Wooing my Bodyguard Wife

"Right," she replies weakly, focusing on her food instead, her ears red with embarrassment. How was she supposed to respond to such a statement? Did he even mean it in that way?

Perhaps he meant it between friends. Friends cook for each other all the time. Roommates do that too. Not that she would ever end up living with Sun Jingwei. Ever. They occupied two different worlds, and tonight was just an anomaly.

"I'll wash the dishes then, so it's fair," Xue Ning says, taking some comfort in the fact that his offer to cook for her isn't going to be realised anytime soon. She hates washing dishes.

She drains the bowl dry, letting out a satisfied burp at the end.

"Good meal, thanks for cooking it," she says, patting his arm in thanks. She wipes her mouth clean on the napkin and leans back against the chair, her eyes closing in lazy satisfaction.

She reminded Jingwei of a cat that was going to nap after eating her fill.

"Wow, you really finished everything," Jingwei says, impressed and bemused. He wasn't even done eating yet - but that was because he was distracted by the captivating sight of her eating his food. It was almost impressive how much she could stuff in that mouth of hers without choking, and then he had to mentally slap himself to stop his thoughts from rolling in the gutter yet again.

Instead he flips her bowl upside down to make a point. There was really nothing left! She had vacuumed it clean.

"Were you that hungry? Or was my food just that good?"

"Are you fishing for compliments?" Xue Ning asks, looking at him with one eye, the other still peacefully closed.

"Maybe? You're the first person I've cooked for since I've returned to the country you know! Come on - rate my cooking!"  Jingwei demands playfully.

"Hmm…" She raises a hand. Jingwei watches it expectantly.

After a brief moment of contemplation, she held up three fingers.

"What? Only three points?" Jingwei protests, half-outraged as though he was an obnoxious contestant on a cooking contest. "Madam Judge, I demand an explanation!"

Her lips twitch into a smile, and she clears her throat, deliberately putting on airs.

"Dear contestant, firstly, I'm giving you three points out of five," she says grandly, pretending to be one of those patronising judges. "While your noodles and soup were delicious enough, I question your choice to include wagyu beef in the menu."

"It's fusion food, Madam." Jingwei says with mock seriousness. "There was a movie in Korea about rich people putting expensive meat on noodles, so I wanted to do it too."

"I see," Xue Ning says. She does not see, because she's so behind on pop culture.

"Nah, you don't! I bet you've never watched it!" Jingwei exclaims, catching her in the lie. "Nevermind, you can watch it with me now in my family's movie theatre."

"Your family's movie theatre," she repeats flatly. Of course they had a movie theatre. "Is it in this mansion?"

"Duh," Jingwei replies. "Why would I have a movie theatre outside?"

"Why indeed," Xue Ning says, rolling her eyes at her own stupid question. "Fine, but don't get offended if I fall asleep halfway!"

"You won't, I guarantee it!" Jingwei says smugly.

=

Jingwei brings Xue Ning to the smaller indoor movie theatre that he had built specially for him and his friends back then, because everyone else in his family deemed watching movies to be a frivolous waste of time. He discreetly nudged Xue Ning to the love seat, hoping they could share it, but she was more distracted by the popcorn dispenser and cotton candy machine.

"You know, if you're still hungry, you can just say so," Jingwei comments. "I'm not gonna judge you for late-night snacking."

"I'm not snacking, it's unhealthy," Xue Ning says primly before she slouches on the loveseat, commandeering most of the space. Jingwei purposely waves a bag of popcorn in front of her, and she turns her face away.

"Fine, I'll just eat ALL OF IT, by myself." Jingwei declares. "Now move," he shoves her playfully to make more room. "I'm a lot bigger than you, so I clearly need more room to sit here."

"Must be all the late-night popcorn then," Xue Ning says easily, still not moving.

"Then you should definitely eat more of it, you're tiny," Jingwei replies without missing a beat.

"Are you calling me short?" Xue Ning asks, fist held up in warning. She would be more terrifying if she didn't look like she was too lazy to move.

"More like… bite-sized." Jingwei says with mock seriousness, finally succeeding in making enough room for himself, even if her bare legs were slung over his own, her ankles occasionally jabbing at his waist. "Your ankles are really cold and pointy!"

"Really? Want to try my elbows then?" Xue Ning threatens.

"Nevermind," Jingwei says immediately, starting the movie. "I won't survive if they are anything like your knees."

Xue Ning frowns, ready to take offence before she realises what he's talking about. Then she realises that her legs were dangerously close to his crotch, and immediately sits upright.

"Oh? Now you move?" Jingwei asks, laughter in his voice. "But good, this is a great movie, I'd hate for you to sleep and miss it."

Xue Ning grumbles intelligibly, embarrassed at her behaviour. How could she put her legs all over him like that? Clearly the cosy atmosphere of the mini theatre was making her think they were the best of friends, that she could behave so casually with him.

She vows to focus on the movie instead. This was a chance to watch a movie for free!

=

An hour into the movie, Jingwei finds Xue Ning snoring into his shoulder, her body slumped on his for support. He stills, not daring to move in case he woke her.

Was this how cat owners felt when their cats slept on their arms when they were working?

Xue Ning was even letting out occasional soft snuffling sounds as she slept. It was so unfairly adorable, Jingwei wanted to call up every politician on his father's payroll and make them ban this because it was too cute for words.

"Xue Ning… Xue Ning… wake up…" he cajoles softly, gently patting her to wake her.

"Hmmm… Jingwei…" She grabs onto his arm and holds on tight, and Jingwei's heart nearly bursts out of his chest. He waits, hoping to hear more.

"Jingwei, I like… " She likes? Jingwei's eyes widen and he sucks in a deep breath.