Category: Little Bodyguard(GL)

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 54

    Chapter 54

    As the taxi stopped, Zhuo Zhi carefully looked at the name of the residential complex.

    “White Birch Lane.”

    It sounded quite poetic.

    Li Qinyue was standing at the entrance, waiting for Zhuo Zhi to take out their luggage from the trunk. Zhuo Zhi, feeling empowered by her new status, called out to Li Qinyue, “Sister, come help me!”

    Li Qinyue, clicking her tongue in mock annoyance, walked over and helped her carry the lightest bag.

    Zhuo Zhi unloaded the two heavy suitcases. Li Qinyue nudged her with her shoulder.

    “What?” Zhuo Zhi asked.

    Li Qinyue tilted her chin towards the driver.

    “Hmm?” Zhuo Zhi still didn’t understand.

    “Pay the fare,” Li Qinyue lightly kicked her calf, “I’m broke now, you know.”

    “Okay, okay,” Zhuo Zhi happily took out her phone, scanned the QR code to pay the fare, and said goodbye to the driver.

    Then she turned to Li Qinyue and said reassuringly, “Don’t worry about being broke, we have hands and feet, we can earn money by working.”

    Li Qinyue couldn’t help but laugh, seeing her like this.

    Zhuo Zhi sighed, “You’re probably the happiest bankrupt CEO ever.”

    Li Qinyue rubbed her cheeks, “I’m laughing so much my face hurts.”

    “I’ll give you a massage later,” Zhuo Zhi said, picking up the travel bag and pushing one of the suitcases.

    “You can massage faces?” Li Qinyue walked ahead.

    “Yes, anywhere with muscles can be massaged,” Zhuo Zhi suddenly stopped, “The suitcase!”

    “Oh, right, I forgot,” Li Qinyue turned back and pushed the other suitcase, “It’s heavy, we should have asked the driver to bring it in.”

    Zhuo Zhi looked at the narrow road inside the complex, “It’s hard to reverse here, there are too many trees.”

    “The environment is nice though, so many old trees.”

    “Yes!” Zhuo Zhi agreed, “Tranquil amidst the hustle and bustle.”

    After a few steps, she turned to Li Qinyue and asked, “Didn’t you used to go out often? How can you forget your luggage?”

    “I didn’t forget my luggage,” Li Qinyue stared at her hands, “I just forgot what it feels like to carry luggage myself with someone else around…”

    “Eww…” Zhuo Zhi looked at her in disgust.

    Although she was determined to take this opportunity to teach Miss Li some essential life skills, when they reached the bottom of the stairs, she still said, “Put it down here, watch the luggage for a moment.”

    White Birch Lane was an old building with no elevator. Their apartment was on the fourth floor, and the stairwell was narrow. Zhuo Zhi couldn’t bear to let Miss Li, with her delicate skin and tender flesh, carry such heavy things upstairs.

    Li Qinyue smiled at her, “You don’t have the keys.”

    Zhuo Zhi, one hand on the suitcase, the other on the travel bag, didn’t turn back, “The key is hidden in the compartment on the right side of the door…”

    Li Qinyue muttered, “Damn, good memory.”

    Zhuo Zhi had already climbed a flight of stairs. She looked back at Li Qinyue, “I remember everything about you very clearly.”

    The stairwell was dimly lit, but as Li Qinyue looked up at Zhuo Zhi, bathed in sunlight, she felt that Zhuo Zhi was the one who shone brightly.

    For Zhuo Zhi, those words were simply stating a fact. But to Li Qinyue’s ears, they sounded like a love confession.

    Zhuo Zhi’s figure quickly disappeared up the stairs, leaving only the sound of her footsteps.

    Li Qinyue sighed, then smiled, picked up the suitcase, and followed.

    After climbing a few steps, she heard Zhuo Zhi shout from above, “Put it down, Sister, it’s too heavy, I’ll come down for it later.”

    “You underestimate me,” Li Qinyue shouted back.

    “Your arms, back, and legs will hurt if you carry it, then I’ll have to massage you…”

    “That sounds nice.” Li Qinyue held her breath and climbed the stairs quickly.

    “Hey, hey, hey, hey…” Zhuo Zhi shouted, having already put down her luggage and running back downstairs, “What are you doing, what are you doing, what are you doing…”

    Li Qinyue switched the suitcase to her other hand, preventing Zhuo Zhi from taking it away.

    “Be careful, you’ll hurt your back!” Zhuo Zhi said anxiously, “Slow down!”

    “I told you…” Li Qinyue looked at her, “You can call me ugly, but you can’t say my waist is weak.”

    “But,” Zhuo Zhi chuckled, “You’re not a man.”

    “You actually understand,” Li Qinyue said as she continued climbing the stairs slowly, “Women need strong waists too.”

    “Mine is strong enough,” Zhuo Zhi said, snatching the suitcase from Li Qinyue and quickly climbing the stairs, almost running.

    Li Qinyue took a few breaths, unsure what to be more amazed by: Zhuo Zhi’s strength or her stubbornness.

    When she caught up to Zhuo Zhi, the little girl was carrying the bag on her shoulder and the suitcase in her hands.

    They reached the apartment door. Zhuo Zhi breathed a sigh of relief, reached up on tiptoe to find the key, and unlocked the door.

    Li Qinyue watched her for a moment, then said, “If I ever get the chance to meet your master, I’ll have to ask her how she trained you to be so strong. Is it child abuse?”

    Zhuo Zhi entered the apartment, checked the electrical panel, and turned on the lights, “No abuse, Master treated me very well. If you started training at a young age, every day, day after day, you might be even stronger than me.”

    “Training every day, day after day, isn’t that abuse?” Li Qinyue said, “Normal children have summer and winter breaks.”

    “There’s homework during breaks, it’s like homework for me,” Zhuo Zhi started unpacking, “I’m used to it, I feel restless if I don’t expend some energy.”

    Li Qinyue finally entered the apartment and squatted down beside her, “Now that we’re living here, there’s no place for your morning runs, how will you expend your energy?”

    Zhuo Zhi didn’t even look up, “There’s no place to run? Anywhere will do.”

    “The air pollution in the city is so bad, you’re going to go out and inhale smog early in the morning?”

    “I can practice martial arts at home. One session is enough to make you sweat.”

    Li Qinyue flicked her forehead, “You stubborn fool.”

    Zhuo Zhi rubbed her forehead, smiling.

    As Zhuo Zhi unpacked, cleaned up the apartment, and checked the water and electricity, Li Qinyue sat on the sofa, watching her.

    It wasn’t that she was feeling particularly affectionate at this moment, it was mainly because she had no phone, no computer, no internet, and couldn’t even watch TV. Only Zhuo Zhi was worth watching.

    It was peaceful.

    She had left her phone at the villa complex because she wanted some peace and quiet.

    Once the news of today’s incident got out, her father, her grandfather, her siblings, and her friends would all pester her endlessly.

    However, she had taken out her SIM card and put it in her bag, at Zhuo Zhi’s insistence.

    As far as she was concerned, it was better not to use this SIM card anymore.

    She couldn’t think of anything in this world that absolutely required her presence. The world would keep spinning even without her.

    Zhuo Zhi was almost done unpacking. She turned to Li Qinyue and asked, “Are you hungry, Sister?”

    “Not really,” Li Qinyue said.

    Zhuo Zhi glanced at the time, it was almost dinner time. She said, “Let’s go downstairs and get something to eat, then we can go to the supermarket to buy some kitchen supplies. We should cook at home from now on, it’s safer and saves money.”

    She had said the same thing when they first met.

    Back then, Li Qinyue had thought, “What good is the little bit of money you save from cooking?” Now, fate had played a cruel trick on her.

    The money they spent now was earned by Xiao Zhuo Zhi’s hard work, so they had to be frugal.

    “Okay,” Li Qinyue agreed.

    Zhuo Zhi walked over to her, “Don’t worry, Sister, I’ll find a job soon.”

    “I’m not worried,” Li Qinyue said with a smile.

    She said that, but in reality, she wasn’t worried about not having money.

    Zhuo Zhi was young and had no work experience. It wouldn’t be easy for her to find a suitable job.

    But she didn’t want to discourage her. Since they had reached this point, they might as well experience a normal life for a while. Being with this little girl was always entertaining anyway.

    Li Qinyue put her arm around Zhuo Zhi’s shoulder and they went downstairs. Before they even left the building, Zhuo Zhi pulled her arm down and tucked it into her pocket.

    “It’s cold,” she said.

    “It’s not cold,” Li Qinyue squeezed Zhuo Zhi’s soft hand in her pocket, “But this feels nice.”

    Zhuo Zhi’s earlobes turned slightly red, but she didn’t object.

    Li Qinyue suspected that the redness was from shyness, not the wind.

    They walked hand-in-hand, browsing the shops near the entrance of the complex, then turned into a nearby alley.

    This alley held good memories for them. They both chuckled before even speaking.

    The alley was much more lively during the day than at night. Some of the shops looked shabby, but the food was delicious.

    Although Li Qinyue hadn’t lived here for many years, she would occasionally visit, so she knew where to go. She took Zhuo Zhi to a restaurant and ordered two bowls of lamb soup.

    And with a wave of her hand, she added, “Extra meat!”

    Zhuo Zhi, sitting across from her, couldn’t help but laugh.

    When the food arrived, Li Qinyue took a flatbread and tore it into small pieces, dropping them into her soup. She asked, “What are you laughing at? Are you worried about me spending your money?”

    “No,” Zhuo Zhi looked at her, “I just think it’s funny how you’ve eaten everything, yet you’re not picky about anything.”

    “I’m only picky about people, not food,” Li Qinyue said, “To be honest, the best thing I’ve eaten this year was that instant noodles you made.”

    “Not the steamed eggs I made?”

    “The steamed eggs were delicious too,” Li Qinyue paused, “But taste and memory are connected, it’s the meaning that matters most.”

    “Hmm,” Zhuo Zhi nodded.

    Li Qinyue looked at her. Zhuo Zhi’s expression clearly said, “Please be more specific with your praise.”

    Li Qinyue stopped eating and thought for a moment, then said, “Countless people have wished me a happy birthday every year, but yours made me the happiest.”

    “But you weren’t happy at that time, Sister,” Zhuo Zhi said smugly, “You hated me back then, you were so angry, and you always yelled at me…”

    Li Qinyue didn’t know if it was because they were back in this familiar place that she felt more genuine, or because she had shed her Miss Li persona and dropped her pretenses. She suddenly didn’t want to tease Zhuo Zhi anymore.

    Truthful words, spoken to someone who deserved the truth, couldn’t be a betrayal.

    She looked down at the steaming bowl of soup and felt a little embarrassed, “When did I ever hate you?”

    “Hmm?” Zhuo Zhi’s eyes lit up like a puppy’s. She leaned closer to Li Qinyue, “Not even at the beginning? Not even when I beat you up? Not even when I recited legal clauses to you? Not even when I told you to stop swearing and smoking?”

    “You’re right, it was quite annoying,” Li Qinyue looked up at her.

    Zhuo Zhi’s excitement vanished, “Huh?”

    Li Qinyue paused, then said, “But I never hated you, I liked you from the moment I saw you.”

    It was a cliché, a line used in half of all love confessions. But Zhuo Zhi’s face flushed, and even Li Qinyue felt her cheeks warming.

    “The soup is quite hot…” Li Qinyue blurted out randomly.

    “You haven’t even had any yet, Sister,” Zhuo Zhi said.

    “Can’t I tell it’s hot without drinking it? Look at all the steam…”

    “You’re blushing because you’re shy, Sister.”

    “Nonsense, you’re the one who’s shy, you blush at everything.”

    “Save it, I’ll kiss you later,” Zhuo Zhi said, “Stop looking at the soup, look at me.”

    Li Qinyue looked up.

    Zhuo Zhi’s eyes sparkled, “Li Qinyue, I accept your confession.”

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 53

    Chapter 53

    Zhuo Zhi thought Li Qinyue was just joking about the “throwing a check at her head” scenario.

    But a few days later, an unexpected guest arrived at the villa complex. When Zhuo Zhi opened the door, she was so startled that her back straightened.

    Li Qinyue’s father, dressed in a sharp suit, his expression stern, glanced at Zhuo Zhi and asked, “Where’s Li Qinyue?”

    He addressed her formally, using her full name. Zhuo Zhi’s voice trembled, “Upstairs… upstairs…”

    “Tell her to come down,” Li Shangyi said.

    Then he walked straight into the living room and sat down on the sofa.

    Zhuo Zhi rushed upstairs, taking four steps at a time once she was out of sight, her pace as fast as a rocket.

    She wanted to be quick, to buy some time for Li Qinyue to prepare.

    No matter how she looked at it, Li Shangyi’s visit couldn’t be anything good.

    When she reached Li Qinyue’s bedroom, Li Qinyue was lying on the bed, playing a game.

    The door was open, so Zhuo Zhi didn’t bother knocking. She rushed in, whispering urgently, “Sister, Sister, Sister…”

    Li Qinyue rolled over, her arms outstretched, and said in a loud voice, “What’s wrong, baby?”

    Zhuo Zhi jumped on her and covered her mouth, “Quiet, quiet, someone’s here!”

    “Why can’t I talk just because someone’s here?” Li Qinyue mumbled, her tongue poking Zhuo Zhi’s hand playfully.

    Zhuo Zhi pulled her hand back in disgust, “Your dad is here.”

    Li Qinyue squeezed her cheek, “What does Daddy want?”

    Zhuo Zhi slapped her hand away, “Your real dad.”

    “Oh,” Li Qinyue’s voice turned sullen, “Then what does my real dad want?”

    “I don’t know,” Zhuo Zhi said, “You should get ready…”

    “What’s there to prepare for? He’s just here to lecture me,” Li Qinyue said with a smile, “My dad’s here to give you a check.”

    “Oh, come on!” Zhuo Zhi was truly anxious. She pulled on Li Qinyue’s arm, trying to get her up, “Sister, be serious!”

    Li Qinyue didn’t move, sprawled on the bed like a hibernating snake. Zhuo Zhi, afraid of hurting her arm, pulled on her other arm as well.

    Li Qinyue giggled, “Don’t touch my armpits, hahahaha, it tickles…”

    It took a while to drag Li Qinyue out of bed and convince her to change into something more presentable.

    As a result, when Li Qinyue finally stood in front of Li Shangyi, his first words were, “I thought I wouldn’t see you today.”

    Li Qinyue sat down on the sofa across from him, “Where else can I go? Nanhai City is so small.”

    The conversation started with tension. Zhuo Zhi, standing at the side, felt her heart clench as she watched them glare at each other silently, the temperature in the room plummeting.

    Zhuo Zhi took a deep breath and interrupted their icy standoff, “President Li, would you like tea or coffee?”

    Li Qinyue looked at her, “You know I don’t like tea or coffee.”

    Zhuo Zhi gave her a look, “I’m asking Mr. Li.”

    Li Qinyue completely ignored her, “Can’t I even have a drink when someone visits?”

    “I know you like milk tea these days…” Zhuo Zhi said helplessly.

    “Enough,” Li Shangyi waved his hand dismissively, “We don’t want anything, you can leave. I just need to have a few words with Li Qinyue.”

    Li Qinyue immediately said, “I still want to drink…”

    “Drink what?!” Li Shangyi suddenly yelled, startling Zhuo Zhi.

    “What are you doing, Dad?!” Li Qinyue’s voice also rose, “You scared her!”

    “You know she’s a child?!” Li Shangyi pointed at Li Qinyue, “If you keep acting recklessly, I’ll make you live on the streets!”

    “Heh,” Li Qinyue chuckled, “I’d like to see how you’re going to do that. Are you going to freeze my accounts, shut down my companies, or kick me out of Nanhai City? You might as well do it now, I’m looking for an excuse to leave and focus on my training anyway.”

    Li Shangyi took a deep breath, clearly enraged. After a few more exchanges, he finally gave her an ultimatum, “I’m only asking you one thing, are you breaking up with her or not?”

    Zhuo Zhi trembled again. Faced with this family conflict, she didn’t know what to do. She even wanted to jump in and explain, “Please don’t talk about breaking up, we’re not even together yet!”

    But Li Qinyue didn’t give her the chance, she said fiercely, “No! I’m not breaking up with her!”

    Li Shangyi stood up, pointing at her, speechless for a moment.

    Li Qinyue, however, was very talkative, “And don’t bother with those financial sanctions. Every year there are a couple of these incidents in our circle, people become laughingstocks, even TV dramas are tired of this plot. Sanctions, sanctions, sanctions, no matter what you do, I’m still your daughter, all I need to do is call you Dad, and I’m back in your good graces.”

    Li Shangyi glared at her.

    Li Qinyue continued, “How about this, I’ll do it myself. I won’t touch a single penny I’ve received from the Li family from now on. Of course, the companies I invested in with the Li family’s money, all their assets, I have nothing to do with them anymore. I’ll save you the trouble, so stop threatening me. Let’s see how long it takes for me to crawl back to you, begging for your forgiveness.”

    Zhuo Zhi: “!”

    Li Shangyi remained silent. Zhuo Zhi guessed he was as shocked as she was, speechless.

    Finally, he just turned and left, ending the conversation that had been cut short by the explosion.

    Zhuo Zhi watched his retreating figure, saw him leave the house, and then watched from the window as he got into his car and drove away.

    She stood there for a long time, stunned.

    Li Qinyue spoke up, “Where’s my milk tea?”

    Zhuo Zhi was speechless, “Who can think about milk tea at a time like this?!”

    “Why can’t I have my milk tea?!” Li Qinyue shouted.

    “You just said you wouldn’t spend a single penny from the Li family!” Zhuo Zhi exclaimed, “Did you buy this house with your own money?”

    Li Qinyue fell silent, staring at Zhuo Zhi.

    Zhuo Zhi looked at her helplessly.

    Li Qinyue cleared her throat and said, “I did buy this house myself, but with money I earned from investments.”

    “Investments you made with your own money?”

    “With my allowance…”

    “There you go,” Zhuo Zhi walked over and sat down across from her, “Isn’t allowance also given by your family?”

    Li Qinyue fell into contemplation.

    Zhuo Zhi joined her in contemplation.

    Li Qinyue said, “Do we have to be so strict?”

    Zhuo Zhi looked at her sideways, “Did you make that vow on purpose, Sister, just in case you really run out of money?”

    “No, I didn’t,” Li Qinyue said firmly, “I was serious. It’s like ripping off a band-aid, better to do it quickly.”

    “Quickly… cut ties?” Zhuo Zhi gestured across her neck with her hand.

    Li Qinyue fell into contemplation again.

    Zhuo Zhi kept her company.

    After a while, Li Qinyue said, “Based on this logic, shouldn’t we move out now?”

    “I’ll move,” Zhuo Zhi looked at Li Qinyue’s designer clothes, “You probably don’t have anything to move.”

    “Damn,” Li Qinyue chuckled, “You’re saying I have to run around naked?”

    “Not necessarily, I can lend you some clothes.”

    “Wow, Boss, I’ll have to rely on you to survive then,” Li Qinyue laughed for a while.

    Zhuo Zhi stood up and made Li Qinyue a cup of milk tea.

    Li Qinyue wasn’t that stubborn. She took the milk tea, took a sip, and said, “Okay, let’s do it, we’re moving now.”

    “Where to?” Zhuo Zhi took out her phone, “I’ll look for a suitable place to rent.”

    “No need,” Li Qinyue stood up and walked upstairs, “I might not have a dad, but I still have a mom. Remember that old house I took you to? That’s my mom’s property, we’ll go there.”

    Zhuo Zhi froze. She looked up, but Li Qinyue’s figure had already disappeared upstairs.

    This was the first time Li Qinyue had mentioned her mother in front of Zhuo Zhi.

    Zhuo Zhi wasn’t stupid, especially when it came to family matters. She was even more sensitive because of her own experience. From the moment she arrived at the Li family, she knew that “mother” was basically a forbidden word for Li Qinyue.

    Li Qinyue’s mother had passed away many years ago. Now, hearing Li Qinyue say nonchalantly that she might not have a dad, but she still had a mom, Zhuo Zhi’s heart ached.

    Li Qinyue was reckless and impulsive, and Zhuo Zhi often worried about her, hoping that she would be less childish and act like a mature adult.

    But there were also times when she suddenly understood Li Qinyue’s quirks, her anger, her defiance, her need to fight, her refusal to compromise, her happiness, her sadness…

    And once she understood, the empathy she felt would make her unconditionally support Li Qinyue’s decisions, willing to accompany her in her antics and her rebellion.

    Like today, they could have talked calmly, but Li Qinyue had pushed the situation to the breaking point.

    Zhuo Zhi understood her. She knew Li Qinyue was afraid of getting her hopes up only to be disappointed again, so she chose to jump into the abyss, knowing that from there, the only way was up.

    Zhuo Zhi felt both heartache and a sense of responsibility.

    Li Qinyue, the pampered Miss Li, who had never had to worry about food or clothing, whose salary Zhuo Zhi received, who paid for everything when they went out, who acted recklessly without considering the consequences, had never given Zhuo Zhi a sense of accomplishment.

    But from today onwards, everything would change. Miss Li would truly rely on her, Zhuo Zhi, to take care of her. Zhuo Zhi could finally be in charge.

    Thinking about this, she couldn’t help but straighten her back, feeling a surge of excitement.

    Before she could fully process her complex emotions, Li Qinyue had already come downstairs, carrying a suitcase and Zhuo Zhi’s wooden pig.

    “I’m packed, this is a gift from a friend,” she said, pointing at her outfit.

    Zhuo Zhi chuckled, “Sister, there’s no need to be so strict, President Li won’t see it.”

    “Don’t call him that, the only President Li is me,” Li Qinyue’s priorities were clear.

    Zhuo Zhi stood up and went upstairs, “You’re not President Li anymore.”

    Li Qinyue flicked the wooden pig’s head several times.

    Zhuo Zhi had many more belongings.

    Her old clothes, new clothes she had bought, toiletries, trinkets, two suitcases weren’t enough, so she used a large travel bag as well.

    Li Qinyue watched as she carried her belongings downstairs, holding the wooden pig and feeling a little annoyed, “That bag is mine.”

    “I’m borrowing it, I’ll return it later,” Zhuo Zhi took out her phone and called a taxi, “It’s not that much stuff, one taxi is enough.”

    Li Qinyue was about to reach for her phone when Zhuo Zhi said, “Your phone, Sister…”

    Li Qinyue took out her phone and tossed it on the sofa, “I don’t want it anymore, happy?”

    Zhuo Zhi burst out laughing, “We still need basic communication. Use my Nokia, it’s a good phone, indestructible…”

    Li Qinyue wanted to scold her, but she couldn’t help but laugh too, “Look at you, rich girl turned pauper, relying on me to survive.”

    “That’s right,” Zhuo Zhi stood in front of her, her back straight, her eyes twinkling, “Who would have thought? You didn’t get a check thrown at your head, but you lost all your assets. Yesterday you said you would pay me a salary based on my performance, and today you’re reduced to using my Nokia.”

    “Who’s using it? It’s so outdated, I’d rather die,” Li Qinyue said with a smile.

    “You don’t have to use the phone, but you still need to eat, right?” Zhuo Zhi raised an eyebrow, “As for whether you get to eat meat or vegetables in the future, it depends on your performance.”

    Li Qinyue pulled her into a hug, “Then let me show you my performance right now, Boss.”

    Before she could kiss Zhuo Zhi, Zhuo Zhi leaned in and kissed her first, “You smell so good. Don’t worry, Xiao Li, as long as I have food to eat, you’ll have soup to drink. Don’t be afraid, CEO Zhuo will always take care of you.”

    Li Qinyue hugged her, laughing so hard she lost all her strength.

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 52

    Chapter 52

    Zhuo Zhi froze. Even her instinctive urge vanished at that moment.

    Her mind buzzed, making it hard to process Li Qinyue’s words.

    After a moment of silence, Li Qinyue’s lips moved, and Zhuo Zhi finally uttered a confused “Huh?”

    “Huh what?” Li Qinyue patted her cheek. “I asked you a question.”

    “Huh…” Zhuo Zhi paused, “What?”

    “Do you want to be my girlfriend?” Li Qinyue looked at her, “For real.”

    “Huh…” That was the only sound Zhuo Zhi could manage.

    Li Qinyue waited, but Zhuo Zhi remained frozen, like a statue.

    Afraid that she would actually turn into stone, Li Qinyue sat up and moved away, releasing Zhuo Zhi’s hand.

    The movement created a slight friction, bringing back the sensation to Zhuo Zhi’s hand.

    As Li Qinyue stood up, she adjusted her pants. The action made Zhuo Zhi blush even harder. She rolled over, burying her face in the back of the sofa.

    “Tsk,” Li Qinyue chuckled softly, “Anyone would think I did something to you.”

    Zhuo Zhi didn’t respond, remaining motionless. Li Qinyue sighed and went upstairs.

    She changed her clothes and ordered some food before taking a bath.

    Neither of them had eaten much at the mansion.

    As she sank into the water, Li Qinyue closed her eyes, surprised to find that she wasn’t feeling sad after the confrontation with her family.

    Her mood was light and sweet, making her feel a little guilty and ungrateful.

    But she couldn’t help it, she just couldn’t feel sad. She even felt like laughing while taking a bath. Thinking about it, it was probably because of what Zhuo Zhi had said.

    The diligent little bodyguard, who had endured so much for her job, even agreeing to be her fake girlfriend, was now willing to give up her job and offend her benefactor to stay by her side.

    Tsk.

    So devoted, so touching.

    Such a thing actually happened to her, Li Qinyue. It felt like a giant pie had fallen from the sky, ensuring a lifetime of happiness.

    Zhuo Zhi hadn’t answered her yet, but Li Qinyue wasn’t in a hurry.

    Her confession tonight had been a bit sudden, it was understandable that Zhuo Zhi was shocked.

    Even she was a little shocked.

    Li Qinyue was a person who hated responsibilities. She didn’t want to manage the family business, and she didn’t want the obligations of marriage and children that her family expected of her.

    She had thought that with her personality, she was only suited for casual flings, not serious relationships.

    How did she get to this point?

    Li Qinyue smiled, thinking, how did she get to this point?

    She had liked this person from the beginning, so vibrant, so free, so innocent.

    And the more she got to know her, the more she liked her, willing to fight for her and cook for her.

    Then, she had indulged her own desires, playing little games to satisfy her need for closeness with Zhuo Zhi. Hugging, kissing, touching, it had been going on for a while, and her interest in this little girl had only grown. Now, in a moment of impulsiveness, she wanted to keep Zhuo Zhi by her side forever.

    She didn’t feel any fear, any regret. It was like winning an auction for a precious treasure, her heart still racing at the thought.

    Li Qinyue hummed a tune softly, then trailed her hand down her abdomen.

    She had a nice figure. Zhuo Zhi would definitely like it.

    Hehe.

    Zhuo Zhi remained buried in her thoughts until the doorbell rang.

    Startled, she jumped off the sofa and rushed to the door.

    It was the takeout. Li Qinyue had ordered a lot of snacks from their favorite place at the villa complex.

    Zhuo Zhi took the food and couldn’t help but think of Li Qinyue. She hesitated at the bottom of the stairs, then decided to send her a message.

    But even after she had unpacked the food and set it up, Li Qinyue didn’t reply.

    Zhuo Zhi suddenly felt worried. It dawned on her that if Li Qinyue’s words earlier were a confession, then her silence now meant rejection.

    People who were rejected often felt heartbroken, even suicidal in some extreme cases. Imagine coming out to your family in a heated argument, only to find that the person you like doesn’t want you…

    Thinking about this, Zhuo Zhi broke out in a cold sweat.

    She couldn’t let her own anxieties get in the way. She ran upstairs and pounded on Li Qinyue’s bedroom door.

    The door swung open. Zhuo Zhi scanned the room, but Li Qinyue wasn’t there. She must be in the bathroom.

    The bathroom… a perfect place for someone with suicidal thoughts…

    Zhuo Zhi rushed over and pounded on the bathroom door with the same force. The door swung open…

    There was a curtain by the bathtub, but Li Qinyue never used it.

    She was sitting in the tub, covered in bubbles, looking at Zhuo Zhi with innocent eyes.

    Only her bent knees and sharp collarbones were visible above the water.

    Zhuo Zhi froze, then quickly turned around, “Sister, the food is here.”

    Li Qinyue said, “I’m not starving, why are you making such a fuss about the food?”

    “It’s… nothing,” Zhuo Zhi raised her hand, “Come quickly, it’ll get cold.”

    After saying that, she turned and left as quickly as she had arrived.

    Li Qinyue didn’t understand what was going on, but she found it amusing. She leaned back in the tub and laughed for a while, then got out, showered, put on her bathrobe, and went downstairs.

    Zhuo Zhi was sitting at the dining table, looking like a timid wife.

    “Aren’t you going to watch TV?” Li Qinyue tilted her chin towards the television.

    “No, it’s getting late,” Zhuo Zhi said.

    “Speaking of which, I haven’t found those videos for you yet,” Li Qinyue said with a smile.

    “There’s no rush,” Zhuo Zhi quickly said.

    “You’re not in a rush, but I am.” The more flustered Zhuo Zhi was, the bolder Li Qinyue became, enjoying teasing her.

    Zhuo Zhi didn’t say anything more, burying her head in her food, her cheeks puffed out, unable to speak.

    Li Qinyue looked at her and chuckled, “Am I starving you?”

    Zhuo Zhi shook her head, stuffing another bite of meat into her mouth.

    “Don’t eat so fast, you’ll choke,” Li Qinyue tapped the edge of her bowl, “Clear your mouth, we need to talk about something serious.”

    Zhuo Zhi swallowed her food and finally looked up at her, “What’s so serious?”

    Li Qinyue raised an eyebrow, her expression mischievous, “About my sexual orientation, how did you feel?”

    Zhuo Zhi suddenly started coughing violently, her face turning red. Li Qinyue handed her a glass of water, “Okay, okay, I’ll stop teasing you, I’ll be quiet, just eat your food.”

    Zhuo Zhi took the water and gulped down half of it, then finally started eating at a normal pace.

    Li Qinyue didn’t speak. After a while, Zhuo Zhi felt awkward and said, “Sister, I wasn’t telling you to be quiet.”

    Li Qinyue picked up a skewer of barbecue, but didn’t put it in her mouth.

    “Really,” Zhuo Zhi hesitated, “I was just… nervous…”

    Li Qinyue chuckled, “Nervous?”

    “Yes,” Zhuo Zhi nodded, not daring to look at her.

    “I’m sorry for making you so nervous,” Li Qinyue said, “Now tell me, are you nervous because you touched something you shouldn’t have touched, or because you’re going to be my real girlfriend?”

    Zhuo Zhi’s face flushed. She didn’t look up, “Both.”

    “Don’t feel pressured,” Li Qinyue’s tone was gentle, “I was just kidding.”

    Zhuo Zhi suddenly looked up, stammering, “K-Kidding?”

    “No, no, no,” Li Qinyue corrected herself, “Asking you to be my girlfriend wasn’t a joke. I mean, I’m not in a hurry, I won’t force you to agree, and I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

    “Oh,” Zhuo Zhi squirmed in her seat, then continued eating.

    After a few bites, she squirmed again. Li Qinyue found it amusing, “Do you have ants in your pants? Let me see.”

    “No…” Zhuo Zhi’s voice was barely audible.

    After dinner, Li Qinyue stretched languidly and said to Zhuo Zhi, “We’ve had a long day, let’s go to bed.”

    Zhuo Zhi followed her upstairs, still following as Li Qinyue continued to the third floor. Li Qinyue stopped and asked, “Do you want to sleep in my room?”

    Zhuo Zhi shook her head vigorously.

    “Then you have something to tell me,” Li Qinyue suddenly sat down on the stairs, “Tell me, but you’d better do it before I fall asleep.”

    Zhuo Zhi smiled awkwardly, “I’m not that slow.”

    Li Qinyue looked at her sideways.

    Zhuo Zhi rubbed her hands together, “I just wanted to say, what I told Mr. Li was true. Whether I can still be your bodyguard or not, as long as you need me, I’ll be by your side… no matter what role I have to play…”

    Li Qinyue smiled, “What if I don’t need you?”

    “Then I’ll…” Zhuo Zhi paused, “Go back to the mountain.”

    “Can’t you find another job besides this one?” Li Qinyue asked.

    Zhuo Zhi looked down, “I can, but I don’t understand. I need to go back to the mountain and ask Master, maybe I’ll understand after that.”

    “You silly girl,” Li Qinyue poked her leg, “You can’t live without me, so of course I’ll keep you.”

    “Okay,” Zhuo Zhi nodded.

    Li Qinyue waited, seeing that she wasn’t going back to her room, and asked, “Aren’t you afraid?”

    “Afraid of what?” Zhuo Zhi asked.

    “You’re the little fox spirit who has bewitched Miss Li,” Li Qinyue said with a smile, “Aren’t you afraid of my father or grandfather throwing a check at your head and saying, ‘Leave my daughter! Or I’ll make sure you can’t survive in Nanhai City!’”

    “That won’t happen,” Zhuo Zhi looked up at her, “That only happens in TV dramas.”

    “What? Do you think I’m not as rich as those domineering CEOs on TV?” Li Qinyue squinted at her.

    “Are you?” Zhuo Zhi squatted down, looking at her, “Is your family really as rich as they portray on TV, Sister?”

    Li Qinyue raised an eyebrow, “Yes, we’re even richer.”

    “Wow,” Zhuo Zhi paused after her exclamation, then said, “But that’s your family’s money.”

    Li Qinyue pouted, “Aren’t those domineering CEOs on TV also spending their family’s money? Besides, I own several companies.”

    “You guys are amazing,” Zhuo Zhi sighed sincerely, “Even an ordinary person like me could never afford the Jiahu Lake villa in their lifetime.”

    “You like the Jiahu Lake villa?” Li Qinyue caught the key point.

    “Who wouldn’t like that kind of place?” Zhuo Zhi smiled, “Master told me to set a goal for myself after I came down the mountain. I thought buying a house would be a good goal, doesn’t everyone want to buy a house?”

    “If I buy you a villa at Jiahu Lake, will your master let you…” Li Qinyue poked her knee, “Let you sleep with me…”

    Zhuo Zhi blushed, “What are you talking about? Even if you’re rich, it’s your money. My goal is to buy a house with my own money.”

    “Tsk, you’ve even lost your job, and you’re still dreaming of buying a house,” Li Qinyue said.

    “But Sister, my salary was paid by your company,” Zhuo Zhi said nervously, “Won’t I be getting paid anymore?”

    “Didn’t you sign the contract with my grandfather?”

    “Then sign a new contract with me, Sister!” Zhuo Zhi grabbed her finger and shook it.

    “It depends on your performance,” Li Qinyue looked away, staring at a painting on the wall.

    Zhuo Zhi felt pathetic, willing to do anything for money.

    She also felt evil, using this as an excuse to get closer to Li Qinyue.

    But she didn’t hesitate. She leaned forward and kissed Li Qinyue on the cheek, then trailed her kisses down to her lips.

    Li Qinyue, fresh from her bath, smelled sweet and felt soft.

    Her bare face didn’t detract from her beauty. Her skin looked as pure and cool as the first snow.

    But the snow quickly melted.

    Zhuo Zhi kissed her, lingering on her lips, then trailed her kisses down to Li Qinyue’s chin and jawline, gently biting her smooth neck.

    Li Qinyue didn’t move or speak. The only sound in the room was their breathing, giving Zhuo Zhi a sense of control.

    Because she was in control, she could be bold.

    She even gently pushed Li Qinyue’s shoulder, making her lean back.

    Li Qinyue remained silent, allowing Zhuo Zhi to do as she pleased.

    When she reached the hollow of Li Qinyue’s collarbone, Zhuo Zhi finally stopped and asked, “Is this okay?”

    Li Qinyue let out a breath, not looking at her, “You know the answer.”

    Zhuo Zhi smiled and kissed her chin, “You said you weren’t in a hurry.”

    “I’m afraid you’ll run away,” Li Qinyue looked at her.

    “I won’t,” Zhuo Zhi kissed her lips again, “Good night.”

    “Good night,” Li Qinyue said.

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 51

    Chapter 51

    As soon as Zhuo Zhi finished speaking, there was a knock on the door.

    Grandpa Li’s expression was grim. Zhuo Zhi desperately wanted someone to distract him, so she quickly responded, “Coming!”

    She had already crossed the line with her words, it was as good as a break up. This extra response didn’t matter anymore.

    Grandpa Li didn’t move. Zhuo Zhi ran over and opened the door a crack. Li Qinyue’s voice drifted in, “Grandpa, are you done lecturing her? I need to take her home.”

    Seeing Li Qinyue was like swallowing a reassurance pill for Zhuo Zhi. Her legs steadied.

    Li Qinyue glanced at her and pulled her behind her.

    Grandpa Li said, “Home? Isn’t this your home?”

    “This is your home, old man. Young people have their own lives,” Li Qinyue said, “I’ll come see you again when you’re not angry anymore.”

    Grandpa Li lowered his head and didn’t speak. Li Qinyue led Zhuo Zhi out of the study.

    They walked through the corridor, into the courtyard, circled around, and left through a side door.

    Li Qinyue held Zhuo Zhi’s hand the entire time. Their hands were cold at first, but they gradually warmed up as they walked.

    “Someone picked us up when we came, but no one’s seeing us off,” Li Qinyue said, her tone surprisingly light.

    Zhuo Zhi looked up at her, her heart aching, “Did Uncle Li scold you?”

    “It would be embarrassing to scold me in front of so many people,” Li Qinyue said.

    “So you did it on purpose?” Zhuo Zhi asked, “Saying those things in front of everyone, leaving no room for negotiation.”

    “Yes, to settle it once and for all,” Li Qinyue nodded.

    Zhuo Zhi paused for a moment, then asked, “Aren’t you afraid?”

    A taxi approached, and Li Qinyue hailed it. She gave the driver their address. After the car had driven past an intersection, she finally said, “I am.”

    Her voice was so low it was almost a sigh.

    Li Qinyue’s hand was still holding Zhuo Zhi’s. Zhuo Zhi took Li Qinyue’s other hand in hers, observing her expression carefully. Seeing that she seemed okay, she said, “You don’t look scared at all.”

    “That’s because I’m stronger than you,” Li Qinyue chuckled, “Did you know you were practically trembling?”

    Zhuo Zhi felt a little embarrassed, “I was too surprised, I wasn’t prepared.”

    Li Qinyue looked at her, then after a while, asked, “Were you afraid when you went into my grandfather’s study?”

    Zhuo Zhi admitted, “Yes, I was trembling, even my voice was shaking.”

    “What did you two talk about?” Li Qinyue asked.

    Zhuo Zhi glanced at her, then mumbled, “Just some things about you.”

    Li Qinyue smiled and squeezed their joined hands, “We’ll talk about it when we get home.”

    “Okay,” Zhuo Zhi nodded.

    “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” Li Qinyue said, “I can probably guess.”

    “Okay,” Zhuo Zhi nodded again. She thought those arguments would only lead to sadness and wouldn’t solve anything, so it was better not to talk about them.

    “You really don’t want to tell me?” Li Qinyue looked at her sideways.

    “Huh?” Zhuo Zhi didn’t understand what she meant.

    Li Qinyue smiled and ruffled her hair.

    The drive from the mansion back to the villa complex was a bit long. Perhaps because she had met so many people today, and then the tension had almost made her tremble, Zhuo Zhi felt drowsy from the car ride. By the time they reached the mountain, it was already dark, and she was a little dazed.

    She only realized they had arrived when Li Qinyue opened the car door, letting in a gust of cold wind. Zhuo Zhi reached for the door handle, but Li Qinyue had already opened the door for her.

    Li Qinyue was standing against the light, and Zhuo Zhi, rubbing her eyes, couldn’t see her expression clearly.

    Li Qinyue extended her hand, and Zhuo Zhi took it, getting out of the car.

    As the car drove away, Li Qinyue suddenly bent down and scooped Zhuo Zhi up in her arms, “Is this how you hold someone?”

    Zhuo Zhi was startled, instantly wide awake, “Sister, Sister, no need, no need, I can walk myself.”

    Li Qinyue ignored her and lifted her up effortlessly.

    “Wow, you’re a heavy one,” Li Qinyue chuckled, her laughter tickling Zhuo Zhi’s ear, “You look so thin, but you weigh a ton.”

    “I’m really heavy,” Zhuo Zhi tried to jump down, “Don’t hurt your back.”

    Li Qinyue’s voice turned cold, “Try getting down.”

    Zhuo Zhi froze.

    “If you get down now,” Li Qinyue tilted her chin towards the villa door, “You’re never entering my house again.”

    Zhuo Zhi didn’t dare to move. She adjusted her position to make it easier for Li Qinyue to carry her, “Then walk slowly, be careful.”

    Li Qinyue, as always, wasn’t one to follow instructions. She took large strides, as if she was in a race.

    When they reached the door, she couldn’t free her hand to open it, so Zhuo Zhi quickly pressed her finger on the fingerprint scanner.

    They entered the house, and Zhuo Zhi turned on the lights.

    Li Qinyue didn’t change her shoes. Her high heels clicked against the floor as she walked towards the stairs, then suddenly turned towards the living room.

    “Sister, Sister, you can put me down now,” Zhuo Zhi said.

    “Shut up,” Li Qinyue mumbled, walking quickly to the sofa before finally putting Zhuo Zhi down.

    Zhuo Zhi bounced slightly on the sofa. Just as she was about to sit up, Li Qinyue pointed at her, “Lie down! Don’t move!”

    Zhuo Zhi lay back down. Li Qinyue let out a long breath and lectured her, “You can say I’m ugly, but you can’t say my waist is weak.”

    “Huh?” Zhuo Zhi was confused, “I didn’t say anything about your waist.”

    “You did, you told me to be careful with my waist,” Li Qinyue pointed at her waist, “Does my waist look like it needs special care?”

    Zhuo Zhi couldn’t help but laugh, “Of course it does, your waist is so tiny, Sister.”

    Li Qinyue suddenly pounced on her, like a hungry wolf, pinning her down on the sofa.

    Zhuo Zhi spread her arms so she wouldn’t crush Li Qinyue.

    Li Qinyue was so close, her face almost touching Zhuo Zhi’s. Zhuo Zhi wanted to remind her to be careful not to go cross-eyed from staring so intently.

    But remembering that she had just been scolded for mentioning Li Qinyue’s waist, she closed her mouth.

    Li Qinyue looked at her lips, “I was going to carry you straight to my bed.”

    Zhuo Zhi couldn’t help but laugh, “The stairs are narrow, you can’t carry me up there.”

    “I can’t, that’s why we’re here,” Li Qinyue’s voice rose, anger lacing her words, “But is that the point? Is it?! Can you focus on the important things?!”

    “Hmm?” Zhuo Zhi asked, “Is the important thing that I need to lose weight?”

    “Lose weight my ass!” Li Qinyue slapped Zhuo Zhi’s thigh, “You have a great figure, no need to lose weight!”

    “Then the important thing is…” Zhuo Zhi paused, “That I should remember to carry you out of the car when you’re sleepy, Sister?”

    “Am I paralyzed?! Am I disabled?! Did a dog eat my legs?!” Li Qinyue was furious.

    “Hahahahaha…” Zhuo Zhi burst into laughter.

    “Are you doing this on purpose?” Li Qinyue glared at her.

    Zhuo Zhi nodded, still smiling.

    “Feeling bold, huh?” Li Qinyue also smiled, but hers was a mischievous smile.

    Zhuo Zhi continued to nod, smiling.

    “Then don’t blame me for being rude,” Li Qinyue leaned down, capturing Zhuo Zhi’s smiling lips with a hard bite.

    Zhuo Zhi cried out in pain.

    As if triggered by her reaction, Li Qinyue bit her even harder.

    At first, Zhuo Zhi struggled, her hands reaching for Li Qinyue’s waist. But the slender, soft feel of Li Qinyue’s body made her forget about resisting.

    Her hands felt softness, her lips and tongue felt softness, her heart was soft, and her body gradually softened as well.

    Li Qinyue was like a hungry person, her kisses insatiable, as if she wanted to devour Zhuo Zhi whole.

    Zhuo Zhi sank into the sofa, feeling like she was floating on a cloud, warm and cozy, the tension in her mind slowly dissolving, disappearing into thin air.

    A long time passed. Li Qinyue, after kissing her lips and neck, looked up at her, her eyes sparkling, as if filled with tears.

    Zhuo Zhi met her gaze, her mind blank.

    Li Qinyue took a breath and asked, “Don’t you have any thoughts?”

    “Hmm?” Zhuo Zhi hummed.

    “No other thoughts?” Li Qinyue grasped Zhuo Zhi’s hand, which had been tracing her waist and abdomen, “Does it feel good?”

    Zhuo Zhi’s face burned. She nodded.

    “Want to touch somewhere else?” Li Qinyue asked.

    Zhuo Zhi felt like she was drunk on fake alcohol, wanting to burst into song.

    “Where?” Her voice sounded like two stones grinding against each other.

    “Here,” Li Qinyue took Zhuo Zhi’s hand and guided it downwards, stopping when it reached the edge of her pants.

    Zhuo Zhi’s hand froze, her vision blocked, all her attention focused on the sensation.

    Li Qinyue was wearing tight jeans today, but she was so thin that there was a slight gap where her abdomen met her hips.

    Zhuo Zhi’s fingertips felt the gap, drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

    The fabric rubbed against the back of her hand, her palm slowly touching soft hair.

    Zhuo Zhi couldn’t meet Li Qinyue’s gaze anymore, the intensity in her eyes too much to bear, making her heart race.

    She turned her head and closed her eyes.

    Li Qinyue said, “A little lower.”

    Zhuo Zhi’s hand paused. She took two breaths to calm herself, then mumbled, “No…”

    Li Qinyue pressed closer, eliminating any space for Zhuo Zhi’s hand to move. Her lips were close to Zhuo Zhi’s ear as she whispered, “I’m not touching you.”

    “It’s… the same…” Zhuo Zhi said hesitantly, “You can’t… touch this place…”

    Li Qinyue chuckled softly, making Zhuo Zhi’s heart tickle.

    “Your master taught you well,” she said.

    The mention of her master cleared Zhuo Zhi’s head a little. She paused for a few seconds, then decided to pull her hand away.

    Li Qinyue grabbed her arm and asked, “Do you trust me?”

    “I do,” Zhuo Zhi answered without hesitation.

    “I just want you to feel something,” Li Qinyue said, “Remember the conversation we had at the cat cafe earlier?”

    Zhuo Zhi nodded. She remembered it clearly.

    “So, we’re not doing anything today, just letting you experience what my sexual orientation really is.”

    Zhuo Zhi froze, her mind turning fuzzy again.

    “Alright, stop stalling,” Li Qinyue nibbled on Zhuo Zhi’s earlobe, “A little lower.”

    Zhuo Zhi reached out again, feeling something warm like the sun.

    “A little more,” Li Qinyue’s voice was a little unclear.

    Zhuo Zhi blinked, her fingertip moved slightly, and she held her breath.

    “Hmm…” Li Qinyue’s voice trailed off, a hint of laughter in her tone, “You touched it.”

    She had. It was like falling into a deep, dark pool, moonlight shimmering on the surface.

    A powerful urge surged through her. Zhuo Zhi knew that if she didn’t escape now, all her reason would drown in this pool.

    Just as she was about to move, Li Qinyue suddenly said, “Honey, I heard what you said to my grandfather today.”

    Zhuo Zhi froze, a jolt of electricity running through her body.

    Li Qinyue cupped her face and turned it towards her, her eyes crinkling into a gentle smile, “Since you’re staying by my side, with or without a contract, will you be my real girlfriend?”

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 50

    Chapter 50

    When Li Qinyue and Zhuo Zhi reached their grandfather’s table, Han Ziyang was talking about a new drug for treating high blood pressure.

    Most of the people at this table were elderly and listened intently.

    Li Qinyue approached her grandfather and said, “Handsome, let’s have a toast.”

    Her grandfather turned around and chided her, “What are you calling me?”

    “You look so good today, so young,” Li Qinyue flattered him smoothly, clinking her cup against his.

    Her grandfather looked at her cup with surprise, “Oh, you’re drinking tea?”

    “Of course,” Li Qinyue pulled Zhuo Zhi closer, “The good girl you found for me won’t let me drink alcohol, smoke, or swear. She’s strict.”

    “Grandpa Li,” Zhuo Zhi said with a smile, “I wish you good health and happiness in the new year.”

    “Happy, happy,” Grandpa Li was pleased. He patted Zhuo Zhi’s arm and said to the people at the table, “This little girl is quite capable, she can even control our Qinyue.”

    Li Qinyue said, “She’s the only one who can.”

    Her uncle suddenly interjected, “Qinyue, you still smoke?”

    Han Ziyang smiled and said, “Young people are under a lot of pressure sometimes. Uncle, you know I’m a doctor, of course I know smoking is bad, but sometimes there’s no other way, just to relax a little.”

    Her uncle chuckled and pointed at Han Ziyang, “I forgot you’re close to Qinyue, always speaking up for her.”

    “Of course I have to speak up for her, we’re close, we grew up together.”

    “Am I not close to you?” Li Qinyue quickly said, putting her arm around Zhuo Zhi’s shoulder, “I’m only close to our Zhuo Zhi.”

    Grandpa Li said, “There are different ways to be close. You young people should interact more and help each other out.”

    “Grandpa is right,” Han Ziyang said, “Different ways to be close.”

    He leaned closer to Grandpa Li, seemingly whispering, but with the close proximity, everyone at the table could hear him.

    “My way of being close is different from Xiao Zhuo Zhi’s. I want to be even better to Qinyue, but she doesn’t appreciate it. Grandpa, you have to put in a good word for me.”

    Everyone at the table chuckled knowingly, and Grandpa Li also smiled happily.

    In their eyes, Han Ziyang was definitely a promising young man, capable, handsome, and with a good personality. Whether he ended up with Li Qinyue or not, the fact that he was pursuing their granddaughter, especially so openly and eagerly, was a matter of pride for them.

    These elders were all enjoying their retirement and loved hearing about young love. Her aunt immediately started asking about Han Ziyang’s family, and the atmosphere became lively and harmonious.

    Except for the people directly involved.

    Grandpa Li turned to speak to Li Qinyue, but she interrupted him, “Grandpa, did you ever figure out what happened with that Zhang guy?”

    Grandpa Li’s expression darkened. How could he not have figured it out? He had almost let his precious granddaughter fall into a trap. Now he had investigated everything thoroughly, even checking the accounts of Zhang Xitan’s so-called startup company.

    He patted Li Qinyue’s hand and said, “That boy is no good.”

    “I know,” Li Qinyue said.

    “Don’t associate with him anymore.”

    “Definitely,” Li Qinyue, unlike Han Ziyang, didn’t bother lowering her voice. She said clearly, “Young people like to pretend to be well-behaved in front of elders, so Grandpa, Uncle, Aunt, you have to be careful, don’t believe everything you hear.”

    Her aunt nodded, but didn’t stop talking.

    Li Qinyue added, “You have to get to know someone to understand their true character. Zhuo Zhi and I get along very well.”

    No one at the table cared how well Li Qinyue got along with a girl, except for Grandpa Li.

    He smiled, his eyes crinkling, “Last time you were so annoyed with her, now you’re getting along so well?”

    “Yes,” Li Qinyue held Zhuo Zhi’s hand, “And our relationship is different from others.”

    “How is it different?” Grandpa Li asked.

    “Well…” Li Qinyue paused, then raised her voice, “I really like Zhuo Zhi. I’m most comfortable with her, comfortable in every way, there’s no one else I’m this comfortable with.”

    Han Ziyang looked over, his expression complex.

    Her aunt finally turned her attention to them and asked Li Qinyue, “Where did you find this girl? She’s so good?”

    Li Qinyue smiled and said, “I don’t think everyone knows her yet, so let me introduce her.”

    She put down her cup and pulled Zhuo Zhi closer, hugging her tightly, “This is Zhuo Zhi. She’s beautiful, kind, and a martial arts expert. She currently works at ‘Shengle Media’ and is my girlfriend.”

    Zhuo Zhi, caught off guard, tightened her grip on her teacup, cracking it.

    The table fell silent. Everyone stared at them in disbelief.

    Her aunt stammered, “Which… girl…”

    “The ‘girl’ kind of girlfriend,” Li Qinyue clarified, “The kind you date, the kind you spend your life with. So I’m taken now. Please stop trying to set me up with anyone. First of all, the gender is wrong.”

    This time, it wasn’t just their table, the entire hall fell silent, as if a blizzard had swept through.

    After a brief silence, Grandpa Li slammed his chopsticks on the table and said, “This is outrageous!”

    Li Qinyue’s father stood up and walked towards them.

    Zhuo Zhi froze, fear washing over her, making her hair stand on end.

    She instinctively tried to pull back, wanting to dissuade Li Qinyue, but her throat was dry, and she couldn’t speak. Li Qinyue’s grip on her hand was tight, and she couldn’t move.

    As Li Shangyi reached their table, Li Qinyue started to speak, “I’m not being outrageous, I’m serious…”

    Li Shangyi interrupted her with a low growl, “Shut up.”

    His tone and expression resembled Li Qinyue’s when she was angry, but now, it was even more intimidating.

    Zhuo Zhi looked at him, but Li Shangyi didn’t even glance at her. He said to Li Qinyue, “You can’t live a day without causing trouble. Is this a place for you to act up? Leave if you don’t want to eat.”

    Zhuo Zhi trembled. Li Qinyue, however, was still smiling, “Okay.”

    She put her arm around Zhuo Zhi and walked out. The cousins, watching them leave, looked at them as if they were heroes.

    Zhuo Zhi’s hands and feet were cold, her legs almost giving way.

    “Wait,” Grandpa Li suddenly said.

    Zhuo Zhi stopped abruptly. Grandpa Li called her name, “Zhuo Zhi, come with me.”

    Zhuo Zhi turned around. Li Qinyue tried to stop her, but Grandpa Li had already stood up and walked away. Zhuo Zhi quickly followed. Li Qinyue wanted to go after them, but Li Shangyi’s glare stopped her in her tracks.

    Li Qinyue waved her hand, “Carry on, everyone.”

    Then she strode out of the hall.

    She knew where her grandfather was taking Zhuo Zhi.

    Past the grand hall, to the west wing, was Grandpa Li’s study, where he usually received guests. This kind of matter would usually be dealt with there.

    Li Qinyue wouldn’t go after them under her father’s watchful eye, but that didn’t mean she would let them take Zhuo Zhi away without doing anything.

    But when she reached the study door, she didn’t go in immediately. She waited at the corner of the corridor.

    Zhuo Zhi had been hired by her grandfather. He would definitely want to question her after this incident.

    Li Qinyue didn’t know what they had discussed before, but she didn’t want to break Zhuo Zhi’s promise.

    A gust of wind blew past, and Li Qinyue rubbed her hands together, realizing that although her heart was pounding like a volcano, her body was cold.

    Winter in Nanhai City was truly cold.

    Zhuo Zhi followed Grandpa Li into the study and closed the door behind her.

    Grandpa Li sat down at his desk, silent for a while, then asked, “What’s going on?”

    Zhuo Zhi opened her mouth several times, but no sound came out.

    Grandpa Li had given her this job, and she had signed the contract with him.

    They hadn’t met many times, but their interactions had always been pleasant. Grandpa Li liked her, and Zhuo Zhi also liked this elder, she didn’t want to lie to him.

    Li Qinyue hadn’t emphasized the need for secrecy about their fake girlfriend agreement, and they had been so open about it, even an unrelated person like Han Ziyang had guessed the truth. It was hard to believe that Li Qinyue’s family was completely unaware.

    Knowing the truth was one thing, openly acknowledging it was another.

    Li Qinyue’s words had been too sudden. Zhuo Zhi hadn’t expected her to be so bold, so decisive, without any warning or preparation. She was caught off guard.

    No, Li Qinyue seemed to have warned her. She had told her to be prepared to play her other role, but Zhuo Zhi had thought it was just to deal with people like Han Ziyang.

    Now it seemed that the conversation about sexual orientation they had at Jiahu Lake was also related.

    Zhuo Zhi felt regretful and annoyed, blaming herself for being careless and letting the situation get out of hand.

    She frowned, her head down, her fingers intertwined behind her back, almost forming a knot.

    Grandpa Li waited for a while, but Zhuo Zhi didn’t speak. He sighed and said, “Don’t be afraid, I know this wasn’t your idea. You’re young, innocent, you wouldn’t think of such outrageous things. I sent you to Qinyue’s side because of that, but I didn’t expect…”

    He paused, then continued, “Just tell me what Qinyue is thinking. I’m her grandfather, she grew up by my side, I need to know her true feelings.”

    His words made Zhuo Zhi’s heart ache. She finally spoke, “Sister Qinyue doesn’t want to go on blind dates.”

    “She doesn’t want to go on blind dates? Didn’t we already talk about that with the second son of the Zhang family?”

    “That’s because that Zhang guy has a bad character,” Zhuo Zhi looked up at her grandfather, “Sister Qinyue doesn’t want to go on blind dates with anyone, regardless of their character, their success, or anything else.”

    “She doesn’t like any of them?” Grandpa Li asked, “Then what about that Ziyang boy today…”

    “Sister doesn’t like him.”

    “Alright, she doesn’t like one or two, fine, we’re not forcing her to get married, why is she acting so recklessly?!”

    Zhuo Zhi paused, then mumbled, “You are forcing her.”

    Grandpa Li looked at her, surprised, “What era are we in? What can I force her to do? She hasn’t listened to anything her father has said!”

    “Sister said she can’t leave Nanhai City before the New Year,” Zhuo Zhi said.

    “She’s playing too much!” Grandpa Li slammed the table angrily, “Those dangerous activities she enjoys, bungee jumping, skydiving, how can we let her do those things?!”

    “If it weren’t for me, you and Uncle Li would definitely arrange more blind dates for Sister during the New Year.”

    Grandpa Li slammed the table again and sighed three times, “Sigh! Sigh! Sigh!!!”

    Zhuo Zhi didn’t speak, looking down at her toes.

    After a while, Grandpa Li said, “Do you remember what I told you when I sent you to her?”

    Zhuo Zhi nodded, “I remember. You said to watch over her, protect her, keep her in my sight as much as possible, and if possible, to make her happy.”

    Grandpa Li said, “Then you’re helping her do this outrageous thing?”

    “No, I’m not,” Zhuo Zhi looked up, her gaze firm, “Sister Qinyue is a very, very good person, we haven’t done anything wrong.”

    Grandpa Li waved his hand, seeming tired, “Alright, from today onwards, you don’t have to follow Qinyue anymore, I’ll find you another job…”

    “Mr. Li!” Zhuo Zhi panicked, “I’ve done everything you asked me to do, and I’m willing to stay by Sister Qinyue’s side.”

    “Why do you want to stay?” Grandpa Li looked at her, “To do this outrageous thing with her?”

    Outrageous. These words hit Zhuo Zhi like a thunderbolt.

    During her time with Li Qinyue, she had experienced many things she had never seen before, met many people, fought several battles, laughed, cried, been angry, and been sad.

    But never outrageous.

    They had even stood up for justice and punished evil. Every deed, every day, they had a clear conscience.

    Li Qinyue was just pretending to be her girlfriend to resist her family’s pressure. Even if it were real, sexual orientation was about love, about freedom, about an undeniable truth.

    It wasn’t an outrageous mistake.

    Forcing someone to love someone they didn’t love, just because they were of the opposite sex.

    Punishing, criticizing, and separating them just because they loved someone of the same sex.

    Wasn’t this forced control?

    Zhuo Zhi felt her limbs go numb, a chill running down her spine, more terrifying than anything she had ever experienced.

    She remembered that night in that ordinary house with the drunk Li Qinyue, who had rambled about her family, her words disjointed, her eyes filled with sadness despite her smile.

    Zhuo Zhi had always thought that having a family was the best thing. Only now did she truly understand Li Qinyue’s emotions, her helplessness and the immense pressure she was under.

    No one could force Zhuo Zhi to do something she truly didn’t want to do. She felt that Li Qinyue deserved the same.

    Everyone deserved the same.

    A surge of rebelliousness, a delayed adolescent rebellion, welled up within her. She decided to stand firmly by Li Qinyue’s side.

    Zhuo Zhi took a step back and bowed to Grandpa Li, “Mr. Li, I’m sorry.”

    Grandpa Li looked at her. Zhuo Zhi raised her head, her gaze firm, as resolute and sincere as when she had promised to take care of Li Qinyue.

    “With or without a contract, I’ll stay by Li Qinyue’s side,” Zhuo Zhi said, “Until she doesn’t need me anymore.”

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 49

    Chapter 49

    Standing by the lake, Zhuo Zhi still couldn’t bring herself to repeat her conversation with Han Ziyang to Li Qinyue word for word.

    She told her everything, except for that part about sleeping together. She simply couldn’t bring herself to say it.

    Her expression betrayed her, and Li Qinyue, giving her an “okay” sign, said, “I’m hungry, let’s eat first.”

    They went to the restaurant on the island in the middle of the lake, which served upscale local cuisine, and the food was indeed delicious.

    It was winter, and after a hearty lunch in a warm room, they felt sleepy.

    Li Qinyue yawned and dragged Zhuo Zhi to a nearby cafe. On the second floor, there were a few rooms for resting, decorated with Japanese-style tatami mats. Two lazy cats lounged in the room.

    Li Qinyue lay down and pulled Zhuo Zhi into her arms, saying that holding her would keep her warm.

    Once again, Zhuo Zhi was pressed against Li Qinyue’s chest, her back against Li Qinyue’s front. The first time, she was nervous, and now, she was still nervous.

    She tried to breathe lightly so as not to disturb Li Qinyue.

    The two cats were grooming themselves across from them, licking each other, which made Zhuo Zhi’s tongue feel heavy with sleep.

    Time passed quietly. After about half an hour, Li Qinyue stirred behind her, rolling over to lie flat, then after a few seconds, rolled back and put her arm around Zhuo Zhi’s waist.

    Zhuo Zhi’s stomach instinctively tightened.

    Li Qinyue’s voice was right beside her ear, “You’re not asleep?”

    “I’m not tired,” Zhuo Zhi stared at the cats, “They’re so cute.”

    Li Qinyue propped herself up on her elbow, resting her chin on Zhuo Zhi’s arm, “They are quite cute.”

    “They were licking their fur for so long, they finally fell asleep.”

    Li Qinyue coughed loudly, startling the two cats awake.

    “Wake up,” Li Qinyue said, “Your little sister Zhuo Zhi wants to watch you groom yourselves.”

    The two cats stared at Li Qinyue, confused.

    Li Qinyue turned to Zhuo Zhi and said, “See, just as silly as you.”

    Zhuo Zhi laughed, “I didn’t want to watch, you did. You’re just blaming me.”

    “I don’t want to watch,” Li Qinyue looked down at her, “If I did, I would have just done it myself. Why watch them?”

    “Do what yourself?” Zhuo Zhi’s mind was a little sluggish, she just followed the conversation flow.

    Li Qinyue squeezed her shoulder, “Lie down flat and I’ll show you.”

    Zhuo Zhi relaxed her shoulder and lay down. When she saw Li Qinyue hovering above her, she realized what Li Qinyue meant and blushed furiously, “You’re kidding again, Sister…”

    “I’m not kidding,” Li Qinyue leaned down and gently licked Zhuo Zhi’s lips with her tongue, “I, Li Qinyue, never joke.”

    Zhuo Zhi’s chest tightened with emotions. Li Qinyue’s long hair cascaded down, blocking the light in the room. In this small, intimate space, those emotions became even more intense.

    Li Qinyue was about to lick her lips again when Zhuo Zhi raised her hand to stop her, “Sister, I have something to tell you.”

    “Hmm?” Li Qinyue’s fragrance lingered on Zhuo Zhi’s lips. She didn’t move, maintaining the distance between them.

    “C-Can you get off me for a bit?” Zhuo Zhi pushed against her with some force.

    “No,” Li Qinyue countered, “I told you to speak your mind earlier, and you didn’t. Now you want to talk? There has to be some punishment, right?”

    “Oh,” Zhuo Zhi didn’t dare to push any harder. After a moment of thought, she said carefully, “Han Ziyang also mentioned your sexual orientation. I thought about it, and I think he made a good point.”

    “What point?” Li Qinyue’s tone was a little sharp.

    “Most people still find it hard to accept homosexuality. If you’ve always liked girls, Sister, then there’s no problem. But if you originally liked men and are deliberately pretending to have a girlfriend, the impact will be huge,” Zhuo Zhi looked away, “For example, your friends all think you like girls now. If you meet a guy you like in the future, it’ll be hard to explain. And if this gets out of hand and your family finds out, it’ll cause a lot of trouble. That kind of damage might be irreversible.”

    Li Qinyue sat up, letting light back into the room.

    She leaned against a cushion, rummaging through her pockets, seemingly looking for a cigarette.

    It had been a while since she last smoked, thanks to Zhuo Zhi keeping her bad habits in check.

    But given the current environment and the topic of their conversation, Zhuo Zhi didn’t dare to speak up.

    Li Qinyue couldn’t find her cigarettes and cursed softly.

    Zhuo Zhi looked at her, her heart pounding with both nervousness and fear.

    Li Qinyue gave up on smoking and stretched out her legs, crossing them in front of Zhuo Zhi.

    After a moment, she asked, “So you’re not going to believe me about my sexual orientation, but you’re going to believe him?”

    “No, no, no, I’m not,” Zhuo Zhi quickly denied, “I didn’t believe what he said, I’m just reminding you.”

    “Why would you remind me if you didn’t believe him?” Li Qinyue looked at her, “Think about it, are you reminding me for my sake, or because you want to know yourself?”

    Zhuo Zhi pursed her lips and lowered her head.

    One of the cats stretched and yawned widely, “Meow~~” easing the tension in the air.

    Zhuo Zhi fidgeted with her fingers, feeling the need to be honest, so she whispered, “I want to know myself.”

    “Oh,” Li Qinyue suddenly smiled, “How do you think sexual orientation is determined?”

    Zhuo Zhi looked up at her, her expression troubled, “I don’t know, I’ve never thought about this before.”

    “Then think about it now,” Li Qinyue pointed at her, “First, think about yourself. Do you like men or women?”

    Zhuo Zhi froze, speechless.

    Li Qinyue kept her gaze on Zhuo Zhi. After nearly ten minutes, she asked, “What have you decided?”

    “I don’t know,” Zhuo Zhi shook her head. “I don’t know how to tell, and I don’t know which one I should be…”

    “The most common way to determine it is,” Li Qinyue interrupted her, “whether you feel sexual desire towards men or women.”

    Zhuo Zhi looked at Li Qinyue, a panicked look in her eyes.

    “Sexual desire means…” Li Qinyue sighed, “Wanting to do intimate things with someone.”

    Zhuo Zhi’s face flushed crimson.

    “Like a roasted suckling pig,” Li Qinyue added.

    “Huh?” Zhuo Zhi finally found something she could respond to, “Aren’t you full?”

    “You look like a roasted suckling pig right now,” Li Qinyue leaned against the wall, chuckling softly.

    Zhuo Zhi touched her face, it was burning.

    Li Qinyue patted the cushion next to her, scooting closer, “Let me put it this way. I have that kind of desire for you, so according to the most common definition, I’m at least bisexual.”

    “Huh? Huh?” The amount of information was overwhelming. Zhuo Zhi covered her face, her cheeks burning even hotter.

    “What’s with all the ‘huhs’?” Li Qinyue looked at her, “Isn’t it obvious? We’ve kissed, we’ve hugged, we even discussed when to take the final step. What are you surprised about?”

    “Ah,” Zhuo Zhi dropped the question mark.

    “Oh, right,” Li Qinyue said, “I even invited you to try my first time, have you forgotten?”

    No, how could she forget?

    Every flirty remark, every gesture that made Zhuo Zhi’s heart race, was deeply engraved in her mind.

    Zhuo Zhi felt guilty. She had repeatedly questioned and prompted Li Qinyue to confess her feelings, while she herself hid behind a wall, afraid to take a step forward.

    Her reluctance to make a move had allowed others to misinterpret Li Qinyue’s feelings, and this made Zhuo Zhi very unhappy.

    After a long silence, she finally mumbled, “I, I, well, I’m not sure…”

    “Okay,” Li Qinyue raised her hand to stop her, “I understand, I understand, you’re still young, you’re an innocent little flower. I’ll arrange a schedule for you.”

    “What schedule?” Zhuo Zhi asked.

    “When we get home, I’ll find some videos for you to watch,” Li Qinyue said.

    “Ah,” Zhuo Zhi gasped.

    “Tsk,” Li Qinyue chuckled, “I never thought I’d be someone’s sex education teacher.”

    With this new schedule in mind, Zhuo Zhi’s mind was a bit hazy for the rest of the day.

    They stayed on the island until Driver Li called them. They left the island and got into the car heading to the mansion.

    Qin Xiang was also in the car. She chatted with Li Qinyue about family matters, leaving Zhuo Zhi out of the conversation, which was fine with Zhuo Zhi, as she couldn’t even focus on it anyway.

    So, she continued to let her mind wander, lost in a haze of confusing and messy thoughts.

    The atmosphere at the mansion was much livelier.

    Not only were the young people Zhuo Zhi had met at the Jiahu Lake villa present, but there were also several other cousins, both older and younger. The Li family was truly a large one.

    The elders gradually arrived as well. It was probably a rare gathering for them too, so they sat together, chatting amongst themselves, ignoring the younger generation.

    When it was time for dinner, several tables were set up in the grand hall of the mansion, creating an atmosphere of an old-fashioned celebration.

    Zhuo Zhi naturally stayed close to Li Qinyue. She looked around and noticed that she wasn’t the only outsider. The two drivers, the housekeeper and his wife, and the cooks were sitting at a table. A cousin had brought her boyfriend, who had brought his sister, and they were sitting at another table.

    Naturally, Han Ziyang, who had come with Li Hao, was also present.

    The atmosphere was relaxed. The Li family elders looked quite kind, but among the younger generation, there were a few, like Li Qinyue, who looked tough and had a temper.

    Zhuo Zhi initially wanted to learn more about Li Qinyue’s father, but he was sitting far away, and she couldn’t stare at him. She just took note of his appearance. He was middle-aged and slightly overweight, but tall with thick hair, still quite handsome.

    Good looks were definitely hereditary. Zhuo Zhi looked at Li Qinyue beside her. Her nose and lips resembled her father’s, with smooth lines and sharp angles, giving her a cold and aloof look when she wasn’t smiling.

    As she was thinking about this, Li Qinyue turned to her and smiled, her expression instantly softening like a spring breeze.

    “What are you looking at?” Li Qinyue asked.

    “Looking at everyone,” Zhuo Zhi said, “I didn’t expect there to be so many people.”

    “Yeah,” Li Qinyue explained, “It’s not really a family banquet. The real family banquet is on New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Day is just a casual gathering, and we get red envelopes, like a year-end bonus.”

    “So we get red envelopes on New Year’s Eve too?” Zhuo Zhi asked.

    “Of course,” Li Qinyue said with a smile, “Our family doesn’t lack money. As I said, today’s red envelopes are year-end bonuses, rewarding the hardworking people for their year of hard work, rewarding the disobedient children for not causing any major trouble. On New Year’s Eve, we give out lucky money red envelopes, to everyone, for good luck.”

    “Hahaha…” Zhuo Zhi laughed, “Then you won’t be getting much today, Sister.”

    “It depends, if there are no surprises, I haven’t had a financial deficit this year, so I’m considered well-behaved,” Li Qinyue took a bite of meat and continued after swallowing, “But if there are any surprises, I won’t get a single penny.”

    “Today?” Zhuo Zhi had a bad feeling, “What kind of surprises could there be?”

    As soon as she finished speaking, someone at the table to their right stood up, holding a glass of wine, and went to toast the elders.

    If it had been any other Li family member, Zhuo Zhi wouldn’t have noticed, but this person was Han Ziyang, the one she was most worried about.

    Han Ziyang went to the table where Li Qinyue’s father was sitting, his attitude respectful yet friendly, his smile both flattering and sincere.

    His voice wasn’t loud, and Zhuo Zhi, sitting far away, could only hear a few words. But the reaction at the table was obvious, the elders were all happy, Li Qinyue’s father smiled and clinked glasses with him, and Han Ziyang then leaned closer and spoke to him for a while.

    Qin Xiang, who was sitting at their table, said, “I heard Han Ziyang went to some research institute abroad. After returning, his professional title was immediately promoted. He’s considered a rising star at their hospital now.”

    Someone at the table chimed in, “Our Li family is great in every way, except for our academic performance. That’s why everyone likes Han Ziyang so much, he’s the perfect son.”

    “My dad’s company has so many graduates and PhDs, yet he never shows any favoritism towards his subordinates. But with Han Ziyang, he’s all smiles.”

    “That’s different. Subordinates are subordinates. Han Ziyang has always been the ‘child from another family’. Speaking of which, I remember when I was in junior high, I got 19 points on my math test. It was the middle of summer, and my dad made me stand in the courtyard as punishment. Damn, I was sweating like a pig. And guess what? Han Ziyang’s family was celebrating their son getting 19th place in the city, setting off fireworks in broad daylight. Damn, damn, damn, my dad will definitely remember this when he sees him today, I bet he’ll bring it up again and make fun of me.”

    “Hahahahaha, if I were your dad, I’d remember it too, it would be a sin not to, it’s fate…”

    They discussed Han Ziyang for a while. Zhuo Zhi listened intently, her eyes fixed on him.

    Han Ziyang finally left the table where Li Qinyue’s father was sitting and went to the table where Li Qinyue’s grandfather was sitting, holding a glass of wine.

    Zhuo Zhi frowned and poked at the rice in her bowl, feeling a little uncomfortable.

    Compared to a “child from another family” like Han Ziyang, she, who hadn’t even gone to college, couldn’t possibly win the elders’ favor.

    Li Qinyue suddenly nudged her arm. Zhuo Zhi looked up and saw that she was holding a cup of tea.

    “Take it,” Li Qinyue tilted her chin. Zhuo Zhi noticed that there was another cup of tea on the table.

    Zhuo Zhi took the cup and asked, “What for?”

    Li Qinyue stood up and walked towards their grandfather’s table with Zhuo Zhi, “To offer tea.”

    Zhuo Zhi was stunned, almost stumbling, “Is it… appropriate for me to go?”

    “If he can go, why can’t you?” Li Qinyue said, her face full of disdain, “A truly good child doesn’t drink alcohol. They drink tea to cultivate their mind and body—”

    She drew out the last word, her tone suggestive and meaningful.

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 48

    Chapter 48

    Zhuo Zhi froze. She hadn’t expected Li Qinyue to deploy their backup plan so blatantly just minutes after arriving.

    They were at Li Qinyue’s family home, and Zhuo Zhi, both in expression and posture, froze, not daring to move or speak, afraid of overstepping the boundaries and causing irreversible damage to Li Qinyue.

    The man in front of them was also stunned for a moment, but he recovered faster than Zhuo Zhi. The smile on his face only stiffened for a second before returning.

    He said, “What are you talking about? Don’t you know what kind of relationship Li Hao and I have?”

    Li Qinyue said, “You two often disappear behind closed doors for hours, who knows what you’re doing.”

    “Just talking about manly things, watching sports, having a drink, what else could we be doing?” The man smoothly changed the subject, “At least we’re better than that Zhang guy, getting caught red-handed.”

    Li Qinyue smiled faintly, clearly not wanting to continue this topic.

    She turned to Zhuo Zhi and asked, “Didn’t you say you were thirsty? What do you want to drink?”

    “Anything is fine,” Zhuo Zhi said stiffly.

    “You like fresh orange juice, I’ll make you some,” Li Qinyue put her arm around Zhuo Zhi and turned to leave.

    The man didn’t follow, but someone emerged from the kitchen, smiling, “You’re here early today, Qinyue.”

    Li Qinyue clearly liked this person more. Her smile was genuine, “Uncle Li picked me up early this morning, I had no choice.”

    She patted Zhuo Zhi’s back, “This is Cousin Qin Xiang, say hello.”

    Zhuo Zhi quickly bowed slightly, “Hello, Sister Qin Xiang.”

    Qin Xiang was wearing oven mitts. Her eyes curved into crescent moons when she smiled, very beautiful. “I’ve heard about you, the martial arts master.”

    Li Qinyue asked Qin Xiang, “What are you doing?”

    “Baking some cookies,” Qin Xiang said, “You’re just in time, come help me.”

    “What can I help you with? I can’t even wash dishes without breaking them,” Li Qinyue chuckled, “Let Zhuo Zhi help you, she’s a great cook.”

    “Hey, you’re just lazy,” Qin Xiang turned to go back to the kitchen, “Zhuo Zhi is a guest, it’s not right to make a guest work in the kitchen, come on.”

    This hint was clear, Qin Xiang wanted to talk to Li Qinyue in private.

    Zhuo Zhi quickly pulled Li Qinyue’s arm away from her waist, “Go ahead, Sister.”

    Li Qinyue paused and patted her head, “Go watch TV, or go to the back garden and look at the lake. And don’t talk to idiots.”

    Zhuo Zhi smiled, “I know.”

    Li Qinyue finally left. One of the “idiots” she had mentioned was standing nearby, looking at Zhuo Zhi with interest.

    Zhuo Zhi knew that she wouldn’t be able to watch TV, and going to the back garden would require passing by that man. So she left the house, walked around it, and reached the lakeside.

    There was a bench nearby, bathed in sunlight. This path was within the villa complex, with few people around, very peaceful.

    Zhuo Zhi walked over, sat down on the bench, admired the scenery for a while, then took out her phone and started reading an e-book.

    The best thing about her new phone was that she could download many reading apps, it was like carrying a library with her.

    Not long after she opened the novel she was currently reading, someone walked towards her.

    Zhuo Zhi glanced up, then turned away, her back to the person.

    The man persistently walked to her side, “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

    Zhuo Zhi continued reading, her voice cold, “You are.”

    “Since I’m already disturbing you, let’s chat then,” the man said, then extended his hand towards her, “My name is Han Ziyang, I’m a childhood friend of Qinyue’s.”

    Zhuo Zhi put away her phone, feeling angry. But she felt it was inappropriate to make a scene at Li Qinyue’s family home, so she had to endure it, “I don’t think we have anything to talk about, I don’t know you, and I don’t need to know you.”

    Han Ziyang moved and actually sat down next to her, “Relax, I’m not here to cause trouble.”

    Zhuo Zhi got off the bench and moved a meter away, “If you’re not here to cause trouble, then stop following me.”

    She turned to leave, but Han Ziyang’s voice sounded helpless, “Then I’m here to cause trouble, can we talk now?”

    Zhuo Zhi stopped and looked at him, “If you want to cause trouble, let’s just fight.”

    Han Ziyang stared at her for a few seconds, then burst out laughing.

    Zhuo Zhi raised an eyebrow.

    After laughing for a while, Han Ziyang said, “You’re really interesting, no wonder Qinyue likes you so much.”

    Although he wasn’t a good person, this was the second stranger today who had said that Li Qinyue liked her. Zhuo Zhi couldn’t help but feel a little pleased.

    “Are you going to fight or not?” Zhuo Zhi urged him.

    “No,” Han Ziyang waved his hand decisively, “I know you’re a good fighter.”

    “Good,” Zhuo Zhi said, “Don’t mess with me.”

    “Sigh…” Han Ziyang let out a long sigh, “Do you know that your story has spread throughout the entire circle?”

    Zhuo Zhi frowned.

    “This circle refers to Qinyue’s social circle, her relatives, close friends, and many business partners,” Han Ziyang said, “So it’s quite extensive.”

    Zhuo Zhi thought to herself, “Good, that means no one will bother Li Qinyue anymore.”

    Han Ziyang continued, “They all say Little President Li, used to fine dining, has fallen for a simple girl. But I know it’s not like that.”

    He looked at Zhuo Zhi, “You two are fake, you’re just Qinyue’s shield. She’s always hated these lovey-dovey things. Bringing you around is a way for her to have some peace and quiet, quite clever.”

    Zhuo Zhi didn’t speak, her heart racing.

    She had never thought she could pull off the fake girlfriend act, but the knowing looks and ambiguous smiles from the people around them had boosted her confidence, making her think that this was fine.

    Han Ziyang was the first person to question their relationship, and he wasn’t asking, he was stating.

    Zhuo Zhi didn’t know how to respond effectively, how to play mind games with these city people. She would rather fight in a boxing match.

    Seeing that she was silent, Han Ziyang smiled and said, “Let me guess.”

    Zhuo Zhi turned to leave.

    Han Ziyang wasn’t in a hurry. He said slowly, “Although Qinyue might act intimately with you sometimes, you two haven’t slept together, right? You’re young, you probably don’t understand the difference between ordinary friends and lovers. Sexual orientation is something you’re born with. Qinyue has always liked men, so even if she…”

    “Shut up,” Zhuo Zhi stopped abruptly.

    Han Ziyang continued to smile, hands in his pockets, looking at her, “Don’t try to imitate Qinyue’s tone, not everyone can afford to speak like that.”

    Zhuo Zhi clenched her fists, feeling a mix of emotions.

    If this were a random person on the street, she would have just punched him. Or, if he had just made fun of her, she could have ignored him completely, like she had ignored Li Hao.

    These city people, they could talk about something as private as sex so casually, treating it as a game, a topic of conversation, proof of understanding someone, never considering it as something beautiful that should only happen between people in love.

    Zhuo Zhi said slowly, “Not everyone has the right to talk about her private life. It’s none of your business what she does or doesn’t do.”

    After saying that, she didn’t linger, walking away quickly.

    Just like Li Qinyue had said, don’t talk to idiots.

    Zhuo Zhi walked far away, almost halfway around the lake, before Li Qinyue called her back.

    “Where are you?” Li Qinyue asked, “I’ll have the driver pick you up.”

    “No need, I’ll be back soon,” Zhuo Zhi started running back.

    “Which path are you taking?”

    “The lakeside path, east to west.”

    “Okay,” Li Qinyue’s voice was accompanied by the sound of friction, “Be careful.”

    Zhuo Zhi smiled and hung up. The path was wide and flat, with a police booth not far away. There was nothing to be careful about.

    Li Qinyue only said that because she cared.

    Li Qinyue wasn’t someone who cared about everyone. Zhuo Zhi felt that their relationship had reached a good point.

    Honest, intimate, no matter what others said, Zhuo Zhi knew where she stood.

    Thinking about this, she felt much better. She took two deep breaths of fresh air and quickened her pace.

    Occasionally, bicycles would pass by her, heading in the same direction.

    The surroundings were peaceful until a roar shattered the silence.

    A motorcycle, sleek and black, approached from the opposite direction.

    The roar of the engine grew louder as the motorcycle accelerated, heading straight towards her.

    Zhuo Zhi’s first instinct was to look back and make sure there were no other pedestrians. She sighed with relief.

    Turning back, she had already bent down, ready to dodge or jump.

    But in the next moment, she recognized the rider. It was Li Qinyue.

    Although she was wearing a helmet and different clothes, Zhuo Zhi recognized her slender shoulders and long legs.

    Her tense muscles relaxed involuntarily. Without even thinking, she stood up straight, smiling at the approaching motorcycle.

    The motorcycle screeched to a halt less than a meter away from Zhuo Zhi.

    The controlled swerve of the rear tire had been precisely calculated, not touching Zhuo Zhi.

    Li Qinyue took off her helmet, staring at Zhuo Zhi in disbelief, “Are you stupid? Why didn’t you dodge when you saw a motorcycle coming?”

    Zhuo Zhi smiled and said, “I knew it was you, Sister.”

    “What if it wasn’t me?”

    “Then I would have dodged, of course.”

    “Would you? You didn’t move an inch after seeing my motorcycle, how would you have dodged?”

    “You were driving towards me, if you were going to hit me on purpose, I wouldn’t be able to escape even if I ran to the left or right.”

    “Then what would you do?”

    “Jump,” Zhuo Zhi jumped and demonstrated, “Then I would lock my legs around the rider and pull them off the bike.”

    “Damn,” Li Qinyue said, “Are you shooting an action movie?”

    “I can really do it,” Zhuo Zhi walked towards her, “You should trust my professional abilities.”

    “I believe you, but that doesn’t make me any less shocked,” Li Qinyue patted the back of the motorcycle, “Get on.”

    Zhuo Zhi smiled and sat behind her, “It’s just a short distance, and you came all the way here to pick me up, Sister?”

    “We’re not going back, I saw you liked this place, so I’m taking you for a ride,” Li Qinyue said.

    “Okay!” Zhuo Zhi was happy.

    “Hold on tight,” Li Qinyue handed her the helmet.

    “You’re driving, you wear it,” Zhuo Zhi said.

    “It’s heavy, it’s uncomfortable.”

    “No, you wear it,” Zhuo Zhi insisted.

    Li Qinyue turned to look at her, “Do you want me to beat you up?”

    Zhuo Zhi had an idea. She reached out, wrapped her arms around Li Qinyue’s waist, and rested her head on her back, “I want to lean on you, it’s not convenient to wear a helmet.”

    “Damn,” Li Qinyue laughed, putting on the helmet. “Hold on tight, don’t fall off.”

    Zhuo Zhi tightened her grip. Li Qinyue’s waist was truly slender, she could tie a knot with her arms around it, “I’m holding on tight.”

    The motorcycle roared to life, but it didn’t speed up as Zhuo Zhi had expected.

    Li Qinyue only revved the engine at the beginning, then slowed down, cruising leisurely along the lakeside path.

    There were even pedestrians on bikes who overtook them. Zhuo Zhi found it strange, so she leaned closer, her chin resting on Li Qinyue’s shoulder, and asked, “Why are we driving so slowly?”

    “Don’t you have a fear of speed?” Li Qinyue’s voice was muffled by the helmet, but Zhuo Zhi could hear her clearly.

    She giggled, pressing her body closer to Li Qinyue’s back, “You still remember that?”

    “Of course,” Li Qinyue’s voice held a smile, “It was hilarious.”

    Zhuo Zhi stared at Li Qinyue’s chin for a moment, “Actually, I’m not afraid of speed. I was lying to you, I just didn’t want you to drive too fast, it’s dangerous.”

    “Yeah, I know,” Li Qinyue’s speed remained slow.

    “What’s wrong with you today, Sister?” Zhuo Zhi was confused, “Shouldn’t we be speeding by now?”

    “What’s the point of speeding on this kind of road?” Li Qinyue turned her head and bumped Zhuo Zhi’s head with her helmet, “We’re here to enjoy the scenery. I’ll take you to the island in the middle of the lake, there’s a restaurant there with good food.”

    “Eh, aren’t we eating at home?” Zhuo Zhi was even more confused, “Shouldn’t a family gathering be at home?”

    “The adults aren’t there, just a bunch of kids, I don’t want to stay with them, it’s annoying,” Li Qinyue turned a corner, “We can just go back to the mansion for dinner later.”

    “Isn’t Sister Qin Xiang making food?”

    “She’s just baking some snacks.”

    “Don’t you want to chat with her more? And Li Tian and Li Mi are very cute.”

    “One rotten apple spoils the whole barrel, don’t you understand that?” Li Qinyue’s voice was a little impatient.

    “Sister,” Zhuo Zhi hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Do you hate Li Hao, or Han Ziyang?”

    “I hate them both,” Li Qinyue said, then suddenly slammed on the brakes.

    She put her foot down, bringing the motorcycle to a halt. Li Qinyue took off her helmet, not even bothering to fix her hair, and frowned at Zhuo Zhi, “How do you know his name is Han Ziyang? Did you talk to him?”

    Zhuo Zhi hesitated for a moment, then decided not to lie, “Yes.”

    Li Qinyue said, “Get off.”

    Zhuo Zhi got off. Li Qinyue parked the motorcycle and stood in front of her, looking at her seriously.

    Zhuo Zhi sensed the impending anger and quickly clarified, “I didn’t seek him out, he came to talk to me.”

    “Hmm,” Li Qinyue said, “It’s fine.”

    Zhuo Zhi breathed a sigh of relief.

    Li Qinyue added, “As long as you tell me everything you two talked about, word for word, then it’s fine.”

    This additional condition made Zhuo Zhi’s eyes widen. Li Qinyue stared at her, not missing a single expression, and repeated, her voice laced with threat, “Word for word.”

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 47

    Chapter 47

    Early on New Year’s Day, a car arrived at the villa complex.

    Li Qinyue was quite familiar with the driver. She invited him in to rest, then went upstairs to get ready.

    Zhuo Zhi knew they had an important event today and had gotten ready early. With nothing else to do, she made a pot of tea and chatted with the driver.

    The driver’s surname was Li. He had been working for the Li family for many years. His deep wrinkles and kind smile made him look very honest.

    “Are we going to Grandpa Li’s mansion today?” Zhuo Zhi asked.

    “We’re going to the villa at Jiahu Lake first,” the driver said, “Then to the mansion for dinner.”

    “Oh, okay,” Zhuo Zhi smiled, “Sister Qinyue’s family is really rich, so many houses.”

    “That’s for sure,” the driver said with a sigh, “At first, I only drove to one or two places, but then every year there would be a new place to go to.”

    Zhuo Zhi, remembering her goal for coming down the mountain, asked the driver, “Is Jiahu Lake considered downtown?”

    “A little further out.”

    “Do you know the housing prices there?” Zhuo Zhi asked.

    The driver’s eyes widened, “The environment is good there, the housing prices are even higher than downtown. Are you thinking of buying a house?”

    “Yes,” Zhuo Zhi looked like a little adult, “I have that plan.”

    The driver chuckled, “Then you have to work hard and save money. I see that Miss Li likes you, you should learn from her how to do business. If we rely on our fixed salaries, we’ll never be able to afford a house at Jiahu Lake.”

    “Hmm,” Zhuo Zhi nodded, thinking to herself, was it that obvious that Li Qinyue liked her?

    Even Driver Li, who was meeting her for the first time, could tell. How much did she like her?

    Thinking about it made Zhuo Zhi blush.

    They chatted as they drank tea. Perhaps because they were both employees, they had a pleasant conversation.

    Driver Li talked about Li Qinyue’s father, the current head of the Li family, a man of vision and courage, but also very kind to his employees.

    It was completely different from Li Qinyue’s occasional complaints.

    Zhuo Zhi had only heard of him, never met him in person. She thought she should observe him carefully and leave a good impression.

    They almost finished the pot of tea when Li Qinyue finally came downstairs.

    Although Miss Li often complained about her family, she always dressed up carefully when she went home.

    Beautiful, but not over the top, looking very comfortable, the type Zhuo Zhi liked most.

    Driver Li drove smoothly, maintaining a constant speed whenever the road conditions allowed.

    Zhuo Zhi, thinking that this was a formal occasion, sat in the front passenger seat, which made Li Qinyue keep glancing at her through the rearview mirror.

    They arrived at the Jiahu Lake villa just as the midday sun was shining brightly. The villa was situated by a natural lake, the sparkling water reflecting a small island in the center, its trees still lush even in winter, the scenery picturesque.

    As they drove halfway around the lake to reach the villa, Zhuo Zhi admired the scenery and came to a conclusion.

    Even if she learned how to do business from Li Qinyue, she probably wouldn’t be able to afford a house like this in her lifetime.

    After all, Li Qinyue’s business method was to throw money at things, then walk away, just a casual observer, only doing it when she was bored.

    The Jiahu Lake villa was completely different from Grandpa Li’s mansion. The mansion was elegant and traditional, with winding paths and hidden courtyards. The villa, on the other hand, was modern, technological, and minimalist, looking not only expensive, but also sophisticated.

    Li Qinyue answered a phone call at the entrance. Zhuo Zhi waited, looking up at the house.

    Li Qinyue hung up the phone, letting out a sigh, her tone laced with dissatisfaction, “Dragging me here so early, and then being late to show off their status.”

    “They didn’t specify a time, right?” Zhuo Zhi looked at the sky reflected in the large windows. “It’s just a family gathering, what’s the big deal about being late?”

    Li Qinyue took two steps closer to her and followed her gaze, “There are no elders inside, just some young people. Two cousins, a male cousin, and maybe another female cousin…”

    “So many,” Zhuo Zhi looked away, a little envious, “It’s nice to have a big family.”

    “Nice? You’ll see later, it’s annoying as hell.” Li Qinyue continued to look up, then finally asked, “What were you looking at? There’s nothing to see there.”

    “The window.”

    “What about the window?”

    Zhuo Zhi pointed, “The reflection of that cloud and the shadow of the tree next to it, don’t they look like two overlapping hearts?”

    Li Qinyue chuckled and looked at it for a moment, “They do look alike.”

    “Right?” Zhuo Zhi said happily.

    “You’re quite romantic, little fool,” Li Qinyue patted her head.

    They were still looking up when a head suddenly appeared in the floor-to-ceiling window downstairs.

    Zhuo Zhi, being alert, immediately looked down. It was a cute little girl in a red dress.

    The little girl looked at her with wide eyes and winked.

    Zhuo Zhi winked back.

    Li Qinyue grabbed her arm and led her inside, “That’s Li Tian, her sister is Li Mi.”

    Zhuo Zhi was confused. Li Qinyue had already introduced another name before they even met the first one. How would she know who was who?

    But her confusion vanished as soon as they entered the house. Standing beside Li Tian was another little girl in a matching green dress. Apart from the color of their clothes, they were identical.

    She had seen twins before, but never such beautiful twins.

    Amazed by nature’s wonder, Zhuo Zhi froze. Li Qinyue tilted her chin towards the girls, “Say hello to your sister.”

    Li Tian and Li Mi extended their hands and said to Li Qinyue, “Sister Yue!”

    Li Qinyue pulled Zhuo Zhi closer, “Say hello to this sister, Zhuo Zhi, she’s three years older than you two.”

    “Sister Zhuo Zhi!” The two girls said in unison, their voices clear and sweet.

    They were adorable. Zhuo Zhi’s heart was bursting with joy. She responded awkwardly, “Just call me Zhuo Zhi.”

    Li Qinyue patted each of their hands, “I’ve sent your gifts to your house.”

    The two girls groaned and retracted their hands, looking disappointed.

    “Well, I bought the gifts,” Li Qinyue shrugged, “Whether you get to play with them depends on yourselves.”

    Li Tian said, “My mom will definitely hide them.”

    Li Mi said, “If we ask her, she’ll definitely say we can only play with them after our final exam results are out.”

    Li Tian frowned, “We’ll get beaten if our results are bad.”

    Li Mi shrugged, “Me too.”

    “Then go hide at Grandpa’s place,” Li Qinyue put her arm around Zhuo Zhi’s shoulder. “But seriously, can’t you two get passing grades for once? Is the passing line that difficult? Look at your Sister Zhuo Zhi, she scored…”

    She paused and turned to ask Zhuo Zhi, “How many points did you get on your college entrance exam?”

    “Not very high,” Zhuo Zhi touched her nose, a little embarrassed, “Just twenty points above the first-tier university admission score.”

    “Did you hear that? Twenty points above the first-tier university admission score!” Li Qinyue said proudly, “If you two keep this up, your dad will have to donate a building to the school.”

    The atmosphere was relaxed. Li Qinyue clearly didn’t treat Zhuo Zhi as an outsider, not even mentioning her bodyguard status. Feeling a little bold, Zhuo Zhi blurted out, “Did Uncle Li donate a building to the school, Sister?”

    Li Tian and Li Mi burst into laughter.

    Li Qinyue leaned closer to Zhuo Zhi and whispered, “Shut up.”

    “Oh,” Zhuo Zhi shut her mouth.

    Li Tian secretly gave Zhuo Zhi a thumbs-up, “You’re awesome, Sister Zhuo Zhi.”

    “You two call anyone you meet ‘sister’?” A male voice suddenly came from upstairs.

    Zhuo Zhi looked up. It was a man in a floral shirt. Having met several members of the Li family, Zhuo Zhi could tell that this was probably the male cousin. Their blood ties gave them a strangely similar appearance.

    Zhuo Zhi didn’t say anything. There was no need to provoke a conflict over a sarcastic remark.

    Li Mi, however, looked up and said, “We get gifts for calling people ‘sister’. If I call you ‘sister’, will you buy me a game?”

    Li Tian burst into laughter.

    The man in the floral shirt didn’t seem offended. He smiled faintly, “She’s not the one buying you games. Look at her, from head to toe, she probably doesn’t even have enough money to buy a single button.”

    Zhuo Zhi pouted, but didn’t speak. Li Qinyue spoke up, but didn’t even look at the man in the floral shirt. She said to Li Tian and Li Mi, “Did you bring Gelomi? I think I hear a dog barking.”

    “No,” Li Tian laughed again.

    Her laughter was so contagious that Zhuo Zhi couldn’t help but laugh too.

    The man in the floral shirt scoffed and turned to walk away, “I’m not going to argue with women.”

    Li Qinyue said bluntly, “Idiot.”

    Li Mi came over and suddenly took Zhuo Zhi’s hand, “Little Sister, Tiantian and I are playing with a Rubik’s Cube, do you want to join us?”

    Before Zhuo Zhi could answer, Li Qinyue pulled her back, “Sister Zhuo Zhi is an adult, she doesn’t play with kids.”

    “She’s only three years older,” Li Tian said.

    “Three years is a generation gap,” Li Qinyue held Zhuo Zhi closer.

    “Then you two must have more than one generation gap,” Li Mi pouted.

    “You know what,” Li Qinyue had an excuse for everything, “We’re adults, adults play differently from children.”

    This excuse successfully dissuaded Li Tian and Li Mi, who ran off after a few more playful remarks.

    Zhuo Zhi and Li Qinyue were left standing in the empty living room. Zhuo Zhi asked Li Qinyue, “Why didn’t you let me play with them?”

    “You wouldn’t enjoy playing with them,” Li Qinyue waved her hand, “They’re so annoying.”

    “They’re not annoying,” Especially after that comparison with the man in the floral shirt, Zhuo Zhi said sincerely, “They’re very cute.”

    “They’re cute?” Li Qinyue frowned, “Are they cuter than me?”

    Zhuo Zhi couldn’t help but laugh, “Why are you comparing yourself to them? You’re not cute, Sister.”

    “Then what am I?”

    “Beautiful.”

    “Am I just beautiful?” Li Qinyue pointed at her face, “Doesn’t ‘beautiful’ only refer to my appearance? Am I only pretty on the outside? Does a word like ‘cute’, which describes personality, not apply to me?”

    “Hahahahaha…” Zhuo Zhi doubled over with laughter.

    A voice suddenly came from upstairs, “I think you’re quite cute.”

    This time, Li Qinyue didn’t hesitate. She said impatiently, “Is eavesdropping the only way you manly men can avoid arguing with women?”

    “No, no, no, I’m not taking the blame for Li Hao. I warmly welcome this little sister,” another voice said.

    “Is this your house that you can warmly welcome people?” Li Qinyue said, “And look at your age, is it appropriate to call her ‘little sister’?”

    Zhuo Zhi looked up. A man in a suit was walking down the stairs, tall and handsome.

    His features were more defined than the other Li family members, and perhaps because of his light hair color, he had a mixed-race look.

    The man didn’t seem offended by Li Qinyue’s sarcastic words. He smiled gently and changed his address smoothly, “Little miss.”

    “Creepy,” Li Qinyue said, “Too creepy.”

    “Hey,” the man reached the bottom of the stairs and stood in front of Li Qinyue, “It’s been a while, why haven’t you said anything nice to me?”

    “Have I ever said anything nice to you?” Li Qinyue asked.

    “No,” the man said with a smile, “Same old you.”

    “Then stay away from me, don’t ask for trouble,” Li Qinyue waved her hand.

    “I like it when you scold me,” the man said calmly, “It makes me feel young again.”

    “Then your youth must have been messed up,” Li Qinyue said bluntly, “This is our family gathering, what are you doing here?”

    “You can bring a friend,” the man pointed at Zhuo Zhi, “Can’t Li Hao bring a friend too?”

    Li Qinyue suddenly smiled. She pulled Zhuo Zhi closer and, without any hesitation, kissed her on the cheek, “This is my girlfriend, family. Are you and Li Hao together or something?”

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 46

    Chapter 46

    The brawl ultimately ended with Zhuo Zhi’s intervention.

    Ordinary people fighting, exchanging blows, their moves dictated by their emotions, it would have dragged on for a while.

    No matter how skillfully Li Qinyue fought, Ling Xi, enraged and spewing vulgarities, had become a screaming banshee, a truly unsightly spectacle.

    The parking lot, although not a crowded area, had security guards and cars coming and going, making the situation quite awkward.

    Zhuo Zhi couldn’t stand it any longer. She opened the car door, got out, and walked briskly towards the three women.

    Ling Xi’s ranting stopped abruptly as she looked at Zhuo Zhi, surprised, probably not expecting her to be there.

    Zhuo Zhi stared at her, her eyes sharp as knives. Her voice was calm as she said, “Say one more word.”

    Ling Xi’s lips moved, but no sound came out.

    In the eyes of outsiders, Zhuo Zhi was just a girl Li Qinyue had picked up, someone who suited her unique taste. But Ling Xi had seen her fight, and she hadn’t forgotten.

    People valued their lives after all. Ling Xi turned and walked towards her car, quickly driving away from the parking lot.

    She deliberately avoided them as she drove out, not wanting any further interaction.

    Li Qinyue clicked her tongue, “I thought she was going to run me over.”

    “She wouldn’t dare,” Zhuo Zhi said.

    “What if she did?” Li Qinyue asked.

    “I’m here,” Zhuo Zhi said flatly.

    “Can you stop a car?” Li Qinyue chuckled, reaching out to ruffle Zhuo Zhi’s hair.

    Zhuo Zhi tilted her head, dodging her hand, “Yes.”

    Li Qinyue’s hand froze in midair, then landed on Zhuo Zhi’s shoulder, “You’re bragging.”

    Lan Xi, who had been standing at the side, said, “Thank you, President Li.”

    “Shouldn’t I be thanking you?” Li Qinyue was in a good mood, “Your provocation worked well.”

    Lan Xi smiled, “If you need me again, just let me know.”

    “I don’t have time for this kind of thing all the time,” Li Qinyue rubbed her hands together. “You’re going to face a lot of trouble from now on, be careful.”

    “It’s fine,” Lan Xi said, “I’m not afraid.”

    Li Qinyue admired her attitude. After all, they had been comrades in arms once. She said sincerely, “The best way is to become famous quickly. Once you have value, everything becomes easier…”

    Before she could finish her sentence, Zhuo Zhi suddenly turned and walked away.

    “Hey,” Li Qinyue was stunned. She waved at Lan Xi, “Go back.”

    “Goodbye, President Li,” Lan Xi said, but only Li Qinyue’s back was visible to her.

    Li Qinyue quickly caught up to Zhuo Zhi and asked, “What’s wrong?”

    Zhuo Zhi’s tone was cold, “Time to go back.”

    “Oh,” Li Qinyue was surprised. She tugged at Zhuo Zhi’s sleeve, “What’s wrong? Are you unhappy about something?”

    “No,” Zhuo Zhi mumbled, quickening her pace and getting into the car.

    Li Qinyue got into the driver’s seat, started the car, and drove off, “I’m giving you ten minutes to sort out your emotions, and I want to hear the reason.”

    Zhuo Zhi didn’t speak, staring out the window, silently counting the time.

    Twelve minutes later, Li Qinyue said, “Time’s up.”

    Zhuo Zhi said, “It’s been twelve minutes.”

    Li Qinyue chuckled, “You were actually counting? You could have told me earlier if you wanted to. You were so excited before, why are you so cold now?”

    “I can’t be excited all the time,” Zhuo Zhi said, trying to be evasive.

    “But you shouldn’t cool down so quickly, or are you used to this kind of thing?” Li Qinyue looked at her, “I’m still excited, my palms are sweaty. Why did you even get out of the car? If she had cursed a few more times, I could have slapped her a few more times. She wouldn’t dare to hit me…”

    Zhuo Zhi twitched the corner of her mouth.

    Li Qinyue was confused, “What’s wrong with you?”

    Zhuo Zhi glanced at her, then looked down at her fingers.

    It wasn’t that she didn’t want to say it. She wasn’t the type to keep things bottled up inside. But she didn’t know how to say it, and she felt that saying it out loud would sound childish, unreasonable, and possessive.

    Li Qinyue, seeing her like this, got angry and slapped the steering wheel, “Did you hear what Ling Xi said, and you actually believed it?”

    “Huh?” Zhuo Zhi was stunned. What did Ling Xi say? Did she even say anything besides cursing?

    Li Qinyue raised her hand, her brows furrowed, “Never mind, we’ll talk when we get home. I’m afraid I’ll drive the car into a ditch.”

    Zhuo Zhi realized that Li Qinyue had misunderstood. She quickly said, “Sister…”

    “Don’t call me that,” Li Qinyue interrupted her, “I said we’ll talk when we get home.”

    If Zhuo Zhi thought her own emotional swings were irrational and inexplicable, then Li Qinyue’s mood swings were like unpredictable weather.

    And she was prone to anger. When she was angry, she could do anything. Zhuo Zhi knew that she had to go along with her at times like this.

    So she obediently remained silent until they reached the villa complex and parked in the garage.

    Li Qinyue got out of the car, her long legs carrying her quickly.

    Zhuo Zhi caught up to her. Before she could even change her shoes, Li Qinyue had already thrown her bag onto the cabinet.

    Although she had aimed for the cabinet, the bag had a metal buckle, and the sound was quite loud.

    Zhuo Zhi flinched involuntarily.

    “Okay, talk,” Li Qinyue crossed her arms and looked at her.

    “Sister…” Zhuo Zhi’s mind was a little blank, “Was there something wrong with what Ling Xi said?”

    “Something wrong?!” Li Qinyue’s voice rose, “Was there anything right about what she said!!! You really think I’m arrogant, promiscuous, and…”

    Zhuo Zhi covered her mouth.

    Her hand was firm, not allowing any air to pass through. Li Qinyue felt like she was suffocating.

    “No, no, no, what are you thinking, Sister? Of course I don’t believe what she said! She’s just saying anything she can to attack you, it’s not the first time she’s tried to slander you, how could I possibly believe her?” Zhuo Zhi explained quickly, ending with emphasis, “You’re not like that, Sister!”

    Li Qinyue made muffled “mmm” sounds.

    “I really don’t believe her!” Zhuo Zhi said anxiously, “I wouldn’t judge someone based on a few words. I’ve spent the most time with you since I came down the mountain, don’t I know you better than anyone?”

    Li Qinyue: “Mmm.”

    “Yes, you are quite confident, Sister, but that’s because you have the capital. And sometimes you have a bit of a temper, but that’s what makes you so cool and decisive, and that’s why we can conquer the world together. As for your private life…” Zhuo Zhi frowned, “That’s your freedom, no one has the right to interfere.”

    Li Qinyue: “…”

    Zhuo Zhi: “Really!”

    Li Qinyue pulled her hand away, “Are you doing this on purpose?”

    “What?”

    “Stopping me from speaking.”

    “Oh.”

    “Did you enjoy that?”

    “I was just explaining,” Zhuo Zhi said with innocent eyes, “I didn’t know you cared about this.”

    “I wouldn’t care about what others say,” Li Qinyue looked at her, “But you’re a fool.”

    “I’m not that foolish…”

    “Then why are you angry?”

    “I’m not angry anymore.”

    “Tell me!” Li Qinyue slapped Zhuo Zhi’s butt.

    Zhuo Zhi jumped back in surprise, holding her butt.

    “Hurry up and tell me,” Li Qinyue cracked her knuckles, “Otherwise, you’re not sleeping tonight.”

    “You can’t beat me, Sister.”

    “Oh?” Li Qinyue tilted her head, “Then try fighting back.”

    Zhuo Zhi frowned and didn’t speak.

    Li Qinyue became patient, “You suddenly went from happy to unhappy, of course I have to find out why. If there’s a problem, we’ll solve it. If not, then it’s a misunderstanding. I don’t want there to be any misunderstandings between us.”

    “There’s no misunderstanding,” Zhuo Zhi paused, “It’s your freedom.”

    “Why the hell is it my freedom again?!” Li Qinyue was annoyed by this phrase, “Can you stop giving me freedom for a moment?! I haven’t done anything yet, and you’re acting like I’ve gone too far with my freedom, don’t you think I’m feeling wronged?!”

    “Ah…” Zhuo Zhi was stunned.

    “Speak!” Li Qinyue shouted.

    “You didn’t let me help Lan Xi, but you went to be the hero yourself. Lan Xi already likes you, you’re only going to make her misunderstand. And you haven’t even rejected her properly, just stringing her along. It’s not very nice, although maybe that’s how you city people are. But it’s like smoking, it’s bad for you, that’s why I was upset,” Zhuo Zhi took a breath and looked at Li Qinyue, “But it’s none of my business, it’s your…”

    “Shut up,” Li Qinyue said.

    Zhuo Zhi shut her mouth.

    “Let me think.” Li Qinyue looked up at the ceiling. After a while, she said, “So you’re jealous?”

    “Huh?” Zhuo Zhi instinctively denied it, “No, I’m not!”

    She shook her head vehemently. Li Qinyue chuckled, “Yes, you are.”

    Zhuo Zhi remembered the decision she had made in her heart. She ignored the curse word and didn’t move.

    Li Qinyue’s mood seemed to have improved. She bent down to change her shoes, took off her jacket, and walked into the house, her steps light.

    Zhuo Zhi quickly went to change her own shoes. Just as she was taking off one shoe, Li Qinyue suddenly called out to her, “Zhuo Zhi.”

    “Huh?” Zhuo Zhi looked up at her.

    “Have you forgotten what you’re supposed to do as my girlfriend?”

    “No, I haven’t. I’m your shield against unwanted advances,” Zhuo Zhi’s self-awareness was accurate.

    Li Qinyue smiled gently, “Then since you’re my shield against unwanted advances, it means my main goal is to avoid those advances. So, whether it’s a man or a woman, whether they’re interested in me or not, I’m not interested in them, okay?”

    “Ah,” Zhuo Zhi was stunned, “Okay.”

    Li Qinyue took a few steps forward, then turned back, “If you think any of my actions seem like I’m interested in someone else, it’s just a misunderstanding, understand?”

    “Ah,” Zhuo Zhi straightened up, “Understood.”

    Li Qinyue went upstairs and stopped midway, turning her head, “I’m giving you the authority to supervise me on this matter. You can point it out at any time, stop me immediately, or warn me.”

    “Sister,” Zhuo Zhi stood at the bottom of the stairs, hesitating, “This…”

    “I don’t need this kind of freedom,” Li Qinyue interrupted her, “This is my freedom.”

    Zhuo Zhi paused, then said, “Okay.”

    Li Qinyue leaned on the railing, looking down at her, “Grandpa messaged me, he wants me to go home for dinner on New Year’s Day.”

    “Okay,” This was a lighthearted topic, and Zhuo Zhi smiled, “Although it’s not the official New Year’s Eve, it’s still nice for the family to be together on New Year’s Day.”

    “You’re coming with me,” Li Qinyue said.

    “I’m your bodyguard, of course I’ll be with you.”

    Li Qinyue smiled, “Don’t forget your other role.”

    “Yes, yes,” Zhuo Zhi nodded, “But your family gathering, there shouldn’t be any suitors there, right?”

    “Better safe than sorry,” Li Qinyue said.

    “Okay,” Zhuo Zhi, now experienced in her role as a fake girlfriend, puffed out her chest, “Don’t worry.”

    “Hmm,” Li Qinyue responded softly, her voice even gentler, “One last thing.”

    Zhuo Zhi looked up at her, “What is it, Sister?”

    “I’m not promiscuous,” Li Qinyue looked at her, “I’ve never even slept with anyone.”

    Zhuo Zhi froze, this topic was beyond her comprehension.

    Li Qinyue’s eyes curved into a smile as she tilted her chin, “If you don’t believe me, you can try it.”

  • Little Bodyguard(GL) 45

    Chapter 45

    In the end, they resorted to the ancient method of rock-paper-scissors to decide who would take the first step into the men’s restroom, a territory neither of them was eager to enter.

    Li Qinyue looked at her “scissors” and Zhuo Zhi’s “rock”, trying to think of a way to cheat, when Zhuo Zhi suddenly said, “The private room door opened!”

    Li Qinyue immediately turned and walked into the restroom, grabbing a mop on her way.

    Once inside, she froze and whispered, “Damn, we forgot about the layout of the men’s room!”

    Zhuo Zhi followed close behind. One glance was enough for her to understand. She couldn’t help but curse too, “Damn.”

    It wasn’t that she had forgotten, she simply lacked experience and hadn’t thought about it.

    The urinals in the men’s room were separate. If something unexpected happened, they might end up witnessing Wang Zilai peeing.

    “Damn,” Li Qinyue cursed again.

    “Damn,” Zhuo Zhi echoed.

    “What do we do?” Li Qinyue stood there, frozen.

    “At least there’s no one in here now,” Zhuo Zhi said.

    “There will be soon,” Li Qinyue shivered.

    “If it’s someone else, we’ll just walk out. If it’s Wang Zilai, we’ll put the bag over his head.”

    “Damn,” This time, Li Qinyue’s curse was accompanied by a smile.

    “He’s coming,” Zhuo Zhi moved towards a corner.

    Li Qinyue quickly followed, pretending to mop the floor diligently.

    Footsteps approached, slow and heavy. Zhuo Zhi’s fingers flashed in front of Li Qinyue’s eyes, one, two, three…

    It was him.

    It was too easy.

    Li Qinyue only had time to see a thumbs-up before Zhuo Zhi rushed out.

    By the time Li Qinyue turned around, the bread bag was already over Wang Zilai’s head. He opened his mouth to shout, but Zhuo Zhi shoved her fist inside, effectively silencing him.

    The bag, pressed against his teeth, muffled his shouts into indistinct “Mmmpphh” sounds.

    Zhuo Zhi looked at Li Qinyue, her eyes signaling. Li Qinyue knew this was a rare opportunity. Seeing Zhuo Zhi’s small frame struggling to control the much larger Wang Zilai, preventing him from speaking or fighting back, she knew it wasn’t easy.

    Too difficult.

    She couldn’t let her little cutie suffer like this.

    So Li Qinyue rushed over without hesitation, not wanting to get her hands dirty. She swung the mop and hit Wang Zilai’s legs.

    She controlled her strength, hitting him hard enough to hurt but not to cripple. A muffled groan came from inside the bag as Wang Zilai’s hands flailed around. Zhuo Zhi quickly pulled off his already unzipped jacket, twisted it, and tied his arms behind his back.

    Li Qinyue watched this smooth and skillful maneuver and silently gave her a thumbs-up.

    Then, thwack, thwack, thwack, with every hit, Li Qinyue thought of all the girls who had been forced to drink by this bastard until they vomited, all the times he had groped them, and all the disgusting rumors she had heard, even though she had never witnessed it herself.

    These things had nothing to do with her, Li Qinyue’s status protected her from Wang Zilai’s harassment. But taking out this unrelated anger was incredibly satisfying.

    I’m not doing this for myself, I’m fighting for justice. She felt noble and righteous.

    Li Qinyue even had her own background music playing in her head: Roar when you see injustice! Act when it’s time to act! Conquer the world with boldness!!!

    Li Qinyue was enjoying herself when Zhuo Zhi suddenly let go of Wang Zilai, pushed him aside, snatched the mop from Li Qinyue, and pulled her hand, running towards the exit.

    Li Qinyue was dizzy from being dragged along. By the time they reached the bathroom door, she had only regained a little bit of her senses.

    They both stopped at the door in perfect sync, then walked out with their heads down, their pace normal.

    After passing through the corridor, past two waiters carrying dishes, and turning a corner, Li Qinyue finally let out a long breath.

    She had been holding her breath the entire time while they were running. Now, her chest heaving, she had so much to say, but couldn’t find the words.

    They returned to the storage room, changed back into their clothes, and quickly went downstairs to the parking lot. Once they were in the car, with the doors closed and Li Qinyue’s foot on the gas pedal, she finally felt at ease.

    She adjusted her posture for driving, but didn’t start the car.

    Zhuo Zhi asked, “What are you doing, Sister?”

    Li Qinyue said honestly, “I’m getting ready to run.”

    “Hahahahaha…” Zhuo Zhi burst out laughing, unable to hold back.

    Li Qinyue tried to hold back, but she couldn’t help but laugh with her.

    Between bursts of laughter, she asked, “Did you hear someone coming?”

    “No, we wouldn’t have had time if I had,” Zhuo Zhi replied, still laughing.

    “Hahahahaha, then why did you pull me away?” Li Qinyue looked at her, “I wasn’t done beating him up yet.”

    “That’s enough for the newbie village, hahahahaha, I was afraid you’d forget where you were if you kept going,” Zhuo Zhi said.

    “I almost did forget, I thought I was on Mount Hua, battling for supremacy, hahahahaha.”

    “Hahahahaha, was it satisfying?”

    “Hahahahaha, incredibly satisfying, I’m even sweating.”

    They laughed until their stomachs hurt.

    Li Qinyue wiped her eyes, “I’m laughing so hard my makeup is ruined.”

    “Hahahahaha…” Zhuo Zhi burst into another fit of laughter.

    “Stop laughing,” Li Qinyue ruffled her hair, “Let’s get down to business.”

    “What business?”

    “Well…” Li Qinyue paused, then slammed her hand on the steering wheel, “Damn, if we go beat up Ling Xi now, it’ll be too much of a coincidence, right?”

    “Yes,” Zhuo Zhi nodded, “If I were them, I would definitely suspect us.”

    “But it won’t be satisfying if I don’t get to beat her up today,” Li Qinyue frowned.

    “Sister,” Zhuo Zhi reminded her gently, “You came here tonight just to mess with them, your goal has already been achieved.”

    “No,” Li Qinyue shook her head, “No, my goal has been upgraded, I can’t downgrade it now.”

    “Sigh…” Zhuo Zhi leaned back in her seat, “Then let me think.”

    Li Qinyue took out her phone and messaged Lan Xi, asking about the situation in the private room.

    Lan Xi said that Wang Zilai had gone to the bathroom and hadn’t returned yet, and that Ling Xi had just invited her for a drink after dinner.

    Li Qinyue replied: Still not giving up, huh?

    Lan Xi: I already declined.

    Li Qinyue had a flash of inspiration: Agree to go with her, and leave from the parking lot in her car.

    After putting down her phone, Li Qinyue was in a good mood.

    She looked at Zhuo Zhi, “Hey, figured out a plan yet?”

    “We can stage an accident and make her fall,” Zhuo Zhi said, “No need for anything more serious.”

    “Just a fall? How unsatisfying,” Li Qinyue smiled mischievously, “Leave this kind of thing to me.”

    “What?!” Zhuo Zhi leaned closer, her eyes sparkling, “Did you come up with something, Sister?”

    “Of course,” Li Qinyue casually picked at her fingernails.

    “You’re amazing, Sister! Tell me quickly!” Zhuo Zhi didn’t forget to flatter her.

    Li Qinyue didn’t speak, continuing to pick at her fingernails, “Here.”

    Zhuo Zhi understood and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek.

    Li Qinyue chuckled, “You don’t need to do anything this time, just stay in the car and watch the show.”

    “But you still haven’t told me how you’re going to do it.”

    “You’ll see later.”

    “You’re not experienced in this area, Sister, you should tell me so I can offer some suggestions. What if something goes wrong…”

    “No need,” Li Qinyue said, smiling and rubbing her head, “This doesn’t require any experience.”

    Zhuo Zhi asked two more times, but couldn’t get any information out of her. She could only wait in the car, curious and bored.

    Ten minutes later, Li Qinyue’s phone lit up. She sat up straight, her eyes fixed on the front, “They’re here.”

    Zhuo Zhi looked out. After a while, the elevator door opened, and two people walked out.

    Ling Xi and Lan Xi.

    It was a fitting ending to their encounter earlier.

    However, the atmosphere was different. They had seemed close and friendly when they arrived, but now they seemed tense and hostile.

    They were a bit far away, and Zhuo Zhi couldn’t hear what they were saying, but before they even reached the car, Lan Xi suddenly shouted, “I told you, you can’t give me what I want!”

    Her voice was loud, amplified by the echo in the parking lot. Zhuo Zhi could only be thankful that Lan Xi wasn’t famous enough to have paparazzi following her yet.

    Li Qinyue, beside her, became excited, rubbing her hands together.

    Zhuo Zhi asked tentatively, “Sister, are you going to have Lan Xi beat her up for you?”

    “That would be boring,” Li Qinyue’s answer was vague.

    After Lan Xi’s outburst, their conflict escalated.

    Ling Xi also became agitated, saying something quickly. Lan Xi shouted again, “What makes you think you can compare to her?! You’re nothing compared to her!”

    Zhuo Zhi froze. She remembered the things Ling Xi had said to Li Qinyue before, mostly out of jealousy. Lan Xi was hitting Ling Xi where it hurt.

    As expected, Ling Xi completely lost it, her voice loud enough for Zhuo Zhi to hear clearly, “What’s so good about her besides her good looks?! She’s a spoiled brat! Arrogant! Conceited! You think ‘Shengle Media’ will survive in her hands? It’ll be bankrupt by next year! You actually like her? She wouldn’t even look at you! She sleeps with both men and women! Promiscuous! Disgusting!”

    Zhuo Zhi couldn’t take it anymore. She was about to open the door and rush out, but Li Qinyue stopped her.

    She cracked her knuckles, “I can handle this myself.”

    “Is this the plan you came up with, Sister?” Zhuo Zhi frowned.

    “Yes,” Li Qinyue said, “Things have come to this, there’s no need to hide anymore. I can’t beat up Wang Zilai openly, but I can beat her up openly, right?”

    “Sister, didn’t you say we need to maintain relationships to make money…”

    “I should thank you,” Li Qinyue smiled at her, “You made me realize that earning that little bit of money isn’t as satisfying as beating up an idiot.”

    Lan Xi, defending Li Qinyue, their argument had escalated to physical contact.

    What was infuriating was that even at this point, Ling Xi didn’t forget to take advantage of the situation. She grabbed Lan Xi’s arm, trying to pull her closer, looking like she wanted to kiss her.

    As if forcing physical contact would assert her dominance and turn the tables.

    “It’s time,” Li Qinyue opened the door and got out of the car.

    “Go, Sister,” Zhuo Zhi said, “I’ll go down and help you if you need it.”

    Li Qinyue smiled and rushed over, pulling Lan Xi away and punching Ling Xi in the face.

    It wasn’t the usual girl fight of hair-pulling and scratching. Li Qinyue’s stance was solid, she shifted her weight and twisted her hips, putting all her strength into the punch.

    Zhuo Zhi was relieved, remembering that Li Qinyue had gone to the boxing gym and must have had some training.

    And with Lan Xi on her side, there was no way she would lose.

    But the moment she thought of that, a thought clicked in her mind, triggering another mode.

    Li Qinyue had criticized Zhuo Zhi for wanting to protect Lan Xi. But now, the tables had turned, and Li Qinyue was playing the hero.

    And just as Li Qinyue had said, Lan Xi liked her. This was a true, consensual, hero saving a damsel in distress scenario.

    At least, consensual from Lan Xi’s side.

    Wait, wasn’t “consensual” supposed to be mutual?

    Did Li Qinyue have feelings for Lan Xi?

    It seemed like there had been something between them at the bar that first time, but Li Qinyue hadn’t explicitly said she wasn’t interested at all!

    Didn’t city people love playing these ambiguous games?!

    Zhuo Zhi’s frown deepened. She wanted to rush out, pull them apart, and drag Li Qinyue away.

    Away from this chaotic world of city people, to live a simple and peaceful life on the mountain.

    But she couldn’t. She had a promise to keep with Li Qinyue, and many things left unfinished.

    So what could she do? She could only make a silent decision: Even if Li Qinyue cursed all the way home tonight, she wouldn’t kiss her again.

    Not tomorrow either!