The Exclusive Bodyguard of the Top Idol - Chapter 30

For a long time after that, Ji Qingshi quietly observed Ren Jiao without showing any signs. Ren Jiao displayed no unusual behavior. Aside from paying slightly more attention, she did nothing out of the ordinary. Though Ji Qingshi wasn’t as quick-witted as Ren Jiao, her years as a SWAT officer had honed her instincts to be as sharp as a leopard’s. When a leopard locked onto its prey, it could scrutinize every detail long before the target even noticed.

When it came to major matters, Ji Qingshi had remarkable patience. Just like how she could lie motionless for hours under scorching sun, waiting for her target to step into her line of fire.

Ren Jiao remained completely unaware of Ji Qingshi’s thoughts. The preparations for the Hangzhou concert consumed most of her attention, keeping her holed up in the rehearsal room every day.

By early April, Group S set off for Hangzhou to begin their third tour stop. Once this concert concluded, all three pre-scheduled tour dates would be completed. Cen Shu had already submitted applications to interested cities for subsequent arrangements and had allocated nearly three months for the new album, with plans to restart activities in the latter half of the year.

Originally, Cen Shu had coordinated with the hotel in advance to reserve an extra room, but in the end, Ji Qingshi requested to share a room with Ren Jiao for the sake of keeping her under close protection.

“After all, hotels are crowded places. Staying closer is safer.”

Ji Qingshi delivered this explanation with a straight face, and Cen Shu didn’t think much of it, finding her reasoning sound. The hotel they were staying at was a frequent choice for artists visiting Hangzhou, well-known among paparazzi and obsessive fans. Certainly less secure than their previous stay in Shanghai.

The room arrangements were adjusted to two people per room. Ren Jiao stole several glances at Ji Qingshi, trying to detect any hint of ulterior motives in her expression, but she found nothing. Ji Qingshi appeared utterly composed.

Failing to spot anything amiss, Ren Jiao concluded that Ji Qingshi’s request to share a room must genuinely be for security reasons. She felt a pang of disappointment, yet at the same time, an odd sense of relief. Her heart ached dully from this contradictory tug-of-war.

What she didn’t know was that Ji Qingshi wasn’t nearly as calm as she appeared. From the moment she had uttered those seemingly justifiable words in front of Cen Shu, she had been nervous. She was straightforward by nature, not one for scheming or deception. Both Ren Jiao and Cen Shu knew this about her, which was why they believed her when she spoke so naturally.

But the truth was, Ji Qingshi had told the truth; just not the whole truth. The reason her expression betrayed no deceit was that her words were sincere. Hotels were chaotic environments with all sorts of people coming and going; staying in the same room as her protectee made her job easier that much was true. But there was another part she left unspoken, another reason she had asked to share a room: she wanted to be with Ren Jiao every moment.

These more secretive truths were not something she was ready to voice aloud just yet. She had to keep them hidden, she believed the time wasn’t right. After all, she still wasn’t entirely sure what Ren Jiao truly felt about her.

Once the hotel arrangements were settled, rehearsals began in the afternoon. Everyone boarded Group S’s tour bus and headed to the concert venue.

Upon arrival, the seven members immediately went to familiarize themselves with the stage. Qianqian and the other assistants followed along, while Ji Qingshi excused herself and slipped away alone.

During a break in rehearsal, Ren Jiao instinctively searched the audience for that familiar figure but couldn’t find her after looking for a long time.

Qianqian came up to hand her some water, and Ren Jiao voiced the question on her mind: “Where’s Sister Ji?”

“She left right after you started rehearsing. Didn’t say where she was going, just that she’d be back soon.”

“Oh, alright.”

Though still puzzled, Ren Jiao didn’t press further. After resting a bit, she resumed rehearsals. By the time they finished going through the stage choreography for three group songs, she finally spotted Ji Qingshi returning to the audience, sitting by the stage and scrolling through her phone. Sensing Ren Jiao’s gaze, Ji Qingshi looked up, their eyes meeting as she flashed her a smile.

Dinner was eaten at the venue, and by the time rehearsals wrapped up, it was already nine o’clock. Everyone boarded the bus back to the hotel.

Ji Qingshi and Ren Jiao sat together. When Ren Jiao asked what she had been doing during rehearsal, Ji Qingshi simply said she had gone out to buy something.

Ren Jiao couldn’t spot any purchases. Ji Qingshi only had a small bag with her, making it impossible to tell.

She figured she’d find out once they got back to their room, but after entering, Ji Qingshi just hung up her bag without taking anything out.

This only deepened Ren Jiao’s curiosity, but since Ji Qingshi clearly wasn’t planning to explain, she didn’t push.

This time, their room was another double bed. After their experience in Shanghai, it didn’t feel as awkward as before.

They took turns showering, and since it was still early, they lay in bed chatting. Eventually, the conversation turned to how Ji Qingshi had joined the SWAT team in the first place.

“I had great physical endurance. During the exams, I could push myself harder than most. Plus, I had naturally sharp senses, so I was specially recruited as a SWAT trainee at the police academy.”

Ren Jiao rolled onto her side to face her, blinking. “You’re such a sharpshooter! You must’ve had top grades in school, right?”

Having never attended university herself, Ren Jiao was eager to hear about Ji Qingshi’s college days.

Ji Qingshi scratched her head sheepishly. “Ah, not really. My grades were terrible especially in academics. You know Captain Qi? She was a proper high-achiever, scoring top marks to get into the police university. She was a few years ahead of me, and by the time I enrolled, her reputation was already legendary every department knew about her. Me? I got into the SWAT team through a special recruitment. Barely scraped by on the written exams.”

“Captain Qi was the kind of student everyone at the academy admired. Compared to her, I was a total underachiever.”

As she spoke, her expression was completely unbothered, not the least bit fazed by the gap between her and Qi Xuesong. When she mentioned her weaker academics, it was as casual as pointing out that Qi Xuesong was shorter than her. No weight attached to it at all.

Ren Jiao couldn’t help but inch closer, her gaze softening as she looked at Ji Qingshi, unable to hide the fondness in her eyes.

Ji Qingshi was open-hearted and uncomplicated, leading most people to assume she was simple-minded or even gullible. But Ren Jiao adored this very quality about her.

She said everyone at the academy admired Qi Xuesong’s brilliance. But Ren Jiao could tell, Ji Qingshi didn’t. When she spoke of Qi Xuesong’s achievements, it was just a statement of fact, no different from how she’d say her own marksmanship would always outshine Qi Xuesong’s.

“Not to mention I got into the SWAT reserve team through a special recruitment from the start, just based on my grades alone, I wouldn’t have made it into the Criminal Investigation Team especially Captain Qi’s Special Investigation Unit. They’ve gathered elites from all over the province even the top computer science graduate in the province was assigned there.”

Hearing Ji Qingshi say this, Qi Xuesong and her Special Investigation Unit were indeed outstanding, but in Ren Jiao’s eyes, it was different.

“But in my heart, I still think you’re the most amazing, sis.” Her words were utterly sincere, her expression and tone completely serious, making Ji Qingshi grin so wide her eyes disappeared.

Ji Qingshi now knew she liked Ren Jiao, so of course, she was happy to hear her sweetheart praise her. Squinting with visible pride, she still managed to sound humble without a trace of vanity: “When it comes to fighting or shooting, Captain Qi obviously can’t compare to me. There aren’t many in the whole province who can match me. But when it comes to solving cases, Captain Qi is way better.”

Her expression at first was clearly smug and satisfied, yet her words were so modest, and what’s more, her tone was completely earnest, not a hint of pretense.

Ren Jiao laughed at her antics, casually sweeping the long hair draped over her chest behind her as she half-rose to reach for the water cup on the bedside table. But as she moved, the loose collar of her pajamas suddenly gaped open, revealing an expanse of snowy-white skin without warning.

Ji Qingshi’s pupils constricted sharply, her first instinct to squeeze her eyes shut, not daring to look again.

The sudden mishap had initially flustered Ren Jiao, but seeing Ji Qingshi’s instinctive reaction, she relaxed, even feeling a mischievous urge to tease the woman before her.

So, she took a sip of water to moisten her throat, then leisurely looked down at the woman lying there with her eyes tightly shut.

Ji Qingshi kept her eyes closed for a while, assuming Ren Jiao had fixed her clothes, and cautiously peeked only to snap them shut again in alarm.

“Y-you, your clothes are messy, hurry and fix them.”

The more flustered Ji Qingshi acted, the calmer Ren Jiao became. Not only did she not adjust her collar, she deliberately loosened it further, fully exposing her collarbone before leaning down over Ji Qingshi, her voice teasing.

“Sis, what are you so shy about?”

Ji Qingshi’s body tensed instantly, lying rigidly on her side, barely daring to breathe.

Ren Jiao carefully leaned closer, maintaining a distance that was intimate yet just shy of physical contact. “Why won’t you open your eyes?”

Ji Qingshi couldn’t take it anymore. The heat rising through her body signaled she was about to explode if Ren Jiao kept teasing her.

So she suddenly gripped the edge of the blanket, yanking it around Ren Jiao in one swift motion, then flipped their positions in an instant.

“Mmph—!”

Caught off guard by the sudden move, Ren Jiao let out a soft gasp, instinctively clutching the blanket wrapped around her. The world spun as Ji Qingshi pinned her down, effectively cocooning her like a dumpling.

Now that Ren Jiao was bundled up, Ji Qingshi finally opened her eyes, her tanned skin flushed deep red as she stared down at her. “Be good.”

Ren Jiao was pinned beneath her, still wrapped in the blanket, but their current position was far more intimate than her earlier cautious teasing without physical contact. The little fox, who had been putting on a seductive act just moments ago, suddenly lost all her bravado. Her fair, delicate face began to flush with a rosy hue.

Ji Qingshi looked down at her, watching as her skin gradually turned a soft pink, then deepened into a full blush, until she was as red as a steamed crab.

A certain string in her heart trembled violently. Ji Qingshi felt as though she had finally found the answer she had been searching for all this time.

She quickly replayed every interaction between them since they first met. This little girl in front of her seemed to have enjoyed teasing her from the very beginning.

She must have some feelings for me too, right?

Once certain thoughts take root, they grow rapidly, branching out and flourishing.

Ji Qingshi cleared her throat lightly, releasing Ren Jiao and lying back down. “Go to sleep. You still have rehearsals tomorrow.”

The moment they separated, Ren Jiao obediently rolled into the blanket and settled in.

The lively atmosphere from earlier suddenly turned silent, but neither of them felt particularly awkward. Each was preoccupied with their own hidden thoughts, leaving no room for anything else.