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.”