Beauty and the Bodyguard

Mengyao was on the verge of tearing up as she watched Lin Yi walk away from her and into his room…… She’d never been this frustrated before in her entire life!!

“Who do you think you are, Lin Yi!! Good riddance, keep your distance all you want!! Nobody wants you anyway!!” Mengyao yelled as Lin Yi disappeared into his room. “I… I’ll never bother with you ever again!!”

With that, Mengyao dropped herself onto the sofa, drained, depressed, upset, and… she wept. Her tears dropped silently as she kept her mouth shut, afraid that Yushu would hear her.

“Yao Yao… what’s wrong..?” Yushu stopped messing around upon seeing how Mengyao was acting. She held Mengyao’s hands softly as she spoke. “Yao Yao…… Don’t cry……”

“Who's’ crying? I’m not crying, alright?!” Mengyao, naturally, wouldn’t admit that she’d cry over some random dude- the guy had nothing to do with her!

What did he even do, save her? So what? Li Fu saved her before too!

Yet… Lin Yi and Uncle Fu…… Mengyao’s heart always warmed up when she recalled that moment where Lin Yi threw himself in front of her… It was a moment that made her feel like she was a lucky girl, to have a man give his life to die with her……

But now……

“Yao Yao… I already know how you feel about Shield Bro…… I can talk to him about it if you want……” Yushu had figured out Mengyao’s feelings at that point- she’d grown up with her, and she understood her better than anyone.

It was pretty much a fact that Mengyao was in love- the ‘hero saves the damsel’ scenario wasn’t a pretty one, but it _was_ classic, something that brought joy and warmth to the hearts of people. Yushu had noticed long ago Mengyao’s change in attitude towards Lin Yi ever since he’d saved her……

These details probably went unnoticed by even Mengyao herself- it was commonplace for the person directly involved to be oblivious, after all. A bystanding observer, on the other hand, had little trouble seeing the little details that took place.

“S-Shu? What’re you saying? Like him?!!” Mengyao started panicking- she jumped off the sofa in an intense fit to explain herself. “I said I don’t like him, I said it a hundred times that I don’t like him!! Don’t say stuff like that!!”

Yushu wasn’t expecting the intensity- she took a step back, startled. “Alright, I’ll stop, I’ll stop… we’ll just not like him, Yao Yao… no big deal……”

“......” Mengyao was exhausted- she leaned forward and hugged Yushu, still a little upset. “You’re the best, Yushu, always sticking by me……”

“Yeah, I’ll always be there for you.” Yushu nodded as she consoled Mengyao with pats on her shoulder.

Lin Yi, on the other hand, had heard everything, and he wasn’t quite sure how to react or respond… His hand trembled a little as he let go of the door handle, and let out a soft sigh.

He wasn’t very clear on what was going on with the Miss’ feelings, but she did seem to be a little jealous judging by how she was acting today…… Could she actually have fallen for him?

Lin Yi was quite speechless- he’d always been on opposite sides with Mengyao since day one- surely that one-time rescue wasn’t enough for her to fall in love with him..?

Even if that were the case, it was just an impossible relationship! It was a big taboo in the business- taking things to that point with the employer would just end up with him burning himself alive, it’d be playing with fire!

Lin Yi shook his head softly- he decided to avoid the Miss as much as possible that night, and remained in his room even after Li Fu delivered dinner.

Mengyao felt a little better after letting her pent-up frustrations out, and managed to put on a fresh face when Li Fu arrived. She was helping Li Fu with the food when he noticed Lin Yi’s absence. “Is Mister Lin not around, Miss Chu?”

“Think he’s dead.” Mengyao said without any restraint, still uncomfortable about the whole thing- the guy watched her grow up, after all. He knew what she was like.

“...Dead?” Li Fu only smiled bitterly, assuming that some sort of misunderstanding between the Miss and Lin Yi had taken place again. It wasn’t really his place to be asking about stuff like that, with him being a butler figure and everything, and especially so with how vague and ambiguous Pengzhan was being regarding the issue with Lin Yi and the Miss.

He helped set the table up for the two Misses, and left the villa so as to not intrude.

The spacious villa was left with just Yushu and Mengyao after that… Only this time, Lin Yi wasn’t there.

It’d been gradual, but Mengyao had gotten used to Lin Yi helping to set the table up whenever Li Fu delivered their dinners, and how Lin Yi would return to his room only after the three of them finished the preparations together.

Mengyao wanted to invite Lin Yi to have dinner, but her pride was getting in the way once more, much like the other instances. Their relationship had gotten even more tense because of what had happened today, and it didn’t seem like it’d be turning for the better anytime soon.

She looked at her favourite dishes on the table numbly- her appetite wasn’t there at all. She put her chopsticks down after two mouthfuls.

“What’s wrong, Yao Yao?” Yushu asked- Mengyao looked a little pale. “Maybe I should get Shield Bro to come eat with us?”

“Don’t wanna eat. No appetite.” Mengyao said, shaking her head. “Why would you do that? Just pretend he isn’t here……”

Mengyao had started treating Lin Yi as a member of the villa- it was so gradual that she hadn’t realized it herself.

“Oh.” Yushu lowered her head and continued eating, thinking that the dishes tonight were quite good. There was even papaya rib soup, something known for its breast-enlarging effects. Her body was pretty ideal already, and she didn’t need her chest getting too big… Who’d want boobs like Song Lingshan’s? _That freaking cow, heh heh……_

Although, Yao Yao could probably use some enlargement- it didn’t seem right that she’d be smaller than her when she was taller……

“What’re you doing, Shu?” Mengyao asked as she looked at Yushu smiling and giggling by herself as she stuffed her mouth full- what was the girl so happy for?! “You’re so inconsiderate, looking so happy when I’m down like this!”

“Oh… ugh……” Yushu said as she swallowed a piece of rib meat. “I… I’m just hungry, that’s all…”

“We’re not eating anymore! Come take a walk with me!” Mengyao said, still pissed- she wanted to take a break from staying home.

“Kay……” Yushu complied as she put her chopsticks down. She eyed the food on the table longingly as she stood up.

“There’s good food outside too! We’ll just go get some of those waste oil fried mushrooms you love so much!” Mengyao said, eyeing the silent Yushu.

“......” Yushu didn’t know what to say… _Waste oil? How am I supposed to put that stuff in my mouth when you say it like that…_

“Let’s move! Let’s change our clothes first!” Mengyao said as she pulled Yushu up with her. They weren’t in their school uniforms, but it didn’t seem appropriate to be going out at night in student-looking clothes.

big surprise tomorrow! (not bonus chapters okay..) also if youre interested in how the poll for the cover turned out- it was 60 percent for lin yi and 40 percent for mengyao

still fifteen early. i realize that i don't actually ask for support, i just update the number of chapters... uhh, please check out my patreon for mengyao! she's gonna have it real hard with lin yi in the future with that scary and widening gap between them (although some of u are actually looking forward to that lol)