Ying Chan had no schedule that afternoon, so she planned to head home and catch up on sleep.
The car cruised smoothly along the streets of Shanghai, pausing at a red light. Jin Si pulled out his phone, the screen’s glow casting light across the bridge of his nose.
Ying Chan suddenly remembered something and made a call.
No one picked up at first, so she put it on speaker and set it aside, reaching into the front compartment for some candy.
“Zhaozhao.” The call connected.
Ying Chan tore open the wrapper as she spoke. “Sis.”
“I was just about to call you. The property management told me some obsessive fan climbed from my apartment downstairs into yours. Are you okay?”
A crisp, spirited female voice came through the line—her cousin Sheng Xiali, who also happened to be the owner of the apartment whose door had been pried open downstairs.
Ying Chan said, “I’m fine. I was calling to ask if I could borrow your place for my bodyguard. I want him living closer to me so he can respond quickly if anything happens.”
“Sure, no problem. I bought that place on a whim anyway—only stayed there two or three nights. It’s just sitting there collecting dust.” Sheng Xiali laughed like a sly fox. “But wait—your bodyguard wouldn’t happen to be that mysterious side-profile guy trending on social media, would he?”
Ying Chan was surprised. “How did you guess that?”
Aside from Sister Wei and Shang Lübai, she was the only one who’d gotten the answer right.
“Of course~ Your big sis has the sharpest nose for handsome men~” There was background noise on Sheng Xiali’s end, like she was at an airport or high-speed rail station.
“I happen to be on a business trip in Nancheng. I’ll be in Shanghai by evening—let’s have dinner together, and I’ll give your new bodyguard a once-over. If he’s really that handsome, forget lending him the place—I’d give it to him for free~”
A wave of hooligan energy hit her straight in the face.
In the rearview mirror, Jin Si raised his eyes with a faint, unreadable smile.
Ying Chan almost forgot this guy had no filter either!
She fumbled to grab her phone and switch off the speaker, her ears inexplicably burning as she spat, “Don’t talk nonsense!”
Sheng Xiali burst out laughing. “Alright, alright—we’ll talk tonight.”
After hanging up, Ying Chan kept her composure, sitting up straight. “I’m having dinner with my cousin tonight. You stay home.”
“That won’t do. I’m your personal bodyguard—wherever you go, I go.” Jin Si held the steering wheel with one hand. “Besides, isn’t your cousin planning to inspect the goods? I’ll let her take a look.”
The last few words came out dripping with arrogance.
“…”
Sheng Xiali loved hotpot, so Ying Chan booked a private room at a hotpot restaurant.
The dishes had just been served when Sheng Xiali, wearing a black trench coat, swept through the door in a whirlwind, her gaze locking onto Jin Si with precision.
The man sat on the sofa chair across the room playing with his phone, long legs sprawled casually. He’d taken off his jacket, and his black tank top revealed the muscles of his arms, tensing with every movement—a wild, untamed energy radiating off him.
But the most eye-catching detail was the dove tattoo on his Adam’s apple.
Sheng Xiali let out a “whoa,” then plopped down right next to Ying Chan, slinging an arm around her shoulder and pressing her red lips to Ying Chan’s ear. “You’re using a specimen like this as a bodyguard? What a waste of talent.”
Jin Si clearly heard that. He set down his phone and curled his lips lazily. “I agree. That’s why I keep telling my boss she got a bargain and still acts like she’s hard done by.”
Sheng Xiali was amused. This personality had some flair to it.
“…If you don’t want to be a bodyguard, then quit and leave!” Ying Chan was getting flustered, more than a little embarrassed. She shoved Sheng Xiali away. “The pot’s boiling! Eat!”
“Just kidding. The boss has quite the temper.” Jin Si said it out loud, but in his head, he was thinking the stray cats outside her apartment building were fiercer than her.
Sheng Xiali took off her coat and draped it over the back of the sofa.
She was the mature, seductive type of beauty—full chest, slim waist, incredibly sexy. Walking down the street, nine out of ten men would turn to look at her.
Jin Si showed zero reaction, keeping his eyes straight ahead as he used the communal chopsticks to cook hotpot ingredients for the two ladies. His mannerisms revealed a certain refinement.
But somehow, he just didn’t seem like a bodyguard.
Sheng Xiali nudged Ying Chan’s elbow under the table and mouthed the words—Have you slept with him?
?? Absurd.
Ying Chan was incredulous—I haven’t even thought about that!
Sheng Xiali let out a soft wolf whistle—I have. Let me test his “combat power” for you.
“…”
Ying Chan knew Sheng Xiali changed boyfriends like she changed clothes, but this was too wild.
She grabbed a big piece of meat with her chopsticks and dropped it into Sheng Xiali’s bowl. “Just eat!”
Sheng Xiali smiled at Jin Si. “How old are you, little bro? Interested in dating an older woman?”
Jin Si set down his teacup, the corner of his eye lifting slightly. “An older woman? Sure, that works. But I’m picky—I only like the feisty ones. More fun to wrangle.”
That comment landed right after he’d called Ying Chan bad-tempered. She was drinking herbal tea at that moment and choked, coughing until the corners of her eyes turned red.
Jin Si couldn’t help but smile as he handed her a tissue. Ying Chan glared at him, not taking anything this smooth-talker said seriously.
Sheng Xiali teased, “I’ve got a temper too, you know.”
“Is that so? But dating takes up too much time. My boss has too many demands—I don’t have the energy to deal with anyone else. So until my contract expires, I’m not considering personal matters.”
Sheng Xiali’s gaze drifted between the two of them, and she said with meaning, “Ah, I see—then never mind.”
After finishing the hotpot, Ying Chan told Jin Si to settle the bill, so she wouldn’t be recognized if she went herself.
Jin Si left the private room, put on his mask, and went to the front desk to pay.
The cashier girl couldn’t help stealing several glances at him while printing the receipt—first because he was handsome, then because he seemed familiar.
Jin Si noticed the scrutiny and looked up.
His eyes were long and narrow, with slightly creased double eyelids. The mask softened the sharpness of his face, but the upturned corners of his eyes added a hint of audacity.
Yet when he cast a cold glance at someone, even the most beautiful scenery was tinged with frost.
The cashier girl quickly picked up the scanner. “…That’ll be 720 total.”
Jin Si showed his QR code, scanned it, and left.
As he reached the door of the private room, he heard Sheng Xiali say, “No wonder you haven’t confirmed a relationship with Shang Lübai all this time—so you’re into this type instead.”
Ying Chan replied in a muffled voice, “How many times have I told you? I only see President Shang as an older brother. Everything online is just entertainment industry hype to maintain his public persona. It’s fine if netizens believe it, but you guys too?”
Sheng Xiali drawled lazily, “The bystander sees clearly while the player is lost in the game. I’ll bet you that Shang Lübai definitely has romantic feelings for you.”
Jin Si snorted coldly and walked in.
Ying Chan said nothing, only putting on her mask.
Sheng Xiali’s fingertip teasingly lifted Ying Chan’s chin. “So you like Jin Si’s type? Want to continue the night out? I’ll help you get him drunk.”
“Boss, it’s done.” Jin Si suddenly spoke up, and Ying Chan immediately clamped her hand over Sheng Xiali’s unguarded mouth!
But Jin Si had already heard. He handed the phone back to her while casually leaning down. “Boss, if you have that kind of need, just say the word. No need to get me drunk—a drunk man can’t perform, and then you wouldn’t have much fun, would you?”
Ying Chan couldn’t take it anymore. “Both of you, enough!”
The two rascals, one male and one female, both burst out laughing.
Yes, rascals love teasing good girls~
The three of them left the hotpot restaurant together.
Ying Chan wore a hat and mask, but her whole presence was too recognizable. The cashier girl happened to be her die-hard fan and recognized her at a glance. Excited, she also suddenly realized why Jin Si had seemed so familiar!!
He was the man who’d been on the trending searches with A-Chan!!
Unable to contain the thrill of knowing a secret, she snapped a photo and, with trembling fingers, opened the super topic to post—A-Chan is really dating!! She came to our place for hotpot with her boyfriend…
Before she could finish typing, her phone was snatched away by a hand.
She froze and looked up. Jin Si, with cold, slightly lowered eyes, deleted the post, deleted the photo, and even went to the recycle bin to permanently remove the image.
His movements were too decisive; the cashier girl didn’t even have time to react. “You…”
Jin Si tossed the phone back to her. “You’re a level-ten fan in her super topic, and you still don’t know how to protect her? If you post something like that, do you want to send her back on the trending searches for people to gossip about?”
The cashier girl’s face flushed red. “I… I…”
Jin Si couldn’t be bothered to waste words on her and simply caught up with Ying Chan.
Ying Chan was unaware of what had happened. “What are you going to do?”
Jin Si walked with his hands in his pockets, strolling under the moonlight in his usual lazy, carefree manner. “Going to fulfill my duties as a bodyguard.”
To protect you.