Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 87

 

| PN | I Love You | 87

Early in the morning, Li Ming and Qiu Li set off from the association to arrive at the villa of the richest man's eldest son.

Li Ming was the vice president's secretary, and Qiu Li was the person responsible for liaising with the research institute. Both were well aware of how crucial a puppet master who could create an S-level doll within six months was to the association.

"Have all the materials been prepared?" Qiu Li loosened his tie and swallowed nervously. "We have to get this right; it's no easy task to come here without the richest man's knowledge."

Li Ming nodded. The pressure from the research institute was intense, and with the Empire's funds running low, if the association couldn't produce results that satisfied the Empire, their resources would certainly be cut.

"According to our investigation, Qi Chao once purchased an S-level puppet on the black market," Li Ming paused before continuing, "Based on the competition records, Qi Chao cares deeply about his puppets. We can offer some concessions during the negotiations."

Qiu Li understood this well. "I know, I've read the reports too. I've also heard that he has a good relationship with Shen Yuxi. Does the vice president know about this?"

"He does," Li Ming confirmed with a nod. "But it's also obvious that the richest man's son wouldn't consider a person from Ganfen District to be a real friend. The puppet Qi Chao bought on the black market was made by Shen Yuxi. The two probably met because of that puppet."

"Is that so?" Qiu Li understood, his eyes showing some disdain.

"Shen Yuxi, being from Ganfen District, is nothing but trash. The association has already given him face by inviting him to join, and he still refuses. He's made a couple of S-level dolls in ten years, none of which have any special abilities. They're of no use at all. How arrogant can he be, having his ego inflated by those brainless fans online?"

Shen Yuxi was a mysterious figure on Blue Star. The higher-ups of the association and the Empire had rarely seen his true face, and neither Qiu Li nor Li Ming had seen him in person. 

However, it didn’t stop them from thinking of Shen Yuxi as trash.

An S-level puppet without special abilities was just a more advanced toy, holding no real value. Shen Yuxi’s creation of a bunch of useless items and his audacity to look down on the association were, in their view, laughable.

Li Ming approached the villa door and rang the doorbell, wearing a warm smile, determined to make a good first impression on Qi Chao. 

As time passed, the villa's door remained unmoved.

The smiles on their faces gradually stiffened. After ringing the doorbell again, the door still did not open. Just as they were beginning to doubt whether there was a problem with their message or if Qi Chao wasn’t home, the door suddenly creaked open.

Li Ming and Qiu Li immediately put on their most sincere smiles, ready to introduce themselves. 

But when they saw the man who opened the door, the words they had prepared were suddenly swallowed.

They had seen Qi Chao's profile, so they knew what he looked like—handsome but with a fierce demeanor. However, seeing him in person was far more striking. 

The tall man with black hair stood at the door, his deep brown eyes looking down at them with an unspoken chill. 

After glancing at their badges, the man’s deep voice cut through the silence, “Who are you looking for?”

The man, with his arm braced against the doorframe, clearly had no intention of letting the two men inside.

Li Ming and Qiu Li, both aware that only those affiliated with the association wore such badges, understood that Qi Chao knew they were from the association but still refused to let them in, signaling a clear lack of welcome. 

The negotiation was turning out to be more difficult than they had anticipated.

However, they were not surprised. After all, Qi Chao, being the eldest son of the richest man, held a status far superior to those puppet masters who came from unknown backgrounds.

“Mr. Qi, we are staff members of the association,” Li Ming spoke up first. He introduced both himself and Qiu Li and continued, “We’ve come to invite you to join the association.”

“Not interested.”

After the incident with the double mirror, Qi Chao had developed a strong aversion to the association. He gave the two men a brief glance and calmly responded before attempting to close the door.

Li Ming and Qiu Li quickly blocked his attempt. “Please don’t be so hasty in rejecting us. We’re open to negotiations. The association can meet any of your requirements.”

Qi Chao paused. Although he had no intention of joining the association, the eagerness and readiness to make concessions on the part of these men piqued his curiosity about the association's motives.

Qi Chao knew that the timing of their visit was too coincidental, coming just a day after he had announced his Xiang Yue-level ranking. It was hard for him to believe that these two events were unrelated.

S-level humanoid puppets were indeed rare on Blue Star, and many puppet masters in the association had the capability to produce them. Given that there had been past friction between him and the association, their sudden interest in inviting him was certainly suspicious.

Were they that desperate for S-level puppets?

With a shift in his thoughts, Qi Chao slightly opened the door, feigning interest as if the two had piqued his curiosity. “Come in.”

Li Ming and Qiu Li exchanged glances, sensing that the situation was turning in their favor. Their smiles widened, and they stepped inside, their flattery pouring out freely. 

They complimented everything from Qi Chao’s puppet-making skills to the design of the villa, covering every detail with praise.

As they entered the living room, their attention was immediately drawn to the stunning golden-haired man lounging on the sofa. 

The sight left them momentarily awestruck, their voices dropping to whispers as they fixated on him.

Noticing their lingering gaze on Shen Yuxi, Qi Chao felt a surge of irritation. He moved in front of them, blocking their view of Shen Yuxi, and said with a forced smile, “How much longer do you plan on staring at my guest?”

Even if Qi Chao and Shen Yuxi were just friends before—regardless of their current relationship—he couldn’t tolerate these men’s invasive stares at Shen Yuxi.

Li Ming and Qiu Li immediately realized the situation they were in, and cold sweat broke out on their foreheads. 

Li Ming quickly tried to cover up: “No, no, Mr. Qi, you’ve misunderstood. We just thought that Mr. Qi has great taste. This gentleman’s appearance is indeed stunning, and he’s truly a perfect match with Mr. Qi.”

Given Mr. Qi’s identity, the man’s appearance, and his remark about “my guest,” Li Ming and Qiu Li naturally assumed that the golden-haired man on the sofa was Mr. Qi’s lover.

“You and this gentleman are both outstanding. If it were anyone else, we wouldn’t have lost our composure like this,” Qiu Li said, wiping sweat while trying to appease Mr. Qi, desperately wanting to smooth things over and avoid upsetting him.

Li Ming and Qiu Li were unaware that the golden-haired man on the sofa was Shen Yuxi, whom they had been disparaging as trash. 

They just wanted to get past this incident quickly without affecting their negotiations with Mr. Qi.

Initially, Shen Yuxi was displeased with Qi Chao inviting the association’s people into the room. He disliked others coveting his possessions, and though he knew Qi Chao would not agree to join the association, the faint displeasure in his heart was hard to shake off.

However, hearing “my guest” from Qi Chao made Shen Yuxi less angry. 

Even though the relationship was revealed, he could temporarily overlook this small detail. Shen Yuxi’s lips curled up slightly as he looked at the association’s staff, thinking they were quite perceptive in not gathering disliking perceptive people.

Qi Chao, with his back to Shen Yuxi, was unaware of the change in Shen Yuxi’s mood. He led the two association staff to the meeting room on the first floor, preparing to probe the association’s intentions.

Just after walking a few steps, Qi Chao paused slightly, glanced at Shen Yuxi beside him, and said in a low voice, “Brother Shen, you can go ahead and watch the projection first. I’ll join you shortly.”

Qi Chao remembered that Shen Yuxi had always disliked the association members and naturally didn’t want to add to his discomfort.

“I won’t interfere with your discussion,” Shen Yuxi replied.

Perhaps because he had woken up early that day, Shen Yuxi hadn’t styled his hair. His golden locks fell freely down his back, giving him a softer appearance than usual.

He tilted his head slightly and asked in a gentle voice, “Is this okay?”

Qi Chao hesitated for a moment. Having touched Shen Yuxi’s hair the night before, he felt a bit of an urge to reach out again. He clenched his fist to hide his impulse, then calmly considered, “It’s fine.”

Since Shen Yuxi didn’t mind, there was no need to stop him.

In the meeting room, Li Ming and Qiu Li, well-versed in negotiation principles, were playing the emotional card before presenting the benefits and inducements to persuade Qi Chao to join the association. 

“The association has always had a partnership with the Qi family. If it weren’t for that deranged puppet master from before, our relationship would definitely be better,” they said.

“We’ve always felt quite guilty about this matter. The vice president has also promised to make amends. Anything you want can be negotiated. The association promises that you can choose any mining vein or energy stone vein you wish. Of course, after joining the association, you will receive even more.”

Li Ming knew that even the wealthiest individuals would be attracted to the rare resource of mining veins. 

To persuade Qi Chao to join them, the association was indeed making a substantial effort.

“Is that so?” Qi Chao looked at the two men. “I remember that according to the conditions for joining the association, all the rights to the puppets made within two years belong to the association?”

This was a condition Qi Chao had seen a long time ago: any puppets made within two years of joining the association would belong to them, meaning that regardless of what the association did with the puppets, the puppet master would have no right to refuse.

Li Ming and Qiu Li exchanged glances, then Li Ming spoke up, “Yes, there is such a rule. Your speed in making puppets is impressive. You can produce an S-level puppet in just six months. If you join the association, you only need to produce three S-level puppets within two years.”

“The number is negotiable. If you think three is too many, two is also acceptable,” Qiu Li added. Even if Qi Chao made one puppet per year, his efficiency would far exceed that of other top-class puppet master’s.

The association clearly needed a large number of S-level puppets.

Looking at the two men in front of him, who had expressions of “you’re getting a great deal,” Qi Chao felt a hint of sarcasm.

He would have to be out of his mind to think of handing his own children over to the association.

After Li Ming and Qiu Li had been boasting for a while, they noticed that Qi Chao was just staring at them in silence. 

The two men awkwardly stopped and Li Ming asked, “Is there something about the benefits provided by the association that you’re not satisfied with, Mr. Qi?”

“If I don’t make a single puppet within two years, will you still agree to let me join the association with the benefits you just offered?” 

Two years with not a single puppet made? 

Li Ming and Qiu Li looked slightly uncomfortable. They hadn’t expected Qi Chao to ask such a question. Their interest in having Qi Chao join the association was precisely because of his ability to make puppets. 

If he didn’t make any puppets, it clearly meant he was unwilling to transfer ownership of the puppets to the association.

However, as long as Qi Chao joined the association, they would still have the right of first purchase. 

As long as Qi Chao could produce S-level puppets, the association would not be at a loss.

Thinking this through, Qiu Li responded, “Of course, we’d agree. This is also to express our apology for your previous injury.”

Hearing this, Qi Chao's mood sank. The so-called apology was just empty words; if they were truly apologetic, they wouldn’t have waited six months to approach him. 

In the end, they were more interested in his ability to produce puppets.

The fact that the association was willing to agree to not having him make any puppets within two years showed that their demands were likely much higher than he had imagined.

Qi Chao looked at the two association representatives in front of him, forced a smile, and said, “I’ll think about it and we can arrange another meeting another day.”

Li Ming and Qiu Li couldn’t tell whether Qi Chao was agreeing or not. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, they left the villa under Qi Chao’s distant and polite gaze.

“You probably won’t be joining the association, will you?” 

As Qi Chao closed the door, Shen Yuxi leaned against the wall by the entrance, his voice soft and gentle.

Qi Chao nodded and walked over to Shen Yuxi’s side, his deep brown eyes slightly somber. “I really want to know what they need so many S-level puppets for.”

He pressed his lips together. He knew that if he joined the association, he might quickly uncover their true intentions.

 However, merely joining the association as a top-class puppet master would likely come with many constraints. The current president of the association was a master-class puppet master, and only by reaching the level of president could he access more information.

Shen Yuxi watched Qi Chao in thought, reaching out to gently caress his face. 

His peach blossom eyes were warm and affectionate, reflecting a glimmer of water-like light. “The association always has its reasons for doing things. With patience, the truth may soon reveal itself.”

Shen Yuxi was well aware of what the association intended to do with the large number of S-level puppets, but he had no intention of revealing this to Qi Chao. 

Once he had dismantled the association, Qi Chao would no longer need to be troubled by these concerns.

Qi Chao thought about how nice it would be to stay in his own world of creation, focusing solely on making puppets and always being close to Shen Yuxi.

As Shen Yuxi’s warm, soft fingers brushed against Qi Chao’s face, Qi Chao’s ears slightly reddened, and he couldn’t help but focus on Shen Yuxi. 

Shen Yuxi was so gentle.

This was a softness Qi Chao had never felt from Shen Yuxi before. He found himself convinced that making their relationship official was the right decision, as it had already made him feel much happier.

Looking down at Shen Yuxi, Qi Chao nodded. He knew that if the association’s intentions were truly repugnant, waiting around would be futile. 

For now, his only option seemed to be to quickly become a master-class puppet master.

They went to the living room together, and as Qi Chao glanced back, he noticed Shen Yuxi’s soft golden hair cascading behind him. 

After they arrived in the living room, Qi Chao smiled and asked, “Brother Shen, can I help you braid your hair?”

This was Qi Chao’s first romantic relationship, and he had little experience. With their transition from friends to their current relationship, he felt he should treat Shen Yuxi even better and take things slowly.

Shen Yuxi looked up at Qi Chao, and after a few seconds, his peach blossom eyes curved into a crescent moon as he gently replied, “Okay.”

Shen Yuxi had always cared about his appearance. He didn’t deny that not having styled his hair before coming downstairs was partly to give Qi Chao an opportunity to do it.

He wanted to give Qi Chao a reason to approach him, and he lowered his eyelashes slightly.

Qi Chao was already his own, but Shen Yuxi knew that Qi Chao’s affection for him was largely due to the facade he presented. 

Shen Yuxi needed to use more methods to strengthen their bond, both physically and in other ways.

Qi Chao emerged from the bathroom with a comb. Standing behind Shen Yuxi, he lowered his head and focused on the dazzling golden hair in front of him. 

He gently ran the comb through Shen Yuxi’s hair, his deft fingers carefully separating and braiding the strands.

Shen Yuxi could feel Qi Chao’s careful handling of his hair, as if he was afraid of pulling it too hard. His eyelashes fluttered slightly, and a hint of satisfaction began to appear in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Xiang Yue emerged from his room, tossing a baseball into the air and catching it swiftly, his tail swaying slightly.

Xiang Yue was very clever and had figured out various ways to play with the baseball in just a few days. 

When he reached the corner of the stairs, he saw the bandaged puppet sitting on the stairs of the first floor. 

The puppet, usually cold and reserved, would sit on the sofa every day to style the doll’s hair and then return to his room after receiving his father’s praise. It seemed that the only reason for coming out of his room was to receive praise for his doll.

Today, however, the puppet wasn’t on the sofa. Xiang Yue noticed this unusual absence and sensed that something must have happened. 

His dog ears twitched slightly as he put the baseball back in his pocket and raised his tail, his curiosity piqued.

He quietly walked over to Moss and followed his gaze, catching sight of his father, who was focused on styling Shen Yuxi’s hair. The two exchanged occasional words, and the scene was unusually harmonious.

Xiang Yue's tail, which had been swaying, came to a stop. His eyes showed some confusion. He turned to Moss and whispered, “Dad and God-father seem different.”

This feeling was strange and inexplicable.

Xiang Yue couldn’t pinpoint what had changed between Qi Chao and Shen Yuxi, but his instincts were usually accurate. He didn’t think he was wrong.

Moss glanced at Xiang Yue and replied in a somewhat raspy voice, “Don’t go down.”

His father was currently bonding with Qi Chao, and going out might disturb them.

Xiang Yue withdrew his gaze from the sofa and turned to Moss. “So, do you know what’s different about them?”

At Xiang Yue’s question, Moss tightened his grip on the doll he was working on. He wasn’t sure if his father and Qi Chao wanted this information to be revealed, so Moss couldn’t say anything. 

His lips, hidden beneath the bandages, moved slightly as he rasped, “I don’t know.”

Xiang Yue noticed the lie but didn’t press further. He nodded thoughtfully. He knew he would find out sooner or later.

With that thought, Xiang Yue sat down next to Moss.

When Lan Luo and Li Bai came down from their rooms, they saw the two puppets sitting on the stairs.

“What are you doing here?” Li Bai, with his golden eyes showing some confusion behind his mask, asked. Lan Luo remained silent, showing no interest in the two puppets.

Hearing the commotion from the stairs, Qi Chao, who had just finished styling Shen Yuxi’s hair, came over. Seeing four children blocking the narrow stairway, he looked puzzled. “What are you all doing here?”

“Nothing.” 

The first to speak was the usually taciturn Moss. He held the doll close to him, his lowered eyelashes hiding his emotions.

Xiang Yue glanced at Moss, his tail swaying slightly as if eager to uncover what Moss was hiding. 

However, for Xiang Yue, his father was always the most important.

Just as he was about to say something, Moss reached out and pulled Xiang Yue. 

Xiang Yue considered it for a moment and then told Qi Chao, “We haven’t done anything.”

Indeed, they hadn’t done anything.

Xiang Yue thought about how he was indeed sitting on the stairs, seemingly unaware of what was going on.

Qi Chao had only asked out of curiosity, and seeing that none of the children seemed troubled, he didn’t pursue the matter further.

On the other hand, Shen Yuxi glanced at Moss thoughtfully, as if he had a sense of what might have happened.

In the days following Xiang Yue’s birth, Qi Chao had become somewhat lax with the education of the children. 

After breakfast, he resumed organizing their learning activities.

He had expected that the children might not be very cooperative, but to his surprise, they were all quite dedicated.

 Even Xiang Yue, who had just been born, showed an enthusiasm for learning that Qi Chao found difficult to comprehend. 

In contrast, Moss, who would occasionally glance at a book while mostly focusing on his dolls, seemed more normal in comparison.

But it was always good to have a love for learning.

After praising each child, Qi Chao was ushered by Shen Yuxi to the basement.

“You must be very busy, right?” Shen Yuxi asked.

Shen Yuxi spoke softly with a gentle expression, fully aware that Qi Chao, once in his teaching mode, would spend a long time guiding the children and then stay up late making puppets. 

Every day would be a repetitive cycle of this monotonous and exhausting routine until the next puppet was completed. 

While Qi Chao might find it enjoyable and not particularly tiring, Shen Yuxi couldn’t allow that.

He had made too many exceptions for Qi Chao and didn’t want to feel like he was making a bad deal, with Qi Chao’s limited attention being focused on him. 

It would be unacceptable for Shen Yuxi if his efforts led to such a feeling of being undervalued.

Qi Chao didn’t think too much of it, assuming Shen Yuxi just wanted him to teach the children. 

He smiled at Shen Yuxi and said, “I’ll head to the basement then. If the children are doing their homework, you can come find me.”

Shen Yuxi nodded in response.

Once Qi Chao’s figure had disappeared through the door, Shen Yuxi sat down in a chair. 

He looked at the few puppets who had been diligently studying with their heads bowed and suddenly addressed the closest one, Lan Luo, in a soft voice, “Are you planning to help him?”

The question was somewhat cryptic, but Lan Luo understood. He looked up at Shen Yuxi. 

Perhaps due to his accustomed interaction with Shen Yuxi and Qi Chao, Lan Luo no longer feared his father as he once did.

Lan Luo pressed his lips together and said, “Xiang Yue said we could help Qi Chao.”

In reality, Lan Luo wasn’t sure how they could assist Qi Chao in achieving his dreams, but he knew that learning more might reveal the answer. 

Having been exiled by his father, Lan Luo hadn’t undertaken any tasks for a long time. 

This was the first time he had actively wanted to do something.

Shen Yuxi glanced at Lan Luo, then turned his attention to Li Bai and Xiang Yue, who were both engrossed in reading. 

The two seemed to be struggling with learning new words, their heads bent together as they puzzled over something.

Noting that his father had no intention of speaking further, Lan Luo bit his lip and fiddled with the edge of the table. 

A moment later, he heard Shen Yuxi’s gentle voice in his ear, “Just don’t cause him any trouble.”

Lan Luo looked up immediately, understanding that his father was giving tacit approval for his actions. His face brightened with a wide smile.

Shen Yuxi didn’t think the puppets would be able to accomplish much, and his expression was somewhat nonchalant. 

However, he found the situation quite interesting and was curious to see what they could do for Qi Chao.

Meanwhile, Agu was using a puppet cleaning solution to wipe the blood off his face. Human blood was repulsive, and even though only one arm remained, Agu’s movements were still nimble.

After wiping off the blood, Agu bounced back to the Mother Tree. 

When he saw the multitude of green light orbs surrounding the tree, his jade-green eyes narrowed slightly. He bent down to examine the orbs and poked at them with his remaining hand.

These light orbs were pure energy, beneficial both for him and for the puppets that had become spirits. In the trial grounds, he only consumed these orbs for nourishment.

Agu gazed at the lush Mother Tree, his remaining arm wrapped around the trunk. He sighed, “Mother Tree, why aren’t you my father?”

The Mother Tree was gentle.

Agu thought to himself that there probably wasn't another tree in the world that could offer new life to the puppets while also providing them with energy. 

It was far better than his own father, who only issued orders and then disappeared without a trace, showing no care for his children.

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