Becoming the Runaway Little Wife of the Domineering CEO - Chapter 8

The two women engaged in conversation were baffled by Yin Shuang’s reaction and instinctively looked in the direction she was staring.

He Yuxuan was fine, but Qin Ke—or rather, the Rakshasa—tensed for a split second. Her right hand shifted slightly, a clear defensive posture, until she narrowed her eyes to scrutinize Fu Mang. Only then did she relax.

He Yuxuan introduced Fu Mang to Qin Ke. Upon hearing the name, Qin Ke understood everything. She offered Yuxuan a smile and then reached behind her, dragging Yin Shuang out into the open.

She laughed lightly. “My sister is a bit shy. My apologies—I hope Miss He and President Fu don’t mind her lack of manners.”

Before He Yuxuan could respond, Fu Mang looked the two of them over with doubt. “You brought your sister here?”

Bringing a sibling is one thing, but at least dress her up, Fu Mang thought. What is she wearing? She looks like a lowly assistant.

Qin Ke replied, “She’s also my part-time assistant. She needs an internship for university, so I decided to keep her close by.”

Fu Mang remained silent.

Fortunately, she hadn’t voiced her internal critique out loud, or it would have been quite embarrassing.

******

He Yuxuan and Qin Ke hit it off immediately. Yuxuan’s soon-to-be-established company was desperate for exactly this kind of talent. Although Qin Ke hinted that she wanted a partnership rather than a simple technical stake, Yuxuan felt that if the woman was truly as capable as she seemed, making her a partner wasn’t out of the question.

Not wanting to let Qin Ke slip away, Yuxuan enthusiastically ushered her and Fu Mang toward a quiet corner to sit down.

Yin Shuang didn’t dare make a single unnecessary move, keeping her mouth tightly shut. She stuck close to Qin Ke, bowing her head like a timid rabbit, terrified that Fu Mang would recognize her.

But how could she? Fu Mang didn’t have X-ray vision. Even if her worldview had been shattered last week, she would never imagine that this girl was actually the “thief” Yin Shuang wearing a magical disguise.

Playing hard to get was a tactic Qin Ke knew well. She whetted He Yuxuan’s appetite but refused to commit to the company, saying only that she would “consider it.” Once she had handled her own business, she began to steer the conversation toward Fu Mang.

Although Fu Mang’s first impression of Qin Ke wasn’t great, she wasn’t one to judge solely on appearances. Seeing Qin Ke’s natural eloquence and poised behavior, she set aside her prejudices and began to chat like an old friend.

The break-in at Fu Mang’s house was a hot topic in their social circle lately. To keep the conversation lively, He Yuxuan brought it up as if it were a joke.

“…I actually saw the thief once. She was a beautiful girl—who would have thought? She’s practically a real-life version of Saint Tail. Maybe she even transforms while she’s stealing!”

He Yuxuan laughed, clearly teasing, but Yin Shuang didn’t get it. She looked at Yuxuan in confusion, wondering why she called a thief a “Saint.” Wasn’t a Saint a high and holy title?

Qin Ke kept her gaze steady, subtly nudging Yin Shuang’s thigh. Reminded of her role, Yin Shuang immediately lowered her head again, preventing the two sharp-eyed women across from her from noticing anything amiss.

Qin Ke propped her chin in her hand and looked at Fu Mang inquisitively. “Even if it was just a common thief, an event like that must have been quite frightening. President Fu, have you considered upgrading your home security system?”

This was Qin Ke’s true goal. As a colleague, she didn’t want to see the little sword spirit wandering aimlessly. If Fu Mang took the bait, she could offer to check the security system for free. Once inside, she could plant a few bugs, making it effortless for Yin Shuang to slip back in and steal the sword.

But Fu Mang didn’t bite. She cast her eyes down and took a sip of wine. “I’ve already assigned my people to handle it. They’re my own men; I trust them more.”

In other words, she didn’t trust an outsider like Qin Ke.

Qin Ke went silent. She had her own mission and could only offer Yin Shuang symbolic help; if she insisted on upgrading the system, Fu Mang would definitely grow suspicious. Just as Qin Ke stopped talking, Fu Mang added, “Aside from the system, I plan to hire a personal bodyguard to protect me at all times. Assets are secondary; my personal safety is what matters most.”

Yin Shuang scratched the hair at her temple. The disguise material on her face was starting to itch, and she couldn’t help herself. She hadn’t been paying attention to what Fu Mang said, but Qin Ke’s eyes lit up.

“A bodyguard? I know someone. What kind are you looking for?”

Fu Mang paused, then answered slowly, “Someone with elite skills who can follow me everywhere and even live with me.”

Qin Ke smiled. “Perfect. I know just the person. She just graduated from the Zorckest International Security Academy and is looking for a client. With her credentials and skills, she could protect a world leader, but she doesn’t like working for politicians—too much red tape. She prefers the corporate sector.”

Sounds impressive, Fu Mang thought.

Fu Mang was intrigued. Qin Ke paused for a moment, then gave an apologetic smile. “However, her salary requirements are very high—several times that of a standard bodyguard. I’m not sure if you’d be comfortable with that.”

High price usually means high skill, Fu Mang reasoned.

“Money isn’t an issue,” Fu Mang replied instantly. “If the fit is right, I can afford any price. What is your friend’s name? Could you introduce us?”

Qin Ke smiled. “How about this: I’ll talk to her when I get back. If she agrees, I’ll give her your office address and let her come talk to you in person. How does that sound?”

Fu Mang offered a polite smile. “Then I’ll thank you in advance, Miss Qin.”

******

While Yin Shuang had been spacing out, Qin Ke had already built a bridge for her to return to the Fu household. Yin Shuang remained oblivious until they returned to the small apartment.

“Oh… but I didn’t graduate from that… whatever school.”

Qin Ke patted her head. “Dummy. I’ll just forge a resume for you. I have nothing else to do right now, so I’ll whip one up. Let’s start with a name. What do you want to be called?”

Yin Shuang blinked. “Yu Xiaoshuang.”

Qin Ke’s hands froze over the keyboard. She turned her head and stared at her blankly. “What did you tell Fu Mang your name was last time?”

“Yu Yinshuang.”

“And you think she won’t notice the similarity?”

Yin Shuang: “…”

Yin Shuang fell into a pensive silence. Qin Ke looked back at her. “I remember you mentioned you had a nickname. What was it again?”

“…”

She didn’t want to say.

Qin Ke could forge a resume, but it was a fake that wouldn’t hold up to a deep background check. The Astral Guide, however, was different. Zhu Peier created identities using magic; although it took time, the result was a person who “existed” in the police database, indistinguishable from the real thing.

Zhu Peier agreed with Qin Ke’s plan. She returned with good news: her superior felt Yin Shuang was faring too poorly and opened a back door. Once every calendar month, Yin Shuang could “pinch” a new face. This allowed her to shift identities easily while preventing her from growing so powerful that she’d disregard human laws.

By the time Yin Shuang finally received her hard-earned fake identity, a month had passed since the theft incident. Qin Ke had successfully become He Yuxuan’s partner, and Yin Shuang, sporting a newly “pinched” face, arrived at the entrance of Fu Mang’s company.

If everything went smoothly today, she could move out of Qin Ke’s house and back into the mansion where her sword was hidden.

Yin Shuang adjusted the interview outfit Qin Ke had specially bought for her and walked inside cautiously.

The receptionist was professionally trained to smile at every guest, but upon seeing Yin Shuang’s outfit, her lip twitched.

A black suit, black trousers, a long black ponytail, and a pair of pitch-black sunglasses. Was she cosplaying a gender-bent version of The Matrix?

After checking in, the receptionist called the manager’s office. Soon, Shao Yang came down to collect her.

Having not seen him for a month, Yin Shuang felt a strange sense of familiarity. she offered him a bright, happy smile, showing off eight pearly white teeth.

Imagine the cool Keanu Reeves suddenly breaking into a dazzling Colgate-ad smile…

The “high-end female bodyguard” image immediately dropped two levels in prestige.

Shao Yang led her inside. Fu Mang was standing by her desk, holding the forged resume. It had been a month, and the applicants so far had been useless—either they were men, or their skills were lacking. The domestic bodyguard industry wasn’t well-developed, and finding a truly elite woman was difficult. If this one didn’t pass, Fu Mang was prepared to look abroad.

Even a ‘Viking Barbie’ would be better than nothing, Fu Mang sighed, closing the file.

She had seen hundreds of resumes lately. Many looked impressive on paper, but most were “inflated.” She wondered how this one would fare.

A knock sounded. Fu Mang called for them to enter. Shao Yang led the applicant in. Fu Mang, having more composure than the receptionist, didn’t react much to the girl’s outfit. She glanced at the black-clad Yin Shuang and raised an eyebrow.

“Jin Xiaoyu?”

“…Yes.”

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