Chapter 25

Summer vacation was about to end, and time had flown by in a blur. It felt like she had only just started working (maybe because slacking off had gone so smoothly), but in the blink of an eye, it was already late August. Although Gu An’an had spent much of her time squatting outside Xie Jinxing’s office like a lucky cat, waiting for him, the actual time she’d spent “protecting” him was surprisingly short.
He was far too busy, constantly flying between domestic and international meetings, rarely spending more than ten days a month in the office. And trips like that were never the kind he would take her along for.
Honestly, it was hilarious. She was a sophomore majoring in film and directing, working as a summer intern, and even with all the reference materials in the world, she still wouldn’t know what to do with them.
…
Earning two hundred thousand while spending her days basking in the Xie Corporation’s air conditioning did make Gu An’an feel a little guilty. But her benefactor didn’t seem to care about that small amount of money, so aside from a brief twinge of conscience on her way home from work every night, she’d simply roll over and sleep soundly afterward.
Two hundred thousand, neat, post-tax, transferred at the start of every month. Heehee.
August 23rd was the Old Master’s birthday. Every year, the Xie family would hold a birthday banquet of varying scale. In recent years, as Grandpa Xie’s health had declined, the banquets had ironically grown more grand, as if this noisy liveliness was their family’s restrained way of expressing affection, a subtle plea for him to stay a little longer.
Grandpa Xie had once hated such fanfare, but as he grew older, he’d come to enjoy it, because it guaranteed that the whole family would be together on that day.
That morning, Gu An’an received a call from Grandpa Xie himself, telling her to come early.
She turned to glance at Xie Jinxing, who had just returned from abroad the previous day, wondering if she could dare ask for time off. She already felt guilty enough being paid for doing almost nothing, and now she wanted to leave early? She had the distinct feeling that if she even opened her mouth to ask, heaven would strike her down with lightning!
On her fourth time lingering by the office door, Xie Jinxing finally lifted his cool, aristocratic eyes.
“Come in,” he said.
Gathering her courage, Gu An’an stepped inside and explained that she wanted to leave early to accompany Grandpa Xie.
Of course, Xie Jinxing already knew why she was there.
Though all the Xie siblings privately agreed that Grandpa Xie doted on this unrelated girl a little too much, they also knew deep down that Gu An’an, despite her unremarkable background, had filled a certain emotional void for him.
Each of the Xie siblings had their own form of coldness.
Strict family discipline had stifled emotional warmth between father and children, but even beyond that, the four of them were naturally reserved.
Even Xie Lingyun, the only sister among them, was hard-edged and commanding in a way rarely seen in women. In contrast, Gu An’an was like a small soft blossom growing among steel beams, lacking ability perhaps, but capable of giving Grandpa Xie emotional warmth none of his own children could. Five years wasn’t long, but it wasn’t short either. It was…just right.
“Approved,” Xie Jinxing said simply.
He was reading through documents, gold-rimmed glasses perched on his tall nose. The glow of the computer screen reflected in his lenses, obscuring those enchanting yet distant eyes.
His lips were slightly pale, probably from lack of rest.
Gu An’an’s heart leapt with joy, then immediately sank in guilt.
Her boss was way too generous, it made her constantly feel undeserving. To ease her conscience, she’d recently been trying to figure out what exactly her “job” was supposed to be.
The boss had personally mentioned her role as a “bodyguard” and alluded to an unpleasant incident with the owner of a certain Japanese hotel. Combining those clues, she had recently begun to…theorize (overthink).
Xie Jinxing raised a brow. “?”
He removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Something else?”
“Boss…” Gu An’an started, but the words felt awkward even before they left her lips.
She’d been rehearsing this for five days, but the moment she met Xie Jinxing’s cool, fathomless gaze, all those rehearsed lines vanished into thin air.
It was just, this sounded way too supernatural. Sure, she’d already accepted that time travel was real since it had literally happened to her, but this was supposed to be a sweet modern romance novel. If things got too weird, the editor would kick them straight into the “paranormal” category!
Xie Jinxing tossed his glasses aside and waited patiently.
Gu An’an opened her mouth, searching for the right starting point. Xie Jinxing was clearly the type of man who believed in nothing but science. A ghost could float right in front of him and he’d probably try to explain it using 3D projection technology. How was she supposed to get through to someone like that?
“Um, so… about this bodyguard thing…”
She leaned forward to observe his expression, until she was practically sprawled across his desk, only a forearm’s distance between them. “Did you hire me to deal with Su Ruan?”
He sat poised behind the desk, face calm, elegant, unreadable, save for the faintest flicker of amusement.
If you looked closely, though, you’d see that at the moment she finished speaking, his lashes trembled ever so slightly.
His dark irises reflected no light. Slowly, he blinked. His lips, those perfectly shaped lips that seemed made for kissing, curved faintly. Instead of answering, he asked, “What makes you think that?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Gu An’an frowned, muttering, “What else would I be protecting you from? Look at me!”
She flexed her biceps, barely a bump.
She was self-aware enough to admit that in a fight, she couldn’t compare to her boss, who’d trained in the military and still practiced boxing regularly. If they ever got attacked, she’d be lucky not to become human collateral. “I might be strong, but I still weigh less than most men. As a bodyguard, I’m not really qualified, am I? Unless you hired me just to pour your tea?”
Spending ten grand a month after tax just for tea service? Even for the rich Xie family, that was ridiculous.
He hadn’t expected her to be this sharp. She looked ditzy, but apparently, not that much. Snapping the cap back onto his pen, he set it aside with his usual effortless grace.
Then, fixing her with that calm, serious gaze, he asked, “Can you tell me why you think so?”
Why?
Because your personality collapsed, that’s why!
I literally watched you go from gentle gentleman to cold-blooded tyrant in one second flat! Even Peking Opera masks don’t change that fast! And you did it in front of your female lead!
“Just a feeling,” Gu An’an said weakly.
She couldn’t exactly tell him she knew the original plot. And admitting she was a transmigrated soul? He’d probably exorcise her himself, even if he didn’t believe in ghosts.
“I see.”
“…”
Wow, great. What a fun conversation. Too shallow, and she’d sound like an idiot; too deep, and she’d sound insane.
Still, she was a creature of intuition, she’d trusted it all her life. Straightening her neck, she boldly pressed, “Anyway, just tell me, Uncle, is it true or not?”
That “Uncle” made him laugh.
What a sly girl. When she was being reasonable, he was “boss,” but the moment she ran out of logic, he became “Uncle.” It was practically written on her face: Since I’m calling you family, you can’t get mad no matter how ridiculous I sound, right?
He hadn’t intended to answer, but he nodded. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“Why?”
“You must have a reason to hate her, right?”
“Who said I hated her?”
Gu An’an’s eyes widened. You sure looked like you did!
Talking to grown-ups was exhausting, they hid everything. Their emotions, motives, weaknesses, ambitions, and Xie Jinxing was a master of concealment. If he didn’t want to show emotion, no one could tell what he was thinking.
“So you don’t hate her?”
“I do,” he finally said after a pause.
“…”
A faint smile curved at the corners of his lips and eyes. “Your task is to keep her from appearing in front of me.”
He didn’t elaborate, and he didn’t need to.
It was all written clearly in the contract, though buried beneath pages of other terms. She just hadn’t bothered to read it properly. That annoyed him, but since she was still young and hadn’t yet entered the real workforce, he decided to be lenient.
“Go home and read the contract carefully. Every word.”
That was the last thing he said before waving her off, literally dismissing her with a gesture, like shooing away a kitten.
Realization hit instantly. She whipped out her phone to open the digital copy of her contract and sure enough, there it was: ‘Prevent unnecessary female appearances in Mr. Xie Jinxing’s vicinity outside of work-related contexts.’
Tiny font. Buried in parentheses. The kind of clause no one ever reads.
It actually was there!
Her scalp tingled. She even swayed a little.
Reading further, she was horrified to find that not only had she misunderstood the job, but her “summer internship” wasn’t even a summer position. The contract term was one full year.
This was exactly how she played video games, never read the skill descriptions, just jumped in blind and figured it out after dying a few times.
Damn it. Too careless again.
“U-uncle…” she stammered, guilt-ridden. “I still have school, you know.”
“Mm,” he replied calmly, glasses back on as he focused on his screen. “Keep your phone on twenty-four hours.”
She wanted to protest. Even if it was on, what good would that do? If he got attacked overseas, was she supposed to fly across the Pacific to save his chastity?
As if reading her mind, he added gently, “You’re only responsible for my safety within Jing City.”
“Oh, oh, got it!” she nodded enthusiastically. “I’ll stay by your side at all times!”
“When it comes to Su Ruan, right?”
“Right.” He smirked slightly, mimicking her tone. “Only her. The one I hate most.”
Gu An’an’s expression twitched.
“Understood! If you ever return to Jing City, boss, I’ll never leave your side!”
Boss when she was serious, Uncle when she wasn’t.
He gave her a look full of amused exasperation, and this time, she wisely made her exit.
…
Gu An’an felt like she’d just been promoted into some absurd villainous enterprise, upgraded straight from cannon fodder to antagonist, personally appointed by the male lead himself. Honestly, did all male leads create their own tragedies this way?
No wonder old-school CEO romances were so melodramatic. If there wasn’t enough angst, they’d manufacture it. Xie Jinxing was basically a one-man angst factory.
No surprise the novel had been roasted by readers before even reaching the finale.
Well, whatever. She’d think about it later. For now, she needed to buy a birthday gift for Grandpa Xie.
…
The banquet was held at a Xie-owned hotel, organized by Ms. Xie Lingyun herself, lavish, grand, and filled with unspoken emotion, as if she hoped to keep her aging father close through extravagance.
When Gu An’an arrived, the others hadn’t come yet.
Grandpa Xie had come early from the family estate and was now resting in the hotel’s top-floor suite, attended by a full medical team.
Gu An’an went straight upstairs.
He was by the window, sipping tea while a nurse read aloud to him.
His eyesight had declined with age, but his habit of daily reading hadn’t. Whenever Gu An’an was around, she’d always take over that job.
“Not eating well outside, are you?” he asked, beckoning her closer. “You’ve gotten thinner.”
Grinning, she took the book from the nurse. “No, I’m fine! I’ve been eating with Uncle since I’ve been working for him this past month.”
At the mention of his son, Grandpa Xie snorted. Clearly, father and son’s stubborn tempers were still at odds.
“Food outside isn’t clean,” he said like any doting elder. “If you don’t mind the trouble, I’ll have An Shu deliver meals to you daily. Home cooking’s always better.”
An Shu, his personal assistant, smiled gently.
Gu An’an quickly waved her hands. “No need, Grandpa Xie! It’s a three-hour round trip, by the time An Shu gets there, I’ll be off work!”
Grandpa Xie sighed. “Too far, huh? Then maybe I should hire someone to cook for you.”
“Please don’t!” she laughed. “I barely make enough to feed myself, I can’t afford a private chef!”
He smacked her lightly on the back, beard puffing in mock anger, how could he ever make her pay? But then he just patted her head, knowing she was too proud to accept help.
After chatting for a while, he sent her off to get ready. “Go on, make yourself pretty.”
“Okay~!”
Makeup took time, especially for girls, and even more so for her explosion of curly “lion’s mane” hair. The stylist, a familiar face from her last makeover, stood before her with arms crossed, staring in despair.
“Who did this to your hair?” he demanded.
Startled by his palpable resentment, she stammered, “The ten-yuan salon by my apartment gate.”
“…”
His silence was deafening.
“…”
Batting his glittery fake lashes, he rolled his eyes heavenward and sighed dramatically. “If you can’t take care of your hair, just shave it off. Next time you ruin it like this, I’ll cut it for you myself!”
“Yes, sir,” she said meekly.
“Wash it first,” he ordered. “Then we’ll start from scratch.”
That took two full hours, washing, drying, styling. Add makeup and fitting, and there went the whole afternoon.
She was half-dozing in the chair when the door suddenly banged open, slamming into the wall. Everyone jumped, thinking they were being robbed.
Gu An’an blinked awake. Oh, it was Lu Xingyu.
He hadn’t even started his own styling yet. The banquet was in the evening; it was only five now. Men’s prep took no time, so he must have just come down from visiting Grandpa Xie. There were a few petals clinging to his white T-shirt with a giant logo, and his ripped jeans only made his tall frame look more striking.
He’d be perfect if not for the stormy expression on his face.
He strode straight toward her. Ignoring the stunned stylists, he grabbed both her arms, his palms hot against her skin. He must have run here, his forehead was beaded with sweat.
Those peach-blossom eyes, the signature Xie family feature, burned with a mix of anger and hurt.
“Did you really refuse Grandpa’s engagement arrangement for us?”
“Ah?”
No wonder she was confused, he was two months late with that question.
Her brain, ever unhelpful, immediately recalled a meme:
Boy: “It’s been so long. Have you forgiven me?”
Girl: “Oh, I forgave you.”
Boy: “What are you doing now?”
Girl: “Recovering from childbirth.”
The memory made her want to laugh. And facing Lu Xingyu’s dramatic glare only made it worse.
He stared at her, bewildered as she laughed louder. But she quickly composed herself.
“Why?” he demanded, voice tight.
Cold and sharp-featured, Lu Xingyu had the kind of face that was breathtaking precisely because of its restraint. Add to that his aloofness and rebellious air, and you had the perfect recipe for heartthrob magnetism, the reason for his army of admirers.
But now, even as he tried to act fierce, his eyes looked on the verge of tears.
Gu An’an hesitated then reminded herself it wasn’t her problem.
“You…” he faltered, voice softening, “do you really not like me anymore?”
She tried to pull her arms free, good grief, was this man made of fire?, but she didn’t dare move too much or she’d ruin her hairstyle. “Didn’t you already know that?”
“Why!”
“Why?” she shot back, voice sharp. “You spent all your time protecting Su Ruan, tutoring her, fighting for her, getting into brawls for her! Why would I keep hanging around? You want me to be your pet or something?”
His throat bobbed, but he couldn’t refute it.
Before she’d turned cold toward him, he had treated her that way, unintentionally walking her like a dog on a leash.
His eyes reddened further. His chest felt tight, like someone was squeezing the life out of it.
“I-I heard you have a new boyfriend?”
Gu An’an ignored him, turning to ask the stylist how much longer it would take.
Before the stylist could answer, Lu Xingyu pressed on, anxious, “Who? Who is he?”
“None of your business.”
Honestly, she’d almost forgotten that lie, until now.
Lu Xingyu’s jaw clenched. He was furious, desperate to rip the name out of her mouth, to find the guy and punch him senseless.
He gripped her arms even tighter Lu Xingyu was furious, wanting to dig the man out of Gu An’an's mouth and give him a beating. His grip on Gu An’an's arm tightened, her face twisting in pain.
"Let go," a deep, magnetic voice interrupted, landing with a resounding sound. "Her arm's red from you pinching it."
Lu Xingyu was about to say, "What's your business? I'm talking to my fiancée, and you're interrupting me?"
Gu An’an shouted, "Uncle!"
Lu Xingyu looked up at the person who had spoken, and his furious expression instantly vanished. Then, obediently, he released his grip on Gu An’an's arm.
Gu An’an saw her uncle standing at the door, dressed impeccably in a formal suit and holding a black umbrella.
Raindrops slid down the tip of the umbrella, dripping onto the carpet and disappearing.
He must have just finished work, his expression carrying a cool serenity mixed with fatigue.
His deep, calm black eyes slowly settled on Gu An’an’s shoulders. She had just changed into a strapless gown, her exposed fair skin glowing like warm jade, but two bold handprints marred it, red and angry.
Even a glance made it clear how strong the hands had been.
Xie Jinxing quickly averted his gaze.
Outside, a torrential downpour had started at some unknown point.
The distant rumble of thunder seemed far away, yet when lightning split like withered branches across the sky, the room flickered with light. The makeup team had quietly retreated to the corners, heads bowed like quails…too afraid to look.
Unhurried, Xie Jinxing placed the umbrella by the door and stepped inside.
The expensive leather shoes whispered against the soft carpet. He moved as though he owned the makeup room, taking a seat on the sofa near the vanity with natural authority.
“Lu Xingyu,” Xie Jinxing said, thinking his nephew had been getting stupider by the day, as if his brain had suddenly been eaten. Categorizing it as youthful hormonal foolishness, he scolded, “I’ve warned you, own what you’ve done. If you weren’t honest from the start, don’t later blame others for changing their minds. You’re twenty-one, not two. Stop throwing childish tantrums at others.”
Yes, her uncle had warned him from the beginning.
“But…”
“You and your mother never accepted it. Two months have passed, what’s the point of bringing up the past now?”
Lu Xingyu’s chest tightened. He turned to look at Gu An’an.
The arrogant Gu An’an from earlier now stood obediently, head lowered. She even drooped her neck, silent like a stage prop. He wanted to shout, Gu An’an, stop pretending! You weren’t like this before! But facing her domineering uncle, he had no way to explain himself.
Lu Xingyu stubbornly stood still for a while, unmoving.
“If you can’t come up with a reasonable explanation, then stop making a scene. Now, get out,” Xie Jinxing’s tone wasn’t harsh, yet it was enough to make everyone in the room hold their breath.
“Engagement…”
“There is no engagement,” Xie Jinxing answered decisively. “You and her never had one to begin with.”
Indeed, the engagement had originally been a matter between the Xie family and the Gu family. Lu Xingyu was merely a grandson, considered first only because he and Gu An’an were childhood friends.
Lu Xingyu seemed provoked. Surrounded by glaring eyes and unable to overreact, he could only leave with red eyes, sulking.
At the door, he gave it a hard kick before leaving.
He left as abruptly as he had arrived. The makeup team remained quietly in the corners, unsure what the new head of the Xie family sitting here meant, they didn’t dare move.
Xie Jinxing seemed oblivious to their discomfort. As if suddenly remembering, he turned to Gu An’an.
“About the engagement,” he said with the solemnity of an elder concerned for a junior, “even though the engagement with Xingyu was never formalized, the old man did make a promise to your grandmother. I hope you understand.”
A promise? What promise? Gu An’an was utterly confused. The book hadn’t mentioned anything like this!
She stood there, dazed, not understanding what Xie Jinxing meant by suddenly bringing it up.
“No need to be surprised. It does sound a bit like an arranged marriage,” he said calmly, giving her a firm statement. “The old man has always valued his word. He promised your grandmother that he would take care of you. You wouldn’t want him to go meet her someday with regrets, would you?”
With that, he stood and left.
Gu An’an watched his back as he walked away. After a long moment, she exchanged glances with the makeup artist in the mirror.
Their eyes met.
Gu An’an asked, puzzled, “What did he mean?”
The makeup artist shrugged. “How should I know?”
After a pause, she added, “But judging by what he said… it sounds like he wants you to get rid of your current boyfriend.”
“What?!” Gu An’an was shocked.
Is he a dictator or something?!
“Exactly, what right does he have?” the makeup artist said, picking up a hair dryer. “Anyway, let’s continue with the styling.”
Gu An’an: “…”