Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 99

 

| PN | Bald | 99

When Agu saw Moss, he wasn't the least bit surprised. He smiled and complained, "Big brother, you're so mean. You saw your dear little brother getting beaten up, and you didn’t help."

Moss glanced at Agu without saying a word.

Agu's black ponytail had been cut in half, his skin had visible scratches, and he was dirty and disheveled, with torn clothes. It was clear that the previous duel had taken quite a toll on him.

"Father wants to see you," Moss said as he looked at Agu.

The training grounds were quiet. Agu responded with a hum. 

Remembering that Xiang Yue had barged into the training grounds, for once, he didn't show his usual playful grin. He quietly followed Moss into the spatial vortex.

"He went into the training grounds, didn’t he, Agu?"  

As soon as the two puppets emerged from the vortex, Shen Yuxi's voice echoed in the room.  

"Yes, that's right."

As soon as Agu saw his father, the calm demeanor he had earlier disappeared. He started gesturing wildly, using all sorts of exaggerated language to describe his shock at the time, as if intentionally trying to mask his true emotions.

"Father, you definitely wouldn’t believe how incredible it was when I saw him step into the trial grounds."

"It was only thanks to Agu’s quick thinking and self-sacrifice that I managed to lure Xiang Yue out of the trial grounds."

Agu’s emerald-green eyes narrowed into crescent shapes, like those of a panther, not mentioning at all that it was his own sharp tongue that had provoked Xiang Yue to come looking for him in the first place.

Shen Yuxi lowered his head in thought, his fingertips lightly tapping on the tabletop.

The cold moonlight filtered through the window, and after Agu fell silent, the room became especially quiet.

"Don’t worry, Father. Xiang Yue only reached the edge of the trial grounds; he didn’t have time to notice if anything was wrong."

A few seconds later, Agu spoke again with a smile. 

He understood exactly what his father was thinking and knew just as well that, in his father’s eyes, this matter could either be trivial or serious. 

As long as Xiang Yue didn’t venture further into the trial grounds, everything could be brushed off as if nothing had happened.

"Is that so?"  

Shen Yuxi’s tone was light as he looked at Agu and said, "The fact that he could step into the Mother Tree’s range this time without noticing anything wrong doesn’t mean he won’t next time."  

Agu's smile faltered slightly at the corners of his mouth.  

"Xiang Yue went to the trial grounds because he went looking for you," Shen Yuxi paused for a moment, his voice turning a bit colder. "For the next few days, you don’t need to go there. Moss will take over your duties. You should stay and spend time with Xiang Yue and the others."  

"Do you understand, Agu?"  

As Shen Yuxi spoke these words, his gaze rested on Agu. His tone carried a hint of gentleness, but under the cool moonlight, it gave rise to a faint sense of unease.  

No more going to the trial grounds?

Agu's expression remained unchanged, but the meaning behind his father's words was clear: Shen Yuxi wanted him to distract Xiang Yue and the others. 

Agu's smile widened slightly. "Of course I understand!"

In truth, Agu really enjoyed the trial grounds. 

In the past, he might not have agreed so easily, but with Qi Chao staying at the villa these days, even the most exciting things in the trial grounds couldn't compete with his current fascination: humans. 

Not to mention, Qi Chao was the man his father had "hooked." Agu was looking forward to seeing how his father would interact with Qi Chao.

Just as his thoughts were drifting into excitement, he saw his father toss something to him. Agu instinctively caught it, realizing it was a tube of repair ointment specifically for puppets.

"Heal your injuries. If anything goes wrong with the trial grounds, don’t bother coming to see me again."

Agu felt that his father was being particularly lenient this time. His emerald eyes stared at Shen Yuxi, somewhat astonished.

Was this really his overly meticulous, suspicious, and sensitive father—the one who could interpret a single sentence in eighteen different ways?

"What's the matter?"  

Shen Yuxi glanced at him. "You don’t want your injuries to heal?"  

"Of course not," Agu replied with a playful smile, quickly shifting the topic. "Father, are you heading to the trial grounds soon?"  

"Yes," Shen Yuxi didn’t deny it.  

"Then Father should have big brother keep an eye on a man named Old Liu. It’s like he has become a completely different person these past few days—it’s very interesting."  

Shen Yuxi raised an eyebrow slightly, and Moss, standing nearby, also looked over at Agu after hearing this.

"I understand," Shen Yuxi nodded.

After Agu left, the room instantly fell into silence. A gentle breeze drifted in through the half-open window, causing the moon-white curtains to sway softly in the air.  

Shen Yuxi sat in his chair, fingers resting against his forehead, his blue eyes half-closed in fatigue.

 Moss stood nearby, watching the scene, his lips moving slightly beneath his bandages.  

He knew that his father was truly exhausted.  

Since being with Qi Chao, his father had shown more genuine emotion, which was one of the reasons Moss wanted them to stay together.  

"Do you think it’s only Xiang Yue who can enter the trial grounds, or could all of Qi Chao’s creations enter as well?"  

Shen Yuxi’s eyelashes fluttered slightly as he looked up at Moss. His fine golden hair fell against his cheeks, and his voice was calm and devoid of any emotion.  

"Based on the fight between Xiang Yue and Agu, Xiang Yue’s abilities seem to be combat-related."  

Shen Yuxi wasn’t surprised by this response. He wondered, if Xiang Yue’s abilities weren’t particularly special, then was it Qi Chao himself who held something unique?

So, Qi Chao really is special, huh?

Shen Yuxi leaned back in his chair, his peach-blossom eyes gazing at the ceiling, his fingers picking at the armrest as his mind sank deeper into thought.

Qi Chao’s mental strength was far greater than that of an ordinary person, capable of repairing puppets created by other puppet masters—an ability already unique in itself. 

Now, adding another layer of peculiarity to that didn’t seem surprising. 

No matter how special Qi Chao was, he belonged to Shen Yuxi. No one could take him away. 

As this realization set in, Shen Yuxi’s earlier exhaustion faded, and a darker look began to cloud his eyes.

"Qi Chao must never find out about the trial grounds."

This statement was directed at Moss, a clear instruction. If Xiang Yue were to step into the trial grounds again, it would mean Moss must do whatever it took—by any means necessary—to expel or eliminate him.

"Yes, Father." 

Moss understood that this was a last-resort measure. Gripping the small doll in his hands tightly, his lips parted in a raspy voice as he asked, "Father, what should we do about Old Liu, the one Agu mentioned earlier?"

"Tomorrow, go see him."  

Shen Yuxi’s eyelashes lowered slightly, the moonlight casting a pale glow over his hands. He clenched his fingers, but grasped nothing. 

His gaze lifted to the window, where a view of the dark forest stretched before him.  

In the farthest distance lay a desolate mountain, a place that concealed all of Shen Yuxi’s secrets.  

Meanwhile, Agu returned to his room in the villa, tossing the repair ointment in his hand, catching it again. 

As he pondered his father's attitude, something clicked in his mind as he tossed the ointment.  

Was it because of Qi Chao?  

Agu stared at the ointment in his hand, carelessly smearing it across his face. He thought to himself that his father must be far angrier than he appeared. 

The only reason he was holding back his rage was probably because Qi Chao was sleeping in the room next door.  

Even using just his toes to think, Agu could figure out that if the trial grounds incident were ever discovered, his overly paranoid and gloomy father would likely be sleepless until dawn.

Agu, usually carefree and shameless, felt a bit guilty for once. Deciding not to think about it any further, he lay down on the bed, closed his eyes, and began to hum softly to calm his nerves. 

Tomorrow, he had to keep a close watch on Xiang Yue to prevent him from entering the trial grounds—after all, his father’s plan could not be allowed to fail.

Meanwhile, Xiang Yue sat in front of a mirror, his black wings unfurled. The room his godfather had prepared for them resembled their own home, something Xiang Yue was clever enough to understand. 

His godfather must have arranged this immediately upon learning they would be staying over; otherwise, the likeness wouldn't be this striking.

Xiang Yue didn’t dislike his godfather. If there were a ranking, his godfather would be right behind his father in importance.

He gazed at his feathers in the mirror, gently touching them. His normally calm red eyes flickered with a hint of heartache. He had shed many feathers today.

Although the fallen feathers would turn into mental energy and return to his wings, the process of solidifying them back was influenced by his own energy and would not happen instantly.

Carefully, Xiang Yue used a comb to smooth out each feather, satisfied with how thick and glossy they still appeared. 

After putting down the comb and returning to bed, he instinctively wanted to wrap himself in his feathers to sleep.

His black wings trembled slightly, not fully closed yet, when Xiang Yue suddenly caught a familiar scent in the villa. It was somewhat like the scent Agu had this morning.

Xiang Yue's expression remained unchanged, though his back arched slightly as he retreated into his wings.

 He still deeply resented Agu for hurting his father, but he knew that the injuries he inflicted on Agu earlier were already enough. 

In Xiang Yue's mind, Agu’s abilities were quite weak, and fighting him was almost like bullying the weak. 

Despite Qi Chao’s busy schedule, he had never neglected his children's education, and Xiang Yue understood that one "duel" was sufficient. Any more would be excessive.

Under the sparse moonlight, the soft rustling of wings could be heard in the room as Xiang Yue slowly folded his wings. 

In the dim light, only his pale feet peeked out from beneath the black feathers on the bed. 

Before falling asleep, Xiang Yue had one thought: as long as Agu stayed far away from his father, he could ignore him. 

However, this thought would completely vanish the next morning.

Waking up early as usual, Xiang Yue followed his routine and went downstairs to find his father. 

But to his surprise, the first thing he saw was Agu sitting beside Qi Chao—his father smiling as he affectionately ruffled Agu's hair.

Xiang Yue's tail, which had been flicking slightly, gradually drooped as his ears, standing alert, perked up at Qi Chao's gaze. 

When Qi Chao looked at him, Xiang Yue relaxed noticeably.

"Xiang Yue, you're up?"  

Qi Chao glanced up the stairs at Xiang Yue, his deep brown eyes showing a hint of amusement. 

He patted Agu, who was sitting next to him. "You probably haven’t met Agu yet. Just call him Brother Agu."

He then turned to Agu and said, "This is Xiang Yue, the one I mentioned to you earlier."

Xiang Yue and Agu locked eyes for a moment.

 Before Xiang Yue could say anything, Agu responded with a wide grin, his emerald eyes crinkling. "Little Brother Xiang Yue, you can just call me Brother. You don’t have to call me Agu."

Agu’s eyes carried a playful and mocking glint, clearly showing that he didn’t think much of the previous day’s lesson—perhaps he had already forgotten it entirely.

If Lan Luo, with his quick temper, or Moss, who would act before speaking, had been present, they would have already started disciplining Agu by now. 

However, Xiang Yue, observing this, simply nodded. He understood that Agu's expression was intended to provoke him.

"Dad, I’ve met Agu before," Xiang Yue said, not hiding anything from his father. He looked at Qi Chao and continued, "Yesterday, Agu and I had a duel with mutual consent."

Xiang Yue fought with Agu?

Qi Chao couldn’t help but smile slightly, especially when Xiang Yue emphasized that the duel was done with mutual consent. 

He looked at both Agu and Xiang Yue, noting that neither appeared to be injured, and assumed it was just a typical playful scuffle.

When Qi Chao was a child, he often had similar playful fights with his younger brother. It was not a big deal. 

However, seeing Agu grinning so broadly, Qi Chao reached over and playfully put his arm around Agu’s neck, giving his head a good ruffle.

“Isn’t it funny how you just told me you didn’t know Xiang Yue?”

Agu, caught off guard by the sudden embrace, almost retaliated but quickly realized that attacking Qi Chao wasn’t an option. 

Instead, he adjusted his hands and grabbed Qi Chao’s arm.

By the time Qi Chao let go, Agu’s newly styled ponytail had been tousled. He touched his disheveled hair, momentarily unsure of how to react, his usually sly eyes showing a hint of confusion.

After a brief pause, Agu reverted to his usual mischievous demeanor and explained with a grin, “That’s because Xiang Yue acted like he didn’t like me yesterday. I was worried he might ignore me, so I said that.”

Dislike Agu?

Xiang Yue had never met Agu before, so it was strange for him to dislike him. Qi Chao pondered for a moment and guessed that Xiang Yue must have learned about the incident from a long time ago.

Qi Chao turned to Xiang Yue and, noticing that he didn’t deny the claim, decided not to pursue the topic further. Instead, he suggested, “Since you’re both awake, why don’t you help me with prepping vegetables in the kitchen?”

In the span of a moment, the conversation had shifted from discussing puppet friendships to mundane chores, and even the ever-irreverent Agu seemed taken aback by the abrupt change of topics.

Xiang Yue nodded immediately, his previously drooping tail now wagging slightly in apparent pleasure. 

Qi Chao smiled at both of them and headed into the kitchen. 

Shen Yuxi rarely cooked, so the kitchen lacked fresh vegetables. However, Qi Chao had anticipated this and had ordered a quick delivery online the day before.

“You only need to handle the vegetable prep,” Qi Chao instructed. “Since water can splash on puppet hands, which isn’t a big deal but can be avoided, I’ll handle washing the vegetables myself.”

Xiang Yue nodded, used to helping his father with household chores and perfectly capable of prepping vegetables. 

In contrast, Agu, having grown up in the trial grounds, had never been in a kitchen and knew nothing about cooking or prepping food.

Essentially, Agu was quite the chatterbox. Even if no one paid him any attention, he could entertain himself happily. 

With no knowledge of how to prep vegetables, he treated them as toys, cheerfully waving the greens in front of Xiang Yue.

Xiang Yue, viewing the vegetable prep as a task, was annoyed by Agu's lackadaisical attitude. 

Since the task had been assigned to both of them, Xiang Yue patiently showed Agu how to properly prep the vegetables.

“Is this how it’s done?” Agu asked, smiling as he followed Xiang Yue’s instructions, his eyes gleaming with mischief and his demeanor light.

“Yes, you’re doing great,” Xiang Yue said earnestly, offering praise.

Agu, who initially joined in just for fun, felt strangely uncomfortable at the compliment. 

Despite his usual self-assurance, Agu was not accustomed to being praised, and the unexpected approval left him feeling slightly off-balance.

Xiang Yue learned how to praise from his father. As long as Agu could complete the vegetable prepping task, Xiang Yue could temporarily overlook Agu’s unfriendly attitude.

Meanwhile, Qi Chao, who was busy chopping vegetables, had been paying close attention to what was happening. 

Seeing that Agu was diligently preparing the vegetables, he genuinely complimented him, “Agu, you did a great job for your first time prepping vegetables. Well done.”

Agu looked up at Qi Chao, and the feeling of discomfort intensified. 

He smiled awkwardly, trying to brush off the compliment, though only he knew how much he wanted to drop the vegetables and run away—up a tree or anywhere else, just to be alone for a while.

But Agu being Agu, he quickly regained his composure. After a brief moment of awkwardness, he puffed out his chest with a sense of pride and said with a grin, “Feel free to praise me more, since I’m so excellent.”

Xiang Yue chose not to respond, focusing instead on his own task.

Qi Chao continued to praise Agu, making his smile even wider.

When Moss came downstairs carrying his doll, he saw Agu lounging on the sofa with his legs crossed, muttering to himself in a way that seemed a bit off. 

Moss hesitated, not wanting to be around Agu in such a state.

Normally, Moss would be sitting on the sofa, styling his doll’s hair, and he worried that changing his routine might affect the quality of his work. 

Despite his concerns, Moss decided to sit on the farthest sofa from Agu. 

Yet, as always, things seemed to unfold as they were meant to.

Agu, noticing Moss's hesitation, sidled up to him with a conspiratorial whisper, “Don’t worry, big brother. Agu is really liked by Dad and Xiang Yue. I’ll definitely take your place.”

Dad? Like? Take his place?

Moss was styling his puppet’s hair, preparing to head to the trial grounds later, when he heard Agu’s words. Startled and irritated, he inadvertently pulled too hard on a strand of the doll’s golden hair, causing a chunk to come loose.

The once-beautiful doll now had a noticeable bald patch.

Moss’s dark eyes reflected a mix of confusion and vulnerability as he stared at the disfigured doll.

Agu, with a mocking tone, said, “Oh, it’s bald now. So ugly.”

Moss: “...”

His desire to exact revenge on Agu for the damage done to his doll almost overwhelming him.

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