Chapter 9: Intimate Contact

Trivial bodyguard matters were things most celebrities never bothered with. Even if coordination was needed, it was handled between bodyguards and managers. Nian Qiao was different. The captain had been with her longer. Sometimes she reported to Tiantian the manager, sometimes directly to Nian Qiao herself. Neither was fixed protocol.

Ding Sishu crouched in front of the cabinet, a piece of wire clasped between her fingers. Her face pressed against the glass, her movements extremely careful.

Her cousin had discovered she’d been stealing alcohol, so she’d added a lock.

A lock? That couldn’t stump her. When she went to work, she never failed.

She slid the wire into position, her whole body pressed against the glass cabinet. One gentle twist — click — the lock opened.

Hehe.

Time to enjoy her victory wine. Ding Sishu sat cross-legged in front of the cabinet, both hands on the handles, ready to swing them open with ease…

It didn’t open.

She rattled it.

Still didn’t open.

Ding Sishu pressed her face to the glass and peeked inside.

Damn.

There was a second lock.

She remembered how her cousin, on her way out, had glanced at the liquor cabinet. Then glanced at her.

“Sis, you go ahead safely.” At the time, Ding Sishu was grinning, patting the wire in her pants pocket.

Her cousin had seemed to glance at her pocket. Seemed? By the time Ding Sishu caught her cousin’s gaze, it had already turned meaningful. She’d assumed her cousin was bluffing. Now she saw: her cousin was a true veteran of the game. And a veteran wouldn’t rely on just one plan.

She squeezed the wire in her hand and looked up at the clock. It was already past midnight. Ding Sishu stared at the unyielding glass cabinet and made one last desperate attempt. Closing her eyes, she placed her hands softly on her knees.

“Open sesame.”

Nothing.

“Open, He He?”

Still nothing.

Ten minutes past midnight, Ding Sishu flopped onto her bed in defeat.

Without alcohol, it was going to be a sleepless night.

No notification even now. Looked like she’d be home for another two weeks.

Sigh.

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west — worry for a day, cheer for a day.

Don’t run your head against the wall — comfortable in body, comfortable in mind.

Sleep.

Ding Sishu was woken by her phone vibrating. The phone was under her pillow; when it vibrated, she felt like she was vibrating along with it.

“Have you made it to the company?”

Her hand reached under the pillow. The moment she touched the phone, the buzzing stopped. Ding Sishu’s hand paused. Based on her expression, she appeared to have drifted back to sleep.

Ding-dong — a message came through. Ding Sishu didn’t open her eyes. She pulled out the phone. It took several hard rubs of her eyes to identify the sender.

The captain.

The previous message had been sent at fifteen minutes past midnight. “Miss Nian agreed. Come to the company tomorrow. Seven in the morning. Don’t be late.”

The girl who claimed she’d have a sleepless night fell asleep in under five minutes — deep, dead sleep. She didn’t even feel her phone vibrate.

Ding Sishu wiped her phone screen. Seven o’clock.

Damn.

Since coming back to China, Ding Sishu rarely moved this fast. She arrived at the company at seven forty-five.

Washing and dressing didn’t take long, of course. It was the commute. She experienced the full fury of Beijing’s morning rush hour.

“Calm down.” On the way, the captain called twice. When she saw Ding Sishu, she handed over the folder.

“Ca-Captain… I…” Ding Sishu had sprinted the entire way.

Being late was the cardinal sin.

“Inhale. Exhale. Inhale again. Exhale again.” The captain raised her hand to signal an inhale, then pushed it down for an exhale. She repeated it twice. “Regulate your breathing. Calm down.”

After two minutes of breathing exercises, Ding Sishu steadied herself. She looked around. No Big Star Nian in sight. “Captain, where’s Miss Nian?”

“In a meeting inside.” The captain said. “Her flight got changed last minute.”

Ding Sishu’s face flushed. “I didn’t hold them up…”

“You didn’t. The company boss showed up.” The captain said.

Lucky break.

For this production, counting the captain, only five bodyguards had been assigned. Only two or three would actually be allowed on set. The others had already arrived and were reviewing the files. The captain had specially compiled it based on the crew’s schedule — daily logistics and arrangements.

The spy film Big Star Nian had signed onto was called October Beacon Fire. The shooting period was three months. Since it was a war film, there would be lots of explosion scenes on site, requiring extra caution.

Bodyguards didn’t have permission to view the script. So Ding Sishu had no idea what October Beacon Fire was about. She’d searched online, but found only a few casting announcements.

Before long, Nian Qiao came out. The company boss was a woman, quite young — even younger than Nian Qiao.

It had been a few days since they’d last met. Ding Sishu was about to greet her, but Nian Qiao walked right past her.

Nian Qiao was always cold, but Ding Sishu sensed something else — her face was set, like she wasn’t in a good mood. Was it because Ding Sishu was late? Ding Sishu felt embarrassed about that. Nian Qiao had just approved her, and she immediately turned around and showed up late. If the company boss hadn’t come by, Nian Qiao would probably have been at the airport already.

Ding Sishu trailed behind Nian Qiao. At the lobby, Nian Qiao finally turned around.

“Come here.” Nian Qiao said.

Ding Sishu froze, then hurried over.

“How can you protect me from so far away?” Nian Qiao’s lips curved as she looked at Ding Sishu.

“Mm.” Ding Sishu’s ears reddened. “It’s just…”

“What?” As they walked out of the company gates, the media swarmed them. Squeezed by the reporters, Nian Qiao turned her head — nearly touching Ding Sishu’s face.

She was supposed to stay professional. But with Nian Qiao half-enclosed in her arms, Ding Sishu’s ears burned. She kept turning her head away, one arm up to block the reporters surging toward them.

The media knew Nian Qiao was joining a production. October Beacon Fire was her company’s flagship project.

“Miss Nian, are you heading to the October Beacon Fire set now?”

“Miss Nian, are you still dating Li Ting? Can you share how the relationship is going?”

“Word is Li Ting has a cameo in October Beacon Fire. Was it your recommendation, Miss Nian?”

“Miss Nian—”

The shutter clicks and the shouted questions pressed right up against them. Few asked about the film. Most asked about Li Ting.

Since her debut, Big Star Nian had never had a single rumor with a male star. In the entertainment industry, Nian Qiao was known as the “Male Celebrity Repellent.”

Jostled by the reporters, Ding Sishu and Nian Qiao climbed into the van together.

Before, it had always been the captain riding with Nian Qiao. Ding Sishu usually followed in the car behind.

The light clicked on. Nian Qiao winked at Ding Sishu. Ding Sishu swallowed.

She’d sat down next to Nian Qiao to block the reporters from squeezing in.

“I need to do my makeup.” Nian Qiao placed her hand on Ding Sishu’s shoulder.

Only then did Ding Sishu realize — she’d half-wrapped her arm around Nian Qiao. Her head was too tall. She looked up and smacked it against the van’s roof.

Thunk.

Ow.

The pain made Ding Sishu’s vision go black.

Quickly, a soft hand landed on the back of her hand. “Put your hand down.”

Ding Sishu was rubbing her head — rubbing a bit too hard. Nian Qiao’s hand covered hers, palm settling over Ding Sishu’s knuckles.

Compared to Ding Sishu’s rubbing, Nian Qiao was far gentler.

“Close your eyes.” Nian Qiao said.

Ding Sishu obediently closed her eyes.

“Does it hurt?” Nian Qiao was incredibly gentle, massaging until Ding Sishu’s ears burned. She wasn’t sure if it was the head pain or the shyness. Probably both.

“It doesn’t.”

“Are you feeling okay anywhere else?”

Nian Qiao had never been this soft. Before, she was always teasing.

“No.”

“Have the captain take a look later.” Nian Qiao said.

“Okay.”

Nian Qiao withdrew her hand and looked at the dazed Ding Sishu. Ding Sishu lowered her head and rubbed the back of her skull again. Looking completely startled.

“Thank you, Miss Nian.” Ding Sishu raised her head, and when she saw Nian Qiao looking at her, she felt embarrassed.

Nian Qiao had memories of that night with Ding Sishu. Sugar-tongued and smooth — she’d assumed this one was a seasoned pro of the nightlife. But once the clothes came off… she was an innocent little sheep. Utterly at a loss underneath her. “Th-That seems… off.”

“What’s off?” Nian Qiao had pressed her lips against the little sheep’s ear.

“I… I should be on top.” The little sheep said.

After kissing the little sheep into a daze, Nian Qiao had considered calling it off. But she’d whispered in the girl’s ear instead: “I’m not used to being on the bottom.”

“Huh?” The little sheep was even more confused, face burning red. Then she reached out her arms and wrapped them around Nian Qiao’s neck.

Looking at Ding Sishu, Nian Qiao tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “If I weren’t doing my makeup, I’d let you hold on a little longer.”

There she went again. They’d been perfectly peaceful, then she was back to teasing. In front of Nian Qiao, Ding Sishu felt like she developed a second personality. All coy and awkward. So annoying. “No, I didn’t…”

“Miss Nian, stop teasing me.” Ding Sishu said.

Ding Sishu was begging for mercy. When her cousin teased her, when her coworkers teased her, she could laugh it off. But Nian Qiao was different. She couldn’t handle Nian Qiao.

Nian Qiao smiled and, true to her word, said nothing more. She picked up her mirror and did her makeup on the side.

After two minutes, Ding Sishu risked a glance at Nian Qiao.

From the company gates to just now — that had been the most intimate contact she’d had in days.

Ding Sishu rubbed the back of her head, then pinched her own ear.

Her head didn’t hurt anymore.

But the place Nian Qiao had touched.

Felt numb.

That night, Nian Qiao had hovered over her, whispering by her ear. That woman’s touch had been like an electric current — everywhere she’d touched, the skin tingled.

Getting off the car, the captain pulled Ding Sishu’s head down to examine it. She was nowhere near as gentle as Big Star Nian.

“Captain, be easy…” It didn’t hurt before, but the captain was going to make it hurt.

As Ding Sishu spoke, she glanced toward Nian Qiao. Nian Qiao wasn’t looking at them. She just kept her head down, like she had something on her mind.