The Exclusive Bodyguard of the Top Idol - Chapter 11

Perhaps it was the exhaustion from the night’s battle, the injury affecting her physical condition, or the lack of a fixed training wake-up call now that she wasn’t staying in the dorm. Whatever the reason, Ji Qingshi’s ironclad biological clock had failed her for once. She slept deeply and long, only opening her eyes again at noon the next day.

The unfamiliar room and surroundings greeted her as she woke. Blinking at the ceiling, Ji Qingshi took a moment to gather her thoughts before finally remembering where she was.

She sat up abruptly, accidentally jostling her injured arm, and hissed in pain. Grabbing her phone, she checked the time; already noon. She smacked her forehead and scrambled out of bed. How embarrassing! Sleeping like a log as a guest and not waking up until midday. Utterly mortifying!

By the time Ji Qingshi rushed out of the room in her pajamas, the entire apartment was filled with a tantalizing aroma. She paused, inhaling deeply. It was definitely food. Of course, it was lunchtime; Ren Jiao must have ordered takeout. She just wondered which restaurant it was from.

Not spotting Ren Jiao in the living room, Ji Qingshi wasted no time and hurried to freshen up.

When she emerged from the bathroom, she found Ren Jiao seated at the dining table.

Seeing her, Ren Jiao smiled and waved her over. “Come eat! Let’s see if it suits your taste.”

Ji Qingshi shuffled closer, eyeing the spread. Three dishes and a soup, generous portions, two meat dishes and one vegetable, along with rice. More than enough for two. The dishes were vibrant, steaming hot, and beautifully plated, looking far too fresh and appetizing to be takeout. Even the best restaurants couldn’t deliver food that still looked this perfect after transit.

As she pulled out a chair, Ji Qingshi couldn’t help but ask, “Where did this food come from?”

She glanced at the closed kitchen door. It didn’t seem like anyone had been cooking there unless they’d left right after? Without even staying to eat?

Ren Jiao’s eyes curved into crescents. “I made it.”

“What?” Ji Qingshi froze, looking from Ren Jiao to the dishes on the table, struggling to reconcile the ethereal star before her with the homely act of cooking.

The kitchen was a place steeped in earthly toil, a world apart from the celestial, untouchable image of a celebrity like Ren Jiao.

Ji Qingshi had never been good at hiding her thoughts. They were always written plainly on her face. One glance was all Ren Jiao needed to see her disbelief.

“Hmph, don’t underestimate me. I’m a great cook!” Ren Jiao huffed lightly, picking up a piece of braised pork and placing it in Ji Qingshi’s bowl. “Try it if you don’t believe me.”

The pork belly was perfectly marbled, glazed a rich, glossy red, and looked utterly mouthwatering.

Unable to resist, Ji Qingshi took a bite and her eyes widened instantly. After swallowing, she couldn’t stop praising it. “This is amazing!”

The braised pork wasn’t just visually appealing. It was tender, fragrant, meltingly soft, rich but not greasy, clearly cooked to perfection.

Ji Qingshi was stunned. “You really made this?”

Every cook loves praise for their skills. Ren Jiao wasn’t a professional chef, but it was only natural to hope for appreciation when sharing homemade food.

Hearing the genuine admiration in Ji Qingshi’s tone, Ren Jiao narrowed her eyes contentedly, propping her chin on one hand as she looked at her. Raising an eyebrow, she said, “Of course! No one else came home today. Qianqian and Sister Cen are both on holiday and went back to their own families. If you don’t believe me, you can ask them. They all know I can cook.”

Ji Qingshi nodded vigorously between mouthfuls of food. “I believe you, of course I do! I never expected you to be not just great at singing and dancing, but also such an amazing cook! You’re practically a genius!”

Flattered by the praise, Ren Jiao happily picked up her chopsticks and started eating. “If you like it, have more. After how exhausted you were yesterday, you need to replenish your energy today!”

“Mhm, mhm!”

With her left arm injured and inconvenient to move, Ji Qingshi ate using only her right hand. Though a bit slower, it didn’t hinder her much.

“Your cooking is so good. Do you usually make your own meals? How do you find the time with how busy you are?”

Ren Jiao took small bites as she smiled faintly. “My mom was always busy with work and not in the best health, so I started learning how to do these things when I was very young.”

She didn’t elaborate, but Ji Qingshi, familiar with her family background, understood the hardships concealed within that simple statement.

Losing her father at ten, with grandparents who had passed early, and a mother in poor health raising her alone. Even with survivor benefits, life had been far from easy. Ren Jiao had been a precocious child, acutely aware of her mother’s struggles while silently bearing the weight of avenging her father. She had grown up much faster than her peers.

Most of the time, Ji Qingshi felt Ren Jiao shouldn’t have to shoulder so much pressure. She was still just a kid. She was only ten when her father sacrificed himself, fifteen when she joined Zenith Entertainment as a trainee, and seventeen when she debuted as an idol. On top of the grueling workload at such a young age, she was also determined to gather evidence against Sheng Dingzhe, carrying a mountain of responsibility on her shoulders.

She was just a child. She could have chosen to escape or forget. No one would have blamed her. Yet she forced herself to bear it all.

Ji Qingshi’s heart ached for her.

And because it ached, she instinctively wanted to say something. To comfort her, to coax her, as one would a beloved younger sister.

“You really—”

But before she could even begin, Ren Jiao cut her off.

“Hey, you’ve got a grain of rice on your lip!”

“Huh? Where?” Ji Qingshi’s attention instantly shifted as she instinctively stuck out her tongue to lick it off, completely forgetting what she had been about to say.

Ren Jiao chuckled, smoothly steering the conversation elsewhere. “After we eat, I’ll change your bandages.”

Ji Qingshi nodded repeatedly. “Okay.” Since she was already staying here, she might as well accept the help without fuss. It was just changing bandages, after all.

Satisfied, Ren Jiao narrowed her eyes and lowered her head to continue eating. Though she didn’t know what Ji Qingshi had been about to say, she recognized the look of pity in her eyes. Ji Qingshi wasn’t good at hiding her thoughts, and Ren Jiao was far too sharp.

She knew the intention was kind, but Ren Jiao didn’t want to hear those well-meaning, sympathetic words of comfort. They would only make her feel pitied, and she didn’t want that. She was strong enough. She didn’t need excessive sympathy. She didn’t deny being a bit sensitive about this, but it was the only way she could feel at ease. ^_^

Ji Qingshi’s injury was on her left upper arm, near the shoulder, so changing the dressing required removing at least one sleeve. Ji Qingshi didn’t feel the least bit embarrassed. When she was injured in the team, her comrades always helped her change the dressings, so she was long used to it. This time, it was just a different person doing it.

But Ren Jiao was a little nervous. Her face was good at hiding emotions. No matter what was going on inside, on the surface, she always remained as steady as an old dog, not a hint of tension showing.

Ren Jiao took out the medicine prescribed the day before and arranged it on the coffee table. Ji Qingshi sat on the sofa and, without hesitation, took off her pajamas, leaving only her underwear.

Ren Jiao was squatting, reading the medication instructions and precautions, when she noticed Ji Qingshi’s movement. She instinctively glanced up, only to be met with a pair of toned, wheat-colored abs. Her eyes burned, and she quickly averted her gaze.

“You, why are you taking off your clothes?!”

Ji Qingshi was puzzled. “Aren’t we changing the dressing?”

Ren Jiao: “We are, but I meant you could just take off one side… You don’t need to take it all off, it’s the middle of winter.”

Ji Qingshi looked completely unfazed. “It’s fine. The heating’s on full blast, and there’s underfloor heating. It’s not cold at all.”

Ren Jiao: “…”

In truth, it really wasn’t about whether it was cold or not.

Lowering her head and gripping the instructions, Ren Jiao tried her best to ignore the alluring sight she had just glimpsed. Strictly speaking, Ji Qingshi wasn’t exposing much. She was still wearing underwear but her firm, flat stomach and well-defined abs were more than enough to draw attention.

Following the doctor’s instructions to prepare the medicine, Ren Jiao tried again: “Just put one side back on, and leave your left arm exposed!”

Seeing how insistent she was about covering up, Ji Qingshi was a little confused but obediently complied. Her left arm couldn’t move much, so she slowly worked her right hand back into the sleeve.

Noticing her struggle, Ren Jiao stood up to help, carefully avoiding any further glances at those distracting abs.

Finally, with everything properly covered, Ren Jiao let out a relieved sigh and began changing the dressing.

Following the doctor’s instructions from the day before, Ren Jiao first removed the bandaged gauze, then carefully peeled away the dressing covering the wound. As the dressing came off, Ren Jiao got a clear look at Ji Qingshi’s injury and couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath.

Ji Qingshi had always called it a minor injury, and the doctor had said it wasn’t serious, so Ren Jiao had assumed it was just an ordinary wound. But a gunshot wound was anything but ordinary. Though not large, the flesh was torn open, the brown antiseptic mixing with blood and tissue in a gruesome sight.

Ren Jiao took a couple of deep breaths, then dipped a cotton swab in the medicine and began gently applying it in slow circles around the wound. Afraid of causing pain, she kept her touch light and deliberate.

“Ah—” Ji Qingshi suddenly flinched slightly backward, letting out a faint hiss.

Ren Jiao immediately stopped, looking at her nervously. “Does it hurt? I’ll be gentler!”

“No, no! Don’t be any gentler.”

Confused, Ren Jiao raised her eyes questioningly.

Ji Qingshi averted her gaze, scratching her cheek lightly with her right index finger as she stammered, “Uh, your movements are too light and slow and your breathing’s too close. It tickles!”

Ren Jiao froze for a moment before realization dawned. She studied Ji Qingshi’s face. The wheat-colored skin made any blush less obvious, but upon closer inspection, the faint flush was still there.

Ren Jiao couldn’t help but chuckle softly. This laugh made Ji Qingshi even more embarrassed. She widened her eyes and urged, “Hurry up and apply the medicine. It’s cold.”

Cold? Just a moment ago, she had said the heating was strong and it was quite warm.

It wasn’t cold at all! It was clearly ticklish.

Ren Jiao narrowed her beautiful peach-blossom eyes and sped up the application, pressing slightly harder than before. Following the medical instructions, she completed the process, applied a new dressing, wrapped it with gauze, and finally helped Ji Qingshi put her clothes back on. Only then was the task officially done.

“All set.” Ren Jiao tidied up the used medical waste and, like a doctor, reminded Ji Qingshi, “Don’t move around too much, okay?”