Chapter 1: Reunion

Wen Qingye tore open the delivery box, caught a glimpse of what was inside, and hurled it across the room.

SMACK—it hit the wall, and a dead rat tumbled out.

If she remembered correctly, this was already the fourth package like this this month. After the severed hand, the funeral portrait, the blood-soaked eyeball—Wen Qingye thought she'd built up an immunity. But the moment she saw that dead rat, goosebumps still crawled densely across her skin.

Wen Qingye thought for a moment, then picked up her phone and called Ning Si. Ning Si answered instantly: "What's wrong?"

Wen Qingye's quiet sigh was barely audible, but Ning Si caught it instantly—her voice involuntarily rose two pitches. "Did you get another threatening package?"

Wen Qingye's exhaustion seemed to seep through the phone into Ning Si's ear, making her sigh involuntarily too.

Wen Qingye finally spoke. "Si Si, I've thought about it—I think I still need a bodyguard."

"Done!" Ning Si agreed without hesitation. "I'll bring you the shortlist this afternoon."

Wen Qingye thanked her and hung up. That dead rat lay on the white floor, glaringly obvious. A dark gray lump, its long hairless tail seeming as though it could slither up and wrap around her neck, choking off her breath.

Her former teammates wouldn't let her go. Now her antis wouldn't let her go. From beginning to end, all Wen Qingye wanted was to live in peace. But there was always something—someone—barging through her door, constantly refreshing her understanding of how ugly this industry could be, constantly prodding her fragile tear ducts, tearing ragged holes through the composure she'd so carefully constructed until it bled.

Wen Qingye didn't bother with the dead rat on the floor. Perhaps one day, she'd be no different from that dead rat.

In the afternoon, Ning Si arrived with the filtered bodyguard shortlist. The moment she walked in, her eyes were drawn to the dead rat on the floor. She yanked out a dozen tissues, fought down her nausea, wrapped it up, and tossed it straight into the trash without a moment's hesitation.

Wen Qingye glanced up at her, then looked away.

Ning Si handed her the folder. "This security firm has worked with our company before. I've already filtered the resumes—don't worry, I kicked out all the men. What's left are all female bodyguards. Since you need someone on call 24/7, a female bodyguard is definitely more practical."

Wen Qingye opened the folder. She had no idea that on an ordinary afternoon, four years later, she would cross paths with the name Jiang Li again.

Without warning, the name "Jiang Li" along with a one-inch ID photo on a white background jumped out at her, hooking into a memory she couldn't erase and didn't want to revisit.

Wen Qingye didn't know when this ID photo had been taken. Jiang Li's hair was longer than the last time she'd seen her four years ago—a wolf-cut mullet, the ends just grazing her collarbones. Thick brows, a high brow bone—looking down, she appeared fierce; looking up, she softened. Still those willow-leaf eyes, as if they could see through every lie. Black suit, white shirt, knotted tie. Cool, aloof, detached. So striking you couldn't forget it in one glance.

Even though it was just a half-body ID photo, Wen Qingye could almost see the sleek, powerful lines of her arm muscles, her upright posture, all flooding into her mind at once.

Wen Qingye didn't flip to the next page. She read Jiang Li's profile thoroughly.

Name: Jiang Li.

Age: 29.

Height: 175cm.

Weight: 65kg.

Former tactical operative, Lanhai City Security Center. Skilled in Sanda, grappling, wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and more.

Former tactical operative? Wen Qingye lowered her eyes, her brow creasing slightly.

Ning Si noticed her staring, peeked at Jiang Li's photo, and teased: "Good eye. You picked the best-looking one right off the bat."

Wen Qingye pulled Jiang Li's resume out of the folder and looked up. "Do you have a more detailed file on her?"

"More detailed?" Ning Si thought for a moment, then grinned. "How much more detailed do you want? Want me to dig into her relationship status too?"

Relationship status. Right. It had been four years. Jiang Li had probably dated several girlfriends by now. Hell, if she'd had a kid, the kid would be old enough to run errands by now.

Wen Qingye's breathing tightened.

The hospital called again. Jiang Li didn't want to face it, but she had no choice.

She pressed accept.

The woman on the other end was still polite. "Ms. Jiang, hello, this is Anrui Hospital. The patient Yin Hongxia's account balance is insufficient, which may affect her ongoing treatment. To ensure her treatment continues smoothly, please make a payment as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation!"

"Okay." Jiang Li agreed readily enough. But her heart was heavy.

The feeling of being broke was awful. She'd barely held on for over three years now—teetering, ready to collapse.

Jiang Li was even thinking about selling the old house her father had left her. It was in the center of Lanhai City, after all—still worth something. But that house held too many memories of a family of three. If she sold it just like that, Jiang Li, who lived on memories, didn't know if she could keep going.

Manager Wei's message came at just the right time: "Jiang Li, got a job. Come to the office in thirty minutes to talk."

Jiang Li could finally breathe again. Since leaving the Security Center, she'd been affiliated with a well-known bodyguard firm—taking jobs when they came, spending the downtime at the hospital caring for her mother, Yin Hongxia.

Jobs weren't plentiful for her. It seemed women weren't particularly sought after in this industry—employers trusted men more when it came to raw strength. So most of the time she only got the base salary. A few thousand yuan—not even enough to cover one month of her mother's medical bills. She'd been burning through her savings.

Jiang Li rushed to the company without stopping. Manager Wei was already waiting in the office. The moment she pushed open the door, he cut straight to the chase:

"The client this time is a minor celebrity. She used to be a member of a K-pop girl group. She terminated her contract a few months ago and came back to develop her career domestically."

"Since returning, she's been constantly harassed by extreme antis and stalker fans. She's even received death threats. She wants a female bodyguard for 24/7 close protection."

"They've reviewed your resume and are very satisfied. The pay is high—100,000 per month. After the company's cut, you'll take home 80,000."

"Currently they're asking for a three-month contract to start, with a 100,000 deposit upfront. But you'll essentially be living and eating with the employer. Can you accept that?"

"Yes!" At this point, Jiang Li had no room to be picky. Besides, the pay was genuinely good.

"Great. Go home, pack your things, settle your mother, and tomorrow morning at 9 I'll take you to meet the employer."

"Okay." Jiang Li smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Manager Wei."

She didn't even ask the employer's name. She probably wouldn't recognize it anyway. These past few years she'd been living in her own small world—who had the energy to follow celebrity gossip?

But when she met the employer the next day, Jiang Li wanted to slap herself twice.

Her stupid mouth! Why couldn't she have asked one more question?!

What are the odds of running into your ex four years after you split? Jiang Li had never thought about that question before.

Now it was too late to think about it.

She watched this gorgeous woman in a trench coat and sunglasses, all long legs, reach out her hand with a calm expression.

"Miss Jiang, hello. I'm Wen Qingye."

Jiang Li recovered in a single second and gently clasped those pale, slender fingertips. "Jiang Li."

Wen Qingye's fingertips were cool. The coolness seeped straight into Jiang Li's heart.