The Exclusive Bodyguard of the Top Idol - Chapter 6

“Mom, I switched to a new company today—Huaying Media. It’s a great company, an industry leader with a huge reputation. Even if you don’t know much about the entertainment industry, you’ve probably heard of it. Many of the hottest movies were produced by Huaying, and a lot of the actors you recognize are signed with them.”

“Now you don’t have to worry anymore. You don’t need to be afraid of me being mistreated at work, and you can ignore all those rumors outside because the new company will handle everything for us.”

“So, Mom when will you wake up?”

Ren Jiao patiently wiped her mother’s body while speaking softly to her. She had heard that comatose patients might still perceive sounds from the outside world; sometimes, they could catch fragments of what their loved ones said, especially those with a chance of waking up.

Ren Jiao clung to this hope. She never gave up, praying every day for her mother to open her eyes. She spent exorbitant amounts on the best doctors, the most advanced medical equipment, and the finest medications. All in the hope that one day, her mother would wake up and see how far she had come.

“You don’t have to worry about me anymore.” Ren Jiao pressed her forehead against the back of her mother’s hand.

Outside the hospital room, Ji Qingshi stood by the door’s glass window, quietly observing the scene.

Beside her was a tall woman in plainclothes, an officer from the provincial bureau assigned to protect Ren Xiuxian.

“Aunt Ren has been like this for a year now. According to the nurse who takes care of her, her condition isn’t the worst. There’s still a chance she might wake up. But at the same time, there’s also the possibility she never will. Keeping her like this day after day is just gambling on that slim hope. ”

Ji Qingshi frowned slightly, her eyes glimmering with sorrow. She didn’t say anything, only letting out a soft sigh.

After finishing the sponge bath, Ren Jiao sat by her mother’s bedside and chatted for a while longer. The sanatorium delivered meals for the family, and the group along with the nurse ate together in the visitor’s lounge.

Ji Qingshi stared blankly at the lunchbox in her hands. “There’s one for me too?”

Her colleague, the one assigned to protect Ren Xiuxian, was already eating, her mouth full as she nudged Ji Qingshi with her elbow. “If there wasn’t one for you, what would you be eating? This place is in the middle of nowhere; you can’t even order takeout around here.”

Ren Jiao smiled at Ji Qingshi. “Officer Ji, go ahead and eat. The family meals are for anyone visiting. The taste might be a bit plain, though, so you’ll have to make do.”

“No, no, it’s not just making do. It’s really good.” To prove her point, Ji Qingshi stuffed several bites of vegetables into her mouth.

Her earnestness was so amusing that not only did Ren Jiao laugh, but even the nurse couldn’t hold back a chuckle. Their laughter made Ji Qingshi blush, her face burning; though thankfully, her sun-tanned complexion hid most of it.

After dinner, Nurse Liu asked, “Miss Ren, are you staying the night today?”

Ren Jiao hesitated before answering. Normally, she would stay overnight to keep her mother company, but this time, things were different.

She glanced at Ji Qingshi. If she stayed, it would inconvenience her.

Sensing her gaze, Ji Qingshi turned to her. She had heard Nurse Liu’s question and said, “It’s fine with me. You should stay. Aren’t you starting rehearsals tomorrow? You probably won’t be able to visit for a while after this, right?”

Ren Jiao was touched by her thoughtfulness but still shook her head after a moment of contemplation. “Let’s not today.”

Ji Qingshi was puzzled and wanted to persuade her.

Ren Jiao took the initiative to explain, “The family lounge isn’t small, but there are only two beds. One for Aunt Liu and one for the officer protecting my mom. There’s no space for us.”

In the end, they returned to their own home. Before leaving, Ren Jiao spent some more time by her mother’s bedside, telling her that she would call Aunt Liu during the tour and ask her to place the phone receiver nearby so her mother could hear her daughter’s performance.

By the time they got home, it was already past nine. The roads were noticeably emptier, making the drive smooth and quick.

The journey back was silent. Since it was getting late and Ren Jiao had rehearsals starting the next day, she needed to rest early.

Ji Qingshi walked around her apartment to ensure everything was safe before preparing to leave.

Before going, she looked at Ren Jiao and couldn’t help but ask the question weighing on her mind: “Has the investigation into your mom’s accident been cleared up?”

As a police officer, she was particularly sensitive to such matters. Though SWAT officers differed from criminal investigators, their sense of justice was no less strong. Seeing Ren Jiao so heartbroken at the nursing home had left Ji Qingshi feeling unsettled. She had wanted to ask about the accident earlier but hesitated, afraid of reopening Ren Jiao’s wounds.

Ren Jiao froze for a moment, staring at her blankly.

Ji Qingshi grew self-conscious under her gaze and averted her eyes. “I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just, if there’s anything suspicious about the accident, we should investigate it thoroughly.”

Accidents came in many forms; pure mishaps, drunk or impaired driving, reckless endangerment, or even staged murders disguised as accidents. Given Ren Xiuxian’s background, her husband being a narcotics officer and her daughter infiltrating Zenith Entertainment to gather evidence. It was entirely possible someone might have deliberately orchestrated it.

Understanding Ji Qingshi’s concern, Ren Jiao suddenly felt warmth surge through her chest, spreading to every limb.

She smiled faintly and shook her head. “It was investigated right after the accident. It was just a pure coincidence.”

She paused, her lips trembling slightly as she avoided Ji Qingshi’s gaze and murmured the rest: “At the time, my mom was upset about something and a bit distracted. We checked the surveillance footage later. ”

Her words were fragmented, and she left many details unspoken, unable to voice the full truth. She stopped there, forcing a smile at Ji Qingshi. “Anyway, it was an accident. ”

Whatever lay hidden behind that “accident,” Ji Qingshi, though slow, wasn’t foolish. She could sense Ren Jiao withholding much. But since she didn’t want to talk about it, Ji Qingshi didn’t press further and simply let the matter drop.

“As long as it’s been cleared up. Then I’ll head back now. Get some rest early.”

They bid each other goodnight and parted ways.

Once the door closed behind Ji Qingshi, Ren Jiao’s smile vanished instantly. She turned woodenly and walked back to her bedroom. There were things she never wanted to bring up again even the mere thought of them was agony.

—”Jiaojiao, let’s quit. Leave this industry! Mom can’t stand hearing them talk about you like this!”

—”My daughter is wonderful. It’s this industry that’s rotten. Spreading rumors has consequences!”

Thinking back to her mother’s condition before the car accident, Ren Jiao covered her stinging eyes, unsure of whom to blame or resent.

…

Early the next morning, the team’s bus took the seven members to the dance studio for pre-tour training.

Ji Qingshi sat in the corner of the dance studio with the assistants. The girl next to her, Qianqian, yawned for what felt like the hundredth time, and even Ji Qingshi started feeling a little drowsy from the contagion.

As a well-trained SWAT officer, she rarely got sleepy from waking up too early, but now, influenced by the assistants, she had to suppress the urge to yawn. Helpless, she glanced at Qianqian.

“Are you really that tired?”

Qianqian looked at her with teary eyes, mid-yawn. “I’m exhausted! I woke up at five!”

The assistant next to Tan Jiajia nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it’s way too early.”

Ji Qingshi: “…It’s not that bad. I wake up at this time every day. ”

“What?!” Qianqian’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You wake up at five every day? That’s brutal!”

“…”

Hearing that she woke up at five daily, the other assistant was equally shocked, her tone dripping with sympathy. “Oh my god, what exactly is your actual job?”

“Uh, it’s fine?” The assistant’s shock and pity were so palpable that Ji Qingshi felt too embarrassed to admit she was used to it. She even started wondering if her life was genuinely pitiable.

“Fine? Not at all!”

The assistant was about to say more when Qianqian cut in. “Didn’t Sister Cen just say she needed someone to fetch Jiajia’s stage outfit? Shouldn’t you go check on that?”

“Oh, right! I almost forgot.” The assistant smacked her forehead, immediately forgetting whatever she wanted to say to Ji Qingshi, and hurried out.

Once the assistant was gone, Qianqian leaned closer to Ji Qingshi and whispered, “No one else knows you’re a police officer, so don’t mind them.”

Ji Qingshi chuckled and shook her head. “It’s fine.”

“But seriously, is being a cop that tough? Waking up at five?”

Ji Qingshi scratched her cheek and smiled. “It’s manageable. I’m in SWAT, we have morning drills every day.”

SWAT officers really have it rough. In Qianqian’s eyes, Ji Qingshi’s image instantly grew even more impressive.

With less than half a month until the Lunar New Year’s Eve concert, the tour was aptly named “Breaking the Cocoon,” symbolizing rebirth and transformation. A perfect reflection of Ren Jiao’s current state of mind.

Skyline Entertainment had collapsed, Sheng Dingzhe was in prison, and his powerful backers were under police scrutiny. Everything was moving in the best possible direction.

For the first stop of the tour, Ren Jiao had chosen an unreleased new song for her solo performance. Titled “Rebirth,” it was a song she had written long ago but saved for this very moment.

Most of the rehearsal time was spent on group songs and choreography, followed by coordination as a team. In between, each member prepared their solo performances; some singing, others dancing, each showcasing their strengths.

During this period, Lian Na, the deputy general manager of Huaying, returned from a meeting at headquarters and dropped by to watch their rehearsals, bringing drinks and a feast as encouragement. The girls were thrilled by her attention, finally feeling the security of having a company that truly supported its artists.

“You’ve all worked hard these past few days. Give it your all for the tour! I’ll be there for the first show with some friends!”

The fact that even the CEO paid such close attention made them train even harder, all determined to present their best performance for the new company and its leader.