her. She lowered her hands and rubbed them together, feeling a little awkward.

    For the rest of the time, Zhuo Zhi stood in the middle of the room, listening to the faint sound of running water from the bathroom. The awkwardness gradually intensified, making her face flush and her heart race.

    She reflected on her own feelings and realized that it was because she knew that the upcoming massage wouldn’t be just a massage.

    What was even more troubling was that even though she knew that, she didn’t want to back out, she didn’t want to escape. In fact, she was… looking forward to it…

    Then, Li Qinyue shouted from the bathroom, “Honey, can you get me your pajamas?”

    Zhuo Zhi realized that she wasn’t just looking forward to it, she was… very much looking forward to it…

    Li Qinyue had brought almost nothing with her when she moved.

    Because she would occasionally stay here, there were some of her clothes in the house. But today, Li Qinyue had a good reason not to wear her own clothes, she wanted to wear Zhuo Zhi’s.

    Zhuo Zhi wasn’t as tall as Li Qinyue and felt that she was slightly chubbier, but Li Qinyue had a model’s figure, even though she was thin, her frame was larger. If Zhuo Zhi gave her her autumn/winter pajamas, they would be too short.

    So, after some thought, she turned up the heating in the bedroom and brought her a summer nightgown.

    The nightgowns her master had bought for her always had cute patterns.

    Zhuo Zhi had never seen Li Qinyue in this kind of clothing. Especially now, with her wet hair and fresh, clean face, her skin glowing with a natural blush, wearing a light green nightgown with small floral lace, she looked as innocent as a schoolgirl.

    Zhuo Zhi’s heart skipped a beat. She clenched her fists, her voice a little shaky, “You, you‘re done?”

    “Yep,” Li Qinyue walked over to the bed, threw herself onto it, and rolled over onto her stomach. “Come on.”

    Zhuo Zhi’s throat felt dry again, “I haven’t washed up yet…”

    “I don’t mind. But if you want to wash up, hurry up,” Li Qinyue’s voice was languid, her eyes almost closed.

    “I’ll be quick,” Zhuo Zhi said, rushing to the bathroom.

    She washed up, dried herself, and returned to the bedroom in record time.

    Li Qinyue was still in the same position, her side facing Zhuo Zhi, seemingly asleep.

    Zhuo Zhi closed the bedroom door and quietly walked to her side, calling her softly, “Li Qinyue…”

    “Hmm…” Li Qinyue mumbled in response.

    “Still want a massage?” Zhuo Zhi looked at her long eyelashes.

    “Hmm…” Li Qinyue moved her legs slightly.

    Zhuo Zhi got onto the bed and knelt beside Li Qinyue’s legs, rubbing her hands together.

    There was no need to warm them up, her hands were much warmer than Li Qinyue’s body temperature, almost burning hot.

    As her fingertips touched Li Qinyue’s cool skin, Li Qinyue hummed.

    Zhuo Zhi paused. Li Qinyue moved her legs again.

    Zhuo Zhi gently kneaded her legs, and Li Qinyue hummed again.

    “Is it too strong?” Zhuo Zhi asked.

    “Hmm~~”

    The tone suggested it was.

    Zhuo Zhi continued massaging. Li Qinyue hummed and whimpered, like a newborn puppy seeking milk.

    Zhuo Zhi found her adorable, vulnerable, and felt a surge of protectiveness, wanting to pamper and care for her. But there was also a strange allure about her that drew Zhuo Zhi’s hand upwards as she massaged her smooth legs.

    Not daring to touch her pert buttocks, Zhuo Zhi gently chopped at her thighs a few times before moving up to her waist.

    She had only kneaded a few times when Li Qinyue hummed, clearly dissatisfied.

    Zhuo Zhi quickly stopped and asked, “Does it hurt? Is it uncomfortable? Or is it ticklish?”

    Li Qinyue mumbled, “Clothes.”

    Zhuo Zhi adjusted her clothes.

    Li Qinyue raised her hand and rubbed her back impatiently.

    “What’s wrong?” Zhuo Zhi leaned closer, carefully observing her expression, “Is your back uncomfortable?”

    “The clothes!” Li Qinyue swatted her hand away, frowning, her voice both irritable and whiny, “It’s not comfortable through the clothes!”

    Zhuo Zhi froze, looking at Li Qinyue, her heart pounding.

    It was a dress.

    A dress that ended above her knees.

    If she wanted to massage Li Qinyue’s back properly, she would have to… pull it up.

    Zhuo Zhi swallowed, remembering a certain sensation from their earlier encounter.

    Her mind was flooded with chaotic thoughts.

    The air conditioning was too high.

    She seemed to have become a chaotic person herself.

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 56

    Chapter 56

    When Li Qinyue rushed downstairs, Zhuo Zhi was knocking on the door.

    The shouting from inside had stopped, but Zhuo Zhi wasn’t going to let it go.

    She knocked politely, at a steady rhythm, three knocks, then called out, “Is anyone home?”

    Li Qinyue stood behind her, cleaver in hand, and said, “Don’t you know if anyone’s home? If no one answers, it’s probably because they’ve killed each other.”

    Zhuo Zhi turned around, looking at her helplessly, “Don’t be so morbid, Sister.”

    “Morbid, hehe.” Li Qinyue let out two creepy chuckles, pushing Zhuo Zhi aside, “Move.”

    Zhuo Zhi took a step back, her eyes widening as she saw the cleaver in Li Qinyue’s hand, “What are you doing with that, Sister?”

    “You’ll see,” Li Qinyue pounded on the door, “Open up, community welfare delivery!”

    Zhuo Zhi grabbed her wrist, “Don’t be impulsive.”

    “Do I look impulsive?” She whispered to Zhuo Zhi, then turned back to pound on the door again, shouting, “Hurry up! Even if you don’t want it, you still have to sign for it! It’s frostbite cream, hand lotion, cold medicine! And a bag of frozen dumplings!”

    The door creaked open.

    Zhuo Zhi froze.

    The moment the door opened a crack, Li Qinyue wedged her foot in, pushed with her shoulder, and squeezed inside.

    “Who are you?” a man’s voice asked.

    “I said it’s community welfare delivery, are you deaf?” Li Qinyue held the door open for Zhuo Zhi to enter.

    The man looked them up and down. Zhuo Zhi moved to block the cleaver in Li Qinyue’s hand.

    The man frowned, “I’ve never seen you two before.”

    Li Qinyue smiled, “Now you have.”

    “Where are the things?” the man looked around.

    Zhuo Zhi said, “Only women can receive the welfare package.”

    “But if there’s no woman in my house…”

    Li Qinyue interrupted him, “It’s from the Women’s Federation. If you think you’re a woman, you can have it.”

    “Watch your mouth,” the man glared at her.

    “Don’t waste my time,” Li Qinyue was even more aggressive, “Go get your wife! She’s been screaming all day, it’s annoying! Do you have nothing better to do? Do you want me to give you an enema?!”

    The man, caught off guard, was speechless.

    Zhuo Zhi ignored him and walked inside, “Where are you? Did he hit you?”

    The man finally reacted, reaching out to grab Zhuo Zhi’s clothes, “Who are you?! Mind your own business!”

    Zhuo Zhi was about to shake him off when she heard a cold voice behind her, “Let go.”

    She turned around.

    The cleaver in Li Qinyue’s hand, with its rusty blade, looked blunt, but it was intimidating.

    The man froze, his grip on Zhuo Zhi’s clothes loosening, his eyes fixed on the cleaver, “Who are you? Don’t do anything rash.”

    “I’m feeling very rash right now,” Li Qinyue tilted her head. This action, commonly seen in movies as a threat before a fight, looked rather cute when Li Qinyue did it.

    Of course, it only looked cute from Zhuo Zhi’s perspective. To the man staring at the blade, it was terrifying.

    “What do you want?!” The man’s voice cracked, “I’m poor, I have nothing!”

    “We’re not robbing you,” Zhuo Zhi quickly explained.

    “We’re here to kill,” Li Qinyue said immediately.

    Zhuo Zhi’s eyes widened.

    Li Qinyue’s voice was cold and menacing, but she kept it low, “If you make another sound, I’ll chop you up and feed you to the dogs…”

    Zhuo Zhi thought Li Qinyue could be an actress.

    Whether or not the man believed her, he was too scared to move. If she kept this up for another half a minute, he might even start trembling.

    Zhuo Zhi ignored him and scanned the apartment, finding a terrified woman in the bathroom.

    “Are you okay?” Zhuo Zhi asked gently.

    The woman’s voice was shrill, “Who are you?! What do you want?!”

    “Don’t be afraid,” Zhuo Zhi said quickly, “I’m your neighbor upstairs, I heard you screaming, so I came to check. Is that man outside your husband? Did he hit you?”

    The woman rubbed her hands, “No.”

    “He didn’t?” Zhuo Zhi took two steps closer, “Don’t be afraid, if he hit you, we can call the police.”

    “No, no, no, no, no…” The moment she heard the word “police”, the woman started shouting, “He’s my husband, he’s my husband!”

    “Earlier…”

    “We were just arguing, arguing.”

    “Are you okay?” Zhuo Zhi looked her over carefully. Her hair was a little messy, her clothes wrinkled, but her exposed skin was indeed unharmed.

    “I’m fine, I’m fine,” The woman frowned, “It’s just a fight between us, it’s none of your business.”

    “I heard the noise, it was a bit…”

    “What?!” The woman suddenly shouted, “What law says I can’t even make a sound in my own home?! I just shouted, what’s the big deal?! Ah—!”

    Her scream was piercing. Zhuo Zhi, witnessing it up close, shivered, goosebumps erupting on her skin.

    The woman glared at her, “Get out.”

    Zhuo Zhi stepped back. The woman walked out of the bathroom and saw her husband and Li Qinyue in the hallway.

    “Ah—! Murder—! Robbery—!” the woman screamed repeatedly, “Ah—!!! Ah—!!! Ah—!!!”

    Zhuo Zhi covered her ears and rushed towards the door. Li Qinyue, cleaver in hand, walked towards the woman, “Damn you!”

    “Murder—!!!” The woman ran back into the bedroom, slammed the door shut, and locked it.

    Zhuo Zhi grabbed Li Qinyue, who was about to break down the door, “Sister, stop, stop…”

    “Is she even human?! She’s a loudspeaker!” Li Qinyue was both angry and shocked, “Does she have a built-in amplifier in her lungs? Damn, if ‘Shengge’ hired her, they wouldn’t even need a microphone…”

    Zhuo Zhi pulled her away, “As long as she’s okay.”

    “Okay my ass,” Li Qinyue said as they passed the man, raising the cleaver, “I’m telling you, I live upstairs, if you dare to make another sound and disturb my sleep, the security guard’s dog will be eating meat this winter…”

    The man didn’t dare to speak. Zhuo Zhi dragged Li Qinyue out of the apartment, thoughtfully closing the door behind them.

    The apartment became quiet, and so did the hallway.

    Li Qinyue switched the cleaver to her left hand and shook her right wrist.

    As they walked upstairs, Zhuo Zhi said, “You were too impulsive, Sister.”

    “I was impulsive?” Li Qinyue pointed at herself, “Was I the one who ran down here instead of kissing my girlfriend?”

    Zhuo Zhi couldn’t help but laugh, “You were angry about that?”

    “What else would I be angry about?” Li Qinyue looked at her, “Would I be angry at them? Do they deserve it?”

    “I was just worried,” Zhuo Zhi explained, “That scream was terrifying. The last time I heard a scream like that was when they were slaughtering pigs at the slaughterhouse…”

    “Damn,” Li Qinyue was amused, “All my cursing wasn’t as vivid as your analogy.”

    Zhuo Zhi took the cleaver from her, “Is your wrist tired from carrying it?”

    “Yes, it’s quite heavy,” Li Qinyue said, “Speaking of which, didn’t you promise to give me a back massage?”

    Zhuo Zhi laughed, “I’ll give you a full body massage.”

    Li Qinyue said, “Then this trip wasn’t a waste.”

    They entered the apartment. Zhuo Zhi put down the cleaver, then put all the knives away in a drawer.

    After making sure there were no dangerous objects in sight, she left the kitchen.

    Li Qinyue was sitting on the sofa in the living room, fiddling with her fingers out of boredom.

    “Sister,” Zhuo Zhi felt she needed to address this. She sat down next to Li Qinyue, “It was my fault, I was impulsive. But it was dangerous for you to bring a knife. If there had been a fight, who knows who would have gotten hurt…”

    “Come on, there wouldn’t have been a fight,” Li Qinyue said, “The woman was screaming like that, and the man didn’t even try to shut her up. He’s a wimp. Do you think he would dare to lay a finger on me?”

    Zhuo Zhi paused, “You have a point.”

    Li Qinyue squinted at her, “I also told you not to get involved, it’s useless, and there’s no need. Think about it now, am I right?”

    Thinking of the woman’s inexplicable screams, Zhuo Zhi felt a headache, “You’re right.”

    “Tsk,” Li Qinyue patted her head, “You’re still so naive, Comrade Xiao Zhuo, no experience with real life. You need to learn from me.”

    Zhuo Zhi tilted her head, “Then Sister, can you wash the dishes when I cook from now on?”

    “No!” Li Qinyue’s answer was firm, “I’d rather throw them away…”

    “You can’t afford to throw them away now,” Zhuo Zhi interrupted her.

    “Can’t you just buy disposable tableware?”

    “It’s not cost-effective, it’s unhygienic, and it’s not environmentally friendly. Who uses disposable tableware at home?”

    “Anyway, I’m not washing the dishes,” Li Qinyue said, “That’s not something that should be in my life.”

    “Sigh…” Zhuo Zhi sighed.

    Li Qinyue pulled her into a hug, “Don’t worry, we’ll stick to our previous division of labor. You take care of the house, I’ll earn the money. It’s not like I’m taking advantage of you, right?”

    Zhuo Zhi, feeling uncomfortable in her embrace, lay down on Li Qinyue’s lap, looking up at her, “This is fine too.”

    Li Qinyue was happy. She patted Zhuo Zhi’s cheek, “Don’t worry, we’ll only be spending your money for the first few days. Boss Zhuo, cherish this life now, you’ll still have to be my workhorse… “

    Zhuo Zhi frowned.

    “My girlfriend,” Li Qinyue corrected herself, smiling and flicking her cheek.

    Zhuo Zhi’s cheeks warmed, her mood lifting, “Then I’ll take you to buy a new phone tomorrow, Sister, so you can start looking for a job.”

    “Do I need to search for jobs?” Li Qinyue leaned down and stared at her, “There’s no rush.”

    “There’s no rush for that…” Zhuo Zhi started to argue.

    Li Qinyue covered her mouth with a kiss, “This is what’s urgent.”

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 55

    Chapter 55

    Li Qinyue was stunned for a long while.

    Zhuo Zhi’s words were simple, but she couldn’t process them.

    They were just eating lamb soup, and she had casually confessed her feelings? And Zhuo Zhi had just accepted it like that?

    A few days ago, when she had passionately asked Zhuo Zhi to be her girlfriend, hadn’t Zhuo Zhi run away shyly?

    The atmosphere had been so perfect that day, so conducive to something meaningful. But she had held back, hadn’t she? Because she had considered the little girl’s age and lack of experience?

    She had braced herself for a long and drawn-out battle, but Zhuo Zhi had just agreed like that?

    Had the girl suddenly matured overnight? Had she had some epiphany without Li Qinyue having to show her any “educational videos”?

    Li Qinyue couldn’t describe her feelings. She was shocked and confused, happy yet also a little… regretful?

    As she sat there in a daze, Zhuo Zhi waited patiently for her to speak.

    When the light in her eyes started to fade, she mumbled, “Sister, what’s wrong?”

    Li Qinyue blurted out, “You’ve changed, Zhuo Zhi.”

    “How have I changed?” Zhuo Zhi straightened up.

    “I can’t explain it right now, let me think,” Li Qinyue picked up her chopsticks, “Let’s eat first, eat.”

    They ate for a long time. The restaurant owner even came out to ask if they wanted more broth.

    Li Qinyue finally finished her meal and stood up. Zhuo Zhi paid the bill and quickly followed her.

    It got dark early in winter. The sky was already gray, and the wind in the alley was swirling, blowing fallen leaves around.

    There were few people on the street. While they were eating, several shops had already closed, making the alley look desolate.

    Li Qinyue wrapped her coat tighter around herself. Zhuo Zhi tentatively reached out and took her hand, tucking it into her down jacket pocket.

    The pocket was warm, her palm slightly damp. Zhuo Zhi was like a little stove.

    Li Qinyue said, “This is what’s changed.”

    “Hmm?” Zhuo Zhi didn’t understand what she was talking about.

    “You,” Li Qinyue looked at her, “You were never this proactive before, why are you suddenly so eager today?”

    “Am I?” Zhuo Zhi disagreed, “I’ve always been concerned about you, Sister.”

    “I flirted with you so many times before, and you never agreed.”

    “I still wouldn’t agree if you wanted to do it now.”

    “You still wouldn’t agree?!” Li Qinyue was exasperated, “But you already agreed!”

    “I agreed to your confession, we can be a real couple now,” Zhuo Zhi said with a blush, “But that kind of thing, we have to wait until after I’ve met my master…”

    “Ah—!” Zhuo Zhi cried out.

    “Don’t worry, Sister!” Zhuo Zhi said, “It’s almost New Year’s, after the New Year celebrations, there will only be half a year left…”

    “That’s not how you calculate it,” Li Qinyue said, “Is this about being impatient?”

    Zhuo Zhi bit her lip, looking at her, silent for a moment.

    “Okay,” Li Qinyue said after they had walked for a while, “I wasn’t in a hurry before, you’re the one who’s making me impatient.”

    “Yes,” Zhuo Zhi admitted sincerely, “I was wrong, Sister.”

    “You were quite bold calling me ‘Li Qinyue’ earlier,” Li Qinyue raised an eyebrow.

    “Then what do you want me to call you?” Zhuo Zhi asked.

    “Sister Qinyue,” Li Qinyue chuckled, “In a pitiful tone.”

    “Oh,” Zhuo Zhi looked down and kicked a pebble on the ground.

    “But back to what I was saying about you changing,” Li Qinyue squeezed Zhuo Zhi’s hand in her pocket, “Did you not agree to be with me because of our different social statuses? You being my bodyguard…”

    “Maybe a little…” Zhuo Zhi continued kicking pebbles, “I thought we were from different worlds, and I also thought you were just playing around…”

    “You think too much,” Li Qinyue said, “Are we not from different worlds now? No, wait, our social statuses have reversed now, I’m relying on you to support me.”

    “Don’t worry!” Zhuo Zhi quickly looked up, “You’re very capable, Sister, you can do anything you want if you want to make money.”

    “Stop flattering me,” Li Qinyue cut her off, not wanting to talk about making money, “So do you still think I was just playing around?”

    “It seems like you’re playing for keeps now,” Zhuo Zhi chuckled.

    “Am I that much of a playboy?”

    “I like you this way, carefree and free-spirited!”

    “You can make anything sound good.”

    “You are good.”

    “Remember to tell me that every day, it’s nice to hear,” Li Qinyue took Zhuo Zhi’s hand out of her pocket and pointed ahead, “There’s a supermarket over there, they have everything, we can buy groceries there from now on.”

    “Okay!” Zhuo Zhi swung their joined hands as they walked.

    After shopping at the supermarket, their hands were too full to hold.

    Zhuo Zhi was carrying two bags, and Li Qinyue stared at her hands for a while.

    “Don’t worry, Sister, I’m not tired,” Zhuo Zhi raised the two bags and mimicked lifting weights, “I’m very strong.”

    “I know, you’re amazing, you’re a beast,” Li Qinyue said, her hand aching from carrying one bag.

    Zhuo Zhi skipped ahead for a while, then suddenly turned back to look at her.

    “You…” she uttered a syllable, then quickly transferred the bag in her left hand to her right, rushed towards Li Qinyue, and grabbed her free hand, “Hehe.”

    “Heh my ass,” Li Qinyue’s heart melted. This silly girl, she was so clueless sometimes, yet she would do things that warmed Li Qinyue’s heart.

    “Don’t you want your arm anymore? It’s not like I’m going to run away if you don’t hold my hand,” Li Qinyue said, shaking off Zhuo Zhi’s hand.

    “It’s fine,” Zhuo Zhi took a step forward and grabbed her hand again.

    She was shorter than Li Qinyue, younger, and looked so innocent, struggling to carry the bag, like a child being mistreated.

    Li Qinyue shook off her hand again and put it in her pocket, “Your palms are sweaty, it’s uncomfortable.”

    “Oh,” Zhuo Zhi blushed immediately and stopped trying to hold her hand, “I just sweat easily…”

    “It’s like this even in winter, what about summer?”

    “It’s fine as long as I’m not exercising. If I sweat, I’ll just take a shower, I’ll keep myself clean.”

    “I’m not嫌弃你 (xiánqì nǐ).”

    “You are.”

    “I’m not.”

    “Then why did you say…”

    “I’ve only spent a little bit of your money, can’t I even say anything now? I was just worried about you carrying that heavy bag with one hand.”

    “Hehe, I knew it.”

    “Fool.”

    “I’m not a fool.”

    They chatted as they walked, passing through the alley and entering the complex.

    The distance wasn’t short, and it had been a long time since Li Qinyue had walked this far carrying groceries. And it had also been a long time since she hadn’t looked at her phone for half a day.

    And this state would continue. It felt fresh, a little unsettling at times, but those feelings were quickly replaced by happiness and a sense of freedom.

    The streetlights in the complex came on, their light a warm yellow due to their age, casting long shadows of the bare trees, creating a beautiful scene.

    Li Qinyue looked at the person beside her, suddenly looking forward to their new life together.

    If only it weren’t for all the noise…

    As soon as they turned into their building, a woman’s scream and the sound of something shattering echoed through the air, followed by a man’s angry roar. In the quiet environment of the complex, the sounds were so vivid, it was like watching a movie scene unfold before their eyes.

    Zhuo Zhi stopped abruptly. Li Qinyue frowned and said, “It’s fine, just a couple fighting.”

    The woman started crying and yelling. Zhuo Zhi asked, “Can you understand what she’s saying, Sister?”

    “It’s not the Nanhai dialect, but I can understand a few words,” Li Qinyue paused, listening carefully, “I’m sure she said ‘Give me the money’.”

    “Maybe it’s a scam!” Zhuo Zhi said anxiously.

    “No, it’s not,” Li Qinyue was sure, “This kind of commotion can only be caused by a real couple. The apartments in these old buildings are close together, and the soundproofing is bad. This kind of noise is common.”

    “Hmm,” Zhuo Zhi responded. They continued walking, but she was clearly no longer in the mood for casual conversation, her attention on the noise.

    They entered the apartment, and Zhuo Zhi started putting away the groceries. Just as Li Qinyue was about to pull her closer for a chat, Zhuo Zhi ran to the balcony.

    Li Qinyue followed her and saw her standing by the open window, not seeming to mind the cold, craning her neck to look outside.

    Li Qinyue covered her ears, “Haven’t you seen this before? Shouldn’t you have seen more of this than me?”

    Zhuo Zhi ignored her hand, “I lived on the mountain. It was just me and Master in our courtyard, and the nuns next door were all very kind, they never fought.”

    “Oh,” Li Qinyue said, “Then from today onwards, you’ll finally experience the fireworks of life down here.”

    Zhuo Zhi didn’t speak. After a while, the noise downstairs subsided a little, and she finally said, “Fireworks shouldn’t sound like that.”

    Li Qinyue closed the window and pulled her back inside, trying to change the subject, “Do you remember what you owe me?”

    “What?” Zhuo Zhi asked, “The payment for the fight before?”

    “Damn…” Li Qinyue was surprised, “You still remember that after so long?”

    “You never charged me, so I kept it in mind,” Zhuo Zhi said.

    “Money-grubber,” Li Qinyue waved her hand dismissively, “I don’t want that money anymore.”

    “Then what is it?” Zhuo Zhi was intrigued.

    “When we were having dinner,” Li Qinyue leaned closer to her, “What did you say?”

    There was no need for further reminders. Zhuo Zhi’s blush was enough to show that she understood what Li Qinyue was talking about.

    Having reached this point, Zhuo Zhi didn’t bother with false modesty. She cupped Li Qinyue’s face in her hands and leaned in for a kiss.

    The small girl was surprisingly assertive. Li Qinyue chuckled inwardly.

    But before their lips could meet, another scream echoed from downstairs, piercing and bloodcurdling, as if someone had been murdered.

    Zhuo Zhi visibly flinched, let go of Li Qinyue’s face, and ran out.

    “Damn it…” Li Qinyue’s anger spiked.

    She followed Zhuo Zhi, hesitated at the door, then turned and went into the kitchen.

    Zhuo Zhi had placed her sharpening tools on the counter. Li Qinyue picked up the fiercest-looking cleaver and stormed out of the apartment.

    Did she need Zhuo Zhi to handle this downstairs?

    No, she didn’t need to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

    This angry cleaver would do just fine.