Chapter 13 A Job Offer Part 2

The hospital room is silent for that brief moment as his words slowly begin to sink in, then it explodes into noise as all three of them start replying at the same time.

"I'm sorry, but did you just… ask me to be your son's bodyguard? Xue Ning asks incredulously.

Jingwei's reaction was less polite. "Father, are you insane?! How can she become my bodyguard! She's tinier than me - how can she protect me if someone does want to kill me?"

Tianwei's reaction was more subdued, but still doubtful. "Father, I don't think that's wise, she is nowhere near qualified -"

"Nonsense!" Sun Haowei bellows, and all of them fall silent.

"Jingwei, didn't she already protect you?" His father points out easily.

"Yeah but - " Jingwei starts, but his father ruthlessly continues.

"Besides, if you weren't hanging around disreputable people, would you be at risk of dying? You should have just stayed in the company and worked hard. Instead, you spend your time endangering yourself with reckless hobbies! Drinking parties! Street racing! BMX biking! Do you think your body is made of titanium?!" His father roars at the end.

Xue Ning raises an eyebrow at his words, giving Jingwei a careful onceover. She was surprised that he was still in relatively good shape, with thick hair, broad shoulders, muscled arms and a slim waist. With all the drinking she expected him to have a pot belly and receding hairline.

Jingwei, noticing her eyes, deliberately flexes his arm muscles while giving her a smug smile.

Urghh. She gives him a disgusted look in return.

"Miss Li, are you still listening?" He asks, voice losing the volume but not the authority.

"Yes sir?"

"Be my son's bodyguard in secret. In return, we'll organise a press conference to clear the air. We'll inform people that you're employed as a helper, tasked with babysitting my wayward son. You were then injured in the line of duty."

"That sounds… fine?" Xue Ning said hesitantly. "But what about the 'my wife' issue?"

The issue that was caused by your son's big mouth, she does not say.

"Easy. The statement will just say that my son panicked and said the wrong thing. It's not the first time he opened his mouth and wreaked havoc," his father replies heartlessly. Xue Ning has a feeling he's idly flicking dirt from his fingernails.

She catches Jingwei's eyes. He looks almost resigned at this unflattering picture his father painted of his behaviour.

Well, there was no way to refute his father's statements either.

"I see. But I must let you know that I only have a first aid certification and CPR certification. As for martial arts, I only have a black belt in taekwondo and a certificate in Shaolin boxing. I can only drive automatic cars." She recites her current credentials. It wasn't much, but Jingwei seems surprised and Tianwei reluctantly impressed, so chances are she wasn't as unqualified as she thought.

If she had more money, she would have been able to learn more, but her parents refused to support her any further when they heard that she wanted to spend her life becoming a human shield for people.

"That is adequate. Our family will pay for the relevant courses while you work for us, in addition to your salary." His father replies. Xue Ning's eyes widen, this sounds like a dream come true!

"Father, shouldn't she go for the courses first before becoming my bodyguard, secret or otherwise?" Jingwei frowns at the phone while talking.

"It's not just my safety that's at stake - what if she gets seriously injured because she wasn't trained properly? That's irresponsible of you!"

Xue Ning finds herself strangely touched by his thoughtfulness. It was nice of him to think of her well-being even when they were arguing just 10 minutes ago.

"Then you should limit your activities so that you won't put Miss Li and yourself at unnecessary risk. If you just came to the office for work and stayed at your home for the rest of your days, her skills should be sufficient to keep you safe," was Sun Haowei's dispassionate reply.

So. Secret bodyguard was just a fancy way of saying babysitter. She's the human hostage that appeals to Sun Jingwei's inner nobility; her presence ensures that he doesn't do anything too ridiculous that might risk their lives.

She was upset, but more than that, she was impressed at his machinations. He could flat out reveal his intentions right in front of her, because he knew well enough there was no way she could turn down such a lucrative offer due to frivolous notions like pride.

She needed his help to salvage her reputation more than she wanted a job as a real bodyguard, and he knew it.

She would also not put it past him to research about her family background and infer that she was short of money.

In short, she was the rabbit firmly trapped in the jaws of a wily fox, ready to be fed to the ungrateful cub that still can't hunt even when it's fully grown.

Sun Haowei was really a genius. No wonder the Suns have grown to such unprecedented wealth and power with him at the helm. Even at his old age, he knew how to manipulate people.

She then looks at Jingwei. How could the apple have fallen so far from the tree?

Jingwei had his arms crossed, and his face was looking less than pleased. He also realised what his father had in mind, but just like her, he had no way out.

"Father, how long will this arrangement last?" Jingwei asks, bringing up a very good point she had forgotten to think about.

"Until we find the people responsible for your drugging case," his father replies. "Did you forget that there are people who are trying to hurt you?"

"And that's why it's dangerous for Xue Ning to be my bodyguard!" Jingwei exclaims, "Father, you understand right?"

"No," was the flat unsympathetic reply.

"Father!" Jingwei complains, nearly sulking before realising that he was a grown man who should not be behaving like a kid.

"I'm done talking with you about this," his father responds coolly. She senses he's out of patience.

"Tianwei, remember to give me the findings of your investigation when you return. As for Miss Li, once you agree to the terms of our arrangement, I'll get my people to contact you regarding an official contract and for the press release."

"I agree, thank you," Xue Ning says, because honestly, she couldn't have said anything else. Jingwei shoots her a horrified look. It could have been due to worry (for her life), but she's more inclined to think that it's because of his impending pseudo-house arrest.

"Excellent, I'm glad to know you're at least smarter than my son," with this fatal parting shot, Sun Haowei hangs up for good.

Everyone heaves a sigh of relief at the dial tone.

"We'll be in touch then, Miss Li," Tianwei smiles at her, but it's tinged with exasperation at his father's actions.

"Sorry for causing you trouble," she bows her head politely in return. Poor man, imagine needing to spend his Sunday afternoon at the beck and call of his father and cleaning up his younger brother's messes. Speaking of said younger brother…

"Why did you agree?!" Jingwei explodes in the corner. "You could die, you moron!"

"I could also die crossing the street," she retorts, "or choking on a fishbone, or getting crushed by a vending machine…at least this way I'll be able to achieve my dream!"

"Of dying?" Jingwei asks. "Because that's what is going to happen to you if whoever is gunning for me decides to skip the drugging and just go for murder!"

"I meant: being a bodyguard! I want to be a professional bodyguard!" She exclaims.

"Why would you want to be a meat shield? What young woman wants to be a human bulletproof-vest?" Jingwei laments.

"Don't quote my mother at me!" Xue Ning has the strangest feeling her mother has possessed Jingwei in that very moment, with how often she has heard her words on this matter.

"Well, your mother sounds like a woman who is wise and has common sense, so I would gladly quote her!"

"Don't make me quote your father on your behaviour! Because I will!" Xue Ning warns.

"Oh please, like I haven't spent years hearing it. It's useless," Jingwei declares. "You're too cute to be scary the way he is!"

Cute? He thought she was cute? She splutters, her prepared retort dying on her tongue.

Jingwei falls silent too, at the sudden proclamation, suddenly staring at the ceiling.

"While this is absolutely fascinating, Jingwei and I need to go back home," Tianwei says regrettably. He sounded like Xue Ning's aunt whenever she was forced to stop watching her television dramas. Xue Ning does not like that comparison.

"Come along Jingwei, it's time to go," Tianwei coaxes. "You can talk to Miss Li using your phone later."

"Who says I want to talk to her/him?" Both of them speak at the same time.

"Alright, feel free to argue with each other over the phone then. We still need to go." Tianwei says warningly at Jingwei. "If you want to reverse Father's decision, you best return to argue your case."

"Ge, you're right," Jingwei gets up with a sense of renewed purpose, giving Xue Ning a jaunty wave goodbye. "I'm going to change his mind!"

"Don't you dare, Sun Jingwei!" Xue Ning yells at his retreating back.

"If you fuck this up for me, I'll end you!"