Chapter Eighteen: Changing the Security Guard

The aftermath of the lap pillow incident was like a stone cast into the lake of the heart, sending out subtle and enduring ripples between Yu Ling and Zhao Chen.

Since that night, an unspoken understanding had quietly blossomed—tinged with a hint of awkwardness and sweetness.

Yu Ling found it increasingly difficult to meet Zhao Chen’s gentle amber eyes directly, always feeling that beneath their clear surface lurked a whirlpool ready to pull her in.

As for Zhao Chen, he seemed to have reined in the bluntness of that night’s “debt collection” manner, returning to his usual considerate attentiveness. Yet, whenever she casually glanced up, she would catch a fleeting, mischievous sparkle in his eyes, silently saying: “Lap pillow, noted.”

The main rhythm of life remained dominated by the busy “Star Sea Project.” Lin Wei was at the helm, clear in strategy, the team’s morale high, and the data climbing steadily. As the core executor, Yu Ling spun like a rapidly whirling top.

No matter how late she returned, opening the door always greeted her with perfectly arranged lighting, a comforting warm fragrance that dispelled fatigue, and a busy figure in the kitchen wearing a small whale apron. That well-tended sense of security became the strongest fortress against the high pressure.

Yet, the fortress itself seemed to be quietly “upgrading.”

It was Saturday, a rare day off.

Yu Ling woke naturally, pulled back the curtains, and sunlight poured unreservedly into the bedroom. Dressed comfortably in homewear and plush slippers, she planned to go downstairs to the convenience store for some yogurt and fruit. The store beneath the apartment wasn’t large but was fresh and well-stocked, her fixed weekend supply point.

Humming a tune in a good mood, she headed to the entrance hall. Changed shoes, opened the door.

But as soon as she stepped out of apartment 1601, her steps halted.

In the corridor stood two unfamiliar security guards, dressed in brand-new, perfectly tailored deep blue uniforms with gleaming epaulets, their postures as upright as javelins. They stood like door gods, one on each side of the elevator hall.

Their stance was impeccably formal, hands clasped behind their backs, eyes sharp and vigilant as they swept over the empty corridor, exuding a rigorously trained, almost militarized pressure.

These… were not the same as the two friendly middle-aged property guards who used to smile and chat with residents!

Yu Ling’s heart skipped a beat; she instinctively softened her footsteps. She remembered clearly that when she moved in, though the community security was strict (requiring card swipes or resident calls to enter the unit door), the guards inside were mostly amiable middle-aged men in ordinary uniforms with a friendly demeanor. These two were entirely different in aura—more like bodyguards? Or retired special forces?

Summoning her courage, she forced herself to walk toward the elevator without looking sideways. The “door gods” fixed their gaze on her like searchlights, scrutinizing. Yu Ling felt the hairs on her back rise slightly. Only when she pressed the elevator’s down button did their piercing stares momentarily shift but remained highly alert.

The elevator doors opened, empty inside. She stepped in and pressed the button for the first floor. The elevator descended smoothly. Leaning against the cool cabin wall, her mind raced through the anomalies she had noticed in the two months since moving in—top-tier luxury daily goods, discreetly exorbitant furniture, Zhao Chen’s fluid code speed, Wang Tao’s strange reassignment by “group headquarters,” and now this sudden “upgrade” in security, with an aura rivaling presidential bodyguards.

Suspicion grew wildly like entwining vines.

The elevator reached the first floor. Doors opened; Yu Ling stepped out, the feeling of being scrutinized finally lifted. Outside the unit door, the sunlight after rain was a bit dazzling. She took a deep breath, suppressing her doubts for now, and headed toward the convenience store nearby.

After shopping, she carried the plastic bag slowly back, savoring the rare leisure and sunshine. Near the unit door, a low, rhythmic rumble of an engine approached.

Yu Ling looked up instinctively.

A smooth, elegant Rolls-Royce Phantom in a deep emerald green glided silently to the front of the unit door like a noble king.

The gleaming paint shimmered with a dreamy luster in the sunlight. A sharply dressed chauffeur in a crisp uniform with white gloves swiftly exited, running around to open the heavy rear coach door with proper deference.

A middle-aged lady, clad in a meticulously chosen camel cashmere coat, with refined makeup and an aura of grace, elegantly stepped out. She carried a small caramel-colored handbag embossed with a gold DelvaUX logo. The lady’s gaze casually swept over Yu Ling, filled with an indifferent hauteur as if Yu Ling were nothing more than an unnoticed roadside shrub.

Then, from the front passenger seat emerged a young woman in a dark gray suit skirt, gold-rimmed glasses, holding a tablet—a picture of a polished elite assistant.

Yu Ling recognized the lady! She was the neighbor living in the penthouse duplex! She had once seen her in the elevator and immediately sensed her powerful presence—either extremely wealthy or noble. Now, with the Phantom and this entourage… no doubt about it!

At that moment, one of the “door gods” stepped briskly forward and bowed impeccably to the lady, his voice steady and strong: “Madam, welcome back.”

The lady merely nodded slightly, gracefully entering the unit door, followed closely by her assistant. The Phantom silently glided to its reserved parking spot nearby.

Yu Ling stood motionless, clutching the plastic bag from the convenience store, filled with discounted yogurt and promotional fruit. Though the sun shone on her, she felt no warmth—only an overwhelming sense of absurdity and distance. Like a Cinderella who had mistakenly wandered into a top-tier millionaire’s club, she was utterly out of place.

Silently, she swiped open the unit door and stepped inside. The elevator was just arriving on the first floor. She got in and pressed the button for the 16th floor. Before the doors closed, she saw the lady and her assistant head toward the exclusive elevator requiring a separate card swipe, leading to the penthouse duplex.

The elevator ascended. In the cramped space, Yu Ling gazed at her own dazed reflection on the mirror-smooth cabin wall. The plastic bag from the store made a faint rustling sound in her hand. She recalled Zhao Chen’s casual remarks: “The landlord has wide connections,” “A friend gave it,” “Got it at a clearance sale.” Then she looked again at the top-tier private club-like security and the neighbor’s grandeur…

That “network” was indeed too “wide”! That “friend” was extravagantly “rich”!

Back home, Zhao Chen was grinding coffee beans behind the open kitchen bar. The vintage-looking, undoubtedly expensive hand grinder emitted a steady rustling sound. The rich aroma of top-grade coffee beans filled the air.

“Back?” Zhao Chen looked up at the sound of the door opening, smiling gently. The sunlight fell warmly on his figure, clad in the little whale apron. “What did you get?”

His eyes landed on the plastic bag in her hand.

“Yogurt, fruit,” Yu Ling placed the bag on the island counter, trying to keep her tone casual but couldn’t help sneaking a glance toward the door. “Looks like the security downstairs has changed? They seem pretty sharp.”

“Oh, you mean Xiao Zhang and Xiao Li?” Zhao Chen didn’t stop his hands, speaking as casually as if discussing the weather. “The property company replaced the security team recently. They’re said to be retired special forces—pretty competent.

The landlord requested it. Apparently, several nearby high-end communities have beefed up security lately, so we can’t fall behind either.”

His explanation was reasonable, paired with a sincere and harmless expression—hard to find fault with.

“The landlord’s requirements are quite high,” Yu Ling smiled faintly, picking up an apple to wash at the sink, then casually asked, “I saw the madam from the penthouse just now, came back in a Rolls-Royce Phantom… such a strong presence.”

“Ah, Mrs. Chen,” Zhao Chen nodded, pouring the ground coffee into a uniquely styled, clearly valuable siphon coffee maker, his movements elegant and focused. “Her husband’s in energy—big family business. He’s pretty amiable but not very talkative.”

His tone was even, as natural as chatting about the neighbor Mr. Wang next door.

Energy tycoon? Yu Ling’s grip tightened around the apple. She recalled Zhao Chen’s Bentley keys carelessly tossed into a drawer, his stories of “friends’ cars”… This community concealed far more powerful figures than she had imagined! And Zhao Chen, an “ordinary employee,” how had he managed to “rent” here safely and coexist seemingly peacefully with such neighbors?

The vines of suspicion wrapped tighter than ever.