Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 111

 

| PN | Four | 111

The next day, Qi Chao went to the old residence alone, without bringing any of the children. 

Before leaving, he specifically informed Shen Yuxi about his plans. 

Perhaps because he had witnessed his teacher's death in front of him, Brother Shen was easily insecure. 

Noticing this, Qi Chao made sure to inform Brother Shen of everything he was doing to avoid causing him anxiety if he couldn't reach him.

When Qi Chao arrived at the old residence, Qi Chenming was sitting on the sofa, drinking tea with a deeply furrowed brow, looking like he had been waiting for a long time. 

Seeing Qi Chao enter, Qi Chenming let out an unhappy hum, and the cup in his hand was heavily slammed onto the coffee table. 

The butler wisely left the space for the father and son to talk alone.

With his long-standing high position, Qi Chenming's demeanor was quite imposing, giving off a sense of distance, especially with his current black face. 

Anyone else would have been intimidated. 

However, Qi Chao knew that his father, Qi Chenming, was just a cold-faced but warm-hearted foolish father, so he wasn't afraid of him. 

He glanced at the cup of tea on the table, walked over, and skillfully refilled it for his father.

Despite the low pressure surrounding him, Qi Chenming's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly. 

“What do you mean? Are you really not planning to take over the company?”

"Yeah, I’m not planning to," Qi Chao placed the tea cup in front of his father. "Dad, there's no need to be angry. Qi Feng and Qi Ye are working hard; in a few years, they’ll be capable of handling things on their own."

Qi Chenming stared intently at Qi Chao. He had initially planned to use any means necessary to change his son's mind once he returned, but seeing his expression now, Qi Chenming suddenly felt it might not be necessary. 

Though Qi Chao was smiling, his eyes clearly conveyed that he wasn’t going to heed his father's wishes.

"Have you thought this through? If you don't take over the company now, it will be too late later."

"Yeah, I know."

Qi Chao nodded, showing no concern about not inheriting the company. Observing his son’s stubborn attitude, Qi Chenming huffed again, finishing his tea, only to have his cup refilled immediately. 

He paused, turned his head to look at Qi Chao’s smiling eyes, and after a few moments of hesitation, he finally conceded and asked, "Do you have a livestream tonight?"

"Yes, I’m going to Xu Mei’s livestream room as we planned. If you have time, you can come by and watch it tonight, too." Qi Chao wasn’t surprised that his father knew about his plans. 

He smiled and added, "The kids at home will be there as well."

Because of his busy schedule, Qi Chenming didn’t have a deep impression of the puppets Qi Chao made. 

However, he had heard his two foolish sons constantly praise the puppets Qi Chao crafted as being incredibly cute.

Qi Chenming held a certain prejudice against the puppets. He was used to seeing the disdain with which the upper class treated them and wasn’t pleased with Qi Chao making those things. 

Even though puppet master’s were highly regarded, with master puppet makers even having opportunities to receive royal medals, Qi Chenming viewed the puppets as lifeless toys and saw no real value in Qi Chao’s work.

“If you want to be a puppet master , you’d better be the best,” Qi Chenming’s only demand. “Otherwise, you’d better go back to the company.”

Qi Chenming could be so amusing at times.

Qi Chao couldn’t help but smile, feeling a surge of warmth inside. He turned and put his arm around Qi Chenming’s shoulders, speaking affectionately, “Don’t worry, I won’t embarrass you.”

Qi Chenming glanced at him, his lips pressing into a thin line, and his movements seemed a bit stiff, as if he wasn’t quite used to such closeness from his son.

“Stop joking around.”

Qi Chenming pushed Qi Chao’s arm away and stood up, looking at him seriously. “The association is quite complex. If you decide to continue this path, don’t bother getting certified as a puppet master with any association.”

“Understood.” Qi Chao paused, then asked, “Dad, have you heard any news about the association?”

Qi Chenming had heard some rumors, but he felt there was no need to discuss them. His brown eyes, darker than Qi Chao’s, conveyed a warning. “If you only want to be an ordinary puppet master, don’t ask so many questions.”

It was fine if Qi Chao wanted to make puppets, but that didn’t mean Qi Chenming would allow him to get involved in dangerous matters, especially those related to the empire.

“Of course.” Qi Chao nodded without hesitation, then smiled and added, “But asking about gossip doesn’t conflict with this.”

The association had been collecting a lot of S-level puppets, and Qi Chao was naturally interested in finding out their true purpose if he had the chance.

Gossip?

Qi Chenming looked at Qi Chao with suspicion, trying to discern his true intentions from his expression. 

However, despite observing for a while, he couldn’t find any clear answer in Qi Chao’s eyes. It seemed like Qi Chao was genuinely just asking out of curiosity.

Qi Chenming’s gaze fell on the tea cup filled with water. After a moment of silence in the living room, he spoke, “There’s not much to say, really. It’s just that the Emperor of Blue Star has given the Puppet Master Association another large sum of money. If you join, I’ll probably end up losing a lot of money.”

Although Qi Chenming’s response made sense, Qi Chao couldn’t shake the feeling that his father was brushing him off.

“Don’t worry, Dad. I won’t be joining them,” Qi Chao assured him.

Qi Chao decided to abandon the attempt to extract more information from his father about the association and shifted the topic to his younger brothers. “By the way, have Qi Feng and Qi Ye moved into the old residence recently?”

Seeing that Qi Chao was no longer asking about the association, Qi Chenming guessed that his son was genuinely uninterested in it. 

He relaxed slightly and answered, “No.”

The father and son continued their conversation, with Qi Chao usually initiating the topics and Qi Chenming responding. 

It was rare for them to have such a harmonious discussion and spend time together. 

After the butler came in to remind Qi Chenming about the upcoming meeting, Qi Chenming grew somewhat silent.

Qi Chao noticed his father’s reluctance to part ways. He thought for a moment and smiled, “Dad, let’s talk more another time. When you have a chance, let’s invite Qi Feng and Qi Ye back as well, and we can have a meal together.”

“Mm.” Qi Chenming nodded steadily, the lines around his nose seemed to soften a bit, and there was a hint of a smile on his face.

After Qi Chenming left, Qi Chao glanced at his phone, where Xu Mei had sent a detailed livestream guide with about ten messages. He hadn't had the chance to respond earlier because he was talking to his father.

Sitting on the sofa, Qi Chao replied to the messages before getting up and leaving the old residence. 

According to Xu Mei, the livestream would take place in a professional studio, and he could bring the children along. 

After some consideration, Qi Chao agreed.

Since he had informed the children about the livestream earlier in the day, they were not too surprised when he told them they would be going out. 

In fact, due to their long time spent at home studying, Li Bai and Lan Luo were somewhat excited about the outing. 

Compared to them, Xiang Yue appeared more composed.

Qi Chao watched as Li Bai and Lan Luo happily boarded the aircraft, a smile curling on his lips. He then turned his attention to the silent Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian.

Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian were actually quite timid. Their past experiences had a significant impact on them. 

Although they had forgotten most of their memories from the association, they still vividly recalled being locked in a cage and treated as exotic beasts for people to gawk at.

Since their creation, they had rarely interacted with other puppets except for Qi Chao. Even their interactions with Lan Luo and Li Bai could be counted on one hand. 

When they were at Brother Shen’s villa, the two children mostly stayed in the bedroom, displaying classic symptoms of social anxiety.

Thinking about this, Qi Chao stopped and gently rubbed Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian's heads. “I’m really happy that you two are willing to come with Dad to the livestream room.”

Despite their social anxiety, Qi Chao didn’t let them stay behind to rest. He understood that taking this step was a significant achievement for Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian, and he wasn’t going to push them back into their previous isolation.

The sudden praise from Qi Chao left the two puppets a bit puzzled at first, but they soon appeared pleased. 

Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian had a cold, aloof appearance, but when they smiled, the floral patterns on their faces softened their cold demeanor, making them look more lively.

Qi Chao, along with his group, boarded the aircraft. After arriving at the destination, he sent a message to Xu Mei in advance.

Xu Mei was currently explaining the key points of the livestream to the warlock, Pepper. When she saw the message on her holographic device, she couldn’t help but smile and glanced at her own puppets.

The warlock received the signal and opened the fan group, where the screen was filled with fans’ anticipation for the upcoming livestream.

【As expected of the most understanding sister, Xu Mei, even managed to invite Qi Chao. Wow, that’s amazing!!】

【Wow, Qi Chao rarely does livestreams. Not to mention livestreaming, he hardly posts on social media. Getting even one post a month is a huge deal. It’s so tiring waiting for updates every day.】

【Is Qi Chao really that impressive? I’ve only been following for a couple of months. How come everyone is praising him so much?】

【The person above, Qi Chao is incredibly impressive. Just check it out. My friend told me that Qi Chao was the heir to a major company two years ago. After quitting, he self-taught and within six months produced an S-level puppet. Now, he has two S-level puppets, including a Fantasy type!!】

【Producing two S-level puppets in less than two years means they could be worth hundreds of millions if auctioned. And the Fantasy type? You don’t need me to tell you how amazing that is—there are very few on Blue Star.】

【...Are you sure this isn’t a scam? Even if he was an heir, how can making a Fantasy type puppet be that easy?】

【What do I gain from lying to you?】

The fan group had about five thousand members, and the messages scrolled so quickly that it was hard to read. 

Xu Mei glanced at other platforms, which were even more bustling, and she felt a surge of relief.

Everything was set; her livestream would definitely be a hit.

Excited, Xu Mei checked the time and immediately went to fetch Qi Chao with Pepper. When they arrived, a vehicle was waiting at the landing area.

Seeing the puppets disembark from the aircraft, Xu Mei’s face lit up with delight. She recognized Li Bai and Xiang Yue, confirming that this aircraft belonged to Qi Chao.

Just as Xu Mei was about to move forward with Pepper to greet them, she saw several more puppets start to come out of the aircraft.

One, two, three...??

Xu Mei blinked in disbelief. How could there be five puppets coming out of Qi Chao's aircraft? Wasn't there supposed to be only two?

Given that Qi Chao had only been making puppets for two years, it seemed impossible that he could have produced five puppets in such a short time. 

She thought... it couldn’t be possible, could it?

Swallowing nervously, Xu Mei stammered as Qi Chao disembarked from the aircraft, “Young Master Qi, are all these puppets made by you?”

“No,” Qi Chao replied.

Xu Mei immediately felt a wave of relief. 

It made sense—producing five puppets in two years would be an extraordinary feat, even for the most skilled puppet masters. It would be mentally exhausting and nearly impossible.

Qi Chao continued, “Lan Luo wasn’t made by me.” 

He had already prepared Xu Mei for this, “I’m not planning to have him in the livestream. It’s just that it’s not ideal to leave him alone at home.”

Lan Luo was made by Brother Shen. Qi Chao knew that Brother Shen and the association had issues, and under these circumstances, he didn’t want to make Lan Luo's presence widely known.

Xu Mei was left speechless, struggling to process the information. …What? She didn’t quite catch that.

Xu Mei’s legs felt a bit weak. So, it wasn’t five puppets—it was four? Four?! 

What the heck!

Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Qi Chao. 

This guy must be a monster, right? 

Two years and he made four puppets, averaging one puppet every six months. His mental strength must be extraordinary—how is he not completely exhausted?

“What’s wrong?” Qi Chao noticed Xu Mei’s ghostly expression and looked puzzled.

“Nothing, nothing at all.” Xu Mei suppressed her shock and quickly reassessed the situation. Qi Chao revealing that he had made four puppets in her livestream would undoubtedly benefit her, potentially making her livestream more popular than she had imagined.

Thinking about the influx of money, Xu Mei's expression immediately became more serious. She looked at Qi Chao with the warmth and enthusiasm of someone who had just found a second chance at life. 

“Shall we go in and start preparing? We can begin the livestream right away.”

Qi Chao, who had an inkling of what Xu Mei was thinking, smiled. “Of course.”

Meanwhile, the viewers who had been eagerly waiting were busy typing away at their keyboards. 

The audience included fans of both Qi Chao and Shen Yuxi, Xu Mei’s fans, many passersby interested in the excitement, and, of course, a number of black fans who didn’t approve of either of them.

Xu Mei’s promotional efforts were evidently paying off. Even before the livestream had started, the excitement in the chat was palpable.

【Uuuuu, finally, I get to see Li Bai and Xiang Yue!】

【Today’s going to be great with Pepper! It’s amazing that Pepper gets two new friends today. I always feel so bad seeing Pepper solo on livestreams!】

【How ridiculous, so annoying. Following these rich people's toys every day, wouldn’t it be better to spend that time reading?】

【Are you an idiot? Did I steal your time or money? Why are you trying to control what I do?】

【Uuugh, I’m so curious to see if the legendary Qi Chao’s puppets, they were made in just two years. I wonder if they are as haphazard as the ones made by Qing Yu.】

【They’re super beautiful! Trust me!】

【Really! Even though the big shot made two puppets in two years, Li Bai and Xiang Yue are incredibly cute! Both are rare S-level puppets, and they’re so well-behaved. I’d love to adopt them!】

The comment section is bustling as if it’s celebrating New Year’s, with comments flying by so quickly they blur together with the countdown to the livestream’s start. 

As the livestream begins, the “pure and innocent” Pepper, as usual, waves to the camera and greets the audience before introducing the dolls invited for today’s show.

According to the livestream’s routine, the puppets appear first, followed by the puppet masters’ segment. 

The puppets on the screen are exquisite and handsome. Sitting next to Pepper is a white-haired “boy.” 

When the camera pans over, the white fox-like Li Bai seems a bit flustered but quickly lifts his head and waves slightly at the camera. 

Even with the mask on, his slightly glowing golden eyes and small tiger teeth are visible.

In contrast to the lively Li Bai, the black-haired doll Xiang Yue maintains a straight posture and, when the camera turns to him, only his dog ears twitch slightly as a form of greeting.

Next to them are two teenage-looking puppet—one with white hair and white eyes, and the other with black hair and black eyes. 

Their features are delicate and aloof, like ice flowers on a snowy mountain, seemingly untouchable. 

Their brows are adorned with strange patterns, making them hard to look away from.

There is a moment of silence in the comments section before a comment nervously appears:

【I have a question. Besides the great Qi today, were any other puppet masters invited?】

【Of course they were invited. What are you thinking? Xiu Mei handled this poorly. Let’s just say that the fame of Master Qi is so great that it overshadowed the presence of other puppet masters.】

【Yeah, but the two black-haired, black-eyed and white-haired, white-eyed dolls next to them are really exquisite, especially the patterns on their faces. Amazing.】

【I want to be a fan!】

Pepper had been through many livestreams, but this was his first time streaming with puppet. He knew his mother had high expectations for this livestream, and he had been nervous since the start.

Seeing the misunderstanding among the viewers on the screen, he hurriedly explained, “Shaung Jian and Xuan Jian were both made by Uncle Qi.”

Li Bai, who was gradually getting used to the livestream environment, nodded and added, “Shaung Jian and Xuan Jian were made by Dad himself; they are Li Bai’s younger brothers.”

Viewers: ??

【What does that mean?】

【The commenter above is so clueless. It means that Master Qi didn’t just make two puppets, but four! Haha.】

The person who made that comment quickly followed up with another one, seemingly realizing something: 【What! Four?!】

【Four puppets made in two years?! Damn!】

【Is he some kind of octopus? The puppets masters over at the neighboring association, who can’t even produce an A-grade puppets after three years of hard work, must be crying right now!】

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