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.