Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 50

 

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After receiving the news that his son was injured from the group's affiliated hospital, Qi Chenming had someone investigate the cause of Qi Chao's injury.

The surveillance footage in the hall showed that Qi Chao was stabbed by a puppet named the Wolf King. The later footage was maliciously damaged.

Qi Chenming didn't care about what happened afterward. The fact that his son was injured by someone else's puppet at the association's venue was enough for him.

"I've already scheduled a meeting with the president of the association for 3 PM this afternoon. He will bring the owner of that puppet," said the calm assistant, looking at his boss.

Qi Chenming nodded slightly and then entered the hospital room.

The assistant stood outside the door, thinking about his boss, Qi Shao, and the Puppet Master Association. Although he maintained a calm exterior, he was filled with anxiety inside.

The boss appeared aloof towards his sons on the surface, but in reality, he was a doting parent. 

Otherwise, how could he agree to Qi Shao becoming a puppet master? Although he didn't show his emotions on his face, the assistant knew that deep down, the boss was likely furious.

However, the people from the Puppet Master Association were not pushovers. The scene in the afternoon was sure to be unpleasant, so the assistant decided to arrange for additional bodyguards.

On the other side, Qi Chao had just hung up his holographic communicator. Less than a minute later, his father had already arrived.

Qi Chenming took a glance at Qi Chao’s wound and then shifted his gaze from Qi Chao’s face to Shen Yuxi, who was standing nearby.

Shen Yuxi maintained a gentle demeanor and politely stood up, offering a smile to Qi Chenming. He then found a reason to leave the hospital room, allowing the father and son to be alone.

“You and that puppet master have some kind of grudge?” Qi Chenming stood by the bed and, not taking a seat, had a serious expression with deep lines on his face. His voice was heavy and noticeably displeased.

The day before Qi Chao was stabbed, the surveillance footage showed Zhang Ya handing a dagger to the Wolf King. Although the sounds were unclear, it was evident that Zhang Ya had a hand in Qi Chao’s injury.

“We don’t have any grudges. I only spoke with him a few times,” Qi Chao responded, feeling a bit confused after hearing about the surveillance. He bit his lip, “I don’t know why he would want to kill me.”

The use of the dagger to stab his heart clearly aimed to end his life directly.

Qi Chenming’s brow furrowed even more upon hearing this, “What about the puppet called the Wolf King?”

“It’s heart is shattered.”

Hearing this, Qi Chenming’s expression softened slightly, seeming to take some satisfaction in the puppet’s demise. He had never agreed with Qi Chao becoming a puppet master. If it hadn’t been for Qi Chao’s genuine passion for puppets, Qi Chenming would have already insisted on him returning to the company.

Qi Chao lay in bed, observing his father’s worry for him. Feeling a pang of guilt, he bit his lip again and, after a few seconds, whispered, “Sorry, Dad. I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

This injury was an unforeseen accident, and it weighed heavily on Qi Chao that he made his father worry about him.

Qi Chenming lowered his head, looking at Qi Chao. Leaning against the hospital bed, Qi Chao had his lips tightly pressed together. Due to the injury, Qi Chao’s mental state was not good, his eyes showing fatigue and his mood seeming subdued and low, in stark contrast to his earlier vibrant self when he spoke about his love for puppets.

Seeing this change, Qi Chenming felt a pang of sadness. He walked over and gently ruffled Qi Chao’s hair, a gesture he had seen Qi Chao do with the family’s puppets.

Qi Chao’s hair was coarse and a bit prickly. It was the first time Qi Chenming had touched his son’s hair, and seeing Qi Chao’s surprised expression made him nervous. He quickly withdrew his hand and said in a steady voice, “Just be aware of it. Be careful in the future. That Wolf King puppet should have been discarded by someone. You were planning to take it back, right?”

Finding his rhythm again, Qi Chenming admonished, “In the future, avoid picking up such things at home. You never know, they might just be venomous snakes ready to bite you back.”

Though his words were harsh, Qi Chao understood that this was his father’s way of showing concern. The warmth from this awkward family member seemed to lift his previously low spirits. A faint smile curved at his lips, his deep brown eyes reflecting the smile as he whispered, “I understand.”

“Dad, you’re really great.”

Just as good as his previous family.

Qi Chao had initially viewed his family members as a responsibility, not feeling particularly close to them. But now, it felt like the invisible barrier in his heart was slowly melting away.

Qi Chenming had never been praised by his son before, and his face stiffened at the compliment. He cleared his throat and said, “Rest up. I owned this hospital, so you can stay as long as you want. I’ll refund the medical fees your friend paid.”

“Okay.”

Qi Chao couldn’t help but smile at this. Qi Chenming, feeling a bit embarrassed and with things to attend to in the afternoon, quickly left the room, his departure swift as if a wolf were chasing him.

When Shen Yuxi entered, Qi Chao’s mood had improved considerably. He wasn’t as fragile as before; he wasn’t someone who would stay down for long.

“Sorry for making you worry earlier,” Qi Chao said with a smile, his deep brown eyes warm and relaxed.

Shen Yuxi, familiar with the current version of Qi Chao, smiled gently in return, “It’s okay. As long as you’re not upset.”

The hospital room fell into a calm silence, but this time, the atmosphere felt softer and more comforting.

“I would still save it,” Qi Chao said.

Shen Yuxi paused in turning the pages of his book, his gentle, peach blossom eyes gazing at Qi Chao.

Qi Chao leaned against his pillow, smiling at Shen Yuxi with a look of newfound clarity in his deep brown eyes. “If I really encounter injured puppets again, I still want to help them.”

His voice was a bit hoarse but carried a relaxed and mature tone, as if he had grown significantly.

Shen Yuxi noticed a change in him, though he couldn’t quite pinpoint what was different. His peach blossom eyes curved into a crescent moon as he softly replied, “I’m glad to hear that.”

Meanwhile, the three puppets had returned home through the spatial vortex. Moss followed his father's instructions and headed straight for the kitchen, with Li Bai and Lan Luo excitedly trailing behind. They were eager to cook a meal for the two humans in the house.

Unbeknownst to them, Shen Yuxi had merely given them a casual reason to occupy themselves. 

Regardless, Moss, Li Bai, and Lan Luo were all highly interested in the task.

“Big Brother, can you cook?” Lan Luo asked with a bright smile, clearly teasing Moss.

Moss glanced at Lan Luo but chose to ignore him. He placed the plush toys on the living room sofa and put on disposable gloves.

Seeing that his older brother was ignoring him, Lan Luo’s expression darkened. Li Bai, noticing this, handed a pair of gloves to Lan Luo and urged, “Hurry up, Lan Luo. We need to cook for Dad.”

“Okay.”

Lan Luo looked at the enthusiastic Li Bai, and his gloomy mood lifted as he smiled again.

The three puppets didn’t know how to cook, but it wasn’t a challenge for them. Following the instructions, they quickly prepared some congee. However, there seemed to be a problem during the process. The machine malfunctioned unexpectedly, and black smoke quickly filled the kitchen.

The three puppets reacted swiftly, exiting the kitchen with agility. Moss even shut the kitchen door behind them.

“How’s the congee?” Moss asked, looking at Lan Luo and Li Bai.

The two puppets held up their bowls of congee.

“It’s fine,” Lan Luo said.

Li Bai raised his bowl high and said proudly, “Li Bai protected it well!”

Moss saw that there were no problems with the porridge in the two bowls and relaxed a little. He nodded and reopened the space vortex.

When Qi Chao and Shen Yuxi were quietly reading in the hospital room, they saw the space at the door begin to twist, and the three puppets walked out from inside.

Qi Chao looked up and was about to say "Welcome back," but seeing the appearance of the three children, he couldn't help but laugh: “Did the kitchen explode?”

The three puppets were shocked and didn’t understand how Qi Chao knew about that.

Shen Yuxi hadn’t thought that Moss and Lan Luo were particularly foolish, but at this moment, he somewhat agreed with Agu’s assessment.

Qi Chao was amused by the shocked expressions of the three children, laughing so hard that he couldn’t straighten up. His chest muscles hurt from laughing so much, and he couldn’t help but rest his forehead on Shen Yuxi’s shoulder to relieve the pain and laughter.

Although Shen Yuxi didn’t turn his head, he could sense that Qi Chao was gasping for breath due to the pain. 

Shen Yuxi originally didn't find the situation very funny, but seeing Qi Chao laughing despite the pain, Shen Yuxi found himself wanting to laugh as well.

"You three should take a shower after you return this afternoon."

Shen Yuxi said gently.

Moss had a layer of black soot on his white bandages, while Lan Luo and Li Bai, although not as obviously dirty as Moss, were also a bit dirty.

"The porridge is ready," Moss said, pressing his lips together under the bandages, trying to make the two of them overlook the news about the kitchen explosion.

Lan Luo also felt a bit awkward, but only Li Bai, the little fool, eagerly ran to his father and godfather to show off the porridge they had made.

Ignoring the fact that the appliances had broken, the porridge made by the three children was indeed quite good. After Qi Chao calmed down, he generously praised the three children from start to finish.

Shen Yuxi also gently praised them.

Li Bai, who had anticipated the praise, was especially happy and smiled broadly. Lan Luo looked at his master and then at his father, and started smiling as well.

Moss’s lips also curved into a smile beneath the bandages.

"After finishing the porridge, let’s go home," Qi Chao said after taking a bite and finding the porridge indeed to his liking. He praised each of the three children , and after eating most of it, he turned to Shen Yuxi and said.

He was actually a bit concerned about the kitchen at home.

"Okay," Shen Yuxi agreed. Since Qi Chao’s injury was no longer life-threatening, it didn’t matter whether he was treated at home or in the hospital.

Although the space vortex was very convenient, Qi Chao knew that frequent use of such a special ability would quickly deplete the child's energy, in other words, it would easily tire him out.

On the way back from the hospital, Qi Chao didn’t have Moss use his abilities but instead had the life assistant drive them home in a flying vehicle.

Shen Yuxi didn’t mind this small matter. He already knew how much Qi Chao cared about the puppets and had no objections to it.

Moss glanced at Qi Chao discreetly. 

Actually, Moss wasn’t tired, but for some reason, he didn’t tell Qi Chao this.

Although Qi Chao’s wound appeared to be just a scar on the surface, the internal injuries were still quite severe. He felt weak when walking and needed support, as he could easily become exhausted.

Shen Yuxi helped him into the bedroom.

Normally, this would be the life assistant’s job, but since the assistant needed to bring the nutrient solution equipment into the bedroom, the task fell to Shen Yuxi.

Perhaps due to the previous hugs, Shen Yuxi was now quite comfortable with this level of physical contact and didn’t react awkwardly. He helped Qi Chao onto the bed and smiled at him: “Do you need me to help you with the nutrient solution after dinner?”

The life assistant wasn’t available 24/7 and would clock out in the evening. When Qi Chao heard this, he shook his head, "Going up the stairs is a bit difficult. It’s only a few steps to the equipment; I can manage on my own."

Shen Yuxi had only asked to show concern, so he didn’t say much more upon hearing this.

At 10 PM, Qi Chao took off his shirt and struggled to walk into the cardiac care solution. He frowned, feeling sharp pain in his chest.

The doctor and a few puppets had just left the room, and only then did Qi Chao let out a heavy sigh—damn, it hurt.

Qi Chao reclined in the equipment, staring blankly at the ceiling.

【Host, are you okay?】

Seeing this, the system tentatively spoke up.

“Hm?” Qi Chao was surprised to hear the system’s voice. “When did you return?”

Since the start of the competition, the system had actually never left. According to its analysis, the host was very likely to be in serious trouble in the next few days, so after the competition began, the system had stayed on.

Indeed, the host nearly met his end yesterday.

But the cause of death was different from what the system had expected.

【I just came now.】 The system lied with its eyes wide open.

Qi Chao nodded and then chuckled softly, "Alright, welcome back."

Hearing this, the system was momentarily stunned and then felt a bit touched. Its host was really great—both diligent and kind. The system had even prepared a coffin, ready to welcome the host’s corpse. But seeing the host being stabbed yesterday, the system felt particularly distressed.

After all, its host shouldn’t have ended up in this damned world. It was all because those cowardly senior taskers were useless, which led to the system's honest host being tricked into this world.

The more the system thought about it, the sadder it felt. It imagined the tragic future of this world, looked at the scar on the host’s chest, and couldn’t help but hint: 【It seems that the puppets in this world are not as innocent and naïve as you thought.】

On the surface, the system was referring to the Wolf King, but in reality, it wanted to make it clear that while the Wolf King was despicable, the real evil was the demons among the host’s puppets.

Don’t be fooled by their current clumsiness, like how they somehow managed to blow up the pot while making porridge. In future timelines, they could be terrifying beings with blood on their hands.

Li Bai was an exception. The system silently excluded Li Bai, as this puppet was as blind and kind-hearted as the host.

Qi Chao remained silent.

The system continued: 【You are a great puppet master, but just like humans can be good or bad, puppets aren’t always like your Li Bai. They could very well be like the Wolf King, ready to stab you in the back.】

So open your eyes and see the true nature of those puppets! The system thought, fearing that the confidentiality agreement might lock it away in a small dark room. Once it finished speaking and everything seemed normal, it finally relaxed.

"I know."

The system heard the host’s voice, which was soft and sounded more like he was talking to himself than addressing it. Qi Chao, half-reclining in the solution, stared at the ceiling with his deep brown eyes, his voice hoarse and low: “I’ve known from the beginning.”

The system was momentarily stunned.

Puppets deeply influenced by humans could never be pure white from the start, including Li Bai.

“But there’s something you got wrong,” Qi Chao said with a smile, “Puppets are indeed very naïve.”

The system didn’t quite understand what the host meant by saying that puppets were very naïve. It wanted to ask further, but seeing the host clutching his chest and gasping in pain, the system decided not to press the issue.

…

Meanwhile, Shen Yuxi was reading in his room.

When the space vortex suddenly appeared, Moss walked out. Shen Yuxi didn’t turn around but asked calmly, “Did you find out anything?”

“Yes, Father.” Moss’s lips moved slightly beneath the bandages. “The Wolf King said it was his father who directed him.”

Shen Yuxi’s eyelashes fluttered slightly as his fingertips lightly brushed the book’s cover. “What was Zhang Ya’s reaction?”

“Agu said that Zhang Ya admitted to everything in the afternoon. He did it all out of jealousy over Li Bai’s performance in the second round of the competition.”

“Is that so?”

Shen Yuxi lowered his eyelashes. Logically, since the results had been determined, he should no longer need to think about it. But could it really be that Zhang Ya was just brainless?

Shen Yuxi trusted his intuition. He closed the book, lightly rubbed the cover with his fingertips, and said in a cool, calm voice, “I’m going to see Qiao Sheng.”

Qiao Sheng?

Moss’s dark eyes shifted. He didn’t understand why his father wanted to see that person. He was eager to stop his father but calmed down when he saw Shen Yuxi’s indifferent eyes. “Alright, I’ll go bring Agu.”

Shen Yuxi tilted his head, looking somewhat puzzled: “Why do you want to go bring Agu?”

Rather than being puzzled, he was somewhat surprised that Moss would make a request of him.

“I don’t want to make you sad.”

Moss pressed his lips together. Perhaps it was because his father was always so good-tempered at Qi Chao’s home, or maybe he had been influenced by Qi Chao, but this time Moss was particularly willful.

Shen Yuxi looked at him quietly for a few seconds, then said, “Alright, go find Agu.”

Qiao Sheng, also known as Professor Qiao, was 35 years old and had only made two S-level beastman puppets so far.

“Father, do you think this dress looks good on me?” The beastwoman’s fluffy tail swayed back and forth behind her, and her orange beast ears twitched. It was clearly an important question for her.

Professor Qiao, wearing a white lab coat, lay dejectedly on the sofa. He glanced at the dress and then looked away, responding perfunctorily, “It looks good, but if you’re going to wear that dress, you should tuck your tail away. This dress doesn’t have a mechanism for accommodating a tail.”

Upon hearing her father’s words, the beastwoman’s fluffy tail started to spin in circles, clearly pondering whether to tuck it away or not. Despite her sensual and graceful appearance, she was not aloof in front of her father, but just like an ordinary girl acting coquettish.

Before she could decide, the beastwoman’s ears, which had been cheerfully flopping, suddenly stood erect, and her fur puffed up into a ball.

Seeing this, Qiao Sheng yawned, looking somewhat pained. As he glanced at the three figures emerging from the space vortex, he awkwardly said, “What brings you here? My daughter is still picking out clothes, so it’s not convenient to entertain you right now.”

“That’s alright. You can let your daughter do as she pleases. I’m here just to have a chat with you,” Shen Yuxi said, smiling as he sat on the sofa. His blue eyes, however, had a cold glint.

Moss stood behind his father, his dark eyes seeming to be on high alert.

Agu naturally sat down on the sofa, crossing his legs. The blue earrings on his ears sparkled brightly under the light. Hearing this, he smiled and said, “Your have good taste. If the red fox can’t pick out clothes, I can help you.”

The beastwoman retreated to her father’s side like a burst of orange flames, eyeing the three newcomers with a wary expression.

Qiao Sheng patted his daughter’s ruffled fur, then turned dejectedly to Shen Yuxi and said weakly, “What do you want from me?”

Shen Yuxi’s smile remained gentle, but his blue eyes grew colder. He replied softly, “Don’t you know?”

“If you don’t say, how would I know?”

Qiao Sheng looked annoyed. “Just so you know, if it’s about the old man, I don’t want to get involved. I’ve already cut ties with him.”

Shen Yuxi’s smile didn’t waver, but his eyes grew even colder. He said gently, “Since you know you have no ties, why are you still obstructing me?”

“What am I obstructing you from?”

Qiao Sheng raked his tousled hair, seeming genuinely unaware of what Shen Yuxi was talking about. He stroked his chin, which had started to sprout a beard. “I don’t know anything.”

Shen Yuxi watched him silently, not saying a word. His gaze then shifted to the beastwoman beside him. His blue eyes were devoid of any emotion, merely observing, which made the beastwoman’s fur stand on end.

After a moment, Shen Yuxi seemed to have found the answer he was looking for. He curled the corner of his mouth into a faint smile, his voice gentle but sending chills down the spine: “One of my planned pieces nearly died.”

“Oh, really?”

Qiao Sheng wore a look of indifference. But the next moment, Agu, who had appeared behind the beastwoman without anyone noticing, tightly gripped her tail.

“Just so you know, Mr. Qiao” Agu’s smile was identical to Shen Yuxi’s—so warm it was almost loathsome. “If you continue to brush off my father, the beastwoman’s tail won’t be spared.”

Agu’s hand was enveloped in black mist, and when the beastwoman’s orange tail came into contact with it, it seemed to corrode, leaving only bare skin.

The beastwoman, who had always cherished her fur, immediately tried to attack Agu with her sharp claws. However, before she could reach him, her nails suddenly fell off, causing her to scream in pain.

Qiao Sheng was instantly distressed. He hurriedly said, “Alright! I’ll answer obediently, just let go of my precious daughter!”

Agu released her tail upon hearing this.

Qiao Sheng, stroking his precious daughter's fur with concern, then turned to Shen Yuxi and said, “I don’t know anything about your plan, so hurry up and leave.”

“Is that so?”

Shen Yuxi gave a light laugh.

At that moment, the beastwoman, who had been lying in Qiao Sheng’s arms, suddenly charged forward. The next second, another puppet, resembling the beastwoman, leaped down from the stairs. The two puppets, moving in perfect coordination, each charged toward Moss and Agu.

Their speed was incredibly fast, and both Agu and Moss were momentarily held up by the two female beastmen, gradually moving away from the spacious living room.

Meanwhile, Qiao Sheng seemed to have relaxed. “My eldest daughter is back. Apologies, she has a bad temper and didn’t greet you.”

Shen Yuxi smiled and said, “No problem. So, can you explain why you tried to kill my piece?”

Seeing Shen Yuxi’s warm expression, which seemed to convey an unshakable confidence, Qiao Sheng smiled and said, “Do I need a reason to disrupt your disgusting plan?”

“Although killing isn’t very nice, but since he’s part of your plan, he probably wouldn’t survive anyway, right?”

Qiao Sheng’s face showed some dejection, but his eyes were unusually bright. “Whether it’s early or late, death is inevitable. If he’s going to die anyway, it’s better for me to send him on his way.”

Shen Yuxi seemed to understand his logic. He stood up, walked to Qiao Sheng’s side, his golden hair falling over his right shoulder. His face remained as gentle as ever. He said softly, “But I’m quite unhappy.”

Qiao Sheng sensed something and immediately tried to distance himself. But the next moment, a sharp dagger was plunged into his heart.

He heard the man say tenderly, “Even if he must die, it should be by my hand. No one else is allowed to interfere, understand?”

On the other side, Agu seemed to have witnessed something and let out a teasing whistle, feeling a strong interest in the mysterious presence.

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