Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 106

 

| PN | Temporary Departure | 106

"What are you doing?"

The wings behind Xiang Yue brushed through the air. He lowered his head, frowned, and said, "Let go of me."

"No way! Wherever Xiang Yue goes, Agu has to go with him! You can't abandon Agu, your friend!"

Agu tightly hugged Xiang Yue's waist. Though he felt anxious inside, his face still showed a cheerful, playful expression, as if he was just messing around with Xiang Yue.

One trip to the trial ground was enough. 

Too many times, and the one who would be punished would be him.

Lan Luo, who had been chasing after Agu, had already snatched back his headband earlier. He looked up at the scene, his expression a little strange.

What was Agu trying to do?

Agu had a mischievous personality and often only cared about his own fun. With four puppets ready to beat him up, by his nature, he should have continued the previous "game" instead of suddenly throwing himself at Xiang Yue.

Could it be that his father had given him some kind of mission?

At this thought, Lan Luo suddenly paused. His fingers clenched at the seams of his pants as he suddenly realized that he had completely overlooked where Xiang Yue had found Agu in the first place.

Thinking about the existence of the trial ground, Lan Luo’s expression darkened considerably.

No, Xiang Yue should not know about the trial ground. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so calm. 

But Lan Luo was clear that not knowing now didn’t mean he wouldn’t find out later. To be on the safe side, he needed to help Agu.

At present, Agu had successfully used his thick skin to keep Xiang Yue occupied.

However, if Xiang Yue’s patience ran out, Agu, with only his corrosion ability, wouldn’t be able to stop him.

Moreover, there was a more pressing issue: Li Bai, Xuan Jian, and Shuang Jian were all preparing to help Xiang Yue.

Lan Luo noticed the movements of the three puppets out of the corner of his eye, and his ominous premonitions grew stronger. 

He pressed his lips together and turned back to the villa.

Meanwhile, Xiang Yue, looking at Agu’s smiling eyes, initially thought he was just making a fuss. 

But as time went on, Xiang Yue began to sense that something was off.

"Do you know that Chi Yao is nearby?" Xiang Yue’s red eyes narrowed slightly, his tone suggestive.

Agu, while desperately holding onto Xiang Yue and fending off the three dolls behind him to prevent them from dragging him down, found himself struggling despite his usual skill at deception.

Hearing Xiang Yue's words, Agu suddenly realized why Xiang Yue had looked towards the direction of the trial ground—it was because of Chi Yao.

Agu thought to himself, Chi Yao has caused him so much trouble.

With this in mind, Agu deliberately acted confused. “Chi Yao?”

Since he was intentionally concealing Chi Yao’s presence, he had no need to show any mercy.

Xiang Yue glanced down at Agu and then looked at Li Bai and the others, saying, “Li Bai, Shuang Jian, Xuan Jian, please move aside. I need to leave first.”

Li Bai, Shuang Jian, and Xuan Jian did not question Xiang Yue’s intentions. In their view, whatever Xiang Yue wanted to do had its own reasons. 

They took a few steps back and quietly watched Xiang Yue’s actions.

Agu's smile froze as he noticed the wings behind Xiang Yue flapping faster, and he even felt his toes lift off the ground. 

Realizing what Xiang Yue was planning, Agu tensed up, understanding that Xiang Yue intended to take him to find Chi Yao.

Just as Agu prepared to stop Xiang Yue, he suddenly heard Qi Chao’s voice from nearby.

“Xiang Yue, do you intend to take Agu with you to fly?”

At the same moment, Xiang Yue’s wings stopped flapping. “Yes, Dad.”

As soon as Xiang Yue landed, he was lightly tapped on the forehead.

“You can't do that. Agu is about your size. What if you both fall while flying?”

Qi Chao was concerned about the safety of his children. He had been nervous when he was called out by Lan Luo and saw Agu hugging Xiang Yue’s waist, fearing that Agu would be taken to high altitudes.

After being tapped, Xiang Yue’s tail dropped. He wanted to explain to his father that Agu wouldn’t let go, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to reveal where he was going. 

The puppet named Chi Yao did not pose any real harm to his father.

If he told his father he was going to challenge Chi Yao to a duel, his father might think his behavior was too reckless. 

With that in mind, Xiang Yue decided to leave the matter unmentioned.

Agu observed Xiang Yue’s reaction thoughtfully. After a few seconds, he smiled at Qi Chao and said, “Dad, Agu and Xiang Yue both realize our mistakes! We won’t fly around recklessly anymore. You can rest assured!”

“Hmm, safety is the most important thing.”

Qi Chao’s gaze shifted from Agu to Xiang Yue. Noticing the dog ears drooping on Xiang Yue’s head, Qi Chao recalled that he hadn’t really said anything out of line. 

Nonetheless, he stepped forward and gently ruffled his child’s hair. “Xiang Yue, be sure to pay attention to safety. Falling from a height is very dangerous, you know?”

“Got it, Dad.”

Xiang Yue pressed his lips together. He was aware that flying at high altitudes was indeed dangerous for Agu, who lacked wings. 

However, Agu, as a puppet, had a knack for getting under his skin and making it hard for him to control his emotions.

He knew this was wrong.

Xiang Yue thought that since his father had accepted Agu, he should be a bit kinder to him, at least ensuring that Agu didn’t disappear from this world. 

The puppet known as Chi Yao would have its chance for a lesson eventually.

Qi Chao glanced at Xiang Yue and then said, “Weren’t you all studying on the light brain before to help dad? How’s your progress going?”

His voice carried a hint of amusement, and the question was meant to shift the focus away from Xiang Yue and Agu. 

However, it only made Xiang Yue, Lan Luo, Li Bai, and the others more uneasy.

Puppets were different from humans. Helping their father achieve his dreams on the light brain was far more challenging than they had anticipated. 

Even though Xiang Yue had goals and plans, the actual execution was much tougher than they had imagined.

Seeing their reactions, Qi Chao realized he had touched a nerve. He scratched his head, thinking he had meant to commend them for their hard work. 

He had expected them to be pleased with the praise.

But they seemed dissatisfied.

“What have you been doing on the light brain?”

After purchasing the light brain for his children, Qi Chao had not relaxed their learning but had also not overly restricted their time on it. 

He recalled that for a period, the three children spent a significant amount of time on the light brain each day. Knowing they were working hard to help him, Qi Chao had not inquired too closely about what they were studying.

However, his curiosity was now piqued.

Li Bai and Lan Luo exchanged a glance, seemingly unsure whether to tell Qi Chao. Xiang Yue suddenly spoke up, “This is a secret for now.”

“Alright,” Qi Chao agreed without objection. 

However, he added, “Just like with the idea of taking Agu into the air earlier, remember to prioritize safety and avoid crossing any boundaries in whatever you do.”

Xiang Yue nodded.

Li Bai and Lan Luo also nodded solemnly in agreement.

The conversation between Qi Chao and the three puppets left Agu, Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian somewhat puzzled. 

After Qi Chao returned to the villa, Agu was the first to ask, “What are you all trying to hide from Dad? And what is Dad’s dream?”

Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian remained silent, but their expressions revealed that they were also quite curious.

“Second Brother won’t be joining us, so there’s no need to share all the details,” Lan Luo said with a bright smile.

Lan Luo was a very pragmatic puppet. He could cooperate with Agu to cover for him when necessary but was also quick to distance himself once the crisis was over.

“Of course, Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian can be informed,” Lan Luo added. 

He knew that these two puppets wouldn’t cause trouble and that Agu’s presence would only be a burden.

Xiang Yue and Li Bai had yet to speak up, but Agu was unsettled by the fact that the puppets who were created alongside him were against him joining. 

“Agu doesn’t know your plans, but you’re using the light brain, right?” Agu paused, his smile widening. “Xiang Yue and Li Bai may not know, but Lan Luo should be aware—I have a special talent in using the light brain!”

As Agu spoke, he proudly puffed out his chest. 

“After all, Agu was the first puppet to handle tasks using Father’s light brain.”

Seeing Agu’s deliberately proud expression, Lan Luo’s smile vanished. He understood that Agu’s words were meant to provoke him, as Lan Luo had always been excluded from his father’s plans.

Meanwhile, Xiang Yue, noticing the cryptic conversation between the two puppets, turned to Agu and asked, “Are you skilled with various operations on the light brain?”

“Yes,” Agu replied, his gaze shifting as he began to make a guess. His smile grew, and if his guess was correct, things could get quite interesting.

“I’d like to join,” Agu said.

“Sure,” Xiang Yue responded quickly. 

Agu’s confirmation that this matter was important to them only reinforced his own belief in its significance.

This way, Agu thought, it would be better to use this plan to his advantage while staying at the villa, rather than continuously clinging to Xiang Yue and preventing him from going to the trial ground.

After returning from the trial ground, Shen Yuxi noticed a different atmosphere in the villa.

“What are they doing?” Shen Yuxi asked, glancing at Qi Chao.

“The children were studying on the light brain earlier, saying they wanted to help me,” Qi Chao replied with a smile. “Now Agu, Shuang Jian, and Xuan Jian have joined them.”

“Aren’t you curious about what they’re studying on the light brain?” Shen Yuxi tilted his head, his peach blossom eyes curving slightly.

“I am curious, but they’re not willing to share,” Qi Chao said, though the smile in his eyes remained.

Shen Yuxi thoughtfully looked at the puppets sitting on the sofa and then back at Qi Chao. 

Originally, he had planned that if Qi Chao wanted to know, he could ask Agu or Moss in the evening.

It seemed that there was no need for that now. 

These puppets had been well-educated by Qi Chao. Compared to those that only followed their creator’s orders, they had their own thoughts and tried to hide things from their father, resembling human children with dreams.

Shen Yuxi looked at Qi Chao, his eyelashes fluttering slightly. 

Perhaps this was why Qi Chao had allowed them such freedom—to encourage their initiative.

This proactive nature was different from the previous attempt by Chi Yao to win his favor. 

Shen Yuxi knew that Qi Chao was like the string tied to a kite; without it, these puppets would be no different from other S-grade puppets.

"Will you go to my room tonight?"

Shen Yuxi's voice was soft. 

Qi Chao couldn’t help but turn to look at him, recalling what had happened in Shen Yuxi's room before. 

Though they hadn’t explicitly discussed it, there was an unspoken understanding between them, typical of adults.

“Yes,” Qi Chao replied, smiling. “Just like last time, we’ll go to my room to sleep after it’s over.”

Shen Yuxi’s peach blossom eyes curved slightly in amusement, evidently finding Qi Chao’s compulsive cleanliness intriguing.

Afterwards, Qi Chao offhandedly mentioned, “I’ll visit the association’s library in fifteen days. If I can’t find the relevant materials, I’ll think of another way.”

As he spoke, Shen Yuxi looked at the man so close to him, his eyelashes fluttering. 

Despite their proximity, the thought of Qi Chao leaving soon filled Shen Yuxi with an unsettling sense of melancholy and restlessness.

However, in fifteen days, there would be the Royal Banquet, and Shen Yuxi would be too busy to be with Qi Chao. 

With that in mind, Shen Yuxi lightly parted his lips and said, “Alright,” before adding, “I’m still unclear about the cause of the patterns on Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian, but I haven’t stopped searching. If you can’t find the reason at the association, don’t rush. We’ll figure it out together.”

“Got it,” Qi Chao replied with a smile.

Shen Yuxi looked up at Qi Chao’s smiling face and paused before continuing, “When you go to the library, you plan to bring the kids back with you, right?”

The implication was clear.

“For now, that’s the plan,” Qi Chao said. Bringing the children with him meant that the separation would be longer than he had anticipated.

Shen Yuxi’s heart sank. Before he could dwell on it further, Qi Chao added, “Once I finish with the matters in Linjing District, I’ll come over immediately.”

Like Shen Yuxi, Qi Chao this was his first relationship, especially with someone as beautiful as Shen Yuxi. 

No matter how he thought about it, he was reluctant to be apart for too long.

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