Can I have a hug

"Alice, how old are you?"

"Eleven."

"You're so adorable! Are you mixed-race?"

"Yeah..."

"Can I hug you?"

"No!"

During breakfast, Tang Keke's infatuated behavior was quite unusual—like someone who had just encountered a tiny kitten barely a month old, practically wanting to stuff Alice into her mouth.

After all, even Keke hadn’t expected that the cute dancing girl she’d recently seen on a short video app was actually someone Ye Shuang knew!

Faced with Tang Keke’s overwhelming enthusiasm, Alice’s lips twitched slightly before she scooted closer to Ye Shuang.

"Keke, you’re scaring Alice," Ye Shuang chimed in. "Finish your breakfast first."

"Okay." Tang Keke scratched her head and toned it down a little.

Bai Yuyou remained quiet, eating her meal while observing everything with small, deliberate bites.

"Ding—"

Just then, the doorbell suddenly rang.

Ye Shuang glanced toward the entrance. "Who could that be at this hour? A delivery?"

"I’ll get it, Brother." Tang Keke stood up, having already finished eating—but as soon as the door unlocked, a shriek followed. "Ah?!"

Ye Shuang froze, turning to see a massive black beast standing before Tang Keke—no, more accurately, a towering man who stood well over seven feet tall.

Dressed in a black suit, his bulging muscles strained against the fabric, making him look like a human skyscraper.

"Who are you looking for?!" Ye Shuang quickly stepped forward, pulling Tang Keke behind him. The man’s sunglasses and imposing presence gave off the aura of a Tyrant from Resident Evil.

Had he wandered off a movie set?

The room fell silent for a moment before Alice’s voice piped up from the dining table, "Bobo, don’t scare them."

At that, the "giant" slowly removed his sunglasses and hat, revealing deep coffee-colored skin, strikingly white teeth, and a prominent scar over one eyebrow. In fluent speech, he introduced himself, "Mr. Ye, hello. I am Alice’s bodyguard, Bobo."

Alice hopped down from her chair and trotted to the door. Standing beside Bobo, she barely reached his waist.

"Bodyguard?" Ye Shuang relaxed slightly but couldn’t help tilting his head back to take in the man’s sheer size. "Isn’t this a bit… excessive?"

Those muscles—was he the Hulk? Even in a suit, the sheer intimidation factor was undeniable.

"Bobo has been my bodyguard since I was one year old," Alice explained before glaring at him. "And how did you even find me here?"

"Protecting you is my duty, Young Miss," Bobo replied.

Alice crossed her arms and huffed, "Fine, whatever."

"If you’re acquainted, come on in," Ye Shuang offered with a smile.

Bobo’s frame was so massive that he had to duck slightly to pass through the doorway.

"Um… Mr. Bobo, I don’t think I have slippers your size," Ye Shuang admitted, eyeing the man’s feet—probably size 15 or larger, a size impossible to find even online. He was about to tell him not to bother removing his shoes when Bobo reached into his inner jacket pocket and pulled out a pair of white shoe covers.

"No need to worry, Mr. Ye. I always come prepared."

With that, he slipped the covers onto his shoes.

"Don’t mind Bobo. He never forgets these details. Let’s just keep eating," Alice said, returning to the table.

Ye Shuang extended another invitation, "Would you like to join us for breakfast?"

"No need, Mr. Ye. You may ignore me entirely," Bobo replied.

"Uh…"

"Bobo’s like a block of wood. Just pretend he’s not here," Alice added.

Since Alice had said so, Ye Shuang didn’t press further.

The group resumed their meal while Bobo took a seat on the sofa. At that moment, Yi Wan trotted over, completely unfazed, and began rubbing against Bobo’s legs. "Meow."

Bobo extended a hand large enough to crush the cat in one squeeze—yet his touch was gentle as he stroked Yi Wan’s head.

It was a scene reminiscent of the Hulk tenderly caring for a flower.

"Adorable little cat. I believe you’ll enjoy this," Bobo said, pulling a cat treat from his suit pocket.

"Meow!" Yi Wan’s eyes lit up.

…

"Who carries cat treats around with them?" Tang Keke muttered from her seat, fascinated by the spectacle.

"Seems like a gentle soul," Ye Shuang remarked with a chuckle.

After breakfast, Tang Keke and Bai Yuyou left for school while Ye Shuang settled down to work on his novel—though the presence of Alice and Bobo nearby made typing feel oddly unsettling, as if he were being watched.

"Mr. Bobo, did you arrive this morning?" Ye Shuang asked, turning slightly.

"Please, just call me Bobo. I followed Young Miss Alice here yesterday afternoon," Bobo replied.

"Then just call me Ye Shuang, Bobo."

"Understood."

Alice blinked. "You followed me yesterday?! How did I not notice?"

"Mastering stealth is a fundamental skill for a bodyguard."

"Ugh, but I snuck out secretly..."

"Young Miss, your elegant wall-climbing was fully captured by the security cameras," Bobo said, pulling out his phone to show footage of Alice scaling a fence.

The video clearly displayed her tiny legs flailing mid-air under her skirt, followed by her struggling to squeeze through the bars.

Ye Shuang: "..."

"DELETE THAT!!!!" Alice shrieked.

"Done," Bobo said, promptly erasing the video without hesitation.

"Delete the one from the house cameras too!"

"Apologies, Young Miss. I don’t have the authority for that."

"Then what’s the point of deleting the one on your phone?!"

"I hoped it might ease your distress somewhat."

"It does NOT!" Alice fumed before plopping back into her seat with a pout. "So they already know I’m here?"

Ye Shuang smiled. "Why not just go back, then?"

"No way…" Alice grumbled before eyeing his laptop.

"Take me to school instead."