Bad idea

Lin Yi sneered dismissively. He was no stranger to danger—during missions in the deep mountains, he had slain wolves with a single strike, so a Rottweiler posed no challenge whatsoever.

"Do you see that? That's General Weiwu. Let me tell you, he's quite formidable. If you dare go upstairs, I'll have him tear you apart!" Chu Mengyao threatened with a smirk.

"I understand," Lin Yi replied, nodding.

Seeing Lin Yi's cautious demeanor, Chu Mengyao assumed he was intimidated by General Weiwu, which only served to boost her sense of superiority. She grinned and pulled Chen Yushu upstairs, leaving the Rottweiler to guard the staircase.

Lin Yi hoisted his luggage, shot a brief, disdainful glance at the dog, which shuddered and backed away as if sensing the danger he presented. It was smart enough to recognize that this man was not someone to be trifled with.

Not in the mood for any further interaction with the dog, Lin Yi turned his attention back to his luggage and made his way to the room Chu Mengyao had indicated.

The room was sparsely furnished, with only a bed, a desk, and a small wardrobe. Yet, it was more than enough for Lin Yi, who had little more than a few worn clothes. What truly surprised him, however, was the presence of an en-suite bathroom—it felt more like a luxurious hotel suite than a humble guest room.

After placing his belongings, Lin Yi grabbed a towel and headed for the bathroom to wash off the dust from his long journey.

Glancing at the time, it was just before six o'clock. Taking advantage of the time before Fubao arrived with dinner, Lin Yi decided to take a quick shower.

At this point, Lin Yi was quite satisfied with his current work and living conditions. Staying in a place that felt like a hotel every day and earning thirty thousand a month was a dream come true. It was certainly far more comfortable than helping his old man make straw sandals back home.

...

"Xiao Shu, I'm starting to regret it. This Lin Yi doesn't seem like someone who could ever act as my shield," Chu Mengyao complained to Chen Yushu as she changed into her loungewear.

"I think he's fine," Chen Yushu replied nonchalantly, lying on the bed with her legs propped up against the wall. She had heard somewhere that this position could help slim down one's legs and promote circulation.

"Fine? What do you mean fine? I was hoping to find a handsome guy to pretend to be my boyfriend, but now I've got a country bumpkin to deal with. If I take him out, people will laugh at me!" Chu Mengyao gritted her teeth in frustration. "If you think he's so great, you be his girlfriend!"

"I don't need a shield. But if I did, I might consider it," Chen Yushu said, shaking her head playfully.

"You have a brother who's an officer. Who would dare bother you? If I had a brother who could break trees with one kick, I wouldn't need a shield either!" Chu Mengyao knew that Chen Yushu was teasing her, but she couldn't help feeling a twinge of envy. After all, her friend had a brother, while she had none.

"Yao Yao, how about I ask my brother to find you a godbrother in the army?" Chen Yushu winked mischievously. "Or how about a 'romantic godbrother'? Wouldn't that leave Zhong Pinliang in the dust?"

"Xiao Shu!" Chu Mengyao's eyes widened in disbelief. "What kind of ridiculous ideas are you coming up with now? First you suggested my father find me a shield, and now look at what we've got—a worker who can't even pass for a shield! And now you're talking about this absurd idea of a 'romantic godbrother'—it's just embarrassing!"

"Alright, alright, I won't say anything more," Chen Yushu said quickly, sensing that Chu Mengyao was genuinely upset. She had been the one to suggest finding a shield in the first place, so she did feel responsible for the current situation.

When Fubao arrived with dinner, Lin Yi had just finished his shower. After rifling through his luggage, he realized he had nothing presentable to wear. With a sigh, he muttered to himself about how miserly the old man was—couldn't he have bought him a new set of clothes?

With his old, tattered clothes, he was bound to be judged as unkempt by Chu Mengyao, especially after sitting on the couch. He had no choice but to open the bag Fubao had given him and put on the uniform from the First High School.

The new look left both Chu Mengyao and Chen Yushu momentarily stunned. Gone was the disheveled, ragged man in a tank top and oversized shorts. After his shower and dressed in the school uniform, he looked remarkably more presentable, as though he had completely shed his previous image as a worker.

However, due to his initial poor impression, Chu Mengyao was not about to admit that he looked handsome. She could only grudgingly acknowledge that he was now slightly more tolerable than before.

Fubao had brought four dishes and a soup: fish-flavored shredded pork, boiled fish, stir-fried bok choy, and spinach with wood ear mushrooms. The soup was a fragrant shiitake mushroom broth.

The dishes were a balanced mix of meat and vegetables, and their flavors were exquisite. Lin Yi hadn't had such a delightful meal in a long time, and when he saw that Fubao had also prepared a rice box for him, he eagerly took it and sat down at the dining table.

Just as Lin Yi was about to pick up his chopsticks, Chu Mengyao interrupted. "What are you doing? Xiao Shu and I haven't eaten yet. You can eat later, but we get to go first!"

She turned to head to the kitchen, explaining that she had a habit of using silverware when dining, a practice she had developed while living with her grandfather. Thus, there was a set of silver cutlery reserved exclusively for her in the kitchen's sanitizing cabinet.

Lin Yi could only laugh wryly at her authoritarian behavior. He reluctantly set down his chopsticks and stared longingly at the food. Thankfully, the white rice was his own, so he quickly shoveled a few mouthfuls into his mouth. In his haste, he almost choked, swallowing hurriedly and mumbling, "Is there anything to drink?"

Chen Yushu, amused by how this man seemed to have never seen food before, casually pointed to the refrigerator. "Drinks? Help yourself."

"Oh," Lin Yi turned and saw a large refrigerator stocked with various beverages. He grabbed a bottle of orange juice, cracked it open, and took a long gulp, feeling much better afterward.

Chu Mengyao returned with her silver cutlery, and she and Chen Yushu began commenting on the dishes.

"Wow, boiled fish! This is my favorite!"

"This fish-flavored shredded pork is a bit too sweet. The damn chef doesn't know that eating too much sugar makes you fat? I'll have to tell my dad to fire him!"

"Mm, this bok choy is really good. Xiao Shu, you should try it too!"

As Chu Mengyao talked while eating, Lin Yi was left to watch in silence, though he couldn't help but marvel at the delicious meal. These dishes were prepared by the head chefs at one of her father's hotels, and Fubao delivered them promptly every evening.

With her father busy with social obligations, and her mother having left when she was very young, Chu Mengyao had grown up mostly under Fubao's care. She didn't know the reason for her mother's departure—every time she asked her father, he would change the subject. As a result, most of her life was shaped by the devoted butler.