Little Bodyguard(GL) 43

Chapter 43

Zhuo Zhi found this truly amazing.

If a peck on the lips was like a feather tickling her heart, then this passionate entanglement was like a fire burning under her, urging her forward, closer.

Li Qinyue’s scent surrounded her, enveloped her, slowly seeping into her.

Her thoughts were both chaotic and clear. Clear in the sense that every subtle sensation on her tongue seemed to be etched into her memory, permanently sealed. Chaotic in the sense that she couldn’t control her actions.

For example, her mind screamed, Enough, enough, don’t press so hard, but her body couldn’t help but lean in closer, wanting to eliminate every bit of space between them.

For example, her mind screamed, Stop, stop, we’ve done enough, but her tongue continued to explore, licking, nibbling, sucking, each movement sending waves of pleasure through her.

And for example, Zhuo Zhi wanted to obey Li Qinyue’s instructions, to only move her tongue, not daring to move any other part of her body, but her hand, as if possessed, had already untied Li Qinyue’s bathrobe belt and slipped inside.

She touched smooth, supple skin, as soft as water flowing through her fingers, impossible to grasp. She caressed it repeatedly, tracing the delicate curves in her mind, over and over again.

Time seemed to stretch infinitely. Zhuo Zhi didn’t know if a moment had passed, or a minute. Had she just kissed Li Qinyue’s lips, or had they been entangled for an eternity?

She started feeling a sense of urgency, a restlessness she couldn’t explain, like a machine that had been started but had no task to perform, like she had mastered a new martial arts technique, but had no opponent to spar with.

Speaking of martial arts… Zhuo Zhi suddenly opened her eyes, seeing Li Qinyue, her face flushed like her own, her lips glistening, her neck slender.

Her fingertips trembled slightly as she finally pulled away, tumbling off the bed.

This time, she couldn’t even utter a “good night.” She ran out of the room, afraid that if she lingered even a moment longer, she would cross the line, forgetting her master’s teachings and the promise she had made.

This night was destined to be restless.

Zhuo Zhi lay in bed, unable to sleep, her mind racing.

She endured until the first light of dawn, then got out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash her face, noticing that her eyes were a little red.

But she felt energized, like she could go for a twenty-kilometer run.

And she did. While the city was shrouded in heavy smog, the air on the mountain was fresh and clean.

As she ran, her body warmed up, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, her back, and even trickled down her legs.

Zhuo Zhi took a deep breath, finally feeling the pent-up emotions from last night dissipate.

As usual, she bought some fresh fruits and vegetables that Li Qinyue liked on her way back to the villa. As she walked slowly, she thought about how to apologize to Li Qinyue so she wouldn’t be angry.

After all, the way she had run away last night was awful.

However, the carefully prepared apology she had rehearsed in her mind wasn’t needed.

By the time Zhuo Zhi was busy in the kitchen, Li Qinyue had already come downstairs, her steps light, her energy radiating, as she did some yoga stretches in front of the French window, facing the bare trees that looked artistic in their nakedness.

Her posture was graceful, her mind and body at ease.

When Zhuo Zhi served breakfast, Li Qinyue not only served her food, but also brought up Lan Xi, saying that the response to the episode had been good, and based on her performance in the next two episodes, Lan Xi’s spot on “I’m a Musician” should be secure.

Her tone was calm, but Zhuo Zhi was happy, knowing that this was good news for them.

After breakfast, Li Qinyue took Zhuo Zhi down the mountain to “Shengle Media”. Once again, Zhuo Zhi met the candidates for “12 New Stars”. They were about to enter the official competition, five of them in total, including An Qi and Apple. Zhuo Zhi gave them a few extra glances.

In the afternoon, Lan Xi and her band members arrived at “Shengle Media” and went into General Manager Chen’s office. They talked for a long time before coming out.

Everyone seemed to be in a good mood. Li Qinyue made two phone calls, then put her arm around Zhuo Zhi’s shoulder and said, “Comrade Xiao Zhuo, we have another dinner tonight.”

“What kind?” Zhuo Zhi hoped it would be like the last time at “Shengge”, a gathering of friends. Although she had to keep an eye on Lan Xi, the overall atmosphere was pleasant.

“The kind you hate,” Li Qinyue, knowing her well, gave her a sympathetic look.

Zhuo Zhi frowned and went to the supermarket downstairs to buy hangover pills and allergy medicine, just in case.

When it was time, they set off to an upscale restaurant with an ethnic flair. After parking the company car, Li Qinyue rolled up the windows and didn’t get out immediately.

Zhuo Zhi looked out and asked, “Who are we waiting for, Sister?”

“Someone interesting,” Li Qinyue’s hand fidgeted with the cigarette pack on the dashboard. Zhuo Zhi grabbed her hand.

Li Qinyue looked at her. Zhuo Zhi held her hand firmly, “I’ll suffocate if you smoke in the car.”

“You’re not even making up an excuse to care about my health now?” Li Qinyue asked with a smile.

“I care about your health, but that doesn’t mean it’ll work,” Zhuo Zhi smiled back.

“Do you know why saying that is more effective?” Li Qinyue asked.

“Because you’re good to me, Sister,” Zhuo Zhi said, turning to look out the window with a smile.

Li Qinyue chuckled, “So shameless about your self-love, but too shy to look at me?”

Zhuo Zhi rubbed Li Qinyue’s hand, but didn’t turn back.

Li Qinyue didn’t force her. She fiddled with Zhuo Zhi’s fingers, a small indulgence.

After a while, Li Qinyue said softly, “She’s here.”

Zhuo Zhi quickly turned back and followed Li Qinyue’s gaze, seeing a familiar car entering the parking lot.

Zhuo Zhi truly disliked this person, so she immediately became alert, “What’s she doing here?”

“Dinner,” Li Qinyue said.

“Why do we keep running into her?” Zhuo Zhi frowned. “Is she stalking you, plotting against you?”

Li Qinyue chuckled, “That was the only time we ran into her, at Brother Mi’s dinner, right?”

“And now we’re running into her again,” Zhuo Zhi said fiercely.

“This isn’t a coincidence,” Li Qinyue stared at the car, “This is a planned encounter, it’s a setup.”

Zhuo Zhi’s expression turned even more disgusted.

Li Qinyue looked at her sideways, pinching her cheek, “Stop frowning, you’ll get wrinkles. You’re wrong this time, I invited her to dinner.”

“Why?!” Zhuo Zhi immediately exclaimed.

“For fun, of course,” Li Qinyue said with a mischievous smile.

Zhuo Zhi didn’t voice her next “why” because she saw not only the annoying Ling Xi getting out of the car, but also Lan Xi, whom they had just met at “Shengle Media” this afternoon.

They seemed to be having a pleasant conversation. As they walked, Ling Xi even put her hand on Lan Xi’s lower back, guiding her towards the elevator.

Before the elevator door closed, Zhuo Zhi even saw Ling Xi leaning close to Lan Xi’s ear, whispering something, completely exceeding the normal social distance.

Zhuo Zhi’s frown deepened. If it were summer, she could have squashed two mosquitoes with that frown.

“What’s going on?” she turned to ask Li Qinyue.

“Lan Xi is joining us for dinner,” Li Qinyue said, “Didn’t I tell you?”

“No,” Zhuo Zhi was a little sad, “So is Lan Xi a spy?”

Li Qinyue chuckled, “You’ll find out later.”

“I want to know now,” Zhuo Zhi squeezed Li Qinyue’s hand, “So I can plan my next move.”

“What move?” Li Qinyue was surprised.

“If she’s helping Ling Xi plot against you, I’ll make her puke her guts out tonight and crawl back home,” Zhuo Zhi gritted her teeth, “And if this is some kind of elaborate spy game you’ve arranged, I’ll find an opportunity to put a sack over Ling Xi’s head again.”

“Wow, wow, wow…” Li Qinyue sighed, “I’ve raised a little wolf cub.”

“Don’t forget my identity, Sister,” Zhuo Zhi said seriously.

“Aren’t you my girlfriend?”

“Sister!”

“Then you’re also my bodyguard. A bodyguard’s main duty is to protect their employer. Your little mind is always thinking about beating people up.”

Zhuo Zhi raised an eyebrow, “Aren’t you thinking about it too?”

“I am,” Li Qinyue laughed and raised her hand, “You’re better at fighting than making people drink, aren’t you?”

This was an answer in itself. Zhuo Zhi’s worries vanished, and she smiled, high-fiving Li Qinyue, “It’s not fighting, fighting is a two-way thing, I just beat people up.”

“Okay, my little attack dog.” Li Qinyue couldn’t resist leaning over and giving Zhuo Zhi a quick kiss on the cheek before opening the door and getting out of the car.

This dinner, not only were Ling Xi and Lan Xi present, but also another person Zhuo Zhi deeply disliked: Wang Zilai.

Wang Zilai never attended dinners alone. As usual, he had brought two companions who would flatter him and stroke his ego, making him appear even more imposing. Everywhere he went, people would address him respectfully as “President Wang”.

When everyone had arrived and the food and drinks were served, Wang Zilai scanned the table. Before he could say anything, Ling Xi volunteered to drink three glasses as a self-imposed penalty, which made Wang Zilai beam with delight.

His two companions followed suit, and the atmosphere at the table quickly became lively.

Zhuo Zhi leaned closer to Li Qinyue and whispered, “Sister, can I put a sack over two heads tonight?”

Li Qinyue chuckled, “Do you really think they can’t trace it back to you?”

“I’ll be careful,” Zhuo Zhi said seriously, “I’ll only act when I’m absolutely sure.”

“Then you’ll have to take me with you this time,” Li Qinyue looked at her, “I want to have some fun too.”

Zhuo Zhi smiled. The way they looked at each other, their smiles full of understanding, caught Wang Zilai’s attention. He immediately said, “Little President Li is so devoted this time.”

“What do you mean ‘this time’?” Li Qinyue said, “This is the only time.”

“One time, one time,” Wang Zilai looked around, chuckling mischievously, “Little President Li has only loved once, only devoted to Xiao Zhuo. How does that song go? ‘To win one’s heart, and grow old together…”

He paused and looked at Lan Xi, “Xiao Lan, you’re a good singer, come on, sing us a song.”

Lan Xi smiled wryly and said, “My throat is a bit sore today.”

“Oh,” Wang Zilai immediately poured a glass of liquor and beckoned to her, “Have a drink to soothe your throat.”

“Drinking will make it worse,” Lan Xi’s face was expressionless. “President Wang, you know I’m a singer, protecting my voice is the most important thing.”

Her words were firm and assertive, completely different from the submissive girl from last time who drank as much as they told her to. Wang Zilai’s face darkened. He said to Ling Xi, “Have you seen that show Xiao Lan is on? She’s a talented girl. It’s a shame the producers don’t have much money for promotion, good content, in their hands, it’s going to waste.”

His meaning was clear. He was dangling a carrot in front of Lan Xi, acknowledging her talent, while also giving her a warning: Don’t think you’re a big shot just because you’re on a small-time show. That show can’t make you famous. You still need to choose your allies carefully and know who’s really in charge.

“I’ve seen it, I’ve seen it,” Ling Xi hurriedly said, “Lan Xi’s performance was indeed excellent. Her songwriting skills are impressive. I don’t think many people can compare to her.”

People in this industry were skilled at reading people and sensing trends. Even Zhuo Zhi, an outsider, knew that Lan Xi was going to be a star. Ling Xi and Wang Zilai were even more aware of this.

They were in this together, and their act was clearly meant to take advantage of Li Qinyue’s setup and recruit Lan Xi, to control her and make her do their bidding.

After speaking, Ling Xi stood up, took Lan Xi’s hand, and walked towards Wang Zilai, “Xi, you’re young, you don’t know, President Wang has a professional understanding of music. The song he just requested, sing it for him, let him give you some pointers.”

She had brought Lan Xi to Wang Zilai, but she didn’t let go of her hand.

Zhuo Zhi, with her sharp eyes, noticed Ling Xi’s fingers rubbing Lan Xi’s hand. A few months ago, she wouldn’t have paid attention to such a detail, but now, she immediately understood the deeper meaning behind it.

She had Li Qinyue to thank for that. Zhuo Zhi glanced at Li Qinyue, who was calmly eating, showing no signs of intervening.

Noticing Zhuo Zhi’s gaze, Li Qinyue smiled at her and reached out under the table, squeezing Zhuo Zhi’s thigh.

Zhuo Zhi’s face flushed instantly. Her thoughts were interrupted by Lan Xi’s voice, “I said I can’t sing.”

Her tone was flat, but that made it even more annoying.

The harmonious atmosphere at the table was disrupted, and everyone looked at Lan Xi.

Lan Xi pulled her hand away from Ling Xi and rubbed her wrist. Before anyone else could speak, she added, “I also said earlier that protecting my voice is the most important thing for a singer. So, I can’t drink this wine either.”

This repeated refusal was direct, firm, and left no room for negotiation. It also carried a hint of arrogance.

An arrogance that, in the eyes of Wang Zilai and Ling Xi, stemmed from her newfound fame, both reasonable and unexpected.

It was like someone at the bottom of the food chain, not yet fully liberated, but already trying to be the master. The most infuriating kind.

The smiles on Ling Xi and Wang Zilai’s faces vanished. From Zhuo Zhi’s perspective, this was how it should be, how it had to be. She spoke clearly and confidently, refusing what was inappropriate and resisting oppression.

She remembered Lan Xi hugging the toilet and vomiting earlier and suddenly understood what Li Qinyue had said in the car. Bringing these people together tonight was for entertainment.

Seeing someone stand up for themselves was far more satisfying and enjoyable than intervening on their behalf.

Ling Xi raised her voice and reprimanded Lan Xi, “What are you doing?”

Lan Xi glanced at her, then looked at Li Qinyue, “I asked you and President Wang to introduce me because I wanted to meet President Li. Thank you both, my goal has been achieved.”

Her gaze was sincere and passionate. As she said the next sentence, she couldn’t help but smile, “I signed with ‘Shengle Media’ today. From now on, I’m with President Li.”

Her smile was like a slap in the face to Ling Xi and Wang Zilai.

For the two sycophants, it was another piece of juicy gossip.

And for Zhuo Zhi, her heart, which had just soared with joy, suddenly felt a pang of displeasure. If she had to describe this feeling, it was like the taste of the lemon slice on her plate, a decorative element, but still slightly sour.

She looked at Li Qinyue, wondering how the recipient of this confession felt.

But Li Qinyue wasn’t even looking at Lan Xi. She was looking at Zhuo Zhi, and when their eyes met, she smiled.

The hand under the table reached out and rubbed Zhuo Zhi’s thigh. Her voice, shamelessly flirty, said, “Honey, is the heating not working? You feel cold.”