Chi Yu returned upstairs to rest, leaving only Qi Zhao staring at Ning Jin.
Zhao Mei glanced towards the stairwell a few times, ensuring Chi Yu was gone before returning and reaching out to pull Qi Zhao.
Qi Zhao reacted quickly, dodging her, leaving Zhao Mei grasping at air.
"What do you mean by this?" Qi Zhao raised an eyebrow and asked.
The smile on Zhao Mei's face nearly faltered, and inwardly, she cursed his obliviousness. Yet outwardly, her expression remained one of flattery.
"Two years have passed, and you've grown more handsome, Qi Zhao. Ning Jin has grown up under your care. Can't you... turn a blind eye this time? Auntie will make you your favorite dish tomorrow."
Ning Jin spoke timidly, "Brother Qi Zhao, with so much soup, if I drink it all, I'll burst. Would you really let me suffer this undeserved calamity?"
"Undeserved calamity?" Qi Zhao mused over the phrase, casting a half-smile in her direction.
"How could it be undeserved? You know full well that the young lady detests meat soup, yet you forced her in front of Jin Yao. We all know what your plan is, so drop the innocent act."
Ignoring the pair of angry, resentful glares from the mother and daughter before him, Qi Zhao languidly added, "This little bit of soup won't kill you. The young lady has been kind, not even giving you a time limit. You can take your time. I have plenty of patience."
Among those adopted by Chi He, Qi Zhao was perhaps the most inscrutable.
He always wore a smile, appearing agreeable. But when it came down to it, he was the hardest to deal with.
Ning Jin easily subdued Qi Hui, but she couldn't shake Qi Zhao.
Tonight, after being tormented by Chi Yu and repeatedly humiliated, Ning Jin was beside herself with anger.
"Qi Zhao, you better remember today! Soon enough, I'll have you on your knees, begging for forgiveness for your stupidity!"
Qi Zhao yawned, his indifference palpable, making no effort to hide it.
"Fine, I'll remember. But could you hurry up? The sooner you finish, the sooner I can report back to the young lady."
Zhao Mei spat at him from the side, "Lapdog!"
Qi Zhao chuckled, "I'll take that as a compliment."
Zhao Mei and Ning Jin: "..."
Listening from the corner of the staircase, Chi Yu couldn't help but smile.
She walked back to her room in a buoyant mood, thinking to herself that this bodyguard she'd chosen was quite remarkable. She would have to reward him properly.
By one in the morning, Ning Jin, after a bout of sobbing, had managed to force down a third of the soup.
She threw one last venomous glare at Qi Zhao before rushing to the bathroom to vomit violently.
Qi Zhao had no interest in comforting her. He turned and headed upstairs, making his way to the study.
The door was slightly ajar, and the light seeping through signaled that Chi He had not yet gone to bed.
Qi Zhao knocked and entered, briefly summarizing the evening's events for Chi He.
Chi He didn't reprimand Chi Yu for going too far.
In his view, Chi Yu's actions tonight were entirely in line with her usual temperament—nothing out of the ordinary.
After all, it was he who had spoiled her. As long as she didn't cause irreparable damage, he let her be.
"Do you feel aggrieved, staying behind as her bodyguard?" Chi He tossed a cigarette to Qi Zhao.
Qi Zhao caught it and placed it between his lips, first leaning forward to light Chi He's cigarette before lighting his own with a soft click.
Exhaling a puff of smoke, he smiled and shook his head.
"Serving the young lady is a privilege. How could I feel aggrieved?"
Chi He assumed he was just being polite. "Though Yu'er has a bit of a temper, she's loyal. Qi Hui crossed the line, and that's why he ended up like this. Just protect her well, and you'll see that she treats those close to her with kindness."
Qi Zhao understood that Chi He was offering reassurance.
In truth, no one knew Chi Yu's temperament better than Qi Zhao.
She was the star he had long admired, and to stand behind her, protecting her, was more than he had ever dreamed of.
Aggrieved? What a joke.
No one knew the depths of Qi Zhao's thoughts. As Chi He offered his reassurance, Qi Zhao merely smiled and nodded, saying, "I understand."
That night was unusually quiet.
The next morning, Chi Yu rose early, donned her uniform, and headed downstairs.
She hadn't returned to school in nearly a month.
As a senior, she knew it was time to get serious; she couldn't continue with her usual nonchalance.
In the courtyard, Qi Hui was still kneeling. He hadn't fainted, but his face was as pale as a ghost.
Chi Yu stopped in front of him, and Qi Hui struggled, trying to straighten his back.
But his knees, numbed by pain, could no longer support him. He looked up at Chi Yu, defeated, and hoarsely called, "Miss."
Bathed in the softest light of the day, Chi Yu replied calmly, "As of today, you're free. From now on, you'll be with Ning Jin."
Qi Hui was stunned. "With Ning Jin? What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said." As she spoke, Chi Yu glanced down and noticed she had stepped in Qi Hui's blood.
Frowning, she moved to the side, wiping the blood from her shoes on the grass as she informed him of his future.
"I know you like her, so I'm granting your wish. From now on, you'll see her every day. I'll speak to my uncle; you won't need to worry."
How could Qi Hui not worry?
He had expected Chi Yu to cast him aside.
He had already planned that if she dismissed him, he would return to the Chi family business.
As a man, he wanted to carve out his own space in the world.
Over the years, Chi Yu had treated him generously, gifting him houses, cars, and substantial bonuses during holidays.
He had amassed a fortune of at least ten million by now.
Being a bodyguard had already afforded him a comfortable life.
But compared to Qi Zhao and the others, Qi Hui still felt inferior.
The title of bodyguard always carried a certain stigma, like a glorified lackey.
It could never compare to the prestige of being a general manager or a vice president of a company.
If he wanted to provide Ning Jin with a good future, he needed to shed this awkward identity.
Though he had made an unforgivable mistake, Qi Hui, upon reflection, saw this as a potential turning point—a chance for a new opportunity.
Yet all of his hopes were crushed by Chi Yu's few cold words.
He swallowed, clenching the fabric of his pants, and managed to choke out a single sentence.
Chi Yu didn't catch it and raised an eyebrow. "What did you say?"
"Please, Miss, take back your offer. I want to help with the company."
Chi Yu chuckled silently.
Did she look like a saint?
After bungling things so badly, he still wanted a place in the inner circle?
Daydreaming in broad daylight!
"You have no right to make demands. Either stay with Ning Jin or leave the Chi family altogether. Two paths. Choose."
What choice did Qi Hui have?
He could only comfort himself that this was a whim of hers, and perhaps, once her anger subsided, she would revoke the order.
The driver took Chi Yu to school.
When they arrived at the gate, Qi Zhao followed her out of the car.
Chi Yu handed him her class schedule, telling him to occupy himself during her lessons and not to follow her around.
Qi Zhao agreed.
Returning to the classroom after nearly a month, Chi Yu noticed several changes.
First, the homeroom teacher had been replaced. Second, there was someone new in the class.
Her seat at the back had once been empty, but now, Jin Yao sat there.
After two and a half years of idleness, it seemed he had finally decided to turn over a new leaf.
Though whether he planned to study seriously or had other motives remained to be seen.
(End of chapter)