Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 107

 

| PN | Junior Brother | 107

After that night, Qi Chao felt that time passed much faster. Every day, Brother Shen would leave on time, and the children at home would spend all their time on learning on their light brains, always gathered together, tinkering with something. 

They lived like the most ordinary family on Blue Star, residing in Ganfen District.

Qi Chao would water the flowers and watch shows every day, feeling even more at ease than in his own home. 

By the time he realized it, it was already time for his agreed meeting with Xiu Mei.

On the day of his departure, Shen Yuxi did not leave the house. Agu stood by his side.

Qi Chao smiled and hugged Brother Shen. For the past few days, whenever he thought about parting with his partner, he felt a bit reluctant.

 But when the day actually came, he found that it wasn't so difficult after all.

"I’ll bring the kids back as soon as I can."

To Qi Chao, they wouldn't be apart for too long. Instead of dwelling on the sadness of separation, Qi Chao looked forward to the days they would spend together in the future.

Shen Yuxi nodded. His gaze briefly swept over the puppets beside him, then he looked up at Qi Chao and said warmly, "Remember to video call me every day."

"I know," Qi Chao chuckled.

Including Moss, all the puppets looked up at the two heads of the family. 

Qi Chao noticed this and worried that their intimacy might affect the children and refrained from saying more. 

He ruffled the heads of Agu and Moss, saying, "Dad will come back in a few days to play with you."

Moss, holding his own stuffed doll, nodded calmly. Since his father and Qi Chao had publicly announced their relationship, Moss, like Agu, had started calling Qi Chao "Dad." 

However, perhaps because he was still not used to it, Moss rarely said those words out loud.

"Okay, Dad, come back soon!" Agu said affectionately, smiling sweetly, looking very obedient and considerate.

Qi Chao nodded, and along with Li Bai, Xiang Yue, Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian, he entered the spatial vortex.

Right after they left, the once warm and cozy living room became noticeably colder. Shen Yuxi’s eyelashes trembled slightly before he turned to look at Agu and Moss.

On the surface, their father appeared as calm as usual, but Agu and Moss could clearly sense that his mood had darkened.

Agu knew that once Dad left, it would be time for Father to settle accounts. 

The matter of Xiang Yue accidentally entering the trial ground had not yet been resolved.

The smile on Agu's face froze for a moment before he forced a relaxed tone and said, "Father, Agu has perfectly completed the mission these past few days. Neither Xiang Yue nor Dad discovered the existence of the trial ground."

Shen Yuxi glanced at him, already guessing what Agu was going to say next.

"Every time Xiang Yue tried to run to the trial ground, Agu stopped him."

This statement was a bit exaggerated. In reality, Chi Yao had only stayed in the trial ground for one day. 

After that day, Xiang Yue hadn’t spread his wings again. However, what Agu said wasn't entirely wrong. 

Over the past few days, he had been actively participating in the other puppet's plans on the light brain, all to prevent Xiang Yue from heading to the trial ground.

"Agu is now Xiang Yue's teacher!" Agu said this with great pride.

"What stage have they reached?" Shen Yuxi didn’t dwell on the trial ground issue. He paused for a moment, then looked down at Agu.

Moss also turned to look at Agu. He had participated in Xiang Yue's plan as well, though he had been staying in the trial ground these past few days and hadn’t been involved in the recent activities.

"They’ve just started. It’ll take two months before we see results," Agu replied, slightly surprised that Shen Yuxi didn't seem shocked. 

Then, understanding dawned on him, and his green eyes curved into a smile. "Father, you’ve already guessed what their plan is?"

"They're working really hard to help Dad achieve his dream," Agu said.

"Is that so?" Shen Yuxi's voice was soft, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. These days, it seemed that just hearing Qi Chao's name brought him a sense of joy. 

However, the smile was fleeting, almost like an illusion. He glanced at Moss and Agu but didn’t ask further, his gaze shifting toward the villa's entrance. "Let's go."

On the other side, after returning home, Qi Chao let the children play on their own in the villa while he took the aircraft to the café where he had an appointment with Xiu Mei.

There was still half an hour before the scheduled time. Qi Chao glanced at the clock but didn't rush Xiu Mei through the light brain. 

Instead, he casually scrolled through it while waiting for her.

When Xiu Mei arrived alone at the café, she saw that Qi Chao was already seated. She couldn’t help but feel a bit surprised. She had arrived ten minutes early, yet Qi Chao was even earlier. 

This made her realize that this matter was much more important to Qi Chao than she had initially thought.

Xiu Mei's expression became more serious. She approached Qi Chao and offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Young Master Qi, I’m a bit late."

"No, I just arrived early," Qi Chao smiled, denying her apology.

The two of them hadn't lost contact since their last exchange, so there was no sense of unfamiliarity between them.

"It's ten in the morning now. In an hour, someone from the association will notify us to enter the library," Xiu Mei informed Qi Chao. 

After a brief hesitation, she asked, "Young Master Qi, may I know what you're looking for in the library?"

Fearing Qi Chao might misunderstand, she quickly added, "There are so many books in the library. Although there's a search function, it's quite complicated to use. Special-level puppet masters have privileges, and if I know what you're looking for, I can help speed up the search."

Of course, Xiu Mei had her own interests in mind. Bringing outsiders into the association's library was against the rules, so the faster Qi Chao finished, the safer she'd be.

"Thanks. I'm looking for books related to puppet diseases," Qi Chao replied vaguely. He didn’t really know what the markings on Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian's faces were.

If he had to search, starting with puppet-related diseases seemed like the best approach. On one hand, there were very few books about puppet diseases—almost none—so it wouldn't be too difficult to go through them within a few hours. 

On the other hand, if he could confirm that the markings on Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian's faces weren't related to any illness, it would give Qi Chao some peace of mind.

"Puppet diseases?" Xiu Mei was taken aback. 

In her understanding, puppets rarely got sick. If they did, it usually meant there was a problem with their core stone, and once that happened, it was effectively the end—death for the puppet.

Xiu Mei had lost two puppets she had crafted because of core stone issues, both dying a year after their creation.

 It had been heartbreaking. Those two puppets had cost her nearly four years of hard work. 

Even now, thinking about it made her feel heavy-hearted. At the time, she was already a special-level puppet master but still couldn't save them.

Seeing Qi Chao now looking for books on this subject only indicated that his puppets were likely experiencing similar issues. 

In Xiu Mei's eyes, Qi Chao's situation mirrored her own back then. She glanced up at him, but then dismissed the comparison. It wasn’t the same. 

Back then, she had never really considered saving her puppets, while Qi Chao clearly hadn’t given up—he was even going as far as seeking answers in the association's library.

As Qi Chao noticed the growing seriousness in Xiu Mei's gaze, he felt a bit uncomfortable. 

He figured she might be overthinking things, but after replaying his words in his mind, he couldn't find anything particularly wrong with what he'd said.

"I'll make the arrangements," Xiu Mei said quietly, her head lowered as she typed on her light brain device. 

She knew well enough that there were no real solutions once a puppet's body started failing, but saying that outright wouldn’t be convincing to Qi Chao. 

He clearly wasn't ready to accept that reality yet.

Xiu Mei wasn’t someone who would go all out for her puppets, but she didn’t dislike people like Qi Chao, who did.

After Qi Chao thanked her, they waited for the appropriate time and then headed to the association’s library together. 

As a special-level puppet master, Xiu Mei held considerable authority in the association. 

Along the way, Qi Chao noticed several passing puppet masters nod respectfully toward her. Judging by the badges on their sleeves, they were likely third level or below.

"Tomorrow is the royal banquet," Xiu Mei said. "Most of the senior puppet masters are at the association's hall, rehearsing for the opening ceremony. You don’t need to worry about anyone in the association spreading rumors."

Just as she finished speaking and was about to turn a corner toward the library, they suddenly bumped into two men. 

The sight of them made Xiu Mei’s expression change.

"Qi Chao, long time no see."

The man speaking was seated in a wheelchair, his lips pale, looking as though he were gravely ill. 

Upon seeing Qi Chao, a hint of surprise flashed across his face. Standing behind him was none other than the Empire's Marshal, Lu Chen.

"Long time no see," Qi Chao responded.

Qi Chao smiled politely at Qiao Sheng, but his gaze remained distant. 

Though they were friends, Qi Chao's impression of Qiao Sheng was lukewarm at best. He still remembered the sudden collapse of the mining wall, the cause of which was unclear, but Qi Chao couldn't shake the feeling that Qiao Sheng had something to do with it.

Xiu Mei, standing nearby, felt nervous upon seeing Professor Qiao and Marshal Lu Chen. She worried their appearance might derail the plan. 

However, when she saw Qi Chao greet them amicably, she breathed a sigh of relief. Since they seemed to have a decent relationship, it was unlikely the two would ask prying questions.

Qiao Sheng noticed Xiu Mei's reaction and then glanced at Qi Chao's distant smile. His eyes reflected a hint of curiosity. 

Just as Lu Chen was about to push him away, Qiao Sheng spoke again: "How is Shen Yuxi doing lately?"

Both Lu Chen and Qi Chao stopped in their tracks.

Qi Chao knew that Shen Yuxi and Qiao Sheng were acquainted. 

According to Shen Yuxi, they weren't particularly close, but hearing Qiao Sheng’s question, Qi Chao responded, "He’s been doing well lately, thank you for your concern."

From that single sentence, Qiao Sheng could tell that Qi Chao and Shen Yuxi were very close, and it seemed Qi Chao had no intention of hiding it.

"Is that so?"

Qiao Sheng slumped weakly in his wheelchair, looking so fatigued that it seemed he might faint at any moment.

 However, a closer look at his sharp eyes behind the glasses would reveal just how alert and calculating he really was.

If his guess was correct, Shen Yuxi was planning a major move tomorrow. If successful, it would likely send shockwaves of unprecedented fear through the upper echelons of the Empire.

"My junior brother has always been a bit stubborn," Qiao Sheng revealed with a faint smile. 

"There were many things he couldn’t understand in the past. If you have time, you should talk to him and help him move on."

In his mind, Qiao Sheng was certain that while Qi Chao was clearly close to Shen Yuxi, he wasn’t completely privy to Shen Yuxi’s true nature. 

From Qiao Sheng's perspective, Qi Chao probably had no idea who Shen Yuxi really was. 

Despite the numerous warnings Shen Yuxi had given him in the past, Qiao Sheng always found ways to cause trouble, purely for his own amusement.

Junior brother?

This was the first time Qi Chao had heard that Shen Yuxi and Qiao Sheng shared such a relationship. 

Did that mean Shen Yuxi’s teacher was also Qiao Sheng’s teacher? 

While it piqued his curiosity, it wasn’t the most important issue right now. Smiling back at Qiao Sheng, Qi Chao said calmly, "Shen Yuxi is gentle and thoughtful, far from being stubborn. I appreciate your concern, Professor Qiao."

Gentle?

Qiao Sheng hadn’t expected that, in Qi Chao's eyes, Shen Yuxi would be seen as such a gentle person. His eyes narrowed slightly behind his glasses—Shen Yuxi was truly good at keeping up appearances. 

However, Qiao Sheng didn’t let his thoughts show and coughed weakly, playing the part of the frail man. "Is that so? Perhaps I’m overthinking it," he murmured, before wheeling himself away.

Qi Chao watched him leave, his deep brown eyes darkening slightly. 

At Xiu Mei’s urging, he turned back to her, offering a smile. "Sorry for the delay. Let’s go."

He wasn’t bothered at all by what Qiao Sheng had said. 

After all, to Qi Chao, Qiao Sheng was little more than an acquaintance. 

Shen Yuxi, on the other hand, was his partner. It would be foolish to doubt the person closest to him based on the words of a stranger.

Meanwhile, Lu Chen was pushing Qiao Sheng out of the association.

"Why did you bring up Shen Yuxi with him?" Lu Chen asked, puzzled. 

To him, Qi Chao was just a puppet master that the association had failed to recruit—a figure hardly worth their attention.

"Shen Yuxi rarely cares about someone this much," Qiao Sheng replied with a faint smile. Shen Yuxi had already attacked him twice over Qi Chao. 

It was more than enough for Qiao Sheng to realize just how special Qi Chao was to Shen Yuxi.

As long as Qi Chao began to harbor suspicions about Shen Yuxi, it was easy to imagine how his paranoid and sensitive junior brother would react. 

Shen Yuxi could very well spiral into madness and perhaps even do something reckless.

After a brief pause, Qiao Sheng continued, "You’re leaving with your squad tomorrow, right?"

"Yes," Lu Chen nodded in affirmation.

"Follow my instructions—go to Shen Yuxi's villa and search for any missing persons in the surrounding area. Don't go too deep, though, or you might get yourself caught up in something you can't escape from," Qiao Sheng said, his voice weak and unclear.

Lu Chen had already sent people to investigate near Shen Yuxi's villa, but they had found no clues. 

The higher-ups were constantly pressuring him to locate the missing individuals, and Lu Chen was bearing the full weight of that responsibility as he continued searching around Shen Yuxi's villa.

"Understood," Lu Chen replied, nodding. "I'll take my squad to search the area."

Qiao Sheng gave a slight nod in return, his gaze turning to the overcast sky above. 

There was a complicated look in his eyes—despite everything, he had ultimately ended up on the opposite side from his former junior brother.

Qi Chao paid no heed to Qiao Sheng's earlier comments and quickly made his way to the association’s library. 

Upon arriving, Xiu Mei glanced at her watch and reminded him, "I'll notify you when the time is up." She handed him a code, "A-36. All the books related to puppet diseases are on that shelf. You can start there."

Qi Chao nodded, wasting no time as he headed to the specified shelf. He began skimming through the books quickly, scanning each page with increasing urgency. 

As time passed, he found no relevant information about the markings on Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian’s faces.

 It became clear that the strange patterns were not linked to any known puppet disease. 

After going through all the materials on puppet illnesses, Qi Chao grew more certain—those markings weren’t the result of sickness.

Just as he was about to move on to another section and continue his search, something unexpected happened. 

From a hidden crevice in the bookshelf, a piece of paper slipped out and fell to the ground.

On the paper was a simple, crude drawing of a tree sketched with a marker. Qi Chao glanced at it briefly before folding it back and placing it into the crevice from where it had fallen. 

He initially dismissed it as an insignificant distraction, but that night, something strange happened—he couldn’t sleep. Tossing and turning in bed, his mind kept returning to that small tree drawing.

The next day, feeling groggy and unrested, Qi Chao decided to return to the association's library. His curiosity about the tree had grown into something more. 

He sought out Xiu Mei once again, asking her if she could arrange for him to re-enter the library. Sensing his determination, Xiu Mei agreed, and Qi Chao felt a sense of relief wash over him.

What he didn’t know was that, at the same time, Shen Yuxi had just stepped out of a spatial vortex and arrived at the association, ready to put the first phase of his plan into action.

Previous TOC Next