Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 103

 

| PN | In the Past | 103

Agu is a puppet with a strong inner self.

When Xiang Yue suddenly kicked him to the ground, the tears in his eyes were real, but he never allowed his true emotions to be exposed for long. 

Agu knew very well that no one would feel sorry for him just because of his tears.

After Xiang Yue lifted his foot off Agu's chest, Agu immediately started throwing a tantrum, rolling on the ground and clinging to Xiang Yue's leg, demanding an apology and begging to be let out.

"Agu will just go listen for a little bit, and I'll come right back, just for a little while," Agu said with a playful grin, as if the tearful look from before had been an act, making one’s hands itch just from seeing him.

The wings behind Xiang Yue trembled slightly, then transformed into tiny fragments of light that disappeared into the darkness. He quietly watched Agu, as if trying to gauge his true emotions. 

However, whatever Agu felt had nothing to do with him.

“You’re not allowed to go.”

Xiang Yue paused for a moment and said, "Dad is discussing with Godfather."

Agu’s smile faded considerably, and his expression showed a hint of displeasure. "If Xiang Yue keeps acting like this, Agu won’t like you anymore."

Agu had once liked Xiang Yue a lot because Xiang Yue was the first puppet to ever praise him. 

But now, he was starting to get angry.

Xiang Yue glanced at him but remained silent. Whether Agu liked him or not was of no importance to Xiang Yue.

In the end, if it weren’t for the fact that Agu now called Qi Chao "Dad" just like him, Xiang Yue would have done much more than simply stop him from getting off the balcony.

The atmosphere began to grow tense.

In contrast, the mood in the garden was much more relaxed. Qi Chao and Shen Yuxi rarely had moments alone together. 

Ever since the number of puppets in the house had increased, the only time they could be alone was after the puppets had gone to sleep.

A gentle breeze passed through, carrying away the restlessness that had followed after drinking. Qi Chao glanced at the red moon in the night sky, then turned his gaze to Shen Yuxi beside him and reached out to hold his left hand.

Shen Yuxi lowered his head, glancing briefly at their intertwined hands. A smile had barely begun to form on his lips when Qi Chao asked, "Do you still have work to do tomorrow?"

"Yes, I haven’t finished drawing the drafts for the puppet yet."

Shen Yuxi turned his head to look at Qi Chao. 

After tonight’s red moon, there would be changes near the Mother Tree. If things went smoothly, it would soon bring a surprise to both the Association and the Institute.

"Is that so?" Qi Chao didn’t seem surprised. He took another sip of his drink, thought for a moment, then let go of Shen Yuxi’s hand. 

He walked over to the shimmering white flower that Agu had pointed out earlier, crouched down, and touched the blooming petals with his fingers. "Brother Shen, do you like this kind of flower?"

Shen Yuxi glanced at the flower, quickly guessing that it must have been Agu who had spoken out of turn. He softly responded with an "Mm," as the warmth of the wine continued to heat his fingertips.

“Crystal Feather, it's beautiful, isn't it?" Shen Yuxi put down his glass and slowly walked over to Qi Chao’s side, crouching down next to him. 

The golden strands of hair beside his cheeks fell gently as he lowered himself, and his peach-blossom eyes carried a soft smile. "After the petals of the Crystal Feather fall, its fruit turns into fluffy fibers. When you blow on it, the fibers glow as they disperse."

If Qi Chao were to check the records in the light-brain, he would find that this flower was so rare in the Empire that it was nearly extinct. 

Yet Shen Yuxi’s garden had a whole field of them, and sometimes, he would even extravagantly cut the flowers to place them in the basement.

Shen Yuxi rested his forehead on his arm, tilting his head as he looked at Qi Chao. Because he had been drinking, his normally pale lips were now a much richer red. 

At this moment, he appeared as soft and content as a pampered housecat, completely different from the cold and distant figure he usually showed in the trial arena.

Watching this, Qi Chao reached out and gently ruffled Shen Yuxi's golden hair. Shen Yuxi narrowed his eyes slightly but didn’t resist. 

Qi Chao chuckled, moving his hand from the hair to trace along the contours of his face, caressing his cheek. His voice was low as he asked, "When did your insomnia start?"

Shen Yuxi, who had been basking in Qi Chao’s affectionate gesture, froze for a moment at the question. His eyes sharpened briefly, but outwardly he seemed genuinely puzzled as he replied, "I’m not suffering from insomnia. Why would you think that?"

"Really not?" Qi Chao questioned again.

At this moment, Shen Yuxi should have naturally smiled and nodded, brushing off the topic. But looking at Qi Chao’s expression, Shen Yuxi couldn’t help but doubt whether Qi Chao already knew the answer when he asked the question.

Did Agu say something?

Shen Yuxi's eyelashes trembled slightly. Agu should know what to say and what not to say. But why would Qi Chao bring this up out of nowhere?

As he thought about it, Shen Yuxi pressed his lips together, his expression dimming slightly. He sighed softly and said, "It’s not true. I’ve forgotten when the insomnia started."

He didn’t want to share this with Qi Chao. His insomnia was closely tied to his painful past, which he found too difficult to talk about. Telling Qi Chao about his sleepless nights made him anxious, as if it would expose all of his hidden, painful memories.

But if Qi Chao had already figured out that he was suffering from insomnia, denying it would only make Qi Chao more suspicious. 

Shen Yuxi tightened his fingers, feeling a thin layer of cold sweat forming in his palms.

Qi Chao, unaware of the thoughts racing through Shen Yuxi’s mind, instinctively wanted to ask why Brother Shen had insomnia. 

However, seeing Shen Yuxi’s seemingly calm demeanor and his tightly clenched hand, Qi Chao immediately realized something deeper was going on.

Shen Yuxi was someone who kept his emotions tightly controlled, rarely reacting this way. Qi Chao paused for a moment, then gently ran his thumb along the corner of Shen Yuxi’s eye and asked, "Are you tired right now?"

Shen Yuxi’s blue eyes widened slightly, but after a moment, his eyelashes lowered as he understood Qi Chao’s intent.

He really is such a kind person.

Qi Chao probably wanted to know the reason for his insomnia, Shen Yuxi thought. 

Perhaps it was out of concern or maybe because he had already noticed something. 

Yet, Qi Chao didn’t press the issue, instead choosing to ask a more gentle question.

"I'm tired," Shen Yuxi’s voice was soft. His long lashes cast a shadow over his eyes, which held a hint of self-mockery. 

When he looked up again, his gaze met Qi Chao's deep brown eyes, and in a tone that sounded almost like he was being pitiful, he said, "Qi Chao, I’m very tired."

He wrapped his arms around Qi Chao's neck, rubbing his head lightly against his shoulder and repeating, "I’m very tired."

Shen Yuxi said it three times in a row.

The two were so close that Shen Yuxi could feel Qi Chao’s hand resting on the back of his head. 

The rise and fall of Qi Chao’s chest and the warmth of his breath made Shen Yuxi's body start to heat up as well.

"That tired?" Qi Chao’s deep voice was filled with tenderness and concern.

In reality, Shen Yuxi wasn’t tired. He had just suddenly figured something out.

He cared deeply about his past.

Now, he had so much—so many things, and so many people feared him. He was no longer that boy who had to hide in a basement, trembling in fear. 

But in truth, he had never really escaped that dark period of his life.

If he had truly let go of those memories, he could easily use them to make Qi Chao feel even more sympathy for him, to make Qi Chao care for him even more.

He portrayed a fragile image in front of Qi Chao because Shen Yuxi knew it was all just an act. 

Even if someone tried to attack him using that vulnerability, it wouldn’t harm him.

But the real scars—the ones that ran deep—those he would never let anyone see.

"No more drinking," Qi Chao said gently. "If you’re tired, let’s go to bed."

Qi Chao continued gently stroking Shen Yuxi’s head, then lowered his right hand slightly, using a bit of strength to lift him up into his arms.

The person in his arms still had their head buried in his shoulder. Qi Chao didn’t say anything more, but his steps were steady. 

His mind wandered for a moment—Brother Shen was surprisingly light, even lighter than the children at home, who were around 1.6 meters tall. 

It was hard to believe that Shen Yuxi stood at 1.8 meters, yet he was so easy to lift with just one arm.

"When I can't sleep, I like to go to the basement," Shen Yuxi’s voice broke the silence near his ear. 

Qi Chao paused, sensing that the arms wrapped around his neck had tightened slightly, as if out of nervousness.

Shen Yuxi kept his forehead pressed against Qi Chao’s shoulder, not lifting his head. "When those people killed my teacher, I was down there. It was safe there. I didn’t have to be afraid they’d kill me."

Killed his teacher?

Qi Chao froze, a chill running through him. He could almost picture a small boy hiding in a basement, trembling as he witnessed his teacher being murdered.

"Who were they?"

The staircase was quiet, with only the sound of Qi Chao’s slightly heavy footsteps breaking the silence. 

Just as he thought that Shen Yuxi wasn’t going to answer, a cool voice sounded softly in his ear.

"It was the people from the slums of Ganfen District. They lacked many things—money, food, water."

"They stole everything they could to survive."

"I can’t sleep, Qi Chao," Shen Yuxi continued. "I watched them eat my teacher’s corpse. They laughed, as if it tasted delicious."

Qi Chao stopped in his tracks.

What kind of horrific madness was this?

Suddenly, it became clear to Qi Chao why Shen Yuxi couldn’t sleep. After witnessing his only elder being devoured by those depraved, cannibalistic creatures with no sense of humanity, who could possibly rest?

Qi Chao had known that Ganfen District on Bluestar was poverty-stricken, but he had never imagined they would resort to something so horrifying.

His throat felt dry. 

After Shen Yuxi finished speaking, he fell silent. Qi Chao carried him up to the second-floor hallway, where faint sounds could be heard coming from Agu's room. 

For some reason, that kid still hadn’t gone to sleep.

At that moment, Qi Chao was not curious. His whole attention was focused on the blond man in his arms.

Once inside Shen Yuxi’s room, Qi Chao tried to lay him down on the bed, but Shen Yuxi showed no intention of getting off his shoulder. 

So, Qi Chao decided to sit on the bed himself and, like soothing a child, he patted Shen Yuxi’s back and gently ran his fingers through his hair.

This comforting process went on for a long time.

So long that Shen Yuxi eventually emerged from those dark memories, feeling the warmth of Qi Chao’s hand on his back. Slowly, Shen Yuxi lifted his head from Qi Chao’s shoulder, straightened his back, and looked down at him.

After a while, he pressed his lips to Qi Chao’s.

At first, the kiss was tender. Qi Chao was cautious and slow, but soon, whether it was Shen Yuxi or Qi Chao who initiated it, their kiss grew more passionate.

In the darkness, their senses were heightened.

Qi Chao felt a rush of heat throughout his body, his breath coming out hot. His hand slid along Shen Yuxi’s shirt, moving down his flexible waist. 

As his heated thoughts began to spiral, he struggled to suppress his burning desires.

"Brother Shen, you’re tired. Let’s sleep first," Qi Chao said, pressing his forehead against Shen Yuxi’s. Their breaths mingled, equally warm, and his right hand held Shen Yuxi’s tightly.

Shen Yuxi had said he was very tired. No matter when such things could be done, rest was the priority.

"I don’t want to sleep. Can we continue?" 

In the darkness, those words were as clear as Qi Chao’s racing heartbeat, and a hot breath came to his ears.

Qi Chao's back was already damp with sweat. He knew he should firmly refuse, but when Shen Yuxi’s cool fingertips lightly grazed the back of his neck, and his voice whispered tantalizingly in his ear, the thread of rationality in Qi Chao’s mind suddenly snapped.

In the dark, their fingers remained intertwined, never letting go.

Qi Chao felt a pang of sorrow for Shen Yuxi, thinking about the trauma of witnessing his teacher’s death as a child. 

He didn’t know exactly how old Shen Yuxi was when it happened, but it was clear that such memories had left a significant psychological scar, evident in his persistent insomnia.

"I really like it," Shen Yuxi said.

Qi Chao heard this and gently brushed Shen Yuxi’s damp hair aside. He placed a soft kiss on the corner of Shen Yuxi’s eye and smiled, though he wasn’t entirely sure what he was smiling about. 

Perhaps it was simply the joy of seeing Shen Yuxi so content.

This was their first time together.

As the night deepened, Shen Yuxi had fallen asleep. Seeing the red marks on Shen Yuxi’s fair skin, Qi Chao felt a bit embarrassed. 

After a simple clean-up, he carried Shen Yuxi back to his own room.

Shen Yuxi’s room, well, it wasn’t really suitable for sleeping now.

Qi Chao had just finished a long, relaxing shower and was about to return to bed when he realized he had left the door open. 

He turned back to close it and, unintentionally, heard faint sounds coming from Agu’s room.

It was nearly the next day. Why was Agu still awake?

Qi Chao glanced back at the sleeping Shen Yuxi, then carefully closed his own room’s door. He walked to Agu’s door and knocked gently.

No response.

Qi Chao thought for a moment and knocked again, saying quietly, "Agu, what are you doing?"

He lowered his voice to avoid waking Shen Yuxi, though he knew the soundproofing was excellent. Unless there was a lot of noise, it wouldn’t reach the neighboring room. This was why he was certain Agu was still awake.

A few seconds later, the door opened.

Seeing Agu and Xiang Yue inside the room, Qi Chao immediately understood why Agu was still up at this late hour.

"Even if you two are close, you can't stay up all night together. Do you hear me?" Qi Chao patted their heads. "Kids should stick to their bedtime. Otherwise, you won’t have enough energy tomorrow, and it’s bad for your health."

Qi Chao wasn’t surprised by their late-night activities, having gone through similar all-nighters with friends while gaming. 

However, he was curious about when these two kids had become so close.

Close?

This was the first time Agu had heard someone describe their relationship like that.

Upon hearing this, Xiang Yue, whose tail had been wagging in excitement after seeing his father, dropped. 

Their relationship wasn’t particularly close; Xiang Yue had merely been stopping Agu from eavesdropping.

Agu was still trying to figure out their relationship, but noticing Xiang Yue’s reaction, the smile in his emerald eyes gradually faded.

Xiang Yue had not only kicked Agu painfully but also showed disdain towards him. Even if he had once praised Xiang Yue, he no longer cared for him.

Qi Chao, puzzled by why his comment had caused such a reaction from the two children, thought for a moment before reaching out to pat their heads gently.

"Don’t stay up too late. Agu and Xiang Yue, can you help Dad with the vegetable prep tomorrow morning?" Qi Chao paused, then added with a smile, "You’re both so reliable, so can you wake up on time at seven?"

Xiang Yue immediately nodded, his red eyes twinkling with a smile, and his tail wagged a bit more cheerfully. "Yes, Dad."

Agu, initially sulking, quickly brightened at the suggestion. He nodded enthusiastically and raised his hand. "Agu can do it too!"

"Alright, go to sleep," Qi Chao said with a smile.

Agu nodded and watched as Xiang Yue left his room. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he turned to Qi Chao and said, "Dad, Agu's chest hurts."

"Hurts?" Qi Chao’s expression shifted immediately, his concern evident. The chest was where the core stone was stored, making it a crucial area. 

He furrowed his brows and asked, "When did it start hurting? Did you bump into something? Did it start hurting suddenly?"

His anxious tone revealed his deep concern for Agu.

Xiang Yue glanced back at Agu, seemingly worried about how much Agu would share with Qi Chao. 

However, at that moment, Agu didn’t pay any attention to Xiang Yue’s reaction. Instead, he looked at Qi Chao with a gentle smile, his green eyes crinkling.

This smile was devoid of any mockery, just a simple, innocent expression, like a child who had just received a piece of candy.

"Agu was just kidding," Agu said sincerely. "Dad, I’m sorry."

As Agu spoke, still smiling, Qi Chao didn’t understand what he was amused about. 

Agu’s cheerful demeanor didn’t suggest any real issues, so Qi Chao simply gave him a gentle tap on the head and told him to go back to bed.

Xiang Yue cast a thoughtful glance at Agu, his dog ears twitching slightly, as if he sensed something.

Once back in his room, Qi Chao looked at Shen Yuxi, who was still soundly asleep, and felt a small sigh of relief. 

It seemed Shen Yuxi had managed to sleep well tonight. Qi Chao lay down on the bed, and the warmth from Shen Yuxi’s body made him inexplicably nervous, with a slight itch in his throat.

However, it was late, and Qi Chao fell asleep without much time to ponder.

Shortly after Qi Chao had fallen asleep, Shen Yuxi woke up, staring intently at Qi Chao’s sleeping face.

His eyes blinked slowly, and there was no trace of sleepiness. Shen Yuxi, aware that he hadn’t fully moved past his troubled past, knew he couldn’t afford to keep this vulnerability exposed.

To begin confronting it, he needed to start by revealing the difficult past to Qi Chao. 

With his head lowered, Shen Yuxi reached out to gently brush his fingers over Qi Chao’s lips. 

There were many things he hadn’t yet shared, such as how the impoverished people from the Ganfen District were actually hired by the association. 

And also, that his teacher, like him, was far from being a good person.

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