For the sake of money, Ji Yao absolutely could not leave. Otherwise, she would be the one breaching the contract and would have to face the consequences. Already impoverished, she couldn’t afford to make things worse.
So, under Shi Yu’s slightly surprised gaze, she sat down beside her and patiently explained, “You were in danger last night, and I was the one who protected you.”
“And that time you appeared at Century Garden… I also, in a way, protected you.”
“So now, we have a strictly professional employer-employee relationship. The employer is… one of your parents, which is why I’m in your home.”
Ji Yao’s words caused a flicker of change in Shi Yu’s icy expression. The memory of Shi Xinzhi’s uncharacteristic behavior and unbelievable words from the night before resurfaced in her mind, tinged with a hint of uncertainty. Shi Yu let down her guard.
For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond to Ji Yao. All she felt was a sudden wave of pain coursing through her body, and beads of sweat the size of peas rolled down her forehead. Not wanting Ji Yao to see her in such a state, Shi Yu struggled to endure the discomfort.
The phone call from Shi Xinzhi came as both a relief and another reality she found hard to accept.
“Shi Yu, has the person Dad sent to protect you arrived? I tried calling you so many times yesterday but couldn’t get through.”
“Yeah… I’m fine now.”
Shi Yu stood by the floor-to-ceiling window as she answered the call. After replying, she turned to look at Ji Yao.
Ji Yao sat upright, unlike her usual boneless posture, and…
She even wore a standard smile, which, combined with the morning sunlight, looked rather… radiant.
But it was better not to look too much staring for too long gave Shi Yu a physiological headache.
“Dad, sorry for worrying you. Last night, I…”
“I don’t know what I was doing last night.”
In truth, she remembered some of what had happened: driving Shi Xinzhi away and making Pan Pan cry with her harshness. At the time, she had sensed something was off about herself but couldn’t control her words or emotions. She had no choice but to lock herself in her room and struggle against a force she didn’t understand.
Ever since the incident with Xiao Hu…
Yes, after confirming with Xiao Di that the studio hadn’t signed any new artists recently, Shi Yu began to feel that things around her weren’t as calm as they seemed. Coupled with her careful reconsideration of Shi Xinzhi’s words…
“Dad, did you know the person you hired is Ji Yao?”
After listening to Shi Xinzhi’s many instructions, Shi Yu asked the question that mattered most to her at the moment.
Shi Xinzhi’s voice faltered, and he replied vaguely, “I… I’m not sure. That side keeps everything confidential, and your information is the same…”
“Alright, I understand. Thank you for everything you’ve done before.”
After last night’s conversation, Shi Yu had come to understand Shi Xinzhi’s well-intentioned efforts. How could she not appreciate and be grateful for them? But after years of their relationship, she found it hard to express such sentimental words.
Even with just this simple thank you, Shi Xinzhi became flustered, stumbling over his words before finally saying, “It’s what a father should do.”
With that, the conversation between father and daughter came to an end.
Ji Yao deliberately let her mind wander, avoiding the words Shi Yu was saying.
She hadn’t spoken in secret, so even if Ji Yao had heard, it wouldn’t have mattered much. Still, maintaining some distance felt necessary.
At the same time, Shi Yu’s scrutiny didn’t let up.
She had returned to the sofa, sitting across from Ji Yao.
“So, you’re a Taoist priest?”
Shi Yu’s tone was no longer as cold, but there was an indescribable hint of amusement in it.
Ji Yao shifted uncomfortably, lowering her head as she replied, “Yes, that’s right.”
“I told you before, the person who was with you wasn’t me.”
“So, were you possessed by a ghost?”
Ah, so that’s why Shi Yu was looking at her with a smile. It was for this.
Now, her smile deepened, clearly as if she were joking.
If a Taoist priest could be possessed by a ghost, what was the point of talking about protecting others? And if it wasn’t possession.
How else could she explain her earlier words?
In the end, Shi Yu still didn’t quite believe her.
“Do you think I’m pretending to be a Taoist priest, or do you think I’m pretending to be… a scumbag Alpha?”
“Both.”
“The contract is signed, so you need to fulfill your obligations.”
“I don’t like living with outsiders, so you need to leave my home. As for how you carry out your work, that’s your problem.”
“Panpan is about to wake up. I need to go be with her.”
After saying all this in one breath, Shi Yu didn’t bother to check Ji Yao’s expression or reaction. She stood up and walked away.
As she reached the staircase, she glanced at the time.
It wasn’t even eight o’clock yet.
She turned back, a faint smile on her face, and said to Ji Yao, “You have ten minutes to get dressed and leave. The housekeeper will be here at eight to make breakfast.”
“I don’t want her to see you.”
Perhaps because she was about to go upstairs, Shi Yu deliberately lowered her voice as she spoke these words, making her dismissal sound almost gentle.
From the moment Ji Yao learned her employer was Shi Yu, she knew the money wouldn’t be easy to earn. So she didn’t say another word.
After all, her explanations were useless in Shi Yu’s eyes nothing but futile effort.
Quietly, she put on her clothes and once again watched Shi Yu ascend the stairs. But this time, before Shi Yu had fully disappeared from view, Ji Yao called out to stop her.
Shi Yu turned back impatiently. “Is there something else?”
“Um… will I still be eligible for a bonus?” Ji Yao asked with an apologetic smile, hoping to improve her employer’s mood.
Unexpectedly, Shi Yu showed no sign of relenting and even let out a soft laugh. “Ji Yao, if I weren’t still skeptical about your identity, I would’ve called security to throw you out already.”
“What exactly are you skeptical about?”
“Are you doubting my abilities, or are you doubting my…”
“Character.”
Shi Yu said this in a low voice, then turned and continued upstairs without looking back.
The moment Shi Yu opened the door, Panpan opened her eyes, stretching out her sleepy little hands. “Mommy, hug~”
Shi Yu’s demeanor instantly softened. A genuine smile spread across her face as she stepped forward to embrace Panpan.
Last night, she had lost control and snapped at Panpan. Regret and sorrow had weighed heavily on her heart. Even with all her doubts about Ji Yao, she had no desire to ask more questions or say another word.
She missed Panpan.
“Mommy, are you okay?”
“Mommy is fine.” Shi Yu kissed Panpan’s cheek and whispered an apology. “Last night, Mommy shouldn’t have been so harsh with you.”
“It won’t happen again.”
“It’s okay. I know that wasn’t you, Mommy, it was the bad lady.”
When Panpan mentioned these things, she suddenly perked up, but Shi Yu’s face turned pale as she asked in a trembling voice, “What did you see yesterday?”
“I saw two strange aunties, one was very dark, and the other was pink. They were fighting on Mommy’s head.”
Gulp…
Shi Yu unconsciously swallowed hard and held Panpan even tighter.
Fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead as a creeping sense of dread began to spread.
When Shi Yu woke up this morning, she faced Ji Yao alone. Although she had sensed something amiss about the previous night, the sight of the red marks on Ji Yao’s neck brought everything back to her.
The mingling of two pheromones, the marks in the exact spot she loved to bite, she couldn’t imagine it being anyone else.
So she felt ashamed and frustrated, unable to accept that she had done such a thing to Ji Yao again under various circumstances.
This made her forget her fear, the bone-chilling cold that had enveloped her, and the pain that had seared through her soul.
Was she afraid?
Of course she was, but what she feared even more was frightening or hurting Panpan.
Perhaps one day, she might yield to her fear and accept Ji Yao staying by her side for a while in this capacity. And because of Panpan, that day might come sooner than expected.
Her distrust of Ji Yao stemmed from years of experience.
So when she first learned of it, she was unwilling to believe it.
Throughout the years of marriage, divorce, and entanglement with Ji Yao, she had believed she understood her.
Ambitious but aimless, achieving nothing.
Yet the contract photos sent by Shi Xinzhi seemed to confirm it.
This time, Ji Yao hadn’t lied.