Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 91

 

| PN | You are so Handsome | 91

The living room was somewhat quiet, with four puppets sitting together. The occasional clattering sounds from the kitchen could be heard.

"What do you want to say?"

Lan Luo looked at Xiang Yue, who was sitting on the sofa, his blue eyes slightly narrowed. 

When facing the silent Xiang Yue, he always had the feeling that he was dealing with the ever-smiling Agu.

Lan Luo didn't like this puppet who seemed to see right through him. Sensing that he was in a bad mood, Li Bai, who was beside him, held Lan Luo's hand and flashed two small tiger teeth at him, his golden eyes shining brightly beneath his mask.

Li Bai liked Lan Luo, and he also liked Xiang Yue, who was made by his father, so he naturally didn't want any conflict between Lan Luo and Xiang Yue.

 He looked at Xiang Yue and said, "Are you going to talk about what happened yesterday?"

Li Bai might be a bit naive, but when it came to many things, his intuition was no less sharp than Xiang Yue's.

"Yes."

Xiang Yue's tail swayed slightly behind him as he nodded, not denying it.

Sitting next to Xiang Yue, Moss relaxed his grip on the stuffed doll upon hearing this. So, he wasn't talking about what happened between Father and Qi Chao.

Moss breathed a sigh of relief, lowered his head, and ran his bandaged fingers through the doll's hair, his attention, as usual, returning to his doll.

Xiang Yue glanced at Moss, noticing his subtle movement. 

The dog ears on top of his head twitched slightly, but he said nothing and continued the conversation from before. "At yesterday's gathering, Li Bai and I met a puppet named Pepper, who has been earning money for his mother."

Lan Luo felt a bit puzzled, not quite understanding what Xiang Yue meant by this. Did Xiang Yue also want to make money?

Making money wasn’t Xiang Yue’s goal, though. He looked at the three puppets and said, "Pepper earns money through human live-streaming donations."

Xiang Yue had never wanted for anything since his creation, and his father had never instilled in him the anxiety of survival. Under these circumstances, even though he understood that puppets were inherently of low status, it was only a vague concept to him.

However, Pepper’s experience seemed to show him that as a puppet, creating value is difficult, and most of the time, one can only rely on pleasing humans to earn a reward.

There's nothing inherently wrong with pleasing humans.

But, that wasn't what Xiang Yue wanted.

Xiang Yue worked hard every day, hoping that one day he could help his father. However, he realized that no matter how well he studied, in the eyes of humans, puppets that merely pleased them didn't actually help Qi Chao. 

He looked at the three puppets, his tail drooping at some point, and his red eyes stared ahead, seemingly filled with an indescribable emotion.

"Dad wants to change how puppet masters view puppets. If I want to help him, I need to prove myself first." His eyelashes lowered, and the line of his jaw was tense, a sign of his determination to prove that even as a puppet, he possessed abilities no less than those of humans.

Li Bai looked up at Xiang Yue and couldn't help but clap excitedly. Lan Luo glanced over and, seeing Li Bai’s golden eyes sparkling, knew that the fool next to him hadn’t really understood a word.

"So, how do you plan to prove yourself?"

Lan Luo knew that Xiang Yue was saying this because he wanted them to work together. His blue eyes fixed intently on Xiang Yue, and the bright smile on his face gradually faded into a calm expression.

He was willing to do things he had never done before for Qi Chao because Qi Chao and his father were the best puppet masters in the world.

But that didn’t mean Lan Luo was willing to go along with Xiang Yue's reckless plans.

Moss had been quietly brushing his doll’s hair. When he heard this conversation, he looked up at Xiang Yue. Qi Chao had a certain ability to make the puppets willingly do many things for him.

However, if Xiang Yue wanted Lan Luo to willingly follow him, he first needed to ensure that they could truly help Qi Chao in the end. 

Otherwise, he would only earn Lan Luo's mockery.

As Qi Chao and Shen Yuxi came out of the kitchen, each carrying a tray, they noticed that the puppets, as if coordinated, all stood up and walked toward them at the same time. 

Qi Chao smiled and said, "What's going on with you all? Something feels off."

His gaze fell on Xiang Yue, noticing his drooping tail. Qi Chao reached out and gently ruffled Xiang Yue’s hair. "What's wrong, Xiang Yue?"

"Nothing."

With his father's hand on his head, Xiang Yue's tail wagged slightly. After a brief pause, Xiang Yue looked up and said, "Dad, can I use the allowance you give me to buy a light-brain?"

Qi Chao gave the children some allowance each month so they could buy things they liked when they went out to play. 

Hearing this, he looked down at Xiang Yue and smiled, "Of course you can. But can I ask, Xiang Yue, what do you want a light-brain for?"

This wasn't something difficult to talk about, and Xiang Yue didn't intend to hide it from his father. He looked at Qi Chao and said, "There’s a lot of knowledge on the light-brain. I want to learn more so I can help dad faster."

Hearing this, Shen Yuxi raised an eyebrow slightly, but Qi Chao couldn't help but smile. He ruffled Xiang Yue's hair again, saying, "Xiang Yue, you're so thoughtful."

Qi Chao wasn’t exactly sure what the kids wanted to help him with, but no parent could remain unmoved after hearing such words. To him, just hearing his child say something like that was enough to fill him with pride.

As Qi Chao was about to say something, Li Bai tugged on his clothes, his golden eyes shining brightly. "Dad, I’ll work hard to help you too."

Lan Luo, remembering what Xiang Yue had said before Qi Chao came out, blinked his eyes and added, "Lan Luo too."

The children in this family were all so well-behaved.

Qi Chao felt a lump in his throat. He smiled and gently patted each of the puppets on the head, saying softly, "You’re all so considerate."

Moss's lips moved slightly under his bandages, and clutching his doll, he walked behind his father. 

Shen Yuxi observed the scene thoughtfully, and after Qi Chao finished his breakfast and went down to the basement, Shen Yuxi signaled to Moss, and the two of them went into a room together.

Moss's raspy voice broke the silence, and after a moment, Shen Yuxi chuckled, as if he had heard something amusing. "So, Lan Luo agreed, did he?"

"Mm," Moss nodded.

Shen Yuxi tapped his fingers lightly on the table, surprised that Xiang Yue, Li Bai, and Lan Luo were willing to go to such lengths for Qi Chao. 

But then, considering Qi Chao's usual attitude towards the puppets, Shen Yuxi didn't find their determination strange. He smiled slightly and looked at Moss, his voice gentle as he asked, "Do you want to join them too?"

Moss clutched his doll tightly and fell silent. After a few seconds, he rasped, "No, I want to stay by Father's side."

"There's no need for that," Shen Yuxi said softly, his peach blossom eyes filled with a gentle warmth. "You know, aside from completing tasks, I rarely restrict you all."

He walked up to Moss, reached out, and gently ruffled his hair—a gesture similar to Qi Chao's, but a bit more awkward. "Go ahead and join them. I'm curious to see what the three of them can achieve together."

Moss initially wanted to argue, but as he listened, he seemed to waver. After hesitating for a moment, he silently nodded. 

He told himself that he was only doing it to satisfy his father's curiosity. Clutching the doll in his arms tightly, his lowered eyelashes hid the brightness in his eyes. It definitely wasn't because Xiang Yue had persuaded him to help Qi Chao.

Even though Moss's face was wrapped in bandages, Shen Yuxi could easily see through his thoughts. 

Moss was the most straightforward of all the puppets Shen Yuxi had created. Shen Yuxi withdrew his gaze, his expression turning somewhat indifferent.

In reality, Shen Yuxi wasn't particularly interested in what the puppets might achieve. He had known about their desire to help Qi Chao for a long time, having heard it from Lan Luo. 

The only surprising thing was that Xiang Yue and the others would consider using such a method to assist Qi Chao.

A slight smile tugged at his lips. Since the puppets had already decided on something they wanted to do, it seemed he didn't need to spend his time teaching them how to study. 

Shen Yuxi knew that if the puppets were truly serious about achieving something, they wouldn't neglect their studies on their own.

In the basement, Qi Chao meticulously worked on refining the limbs of a Double Mirror. The light-brain on the table vibrated briefly, but Qi Chao paid it no mind.

Shen Yuxi descended from upstairs and sat beside him. The light-brain on the table vibrated again, causing Shen Yuxi to narrow his blue eyes slightly. 

However, he didn't say anything, instead shifting to a more relaxed posture as he continued to observe Qi Chao, his gaze filled with a subtle possessiveness, as if he were admiring a pile of jewels and diamonds he'd hidden away in the basement.

When the light-brain vibrated once more, Shen Yuxi finally directed his gaze toward it and spoke up, "Qi Chao, your light-brain is ringing."

Qi Chao's hand holding the penknife paused for a moment as he disconnected the flow of mental energy. He removed his gloves and turned to Shen Yuxi with a smile before picking up the light-brain. 

After reading the message, Qi Chao quickly typed a reply and sent it. Something amusing seemed to cross his mind, and he chuckled softly as he placed the light-brain back down.

"What is it?" Shen Yuxi asked in a gentle tone.

"It's nothing," Qi Chao replied, pausing briefly before continuing, "Just a message from my two younger brothers. They got into a disagreement with some classmates, so I'll need to go sort it out."

"Do you need me to come with you?" Shen Yuxi asked, standing up, his peach blossom eyes filled with concern.

"No need," Qi Chao said casually. "It's just a little scuffle between kids, nothing more than a visit to the teacher. No big deal."

Qi Chao was already quite used to this sort of thing, well-versed in the process. 

After all, during his own school days, as a self-proclaimed academic underachiever, he had been called in more than once for getting into fights with classmates who bullied his younger brothers.

Unexpectedly, even in this world, Qi Chao found himself in a familiar situation—being called in as the guardian. The only difference was that now, he was the one being summoned as the responsible adult.

"Brother Shen, you stay home and rest. I'll be back soon," Qi Chao said as he and Shen Yuxi left the basement. 

They took a quick walk upstairs, where the children were quietly reading. Remembering what they had said to him earlier, Qi Chao decided not to disturb them. 

After exchanging a knowing glance with Shen Yuxi, he left.

The school where Qi Feng and Qi Ye studied was one of the prestigious institutions on Blue Star, known for admitting the children of high-ranking officials from the Linjing District. 

However, the entry requirements were strict, and the school wouldn't accept students with poor academic performance, as it had a reputation to uphold. When Qi Feng and Qi Ye were admitted, their father had to pull a lot of strings.

When Qi Chao arrived at the school, he found his two younger brothers standing in the teacher's office. A quick glance assured him that neither was visibly injured, which put his mind at ease.

The teacher, a middle-aged woman surnamed Lu, wore glasses and greeted Qi Chao with a strained smile. Though she was polite, her eyes betrayed her worry as she explained the situation.

From her explanation, Qi Chao learned that his brothers had teamed up to beat up a boy from another class. 

That boy had some distant connection to the royal family—though the relation was tenuous at best, it was still a connection to the Empire’s royalty. Any misstep in handling the situation could cause it to escalate quickly.

The school administration had managed to keep the incident under wraps, but because Qi Feng and Qi Ye refused to explain why they had attacked the boy, the school had no choice but to suspend them for a month.

The family of the boy who was beaten agreed to the school's proposed resolution. As long as Qi Chao had no objections, the matter would be settled as such.

"Sorry, teacher. I'll talk to my brothers first," Qi Chao said, and after receiving a nod from the teacher, he led his two younger brothers out of the office.

Qi Feng and Qi Ye looked somewhat remorseful. They didn’t regret the fight itself but felt sorry for causing trouble for their older brother. 

As soon as they were outside, they immediately apologized.

"Are you both injured?" 

Qi Chao's first question took the two brothers by surprise, though they felt it was reasonable. 

They knew their older brother cared about them deeply. After all, when the teacher had asked who to contact, their first thought had been to call Qi Chao.

"No," Qi Feng replied. 

As Qi Chao asked about the reason for the fight, both Qi Feng and Qi Ye looked embarrassed. They shuffled uncomfortably, unwilling to explain.

Seeing this, Qi Chao patted them each on the back of their heads and said casually, "Come on, what are you hiding from me? I've seen you in worse shape before when you got into trouble. It can't be that bad, right?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Qi Chao noticed that his brothers' expressions grew even more peculiar. He paused, then tentatively asked, "Is this related to that incident from last time?"

The two brothers seemed hesitant to speak, but after a moment of stammering, they finally revealed the full story.

Qi Chao listened, frowning in concern. It was no wonder they were reluctant to disclose the reason for the fight to the school.

About a year ago, Qi Chao had to pick up his brothers from the police station after they had been victims of a scam. It turned out that this scam had been orchestrated by the nephew of a royal concubine. 

The two brothers had previously had a falling out with this nephew, who had orchestrated the scam as a way to embarrass them.

When Qi Feng and Qi Ye accidentally discovered the truth, they were enraged and took matters into their own hands. 

However, they soon regretted their actions. While private fights might be tolerated, having it brought into the open could cause trouble for their family and make things worse.

Although Qi Feng and Qi Ye were at fault, they were also victims in this situation. Qi Chao felt that this matter couldn't be left unresolved.

"Alright," Qi Chao said, observing the brothers with their heads down, looking genuinely remorseful. 

After thinking for a moment, he added, "Let’s go. We shouldn't keep the teacher waiting."

The two brothers nodded in agreement. They were somewhat dissatisfied with the school's decision, but they were unwilling to reveal the full truth to the school. Given that the result was only a one-month suspension, they could accept it for now.

The two brothers were caught off guard when, upon entering the office, Qi Chao did not accept the school's proposed resolution. Instead, he requested the contact information of the other student's parents and arranged to meet them.

After leaving the school with his somewhat bewildered younger brothers, Qi Chao suddenly remembered and reassured them, "Don’t worry. I’ll handle this tomorrow. I won’t let that incident get exposed. Just trust me."

"Big brother, you really don’t have to…" Qi Ye said, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. Although they were unhappy with the school's decision, they had accepted it. 

They felt it unnecessary for their older brother to go through the trouble of dealing with the matter.

Despite their outward rebellion, Qi Feng and Qi Ye had inherited their father’s nature, which was kind-hearted and gentle.

"It’s no trouble," Qi Chao said casually. "It's just a matter of talking with the parents. I’m quite experienced with this sort of thing."

Qi Chao’s confidence was well-founded. Handling such situations was something he had done many times before, and he was determined to resolve this one without causing any further issues for his family.

Seeing the apprehensive expressions on his younger brothers' faces, Qi Chao thought for a moment and asked, "The Tu Zhuang is home, right?"

Qi Feng and Qi Ye nodded, explaining that they had intentionally directed their opponent away from Tu Zhuang during the fight.

"Alright." Qi Chao boarded his flying vehicle and headed to his brothers' villa. "Later, you two can come over to my place for dinner to help you unwind. I'll bring Tu Zhuang and San Yue along too."

Though Qi Feng and Qi Ye didn’t feel they particularly needed to unwind, they exchanged glances and felt a warm, comforting sense of reassurance from their older brother. 

At that moment, their already impressive older brother seemed even more like a giant to them. 

Their big brother truly was amazing.

As Qi Chao and his group returned to the villa, they found Shen Yuxi sitting alone on the sofa, watching an animation. 

The living room seemed even more desolate in contrast to the sounds of recitation coming from upstairs. The emptiness of the room was palpable.

When Qi Chao and the others entered, Shen Yuxi looked up and took in everyone’s expressions. His gaze lingered on San Yue, who was casting a peculiar look at him from the corner. 

Shen Yuxi's eyelashes fluttered slightly, and his face involuntarily softened into a gentle expression.

The unusual look from San Yue was something Shen Yuxi hadn't seen before. It led him to wonder if San Yue had seen him in his dream. 

As the group continued to settle in, Shen Yuxi’s eyes subtly darkened with a cold, unreadable glint that was hidden from view. 

The underlying chill suggested he was contemplating something more troubling beneath his calm facade.

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