The Shadow Queen and Her Little Bodyguard (GL) - Chapter 12

Telling a story was surprisingly easy.

Yu Jing leaned forward, her gaze fixed on Yi Lanyin like she was coaxing a child.

Once upon a time, there was a grand castle where the Rose Princess lived. She was the most beautiful woman in the entire kingdom, and her skin naturally carried the scent of roses. Butterflies followed her everywhere she went.

Wait a minute! You need to respect the original work. Don’t plagiarize Imperial Concubine Xiang from Princess Pearl—she was my favorite character when I was little. And are you sure those were butterflies, not bees? Yi Lanyin, wearing an eye mask, was already finding fault.

Yu Jing gritted her teeth. Fine, let me start over. The Rose Princess had seaweed-like long hair, and every strand that fell turned into a gold ingot.

So, the Rose Princess had golden hair?

Yes, Yu Jing snapped, her patience wearing thin. Can you stop interrupting my train of thought?

Okay, last question. What color were her eyes? Yi Lanyin asked, her face expressionless as she posed this childish question.

Blue, blue! Is that good enough for you? Yu Jing retorted, speechless.

Seeing that Yi Lanyin had no further questions, Yu Jing lowered her voice and continued, The Rose Kingdom had always enjoyed favorable weather, but one day, violent gales suddenly swept across the land. The demonic winds uprooted the roses the people had painstakingly cultivated, scattering their petals. With their flower gardens ravaged, the people faced a dire threat to their livelihoods. The Rose Princess, with her golden hair and blue eyes, cherished her people and resolved to cut off her own hair to exchange for gold coins to save them.

Yu Jing, quick to notice Yi Lanyin’s impending interruption, swiftly cut her off. If you interrupt again, I won’t finish the story.

Yi Lanyin raised her hand, dangling the pair of earplugs she had been clutching from the crook of Yu Jing’s arm. Turning her head to the left, she declared, Save the story for later. I’m sleepy. Don’t talk anymore.

Hey? Yu Jing thought, So much for gratitude! A textbook case of using someone and then tossing them aside.

Yi Lanyin’s hand, still gripping Yu Jing’s, moved to rest at her waist. The pair of orange earplugs remained wedged between their dry palms, making it awkward for Yu Jing to lie down. She was forced to adjust her seat and remain upright, her hand serving as a makeshift pillow for the entire flight.

Yi Lanyin slept soundly throughout the journey. As the plane began its descent, Yu Jing retaliated by pinching her nose.

A blatant act of petty revenge.

Without air, people die—even beautiful ones.

Yi Lanyin frowned, elbowing the malicious culprit away. She peeled off her eye mask, her eyes glistening with tears as she glared at Yu Jing. Do you have a death wish? Her voice dripped with moisture, and if one ignored the threat, it sounded like a wronged little girl whining sweetly.

Yu Jing shrugged innocently. We’re almost there. Wake up and stay alert so you don’t catch a cold.

Yi Lanyin shot her a glare, straightened her seat, and stowed her eye mask and earplugs. Then, with a swift, decisive motion, she snatched back the eye mask hanging from Yu Jing’s hand—a flawless display of modern-day female heroism.

Yu Jing turned back, feigning hurt. But Teacher Yi gave it to me! Why are you taking it back?

I haven’t charged you for safekeeping yet, and you’re already running your mouth, Yi Lanyin retorted. She pulled sunglasses from her bag, zipped it shut, and bent down to swap her slippers for flats. Someone from the crew will pick me up soon. It’s too late to use the VIP exit fans who saw my departure announcement might come looking and waste their trip if I’m not there. She slipped on her sunglasses, spritzed perfume, and checked her reflection in a compact mirror. Stay close to me later. If you get separated, you won’t be able to get back in.

It was no wonder Yi Lanyin had said that. As soon as they stepped out of the exit, Yu Jing was overwhelmed by the deafening roar of the crowd. The scene was far more frenzied than the airport chaos they’d encountered upon arrival.

Yi Lanyin frequently joined film crews and rarely made public appearances outside of filming, so her fans would gather at any hint of her presence, eager to catch a glimpse of her.

Qihang had already issued official statements on Weibo discouraging fans from picking up or seeing off artists at airports. However, given Yi Lanyin’s immense popularity and the fact that her debut film had just surpassed 3 billion yuan at the box office, the company’s appeals had little effect.

The best way to handle such situations was to use the VIP通道, but Yi Lanyin felt sorry for the fans who had rushed to the airport in the middle of the night just to see her. She resigned herself to enduring the consequences. For safety reasons, they waited until most of the regular passengers had dispersed before the three of them finally moved.

Xiao Tao, ever the experienced one, took the luggage cart from Yu Jing and pointed to Yi Lanyin. Go keep her company at Gate 16. I’ll circle around to meet the crew’s car.

Yi Lanyin handled the situation with practiced ease, even directing the crowd to maintain order. Yu Jing, however, was facing such a spectacle for the first time. The exit was completely surrounded by fans, leaving Yi Lanyin barely enough room to take a few steps forward. Yu Jing was grateful for her tall, sturdy build, which allowed her to shield Yi Lanyin and ward off much of the chaos.

The fans were surprisingly well-behaved. After the initial two waves of shouting, they quieted down, forming a massive circle around Yi Lanyin as they slowly moved toward the elevator.

The phones held up to their faces were nothing compared to the airport’s paparazzi, whose cameras flashed incessantly like machine guns before their eyes.

A thin layer of sweat broke out on Yu Jing’s forehead. Even as she was being jostled and pushed by the crowd, she still found time to feel self-conscious.

Yi Lanyin wasn’t Li Zhi she was a major celebrity, the beloved of millions, the focal point of cameras, and the eye of the media storm.

Amid the chaos, someone handed Yi Lanyin a luxury brand bag, while others thrust Polaroid cameras in her face. There were posters for autographs, pens, and countless live-streaming phones.

Yi Lanyin seemed accustomed to this. She lowered her head to thank them, then waved her hand in front of her face, making it look busy so fans who wanted to give gifts but couldn’t wouldn’t feel disappointed. That short stretch of road felt like an endless marathon.

Only when they finally boarded the elevator did the sweat on Yu Jing’s back begin to dry.

After pressing the elevator button, Yi Lanyin turned to Yu Jing with an apologetic look. You worked so hard. I’ll send you a red envelope later.

Yu Jing shook her head, too exhausted to speak.

The rest of the journey went much smoother. They exited the airport directly into the car, where Xiao Tao, sitting in the passenger seat, turned around to tease Yu Jing, Little Sister Yu, you must be exhausted!

Yu Jing shook her head. Teacher Yi is working even harder.

There was only one driver in the car. The fact that the film emperor who had promised to personally pick up Yi Lanyin didn’t show up put Yu Jing at ease.

She slumped back in her seat, stretching her legs out slightly to the side.

Yi Lanyin glanced at her and patted her own leg.

What does that mean? Teacher Yi is truly dedicated! Even with just the driver up front, she’s still putting on this approachable act.

Putting my leg on a big star’s lap? No way! I wouldn’t dare offend her even if I had a thousand lives.

So Yu Jing quickly withdrew her leg and sat up straight.

Seeing this, Yi Lanyin turned to look out the window. She didn’t remove her sunglasses, gazing at the brightly lit city through the tinted glass.

The driver was a man of few words, and Xiao Tao, who had been running around all day, was too drained to talk. Yi Lanyin, born with the life of a pampered heiress, had already performed a miracle by staying awake since the previous night. Only Yu Jing herself felt physically exhausted, yet her mind raced with thoughts.

Could there be something between me and Yi Lanyin?

In her youth, Yu Jing had impulsively boarded the tiger’s express, convinced she would return home in glory, escaping her fate as a kept woman. She had dreamed of standing proudly by Li Zhi’s side, but she had overestimated herself and underestimated Yi Lanyin’s meteoric rise to fame.

After returning to China like a stray dog, Yu Jing abandoned her foolish fantasy. Yet fate, like a stubborn red thread, insisted on dangling a sliver of hope before her.

She became Yi Lanyin’s assistant, but the singer’s popularity was overwhelming. Though Yi Lanyin sat right beside her, Yu Jing felt an immeasurable distance between them.

Yu Jing closed her eyes, longing for the safety of her small apartment’s loveseat. There, she could be alone, free from the need to manage anyone’s emotions or curry favor. All she needed was alcohol to soothe her frayed nerves and haphazardly reward her stomach for enduring so much hardship.

What about Zhou Xiangyun? Would he be disappointed in her?

They had sworn in their youthful idealism to defend their country, uphold justice, and protect the weak. Yet she had secretly deserted their cause—a cowardly act, utterly shameful.

Buzz, buzz. Yu Jing glanced down and pulled her vibrating phone from her pocket.

The caller ID read Xiao Tian’er.

Yu Jing glanced ahead, then turned to Yi Lanyin beside her. Teacher Yi, can I take this call?

Yi Lanyin gave her a helpless look. Do you need to notify me every time you eat, shower, or use the restroom?

Yu Jing answered the call.

Sheng Tian Captain Yu, how was your day at work? I heard you were on a business trip?

Yu Jing Mm.

Sheng Tian What a coincidence! I’m heading over there tomorrow to deliver something. Want to meet up?

Yu Jing …, mm!

Sheng Tian What’s wrong with you? Is it hard to talk? You’re just spitting out single words.

Yu Jing No, I can talk. I said yes.

Sheng Tian sighed heavily. Talking to you is exhausting. Fine, let’s hang up. We’ll talk more when we meet tomorrow.

Yu Jing Mm.

Enraged, Sheng Tian hung up immediately.

From Yi Lanyin’s perspective, Yu Jing had been just mm-hmm-ing the entire call. Unable to make sense of it, she finally asked directly, Who was that?

Sheng Tian. He said he’s coming over tomorrow.

Oh.

Mm.

Yi Lanyin now understood. This little brat had gotten upset about something again and was sulking silently.

Just like before, Yi Lanyin thought she was concealing her feelings perfectly, but to Yu Jing, it was a poorly acted drama riddled with flaws.

Yi Lanyin turned back to look out the window and murmured to Yu Jing, I’ll give you tomorrow off.

Thank you, Teacher Yi, Yu Jing replied, glancing over.

Yi Lanyin blinked twice before asking, So, would the Rose Princess shave her head bald?

Xiao Tao opened her eyes and turned around.

Yu Jing ?

The driver glanced up, seemingly casually checking the rearview mirror.

Yu Jing’s face flushed crimson with embarrassment. I made it up! Don’t ask anymore!

The Rose Princess is a princess. She can’t be bald, Yi Lanyin insisted earnestly, her slender fingers tracing a tiny crown on the car window. Even made-up stories need logic. Besides, it’s not just princesses who can save the people—emperors, queens, and princes can too.

They’re the villains, Yu Jing retorted stubbornly.

Then think harder. But the Rose Princess can’t be bald. Yi Lanyin leaned closer to Yu Jing, her gaze fixed on the fading crown on the window. Wherever you go tomorrow, you must be back at the hotel by evening.