Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 96

 

| PN | Speechless | 96

The next day, after waking up, Qi Chao began to review the books about puppets that he had brought from the old house. He had already gone through these books several times, and none of them mentioned any strange patterns appearing on the faces of the puppets.

Similarly, the puppet enthusiasts' forum, which was filled with a variety of information, had no relevant details either.

After talking with Brother Shen last night, Qi Chao understood how special those patterns were. 

He knew that Brother Shen had read many more books than he had and had a much deeper understanding of puppets. If Brother Shen, with his extensive knowledge, couldn't figure out what the patterns were, it was clear how mysterious their existence was.

Although, at present, the patterns hadn't caused any noticeable effect on his children, Qi Chao remained uneasy until it was confirmed that they were harmless.

There were very few books on puppets at home. The library of the Puppets Masters' Association was far more extensive than the collection at the old house, and there might be relevant records there. 

However, as Qi Chao was not a special-grade puppet master, he would normally not be allowed entry.

Contemplating the stack of books in front of him, Qi Chao picked up the nearby light brain, scrolled through it, and found Xu Mei, whom he had a good impression of.

Qi Chao: [Is there a way to get me into the association's library?]

When Xu Mei received Qi Chao's message, she was still at her desk calculating the profits from her recent live streams. She had no complaints about this task—Qi Chao was rich and skilled at making S-grade puppets, so she had a good impression of him. 

However, when she saw the message on the chat interface, Xu Mei typed back honestly:

[There’s no way. The association has very strict control over the library. Except for those recognized as special-grade puppet masters by the association, it’s very difficult for others to get in…]

Before she could finish sending the message, she noticed a new message from Qi Chao appear on the screen:

Qi Chao: [The price is negotiable.]

Seeing this, Xu Mei was momentarily tempted. Since Qi Chao was so wealthy, this meant that she could potentially make a substantial profit. 

However, taking someone to the library was complicated; she would need to spend a lot of time and effort smoothing out connections, and even then, success was not guaranteed. She could make that money back by simply doing more live streams.

In the end, Xu Mei was worried that if she wasn’t careful, she might end up demanding too much and jeopardizing the hard-earned connections she had built.

Just as she was about to refuse, another message from Qi Chao appeared on the screen:

Qi Chao: [I can collab with your live stream when the time comes.]

Live stream collab!

When Xu Mei saw the new message, she instantly deleted her previous response. She had been trying to arrange a live stream connection with Qi Chao for half a year, but he had shown no interest in live streaming whatsoever. 

No matter how much she tried to persuade him, he wouldn’t agree.

Every time she thought about it, Xu Mei felt a pang of regret.

Qi Chao usually only posted daily updates on social media, but his follower count was incredibly high. A wealthy second-generation heir who could make S-grade puppets was exceedingly rare, and with the additional fan base brought in by Doctor, a frequent black market visitor, Qi Chao’s follower count was almost three times her own.

The potential for such massive traffic to be monetized was heartbreaking for Xu Mei. She had long stopped hoping for Qi Chao to appear on her live stream.

 Instead, she had been aiming to build a better relationship with him so that, one day, she could get his puppets to participate in a live stream with her. After all, the puppets Qi Chao made were quite popular online.

However, considering Qi Chao’s dedication to his puppets, Xu Mei had doubted that day would ever come. 

However, if she could get Qi Chao into the library, wouldn’t that make the live stream opportunity a reality?

Xu Mei quickly typed back:

[Alright, Mr. Qi, discussing money might hurt our feelings. Just come by my live stream studio when the time comes.]

[I’ll make sure to arrange everything within a week!]

Qi Chao: [Okay.]

Seeing the response, Qi Chao wasn’t surprised. His intention to build a good relationship with Xu Mei was precisely because of her straightforward nature. 

As long as he offered satisfactory terms, she would agree to almost anything, no matter how challenging it might be.

After settling this matter, Qi Chao was about to take a rest when he heard faint noises from outside his room. 

When he went out, he saw Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian standing outside his room like guards.

“You’re up so early?” Qi Chao asked with some surprise. After seeing the two children nod in unison, he smiled and asked, “How did you sleep last night?”

He then turned to look at the other rooms and casually mentioned, “Xiang Yue, Li Bai, and Lan Luo usually get up around 7:30. If you’re tired, you can sleep a little longer.”

“Not tired.”

“We slept very well.”

Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian responded softly, lifting their faces to look at their father. Their white and black eyes were calm and serene.

From the beginning, Qi Chao had known that these two children had a unique aura about them—silent and still like lifeless crystal vases, with expressions that seemed distant and detached. 

Compared to the other children at home, they carried an added sense of fragility and delicacy.

Seeing their expressions, Qi Chao smiled and reached out to gently pat the heads of the two twins. “It’s good to hear you slept well. Go wake up Xiang Yue, Li Bai, and Lan Luo. I’ll make breakfast for everyone.”

To him, their unique demeanor wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, as long as they maintained a healthy and positive mental state. 

They couldn’t remain trapped in the shadows of the past forever; they needed to look forward.

The first small step towards that was to foster friendly relations with the other children in the house.

Waking up the other puppets?

Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian looked somewhat nervous, their expressions seeming even paler.

For a long time, Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian had only each other in their lives. Now, with the addition of a new, significant presence, they were anxious. 

They worried that if they were disliked by Lan Luo and the other puppets , it would affect their standing in Qi Chao’s eyes.

“Alright.”

Seeing the two twin’s nervousness, Qi Chao smiled and offered some encouraging words. Noticing their expressions brighten under his reassurance, he continued softly, “Waking up Xiang Yue, Lan Luo, and Li Bai is quite simple.”

“Lan Luo can be a bit grumpy in the morning. Start by waking up Li Bai and have him go wake up Lan Luo.”

“Li Bai might try to stay in bed, but once he agrees to get up, he will.”

“When waking up Xiang Yue, you’ll need to go into his room. He tends to wrap himself in his wings while sleeping, so if your voice is too soft, he might not hear you.” Qi Chao paused and added, “Try not to touch his feathers.”

Listening to Qi Chao’s detailed instructions, Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian seemed to calm down. Their initial anxiety began to ease as they absorbed his steady voice and reassuring smile.

The two puppets couldn’t help but think simultaneously:

Their father truly cared about the puppets in the house.

Perhaps even the other puppets themselves were unaware that their father knew about their minor habits. 

Such attention was something they could never have received from their previous father, who probably only cared about how much profit and reputation he could gain from auctioning them off.

Qi Chao noticed the two children staring at him, lost in their thoughts. Realizing that he had said all he needed to, he gave them a gentle pat on the head and said, “Go on now; we still have breakfast to prepare.”

Feeling the light touch on their heads, Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian nodded immediately and turned to head to the other rooms.

Holding hands, the two children walked away, their white and black hair trailing behind them. Qi Chao watched them until they reached Li Bai’s room, his expression turning somber.

He had never asked the twins about their memories after the auction. Qi Chao knew that those memories were likely far from pleasant. With a heavy heart, he turned and headed downstairs.

Just a little longer.

Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian were still quite sensitive. Qi Chao decided it was best to wait until they were in a more positive and resilient state before asking them about their past. 

Addressing it now might only cause them further distress.

Running a hand through his hair, Qi Chao felt a wave of irritation, especially upon thinking about how Qing Yu had become a master-grade puppet master and was now highly sought after. 

Suppressing his frustration, he headed to the kitchen.

Just then, his light brain vibrated.

Opening it, he saw a message from Xu Mei, who had contacted him earlier.

Shu Mei: [Mr. Qi, I have a way to get into the library, but it will be possible only in twenty days. Are you in a hurry?]

Xu Mei had not yet fully managed to arrange everything; this was a challenging task. However, in twenty days, during the royal banquet attended by master-grade puppet masters, the association's staff would be more accessible. 

This period would be the best chance to get a non-association puppet master into the library. Xu Mei wanted to confirm Qi Chao’s timing to decide if she needed to find an alternative solution if he was in a rush.

Qi Chao: [That’s fine.]

Since the patterns on the twins had not yet caused any issues, twenty days was a reasonable wait. Qi Chao did not place all his hopes on the library alone; if it did not work out, he would seek other methods.

After replying to the message, Qi Chao soon saw the children making their way downstairs. He put away his light brain and noticed Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian leading the group. 

They both had neutral expressions, but it was clear they were pleased. Their pace had quickened slightly, as if they were eager to reach him and receive praise.

“Did Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian wake up the others?” Qi Chao asked, watching the twins nod enthusiastically. He smiled warmly and generously praised them: “Excellent job.”

The pale faces of Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian flushed with a faint pink, and their mood visibly brightened.

Li Bai, Lan Luo, and Xiang Yue came downstairs to greet their father. After spending some time with him, they prepared to head back upstairs to start their reading.

“Why don’t you two also see how your brothers study? Once breakfast is ready and we’ve eaten, I’ll teach you both to read,” Qi Chao said to Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian.

“Okay.”

The twins seemed to have gained some confidence from the morning’s events. After Qi Chao mentioned the reading lesson, they weren’t as tense as before and left the kitchen with a sense of purpose.

Qi Chao watched them go with a smile.

…

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in the trial grounds, numerous shadowy figures stood on a massive tree. Despite it being daytime, the forest seemed to be cloaked in darkness, as if sunlight was completely blocked out.

Agu wiped the blood off his face with a handkerchief, then squinted as he watched countless green light dots float down from the tree, gathering around the golden-haired man standing below.

Agu wasn’t surprised by this. He had known for a long time that his father had a fondness for the Mother Tree.

He jumped down to the ground, his mouth stretching into a wide grin as he approached the man reading a book—Shen Yuxi. 

With a smile, he said, “I heard from Moss that you and Qi Chao are together now, is that right?”

Shen Yuxi chose to ignore Agu's remark. He knew Moss wouldn’t have disclosed such personal details to Agu; Agu’s comment was clearly an attempt to provoke or extract information.

Agu pouted, his blue earrings swaying slightly. He seemed rather bored.

“Father, if you’re so aloof, even if you manage to catch a man, he’ll probably find you quite boring. I’ve seen plenty of breakups like that recently at the trial grounds,” Agu said casually.

Human beings were indeed a curious species. Despite being relentlessly tormented by the puppets, they still found time for their romantic entanglements and emotional dramas. 

Agu watched their affectionate displays with a sense of boredom, only finding any amusement in the chase.

Reflecting on this, Agu felt a bit sorry for himself.

As Shen Yuxi flipped through his book, he momentarily paused, his fingers freezing slightly. His gaze grew even colder at Agu’s words.

Agu had a knack for striking a nerve, and Shen Yuxi, already on edge due to his recent inability to see Qi Chao, felt Agu’s words were like adding fuel to the fire. 

Though he knew Qi Chao saw him as gentle and kind, and that Agu’s suggestion of a breakup due to coldness was unfounded, the comment still irritated him.

“Did you complete your task today, Agu?” Shen Yuxi asked, closing his book with a colder tone.

Agu flinched slightly at the icy edge in Shen Yuxi's voice. 

He quickly replied with a grin, “Not yet. My underlings are currently teaching those humans a lesson.” 

Then, as if realizing something, he added, “But for the sake of the Mother Tree, I’ll get on with my tasks now!”

He swiftly jumped onto the tree, disappearing into the foliage with impressive speed.

Shen Yuxi’s gaze returned to the book in front of him. His fingers lightly traced the pages, and his lashes shadowed the emotions in his eyes.

The royal banquet was just twenty days away. After that, his plans would be set in motion, and the empire’s officials would likely become restless. 

Every step during this period had to be flawless. Qi Chao was now his, and despite the separation, there was no way Qi Chao could escape his grasp.

The leaves rustled softly in the breeze. Shen Yuxi glanced at the glowing screen of his light brain and saw a message from Qi Chao.

[I'm planning to take the kids out for a bit of fun. What are you doing right now, Brother Shen?]

Qi Chao’s daily life was simple and straightforward, in stark contrast to Shen Yuxi’s complex existence.

As Shen Yuxi looked at the message, his fingers brushed across the screen. He thought about how, once everything was settled, Qi Chao would be with him forever.

Until then, he would not reveal his current activities to Qi Chao. Shen Yuxi knew that what he was doing now would not be understood or accepted by Qi Chao, so he kept it hidden. 

He could not afford any disruptions to his plans.

Looking at the message on the screen, his lashes fluttered as he considered Agu’s comment about being “cold.” Though it seemed almost laughable, Shen Yuxi couldn’t help but reply:

[I'm thinking about you.]

The message from Qi Chao felt unexpectedly intense, making Shen Yuxi frown slightly. He felt a subtle discomfort as he stared at the quiet chat interface, his fingers drumming absentmindedly on the book in his lap.

[Do you want to see me?]

Of course, Shen Yuxi wanted to see Qi Chao. The feeling of being out of control was unsettling. 

He pressed his lips together and typed a simple "Yes."

[Then I’ll come to see you tomorrow. How about that?]

Not great.

Shen Yuxi hesitated, taken aback by Qi Chao's proactive suggestion. With the trial grounds being so busy and fraught with potential issues, he didn’t want Qi Chao to visit and risk exposure or complications.

Determined to dissuade Qi Chao, Shen Yuxi decided to use the excuse of being too busy to properly attend to him.

 However, Qi Chao seemed resolute about coming to see him, showing no signs of being easily dissuaded.

[You can focus on your own tasks; you don’t need to worry about us.]

[I really want to see you too.]

At that moment, Shen Yuxi felt as though he had shot himself in the foot, realizing that his own words had inadvertently created a situation he now found difficult to manage.

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