Chapter 8 — How Are You Fooling My Daddy?
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 2
"Buy insurance?" Uncle Qing broke into a sweat again. The man Mr. Gu had brought — surely he was not the type to meet with an accident so easily? Still, he said, "Rest assured, miss, it's all taken care of..."
By then Wei Zhao had already reached the car. He opened the door, slid into the seat, and looked at Gu Mengyao. "So? Pretty decent, wouldn't you say?"
"I suppose that barely passes you." Gu Mengyao gave a snort.
Wei Zhao smiled and settled back into the passenger seat. He said nothing more; experience and the Internet had taught him that women were, in most cases, creatures who said one thing while meaning another, so there was little point in arguing with Gu Mengyao.
Seeing Wei Zhao offer only a smile and then fall silent, Gu Mengyao's temper flared. She had expected him to be moved to tears of gratitude. After all, the job market was so fiercely competitive these days that even college graduates went off to muck out latrines. A migrant worker who had just arrived in the city and landed such a wonderful job ought to be overjoyed, oughtn't he?
"Hey, aren't you going to thank me?" Unable to hold it in any longer, Gu Mengyao demanded, a little crossly.
"Thank you? For what?" Wei Zhao was bewildered. Didn't I just kick that boy who was pestering you so hard he ate dirt? he thought. If anything, you should be thanking me. What would I have to thank you for?
"I—" Gu Mengyao was fit to burst. How thick-skulled could this man be? She had hinted so plainly; did he truly not understand? Didn't he know how to curry favor with an employer?
"Tee-hee, what Yaoyao means is that she's accepted you. Shouldn't you show a little gratitude?" Shen Yushu cut in with a sly smile, explaining for Gu Mengyao.
"Xiaoshu, what nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean, I've accepted him?" Gu Mengyao was startled by Shen Yushu's words. Talk about ambiguity! It sounded as though she'd accepted a confession of love!
"Nothing, nothing. I just said you've accepted him as your shield." Shen Yushu giggled.
"Oh. Thank you." Wei Zhao was quick to respond, at least. In all truth, queer as the job was, he was on the whole quite content—at the very least, the salary was handsome.
"You're... welcome." Gu Mengyao ground out the three words, seething with resentment at Wei Zhao's slow wits. This oaf was supposed to be her shield? However she looked at him, he just seemed plain daft.
"I'm off now, Yaoyao. See you tomorrow—and you too, Brother Shield." The car had stopped in front of a villa. Shen Yushu waved at Gu Mengyao, winked at Wei Zhao in the passenger seat, and only then hopped out.
"Brother Shield"? Wei Zhao smiled wryly. Now that was an original title—one that could go toe-to-toe with Brother Sharp, the Internet sensation.
Shen Yushu's home stood close to Gu Mengyao's; the two villas faced each other across the street. A turn of the car's nose, and they were at Gu Mengyao's door.
It was under Shen Yushu's prodding that Gu Mengyao had reluctantly taken in the migrant worker. But when she saw the migrant worker carrying his luggage and walking into the villa alongside her, she blew her top on the spot. "You—what are you following me in for?"
Wei Zhao blinked and turned to Uncle Qing, utterly puzzled. "Do I not live here, then?"
"You sure think highly of yourself! No man has ever set foot inside my little villa!" Hands on her hips, Gu Mengyao glared at Wei Zhao ferociously.
Uncle Qing wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. No man has ever set foot in here? Then what do I count as... He supposed he could stand being made a eunuch, but if Mr. Gu ever heard his daughter talk like that, heaven only knew what he'd make of it.
At the sight of Uncle Qing dabbing his brow, Gu Mengyao immediately realized her words could be taken the wrong way, so she hurriedly amended: "I meant no man outside my family has ever set foot here."