Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 110

 

| PN | Two-Year Deadline | 110

When Qi Chao came out of the kitchen, his two younger brothers were slumped on the sofa, contemplating life.

They still couldn’t understand why there was a need for puppets to learn coding.

“What’s wrong with you two?” Qi Chao patted his younger brothers’ heads. “Why do you both look so listless?”

Qi Feng and Qi Ye weakly pointed towards a group of puppets, stammering and unable to say a complete sentence.

Qi Chao followed their pointing and looked over. 

The children at home were obediently looking down at the light screen, while Lan Luo and Xiang Yue patiently guided Xuan Jian, Shuang Jian, and Li Bai. 

From any angle, it looked like a very harmonious scene.

His eyes showed a sense of elder’s satisfaction and affection as he turned to his younger brothers with a smile. “The kids at home love learning. If you two have time, you might as well teach them.”

No.

Big brother, do you know what those puppets are learning? 

They are both literal arts students!

Qi Feng and Qi Ye fell silent for a moment. Qi Feng cautiously asked, “Big brother, do you know what they’re learning?”

“Not at the moment. They said they wanted to give me a surprise.”

Qi Chao smiled as he said, “It should be something like learning to recognize characters. Li Bai isn’t very good with text, so judging by his troubled expression, it might be related to that.”

Oh, you’re so naive.

Qi Feng and Qi Ye felt oddly relieved after hearing their elder brother’s answer. 

If big brother knew the puppets were learning coding, he’d be even more surprised than they were. 

The puppets in big brother’s house really are a bit abnormal. Normal puppets wouldn’t proactively learn coding or try to give their father a surprise like a human would.

Watching their elder brother turn around and start a projection for the puppets to take a break, Qi Feng and Qi Ye finally understood why the puppets behaved the way they did. 

It was because no one else treated these puppets like human children as their big brother did.

After setting up the projection for the children, Qi Chao left the living room.

The two younger brothers stayed behind, and after coming to terms with things, they resumed their usual relaxed demeanor. 

Tu Zhuang and San Yue were helping out in the kitchen, and Qi Feng and Qi Ye, no longer bothering the studying puppets, lazily lounged on the sofa watching the projection. 

They could still faintly hear Xiang Yue, Li Bai, and Lan Luo talking in the background.

“I just can’t seem to learn coding. What should I do?” 

Li Bai’s voice sounded a bit distressed.

“Li Bai’s task isn’t decryption,” Xiang Yue’s voice was calm. 

Despite being less than a year old, Xiang Yue sounded more like an older sibling at this moment.

“That’s right. The negotiations after the decryption are where your skills will shine,” Lan Luo said, reaching out to hold Li Bai’s hand and comforting him with a smile.

Decryption? Negotiations?

The two younger brothers, who had been previously calm, sat up in surprise. 

Coding was one thing, but negotiations? 

What on earth were they playing at?

As middle school students with a penchant for drama, Qi Feng and Qi Ye were extremely curious. They were dying to know what these puppets were planning, but only if it wouldn’t cause trouble for their elder brother.

“What are you all trying to do?” 

Unable to contain their curiosity any longer, the two brothers, who were now university students and no longer as clueless as before, asked. 

They added, “If you need any help, we’re definitely willing to assist.”

Of course, if it involved causing trouble for their elder brother, they would immediately put a stop to it.

“Help?”

As the planner, Xiang Yue knew they needed a lot of help. He stood up, his dog ears twitching slightly. “Yes, if Uncle is willing to help, it would make things much easier for us.”

When Qi Feng and Qi Ye left their elder brother’s house, they appeared somewhat silent, which puzzled Tu Zhuang and San Yue.

“What’s wrong with you two?” 

Tu Zhuang looked at these usually energetic brothers with confusion. “What happened?”

“It’s just as expected from the puppets made by big brother,” Qi Ye suddenly spoke up.

The next moment, both brothers became excited at the same time:

“It’s just too cool!!!”

In the villa, Qi Chao also noticed something off about his younger brothers before they left. He turned and asked, “Do you know what’s going on with your two uncles?”

“Uncle is very interested in our plan,” Xiang Yue didn’t hide anything from his father. He tilted his head up slightly to look at him. “We’ve exchanged contact information with Uncle, and we’ll work hard on the plan.”

“Is that so?” 

Qi Chao’s curiosity was certainly piqued, but he refrained from probing further to preserve the surprise the children were planning. 

Instead, he patted each of their heads and said, “If you have any questions, feel free to ask your two uncles. They’ll help you out.”

For Qi Feng and Qi Ye, who were university students, helping with character recognition would definitely be a piece of cake.

Encouraged once more by Qi Chao, the puppets all smiled, even Lan Luo, who had been worried about the Mother Tree earlier that morning, now had a radiant smile on his face.

They would definitely make their father proud.

Lan Luo thought to himself.

After this, the puppets resumed their learning mode. Qi Chao watched for a while before getting up and heading to his study.

The intentions of his younger brothers visiting were clear: to remind him that the time was approaching. 

Two years ago, he and Father Qi had set a two-year agreement, and if all went as planned, Father Qi would soon come to find him, urging him to return to the company.

Two years ago, Qi Chao had been reluctant to give up creating puppets, and that feeling hadn’t changed. 

With Qi Feng and Qi Ye now studying at one of the top universities on Blue Star and about to start interning at the company soon, they seemed far better suited for it than he was.

Qi Chao pulled out his light screen and made a video call to Father Qi. 

A few seconds later, the call was automatically disconnected.

The life of the richest man was indeed very busy.

Qi Chao wasn’t surprised. After typing out a few messages, he sent them to Father Qi.

Still, there was no response.

Qi Chao glanced at the screen and then turned his attention back to drawing his fifth puppet. 

He was struggling with the designs for Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian's patterns and had little idea about the small tree on the paper. 

Overwhelmed with thoughts, he found the design work unusually difficult.

As the pencil tip broke again on the white paper, Qi Chao’s breath hitched. He tossed the pencil into the pen holder and let out a soft sigh, staring blankly at the ceiling.

He shouldn’t think so much.

Qi Chao pressed his lips together and rubbed his thumb over the screen of his light screen. The contact list showed Shen Yuxi at the top.

Qi Chao knew Shen was likely busy at the moment and shouldn’t be disturbed, but looking at the broken pencil lead on the paper, he hesitated for a moment before pressing the call button.

In the distant trial grounds, the light screen on Shen Yuxi’s wrist suddenly chimed.

 Shen Yuzi glanced at the screen and then at the nearby puppets.

Agu and Moss instantly understood their father’s intentions. They swiftly kicked out the two trembling humans lying on the ground, ensuring they wouldn’t disrupt the conversation.

The two battered and bruised men, their faces filled with terror, nearly coughed up blood after being kicked to the ground. It was clear the puppets hadn’t held back.

“Quiet down,” Agu said with a smile, pressing a finger to his lips. “When these two uncles used to torment puppets, they would slice them into pieces with knives and demand they make no sound. If the puppets could do it, so should these two uncles.”

The men, their eyes filled with dread at the prospect of death, covered their mouths and retreated helplessly, trying to escape the horrifying scene.

Agu’s smile widened, resembling that of a villain relishing his triumph.

Moss, observing Agu, said nothing. He stepped forward and knocked out the two men with a swift, efficient strike. 

He trusted his own abilities more than Agu’s threats.

Shen Yuxi calmly withdrew his gaze and then answered the video call. 

Upon seeing the man projected in the air, his lips curved into a gentle, reassuring smile.

“Are you still out in the field?” 

Qi Chao looked at the forest backdrop behind Shen Yuxi and asked with a smile, feeling the weight of his worries lighten considerably.

“Yes,” Shen Yuxi’s voice was soft, and his peach blossom eyes curved slightly. Noticing something in Qi Chao’s expression, he asked, “Did something happen?”

Qi Chao hadn’t planned to talk about it, but seeing the concern in Shen Yuxi’s eyes made him change his mind. 

He briefly shared his troubles.

During this time, Shen Yuxi listened quietly, not interrupting. As Qi Chao expressed his frustrations, he felt a significant relief, and a warm smile appeared on his face.

Shen Yuxi was aware of Qi Chao’s recent issues, but it was the first time he realized how much it was affecting him, to the point of causing real distress.

 His eyelashes fluttered slightly, and when he looked up again, his eyes held a gentle expression. “Do you feel better now?”

Qi Chao nodded. He wasn’t someone who lingered in negative emotions for long, especially when faced with such a beautiful partner. 

Even the most troubling matters seemed to lessen by half in his presence.

“Where are Moss and Agu?” 

The topic shifted quickly, but Shen Yuxi’s expression remained unchanged as he replied softly, “They’re beside me.”

“Really?”

Qi Chao smiled. Before he could say anything, Agu had already leaned into the projection, making a funny face, while Moss stood quietly behind Shen Yuxi, nodding.

Seeing their antics, Qi Chao couldn’t help but chuckle. “You two stay close to your father and don’t wander off, especially you, Agu.”

“Got it, Dad!” Agu made a heart gesture towards Qi Chao. “Don’t worry too much, okay? With us around, everything can be sorted out!”

Moss, though not as expressive, understood Qi Chao’s troubles. 

After a few seconds, his lips, hidden beneath the bandages, quivered slightly. He held up a soft toy to his mouth and said in a hoarse voice, “Dad, try to be a bit happier.”

Qi Chao’s heart softened at the gesture. He responded warmly, and when he looked up at Shen Yuxi, he heard him say, “The association headquarters was largely burned down by robbers. You mentioned you found that piece of paper in the library that day.”

“Try to avoid getting too close to the association from now on, okay?” Shen Yuxi paused, his peach blossom eyes filled with concern and tenderness. “I'm worry about your safety.”

With both the children and his partner showing concern, Qi Chao’s previously overwhelming worries seemed to vanish.

He smiled and said, “I know. Don’t worry about it.”

Shen Yuxi responded with a soft "mm" and, after a brief conversation, ended the video call. 

The cold wind brushed past his hair, and the warmth in his eyes gradually turned into indifference.

Agu and Moss looked at their father. 

After a few seconds, Agu cheerfully remarked, “Dad and Father have such a good relationship. I didn’t know that humans share their troubles with each other when they’re together.”

Shen Yuxi ignored Agu's comment, lowering his lashes as he considered whether Qi Chao might return to the association's library. 

The association held too many uncertainties.

Shen Yuxi was reluctant to let Qi Chao get too entangled with the association.

Qi Chao would always keep his promises.

With this thought, Shen Yuxi's gaze shifted to the two humans lying on the ground not far away.

“Are Lu Chen and the others outside the trial grounds?” 

“Yes,” Moss nodded.

“Lead them to the Toxic Gas Forest,” Shen Yuxi instructed. “Also, take the two humans from there with you.”

This would be the quickest way to calm the anger of those shadows.

Moss and Agu nodded in agreement.

After ending the call with Shen Yuxi, Qi Chao's mood improved. He looked down at the character design sketches on the paper and began to draw with renewed focus. 

Just a short while into his work, his light screen vibrated with an incoming call from Father Qi.

Qi Chao paused his pen, and before he could fully see the message, Father Qi had already initiated a video call.

“What do you mean? You’re not planning to take over the company?” Father Qi’s voice was stern, with deep lines of anger etched on his face. 

Clearly, he was very upset with Qi Chao’s decision.

Qi Chao had anticipated this reaction from his father. He brought out his prepared explanation, stating clearly that he had no interest in the company and that Qi Feng and Qi Ye were more suitable for the role.

However, for Father Qi, who was already in a state of anger, these words were like adding fuel to the fire.

“Dad, you should have expected this,” Qi Chao said.

Father Qi's expression stiffened.

“When we set the two-year agreement, you should have prepared for the possibility that I would delay this matter.”

Qi Chao pressed his lips together. 

Father Qi probably only wanted him to come to terms with reality within the two-year period, but over time, he must have guessed that Qi Chao wasn’t going to give up making puppets.

“So what?” Father Qi, enraged and embarrassed, looked at Qi Chao’s calm expression, his lips twitching. 

He then said coldly, “Come back to the old house tomorrow. I want to see you.”

Knowing he couldn’t win an argument with Qi Chao, Father Qi decided to confront him face-to-face at the old house. He was determined to teach his ungrateful son a lesson.

Before Qi Chao could respond, Father Qi had already ended the call. Qi Chao ran his fingers through his hair and then let out a small laugh.

He understood that Father Qi was a soft-hearted person. Despite his outward sternness and decisiveness, at heart he was a loving father. 

Although Father Qi had ordered him to return to the old house, Qi Chao didn’t feel overly anxious.

After adding the appointment to his schedule for tomorrow, Qi Chao continued working on his character design. A few minutes later, his light screen rang again.

Thinking it might be another message from Qi Fu, he opened it to find a message from Xiu Mei.

Xiu Mei: 【Young Master Qi, when would you have time to bring your puppets to my live broadcast room?】

Xiu Mei: 【If you’re busy recently, another day is fine. I’m available anytime.】

Qi Chao looked at the screen and, recalling his earlier promise, typed a response:

【Sure, I have something during the day tomorrow, but I’m available at other times.】

It seemed that Xiu Mei had been waiting by her light screen. She replied almost immediately:

【Great, how about tomorrow night?】

【That works, but the kids go to bed early, so the live stream might not be very long.】

Qi Chao was particularly attentive to the children’s sleep schedules.

Xiu Mei: 【Don’t worry, we’ll definitely wrap up by 10 at the latest. The audience will get fatigued if the stream goes too long anyway.】

After confirming the details, Qi Chao felt the arrangement was settled.

With that done, his light screen finally went quiet. Qi Chao focused back on drawing the character designs.

 A few hours later, when he opened his light screen to take a break, he was immediately greeted by a flood of messages tagging him on social media.

【Ahhh, a live stream! No way! Am I dreaming?! My big boss Qi is going to live stream with Xiu Mei!!!】

【I thought I was following a fake character designer for the past six months. I’m so excited to finally see the puppets Qi made—especially Li Bai and Xiang Yue! They’re so beautiful!!】

【Xiu Mei’s stream is amazing! Her witchcraft live broadcasts are so interesting, every time I watch it’s a visual feast. To see Qi’s puppets in person and join the witchcraft stream—such a rare chance!!!】

The messages spread so quickly?

Qi Chao wasn’t surprised to see the platform buzzing with comments and private messages. Xiu Mei was adept at leveraging her popularity, so it was expected she’d build hype for tomorrow’s stream.

In reality, it wasn’t a loss for him either.

Qi Chao knew that to become a master character designer and influence how industry professionals viewed puppets, gaining recognition was crucial. 

His social media following was still relatively small, and if managed well, this opportunity could be a significant boost for him.

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