Chapter 135
AU: The Heiress and The Bodyguard Part 1
At the Airport.
A woman checked her phone messages while adjusting her travel bag, accompanied by a younger girl who absently watched the stream of travelers passing by. They had just completed a long flight.
After a moment, the younger girl’s curiosity got the better of her. “Shijie, who exactly is our client this time?”
“Lin Lin,” the woman interrupted sternly, “I told you not to call me Shijie outside, and don’t mention things like ‘client.’ Walls have ears.”
“But… we’re in a foreign country.”
“The whole world speaks Chinese now.”
Unable to argue, Lin Lin pouted, “Fine, Shi… Wakako.”
“Our contact is here,” Wakako pushed their luggage forward. “Keep an eye out for the sign.”
Even though they tried to be discreet, they still attracted attention as they walked.
The taller woman had an elegant build and gentle dimples that made her appear approachable. In contrast, her younger companion was more petite but had mischievous eyes that made her equally charming.
Everything seemed normal, except for one detail – the travel bag on the woman’s back was nearly as large as she was, and she was somehow managing to pull two suitcases without their wheels quite touching the ground…
What kind of freakish strength is this?!
Wakako, clearly aware of the stares, shot Lin Lin a blank look and muttered through clenched teeth: “I told you not to bring so much stuff…”
Couldn’t they just buy things here?!
Lin Lin, happily exempt from carrying anything thanks to her Shijie, turned away innocently: “La la la, I can’t hear you~”
With her sharp eyes, she quickly spotted their driver, and soon they climbed into a stretched limousine.
The driver was a foreigner, so theoretically, he couldn’t understand them. But just in case, Lin Lin texted Wakako, “Any new info about the client?”
Wakako forwarded the message she had received upon landing.
Their mysterious client – the one who had paid them handsomely to fly halfway across the world – had finally revealed some details.
Yes, this unlikely duo was a pair of elite private bodyguards. They were hired professionals tasked with protecting their clients at all costs.
If anyone knew, their jaws would drop. They looked anything but intimidating, even giving off a friendly and easygoing vibe.
But that was precisely their advantage – they could blend into events without raising suspicion.
Their client this time was incredibly generous, skipping the usual deposit and final payment, paying the full amount upfront.
However, they’d maintained complete secrecy about their identity until now.
The details of their mission would be revealed only when the time came.
Lin Lin’s eyes widened as she read the message from Wakako:
“The Saionji Group’s heiress…”
Of course, she’d heard of the Saionji Conglomerate, a financial empire with countless assets under its name. The kind of wealth that could sustain entire small countries with its pocket change.
Given their line of work, the duo often heard gossip about such powerful entities, so this wasn’t their first brush with the name.
Rumor had it that the corporation had only one heiress, the rightful successor, but she was frail and sickly.
Her parents had passed away early, and now she managed the corporation’s affairs, assisted by other relatives.
At just 22 years old, she was at the height of youth, wealth, and influence. Being an orphan made her an even more attractive target for opportunists seeking to become her lover and gain easy access to the family fortune.
Lin Lin eagerly typed: “Can you believe someone like her would hire us as bodyguards? But then again, we are pretty amazing, hehe.”
Wakako replied: “Correction: I’m amazing. Thank you.”
Lin Lin: “(Angry but can’t argue)…”
When it came to fighting skills, her shijie was in a league of her own, already famous despite her young age, while Lin Lin was still just a rookie.
Wakako reviewed the mission details and briefed Lin Lin on the key points:
“For the next ten days, we’ll be living under the same roof as the heiress. After that, we’ll accompany her to an important business negotiation. She’s been weak since childhood, probably shy too. Our boss told us to keep a low profile and not scare her.”
Lin Lin sent a question mark: “Low profile? What do you mean…?”
Wakako: “Well…”
Lin Lin: “…”
Wakako: “Maids. Just for ten days. We can do it.”
Lin Lin: “Isn’t employing minors illegal?”
Wakako: “What? Are you planning to report them to the police?”
The limousine’s windows were tinted, obscuring their view. But they knew, even as employees, they wouldn’t be allowed to memorize the location of the mansion.
When they arrived, the driver attempted to help with their luggage, only to wince in pain when he tried to lift one of their bags.
…What was in there, an entire mountain? How could it be so heavy?!
He watched in disbelief as Wakako effortlessly shouldered everything with one hand, leaving him questioning his reality.
Lin Lin patted his shoulder sympathetically, “You’ll get used to it.”
Spend enough time with shijie, and you’ll understand.
***
A butler awaited them inside the mansion, with two sets of maid uniforms prepared.
Thankfully, these weren’t the overly flashy, questionable “maid uniforms” often seen online. Instead, they were modest lace-trimmed dresses.
Lin Lin twirled happily in hers, then turned to find Wakako still hesitating. “What’s wrong?”
“…I need a moment to mentally prepare myself.”
Lin Lin couldn’t help but giggle. Her shijie, who was always ready to throw a punch, clearly had no experience with such fussy outfits.
After much internal struggle, Wakako finally relented and changed.
The butler then guided them through the mansion, speaking in a foreign language, “Let me show you around the house.”
“This door leads to the golf course and swimming pool. The kitchen and staff dining area are on the other side.”
“Your rooms are on the second floor, next to the gym. Feel free to use it if needed.”
“And on the third floor…”
His tone became more serious, “The entire fourth floor is reserved for the heiress. You are not to go up there without her express permission.”
They nodded in understanding.
“The heiress is currently in a business meeting. I’ll take you to see her from the door so you can recognize her.”
The butler pressed the elevator button for the fourth floor.
“The heiress’s name is Miki, but you’ll refer to her as ‘Miss.’”
Wakako remained composed, accustomed to such instructions. Lin Lin, however, whispered in Chinese, “Isn’t that a bit much?”
“Shh.” Wakako shot her a warning look.
The fourth floor was as large as an entire company office. The butler led them down a corridor to a meeting room with a glass panel in the door, offering a clear view inside.
The butler gestured that they could look.
Lin Lin peered in first, standing on tiptoe, and her jaw dropped.
She saw the heiress.
It was hard to put into words—how could someone be so beautiful? Even just sitting there, doing nothing, the girl exuded an elegance and grace that was impossible to ignore.
Through her line of work, Lin Lin had seen many celebrities and prominent figures, many of them strikingly attractive, but none compared to the face she saw now.
If Miss Miki was meticulously sculpted by God, then everyone else was just a splash of mud.
After about five seconds of amazement, Lin Lin recovered. She turned to look at her Shijie’s, whose face seemed calm but strangely stiff.
Wakako’s expression remained steady, though her mind was screaming a thousand unspeakable thoughts.
For some reason, the heiress suddenly raised her eyes, glancing briefly toward the glass, her eyes brushing over as if she’d heard everything.
Wakako quickly looked away, pretending nothing had happened as they left.
…
“Miss Miki?”
The person sitting opposite her spoke.
Miki snapped back to reality.
She was used to hearing others’ thoughts, having long since learned to tune out the constant noise, but just now, she couldn’t help but pause.
The voice from outside the door had been almost deafening…
“She’s so beautiful – oh my god, I think I’m in love – sometimes love really does happen at first sight – Miss, can I marry you right now – we could adopt two daughters and each name one hehe…”
Miki: …
It was hard to describe how she felt after hearing all that. She massaged her temples with her fingers.
“Please excuse me for a moment,” she told her assistant. “Find out who was just standing outside.”
…Who was it that wanted to marry her?
