Chapter 3

Maybe he had never remembered.

A man like Kong Wenyu—the sole heir of S City’s leading corporation, and the only grandson of the founder of Llno, an international luxury brand—had no reason to recall an insignificant accident.

For nearly half a minute, no one spoke. In the inner chamber, there was only the quiet glow of the lights and the soft sound of breathing. On the screen, the film was frozen on an image of a sky filled with explosions.

Yet Kong Wenyu didn’t seem upset by the silence. On the contrary, the look in his eyes grew even more inquisitive.

“What’s the first rule for a newly hired bodyguard?” he asked.

Nie Jun kept his head slightly lowered, his posture unchanged. “The primary target must never act alone. Their life and safety are the top priority.”

Kong Wenyu nodded. “And the second rule?”

Nie Jun replied, “When the boss asks a question, you answer.”

Kong Wenyu’s gaze shifted slightly, amused. “Then why didn’t you?”

“…” Nie Jun said, “Perhaps we’ve met. I often join the team on assignments.”

That wasn’t the answer Kong Wenyu wanted.

He looked at Nie Jun for several seconds, then curled a finger in a beckoning gesture.

Nie Jun stared at him but didn’t move.

Kong Wenyu asked, “Is there a third rule?”

Nie Jun: “The boss’s orders must be followed unconditionally.”

Kong Wenyu got the answer he wanted this time. He didn’t smile.

Nie Jun hesitated briefly, then, under Kong Wenyu’s steady gaze, stepped forward a few paces.

He stopped under the overhead light. It wasn’t close enough to be intimate, but it was far from distant.

Kong Wenyu leaned back in his chair, tilting his chin slightly, his gaze passing through his lashes to rest on him.

Nie Jun remained as quiet and unexpressive as ever.

Kong Wenyu rotated his hand in the air, signaling something. Nie Jun followed the motion and glanced at the large screen.

Kong Wenyu didn’t comment. After a moment, he pulled his gaze away from Nie Jun’s sharply carved profile.

Then he said, still calm, “Last night, on the cruise ship, in the storage-room passageway—was that you?”

Nie Jun’s heartbeat skipped. Instinctively, he held his breath.

Even though he had already prepared an excuse about repairing the black swan cufflink, Kong Wenyu suddenly gave a faint, unreadable smile.

“Maybe it was just a coincidence,” Nie Jun said.

Kong Wenyu recalled the silhouette in the dark that looked exactly the same as the one before him now. His brows were still slightly drowsy, and he reclined more comfortably.

“You live alone, no family around, have previous experience as a bodyguard,” he said, lightly tapping the armrest, his gaze fixed steadily in the air. “You live in the Yunding Community across the street. Alone.”

The speed of that investigation was unexpected.

Nie Jun quickly turned back. “Yes.”

“Short on money?” Kong Wenyu asked.

Even though he still had a mortgage to pay off, in a city where housing was scarce and expensive, he had food, a place to live, and savings. He wasn’t exactly short on cash.

“No,” Nie Jun replied.

“No wonder you didn’t go for the briefcase last night.” Kong Wenyu let out a quiet, mocking laugh. “Do you want to be the team leader?”

Nie Jun froze for a second, then shook his head.

Kong Wenyu’s breathing remained calm. He didn’t speak for nearly half a minute.

Nie Jun rubbed his fingers slightly, lifted his head to look at him, and realized Kong Wenyu’s peripheral vision was fixed right on him. Caught off guard, he said, “The way things are now is fine.”

Kong Wenyu still said nothing.

Nie Jun thought he should say something—anything—if only to avoid repeating yesterday’s regret.

“Next time you go out on an assignment,” he suggested, “you should bring more bodyguards to stay close to you.”

Kong Wenyu showed almost no reaction.

“I mean personal bodyguards,” Nie Jun clarified, “the kind who stay right behind you, ready to protect you at any moment. A secretary can’t really do that.”

The large screen’s light continued to spill across the room. Nie Jun thought, if the lights were off, Kong Wenyu’s skin would look even softer.

That same intense, shadow-like gaze drew Kong Wenyu’s mind back from wandering.

He turned to look at the man beside him. Sure enough, Nie Jun was staring at him again.

Their eyes met, and Nie Jun immediately looked away. Kong Wenyu cleared his throat. “Anything else you want to say?”

Nie Jun thought for a moment. “No.”

“You’re not short of money, you don’t want a promotion… I’m curious—why follow missions in the middle of the night, instead of sleeping? What’s in it for you?” Kong Wenyu asked.

Nie Jun lowered his eyes.

“Look at me,” Kong Wenyu ordered.

In the dim light, his features looked sharper than ever—especially the edges of his eyes. His hair was slightly long, and when he wasn’t smiling, his profile looked like a flawless ice sculpture. Just the slightest shift in his gaze made him seem dangerously captivating.

Nie Jun obeyed almost instinctively, his chest rising and falling subtly as he looked at him quietly.

They stared at each other for a few moments, until Kong Wenyu finally broke the gaze.

He picked up the remote. Instantly, the movie screen began playing again, filling the room with shifting shadows and light.

Nie Jun’s hand brushed over his pocket, where the bubble-wrapped black swan cufflink was hidden.

Kong Wenyu said, “I really am worth more than a briefcase.”

Nie Jun paused.

“Go,” Kong Wenyu said coolly, as though losing all interest. “Follow protocol. Collect your bonus from the secretary.”

Nie Jun didn’t explain anything. He stood there for a few more seconds, then lowered his eyes and walked toward the exit.

As he passed the screen divider, he glanced back. Kong Wenyu was fully absorbed in the movie, as though he had completely forgotten there was another person in the same room.

Light carved shifting patterns across his face, like the changing neon lights inside a private clubroom.

Nie Jun retraced his steps out. When he reached the door, Kong Wenyu, without turning his head, said, “Turn off the lights.”

Nie Jun switched them off, waited at the door for a moment, but Kong Wenyu gave no further instructions.

Back in the duty room, the captain was flipping through the attendance sheet.

When he saw Nie Jun return, he closed the file, kept his finger on it, and looked at him.

Nie Jun didn’t quite understand. “Captain.”

Hai Ming nodded. “I checked your attendance record. You haven’t taken a single day off this month.”

Nie Jun paused. “Nothing at home that needs me to take leave.”

Hai Ming studied him for a moment before continuing. “Not only that—every time Team B has an external mission, your name’s on the list. You even went last night.”

This time, Nie Jun stayed silent for several seconds.

“What’s going on?” Hai Ming sounded skeptical. “Got issues with the A-team leader? Don’t want to stay in A-team anymore?”

“No.” To end the topic, Nie Jun changed his answer. “I just want to take more missions, earn more money.”

“…Fine.” Hai Ming’s tone was hard to read. He put the attendance sheet back. “What did the boss want with you?”

“Asked about last night’s mission.”

Hai Ming nodded. “Anything else?”

“No.”

Hai Ming was about to say something more when someone outside called, “Captain, the boss is heading out!”

Hai Ming immediately grabbed the keys from the drawer, clipped them to his belt, straightened his clothes, called Nie Jun, and in just a few seconds they were out the door.

Nie Jun followed him, watching as Hai Ming quickly moved to the car, pulled out a black umbrella, opened it, and waited at the steps.

Moments later, Kong Wenyu came out, walked down the steps, and without pausing, the shadow above his head shifted from the building to the umbrella. He stayed under it for only three seconds before lowering his head and slipping into the car.

He had already changed out of the robe he’d been wearing in the screening room earlier.

When there wasn’t a mission, Kong Wenyu would take this particular car. In the front seat were the driver and one bodyguard. The back seat was just him alone.

Nie Jun watched Hai Ming open the passenger door and get in. He turned and followed the other on-duty bodyguards to their separate van.

In their van, someone quickly started talking. “Is the Ao family’s eldest daughter meeting the boss to hang out, or to settle last night’s score?”

Someone else replied, “She’s his fiancée. Settling scores or dating—same thing. That’s just… their version of romance.”

A few teasing chuckles rippled through the van.

But in the Kong family, gossiping behind someone’s back was strictly forbidden. Those few laughs disappeared instantly, like pebbles sinking into the ocean.

Silence fell, the kind that felt sharp. After a long beat, the one who spoke first turned to Nie Jun. “What do you think, Jun-ge?”

“…,” Nie Jun froze, not expecting the topic to land on him.

The man kept going, oblivious. “You were with the mission last night, weren’t you?”

Nie Jun exhaled in relief. “…Yeah.”

He had seen the Ao family’s eldest daughter before—bold, fiery, the kind who looked like she could push anyone around.

If Kong Wenyu actually married her, he might end up on the receiving end.

“Probably just going to hang out,” Nie Jun said. “And maybe settle last night’s score along the way.”

At the same time, he couldn’t help but wonder: if that Ao daughter threw a tantrum at Kong Wenyu, would he coax her sweetly, or just get up and leave?

“He might get pushed around,” Nie Jun added.

“How is that possible?!” someone in the van sucked in a sharp breath. “How could the boss ever get pushed around?”

Nie Jun looked at him.

“With the boss’s personality? He’s already doing people a favor if he doesn’t make them miserable,” another bodyguard said, frowning. “He hired us so he could keep his back straight—and never take crap from anyone.”

He wasn’t wrong, so everyone laughed together.

When they arrived at the Ao family’s stables, Ao Qingqing was already riding a horse around the track. Seeing them, she urged her horse forward.

Kong Wenyu stood beneath the umbrella, his refined features cool and immaculate, not a single drop of sweat on him—a stark contrast to Ao Qingqing, whose cheeks were wet with perspiration.

“An indoor riding arena would be better,” Ao Qingqing said, dressed in full equestrian gear, looking sharp and spirited as she sat atop her horse. “Outdoor ones are too hot, and in summer it’s unbearable.”

Kong Wenyu looked disinterested and smiled slightly. “I’ll wait for you over there.”

Ao Qingqing reached out with her sweat-dampened hand and pulled him. “Come on, ride a couple laps with me.”

Kong Wenyu glanced at the smear of sweat on the back of his hand, his eyes showing a trace of displeasure.

Ao Qingqing kept insisting, and with no way out, Kong Wenyu reluctantly went to change into equestrian clothes.

Out in public, there was no way his bodyguards would let him out of their sight.

Hai Ming called Nie Jun along, picked a horse himself, and the two of them followed behind Kong Wenyu at a slow pace.

Ao Qingqing was full of fiery energy, talking nonstop.

After a while, Kong Wenyu turned his head slightly, glancing back. Nie Jun didn’t have time to withdraw his gaze. Their eyes met briefly in the air for just a second before Nie Jun hurriedly looked away.

“What’s wrong?” Hai Ming asked.

“Nothing.” Nie Jun recalled the sensation of Kong Wenyu’s hand steadying him onto the boat the previous night. That fleeting touch had kept him awake the entire night. “I’ll take the afternoon off to mail a package.”

Hai Ming said nothing, just made an “OK” gesture.

Kong Wenyu and Ao Qingqing finished two laps. When he dismounted, there was a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead.

He accepted the towel handed to him, wiped his face, and carefully dried each of his fingers.

As Ao Qingqing sat down, she casually glanced at the bodyguards standing behind him.

When it came to bodyguards, appearance was secondary. Quick reflexes and fighting ability mattered more. But Nie Jun stood out like a crane among chickens—handsome enough to make someone look twice.

Ao Qingqing looked at him a few times, then glanced around at the others and sighed. “Wow, you brought so many bodyguards. I wonder if they can even fight.”

“Xiao Lang, come here!” she called, waving toward a not-so-distant figure. A young man in work pants and black boots jogged over in a few quick strides. “Miss.”

Ao Qingqing smiled and said to Kong Wenyu, “This one’s my best. Want them to have a match?”

“Sure.” Kong Wenyu’s reply was indifferent, as if it didn’t matter to him.

Seeing this, Hai Ming played along to build the mood. “Miss Ao, is there a prize if he wins?”

“Of course.” Ao Qingqing patted “Xiao Lang” on the head. “Wenyu will pay. Twenty thousand yuan—winner takes it.”

Kong Wenyu didn’t respond, which meant his silence was approval.

“Xiao Lang” was young, tall-limbed, and muscular, his frame honed from training. Under the sunlight, his presence practically glowed. He was the first to step into the open space.

Hai Ming scanned the group and said, “Nie Jun, you go.”

Nie Jun: “…”

Kong Wenyu remained seated, unmoving. The riding outfit wrapped around his long legs, the shifting fabric revealing sleek, well-proportioned lines as he shifted slightly.

Ao Qingqing, however, turned her head and said with great interest, “Sure, let’s go with him.”

In the pocket of Nie Jun’s pants was still the black swan cufflink, wrapped in bubble wrap. He had originally planned to find a sturdy box and mail it out that afternoon.

Right now, he didn’t trust leaving it with the team leader. And besides, with Kong Wenyu watching from the side, if it got noticed, how would he explain it?

Would Kong Wenyu think that the only reason he hadn’t jumped into the water to retrieve the suitcase last night was because he’d been busy keeping this cufflink?

Nie Jun braced himself and stepped onto the field. The moment he took his place, he felt Kong Wenyu’s gaze on him.

He couldn’t afford to try to read into that look; with everyone’s eyes on him, he didn’t even dare turn his head.

A teammate on the sidelines called out teasingly, “Take off your shirt, Jun-ge! Show the abs!”