Beauty and the Bodyguard Chapter 2 - Scam

“Uh...” Patting his pockets instinctively, the guy with the crewcut glanced back at the man with freckles. “I’m short on cash. Why don’t you just give me thirty thousand? You’ll get the same amount when you go to cash it in.”

“There is no way I have that much!” the freckled man replied, his brow furrowing. “Look at me. Do I look like the kind of person who can just produce thirty thousand?”

“Professor, please, we need some advice. We don't have enough money between us!” The freckled man once again sought help from the professor.

The man let out a sigh. “Hm... How about this? I’ll give each of you thirty thousand, and then I will take the ticket to be cashed in myself.”

The two accomplices shared a brief look—they would still walk away with thirty thousand each. “That works. Let’s do it that way.”

Looking satisfied, the professor reached into his briefcase and began rummaging through it. However, his joyful expression quickly faded. The more frantically he searched his bag, the more distressed he appeared. By the time he looked back up, he was soaked in sweat. “Shit, it turns out I didn't bring enough today—I only have thirty thousand on me! And you guys probably have no idea how to claim the winnings on that ticket... Ahh... This is a real problem.”

“Hah?” The two men blinked in unison. If none of them had the cash, how was the prize supposed to be divided now? Standing up to mask his feigned anxiety, the freckled man asked, “Professor, you’re a man of culture and knowledge... Can’t you come up with another solution...?”

“Ugh... I suppose we could ask someone else.” With those words, the professor shifted his attention to the person sitting nearby—Lin Yi. “My friend, a once-in-a-lifetime chance has appeared! Do you happen to have sixty thousand kuai to give these two gentlemen? You just need to cash the ticket in later, and you’ll walk away with twenty thousand in pure profit! It’s the easiest money you’ll ever make, don’t you think? I would handle it myself, but as you can see... I’m short on funds.”

Lin Yi had been watching the entire performance, finding the acting to be rather subpar. It was obvious to him that these three were just a group of amateur scammers.

Though he had been raised in the mountains, he was far from a fool. Beneath his simple, farmer-like attire was a man who was exceptionally well-read and intelligent. Few people could compete with Lin Yi in that department, let alone a trio of third-rate con artists.

“Me?” Lin Yi asked, putting on a perfectly startled expression. “Is that really okay?”

“Of course it is! This is a rare fortune falling right into your lap, young man!” The professor was secretly thrilled when Lin Yi asked ‘is that okay’ instead of simply saying he was broke. Usually, people who responded like that were the perfect marks.

Just as Lin Yi was about to continue his performance, he felt a sudden kick. Glancing to his right, he noticed a beautiful girl around his own age sitting directly next to him.

Her hair cascaded like a silken river, and her skin was pale and smooth. Although Lin Yi hadn't seen her stand up yet, he estimated her height to be at least 1.65 meters. She possessed an impressive figure as well.

She was the perfect target for a conversation, and Lin Yi had wanted to speak with her since he boarded the train. However, her earphones had acted as a barrier to any small talk.

Yet, this same girl was now staring at Lin Yi with an anxious, worried expression on her lovely face. She seemed desperate to tell him something, even if it might put her in danger.

Lin Yi understood her immediately—she was trying to warn him not to fall for the trap. Even though this had nothing to do with her, the fact that she had the kindness to warn a stranger gave Lin Yi a sense of warmth. Weren’t city people supposed to be cold and indifferent?

Because of this, Lin Yi’s opinion of the girl rose significantly. A beautiful face was one thing, but a cruel heart made everything else worthless. That was the standard Lin Yi lived by.

Noticing the girl’s interference, the man with the crewcut let out a sharp, forced cough. He shot her a threatening glare, causing her to immediately look down, her face turning pale.

Lin Yi, of course, didn't miss this interaction. He had been bored throughout the journey and was still annoyed at Old Man Lin. He wasn't about to pass up an opportunity for a little entertainment.

The girl, however, hadn't given up. While her head remained lowered, her legs continued to kick him. Lin Yi simply acted as though he felt nothing at all.

“But I only have forty-nine thousand here...” Lin Yi said, his face a mask of gullibility and rustic honesty. Coincidentally, that was the exact amount of cash he had in his bag.

The scammers tried to keep their concerned expressions, but their eyes were already shining with greed at Lin Yi’s words. “Forty-nine thousand? That’s a bit low... how should we split that?”

“Let’s see... forty-nine thousand divided by two is twenty-four thousand five hundred...” The crewcut guy began to do the math.

“Twenty-four thousand five hundred, huh? I guess that isn't too bad. I’ll take that amount, what about you?” the freckled man asked his partner after pretending to think it over.

“Fine, if you’re okay with it.” The other man nodded. “Kid, where’s the money?”

Lin Yi opened his rucksack and pulled out a small bundle wrapped in old newspapers. He slowly peeled back the layers of paper before handing over five stacks of currency to the two men.

“There, forty-nine thousand...” Lin Yi said, maintaining his naive persona. “Can I have the tab now?”

This money was his living allowance for the years he would spend on this mission. Lin Yi had always suspected that the Old Man had personally pocketed a massive fortune over the years by skimming off their earnings. For instance, a standard assassination mission in Africa should have paid at least a few hundred thousand, right?

Yet the old man had insisted that this was his entire life savings! He had even kept it hidden away until the very day Lin Yi departed!

Lin Yi wasn't sure what to believe. Was the old man truly broke, or was he just a great actor? It didn't feel like a lie, and the old man's lifestyle was just as humble as Lin Yi’s. Perhaps he really had overestimated the pay for those missions.

“Sure, sure!” The freckled man and the crewcut guy snatched the cash like a pair of famished wolves before handing over the tab.

Lin Yi made a show of holding the tab with extreme care, as if it were a priceless treasure he couldn't afford to lose.

The girl beside him could only let out a resigned sigh—the deed was done. She took one last look at Lin Yi’s beaming, excited face, completely at a loss for words.

With the scam successful, the con artists settled back into their seats, becoming quiet and still. They acted as if they were total strangers to one another.