| PN | Diamond | 37
Li Bai had claimed he wasn't hungry, but in Qi Chao's eyes, Li Bai hadn't eaten anything since he woke up. Even if he’s not hungry, he needs to replenish his energy.
Qi Chao specially crafted advanced energy stones into the shape of a small fox, serving as Li Bai's first lunch on Blue Star.
Li Bai loved beautiful things the most. When he saw the rainbow fox in the plate, his eyes lit up. Even when wearing a mask, Li Bai couldn't hide his excitement. After taking it off, it was even more obvious; just one glance revealed his thoughts.
Qi Chao smiled as he watched Li Bai, then turned to the pair of brothers opposite.
Moss was quietly dining as usual, with his favorite small plush doll placed on his right hand side.
Meanwhile, it seemed Lan Luo had encountered something happy, swinging his legs while sitting in the chair.
Something must have happened.
Thinking this, Qi Chao smiled and asked, "What were you all doing in the living room just now? Just watching cartoons?"
"No!" Li Bai swallowed the energy stone in his mouth and said crisply, "We also watched Brother Moss styling the doll's hair. Li Bai also exchanged masks and headbands with Lan Luo."
Whether out of animal intuition or simply not thinking about it, Li Bai didn't mention Lan Luo's sadness.
After hearing what Li Bai said, Lan Luo smiled sweetly, "Li Bai and I have become good friends." After saying this, he deliberately glanced at Moss.
Li Bai didn't remember becoming friends with Lan Luo, but hearing him say so, he thought about it and felt there was no problem, nodding heavily.
Qi Chao teased a few words, and the two children immediately started chatting endlessly. With the addition of a new member, this meal became much livelier, with constant laughter at the dinner table.
Sitting beside them, Shen Yuxi glanced at Qi Chao. It seemed that he really enjoyed chatting with the puppets. No matter what topic the puppets brought up, he responded tactfully, even initiating topics to attract them to join in. Even Moss, who usually didn't talk much, would sometimes speak up under his guidance.
He really liked puppets.
Shen Yuxi thought to himself, lowered his eyelashes, and only raised his head gently with a smile when he heard the man next to him call his name, following up with a few sentences on their previous topic.
In the afternoon, Qi Chao brought out instruments from the basement to conduct a specific level test for Li Bai. Based on Li Bai's external behavior, his level would not be lower than A, but to determine the most accurate numerical level, instruments were needed for testing.
Doctor and Lan Luo, Moss stood beside the instrument, looking at Li Bai lying on the bed.
Despite having spent several hours together, Li Bai still felt a bit shy with so many people around him, covering his eyes with the mask he had already taken back.
Seeing this, Qi Chao chuckled lightly, walked over, and rubbed his head, "Don't be nervous. Your godfather and the others care a lot about you. After dad finishes the check-up, you can get up."
Li Bai is naturally shy but easy to comfort. Soon, under his father's reassurance, he lowered his hands and gave his father a silly smile.
"Good!"
Li Bai didn't know what the puppet's level meant, but he could feel that his father wanted him to be strong.
Dad hoped Li Bai would be strong, so Li Bai must be strong. He quietly touched the rubber patch on his chest and firmly thought to himself that he must do his best later and not disappoint his dad.
Seeing Qi Chao walk from the bedside to the display screen, Shen Yuxi glanced thoughtfully at Li Bai on the bed, then walked over to Qi Chao's side.
The display screen was about two meters away from the bed, showing a perspective view of Li Bai's body. He watched Qi Chao activate the instrument, his eyelashes covering his expression.
In Shen Yuxi's plan, the puppet's level for the competition didn't necessarily have to be high; as long as it was obedient enough, he would make it to the champion's position.
Of course, if the puppet's level was high, that would be even better, as it would save him a lot of trouble.
The numbers on the display screen kept changing, finally stopping at 9704/S. A number above nine thousand meant S-level, and 9704 was considered a very high standard even among S-level puppets.
With the puppet master’s abundant spiritual power, it wasn't surprising for the puppet to have this level. Shen Yuxi had anticipated this, but he intentionally showed a hint of surprise in his eyes and looked gently at Qi Chao, saying, "Li Bai is S-level, that's wonderful."
Compared to Shen Yuxi, Qi Chao's happiness was more straightforward. He didn't mind the puppet's level and wouldn't change his attitude towards his cub based on its level. However, in order to achieve good results in the Puppet Master competition, a high-level puppet would have an advantage.
Qi Chao thanked Shen Yuxi and then turned off the instrument, lifting Li Bai from the bed.
Only when his feet touched the ground did Li Bai realize the test was over. He looked up at the smiles on his father and godfather's faces, thinking to himself that he hadn't disappointed them.
He tugged at Qi Chao's sleeve and looked up, asking, "Dad, are S-level puppets really amazing?"
Qi Chao rubbed his head, his deep brown eyes filled with tender affection. "Yes, they are. Li Bai is especially amazing."
Li Bai was satisfied.
He had said he was super strong.
So far, Li Bai only had a vague understanding of what being powerful meant, but he knew that only by being strong enough could he protect his dad.
Moss and Lan Luo stood nearby and seemed to see a white fox wagging its tail.
Their father had never created dolls below S-level. They took pride in being created by their father, but to them, being S-level was not particularly worthy of praise. Their father had never praised them for it either.
Qi Chao and Li Bai's excitement was something they couldn't quite relate to.
"Lan Luo and Moss are both S-level. Li Bai, you should learn from your older brothers Moss and Lan Luo, okay?" Qi Chao said, patting Li Bai's head.
Lan Luo, who was mentioned suddenly, seemed to snap out of a trance and instinctively smiled. Moss, on the other hand, remained his usual calm self, showing no reaction.
Qi Chao always felt there was something odd about them, but couldn't quite pinpoint it. After the little children went to watch cartoons in the living room, Qi Chao quietly approached the Doctor and asked if he knew why Lan Luo and Moss were acting strangely.
Shen Yuxi seemed to know something. He was silent for a few seconds, then smiled at Qi Chao and said, "You don't need to worry about this. I'll handle it."
Hearing the Doctor say this, Qi Chao guessed that the odd behavior of the two brothers was somehow related to the Doctor. Trusting the Doctor, Qi Chao didn't press further.
S-level dolls often possess special abilities that instruments cannot detect. To determine if Li Bai had any special abilities, one would need to observe him closely in daily life, or Li Bai himself might become aware of them.
Once Qi Chao knew Li Bai's level, he immediately updated his information on the official registration website and took the opportunity to inform his fans on social media, attempting to garner support.
Initially, Qi Chao expected it would take several hours for fans to notice the news after he posted it. However, as soon as he sent out the message, notifications on the social media platform started chiming.
Rainy Frog: [What? S-level?! Is this for real? Did you really create an S-level puppet?]
Cotton Candy: [Damn! S-level puppet! This is my first time witnessing the birth of an S-level puppet. Our big-shot anchor is amazing! Show me, show me!!!]
Forget-Me-Not: [Ahhh, S-level! S-level! Show us the photos of the puppet immediately!]
Yo-Ho: [I checked the Association Competition website, couldn't find any S-level puppet photos, sob.]
Thousands of puppet masters on Blue Star might not even produce one S-level puppet. In such scarcity, it was nearly impossible for ordinary people to see a real S-level puppet.
Perhaps because Qi Chao had seen puppets like Lan Luo, Moss, and Double Mirror, all of whom were S-level, he understood that S-level puppets were rare. However, subconsciously, he didn't truly grasp how precious S-level puppets were in the eyes of Blue Star residents.
As Qi Chao looked at these comments, he pondered for a moment, then uploaded the photos he had taken earlier to the social media platform.
In the photo, the doll wearing a white fox mask was striking a victory pose towards the camera.
His amber-like eyes sparkled, and his infectious smile, complete with little fangs visible at the corners of his mouth, instantly lifted the mood. Even through the photo, his presence seemed to brighten everyone's day.
The lively comment section suddenly quieted down. Blue Star was never short of beautiful puppets; exquisite and beautiful puppets were basic for puppet masters. However, the puppet's smile in the photo almost effortlessly captivated everyone's attention.
It's like he was born without knowing the taste of sorrow, growing up bathed in happiness and love like a child. Yes, a child. The people in the comment section felt their descriptions might be a bit exaggerated.
They loved puppets but never considered them on par with humans. The puppets available for purchase were typically rigid and mechanical. Even if they were exceptionally beautiful, no one would usually compare them to humans.
But looking at this photo, almost unanimously, the people in the comment section associated this puppet with a human child. Is this the charm of an S-level puppet?! It's terrifying how captivating it is.
Qi Chao, seeing no replies, thought there might be a bug on the social media platform. He refreshed the page, and the next moment, comments flooded in like waves, rainbow-colored compliments one after another.
Umbrella Hands: [Waa, the baby is so beautiful! I really want the baby to call me mom. I'll definitely vote for you in the competition.]
Whining: [Is this the charm of an S-level puppet? No wonder those big shots are fighting for S-levels. Waa, it's so beautiful!]
...
Qi Chao scrolled through a few, knowing any father would be happy to hear praise for their child.
Qi Chao was no exception. Although his own little one was exceptionally talented, some of the comments were a bit too exaggerated. Thinking this, he replied to a few comments and then closed his laptop, heading back to the kitchen.
Tomorrow, Doctor and Moss will be leaving. Qi Chao wanted to make some snacks for them to enjoy on the journey.
Doctor didn't like sweet treats much, so Qi Chao planned to make some mildly sweet cookies and savory biscuits.
As for Moss, Qi Chao planned to prepare some energy stone lollipops for him, so he could enjoy them while he worked on braiding the doll’s hair.
After putting the biscuits in the oven, Qi Chao found Lan Luo privately to confirm if he knew about Father and Big Brother leaving tomorrow.
At that moment, Lan Luo was watching cartoons with Li Bai. Upon hearing Qi Chao's question, he looked up with a smile, his voice cheerful, "Yes, I know! But Father said he and Big Brother will be back in two weeks!"
"Okay."
Qi Chao looked at Lan Luo's bright smile and couldn't help but feel that the smile seemed somewhat forced. He rubbed Lan Luo's head gently and whispered, "Don't be upset, Lan Luo."
Feeling the warmth on his head, Lan Luo's smile softened slightly. He wasn't upset because he knew he couldn't leave with Father.
But upon hearing Qi Chao's words, he felt a bit aggrieved. Lan Luo gripped Qi Chao's clothes and couldn't help but think, if the plan accidentally failed, could he ask Father to take his master back?
The next day, Qi Chao piloted the aircraft with Shen Yuxi and Moss to the spaceship docking point.
"Brother Shen, you can open this small bag on the spaceship." Qi Chao handed two bags to the doctor, specifically pointing to the green paper bag among them.
Shen Yuxi raised an eyebrow, seeming curious. He lowered his head and looked at it, then said gently to Qi Chao, "Alright."
Seeing the doctor agree, Qi Chao smiled and then said to Moss, "I bought a small comb for you, it's in the green bag."
A comb?
Moss had a comb for styling the puppet's hair, but it wasn't very good. Upon hearing Qi Chao's words, his dark eyes instantly brightened.
After boarding the spaceship, Moss followed behind his father hesitantly. Once seated, he occasionally glanced back at his father, showing signs of restlessness.
Shen Yuxi leaned back in his soft chair. After a while, he took out the green bag, took out the comb inside, and handed it to Moss.
Seeing Moss instantly relax his shoulders, Shen Yuxi's eyelashes drooped slightly, hiding the fleeting smile in his eyes.
Qi Chao understood Moss very well.
Shen Yuxi's lips curled slightly. He didn't think this matter would have any impact on him. On the contrary, it made Moss more interesting.
Thinking this, Shen Yuxi planned to toss the green bag aside when he suddenly noticed there was another box inside.
What could this be?
He stared at the box, his brow furrowing slightly. After a few seconds, Shen Yuxi exerted a gentle force and opened the box.
The next moment, a diamond much larger than a pigeon egg appeared before him. The diamond was sparkling, and one could imagine how dazzling it would be under the light.
Shen Yuxi paused for a moment, his blue eyes narrowing slightly. Why would they send him a diamond?
Perhaps he shouldn't ask that. Shen Yuxi held the diamond in his hand, turning it over thoughtfully. He should ask why Qi Chao knew he liked these things.
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