Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 156

 

| PN | Plan | 156

The relationship between the villain and Qi Chao was so shocking that the three transmigrators were left stunned, unable to react for a long time.

“You… you two are married?” 

In Bluestar, same-sex marriage is legal, so Li Ge’s question wasn’t particularly out of place. He swallowed nervously, his eyes showing a hint of panic.

Li Ge was certain that, in the original book, the villain definitely didn’t have a lover.

No—there was no mention of the villain having a lover at all.

Now he just wasn’t sure if this so-called lover was simply not mentioned in the book, or if, like them, Qi Chao was another “unexpected addition” to the story.

Hearing Li Ge’s question, Qi Chao and Shen Yuxi exchanged glances. They hadn’t actually registered their marriage yet; they were only dating, so it wasn’t accurate to say they were married.

As he looked into Qi Chao’s deep brown eyes, Shen Yuxi’s eyelashes trembled slightly, and he was the first to look away. His thin lips pressed together, and his pale cheeks seemed to have a faint flush, warmer than usual.

“Mhm, that’s right.”

Seeing this, Qi Chao thought about it for a moment and chose not to deny it.

They had a husband-like relationship.. 

Damn!

Li Ge’s lips couldn’t stop trembling. He wanted to know what Qi Chao saw in the villain, but before he could untangle his thoughts, he noticed the once slightly bashful expression on the villain’s face had now turned into a satisfied smile.

It was as if he had deliberately pretended to be shy earlier, just to hear the answer he wanted from Qi Chao.

No wonder.

The same thought popped up in the minds of the transmigrators—no wonder Qi Chao was interested in Shen Yuxi. With that gentle appearance and his talent of acting, who wouldn’t be confused?

Meeting Shen Yuxi’s meaningful, warning-filled gaze, the three of them shuddered slightly, deciding against letting their thoughts wander further. 

Instead, they eagerly offered to help Qi Chao with cooking.

“No need. You’re guests; how could I let you cook? If you’re bored, feel free to chat with my kids or watch something on the projector.”

The three transmigrators followed Qi Chao’s gaze and looked over at the figures sitting on the sofa. They saw seven or eight exquisitely crafted puppets staring straight at them, and a chill ran down their spines, reminding them of the harrowing trial grounds they had once endured. 

They shivered involuntarily and quickly stammered, “No, no, it’s fine. We’re already so grateful that you let us stay here. Cooking is no trouble at all; we’ll handle it ourselves.”

Saying this, they made a beeline for the kitchen, hoping to escape.

Qi Chao watched them with a thoughtful expression before giving a quick nod to Shen Yuxi and the children of the household, then followed the guests into the kitchen.

Now, only Shen Yuxi and the puppets remained in the living room.

“Aren’t you going to follow them, Father?” 

Lan Luo, sitting by his father’s side, looked on with a shadowed gaze. Even though the humans had made promises, Lan Luo didn’t trust anyone outside of his dad and father.

Li Bai and Qiu Qiu, with their keen hearing, perked up at his words, curiously looking over at their father, while Xiang Yue also turned toward them calmly.

Lan Luo tapped his fingers on the sofa beside him, immediately realizing that he shouldn’t have brought this up here. He felt a pang of regret; he should have been more cautious.

Shen Yuxi didn’t seem to notice his implication. He gave the puppets a gentle smile, then turned to Lan Luo and said, “No need. But if Lan Luo really wants to be with Dad, you can go join him in the kitchen.”

Hearing his father’s reply, Lan Luo instantly caught the hint—this was his father’s way of telling him to go in. His smile brightened. “Alright, I’ll head in, then.”

Li Bai, seeing this, also raised his hand eagerly, signaling that he wanted to go into the kitchen too.

“If you’d like to go, then go,” Shen Yuxi said warmly.

He understood well that the humans were deeply afraid of the puppets. As long as the puppets were present, there was no way they would dare to reveal any secrets from the trials unless they had a death wish.

And indeed, that was precisely the case.

At first, the three transmigrators were thrilled to finally have some time away from the villain and his eerie puppets. Li Ge even considered trying to get some background on the villain from Qi Chao, hoping to subtly hint at some of the villain’s more sinister actions to this seemingly decent person.

But before he could spill anything, Lan Luo and Li Bai walked in from the doorway, silencing the three transmigrators instantly.

Observing this, Qi Chao was now more convinced than ever that these three men were afraid of the children in his home.

If they were so terrified of puppets, why had they been playing tag with Agu and Chi Yao? 

His gaze darkened slightly. Looking down at the fish simmering in the pot, Qi Chao spoke with an air of casualness, “I haven’t introduced everyone yet. This is Lan Luo, one of the puppets my partner made.”

Without Qi Chao’s introduction, the three transmigrators already knew. Only the villain could create this angelic-looking yet dark-hearted demon.

“I see,” Li Ge replied politely, doing his best to avoid looking in Lan Luo’s direction.

He took a deep breath to steady his nerves, and then, glancing briefly at Li Bai standing beside Qi Chao, he asked, “So… was Li Bai also created by Mr. Shen?”

"No. I made Li Bai myself," Qi Chao replied.

Hearing his name, Li Bai looked up, showing a small smile with two pointed canine teeth peeking out. His golden eyes shone beneath his mask, clearly in a good mood. 

Qi Chao reached out and patted his head. "And it's not just Li Bai. Qiu Qiu, who was with him on the second floor earlier, was also made by me. The ones on the sofa—Xiang Yue, Xuan Jian, and Shuang Jian—are all puppets I crafted with my own hands."

In other words, all the unfamiliar puppets they’d encountered were Qi Chao’s creations.

Li Ge, Old Liu, and Zhang Li instantly reached the same conclusion, exchanging glances and seeing the shock reflected in each other’s eyes.

They realized that Qi Chao was entirely unaware of the trials and tribulations of the trial grounds; he’d been kept in the dark by the villain. 

His puppets also had no connection to those horrific trial grounds. Remembering the flowers brought to them by two of Qi Chao’s puppets that morning, Li Ge felt a strange sense of disorientation.

So, do the personalities of the puppets in this world somehow reflect the nature of their creators? 

The villain’s puppets were all dark-hearted, while Qi Chao, who was genuinely kind, had puppets with a sweet, endearing demeanor?

The three transmigrators exchanged glances, and, looking back at Li Bai, they realized they weren’t as frightened of him as before.

Qi Chao noticed this shift, pausing momentarily as he ladled the fish soup. 

So, it wasn’t the puppets themselves they feared, but specifically the ones made by Brother Shen? 

A thoughtful glint appeared in Qi Chao’s eyes, but he quickly concealed it.

Standing quietly behind him, Lan Luo had been listening from the beginning, entirely unaware that his dad had managed to pick up on so much information right under his nose. 

He looked up at Qi Chao, his gaze unwavering and filled with admiration. Perhaps Agu was right: Lan Luo had indeed lowered his guard somewhat, basking in Qi Chao’s caring presence.

Looking down, Qi Chao met Lan Luo’s gaze. Though he had noticed something unusual about the children, it didn’t change his affection toward them. Smiling softly, he ruffled Lan Luo’s hair, preparing to probe further with a few questions.

Just then, there was a knock at the kitchen door.

Qi Chao turned his head and saw that it was Shen Yuxi standing there.

“What’s wrong, Brother Shen?” Qi Chao asked, noticing the pale color of Shen Yuxi’s lips and his slightly furrowed brows. Worried, he quickly walked over.

“It’s nothing, just a bit of a headache,” Shen Yuxi replied softly, placing his hand on Qi Chao’s arm, his fingertips lightly brushing along Qi Chao’s forearm. 

With his delicate, unwell appearance and gentle features, it was hard for anyone to ignore him—least of all Qi Chao.

“A headache? Let’s get you back to your room to rest. I’ll give you a massage,” Qi Chao offered, wrapping his hand around Shen Yuxi’s fingertips with a look of concern. 

Any thoughts he’d had about trying to get information had completely vanished; all he could focus on was Shen Yuxi’s faintly knitted brows.

“You still need to entertain your guests,” Shen Yuxi said, gently shaking his head, as though he intended to decline the offer with a considerate smile

“It’s fine, it's not important,” Qi Chao said dismissively, turning to the three guests to explain briefly, telling them to go ahead and eat if they got hungry and not to wait for him. 

With that, he supported Shen Yuxi by the arm and helped him back to the bedroom.

The transmigrators watched as the villain effortlessly pulled Qi Chao away, understanding immediately that he simply didn’t want Qi Chao lingering around them for too long.

“Impressive,” Old Liu muttered under his breath. 

Whether he was marveling at the villain’s skillful manipulation of Qi Chao’s attention or at how Qi Chao had managed to earn such painstaking care from the villain, even he couldn’t say for sure.

Meanwhile, Lan Luo and Li Bai, not burdened with such suspicions, simply assumed their father was unwell again. Their previously good mood grew somber.

In the bedroom, Qi Chao helped Shen Yuxi lie down comfortably. Rubbing his palms together to warm them, he then placed his hands over Shen Yuxi’s temples, massaging gently.

"What were you all talking about in the kitchen?" Shen Yuxi's brows relaxed a little, as if he was feeling better. His tone was as gentle as ever, as though he was just making casual conversation.

"Not much, just chatting a little," Qi Chao replied, keeping it vague. He hadn’t really talked about anything significant, so it wasn’t exactly a lie.

Shen Yuxi gave a soft acknowledgment and didn’t press further, though his hand under the blanket tightened slightly into a fist.

A few minutes later, his eyelashes fluttered, and he closed his eyes. Initially, he had intended to leave things in Lan Luo's hands, but ultimately, his own sense of unease drove him back to the kitchen, even prompting him to use a headache as an excuse to bring Qi Chao away from the others.

How pathetic, he thought with a quiet self-criticism.

But, he realized, even if he had the chance to redo it, he’d likely make the same choice again.

He needed to complete the plan as soon as possible.

That way, he wouldn't have to worry so much about Qi Chao discovering the other side of him.

Shen Yuxi pressed his lips together, making them pale even further.

Later that night, after Qi Chao had fallen asleep beside him, Shen Yuxi slowly opened his eyes and sat up in bed. His forehead and the back of his neck were throbbing with pain.

Shen Yuxi frowned slightly, though his expression remained composed. This pain was likely caused by that "presence," trying to stop him. He exhaled softly, and as he relaxed, the tightness in his brow eased, as though the pain had subsided.

His fingertips gently brushed over Qi Chao's face, and he looked down at him, silently observing his peaceful slumber for a while. 

Then, leaning down, Shen Yuxi placed a soft kiss on Qi Chao’s lips.

Perhaps it was just a fleeting sensation, but Shen Yuxi couldn’t help but feel that his headache had lessened, just a little.

But then, he chuckled at himself, amused at how uncharacteristically "love-struck" he’d become. In the past, he would never have imagined himself in this state.

A swirling vortex slowly appeared on the wall, and seeing it, Shen Yuxi pushed aside further thoughts. He rose from the bed and stepped into the vortex alongside Moss.

The vortex led directly to the basement. There, waiting for him, were Lan Luo, Agu, Chi Yao, and Ayu, all of whom appeared to have been waiting a while. 

When they saw their father emerge from the vortex, they immediately stood up and called out, “Father.”

There was no hint of a smile on any of their faces; even Agu had set aside his usual mischievous grin.

“Mm,” Shen Yuxi acknowledged, nodding calmly. Despite his gentle features, a chilling coldness emanated from his gaze, and though his lips were bloodless, there was little sign of the physical weakness he was concealing.

“Let’s go,” 

Hearing his father’s command, Moss’s lips tightened slightly beneath the bandages as he traced a line in the air, creating a fresh vortex on the wall.

"Father, should I retrieve all the monitors?" Ayu hesitated for a moment before asking this, stopping Shen Yuxi just before he left. 

Ayu’s eyeball monitors were limited in number: in addition to the three stationed in the trial grounds, one was hidden in the villa, leaving four others available.

"Retrieve them," Shen Yuxi replied, pausing almost imperceptibly before adding calmly, "but leave the monitor in the villa for now."

Ayu nodded immediately and began pulling back the monitors from the trial grounds, following his father’s instructions precisely.

The vortex continued its relentless spinning. They had to return to the villa before Qi Chao woke up, and time was tight. Without further delay, Shen Yuxi led the puppets into the vortex, swiftly disappearing through it.

Just after they left, Qi Chao, who would usually sleep through until morning, suddenly opened his eyes. He looked over at the empty space beside him, scratching his head with a slightly puzzled expression.

Meanwhile, having just entered the Association, Shen Yuxi heard Ayu speak up: “Father, Dad woke up.”

Woke up?

Shen Yuxi paused, a bit taken aback, unsure why Qi Chao—who normally slept soundly—would suddenly be awake.

“Father, you should go back and handle Dad,” one of the puppets urged, all of them visibly anxious, fearing that Qi Chao might uncover something.

“No need.” Shen Yuxi’s lips pressed into a thin line as he pushed down the sudden unease welling up within him. “We proceed with the plan. Don’t overthink it.”

As long as the plan succeeded, Qi Chao’s suspicions wouldn’t lead him anywhere.

On the contrary, if they abandoned this plan now, it would only bring them harm.

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