"Bring her here!" Quan Shaoqing closed the file, a charming smile spreading across his handsome face.
He looked out at the brilliant sunshine, his eyes like crystals condensed upon an iceberg, dazzlingly bright.
'My sister has been watching by my side, completely ignoring me.' Every time he thought of Gu Xiaoxi's words, he couldn't help but laugh.
Such a courageous girl. It was lucky that she had boldly stepped forward during that critical moment, allowing him to dodge a bullet.
Lin Mi gaped in shock. Because it was the first time she had seen Quan Shaoqing smile.
His smile could overthrow all living beings, enchanting and casual, and although the curvature of his lips was slight, it was unforgettable, captivating.
"You look very nice when you smile, sir. You should smile more often," Lin Mi teased.
"Oh? Do I? Did I smile?" The curve of Quan Shaoqing's mouth disappeared in an instant, his lips thinning out, resuming his usual overbearing demeanor.
Lin Mi touched her nose sulkily, as if she hadn't spoken, and quickly turned to attend to her business.
Gu Xiaoxi, father unknown. She had relied solely on her mother since childhood. A month ago, her mother passed away in a car accident, leaving her an orphan.
Fortunately, her mother had been in the antique business and had left her enough money to squander until she graduated from college.
Lin Mi, holding the file, found Gu Xiaoxi's apartment.
At that moment, Gu Xiaoxi was excitedly holding the acceptance letter from BD Film and Television Academy in City A.
Once in there, she could become a big star in the future. That was her lifelong dream, encouraged by her mother; she was determined to make a name for herself one day.
Of course, she didn't know that a scheming man had already snuffed out her dream of stardom in its cradle.
Meanwhile, her home, silent since her mother's passing, was suddenly jolted by the sound of the doorbell.
"Who is it?" Gu Xiaoxi opened the door excitedly.
Standing outside was a man in his twenties, dressed in a military uniform, looking dashing and alert.
"Miss Gu Xiaoxi, we are from the capital. There are some matters that require your presence, so please accompany us," Lin Mi said as kindly as possible, not wanting to scare Gu Xiaoxi.
However, Gu Xiaoxi looked him up and down, hands nonchalantly in her pockets, her proud face lifted, her sparkling eyes alert, "Sorry, I don't know you. And I won't go with you!"
Lin Mi smiled slightly, not forcing the issue but merely stepping aside a bit at the doorway.
At this moment, another middle-aged man came out.
"Xiao Xi, you should go with them. They're not bad people," said Uncle Zhou.
"Uncle Zhou!" Gu Xiaoxi looked at the middle-aged man before her, her big eyes fluttering, and finally she nodded in agreement.
All this because the mayor himself had come to her door—it made her wonder who this person in City A looking for her was?
She couldn't help but give Lin Mi another look.
Four hours on a plane.
A strange city, a different kind of prosperity and grandeur.
Gu Xiaoxi had never left the small Luocheng before, and seeing the metropolis of City A for the first time was a little exciting. She had heard that BD Film Academy was located in this city.
Could she perhaps get a glimpse of her dream school ahead of time?
With immense joy, she went to meet that mysterious person.
...
Military Region Hospital's VIP ward.
There was only one room on each floor, guarded by soldiers outside—it was the most heavily guarded area in the entire Military Region Hospital.
As Gu Xiaoxi entered the room, she saw a young man standing by the open window, his physique robust and his demeanor overbearing, exuding a thrilling, iron-blooded aura.
"Excuse me, are you looking for me?" Gu Xiaoxi asked.
Quan Shaoqing turned around, sizing up Gu Xiaoxi.
The girl wore a white casual outfit, her hands lazily stuffed into her pockets, her features delicate and handsome, but her brows betrayed a hint of unruliness.
At that moment, she was looking at him with a shallow smile.
Her eyes, clear as springs, shimmered with a cunning light, faint yet arrogant.
It was the first time he had met a woman who did not swoon before him. As for Gu Xiaoxi, he did feel some admiration for her.
Knocking out Zhang San with a rock, if she hadn't had some skills and courage, she might have been scared out of her wits at the scene.
At the same time, Gu Xiaoxi was also taking in Quan Shaoqing.
She thought it was miraculous how a man could look as exceptional as he did.
His eyebrows were like distant mountains, his eyes like the sea, his presence dashing. Even a mere lifting of his eyelids, his face calm and undisturbed, could spark an infatuation deep within one's heart.
"From now on, I am your guardian!" Quan Shaoqing's lips curled into a faint smile.
His voice was loud and clear, so that Gu Xiaoxi heard every word.
"Why?"
"A week ago, you saved me!" Quan Shaoqing said.
It was only then that Gu Xiaoxi recalled the incident from a week prior, when she knocked out Zhang San and called an ambulance but didn't bother with anything further.
She stared at the man before her, waving her hand generously and smiling, "No big deal. There's no need for you to repay the favor!"
"I'm not repaying a favor. I'll say it again, from now on, I'm your guardian," Quan Shaoqing emphasized.
"Why?!" This truly shocked Gu Xiaoxi, her fur bristling. "First. I'm an adult and don't need a guardian. Second, I don't know you well. Third, I—hate—being—controlled—by—others—the—most!"
She nearly squeezed the last sentence out through clenched teeth.
Quan Shaoqing crossed his arms, his eyebrows lifting sternly, "I am already your guardian, Gu Xiaoxi, and you have no say in the matter."
"Fuck!" Gu Xiaoxi couldn't help but curse. She glared at Quan Shaoqing's back, a cold light flaring in her eyes, like a small animal coiled and ready to pounce in face of danger, "In this world, no one can control me, except for my mom!"
"Then try! If you can live in this city by yourself for seven days, I won't meddle in your affairs," Quan Shaoqing said.
"Fine! You said it, let's pinky swear, and that's that," Gu Xiaoxi stepped forward, extending her little finger.
Quan Shaoqing also extended his finger, hooking it around her delicate little finger.
Gu Xiaoxi lifted her head, a mischievous glint in her eyes, her smile radiant, "I'll have you know, I'm going to win."
With those words, she boldly turned around, her silhouette standing tall like a resilient pine.
Quan Shaoqing narrowed his eyes, his appreciation for her growing. "Young and brash, truly endearing!"
Lin Mi, standing behind Quan Shaoqing, shook his head and sighed, "Why don't you just tell her that you're doing this to protect her?"
After all, Zhang San's death had drawn her into a struggle between good and evil. Keeping Gu Xiaoxi close was the safest option.