Bao Bao Won’t Die Easily - Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Evil Tyrannical Young Master (1.4)

Before parting, Baoyi gave the female lead several “Love Hugs”, the general idea being——do not be afraid, sister[1]! Brother will protect you!

Fortunately, even though Lu Qingluo found it both funny and extremely embarrassing, she didn’t give it more thought, only taking it as a playful little girl.

Seeing that Lu Qingluo had walked a distance away, Baoyi closed the door before pushing it open not long after. Sure enough, she saw that black-faced master standing outside the door.

Breathe out!

If you have the skill, continue to stay inside!

Baoyi mentally pursed her lips. Fancy her thinking that this idiot had heard her heart-warming confession and was moved to the point that he’d returned home to reflect on his mean and repulsive actions.

Taking advantage of the gesture of bending over to release her trousers, she accidentally showed her small and slender leg that was full of scars. She then hardened her heart as she endured the pain and knelt down on a single knee.

“I have seen[2] Shizi.”

Zhou Shizi scrutinised the crown of her head for quite a while before looking away and strolling into the room. Smelling a strong scent of medicinal liquor, he frowned slightly.

“You may rise.”

Naturally, Baoyi didn’t decline and grimaced as she stood up.

“How much do you know about Lu Qingluo’s background?” Zhou Shizi asked.

Sure enough, this part of the plot still could not be avoided. Baoyi was speechless. At the previous banquet, Lu Qingluo and the Third Prince were too obvious. It was impossible for Zhou Yunxi to not have noticed.

“Replying Shizi, Lu Qingluo’s father is Zezhou’s prefectural magistrate but because he was sentenced for the crime of “satire” by his former schoolmate, all the females in his household were sent out to be sold as slaves.”

“When the emperor travelled Zezhou three years ago, Uncle Lu was Zezhou’s prefectural magistrate. The Third Prince, as the most favoured prince, accompanied on the emperor’s carriage. Lu Qingluo got to be acquainted with the Third Prince at that time. But ……” Baoyi pondered for a while and probed, “According to this subordinate, the two people should have only met once. His Majesty had only stayed in Zezhou for two days and as a lady, Lu Qingluo shouldn’t have had a chance to travel.”

She did not lie.

According to the original plot, Third Prince and Lu Qingluo are regarded to “have” feelings for each other at first sight but it doesn’t count as “concentrated” feelings —— at most, it was just a good impression of each other. Otherwise, with the Third Prince’s protection, the Lu Family wouldn’t have ended up in this state. It’s just that when they met again, there was a huge difference in their status, leaving a feeling of poignant regret. When Lu Qingluo saw the Third Prince, she recalled the past and when the Third Prince saw her thin and pallid face, he took pity on her. This kindled the affections they had for each other.

This pair was a typical case of “A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed”[3].

Baoyi answered the questions without hesitation. Zhou Shizi’s expression relaxed slightly, “When did you start investigating her? Why did you not report it?”

“Since the last palace banquet. This subordinate felt that Lady Lu and the Third Prince looked strange, as if they’d already known each other. This subordinate was afraid that she would be harmful to Shizi and therefore started to secretly investigate a little. The reason for not reporting is because observations are still ongoing.”

Baoyi stopped her joking expression. When working, one still has to show the proper attitude.

Saying all this would explain her behavior today. She’s telling Zhou Shizi that she’d intentionally approached Lu Qingluo to gain her trust and look into her family background.

—— It was not to hit on girls!

Zhou Yunxi looked at Baoyi, slight hesitation flashing through his eyes. For the first time in his life, he seemed to be unable to understand this bodyguard who’d been by his side since childhood. However, she’d handled this matter well and there was nothing wrong.

The word she just softly and gently uttered kept echoing in his ear, “Like”. Zhou Yunxi had a strange feeling.

“Baoyi is your real name?”

Baoyi had never thought that Zhou Shizi would suddenly ask about such an irrelevant matter and nodded her head dumbfoundedly, “Ah, yes, it’s the name that my mother gave me.”

“You’ve never mentioned it before.” Zhou Shizi furrowed his brows and said, “Your Shifu has never mentioned it either.”

Baoyi smiled, “It’s not a big deal.”

Zhou Shizi thought about it. That’s right, she’s his shadow and also his “Survival Charm”. She could die anytime, her name wasn’t important.

“Hereafter, you’ll be called by your real name.”

Names are not important.

Being called Thirteen, or Baoyi, it’s the same.

After Thirteen’s death, the next shadow guard will be called Thirteen; If Baoyi dies, then won’t the next bodyguard, and the one after, be called Baoyi too? Anyway, as long as he had one first class guard among his shadow guards, it’s enough.

“Is what you said to Lu Qingluo just now, the truth?”

Baoyi had already realised that tonight’s Zhou Yunxi was a little different. She had yet to fully grasp his thoughts so she followed by saying, “After all, it’s not easy to gain her trust, so a majority of it are true.”

Zhou Shizi frowned: “I’m asking about that sentence.”

“Which sentence?” Baoyi blinked her eyes, looking totally innocent.

“The sentence saying that you like me!” The moment Zhou Shizi said it, he felt extremely embarrassed, “Is it true?”

Baoyi’s eyes met with his.

Suddenly, she raised the corners of her mouth and a hint of slyness flashed through her eyes.

“Forgive me, Shizi. This subordinate knew that Shizi was outside, so that sentence…was said on purpose to let you hear.”

Actually, even if it was said on purpose, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s fake. However, to Zhou Shizi’s ears, it’s undoubtedly a faithful and true taunt.

I said that I like you because I wanted your favour, of course it’s fake —— but after Zhou Shizi had flung open the door and left, he was confused again.

If it was a lie to gain his favour, why did she admit it? Is it just because he’s her master and she felt the need to be absolutely loyal to him?

Back then, Thirteen was indeed such a person, which was why he completely trusts this shadow guard.

But today, this girl who claimed that her name is Baoyi …… he’s actually unable to make sense of it.

What Zhou Yunxi did not notice is that in just one day, his thoughts had been completely filled with his own bodyguard. He’d practically forgotten about Lu Qingluo’s existence, not to mention the Third Prince.

However, it was only for a short night. By early morning the next day, Zhou Yunxi had already sorted through his emotions.

Thirteen had been by his side since childhood and will continue to follow him in the future. Since she won’t be leaving, he has time to think about Thirteen’s matter. At the moment, he has more pressing matters.

The Second Prince was at the “spring breeze intoxication” banquet where Zhou Yunxi had received an invite to. Recently, the Second Prince’s movements were not small, consecutively doing several remarkable jobs and obtaining the sacred heart, gaining a faint desire to stand up to the Third Prince as an equal. He was currently outside the palace banquet and had invited himself and the Third Prince, harbouring unknown intentions.

Everyone knows that he and Third Prince found each other disagreeable. This step must be carried out with care.

“Thirteen……” Zhou Yunxi paused, correcting himself, “Baoyi.”

For some reason, Zhou Yunxi felt rather comfortable saying these two words out loud.

Baoyi appeared at the doorway bursting with life, appearing to be in a pretty good mood and walking into the room with nimble strides. It seems like her leg injury doesn’t affect her too much. Zhou Yunxi then said: “Follow me to the banquet.”

“Yes!”

“Spring breeze intoxication” is a restaurant in the capital that overlooks a lake. The small three storey building was built facing the lake with the exterior light-heartedly constructed to look like a boat. From afar, it looked like an anchored, richly ornamented touring boat. There were private rooms upstairs where one could lean against the railing and lookout, like a touring boat, as a warm wind blasts. Wine doesn’t make men drunk, men get themselves intoxicated[4]. The dishes here looked delicious but are oddly expensive and over time, became a place where the rich of the capital gathered.

Zhou Yunxi was still a young man with a sensitive status so wherever he went, a huge group of people followed. As time passed, he disliked going out. For the past few years, there wasn’t any unusual movements from the North. Besides, Zhou Yunxi had grown up under the emperor’s eye and with old age, he somewhat treasured old ties. He’d grown soft-hearted towards Zhou Yunxi and wasn’t the same as before, putting him on house arrest.

Even so, this was only Zhou Yunxi’s second time at a place like this.

Since it’s Zhou Yunxi’s second time, it’s naturally also Baoyi’s second time. When she’d first heard that they’d be leaving the residence, she was pretty happy but at this moment, she couldn’t bring herself to be happy.

Feeling eyes on her from beside her, Baoyi lowered her head and stiffly pulled up the corners of her mouth: “Lady Lu, why do you keep looking at me, Master’s cup is empty, hurry and pour him wine.”

“……Yes.” Lu Qingluo held the wine vessel with trembling hands, moving gently and cautiously.

That’s right! He’d actually brought Lu Qingluo along on purpose, even changing from his past behaviour and deliberately flirting with the Third Prince’s beloved in front of him.

Zhou Shizi! You’re acting like a scoundrel! After all my effort, you’ve let me down!

Baoyi tied up the nasty person in her heart.

Meanwhile, Zhou Yunxi kept a smile on his face from the beginning to the end as he enjoyed the song and dance in front of him, appearing to be in a very good mood. All of a sudden, he lifted his hand and without hesitation, grasped Lu Qingluo’s small hands in the palm of his own. He had a laid back attitude, not even turning his head, with an undisguised indulgence that to an outsider, would look like he was affectionately flirting with Lu Qingluo.

“Ah!”

Lu Qingluo was startled and splashed the wine all over the both of them.

After watching Zhou Shizi’s shameless actions from beginning to end, Baoyi was now shooting flames from both eyes, dying to give Zhou Yunxi two slaps in the face.

Beast! Let that lady go, let me do it!

The activity on this side had attracted the attention of the other people.

Lu Qingluo’s face was flushed red and she drew back her hands forcefully. Taking two steps back, she knelt down and spoke flusteredly: “Shizi, please forgive me.”

Almost at the same time, shifts could be heard from the Third Prince during the feast. It seemed that the Third Prince was going to rise to his feet but his assistant had persuaded him otherwise. If looks could kill, four holes would have already appeared on Zhou Yunxi’s body.

Two from the Third Prince, two from Baoyi.

The corners of Zhou Yunxi’s mouth seemed to broaden into a smile, though the smile on his face never reached his eyes. Using a gentle voice that Baoyi had never heard before, he said: “It isn’t a big deal, look at how frightened you are, get up, quick.”

“Nubi……doesn’t dare to.” At this moment, Lu Qingluo’s expression was as if she’d been struck by lightning. She really couldn’t understand, had Zhou Shizi taken the wrong medicine[5]? Why is he so pleasant to her all of a sudden, even implying that he doted on her.

Regardless of the reason, she didn’t want to have any intimate behaviour with Zhou Shizi, especially not in front of the Third Prince and Baoyi, where she felt like she had to endure two times the disdain.

The female lead is adorable. In fact, she’d truly given it too much thought.

That’s because at this moment, Third Prince and Baoyi didn’t have time to consider her, only absolutely wanting to beat up a person together. This person, was naturally Zhou Shizi.

“Qingluo, with our relationship, speaking like that, you’re treating me like an outsider?” as if he hadn’t acted enough, Zhou Yunxi used a greasy[6] voice to add oil and vinegar[7].

Your relationship? Baoyi really wanted to grab his collar and snarl: “What relationship? A relationship where you almost broke her skull with a paperweight?”

You’re shameless!

Seeing that Lu Qingluo was motionless, Zhou Shizi looked like he was going to help her up personally.

“Shizi.” Baoyi suddenly stood out with a respectful face. Her teeth clenched but determined, “Shizi, Lady Lu’s dress is wet, your subordinate will bring her to change her clothes.”

Zhou Shizi was startled, immediately shooting her a quick glance, a funny expression seemed to flash through his eyes.

He didn’t speak or get up again, only waving his hand to motion them to go.

Lu Qingluo breathed a sigh of relief and sent Baoyi a grateful look. She didn’t know that everyone at the tables knew that Baoyi was Zhou Shizi’s right-hand man. Now that Baoyi had personally said that she would help her to change her clothes, it confirmed that her status wasn’t that of an ordinary servant girl.

1. 妹砸 (mèi zá) is used to address a girl in a light teasing manner.↩
2. 见过 (jiàn guò) Literal translation means to ‘have seen’. It’s an ancient chinese way of greeting someone of a higher status than you.↩
3. 患难见真情 (huàn nàn jiàn zhēn qíng) means that only through facing common troubles we can see who is a true friend. It implies that precious feelings appear only through tribulations.↩
4. 酒不醉人人自醉 (jiǔ bù zuì rén rén zì zuì) Literal translation – Wine doesn’t make men drunk, men get themselves intoxicated. It’s a famous chinese saying which means that wine doesn’t make a man drunk if he isn’t in the mood / before the wine makes a man drunk, the man is already drunk.↩
5. 吃错了什么药 (chī cuò le shén me yào) Literal translation – To have taken the wrong medicine. Used when someone’s behaviour is different from usual. In this case, she’s essentially questioning if Zhou Shizi was crazy.↩
6. 腻死人 (nì sǐ rén) Literal translation – 腻 Greasy 死人 Dead person – Meaning that it’s so greasy that someone died from it.↩
7. 添油加醋 (tiān yóu jiā cù) Literal translation – Add oil and vinegar. Meaning to add vivid details and emphasis to embellish a story.↩