Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 166

 

| PN | Be Alert | 166

Shen Yuxi was not a good person.  

This annoying guy had even deceived his most beloved brother.  

Qi Yang looked at Shen Yuxi, who was pretending to be gentle in front of him, took a deep breath, and then stowed away his aggrieved expression. His demeanor returned to normal:  

“Sorry, brother. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you; I lost my composure for a moment.”  

Qi Yang was tall with broad bones, but because his features were exceptionally delicate, even looking pitiful didn’t seem out of place. The moonlight earring on his ear added a touch of softness to his appearance.  

However, once he shed that aggrieved look, one would notice the sharpness in his brow and eyes, clearly indicating he was not someone to be trifled with. Compared to his pitiful expression, his emotionless face felt far more authentic and exuded an inexplicable sense of intimidation.  

“I know.”  

Qi Chao spoke as he stepped forward and hugged Qi Yang, his hand landing heavily on Qi Yang’s back. The tension in the lines of his arm revealed that Qi Chao wasn’t as calm as he appeared to be.  

Or rather, after preparing himself for not being able to see his family again for a lifetime, suddenly meeting his relative made it impossible for anyone to remain composed.  

"How did you get here? How did you know I was here?" Qi Chao fired off two questions in quick succession.  

Qi Yang glanced at Shen Yuxi but didn’t immediately answer his brother. Instead, he put on a pitiful expression, his brows drooping. 

In that moment, he looked exactly like a little puppy caught in the rain. "Brother, you didn’t ask how I’ve been doing and just punched me right away. It really hurt."  

"Did it hurt?"  

Qi Chao looked a bit worried. His brother indeed had a knack for acting pitiful, but in reality, he was incredibly resilient. That was part of why Qi Chao had felt comfortable leaving him behind. However, no matter how confident he was in his brother’s strength, seeing him look so pitiful still tugged at Qi Chao’s heartstrings.  

In truth, it didn’t hurt at all.  

Qi Yang had endured far worse before, like having his skin peeled off, and even then, it hadn’t fazed him much. Still, he knew his brother’s soft spot—no matter how obvious he acted, Qi Chao would feel guilty and worried about him.  

"It hurts," Qi Yang said without so much as a blush.  

"Sorry, I might not have controlled my strength well," Qi Chao apologized sincerely.  

Qi Chao didn’t suspect for a moment that his brother might lie to him. In his eyes, his little brother was honest and obedient, someone who would never deceive him. 

Worried, Qi Chao gave Qi Yang a concerned look. "Lift up your shirt. Let me check if you need any ointment."  

"No need. Even if it hurts, it’ll go away soon," Qi Yang replied quickly, sidestepping the request. 

He knew better than to let his brother see his back; otherwise, Qi Chao would immediately realize that he wasn’t hurt at all.  

"But, what Brother Shen said earlier really hurt me. My heart still aches."  

Qi Yang had no intention of exposing himself. Instead, he darted a quick glance at Shen Yuxi and then lowered his head, speaking softly with a pitiful air. "Brother Shen said that in your eyes, I’m not important. You came to this world alone and have a new brother. You like them more than me, right?"

With just one sentence, Shen Yuxi was painted as a malicious villain—someone who bullied his vulnerable brother-in-law while his husband was away.  

The words sounded eerily familiar, and Qi Chao suddenly remembered that his brother had mentioned something similar earlier.  

At the time, however, Qi Chao’s focus had been entirely on the word Uncle title and Qi Yang’s aggrieved expression, causing him to overlook the actual content of the statement.  

Qi Chao couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt.  

Upon hearing Qi Yang’s veiled accusation, Shen Yuxi didn’t panic. Instead, he showed a mix of guilt and regret. His lips pale, he cast a pleading look toward Qi Chao and said remorsefully, “I’m sorry, Qi Chao. It’s all my fault. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have quarreled with him just because he said you didn't care about me."

With that one sentence, Shen Yuxi deftly reframed the narrative, casting Qi Yang as the mischievous troublemaker—a kid causing a stir and bullying his brother’s lover while the elder sibling wasn’t home.  

Judging by the sequence of events, it did seem like Qi Yang had been the instigator.  

Qi Chao, however, knew Shen Yuxi well. While his demeanor was gentle, Brother Shen’s competitive nature and sharpness were undeniable—his performance in the trial grounds being a clear example. 

Qi Chao turned and lightly patted Qi Yang on the head, smiling as he said, “Keep explaining.”  

Qi Yang’s pitiful expression froze instantly.  

Qi Yang wanted to argue, but the fact remained that he had said those words to provoke Shen Yuxi. Seeing his elder brother’s gaze darting between him and Shen Yuxi, Qi Yang realized that any further denial would only make his brother suspicious of his intentions.  

After hesitating for a few seconds, Qi Yang begrudgingly muttered, “Sorry, Brother Shen. I was wrong.”  

Shen Yuxi seemed slightly surprised, his eyes showing just the right mix of apology and confusion. In a gentle tone, he said, “Why is Yangyang apologizing? You didn’t do anything wrong in this matter.”  

Qi Yang smiled.  

Still pretending.  

After a brief pause, he feigned a guilty look and said, “I should also apologize for calling you ‘uncle’ earlier, Brother Shen. It was because you look so… mature that I blurted it out without thinking. Now that my brother reminded me, I realized it was inappropriate.”  

The pause in his statement was loaded with meaning.  

The smile at the corner of Shen Yuxi’s mouth froze.  

“Oh, not at all,” Shen Yuxi replied stiffly. “I didn’t mind such a small thing.”  

Qi Chao watched his younger brother and his lover seemingly reconcile. Though something felt a bit off, as he replayed their conversation in his head, he couldn’t pinpoint anything unusual. It made sense that they might have some friction—they had just met and weren’t familiar with each other yet.  

Deciding not to dwell on it, Qi Chao turned to Qi Yang and asked, “Now, can you tell me how you found me?”  

His brother was an ordinary person. Though Qi Chao was the incarnation of the World Tree, he didn’t have the ability to traverse time and space. Considering his untimely death in his previous life, Qi Chao had never expected they would ever meet again. 

He was deeply curious about how Qi Yang had managed it.  

“That’s a secret,” Qi Yang replied, his gaze shifting toward Shen Yuxi and the three transmigrators sitting on the sofa. His meaning was clear—he would only disclose it privately.  

What’s with the suspense?* 

Though Qi Chao was intrigued, he understood that his brother must have used some special means to find him. 

Before Qi Chao could respond, Shen Yuxi spoke up first. Placing a hand on Qi Chao’s arm, he said considerately, “I’ll take Lan Luo and the others to call Li Bai and the others back.”  

“Where did they go?” Qi Chao asked instinctively.  

Qi Chao was momentarily stunned before realizing that he hadn’t seen the kids in the house since he got back. Of course, most of his attention had been drawn to his younger brother.  

“They went to the greenhouse,” Shen Yuxi replied. 

As soon as the words left his mouth, he turned to the puppets, who looked a bit bewildered. 

With his usual gentle demeanor, he said, “Why don’t we let Dad and Uncle have a private chat first, okay?”  

The puppets had no reason to disagree.  

They all knew Qi Chao had brothers, but the two they were aware of were sweet and simple—not this man with a seemingly endless reserve of cunning. 

Out of respect for their father’s reunion, the puppets had refrained from asking questions, though their curiosity was practically unbearable.  

They were desperate to hear from Qi Chao what was going on. So, the moment they heard Shen Yuxi’s suggestion, they obediently followed him out of the living room without complaint.  

The three transmigrators lounging on the sofa initially had no intention of leaving.

However, as soon as Shen Yuxi’s gaze fell on them, they quickly stood up and trailed after him, behaving themselves without a word.  

The living room was now empty, save for Qi Chao and his younger brother.  

“Can you tell me now?” Qi Chao asked with a chuckle.  

Qi Yang glanced at the tightly closed door and nodded. “Brother, haven’t you noticed that your system has been missing for quite a while?”  

Qi Chao’s eyes widened slightly, and he immediately guessed a possibility. “Are you saying the system helped you find me? Did it actually go out of its way to approach you?”  

“Yes,” Qi Yang replied with a nod, though his ears and cheeks had somehow turned a noticeable shade of red.  

Meanwhile, the system lurking within Qi Yang’s consciousness was left utterly baffled:  

???

When did it ever go looking for him? 

Isn’t their relationship one of captor and captive?

The system remained silent for a moment before speaking up:  

[Host, long time no see.]

Hearing the familiar voice, Qi Chao was momentarily taken aback. Then, he smiled. “Long time no see, system. How did you find my brother?”  

[Former Craftsman No. 346 was my second assigned host.]

Former Craftsman No. 346?

Did that mean his brother was no longer a Craftsman?  

Wait. Qi Chao suddenly remembered that all task agents at the Bureau were deceased Craftsmans. In other words, his brother had already passed away?  

“How did you die?” Qi Chao asked directly, wasting no time on pleasantries.  

“I got into a car accident,” Qi Yang explained matter-of-factly. “Just the other day, after delivering offerings to you, I died on the way back.”  

Qi Chao frowned slightly but refrained from asking detailed questions out of concern for his brother’s emotional state. 

Instead, he reached out and ruffled Qi Yang’s hair. “From now on, make sure to stay safe.”  

His brother’s hand was as warm as ever.  

Qi Yang’s heart, battered and scarred from his time in the interstellar world, seemed to mend bit by bit under that warmth.  

The redness on his face faded, and his dark eyes deepened as he looked at Qi Chao. “Brother, you told Brother Shen about me. Do you really trust him that much?”  

Hearing his brother’s doubt, Qi Chao felt a little embarrassed. His ears warmed slightly as he replied, “He’s my partner in this world.”  

When Qi Chao noticed that Qi Yang didn’t look surprised at all, he couldn’t help but feel puzzled. “You knew already?”  

Qi Yang had indeed known for a while. After all, he was familiar with this world’s storyline and aware that Shen Yuxi had been toying with his brother all along.  

“Yes,” Qi Yang said with a faint nod. “Brother Shen mentioned it to me.”  

Qi Yang knew that Qi Chao was someone who valued emotions deeply. If he directly told his brother about the circumstances of this world, Qi Chao wouldn’t believe him. 

Qi Yang preferred a more gradual approach, allowing his brother to slowly come to terms with everything.

Qi Yang’s personality was violent and unpredictable, but the only people he showed tenderness to were his brother and his little baby. Although his little baby didn’t exactly want this strange form of affection.

“Really?” Qi Chao didn’t doubt him.  

Qi Yang nodded.  

“You’ve always been very smart,” Qi Chao complimented him, but then his next question was directed at the system, his tone casual. “Why did you bring my brother here?”  

Although Qi Chao had a good relationship with the system, he didn’t believe that, given their connection, the system would go out of its way to reunite him with his only family.  

[The reason is…]

The system responded slowly, its words a bit stilted, as if it weren’t the one who had brought Qi Yang here.  

Taking advantage of the system’s hesitation, Qi Yang smoothly took over the conversation. “It was actually me who asked the system. It mentioned your information when we were chatting before, so I begged it to bring me here.”  

Qi Chao made a sound of acknowledgment, seemingly believing it.  

This explanation seemed reasonable, but as Qi Yang’s older brother, Qi Chao knew his younger sibling’s little habits.  

For example, when Qi Yang was nervous, he would tilt his head slightly to the right.  

It struck him as odd, though he let it slide, since it was just a casual question. 

Why was Qi Yang so nervous?  

After this exchange, the living room fell into silence. Both brothers had their own thoughts, not speaking further, and the system wisely refrained from interrupting their quiet moment.  

Meanwhile, in the conservatory, Shen Yuxi, who had insisted on giving Qi Chao and his brother enough time alone, was watching the scene in the living room through Ayu’s surveillance. 

“So, Dad isn't from this world? And the man in the living room is Dad's real brother?”  

This was what Lan Luo had heard from Li Bai.  

“Yeah, we only just found out too,” Li Bai whispered into Lan Luo’s ear.  

Xiang Yue didn’t pay attention to Agu’s hand resting on his shoulder. His gaze was fixed on the projection of the monitoring screen, watching the younger brother of Qi Chao. He narrowed his eyes.  

“This man doesn’t look anything like Dad’s brother, does he?” Agu said with a smile.  

Xiang Yue glanced at him and silently agreed.  

The man certainly didn’t look like a good person.  

The discussion among the family puppets didn’t seem to concern Shen Yuxi. He was focused on the monitor, where Qi Chao and his brother were not speaking at the moment. 

Yet, even without actively trying to make conversation, there was a certain harmony between them.  

This kind of harmony was something that Shen Yuxi, who had grown up without parents, could never truly understand.

When Shen Yuxi first met Qi Chao's brother, he immediately understood that the other man disliked him. After hearing about the system from the surveillance footage, Shen Yuxi narrowed his eyes slightly.  

Based on the clues he had, it seemed that Qi Yang knew Shen Yuxi wasn’t a good person, and how he had taken advantage of Qi Chao at the beginning. 

That’s why he had such a strong aversion to Shen Yuxi.  

But how did he know that?  

Shen Yuxi’s gaze fell on Qi Yang’s head. It was said that there was something called the “system” inside his mind.  

Qi Chao had mentioned before that the system had brought him to this world, but it seemed that the system’s purpose wasn’t very strong— even the Craftsman tasks were not mandatory to complete.  

Shen Yuxi was curious whether the system knew the storyline of this world and what its real objectives were.  

Unbeknownst to the system, the villain had already developed a dangerous level of interest in it.  

At that moment, Qi Chao had already taken his brother and the system upstairs.  

Qi Yang’s purpose for coming to this world was very clear—he intended to take his brother away.  

However, seeing the way his brother interacted with that older man, Qi Yang knew that completing his goal was going to be difficult.  

His brother clearly cared deeply for Shen Yuxi. And right now, the most important thing Qi Yang needed to do was expose Shen Yuxi’s true nature, so that his brother would sever ties with this two-faced man.  

But during his conversation with his brother, Qi Yang began to realize that his brother most likely already knew about the unspeakable things the villain had done.  

This made things tricky.  

Qi Yang couldn’t understand why his morally upright brother, even knowing Shen Yuxi wasn’t a good person, still chose to stay with him so devotedly.  

“You should stay in this room for now,” Qi Chao said with a smile. “Since you’ve heard about me from the system, you must know that we have a lot of children at home. They’re all very well-behaved kids. I’m sure you’ll like them.”  

Qi Yang knew that among the puppets were five demonic ones.

And they were all made by Shen Yuxi.

Qi Yang was indifferent to his brother’s praise of the "well-behaved" puppets. Given that even someone like him could be described as "well-behaved" in his brother’s eyes, it was clear how thick the filter was through which Qi Chao viewed the world.

"Brother, I want to eat the food you make."

In his past life, Qi Yang was a high-level tasker in an infinite world, someone who moved freely between reality and countless parallel worlds. 

He reveled in slaughter, in the fear monsters had of him. Qi Chao was the only thing that kept him shackled, preventing him from becoming a bloodthirsty monster. 

Then, that shackle broke.

Qi Yang thought he would go mad, but instead, he found the world dull and meaningless. He voluntarily chose death in the illusion. 

He understood that, at the time, his only lingering attachment was probably the promise his brother had made before he died—he would cook his favorite dishes for him that evening.

"Alright."

Qi Chao wasn't as melancholy as his brother. He assumed Qi Yang was just hungry, so he responded, "You can snack on something first, and then we'll have a proper meal in half an hour."

Qi Yang looked up at his brother and nodded. 

There was no feigned sense of grievance, no deliberate display of a smile—just as it had been in his past life. It was something habitual, yet precious beyond measure. 

Meanwhile, Shen Yuxi noticed that after Qi Chao came down from upstairs, he didn't stay in the greenhouse any longer. Rising, he led the household's puppets back into the living room. 

Lan Luo and the others were sitting on the sofa, gazing up at the second floor, clearly curious about their father’s new brother. 

Shen Yuxi, on the other hand, entered the kitchen.

The three transmigrators exchanged glances, unsure of what they should do now. 

The leader of the transmigrators, Li Ge, pointed upwards, his meaning clear—he wanted to go upstairs.

Actually, Li Ge wasn’t as afraid of the villain or the demon puppets anymore. He had come to understand that as long as Qi Chao was around, neither the villain nor the puppets would dare harm them.

The chains of a wild beast were in the hands of one person.

This was an extremely terrifying thought. 

Because no one knew whether the person would release these wild beasts simply out of boredom. However, when that person was Qi Chao, their worries were greatly alleviated.

Meanwhile, Qi Chao was in the kitchen, pondering what kind of dish he should make to treat his younger brother, who had traveled so far to visit him. 

Before he could come to a decision, he noticed the kitchen door creak open.

"Brother Shen, you're here?" Qi Chao greeted, a little surprised.

Shen Yuxi stood in the doorway, rolling up his sleeves lightly, his golden hair cascading over his shoulder. His demeanor was gentle as he asked, "Are you cooking for Yangyang?"

"Yes, that kid is quite picky about his food."

But even with all his pickiness, it was nothing compared to Shen Yuxi’s own habits. 

Every time they had a meal, Shen Yuxi never voiced any negative opinions about the dishes, but Qi Chao had noticed that if there was something he didn’t like, Shen Yuxi would never take a second bite.

Unaware of Qi Chao's thoughts, Shen Yuxi walked up to him and, as if he had not seen the been surveillancing his conversation at all, casually remarked, "You’ve changed quite a lot, hasn’t your brother asked you about it?"

"He asked, but I just brushed it off."

Qi Chao replied casually, though the truth was, the changes weren’t that significant—just a bit longer hair and a slight change in eye color. Those who were familiar with him could easily tell that it was still him. 

Qi Chao didn’t want to go into detail, mainly to avoid making his younger brother worry. After all, even Qi Chao himself wasn’t entirely sure why he had become the incarnation of the Mother Tree.

"Is that so?" 

Shen Yuxi let out a light laugh, not pressing further. It had been just a casual question on his part, to prevent Qi Chao from suspecting that he had been monitoring him.

"Have all the trial grounds people been taken away?" 

Upon hearing Shen Yuxi's question, Qi Chao’s movements faltered slightly. It seemed like he was reminded of some unpleasant memories that made him uneasy.

“They’ve been taken away,” Qi Chao answered, his tone flat.

Shen Yuxi noticed the subtle shift in his demeanor, and the smile on his face faded slightly. “Did something happen?”

Qi Chao pursed his lips and shared everything that had happened with the Mother Tree, including his suspicions about the dreams that San Yue had. 

When Shen Yuxi heard about Moss being converted, his eyelashes fluttered in surprise. "I hadn’t heard of that before."

Shen Yuxi knew that in the original storyline, their fates weren’t looking too promising, but he had never known about Moss’s outcome. 

Qi Chao, who had originally been in a bad mood, softened when he saw Shen Yuxi's expression. 

He wrapped his arms around him, gently rubbing his forehead in an attempt to comfort him. "It’s okay. The core has been recovered. This kind of thing won’t happen again."

Will it really not happen?

Shen Yuxi didn’t hold any hope for the association or those involved. He clenched the fabric of Qi Chao’s shirt and buried his face into his shoulder, seeking warmth. 

As he felt Qi Chao’s steady heartbeat, he gradually calmed down, allowing himself to rely on him for a brief moment of peace.

His task was already complete. 

The association's attempts to find a replacement for the core were futile. 

Shen Yuxi had never really cared about the puppets he created, otherwise, he wouldn't have allowed them to wander freely in the trial grounds. 

But at the same time, he cared more for them than anyone else. Before meeting Qi Chao, he had given all of his tenderness to those puppets. 

Despite this, Shen Yuxi's tenderness was as cold as ice, with little warmth to offer.

"Don't be afraid, Brother Shen."

Hearing the low murmur by his ear, Shen Yuxi hummed quietly in response. No matter what, he could never allow the association to harm the Mother Tree. It wasn't just for the puppets— it was also for Qi Chao.

Shen Yuxi rarely felt down, but when he did, his emotions were as cold and sharp as ever. 

Yet, the presence of Qi Chao beside him seemed to thaw some of that ice, even if only for a brief moment.

Qi Chao knew that Shen Yuxi’s current state was likely due to Moss’s past fate. He understood that Shen Yuxi cared deeply for the children in their home; if one of them made even the slightest change in expression, Shen Yuxi would be the first to notice.

After comforting Shen Yuxi, Qi Chao felt less upset. As he made his way upstairs, his mind focused on how to address the growing threats from the Association and the Royal Family. 

For the sake of his lover and children, these two forces needed to be dealt with. 

He would need to return to Linjing District. Only by observing the movements of the Association and the Royal Family up close would he be able to formulate his next steps.

The second floor corridor was unusually quiet. The children were downstairs, and Shen Yuxi was resting in the kitchen. 

Qi Chao had come upstairs to check on whether his brother, Qi Yang, had any changes in his tastes. 

Perhaps it was the silence of the corridor, or the effect of the Mother Tree’s influence, but Qi Chao had become more attuned to his surroundings. His physical abilities were enhanced, and if he consciously suppressed his movements, his footsteps would barely make a sound.

Even Xiang Yue, with the keenest hearing, might not have been able to hear it, but Qi Chao didn't realize his own unusual abilities.

He walked to Qi Yang's room and was about to knock when he heard his brother's voice.

"Yes, that's right. Shen Yuxi, as one of the pillars of the world, is already showing signs of weakness in his body, which indicates there's a problem. Based on my experience, perhaps after a certain point, when the world's consciousness is ready, his body will completely collapse."

"We must leave before that happens."

Qi Chao stopped his knocking motion.

Inside the room, Qi Yang was shouting baby while pretending to be aggrieved and seeking comfort, as if the previous conversation had greatly impacted him.

Hearing the knocking sound, Qi Yang's heart jolted, and his expression immediately turned alert. 

He half-squinted his black eyes and looked toward the door.

Few people could escape his hearing.

Qi Yang quickly got up and opened the door. When he saw Qi Chao standing outside with a dark face, he froze for a moment, feeling a little uneasy.

He remembered he hadn't done anything to provoke his older brother.

"Repeat what you just said." Qi Chao's voice was somewhat cold.

Qi Yang hesitated for a moment, then, after a few seconds, cautiously said, "Baby, I love you?"

Qi Chao: ...

Who the hell asked you to repeat that?!

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