Wooing my Bodyguard Wife

"Everyone, there's been a massive misunderstanding," Jingwei said commandingly, attracting the attention of everyone in the crowd. He grabbed Xue Ning's hand to hold, giving it a comforting squeeze. It was colder and clammier than he liked.

"I am Xue Ning's real boyfriend and her fiance, and her family knows it. This man is an absolute fake!" Jingwei explained, jabbing an angry finger at Wei Yan. He then turned to Chun Fei. "I'm sorry, but I have to let you know that this person lied to you. He was trying to use you to break us up."

Chun Fei's mouth fell open in surprise. She didn't want to believe that she could have been made a fool of, so she caved to her first instinct - which was to deny his words. "That's… no that cannot be! What proof do you have?"

"That's right!"

"Where's the proof!"

"Are you a liar too?"

"Wake up you idiot!"

"You're getting cuckolded!"

"Li Xue Ning, don't you think you've lied enough?!"

"It's not like Sun Jingwei is a saint! Remember his playboy past!"

"Oh my god - maybe Li Xue Ning was the one fooled!"

"This idiot couple deserves each other!"

The crowd started hurling abuse at them both.

"Enough!" Xue Ning's parents had stormed out of their house with brooms in their hands that they eagerly used to whack the shins of people who were still stubborn enough to stand in their way.

"For heaven's sake, why is my daughter's dating news of so much interest to you people?" Tai Cheng roared. "Do you see me airing out your family's business in public? For instance, Lao Wang, I never told anyone that you couldn't get it up!"

"He's lying!" Lao Wang screamed, his face turning red with shame as everyone's eyes turned to stare at his crotch with barely concealed sympathy. "There's no way you could know that!"

"Heard it from your wife," Tai Cheng said, shrugging nonchalantly. "She complains about you constantly to her friends."

He continued. "Anyway, at least you aren't in debt. Unlike Madame Lee here! That gambling addiction surely isn't a worthy hobby. Any further and you'll lose your house."

Their eyes turned to Madame Lee, who began spluttering.

"What nonsense! He's making things up!"

"Am I though? Everyone knows about you sneaking out for your secret poker and mahjong nights. If not, you must be having an affair." Tai Cheng said innocently.

He did spend decades observing his fellow townspeople. While they didn't publicise their issues, Tai Cheng didn't spend his youth working as Sun Haowei's eyes and ears for nothing.

If he could dig up dirt on filthy rich families with security systems worth more than this tiny town for Sun Haowei's benefit, how could he not find out about the affairs his fellow townspeople were embroiled in?

Knowing all their dirty secrets gave him the power to keep his calm when insulted, because he knew that if he opened his mouth, he could ruin their lives.

"And Lin Min Zhui visits hookers so often, it's a miracle you haven't been riddled with STDs yet! As his parents, you should keep an eye out for him." Tai Cheng advised one couple. "If he contracts something terrible, no woman will want him and all of you will die alone."

"How dare you - "

"Oh, I can't forget about Xiao Leilei, I recall you causing your sister's boyfriend to break up with her by purposely plying him with alcohol on New Years and throwing yourself at him. In the end, he sampled both girls and skipped town! So unfortunate - ah, I suppose you didn't come clean to your sister?"

Tai Cheng commented, watching Xiao Leilei's face pale as her older sister grabbed at her arm.

"You bitch! I knew you always liked him!"

"Madame Jia, don't look so scared. I'm not going to tell everyone about the time you poisoned your husband with cyanide to get rid of him. He was beating you after all. Terrible man, it was good that you got rid of him."

Everyone gasped and gave Madame Jia a wide berth, too terrified to meet her eyes. A murderer was in their midst!

"Yah, Li Tai Cheng! What's the meaning of this!" Lao Wang screamed, stamping his feet like a child throwing a tantrum. "Why are you revealing private information!"

"Why? If everyone is busy judging my daughter for decisions she makes in her private life, I think you should be open to the same experience. Haven't you heard? People living in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

The crowd shifted on their feet guiltily. Tai Cheng let the guilt fester for a while before continuing.

"Don't worry, I made sure all my information is accurate, unlike all of you that jump to conclusions without getting the story straight!" Tai Cheng said with a bland smile.

Ironically, it scared the townspeople more than if he glared at them.

"Everyone, I know you are shocked that my daughter could have gotten such a good-looking, rich, intelligent, kind-hearted, responsible man for a boyfriend, but it's the truth. I was more surprised than all of you put together!"

"Now is he insulting me or you?" Jingwei murmured into Xue Ning's ear. His future father-in-law had managed to do the impossible, he diverted the crowd's attentionXue Ning thought for a bit.

"Me definitely. He's saying that I have no appeal." Xue Ning said, frowning.

"That's nonsense, you're the most appealing woman I have ever met in my entire life." Jingwei declared, lifting her hand and kissing her knuckles. The crowd was torn between cooing at them or scolding them for their blatant PDA!

"I can't even fault Wei Yan for falling in love with you - but I can fault him for deliberately creating this mess!" He whipped his head around and glared at Wei Yan, before addressing the crowd.

"I'm sure all of you have seen Xue Ning grow up. Let me ask you, does Xue Ning look like the type of girl that would love to make a scene or attract undue attention?"

Heads began to shake. Li Xue Ning attracted attention whenever she fought, but she was notoriously allergic to any attention. She didn't even want to take class photos, a fact that was unheard of in their tiny community!

"Then if this man," he pointed at Wei Yan, "was in love with her, wouldn't he already know this?"