Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 86

 

| PN | Take the Initiative | 86

The cold wind of an autumn evening was piercing, and at this time, few people would venture outside. Qi Chao parked his aircraft in an abandoned park, where the dilapidated streetlights flickered on and off, and after a few moments, went out completely.

He leaned back in the driver's seat, somewhat lost in thought, his mind continuously replaying the events that had occurred from yesterday until now.

Originally, Qi Chao planned to pretend that nothing had happened last night and just let things take their course. 

But in reality, he found that he had underestimated the situation. Setting aside everything else, after what happened yesterday, he realized he was noticeably more focused on Brother Shen. 

This focus also represented how much Qi Chao cared about him.

Shen Yuxi was the first friend Qi Chao had made since coming to this world, and it was impossible for him not to care. Thinking it over carefully, Qi Chao found that although he felt a bit awkward about Brother Shen liking him, he didn’t actually dislike it.

Qi Chao ruffled his hair, realizing that his earlier internal struggle had been pointless. He didn’t dislike Brother Shen; in fact, he even had some affection for him. 

Since that was the case, there was nothing wrong with the two of them giving it a try.

Indeed, it's because he has never been in a relationship that he's been so indecisive. After all, he's almost thirty; it's better to be straightforward about such things.

Brother Shen isn't a monstrous figure; on the contrary, he's gentle, considerate, handsome, and tall. Thinking this, Qi Chao felt that the aircraft cabin was getting a bit warm. 

He opened the window, letting the cool breeze in, which gradually lowered the temperature on his face and cleared his mind.

In the end, all of this was just his own thinking. Before taking any further steps, Qi Chao needed to confirm how Shen Yuxi felt about him. 

It was possible that all his assumptions were just a misunderstanding. His deep brown eyes glanced through the window at the desolate park, contemplating the likelihood of this situation.

A few seconds later, Qi Chao decisively pressed the start button. If it was indeed a misunderstanding, that would be fine too—they would just remain friends. 

He licked his dry lips, looked down at the aircraft's screen, and gradually relaxed.

Back at the villa, Shen Yuxi sat alone on the sofa, watching an animated projection, his gaze growing increasingly cold.

It was now eleven at night, four hours since Qi Chao had taken San Yue home. Normally, a round trip would only take twenty minutes, more than enough time to come back home.

What could have delayed him for four hours, making it impossible even to reply to a message? 

Shen Yuxi's fingers fidgeted with the light-brain wristband, his eyes unconsciously revealing a hint of anxiety.

Shen Yuxi was someone who lacked a sense of security. He liked to keep his belongings close, only then could he be sure he wouldn't lose them. 

This was especially true for things that were about to be his but weren't quite his yet; such situations only amplified the darkness hidden in Shen Yuxi's heart.

Qi Chao really had a significant influence on him.

Shen Yuxi’s eyelashes lowered slightly, his gaze growing darker. He despised emotions that were beyond his control, but letting go was simply not an option now.

If that was the case, he might as well lock Qi Chao away, in a place where no one could find him. 

That way, Qi Chao would never leave, and he wouldn’t have to exhaust himself trying to prevent it.

Time ticked by, and the cheerful noise of the animated characters echoed through the villa, making the silence in the living room feel even more eerie. 

Shen Yuxi kept his head down, calmly staring at the now-black screen of his light-brain. His fine golden hair floated slightly in the air. To someone unaware of the situation, this blond man might appear a bit downcast. 

When Qi Chao returned, this was the scene that greeted him.

Instinctively, Qi Chao reached into his pocket and pulled out his light-brain. The screen lit up, revealing several unread messages, all from Shen Yuxi.

Only then did he remember that a few hours ago, the barrage of notifications from social media had become so overwhelming that he muted his device. 

At the time, Qi Chao had been preoccupied with thoughts about his relationship with Brother Shen and found the constant pinging annoying. As a result, he missed all of Brother Shen’s messages.

What a mess.

Qi Chao's hand trembled slightly as he held the light-brain. When Shen Yuxi looked over at him, Qi Chao immediately stood up straight, speaking sincerely, “Brother Shen, I had my light-brain on silent. I wasn’t deliberately ignoring your messages.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Qi Chao realized that his words didn’t quite sound right. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like a flimsy excuse.

Shen Yuxi’s peach-blossom eyes curved into a gentle arc as he tilted his head slightly, letting his golden hair fall onto his shoulder. 

The corners of his lips lifted in a faint smile, and his blue eyes, as calm and forgiving as the sea, seemed to convey that he would believe whatever Qi Chao said. “I see. I was just worried something might have happened to you since you weren’t responding.”

Shen Yuxi's voice was like a gentle spring breeze—unhurried, with a touch of relaxed humor. 

When it reached Qi Chao's ears, it tickled him in a strange way. He raised a hand to rub his ear, then walked over and sat down next to Shen Yuxi, intending to probe his thoughts.

“Brother Shen, staying up so late—were you waiting for me to come back?” Qi Chao pondered many things to say, but this was what came out in the end.

“Mm.” Shen Yuxi nodded lightly, not denying it. 

The smile on his lips remained, soft and gentle, but if you looked closely, you’d notice his fingers still fiddling with the wristband of his light-brain, trying to calm himself down. 

His thin lips parted slightly as he asked, “You came back so late—did something happen?”

As he spoke, Shen Yuxi’s gaze fixed on Qi Chao’s face, as if trying to discern the truth in his words.

“Nothing much, just ended up chatting a bit longer with Qi Feng, Qi Ye, and Tu Zhuang,” Qi Chao replied, choosing not to tell Shen Yuxi the full truth. 

After all, he wasn’t sure how Brother Shen felt about him. If he revealed too much and it turned out to be just a misunderstanding, it would be awkward for both of them.

Shen Yuxi’s blue eyes narrowed slightly, sensing that something was being hidden from him.

Qi Chao was lying to him.

Shen Yuxi’s eyelashes fluttered as he paused in his fiddling with the wristband, then slowly clenched his fist a moment later.

Qi Chao had gone to take San Yue home earlier, but something must have happened at the villa or on the way back to make Qi Chao feel the need to hide the truth from him. 

This unknown secrecy gnawed at Shen Yuxi’s rationality, gradually giving way to anxiety and frustration building up inside him.

“What did you talk about?” Shen Yuxi asked, his blue eyes curving as if the question was just a casual one.

“Nothing much, just about their studies,” Qi Chao replied offhandedly.

Just talking about studies for four hours?

Shen Yuxi's smile widened, his eyelashes lowering to hide the darkness in his eyes.

He had disguised himself as gentle and kind, using methods he had never employed before, all in an attempt to make Qi Chao his. But it wasn’t so that Qi Chao could hide things from him or lie to him.

Shen Yuxi could sense that Qi Chao cared about him, but the pace of their relationship was too slow—so slow that he was finding it harder and harder to suppress the urge to lock Qi Chao in his basement. 

He exhaled slowly, trying to calm himself down, but the anger from being deceived continued to burn through his reason, making it almost impossible to maintain his usual gentle facade.

He knew that he couldn’t afford to lose his temper now, not when Qi Chao didn’t yet belong to him.

Didn’t belong to him?

Shen Yuxi’s fingers paused. He looked up at Qi Chao, suddenly realizing how foolish he had been. 

Since he had already made one move, what harm was there in making another? 

As long as he could make Qi Chao his, the fleeting darkness in Shen Yuxi’s eyes revealed his determination. 

Once Qi Chao belonged to him, even if Qi Chao tried to betray him, Shen Yuxi would have every reason to keep him by his side permanently.

In a soft voice, Shen Yuxi asked, “So you were discussing studies with them? Then why do I feel like you’re lying to me?”

Qi Chao hesitated, feeling an inexplicable sense of guilt. Just as he was about to say something, Shen Yuxi suddenly grabbed him and pushed him down. 

Before Qi Chao could react, Shen Yuxi had already straddled his waist.

“Are you feeling guilty?” 

Shen Yuxi tightly gripped both of Qi Chao's hands, pinning them against the armrest of the sofa above his head, his body slightly arched as he leaned over. His blue eyes were locked onto Qi Chao's, unwavering.

"I can explain," Qi Chao stammered, feeling cornered.

The soft strands of Shen Yuxi's golden hair hung down, the tips brushing against Qi Chao's cheek. 

They were so close that their eyes met directly, and Qi Chao could almost feel Shen Yuxi's warm breath on his skin. 

Then he heard Shen Yuxi’s gentle voice: “You know that I like you, right?”

When Shen Yuxi pushed him down, Qi Chao knew things had escalated. He wasn’t sure what had tipped Shen Yuxi off, but he couldn’t deny that he had lied. 

Hearing Shen Yuxi confess his feelings so directly, Qi Chao’s pupils dilated slightly in surprise. 

He wasn’t sure what Brother Shen meant by saying this now. After licking his dry lips, he managed a quiet "Mm" a few seconds later.

Shen Yuxi lowered his head slightly, his blue eyes under long lashes revealing a mix of unreadable emotions, tinged with a hint of sadness. 

His lips trembled as he spoke, “Since you know I like you, then please don’t lie to me, okay?”

Shen Yuxi had always appeared mature and composed in front of Qi Chao, but now he seemed fragile. His trembling voice and the misty haze in his peach blossom eyes made Qi Chao's heart skip a beat.

Feeling the tremor in the hands holding his wrists, Qi Chao couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.

His voice, deep and tinged with urgency, came out, "I didn’t mean to lie to you. I just didn’t want you to worry. I didn’t come home because I was sitting in the aircraft, thinking things over.”

Shen Yuxi’s blue eyes bore into Qi Chao's, as if trying to determine whether he was telling the truth. 

After a few seconds, Shen Yuxi tilted his head slightly, causing his golden hair to brush against Qi Chao's cheek again.

“Really?” 

"Mm, I didn't lie to you," Qi Chao responded, his arm involuntarily twitching with the urge to scratch his face. 

Though Shen Yuxi was pinning his hands, the pressure wasn’t strong. If Qi Chao wanted, he could easily push Shen Yuxi off, but given the situation, he had no intention of doing so.

Qi Chao looked up at Shen Yuxi, their eyes meeting for a moment. After a brief hesitation, he asked, "When you say you like me, Brother Shen, what kind of 'like' do you mean?"

Shen Yuxi’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. Qi Chao asking this question meant that he had achieved what he intended. 

He released his grip on Qi Chao’s wrists, his cool fingertips gently brushing over Qi Chao’s brow, tracing a path down to his lips. 

Gazing into Qi Chao’s eyes, Shen Yuxi softly asked, "What do you think?"

As he spoke those words, his voice trembled slightly at the end. Qi Chao could feel Shen Yuxi’s touch and hear his voice, and it seemed as if he could hear his own heart pounding in his ears. 

Locking eyes with Shen Yuxi for a few seconds, Qi Chao then reached up to the back of Shen Yuxi’s head and gently ruffled his golden hair.

"I think it’s that kind of 'like'," Qi Chao replied.

Shen Yuxi’s body stiffened momentarily at the touch, but once he realized who was touching him, he relaxed and allowed himself to sink into the sensation. 

He slowly lay down, resting his forehead on the crook of Qi Chao's neck, where he could clearly feel Qi Chao's strong heartbeat and warm breath.

Neither of them spoke, but the words exchanged and their current closeness signaled a shift in their relationship. 

Shen Yuxi knew that from this moment on, Qi Chao belonged to him. He lowered his eyelashes, clutching Qi Chao’s collar tightly like a child holding onto a cherished possession, his fingers turning slightly white from the force.

He thought to himself, now that Qi Chao belonged to him, he could never escape—not in this lifetime.

Qi Chao slowly stroked Shen Yuxi's hair, feeling as if everything from the moment he entered the house until now was like a dream. 

When he heard the soft, shallow breathing of the man resting on him, Qi Chao paused, realizing that at some point, Shen Yuxi had fallen asleep against him.

It seemed Shen Yuxi was exhausted, having fallen asleep just minutes after lying down, despite being so full of energy earlier when he was questioning him. With this thought, a gentle smile touched Qi Chao's deep brown eyes.

He carefully shifted Shen Yuxi off him, noticing that Shen Yuxi had been holding tightly to his collar the entire time. Qi Chao paused, gently prying Shen Yuxi's fingers free before carefully carrying him to the bed.

Before leaving, Qi Chao gazed at Shen Yuxi’s peaceful sleeping face, momentarily lost in thought. 

He realized how much Shen Yuxi cared about his honesty and secrecy. Ruffling his hair in contemplation, Qi Chao decided that he would have a proper conversation with Shen Yuxi about it the next day. 

With that, he quietly left the room.

The next morning, when Shen Yuxi opened his eyes, he felt a bit disoriented. After a few seconds, his fingers paused as he seemed to recall something. His blue eyes narrowed slightly in surprise that he had fallen asleep on Qi Chao like that.

Did he trust that man so much?

Shen Yuxi pressed his lips together, but now that Qi Chao belonged to him, the thought didn’t disturb him as much as he thought it would. 

In fact, knowing that Qi Chao was his seemed to bring him a certain calm, even after realizing what had happened.

As Shen Yuxi descended the stairs, he faintly heard noises coming from the kitchen. His peach blossom eyes curved into a subtle smile—perhaps it was because he now had something new that belonged to him, filling him with a strange sense of satisfaction.

Just as he was about to enter the kitchen to meet Qi Chao, the doorbell of the villa suddenly rang. Shen Yuxi paused, changing direction towards the entryway. 

When he saw the projection screen at the door showing two unfamiliar men standing there, his previously gentle expression turned much colder.

His gaze fixed on the emblem on the sleeves of the two men—it was something only staff from the association would wear. 

Shen Yuxi’s thoughts turned dark; did these people enjoy trying to take things from him?

“Who’s at the door?” Qi Chao asked, emerging from the kitchen and noticing Shen Yuxi standing still by the entrance. He looked puzzled as he called out.

“Nothing important,” Shen Yuxi replied, his expression softening into a more gentle one. His eyes, warm with affection, held a hint of tenderness as he said softly, “I just find the behavior of the two people outside a bit odd.”

Odd? 

Qi Chao glanced over, and perhaps influenced by Shen Yuxi’s initial impression, he indeed thought the two men outside looked rather suspicious—shifty-eyed and not at all like trustworthy individuals.

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