The system forced me to blow up the female lead's fishpond.

"Whoosh-!"

Before he could finish speaking, a red shadow flashed by, and soon a person appeared.

Dressed in a flamboyant red outfit, with her ponytail tied high in an arrogant manner, her brown eyes fixed on Shen Zhizhi before she grinned, revealing her two small tiger teeth.

Shen Zhizhi's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets!

Why does this person look so familiar at first glance? Could it be because I only glanced at them once?!

She did it again! She did it again!

Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!

At first glance, this guy looks just like that glutton who emptied her purse a few days ago, right? Could it be the secret guard Chu Chouchi was talking about?

Xue Liao revealed his gleaming tiger teeth, his eyes crinkling as they met her astonished gaze, and he called out in a clear voice:

"Owner!"

Upon hearing this shameful term, Shen Zhizhi wanted to disappear into the ground. After all, anyone who frequently watches explicit videos knows that these two words are really suggestive.

"Master?" Chu Chouchi glanced at her indifferently, his brows furrowing slightly. "You two know each other?"

Xue Liao pursed his lips, his posture as steady as a pine tree in the hall, his pleasant voice slowly drifting over:

"Your Highness, when I was starving and freezing, it was my master who gave me food on the street. Otherwise, I would have starved to death in the city long ago. She is my second mother. I acknowledge her as my master only to repay her kindness."

Chu Chouchi glanced at the stunned girl, raised an eyebrow, and said with a hint of smugness, "She is used to meddling in the suffering of ordinary people."

Shen Zhizhi sighed and rubbed her forehead in exasperation. It seemed that this foodie was destined to remain forever.

Well, she really does need a bodyguard right now anyway. If he's really capable of protecting her, it wouldn't hurt to take him in.

Shen Zhizhi slightly raised her dark eyelashes, cleared her throat, and said, "Ahem, alright, what's your name?"

We can't keep calling him a foodie, can we?

Xue Liao blinked, revealing his small tiger teeth and showing his boyish innocence, and said loudly, "Master, my name is Xue Liao!"

The boy's clear and pleasant voice entered her ears, like a bolt of lightning striking her face, leaving her face dark and bruised.

Blood Liao?!

Is it the Blood Liao from her memory? The Blood Liao from the original text?!

Zhang Jiali's personal bodyguard—Xue Liao?!

Shen Zhizhi was somewhat shocked. She had a deep impression of this young boy; he was the character that the author inexplicably inserted after Zhang Jiali's identity was revealed later in the story.

According to the author's brief description, this Blood Liao also owed Zhang Jiali a debt of gratitude.

It is said that Xue Liao was rescued by Zhang Jiali when he was starving and freezing. He wanted to repay the favor by acknowledging Zhang Jiali as his master, but Zhang Jiali declined the offer.

However, Xue Liao was grateful and, even after being rejected, secretly helped Zhang Jiali, repeatedly eliminating treacherous people for him.

Although he is only a supporting character, he has a distinct personality, unlike the guards in other novels who are like background characters and have no presence.

She is arguably the cutest character in the book besides Zhang Jiali, and has the most female fans.

He has a peculiar way of thinking, is a pure foodie, and sometimes seems like a fool, but when it comes to killing unscrupulous people, he is ruthless and never blinks an eye. He is indeed an excellent bodyguard.

But it's not his turn to appear yet!

Moreover, the scene of 'rescuing a homeless foodie boy' was clearly the male lead's, so how did she inexplicably steal it?

No wonder she asked why the male lead was being chased and she had to save him. So that's where the problem lies. She's now intercepted the Blood Liao halfway through. If something really happens to Zhang Jiali in the future, wouldn't that cause the whole thing to fall apart?

Chaos! Chaos! Everything's a complete mess!

Shen Zhizhi's body tensed, she gritted her teeth and pursed her lips, fiercely questioning Ya Dan, who had chosen to feign death in her consciousness.

[An important character has appeared! Why didn't you warn me, you damn system? You made me miss Zhang Jiali's storyline!]

Ya Dan shrugged, looking completely unfazed. [Host, no notification has appeared in the data, so I'm helpless as well.]

"You're hopeless! I'm definitely going to file a complaint against you!" Shen Zhizhi roared.

【(╥╯^╰╥) Waaah, I'm so hurt, I'm ignoring you now, hmph.】

Shen Zhizhi:? ? ?

"What's wrong? If you don't like them, I can promote some more for you to choose from until you are satisfied."

Chu Chouchi turned around and saw the girl with her eyes lowered and silent. He assumed she didn't like this person very much, so he couldn't help but speak up.

Pulled back to reality by his voice, Shen Zhizhi cast aside the chaotic thoughts in her mind, staring at the pair of expectant brown eyes in front of her, and made up her mind.

Since we've already intercepted him, it seems we have no choice but to personally deliver this guy to Zhang Jiali, as long as he serves the same purpose of protecting Zhang Jiali as described in the original text.

She really is an ordinary little genius.

Thinking of this, Shen Zhizhi's previously slumped shoulders instantly straightened, and her eyes curved slightly. "Hehe, thank you, Second Prince. I'm very satisfied. He's the one."

"No need to thank me." Seeing her joy, Chu Chouchi couldn't help but smile slightly.

Shen Zhizhi glanced at the dark night outside the window, wondering if Zhang Jiali was asleep at this hour.

She withdrew her gaze, gave Chu Chouchi a hasty bow, and then hurriedly walked out.

With her back to him, she waved her hand and said, "Your Highness, it's late tonight, so I'll head back now."

Chu Chouchi narrowed his eyes slightly, watching her gradually departing figure, a smile seemingly spreading from the depths of his eyes.

Once the girl's figure had completely disappeared from sight, his emotions, which he had been trying so hard to suppress, slowly crept onto his face.

With his sword-like eyebrows furrowed, Chu Chouchi rolled up his wide sleeves to his shoulders, revealing scalded red marks that spread from his wrists to his shoulders, a shocking sight.

Seeing this from the shadows, Xiao Ling nimbly leaped forward and knelt steadily in the hall. "Second Prince, would you like to summon the imperial physician to examine the wound? Or shall I, Xiao Ling, apply the medicine for Your Highness...?"

The flames were so fierce, and His Highness must have been severely burned while protecting Miss Shen. Presumably, the burns on his body are not limited to this area.

"Heh." Chu Chouchi glanced at him sideways and sneered, "Not seeking the imperial physician, but just you applying the medicine perfunctorily? Are you trying to change your master?"

Xiao Ling: ? ? ?

Hsiao Ling expressed his innocence.

Just now, when Miss Shen was applying medicine to the Second Prince, he clearly seemed to be enjoying it and didn't mention finding a royal physician at all. Why is he being so perfunctory with it now?

"Hurry up and go! Do you want to make me suffer like this?"

Seeing Xiao Ling's worried expression, Chu Chouchi couldn't help but glare at him, a hint of hostility flashing in his eyes.

Xiao Ling shivered violently, then lowered his head and replied:

"Subordinate, go right away."

-

As the night deepened and the stars filled the sky, the usually bustling markets of the Great Chu Kingdom fell silent, with only the sounds of people running in the alleyways.

Shen Zhizhi walked briskly toward Zhang Jiali's residence.

She had to straighten out this haphazard plot, or else things would get complicated.

"How did you end up working in the Second Prince's residence?"

She raised her eyes and stared hatefully at the eaves. She was as light as a swallow, rising and falling without making a sound. She could even use her lightness skill to eat a steamed bun at the same time.

Not only did he become her servant, but he also happened to become her bodyguard. Does this mean that once the male lead's aura is taken away, it becomes hers? There's no way to correct this!