Chapter 39: Female Bodyguard

The restaurant was a quaint, private residence. With the first bite, Wen Ya recognized the chef from Azure Villa.

“How did you get him to cook?” Wen Ya asked, surprised. She had heard even the mayor of Nancheng couldn’t persuade the chef to cook for a visiting official.

“I once did him a small favor, so he treats me well,” Ji Ming replied casually, carefully deboning a fish for Wen Ya.

It must have been no small favor, but Wen Ya didn’t press further. She was just glad she could enjoy his cooking more often.

“The West Lakefront villas are about to go on sale. Many of my father’s friends have been calling, asking me to reserve one for them. But there are too many requests and not enough villas. Agreeing to one means offending another,” Wen Ya sighed. She had worried the villas would be too expensive to sell, but now the problem was the opposite.

Last month, the Nancheng government banned new villa constructions. West Lakefront, already approved, became the last of its kind. With its stunning design and location, everyone wanted a piece.

Wen Ya’s phone had been ringing nonstop. These were influential people, and she couldn’t afford to offend them, but there simply weren’t enough villas to go around.

“Thirty villas,” Ji Ming mused, tapping the table.

Originally, they planned to build twenty, but the designer suggested modifications. A pond was transformed into a scenic feature, allowing for nine large villas on one plot and twenty on another. Each villa had a spacious 500-square-meter yard.

Even thirty villas weren’t enough for Nancheng’s wealthy, especially with both families wanting to keep a few for themselves.

“Push the blame onto me if you need to,” Ji Ming offered. He had a reputation for being stern, so few dared to approach him for favors. Wen Ya’s father, on the other hand, had many friends who relied on their seniority to make demands.

“That’s exactly what I planned to do,” Wen Ya smiled. These people were relentless, invoking their ties with her father to pressure her. As the company’s chairman, she couldn’t afford to act impulsively, but Ji Ming’s reputation offered a way out.

After lunch, Ji Ming kept his promise and asked for a jar of pickled radishes. Wen Ya couldn’t help but drool at the sight.

“You like it that much?” Ji Ming asked, amused as he watched Wen Ya.

“Of course, it’s delicious!” Wen Ya eagerly picked one out and held it to Ji Ming’s lips. “Want to try?”

Ji Ming took a bite and nodded. “It’s freshly pickled. It’ll taste even better in a couple of days.”

“It’s different when it’s fresh and different when it’s aged,” Wen Ya agreed, taking one for herself before carefully sealing the jar. “Thanks!”

Ji Ming’s eyes softened with a smile. “Let me know when you’re done, and I’ll get you more.”

“How generous of you!” Wen Ya teased, her eyes sparkling.

Ji Ming gently tapped her nose. “Alright, go meet the bodyguards I picked for you. They’re all retired heroes—seasoned, loyal, and trustworthy.”

These were individuals who had faced life-and-death situations, trained rigorously, and served with honor. Now retired, they were either given government jobs or recruited privately. With such people by her side, Wen Ya could feel safer wherever she went.

“Of course, I trust your choices,” Wen Ya said, her eyes shining with understanding. She respected these heroes who had once protected others silently, often at great personal risk.

Ji Ming’s smile deepened. He knew Xiao Ya would grasp his meaning.

Ji Ming had chosen four bodyguards for her. When Wen Ya entered, she noticed two were women.

They were of average height and appearance, the kind who could blend into a crowd unnoticed. Their unassuming presence suggested specialized training.

“These two come from a background that requires discretion, but they’re incredibly skilled. One can easily take on ten ordinary men. And since you’re a woman, they’ll be more convenient in certain situations,” Ji Ming explained.

Wen Ya was touched by his thoughtfulness. “Thank you.”

Ji Ming introduced them one by one: “Zhang Qiang, Li Ping, Wu Xiuning, Mao Xiaoyu. This is Wen Ya. She’s your priority now.”

“Yes!” they responded in unison, their voices firm.

“You’re not in the army anymore, so no need for such formality. Xiu Ning, Xiao Yu—can I call you that?” Wen Ya asked.

“Of course,” Wu Xiuning replied with a smile.

“Do any of you have other specialties?” Wen Ya asked, already forming ideas. She was pleasantly surprised by the two women.

Wu Xiuning could read people’s true intentions through their expressions, while Mao Xiaoyu was a jack-of-all-trades in daily life. Wen Ya assigned them as her personal assistant and secretary, respectively, with separate salaries for their roles.

With these four by her side, Wen Ya felt a newfound sense of security.

In the afternoon, Old Wu arrived as Mother Wen had mentioned. At first glance, he seemed like an ordinary, honest middle-aged man, but Wen Ya felt a sense of familiarity.

“Uncle Wu?”

It was the same Uncle Wu who had been their family driver years ago. He used to drive her to and from school during her high school days.

“Hello, Miss,” Uncle Wu greeted with a slight bow and a faint smile.

“It really is you! I thought you left after I went abroad. Please, sit down. Let me pour you some tea.” Wen Ya handed him a cup and said, “To be honest, I need your help with something.”

“Miss, you’re too kind. Just tell me what you need,” Uncle Wu replied promptly.

“I need you to look into what really happened to Bai Yunzhu back then,” Wen Ya said seriously.

“Bai Yunzhu? The school beauty?” Uncle Wu clearly remembered the incident.

“Yes, the one who was disfigured. Something’s happened recently, and I think it might be connected to her. I suspect there’s more to the story than we know,” Wen Ya explained, her voice tinged with unease. She felt both nervous and fearful as she edged closer to the truth.

The original Wen Ya had hired someone to beat Bai Yunzhu, and Wang Chenxi had gone further, disfiguring her. If her suspicions were correct—if Bai Yunzhu had suffered even worse, perhaps even assault—then the original Wen Ya and Wang Chenxi had truly brought this upon themselves.

But now, as Wen Ya, she didn’t want to meet the same fate. Bai Yunzhu… she hoped it wasn’t too late to make amends.

On a sunny day, Ji Ming and Wen Ya stood together in the western part of the city, cutting the ribbon for the grand opening of West Lakefront.

Out of the 30 villas, the Ji and Wen families each kept three, leaving only 24 for sale. Yet, all 24 were reserved before they even hit the market.

Today’s pre-sale was for a high-end residential complex near West Lake. The sales manager enthusiastically highlighted its features: top-tier facilities, proximity to the planned Chengxi Primary and Middle Schools, and a nearby hospital.

Onlookers quickly turned into eager buyers, and those already interested were even more determined.

Within an hour of the launch, all 200 units in the first phase were sold out. The villa sales had nearly covered their costs, and the first phase was already a massive success.

No wonder so many wanted to enter real estate—the profits were staggering.

West Lakefront marked a triumphant first collaboration between Wen Ya and Ji Ming. To celebrate, both companies decided to merge their parties. After all, everyone knew the two bosses were in love, and it seemed only a matter of time before they became family.

Wen Ya felt a mix of amusement and helplessness. Ji Ming had already agreed, so there was no point in her being the only one to object. She nodded in agreement, and the crowd around them erupted in cheers.

After booking a hotel, employees from both companies arrived. At first, everyone was a bit reserved, but after a glass of wine, the atmosphere relaxed, and the room quickly became lively.

Some, emboldened by the alcohol, even joked around, teasing Ji Ming and Wen Ya to kiss. Their colleagues quickly covered their mouths and dragged them away, causing Wen Ya to laugh. “I didn’t expect Mr. Ji to have such funny people on his team.”

“I think their suggestion was a good one,” Ji Ming said, pulling Wen Ya into a kiss. His lips carried a faint scent of alcohol.

“Oh oh oh!” someone shouted as soon as they saw it, and the room erupted in excitement.

Xiao He, standing next to Assistant Wang, suddenly asked, “Is that girl over there from your company?”

Assistant Wang, who had been enjoying the scene, froze when he followed Xiao He’s gaze. “Keep your thoughts to yourself. If you dare approach her, I’ll make sure you regret it.”

“Is she your girlfriend?” Xiao He asked, sounding disappointed.

Assistant Wang pursed his lips and ignored him.

Xiao He raised an eyebrow. Not his girlfriend? He pulled over another tipsy employee from Wen’s company and asked about the girl.

“Her? She’s Manager Wang’s sister.”