Beauty and the Bodyguard

Chapter 347 - Collapsing Image

Lin Yi wanted to ask if the guy was retarded for butting into where he did or didn't live, but this was Mengyao's house. He only looked at him out of respect for the Miss before walking away.

Mengyao knew what Jianwen was trying to get at, as well, but didn't feel like answering a question like that at all.

Jianwen, on the other hand, seemed to be quite oblivious to what the two thought of the situation. "Yao Yao, do you two not sleep together at night?"

Mengyao frowned, but Yushu spoke up before she could respond. "I sleep with Yao Yao at night!"

Jianwen's eyes almost turned wet from hearing that- Yushu had finally said something comforting all these years he'd known her!! What a good job she'd done!!!

Jianwen understood that his probing questions were slightly inappropriate, but it was necessary to understand just what type of relationship there was between Lin Yi and Mengyao. This was his love life, after all, something too important to just waddle through half-consciously!!

"Ah… So does this mean that Mister Lin isn't your boyfriend?" Jianwen always found Mengyao's attitude to Lin Yi to be a bit off as well- he felt like they weren't actually a couple.

Mengyao frowned. "Jianwen Bro, what do you wanna know, exactly?"

Mengyao was getting annoyed as well- the guy just wanted to know what sort of relationship she had with Lin Yi, so why couldn't he just ask the question instead of giving her so much bullshit? It'd be better to just tell him and get him to leave. "Didn't Shu explain it to you pretty clearly last time?"

Her words put Jianwen in even more confusion- where had this Lin Yi popped out from in the first place? Was he Mengyao's boyfriend or not? 

He didn't really buy what Yushu had told him last time, since the girl was known for lying without batting an eye- the terms 'bodyguard' and 'shield' had many implications, after all.

He didn't think about it that much at the theme park, but it was true that Mengyao and Lin Yi didn't act like a couple at all, from the eye contact and movement between them!

So was Yushu saying that Lin Yi really was a literal bodyguard? Or the type of guy you get to block off unwanted admirers, serving the purpose of a shield?

Jianwen found it quite feasible after he thought about it- it was why he decided to pay a visit and see if he could get something out of Pengzhan's mouth. 

Now that Pengzhan wasn't here, he had to improvise.

"Haha, I'm just asking, that's all, just helping." Jianwen laughed. "You're my lil' sis, after all- of course I have to help take a look at your new boyfriend!"

"Oh…… Go take a look then." Mengyao was getting quite irritated- Jianwen was nowhere near this annoying back then… Why was he so rushed and everything after coming back?

She'd always felt that Jianwen had feelings for her, but he'd never rushed anything before.

Mengyao, naturally, had misunderstood- Jianwen's rush came from the panic from seeing a contender, a love rival! He had no need for rush when Mengyao didn't even have any admirers on his level, thinking that it'd be the same since he'd get Mengyao in the end anyway…

But the situation had changed- Lin Yi's involvement was impeding his plans. Not rushing things when Mengyao and Lin Yi weren't too deep into their relationship would be the same as conceding.

"Haha, alright. If that's the case then I'll invite Mister Lin to dinner tomorrow, for the sake of thanking him and understanding if he's the right partner for you!" Jianwen suggested. "What do you think, Mengyao? Wanna give your guy a day off?"

"He can go if he wants to, what's it got to do with me?" Mengyao said casually.

"Alright, I'll go ask him!" Jianwen was even more relieved- Mengyao didn't seem to care about Lin Yi at all! It meant that they weren't as close as he'd imagined them to be.

With that, he stood up and walked to Lin Yi's door, knocking on it. 

Lin Yi opened the door to see Jianwen's face looking at him. "What do you want?"

"Haha, so I was thinking of treating you to dinner tomorrow, do you have the time? I wanted to show some appreciation for what you did last time." Jianwen patted Lin Yi's shoulder as if he were bros with him. "Well, how 'bout it, Mister Lin?"

"Treating me to dinner?" Lin Yi looked at Jianwen like he was an idiot. "You have too much money or something? I'm not going!"

Lin Yi's words made the situation a bit awkward for Jianwen. "Mister Lin, Yao Yao herself has agreed to it… Are you scared that she wouldn't want you to go?"

Jianwen was making himself seem polite, but there was nothing but disdain for Lin Yi inside. What the hell did this guy think he was, did he think he was some hot shit? The village boy needed to get out of his well and take a good look of who his contender for Mengyao was!!

"Oh? The Miss agreed?" Lin Yi paused before turning to Mengyao- she nodded at him. Lin Yi then turned back to Jianwen, helpless. "Fine, tomorrow then. Where are we eating?"

Mengyao actually didn't think she had much to do with whether the two had dinner or not- she just wanted Jianwen to stop annoying her in her house! Lin Yi could answer all of his annoying questions tomorrow, and Jianwen could leave sooner. She still needed to go to bed, too.

"Tomorrow at six, I'll come wait for you here then. We'll decide where to go tomorrow." Jianwen found it all the more odd- Lin Yi didn't seem like a guy who took orders… Why had he said yes without any hesitation when Mengyao let him go? Could he really be her bodyguard and not her boyfriend?

Jianwen found it really feasible at this point. Yushu's words weren't trustworthy in the slightest- Lin Yi might really have nothing to do with Mengyao at all!

"Okay, sure." Lin Yi nodded, thinking that he'd eat the guy's wallet dry tomorrow since he wanted to buy him food that much. "Can I bring a bro of mine?"

"Sure, no problem!" Jianwen nodded crisply.

With that, Jianwen departed, satisfied. Mengyao, on the other hand, had to unwillingly walk him out the door out of basic courtesy, shaking her head in relief only after he'd driven off.

"You want me to have dinner with him tomorrow?" Lin Yi asked Mengyao curiously. 

"I just wanted you to say yes to him so he'd leave, I still wanna sleep! Doesn't he find himself annoying, jeez." Mengyao's impression of Jianwen was getting worse by the day- his image of a loving brother figure had collapsed.

Chapter 348 - Real Brother

The current Jianwen seemed quite ridiculous to Mengyao- what did it matter to him what type of person Lin Yi was, that was her business! 'Take a look'? Take a look for what, and as who?

"Wha- I thought you had some objective or something!" Lin Yi was speechless. "I shouldn't have said yes then!"

"It's good too, actually- you can go put him in his place tomorrow! He's always been super annoying." Yushu said as she raised her fist. "He thinks he's such a big shot and everything for being a Songshan Young Master- he's just rich, that's all!"

"Shu, your brother's the leader of those Young Masters!" Mengyao reminded, speechless.

"My bro, huh? I actually find Shield Bro more capable than him, he couldn't even handle that Song Lingshan! Look at how Lin Yi did it, just one word from him and the woman's a good girl all of a sudden……" Yushu was getting excited talking about Lingshan.

".......Shu, why do I feel like Lin Yi's your real brother instead of Chen Yutian?" Mengyao frowned. This Shu wasn't really in love with Lin Yi, was she?? Always 'Lin Yi' this and 'Lin Yi' that, and even molested and seen by him in the nude, kissed, hugged… Everything! Worst of all, she didn't seem to be against any of that at all! Shu hadn't really fallen for him, had she?

"Heh, of course he's my real brother- I admire him and everything, but he's way too weak in front of women. You think that Song girl would have her head so high up if he were even a little more hardcore?!" Yushu said with a grin, not a care in the world.

"Shu, you're a girl too… Are you gonna be one of those submissive wives when you grow up? Or are you a masochist or something?" Mengyao wondered why Yushu was speaking up for men all the time when she herself was a girl.

"Come on, Yao Yao, I just want Shield Bro to punish that An Jianwen for being so cocky!!" Yushu said. "Oh, wait, I mean Big Bro Jianwen……."

"......." Lin Yi decided to go back to his room. He yawned and left the two girls alone as he headed for bed.

"You have my support, Shield Bro! I'll be waiting for your good news tomorrow night!" Yushu called out.

"You know the type of family An Jianwen is from, Shu…… You're causing trouble for Lin Yi!" Mengyao frowned helplessly. "He's not a Zhong Pinliang that Lin Yi can just wipe the floor with, okay! What if something happens to him, you can't just throw him into a mess like that."

Mengyao treated Lin Yi with indifference and was even irritated by him sometimes, but she wasn't an unrealistic person. She didn't even hate Lin Yi's presence in the house anymore, too- she'd never want to cause him trouble.

"Heh heh, are you worried for him, Yao Yao?" Yushu's lips stretched into a wide grin, her eyes narrowed as she looked at Mengyao.

"What?? Me, worried?!" Mengyao hmphed. "He's our follower, and An Jianwen's gonna come here if he pisses him off, and then we'll have to protect him! You sending him into trouble is the same as getting us in trouble!"

"Oh, that's okay- I'll handle it myself if Jianwen bro comes!" Yushu said reliably- she was pretty confident with dealing with Jianwen.

"Alright, let's just go to bed first." Mengyao yawned- it was really late- Jianwen had dragged on for more than an hour.

On the second day, Xiaobo greeted Lin Yi at school excitedly. "Boss, you're back!! I was scared you wouldn't be able to make it to the birthday feast!"

"Nah, I said I'd only be gone two days, right? It's just Thursday today." Lin Yi said. "By the way, is it Saturday or Sunday?"

"Sunday, but it's not taking place in this city so we'll have to depart Saturday. My second grandpa lives the provincial capital Donghai." Xiaobo said.

"Alright, Saturday then." Lin Yi nodded. "How's Fen?"

"Her body isn't that weak from the lack of protein anymore, and she's ready to leave the hospital. I was planning on doing the paperwork later this afternoon!" Xiaobo said. "My parents are coming with me this Saturday, I still haven't told them about Fen… I wonder if they'll accept it."

"I don't think all that's important- what's important is you." Lin Yi waved his hand. "Xiaobo- do you really like Fen?" 

"You want the truth?" Xiaobo hesitated.

"Why the hell wouldn't I?" Lin Yi glared.

"To be honest, when I first saw her photo… It touched me, that's all- she's a pretty girl, after all, it was normal I'd want to chase her……" Xiaobo scratched his head embarrassedly. "Just like how I used to like Tang Yin, or Chu Mengyao, Chen Yushu…… But I always knew that those were just fantasies- none of them would ever like me. I probably wouldn't even know Tang Yin now if it weren't for you, boss!"

"Me liking Fen… It was actually more compassion at first, because of how tragic her life had been…… I just couldn't help myself from wanting to give her care and protection. After visiting her at the hospital every day, talking with her, eating with her, and getting used to her…… I start to miss her whenever I don't see her that day. So I think it's settled- I like her!"

"Do you like her or love her?" Lin Yi asked.

"Is there a difference?" Xiaobo shook her head.

"Probably……" Lin Yi sighed- he'd liked a girl once, too, the like like type. Her name was Xiaoyi.

(big translation note at the bottom of the chapter)

Some say that you'd walk into into fire or go through a forest of blades for someone you love- Lin Yi thought that his feelings for Xiaoyi shouldn't be considered love with that basis, but… Why would he think about her so often if it wasn't love?

The inside rules of his industry limited him to just his profession… Or was that just an excuse for his lack of courage to take that first step?

Perhaps it was a little of both… Or perhaps it was because of his inability to provide for Xiaoyi the type of life she wanted… At least, it had been.

But what about now? Lin Yi shook his head. Running wasn't a solution to the problem, but now that he'd chosen that route all these years there was no going back to taking that first step.

"Boss, I feel like the difference between liking someone and loving someone isn't important- the point is what I should do about my parents!" Xiaobo was full of concern. "They never wanted me to get a girlfriend in the first place, and with the way Fen is… What do I do??"

(The chinese character 'xiao' is present in some people's names, but it also means 'little'. I think i talked about this before but in the case where 'xiao' isn't in the actual name of the person but just means 'little' like Lil' Jones, I take out the 'little' part and leave the name as, for example, Shu instead of Little Shu. There's no way to know if it's part of the real name or if it means 'little' whenever a new name shows up not in a full name form, so it gets confusing when translated into English sometimes. Since Xiaoyi's name still hasn't appeared in full name form I'll just use Xiaoyi first instead of Yi and assume that Xiaoyi is her name minus her surname, like Xiaobo, since there's a Yi in Lin Yi already.)