Astrology Hall with Flesh and Blood

Chapter 38

He deliberately kept her in suspense to see if she was listening attentively.

“I am Miss Don Dolly’s birthday present. Happy Birthday!” His eyes shone with joy.

"Uncle, Aunt, is it really you?!" She was so excited she almost jumped for joy! But what she had asked for was the King of Beasts! The person in front of her looked like a normal human being from every angle...

“I am the White Tiger,” he said, “the king of beasts who embodies both beauty and elegance and ferocity.” His malevolent gaze swept over Dolly’s body, and a wicked smile appeared on his lips. “Would you like to see for yourself?”

The white tiger's eyes are colorless and transparent...

“People say I have sharp, clear blue eyes, like Antarctic ice,” he said, widening his eyes. “Look, it’s the real deal!”

The white tiger's fur was entirely snow-white...

"Oh dear, this is a bit tricky!" He stroked his smooth chin with a serious expression, looking troubled. "Actually, my face is only dark because of the sun and wind! My skin on the rest of my body is much whiter. Want to see? Let's make it clear beforehand, you can only look, not touch, and it's ten dollars a minute!"

"Alright, alright, I believe you!" Dolly was both amused and annoyed as she ushered White Tiger into the house. How to put it? At first glance, he seemed quite lively and cheerful, even bordering on frivolous, but his natural attitude was undeniably endearing. Perhaps his charmingly handsome appearance played a significant role? His speech and actions exuded a frank and dashing air, perfectly matching his handsome face. The fragrant aroma of coffee filled the small room, and through the rising steam, she began to question White Tiger about his origins.

"Were you delivered here by a courier company?" How could such an absurd thing happen? A tall, healthy man, bound hand and foot and sealed in a box, as a birthday present? He's a human being, after all! Even if he was hired, he shouldn't be treated so roughly, right? Doubts slowly rose in Dolly's mind. Perhaps, it had nothing to do with her aunt and uncle?

"No, that's not it." White Tiger casually grabbed a handful of peanuts and tossed them into his mouth. "Actually, they just told me to come find you. As for the cardboard box at the door..." He grinned mischievously, revealing a set of pearly white teeth, "You're surprised, aren't you?"

What? She was stunned.

“‘The Mail Bride’!” He gestured with his hands in the air. “It’s an American movie, have you seen it? That’s what I learned from it, what do you think?” He leaned closer, his eyes sparkling. “It’s fun, isn’t it?”

So, this crazy man tied himself up, crawled into an airtight cardboard box, all to surprise her? "You...you..." Dolly was speechless. Faced with that smug face, she could only manage a forced compliment, "You're amazing..."

"Of course! I've been thinking about it all morning!" White Tiger was clearly still immersed in his masterpiece. "The key is how to seal the box from the inside, so that you'll think it's sealed from the outside... Do you know how I solved this problem?"

"I...I don't know." It was already the greatest miracle of Dolly's life that she could utter these words—she was already speechless with anger.

Baihu rested his chin on his coffee cup, getting more and more excited as he spoke, "Actually... only the bottom of the box wasn't sealed with tape."

Volume 3: The Sheep's Song from Hell Records (Part 3)

In other words, he deliberately left only the side of the cardboard box touching the ground, sealing the rest with tape, and then placed the box on top of his head. He had already calculated that Dolly alone wouldn't be able to move the box; she'd have no choice but to cut the tape. From this perspective, his idea was actually quite clever, just applied in a rather peculiar way…

This man was racking his brains trying to figure out how to pass off something as a "gift by mail." He'd been standing at Dolly's door since early morning, deep in thought. What a strange fellow! Dolly stuck out her little tongue, and just then, White Tiger suddenly exclaimed, "Ah, that's it!"

What's wrong? She couldn't help but feel nervous.

“I don’t like coffee, could you give me something else?” He carefully handed her the cup. “Water, juice, milk, anything is fine, I’m not picky… but yogurt would be best!” he added loudly.

Honestly, he specifically asked for Dolly's favorite yogurt! She angrily slammed a large cup of peach yogurt in front of him—something she herself wouldn't even drink, it was expensive! "Fine, tell me what you're here for," she asked. "What birthday present? Tell me." *Is there any birthday present in the world as bizarre and troublesome as this?* she thought to herself.

“That’s what the bodyguards told me,” Baihu said calmly. “This is my first time doing this kind of mission.”

"Your first time?" she asked curiously. "What did you do before?"

“Assassin!” he uttered the word “assassin” so naturally, as if it were the most respectable profession. “Because I am more skilled at killing than any professional bodyguard, that’s why they hired me.”

"Wh...what!" Dolly nearly spat out her coffee. An assassin? She stared incredulously at the nonchalant man before her, who was smiling innocently at her. Indeed, he was physically imposing; just looking at the clearly bulging muscles beneath his thin T-shirt, one could imagine the boundless energy and drive they contained… She blushed and lowered her head, unaware of the strange glint in Baihu's eyes.

"Don't joke around..." she muttered under her breath. In China, assassins aren't the kind of profession you can openly recruit. Maybe he meant security guards for fire prevention and theft? No! Wait a minute!

She then remembered that he had clearly said the word "bodyguard"! She was just an ordinary person with no money or power, so why would "they" that Baihu mentioned go to such lengths to hire Baihu to protect her?

"Have you been reading the newspaper lately?" he suddenly asked.

"Huh?" She didn't quite understand what he meant. "Recently, oil prices have gone up again, supposedly because there's war in the Middle East... and the president of Country J is going to visit a shrine again..."

“Yes, yes!” He nodded repeatedly. “Country A, relying on its wealth and power, is going to impose sanctions on Country Z, and Countries M and N are engaged in armed conflict over border issues. In short,” he sighed dramatically, “the world is not at peace!”

“Even in our peaceful and prosperous world, people still die unexpectedly,” Baihu said, his lips pressed tightly together. Only at that moment did he seem to shed his playful exterior, his eyes filled with such solemnity.

A brief news item lay quietly in an inconspicuous corner of a newspaper from a month ago. A teenage girl was burned to death in her home; police revealed that she had been murdered before the fire, and the killer had set the body on fire to cover up the crime. It was just another ordinary news story; similar murders happen several times a day across the country. Dolly looked up, puzzled, and met Baihu's blue eyes. He wasn't boasting; his eyes, which at first glance seemed colorless and transparent, now shimmered with a mysterious, beautiful blue light.

“Her name is Chen Aili, she just turned sixteen this year, and she is lively and lovely. She is an orphan and had been living in a children’s welfare home until recently when she moved out to live alone in order to apply for film school.” He saw Dolly’s suspicious look, wondering why he knew so much more than what was reported in the newspaper. “Because this unfortunate Chen Aili is none other than the daughter of the person who was sponsored.”

Dolly's initial premonition was correct; the so-called clients were indeed the kind uncle and aunt. Not only Dolly, but they had also adopted several girls of varying ages from the orphanage. The devastating news of Ellie's passing left them heartbroken. Further investigation, however, raised numerous suspicions. Ellie was a well-liked and lovable girl, gentle and popular. Who would harbor such deep hatred towards a sixteen-year-old girl without any prior grudge? The police initially classified it as robbery-murder, but one thing remained puzzling: Ellie's body indicated she had been bound before being murdered and was powerless to resist. Even if the robbers wanted to silence her, killing her would have sufficed; why would they have set the body on fire? For an ordinary burglar, murder and arson seemed far too cruel and audacious. The couple, still uneasy, secretly hired a detective to investigate the other adopted girls, uncovering an even more shocking truth.

Li Fuli, fourteen years old, suddenly disappeared from the orphanage two months ago. No one knows where she went; her sudden disappearance can only be described in four words: "vanished into thin air."

Twelve-year-old Wen Jiali tragically died in a traffic accident three months ago. The school bus she was riding crashed into the highway guardrail and, after a violent collision, overturned into a deep ravine below. Everyone on board, including the driver, perished, and their bodies have yet to be recovered. The only saving grace was that most of the students had already disembarked that day; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Dolly sensed a growing unease in his stern tone, but she still reasoned logically, "So, it really is unsafe lately. I've heard about head-banging gangs and motorcycle gangs attacking people all over Guangdong. I didn't expect it to be the same here..."

"Do you really think this is just a coincidence?" Baihu stared into her beautiful eyes. "Within three months, the client's three adopted daughters have suffered misfortunes one after another. If it were just a coincidence," a hint of worry flashed in his sapphire blue eyes, "the odds of that are already enough to win the lottery!"

She slowly raised her head, her gaze meeting his wary eyes in the air. "You mean," her throat tightened, unable to speak for a moment, "that someone deliberately..."

He nodded emphatically, looking deeply worried. "This is exactly what the client is worried about... murder..."

Volume 3: The Sheep's Song from Hell Records (Part 4)

Murder? She couldn't help but shudder. She had only ever seen this word in movies and books; when had it condescended to become the Sword of Damocles hanging over her head, so close at hand? Seeing her somewhat dazed, Baihu smiled easily, a confident smile born of years of experience:

"Your coffee's gone cold! Why don't you do what I did and get a cup of yogurt? It's good for girls' skin!"

As he spoke, he took another deep sip, causing the yogurt in his cup to drop by half. Seeing his nonchalant expression, Dolly's previously anxious heart inexplicably relaxed. She smiled and turned to get more yogurt to treat herself—not just yogurt, but also watermelon seeds and hawthorn candy, basically anything that could be a snack. The two of them sat in the warm morning sunlight, cracking sunflower seeds and drinking yogurt, sitting face to face like long-lost old friends, discussing the bloody topic of murder. What a strange person. Dolly was chatting with White Tiger, yet the doubts in her heart not only didn't dissipate, but grew even stronger. The handsome man sitting opposite her was shrouded in a cloud of mist; he was simple yet mysterious, complex yet sometimes revealed a childlike side, so straightforward it was laughable. In Dolly's imagination, a bodyguard as outstanding as him (otherwise, her aunt and uncle wouldn't have hired him) should be well-versed in all the rules and etiquette, possess exceptional skills, be quick-witted, calm, and composed, and have excellent judgment and decision-making abilities—but the man before her, gulping down yogurt and cracking sunflower seeds with the speed of a machine gun, showed absolutely no resemblance to a professional bodyguard. She couldn't help but remind him:

“I’m telling you, White Tiger,” she tapped the table, “shouldn’t you be a little more vigilant?”

"Why?" Baihu raised his head, his chin already submerged in the sea of sunflower seed shells he had just created.

"What if there's poison in this food? Don't even mention protecting me," Dolly said, looking at the yogurt cups on the table with concern. One, two... 500ml cups of fruit yogurt were emptied in an instant. Was this guy just trying to freeload? "You can't even protect yourself!" she snapped.

"No way!" A sunflower seed shell flew out of his mouth in a parabolic arc, tracing a perfect curve as it fell to the ground. "I keep my personal and professional lives very separate! Besides, Dolly, how could you possibly harm me!"

Such firm words, spoken so casually…it was almost cheesy! Dolly's face flushed slightly. "If what you just said is true, what are your plans next?" she asked. "You must have had a plan before you came, right?"

Suddenly, she felt the world become quiet—the person opposite her had stopped moving his mouth. Then he burst into laughter, with a particularly captivating quality.

"In short, the client wants me to protect your safety." He coughed dramatically, then stretched out his strong, powerful hands and waved them in front of Dolly, showing off. "Until the client informs me of the expiration date, during which time I will follow you wherever you go and protect you from anyone."

Hey, saying something like that with such a serious face, doesn't he care if the audience can handle it... It sounds like a confession! All that talk about "following you to the ends of the earth" and "protecting you"—even romance drama lines aren't this blatant these days! With such a handsome guy in front of her, if Dolly hadn't been trying to stay calm, she would have already fainted from a nosebleed. But thinking about it carefully...

That's basically saying nothing at all! This guy!

"Hey! You wouldn't..." Dolly asked tentatively, "haven't thought about anything at all, would you?"

The mask of boastful talk was ripped off, revealing a face utterly embarrassed. The tall, imposing White Tiger slumped down like a deflated balloon. "Actually, I did think about it..." he muttered, "I was completely obsessed with 'mail-in brides'..."

"Oh my god!" Dolly couldn't help but exclaim. This bodyguard was all show and no substance! Uncle, Aunt, were you really serious about hiring him? Having someone like this around to protect us is worse than having no one at all!

"What evidence do you have to prove everything you said?" After calming down, Dolly couldn't help but feel suspicious. Maybe he wasn't a bodyguard at all? That's why he was giving evasive answers. The more she thought about it, the more she regretted letting him in so rashly. What if he was lying? What if he was a burglar? What if, by all accounts, he was the one who wanted to kill her...?

"Evidence? Wait a minute." He rummaged all over his body, finally pulling out a note and holding it under her nose. "Does this count? The client asked me to give it to you."

The letter bore her name, briefly explained why she had hired a bodyguard, and offered a highly complimentary description of White Tiger—almost to the point of sycophancy. It was signed by her uncle. Dolly quickly recalled her uncle's letter; the handwriting was almost identical. It seemed White Tiger hadn't lied, and Dolly's suspicions vanished instantly.

"You really don't seem like a professional!" she finally had to criticize him with a stern face, "Although your uncle speaks very highly of you."

The White Tiger Princess laughed, and beneath that smile lay a regal and domineering aura:

"That's what everyone says."

The cell phone rang suddenly, its monochrome ringtone echoing jarringly in the cramped room. If it weren't for the lack of money, no one would bother using this old-fashioned gray-screen phone. Dolly slammed down the answer button, and the horribly monotonous ringtone finally stopped abruptly.

It was Mihua, a good friend from the shop, someone she's very close to. She called specifically to ask how she was going to celebrate her birthday. That makes sense; it would be such a waste not to go out and have fun after finally getting a day off.

She grabbed two handfuls of sunflower seeds and gave them to Baihu, telling him to stay put and eat them, and that she would be right back—if she really took that dim-witted guy out, he would scare everyone to death! Baihu nodded obediently; it seemed that the sunflower seeds were more effective at keeping him occupied than the mission.

Dolly and Mi Hua sat at a street food stall, each holding an ice cream cone, discussing where to go next. For people with their income, designer clothing stores were only for admiring from afar; buying clothes meant browsing in small shops. As they were talking, Mi Hua suddenly let out a soft gasp.

"Dolly, turn around and look!" she said with a mix of excitement and mystery. "There's a handsome guy watching you from behind!"

Volume Three: The Sheep's Song (Part Five)

"What? Mi Hua always makes a fuss over nothing." Dolly scoffed.

"I'm really not kidding!" Mi Hua became more and more excited as he spoke. "Could it be that you're one of my admirers?"

Dolly had no choice but to slowly turn around. Before she could even get a good look, she was already frozen in place, as if struck by lightning.

The man was sitting casually next to the sculpture in the middle of the street, smiling and waving at her. He was surrounded by some curious girls, some of whom seemed eager to try and strike up a conversation with him.

Throughout history, there must be no bodyguard as stupid as this, right? Dolly was so angry that she almost choked on her ice cream cone. Without waiting for Mi Hua's agreement, she pulled her up and said, "Ignore him, let's go!"

"Who...who is he?" Mi Hua asked hurriedly. "Do you know him?"

"How could I possibly know such an idiot!" Dolly retorted angrily, her temper flaring. "I might catch his stupidity!"

"Ugh... but he's so handsome..." Mi Hua looked back at "that" man with lingering affection, but what she wanted to see was completely obscured by the girls' figures. "His face, his figure, and the way he waved at me, the way he looked so dashing... Ahh!" she exclaimed exaggeratedly, rubbing her head back and forth in a blissful state. "He's even more handsome than a model, no, more handsome than an actor! He's so charming!"

"Hey, hey, White Tiger's waving at me, okay?" Dolly muttered to herself rudely. Besides, so what if he's devastatingly handsome? He's still an empty head, a complete mess. "Unfortunately," she thought, she had to quickly dispel Mi Hua's delusions, otherwise, once he got into a daze, not even ten oxen could drag him away, "he's good for nothing except his looks, and most importantly—" she thought, she needed to use some drastic measures, so she decided to tell a big lie, "He has a problem with his brain. He's congenitally ill."

"Huh?" Mi Hua's eyes widened. "Idiot...or mentally ill?"

"...Hmm, more or less." If she kept making things up, Dolly really didn't know how she would end it, so she pulled Mi Hua back forcefully. "Anyway, it's best to avoid this guy."

"What a pity." Dolly, who had already secretly breathed a sigh of relief, was almost made to vomit blood by Mi Hua's next words. "I was hoping to have some fun with him. If he's mentally challenged, it doesn't matter, since I wouldn't have to take responsibility. But what if he has mental problems..."

"Mihua!" Dolly took a deep breath and shouted her girlfriend's name. Only she knew how much dissatisfaction was contained in that shout. Mihua then apologized to her repeatedly, emphasizing that he was just joking.

"Are you kidding me?" Dolly's expression softened considerably, but she remained unconvinced. Although Mi Hua was only a year and a half older than her, her social and romantic experience far surpassed hers; it was just that Mi Hua's innocent and cute demeanor masked this. Dolly had heard rumors about her before—the men she dated were either handsome or already had girlfriends, and each relationship typically lasted no more than a month. Dolly had also vaguely heard that a colleague's boyfriend had fallen for her, only to be promptly dumped—and that colleague, shortly after, quit her job and avoided her altogether. Dolly, however, felt that Mi Hua's actions were perfectly reasonable; it was all because those girls lacked charm and couldn't keep their boyfriends' hearts. As for Mi Hua herself…

She does enjoy actively pursuing men she fancy, and then, once the passion fades, she ruthlessly dumps her ex and moves on to the next target. She may be a bit willful, but isn't living entirely according to one's own wishes a kind of joy?

Could it be that she's taken a liking to Baihu this time? For some reason, Dolly suddenly felt uneasy. Mi Hua's appearance was quite cute and appealing, but compared to Baihu's beauty, which could make even top models pale in comparison, the difference between the two was obvious, wasn't it? She secretly glanced at the shop window, feeling uneasy as she looked at the reflection of the person inside.

At first glance, she thought she was quite pretty, right? At 1.65 meters tall, while not exceptionally tall, she was considered tall by Chinese standards. She secretly compared herself to Mi Hua and noticed her waistline was significantly higher, all thanks to Mi Hua's long legs. She was slender and well-proportioned, appearing more graceful and elegant than the voluptuous Mi Hua, but…

Mi Hua's breasts, however, were unusually full.

She instinctively covered her chest. Perhaps due to the lack of resources in the orphanage, her breasts had always developed slowly, and she could only hope for future development. She slowly covered her cheeks. The small, oval face in the shop window, the beautifully shaped, slightly mischievous lips, the large, dark eyes as moist as morning dew, and the two delicate, crescent-shaped eyebrows—were they all hers? She sighed softly, seemingly intoxicated by the illusion of her own beauty. However, she suddenly snapped back to reality, feeling ashamed of her beggar-like appearance. The figures of people coming and going reflected in the shop window were all dressed in fine clothes, wearing designer shoes and carrying designer bags, all exuding an air of wealth. She stared at her feet with self-consciousness. Her shoes were made of synthetic leather and cost thirty-five yuan. Her handbag was a gaudy, counterfeit brand that wasn't worth much either. Then she looked at her skirt and top. The workmanship, materials, and style were all terrible. All of her clothes together probably cost less than a single pair of shoes that someone else wore!

She was agitated and ashamed, feeling a burning heat on her face, almost as if it were about to bleed. How could such a poor girl deserve a bodyguard as handsome as Bai Hu? She shouted inwardly, even if he was a bit dim-witted, he could still make it into the entertainment industry with just his looks, so why did he need to stay by her side to protect her? They were from completely different worlds!

I can't even afford to pay for your meal! She squatted down in anguish, her eyes filled with tears.

"Are you feeling unwell?" Mi Hua asked her with concern. "Your face has turned pale since just now."

"It's nothing..." she groaned inwardly. "What can I do? I'm an orphan. No parents, no relatives, just me struggling alone to survive in this world—yes, an orphan! I should have gotten used to this kind of life by now, shouldn't I?"

"I'm fine," she said, forcing a smile to mask her true feelings. "I'm just a little dizzy. Now, where shall we go?"

“Yes, it’s your birthday today!” Mi Hua held up a finger, her smile growing even brighter. “Why not have a big celebration? I know Amei has a social event,” she winked mysteriously, making the decision for Dolly more than asking for her opinion. “Let’s go join in!”

"Have a good time!"

Volume Three: The Sheep's Song (Part Six)

Amei's real name is Hsu Chun-mei, but because she shares the same name as a certain comedic character in Taiwan, everyone calls her by her nickname, Amei, and over time, they've forgotten her real name. She's like the marriage fanatic from the TV series "Pink Lady," obsessed with getting married all day long. Her spare time consists of running around meeting guys, confessing her feelings, and then being rejected—a repetitive, mechanical process. She's not unattractive, just average-looking, but for some reason, no guy ever accepts her; most reject her outright. Occasionally, she meets one or two gentle people, but they politely decline after a short time. It's really pitiful! Dolly couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"Don't go too far!" she whispered to Mi Hua. "Amei has already suffered enough, and you're still joining in the commotion!"

Mi Hua snorted from deep within his nose, a mischievous grin on his face. "Anyway, she's definitely not going to find a boyfriend this time, so I might as well give her a hand!"