The Exclusive Bodyguard of the Top Idol - Chapter 16

Ji Qingshi stayed with Ren Jiao at the sanatorium for three days. On the afternoon of the third day of the Lunar New Year, caregiver Aunt Liu returned to the sanatorium to take over Ren Jiao’s duties in caring for Ren Xiuxian.

Before leaving, Ren Jiao spent some more time talking with her mother, then headed home with Ji Qingshi. Ren Jiao was the one driving back, while Ji Qingshi rested in the passenger seat. She had initially assumed Ren Jiao didn’t know how to drive, but then it occurred to her. How could someone own a car if they didn’t know how to drive?

Ren Jiao smiled and said, “I don’t get many chances to drive, so I might be a bit slow.”

And slow she was. It took nearly forty minutes longer than when Ji Qingshi had driven them there.

Having slept in the sanatorium’s lounge for the past few days, neither of them had rested well, and both were exhausted. After arriving home, they quickly ate dinner and went to shower, ready to rest.

S Group’s training sessions were set to resume on the fifth day of the New Year, leaving them with just one more day of vacation. Ren Jiao asked Ji Qingshi what she wanted to eat, but Ji Qingshi suggested ordering takeout or eating out. She didn’t want Ren Jiao to spend their last day off cooking.

So, they agreed to order food and spend the day relaxing at home.

Ren Jiao, recalling their last horror movie experience, mischievously asked Ji Qingshi, “Want to watch a movie with me tomorrow? The kind with dark scenes, eerie sound effects, and occasional bursts of ‘enthusiastic’ screams and dramatic expressions, a ‘metaphysical’ film?”

Ji Qingshi: “…” Are you sure this is a proper movie?

Though Ji Qingshi was a bit slow on the uptake, the memory of stumbling upon Ren Jiao watching a horror film last time made her shake her head vigorously like a rattle drum, firmly refusing, “No way!”

“What a shame…”

“Not a shame at all! I nearly died of fright last time!”

Ren Jiao couldn’t help but laugh. “Officer Ji is actually scared of ghosts? I thought someone as righteous as you, a people’s police officer, wouldn’t fear such things.”

Ji Qingshi’s face flushed, and she averted her gaze, muttering, “I’m not watching it, period. You can watch it alone!”

Ren Jiao leaned in with a playful smile, studying the blush on Ji Qingshi’s face before making another suggestion. “Fine, no movie then. How about accompanying me while I practice the piano tomorrow?”

“Practice the piano?” Ji Qingshi turned back to her in mild surprise.

“Yeah, training starts the day after tomorrow. I want to get back into the groove.”

Accompanying her while she practiced the piano sounded peaceful and pleasant far better than enduring a shrieking horror film. Ji Qingshi immediately nodded in agreement.

When it came to practicing, Ji Qingshi assumed they’d have to go to a rehearsal studio or a piano room. During the tour rehearsals, she had accompanied Ren Jiao daily to S Group’s dedicated practice rooms in Bincheng and was already familiar with them.

But the next morning, after breakfast, when Ji Qingshi asked when they were leaving, Ren Jiao looked surprised. “Leaving? Where to?”

Ji Qingshi was equally puzzled. “Aren’t we practicing the piano?”

Realizing the misunderstanding, Ren Jiao chuckled. “No need to go out. We can practice at home, there’s a piano room here.”

“At home?”

Having stayed here for a while after her injury, Ji Qingshi had no idea Ren Jiao’s home even had a piano room.

Was it the walk-in closet?

Aside from the master bedroom, the walk-in closet was the only place Ji Qingshi hadn’t entered. Both were private spaces, and she had no intention of intruding into Ren Jiao’s personal domain.

Ji Qingshi’s gaze drifted toward the closet, but to her surprise, Ren Jiao led her into the master bedroom instead.

“I’ve turned my room into a music studio that doubles as a dance space. I installed soundproofing and a dance mat. It’s super convenient.”

The bedroom felt like such a private territory that Ji Qingshi instinctively stopped at the doorway, hesitating to step inside.

Ren Jiao noticed her hesitation and gently tugged at the sleeve of her pajamas, pulling her in. “Come on in, it’s fine. I’ve completely converted this room into a music studio. There’s just a bed for sleeping. It’s like sleeping in a studio.”

Hearing this, and sensing her decisive invitation, Ji Qingshi finally followed her into the bedroom. Once inside, she realized Ren Jiao wasn’t exaggerating. Her eyes widened in surprise as she took in the space. It truly looked like a music studio. If not for the bed against the wall, no one would guess this was a bedroom.

“It’s a bit messy in here, make yourself at home.”

As she spoke, Ren Jiao casually tidied up the scattered room, picking up the guitars, bass, and other instruments that had fallen to the floor and placing them to the side.

“I don’t usually have much time to clean up.”

Having known her for a while now, Ji Qingshi had always thought Ren Jiao had good habits. She could cook, kept up with chores so she was surprised to see her bedroom in such disarray.

It wasn’t unlivable, just that everything was placed haphazardly. The floor wasn’t just littered with instruments but also sheet music scribbled on A4 paper.

Ren Jiao gathered the papers and tossed them onto the bed, chuckling sheepishly. “I’ve been working on a new song. It’s gotten a little messy.”

She rarely showed this kind of embarrassed expression, and Ji Qingshi found it refreshing. It made her seem more like the 20-year-old girl she really was. Perhaps because of her past, Ren Jiao usually carried herself with a maturity beyond her years, often making people forget how young she actually was.

Ji Qingshi smiled. “You’re writing a song? Can I hear it?”

“Well… sure, but it’s not finished yet.” Ren Jiao knelt on the carpet, fiddling with the equipment in front of her. “If you don’t mind, I can play you the melody while I keep working on it.”

“Of course!” Ji Qingshi walked over and sat cross-legged beside Ren Jiao, tilting her head curiously as she watched her work the unfamiliar equipment.

Noticing her fascination, Ren Jiao patiently explained what each device did and how it connected to the computer.

“I usually use this for composing and arranging. When I get an idea, I edit it into a full melody and play it back through the computer to test it out.” Her fingers moved deftly across the keyboard and machine before playing the new melody for Ji Qingshi.

“I’ve only written the basic tune so far. I’ll figure out the arrangement later, but I already have a rough idea. I want to use classical instruments for this one.”

“Classical like piano?” Ji Qingshi was clueless about music. At best, she could tell if a song sounded good, but the technicalities were lost on her.

Ren Jiao nodded. “There’ll be piano, but I also want to add cello.”

“Cello?”

“Yeah. Want to hear it? I can play it for you.”

Ji Qingshi stared at her in surprise. “You play cello too?”

“A little.”

Ren Jiao stood up and walked to a corner of the room, lifting a dust cover to reveal a meticulously maintained cello.

Ji Qingshi’s gaze lingered on the smooth, elegant curves of the cello. The instrument’s warm, polished wood and perfect symmetrical design exuded an air of refined grace even when simply resting in place.

“This is incredible!” Ji Qingshi stood up and walked over to Ren Jiao, scanning the room as she spoke. “A piano, guitar, bass, drum set, and now a cello too! Good heavens, Ren Jiaojiao, is there any instrument you can’t play?”

Her voice carried undisguised awe, with a subtle undertone of admiration. If before she’d only vaguely thought of Ren Jiao as a top idol who enjoyed singing, now she was seeing her in a completely new light. Someone who truly, deeply loved music.

Ren Jiao pressed her lips together in a modest smile. “I’m definitely not an expert at everything!”

“You’re amazing! Playing so many instruments, composing songs, dancing.” Ji Qingshi’s eyes practically sparkled. “No wonder so many people are crazy about you!”

Ren Jiao’s cat-like eyes shimmered with amusement as she gently ran her fingers along the cello’s graceful contours. But then, as if remembering something, a wistful shadow gradually crept into her expression. “But loving music is an expensive passion.”

Ji Qingshi looked at her with quiet surprise, saying nothing.

“I’ve loved music since childhood and started learning cello very young. Oh, I forgot to mention, my mother used to be a cello teacher. I probably inherited her musical talent.” Ren Jiao’s tone turned melancholic. “When I was little, our family was doing alright financially, and with Mom teaching me, I learned both cello and piano. But after Dad passed away, though we had survivor benefits, Mom had to work twice as hard to maintain our standard of living. ”

“Music is costly, especially the instruments. I didn’t want Mom to struggle so much; her health wasn’t great to begin with. But I still loved music and wanted to keep pursuing it. That’s why I dropped out early to become a trainee at the company.”

She wanted to ease her mother’s burden while still maintaining these delicate, expensive instruments which meant she needed to start earning money early.

Ji Qingshi pressed her lips together, falling into thoughtful silence. Both Ren Jiao and her mother had endured difficult years.

“Alright, enough of that,” Ren Jiao swiftly lightened the mood again with a smile. “Want to give it a try? How about I teach you to play the cello?”

“Huh?”

Ji Qingshi was momentarily stunned. Weren’t they just talking about Ren Jiao playing for her? How did this suddenly turn into a cello lesson?

Before she could process the abrupt shift, Ren Jiao had already guided her to sit before the cello and placed the bow in her hands.

Ji Qingshi had never touched a musical instrument in her life. These hands had held guns, wielded blades and staffs, but never imagined they’d one day cradle something as sophisticated as a cello!

With the bow in hand, nervous tension stiffened her posture. She sat rigidly, palms growing damp with sweat.

“I… I have absolutely no idea what to do.” confessed the sharpshooter who never missed her mark.

Ren Jiao leaned in close beside her, murmuring softly, “It’s alright, I’ll teach you.”

As she bent nearer to the tense policewoman, the gentle curve of her chest inadvertently brushed against Ji Qingshi’s shoulder. Every muscle in Ji Qingshi’s body instantly tensed, her throat unconsciously bobbing.