Little Bodyguard(GL) 38

Chapter 38

After receiving that kiss, Li Qinyue was happy for the rest of the evening.

In a good mood but lacking a suitable outlet for her energy, she decided to top up Zhuo Zhi’s game account.

She had downloaded the game, helped register the account, and even typed in the password as Zhuo Zhi dictated it, so using it felt as natural as her own account.

But it wasn’t her own account. This simple connection sparked a secret thrill.

So, after topping up the account, the usually impatient and short-tempered Miss Li spent two hours power leveling for Zhuo Zhi, secretly determined to bring the little fool up to her level.

Having stayed up late playing games, she woke up late the next morning.

Zhuo Zhi, skilled with her new phone, had only added Li Qinyue on WeChat. She sent her a picture of breakfast she had found online early in the morning, probably trying to entice Li Qinyue to wake up early.

Li Qinyue got out of bed and went downstairs. Zhuo Zhi was doing some strange stretches on the living room carpet. Seeing Li Qinyue, she grinned, “Good morning, Sister.”

“Good morning,” Li Qinyue was happy to see her back to her energetic self.

Zhuo Zhi jumped up and finished the last steps of breakfast in the kitchen. After they ate, as usual, Li Qinyue played on her computer while Zhuo Zhi read.

However, Zhuo Zhi no longer borrowed books from the bookstore. She had downloaded a reading app on her phone and was engrossed in a book.

It was an ordinary day, yet also somewhat unusual.

Li Qinyue couldn’t help but glance at Zhuo Zhi every now and then. Zhuo Zhi would often catch her gaze, smile, her cheeks flushed.

It made Li Qinyue’s heart itch.

That afternoon, Mi Xingyi called Li Qinyue. The news was shocking.

At first, Li Qinyue hadn’t intended to avoid Zhuo Zhi, but Zhuo Zhi was very perceptive and immediately looked over, her eyes wide with curiosity. Li Qinyue, afraid of giving herself away with her expression, went to the back garden.

Although Mi Xingyi seemed calm and collected, he was still young. When he was upset, he needed to vent to his close friends, so the phone call lasted a bit long.

After hanging up, Li Qinyue turned around and saw Zhuo Zhi pressed against the French window, like a gecko, staring at her intently.

The moment their eyes met, Zhuo Zhi quickly walked around the window and came to her side.

But she didn’t ask directly. She draped her jacket over Li Qinyue’s shoulders, saying, “It’s cold in the garden, why didn’t you wear a jacket?”

Li Qinyue’s body felt warm, and so did her heart. She put her hand in Zhuo Zhi’s, “Yeah, why didn’t you bring me a jacket earlier? Feel how cold my hand is.”

Zhuo Zhi took her other hand, holding both in hers, and said, “I was watching you talk on the phone, Sister, you didn’t want me to overhear.”

Li Qinyue said, “Well, it wasn’t…”

Zhuo Zhi cut her off, “It’s about Rong Hua.”

Li Qinyue’s prepared excuses died in her throat.

Zhuo Zhi diligently warmed her hands, not looking up, “It’s true that this has nothing to do with me, but I’m a little curious, I just want to know the truth.”

Two “buts” in a row, so pitiful, so weak, so endearing.

Li Qinyue felt like a monster if she didn’t indulge her.

Telling her the truth wouldn’t make her happy, and not telling her would make her feel wronged and angry. So, Li Qinyue decided to be honest.

“There’s still no truth. Rong Hua showed up again, still trying to scam Mi Xingyi, and ran away before the police arrived.”

Zhuo Zhi was stunned, “Ran away? Is her leg healed?”

Li Qinyue sighed, “According to Mi Xingyi, no.”

“That’s dangerous!” Zhuo Zhi was a little agitated.

“If she doesn’t care about her own safety, there’s nothing others can do,” Li Qinyue paused, “By the way, there was someone filming the scene today, stirring up trouble.”

Zhuo Zhi frowned, her expression troubled.

“Alright,” Li Qinyue pulled her hand away, “Let’s go inside, it’s warmer in there.”

“Do you think she’ll continue tomorrow?” Zhuo Zhi asked.

“I guess so,” Li Qinyue said.

“What about Brother Mi?”

“He thinks so too.”

“Doesn’t Brother Mi have any plans?” Zhuo Zhi followed Li Qinyue inside.

Li Qinyue closed the door and sighed, “Didn’t I tell you yesterday? Brother Mi isn’t an ordinary person, whatever plans he has are none of our business. I can’t send you to his side, following him…”

“No, no, no,” Zhuo Zhi waved her hands repeatedly, “No need, no need.”

“Then what are your thoughts?” Li Qinyue asked.

“Brother Mi will definitely try to catch her next time. Whether it’s through official channels or a private settlement, I hope I can meet Rong Hua then.”

Zhuo Zhi’s guess was accurate. Mi Xingyi was planning to catch her. Li Qinyue agreed, “Okay, that’s doable.”

But on the third day, Rong Hua didn’t appear, nor on the fourth.

Every day, Zhuo Zhi watched Li Qinyue intently, reversing their usual dynamic of stealing glances. Li Qinyue found it amusing.

By the fifth day, Zhuo Zhi was practically glued to Li Qinyue, almost following her into the bathroom, afraid that Li Qinyue would get news but not tell her.

Li Qinyue prayed for Rong Hua to show up soon.

And her prayer was answered. On the fifth night, Mi Xingyi sent her a message, saying that they had caught her.

Li Qinyue asked him what he planned to do. Mi Xingyi said he hadn’t decided yet. This time, after catching her, she just kept crying, which was a bit tricky.

Li Qinyue beckoned to Zhuo Zhi, “I’m going to talk to her, women understand each other better.”

Mi Xingyi chuckled, “You’re not exactly easy to talk to.”

Li Qinyue put her arm around Zhuo Zhi, “I have someone who’s easy to talk to.”

They rushed over. This time, Rong Hua had chosen Mi Xingyi’s company entrance for her scam. Mi Xingyi had caught her along with the person filming the video. They were all in the conference room now.

When Li Qinyue and Zhuo Zhi arrived, Mi Xingyi was standing at the door, smoking. The scene was familiar, but the context was completely different.

“She’s crying so hard, it’s giving me a headache,” Mi Xingyi said.

“President Mi has always had a weakness for women’s tears,” Li Qinyue said.

“Yes, regardless of their age or status, I get a headache whenever a woman cries,” Mi Xingyi paused, “I think I’m almost there.”

“What do you mean?” Li Qinyue asked quickly.

“She asked me to save her child,” Mi Xingyi had put out his cigarette when Zhuo Zhi arrived. Now he was fiddling with the cigarette butt.

“Sigh…” Li Qinyue sighed, “Only your family encounters this kind of thing.”

“Yeah, this time it’s a real drama, playing hard to get.”

Zhuo Zhi, who had been waiting anxiously at the side, knew from their conversation that there was more to this story, and it made her even more anxious.

Although she didn’t move or speak, her gaze was fixed on Li Qinyue, almost tangible.

Li Qinyue sighed inwardly, patted her back, and said to Mi Xingyi, “My girlfriend is very concerned about this matter, she can’t figure it out, she’s been talking about it for days. If there’s nothing confidential, let her go in and see. She works in security, she won’t be at ease until she sees it with her own eyes.”

Mi Xingyi smiled, his eyes crinkling, and said to Zhuo Zhi, “Thank you for remembering. I’m fine, they’re all in there, you can ask whatever you want. I’ll still be sending them to the police station later.”

“Okay, thank you, President Mi,” Zhuo Zhi said quickly.

“I should be thanking you,” Mi Xingyi said politely.

Zhuo Zhi entered the conference room. Mi Xingyi led Li Qinyue to another office and made her tea.

“I heard you found a little girlfriend. You brought her to dinner that day, but didn’t formally introduce her. I thought it wasn’t serious.”

“Of course it’s serious, have you ever seen me bring anyone else?” Li Qinyue took a sip of tea and smiled. “She’s young and shy, so I didn’t make it formal.”

“Relationships are interesting,” Mi Xingyi said. “No one expected you to find a little girlfriend.”

“Age and gender don’t matter, as long as you like each other.”

Li Qinyue had initially mentioned “girlfriend” to emphasize her relationship, to ask Mi Xingyi for a favor so Zhuo Zhi could intervene in this matter. But now that they were talking about it, she found herself enjoying the conversation.

So she added, “You wouldn’t believe it, but she’s really good at martial arts.”

Mi Xingyi chuckled, “What kind of martial arts?”

Li Qinyue also chuckled, “All kinds. The way she fights, the last time I saw someone like that was that assistant my uncle brought to a meeting.”

“He’s a bodyguard,” Mi Xingyi said, “Do you have a thing for certain professions?”

“No, I only have a thing for my girl.” Li Qinyue sounded smug.

When Zhuo Zhi entered the conference room, a man was arguing with Rong Hua, something about how she had made him do this and that it was her responsibility if he got arrested.

It was a one-sided argument. Rong Hua didn’t respond, she just kept crying.

Her eyes were swollen, her eyelids drooping, barely recognizable.

Zhuo Zhi’s heart ached. She said to the man, “Stop yelling.”

The man, seeing that it was a young girl, shouted, “I’m not yelling! I’m going to jail! I just took some money to film a video, how did I become a criminal? Where can I go to complain about this injustice?”

“The police station,” Zhuo Zhi walked towards Rong Hua. There was a pack of tissues on the table, but Rong Hua wasn’t using them. Zhuo Zhi took out two and handed them to her. “Stop crying.”

The man took a step forward, about to argue again. Zhuo Zhi was getting annoyed. She reached out and twisted his arm behind his back.

The man cried out in pain. Zhuo Zhi said, “I told you to stop yelling, wait over there.”

The man, a bully at heart, didn’t dare to make another sound and obediently went to sit in a corner.

Rong Hua didn’t take the tissues. Zhuo Zhi held them.

She said, “You don’t really want to go to the police station, do you? If calling the police was useful, you wouldn’t have gone through all this trouble, right?”

Rong Hua glanced at her, then broke down, “I really have no other choice, I have no other choice…”

“Yes, I know,” Zhuo Zhi squatted down in front of her and wiped her tears with the tissues, “Who would want to do this if they had a choice?”

“My child is missing, my child is missing…” Rong Hua’s voice was low, but every word seemed to be repeated a thousand times, pain, despair, relentless torture, heart-wrenching.

Zhuo Zhi’s eyes reddened. She reached out and grabbed Rong Hua’s hand, “If she’s missing, we’ll find her, we’ll keep looking, we’ll find her.”

The hand was rough, so rough, like a gnarled tree root.

Tears streamed down Rong Hua’s face. She looked at Zhuo Zhi, her other hand reaching out hesitantly, wanting to touch Zhuo Zhi’s cheek, but ultimately stopping short.

Her eyes, red and swollen from crying, stared intently at Zhuo Zhi. She seemed to smile, but it quickly disappeared, swallowed by her grief-stricken face.

Rong Hua said, “My daughter, if she’s still alive, she’d be about your age, about your age…”

Zhuo Zhi looked down, tears falling, quickly wiped away.

She knew crying wouldn’t solve anything. She took two deep breaths and looked up at Rong Hua, “She must be alive. Did you find some clue about her, so you came to find President Mi?”

Rong Hua shook her head, her voice hoarse, “I couldn’t find her, couldn’t find her, so I came to find a high-ranking official.”

Zhuo Zhi asked, “Did you report it to the police? File a missing person report? Join a missing children’s support group? Where’s your hometown? Where have you searched?”

“I’ve searched everywhere, everywhere I could,” Rong Hua shook her head. “It’s been twelve years, I couldn’t find her, couldn’t find her.”

“Why are you using this method now, after so long?” Zhuo Zhi’s chest tightened, her throat dry.

Rong Hua pulled her hand away from Zhuo Zhi’s grasp, and as she spoke, tears streamed down her face again, “I don’t have much time left. Others told me about this method, so I tried it. If my daughter is still in this world, I want to see her one last time. If she’s gone, I’ll go find her in the afterlife…”