Chapter 47

Six hours earlier—

Qi Jing sat dazed on the bed, the top two buttons of his pajamas undone. The moment he heard the sound of an engine outside the window, he scrambled out of bed.

He pressed himself against the window and peered down.

He had really left.

Without taking him along.

Qi Jing decided that Bo Chengyan was nothing but a smooth-talking deceiver. Back in Z Province, the man had plainly said he just wanted some time alone, so why wasn’t he taking him now?

Had those words been nothing more than a lie?

996 floated over, bobbing unsteadily in the air.

【He really left?】

The youth felt utterly dejected. He pursed his lips and turned away. “What now? He’s not taking me with him. How am I supposed to get through the Macau storyline?”

All the characters were locked in stasis.

He couldn’t even reach them if he tried.

Qi Jing couldn’t come up with any solutions. A knock came at the door, and Auntie called out to ask if he wanted breakfast.

The youth mumbled a dull response. “I just want to sleep…”

He flung himself back onto the bed and burrowed under the covers. A few stray locks of hair fell across his forehead as he stared up at the intricate carvings on the ceiling.

Was it possible that Bo Chengyan could handle that major turning point on his own?

996 had described it as a family-related event—an important milestone that would sharpen the man’s character.

But…

Qi Jing rolled onto his side. His waist curved slightly, and his clear eyes brimmed with confusion.

He didn’t want him to know…

【What’s wrong? Why does it look like your data bar is missing a chunk?】

996 hovered overhead, circling as it scanned him, as if performing a thorough checkup on the youth.

Qi Jing was simply feeling down. He’d already learned so much, and his fingers curled inward with the realization.

Even though Bo Chengyan had insisted he wasn’t a goldfinch…

Still…

Wasn’t the man supporting him, keeping him like a pet?

How old was Bo Chengyan, anyway?

Qi Jing grabbed his phone and looked it up. He pursed his lips again, growing more sullen by the second.

Thirty.

Eleven years older than him.

His feet tensed, arches tightening.

Qi Jing had a vague idea why the other man kept so much from him. After all, he must look like some underdeveloped…

Little Bird?

The youth rolled over once more and lay on his back. He opened his mouth to breathe, and the smart wristband on his wrist let out a soft beep.

It was the morning pulse auto-measurement alert.

For some reason, the sound grated on him.

Qi Jing frowned and reached to remove it. He’d just undone the first clasp when something occurred to him. In a muffled voice, he asked, “Can this thing be shielded?”

996 drifted closer.

【Huh? What’s that?】

The youth drew his legs up as he explained. “He said it sends my coordinates and starts listening whenever there’s something abnormal with my body. It even has a camera.”

996 settled into his palm, its beady eyes peering up.

One second. Two seconds.

“Ah?”

Qi Jing seemed to catch on all at once. He stammered, “Then… when my heart was racing…”

His face flushed crimson in an instant.

Panic surged through him, but he had no idea if the device was active. His gaze darted aimlessly around the room.

【Little Jing, I have to remind you—based on my scan, the monitoring on this thing is always on.】

【The recording function… looks like it’s a one-way switch.】

【You sure this model’s the same one from the karst cave?】

The blue slime bobbed in the air before landing on the youth’s shoulder. Qi Jing stared blankly at the bones of his own wrist.

People grew bit by bit.

His face drained of color as the true meaning of “human rights” finally sank in. In a panic, he turned to 996. “What about everything I’ve said in this room to you—”

【It’s fine.】

【I can wipe it.】

Though 996’s physical form appeared childish, it wielded high-dimensional powers. The task was complete in moments.

Less than two seconds, even.

【He might notice, though, if he checks your status regularly.】

It paused briefly after that.

【Oh. He does.】

Qi Jing reeled in profound shock, the tips of his fingers turning pink where he’d pinched them.

“Why…”

996 simply relayed the queried data without embellishment.

【From the intervals of past checks, it’s a daily routine. I’ve delayed your wristband’s data stream by six hours.】

【He might notice…】

The protagonist top was no saint, of course.

It had taken 996 ages to decode what Bo Chengyan’s “excessive threshold” physiological issue really meant.

Pervert, plain and simple?

Couldn’t even communicate like a normal person?

But given Qi Jing’s fondness for the man, the blue slime held its tongue. It simply perched roundly on the youth’s shoulder.

“Why would anyone listen to one person’s conversations like that? Wouldn’t it get… boring?”

Qi Jing glanced sideways at it, thoroughly rattled. Something felt profoundly off.

【For a normal person? Yeah, it’d be boring.】

A chill prickled along Qi Jing’s spine as the implication hit home. He lifted his hand and yanked off the wristband.

He tossed it to the foot of the bed.

Hugging his knees to his chest as he sat there, his face twisted in fear and bewilderment. “But he said it was for my safety.”

Truth be told, 996 wasn’t exactly an expert on child-rearing. It tilted its head. 【Maybe I should take you to Harbor City?】

The youth blinked in surprise. “Can I go outside?”

【Of course.】

~~~

Chen Zhuo escorted Jiang Xiuyuan back to Capital City, maintaining a careful distance between them as if they’d laid down a few ground rules. He even personally scouted a location for the flower shop.

Right near the company.

That meant Jiang Xiuyuan had steady business from day one, even if it left him a little uneasy. Still, he figured it worked out fine.

The contract had a year and a half left—why not make use of him?

The events in Z Province felt like a distant memory now. Before leaving, he’d only kowtowed at his grandmother’s grave and skipped the city altogether.

What wasn’t his, he had no use for.

On his way out, Jiang Xiuyuan had even visited a doctor. Perhaps those knife wounds had drained something out of him; his emotions felt steadier than before.

When Chen Zhuo showed up that afternoon, he pretended not to notice. That is, until the phone rang.

The young man untied his apron. He froze for a split second upon hearing the voice, glancing down at the screen.

“President Bo—”

Before he could get another word out, Chen Zhuo snatched the phone.

“What do you want with him?”

“Huh?”

Jiang Xiuyuan stood off to the side, clueless about the situation but sensing it involved Qi Jing.

Why else would they call him directly?

His expression filled with worry as he watched Chen Zhuo on the phone.

“I just got him back here. Haven’t laid eyes on him.”

“Then I wouldn’t know.”

“I could help you…”

Chen Zhuo arched a brow. Sure enough, the call cut off. He set the phone down on the counter and broke into a grin.

“What’d he say?”

The air hung quiet. One second. Two.

“His little baby ran off! Haha…”

Jiang Xiuyuan froze.

~~~

Bo Chengyan cut his trip short without delay, heading straight back home. The chief assistant trailed him, drenched in cold sweat.

He rattled off updates nonstop.

“A teacher from Capital University messaged—no sign of him at school.”

“Villa district cameras are still processing. They’re rushing it; should be ready in about thirty minutes.”

…

They arrived at Brocade River Villas soon enough.

Bo Chengyan strode inside without breaking pace, heading straight upstairs. Auntie hurried after him, her voice laced with concern. “I’ve searched everywhere—even the cabinets. Where on earth did that child go?”

“Could you please keep Assistant Lin company?”

Bo Chengyan’s voice came out low and even, clinging to rationality and calm. Only once the room emptied did he step to the bedside.

His gaze dropped to the smart wristband, discarded there.

At the same time—

【Hey, the Macau plot’s actually simple enough. The protagonist’s father is about to die.】

996 perched on Qi Jing’s shoulder. The youth now sat in a bright, spotless duplex apartment. The coffee table held only a few books and a clear glass teapot.

A tall figure with a cool, aloof air paced the kitchen a short distance away.

He returned empty-handed.

Gu Qingshi frowned faintly and apologized. “No tea in the house. Do you like mint water?”

The boy on the sofa looked far too young—even dressed in pajamas, with fluffy hair falling over his forehead and eyes that glistened like dew.

He stared intently.

Reminded him a little of…

【It was definitely him who took it! That’s the guy!】

【The house is full of mint leaves!】

996 squawked like an overexcited system, only for Gu Qingshi to snatch it up and drop it into an empty glass.

“Quiet.”

The beady eyes squished against the glass, thoroughly put out.

Qi Jing fidgeted with his fingers, stiff and awkward. He shook his head. “Anything’s fine. I’m not thirsty.”

He’d had little exposure to the wider world.

The straightforward words came out oddly endearing.

Gu Qingshi considered for a moment before offering another apology. “996 isn’t a pure machine intelligence. It’s a data stream pulled from elsewhere—with near-human emotions. It tends to get into mischief.”

“It accidentally dragged you here.”

“Everything okay?”

Qi Jing had been fixated on the man’s face. Only after the words sank in did he nod.

“I’m great. Really great.”

“My last life was rough. Without 996, I never could’ve lived like this.”

Gu Qingshi’s features softened with warmth. “As long as you’re good.”

“I’ve been managing your assets. Need any now? Or should we wait until you’ve finished school? I hear you’re at Capital University.”

The youth shook his head vigorously, scrambling to explain. “No, that’s not why I’m here. I…”

【Little Jing wants to ask about relationship stuff.】

996 poked its head out from the cup, looking utterly oblivious.

Gu Qingshi paused for a moment, as if feeling slightly uneasy. He didn’t believe he had any experience to speak of.

Huo Chen…

Was his adopted son.

Qi Jing pursed his lips and stammered, “It’s not… that urgent.”

He seemed eager to change the subject.

“Why is the house full of mint?”

Before Gu Qingshi could explain, 996 let out a loud cackle: 【Of course it’s because someone got jealous even of flowers and dug them all up to plant his exclusive mint leaves.】

The air fell silent.

“Yes,” Gu Qingshi said.

Qi Jing stared blankly in that direction. The man across from him glanced at the small flowerpot on the table, his gaze mild and gentle.

“I owe him.”

Gu Qingshi thought for a moment, then turned his eyes sideways toward Qi Jing. “I know some things about you. 996 messed up at first and kept running to me.”

“But you might not know much about me?”

The atmosphere remained cordial.

“My mission lasted much longer than yours. I raised a child from the age of eight or nine… all the way until he was nearly grown. Oh, right—didn’t 996 give you that choice?”

Qi Jing pondered. “The one that lets you return to your original world?”

“That’s the one.”

“I left.”

The young man’s eyes widened slightly. He’d never met anyone quite so decisive before. And this was… after many years.

“Then…”

“Yes, he searched everywhere for me, but he could never find me.”

Gu Qingshi spoke calmly. “He thought I’d abandoned him.”

His tone was light.

The young man’s features held a natural aloofness as he leaned back against the sofa, lost in thought for a moment.

Or perhaps in reminiscence.

“Later, that world collapsed. 996 made me go back, and when I saw him again, he was slitting his wrists.”

“He…”

Gu Qingshi wasn’t sure how to explain it. He simply lifted his gaze to Qi Jing. “The only close relationship I’ve ever built in my life was with my adopted son.”

“I couldn’t refuse him.”

Such deep emotions couldn’t be summed up in a few hasty words. No one truly had experience with this.

“What troubles are you facing?”

Qi Jing hadn’t expected the other man’s partner to be his own adopted son. He was still processing it—and that bit about slitting wrists?

He’d never witnessed anything like that.

Even Bo Chengyan wouldn’t allow him to stay up late doing homework.

Life only came once, after all.

The door swung open then. The person hadn’t even entered yet when his voice rang out.

“Gu Qingshi, why didn’t you pick up my calls? Why text me? I hate texts—”

His footsteps halted abruptly.

Huo Chen’s expression turned icy cold. Without a moment’s hesitation, he whipped his head around and demanded, “Your illegitimate son?”

~~~

About five minutes later, Qi Jing sat quietly on the sofa. 996 was furtively peeking through the crack in the study door, but then came a sharp slap.

It returned, utterly satisfied.

【He got hit.】

The young man’s face changed in an instant. He shot to his feet and didn’t sit back down until the study door opened.

The young man emerged looking perfectly fine, though he’d rolled up his sleeves a bit and his lips were tinged red.

Nothing else seemed amiss.

“Are you all right?”

Gu Qingshi glanced over, a touch embarrassed. “He hasn’t seen you before. He misunderstood.”

996 hurriedly clarified in shock: 【I meant Huo Chen got slapped.】

Another stretch of silence.

Gu Qingshi felt an urge to hurl 996 right out the window. Did it have to make things this awkward?

“Oh… I see.”

The young man was thoroughly bewildered. His limited knowledge left him ill-equipped for the scene unfolding before him, so he stammered out, “Does your hand hurt?”

Gu Qingshi shifted uncomfortably. He shot 996 a frown, the message clear as day.

—What did you teach him?

【It wasn’t me! Blame his love interest—he’d do everything for him short of brushing his teeth. The kid’s pure as a blank sheet of paper now. Sees someone get hit and thinks it’s domestic violence.】

996 was buzzing with energy in Harbor City, acting like it was ready to take over the world, but it still spared a glance for Qi Jing.

【Getting slapped is one of the protagonist’s major kinks.】

【He loves it—】

Its body was suddenly yanked upward.

Manually muted.

The study door opened.

Huo Chen strode out, his face dark as he made his way to the sofa and sat down beside Gu Qingshi. He lifted his eyes and swept a glance over Qi Jing.

“How old are you?”

Qi Jing’s fingers curled slightly.

“Nineteen.”

Gu Qingshi frowned, about to intervene, but the man said flatly, “Ask me.”

“He only did it because I forced him. Asking him won’t get you anywhere.”

~~~

By now, night had fallen. The cityscape visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows was mesmerizing, a glittering display of opulent prosperity.

Qi Jing stammered, “He… he’s a lot older than me. He picked me up off the street…”

“Age isn’t an issue, as long as you’re not a minor.”

Huo Chen spoke without batting an eye. He made no mention whatsoever of his own feelings budding when he was underage.

Qi Jing’s words trailed off, leaving him dazed.

He switched to his other concern.

“I don’t think he’ll like me for long…”

Huo Chen prompted, “Why do you say that?”

“I’m so young, and he always seems disinterested. He keeps turning me down.”

Qi Jing spoke plainly, gripping the sofa with his fingers when no reply came.

In a panic, he glanced toward Gu Qingshi and 996.

“Any other reasons?”

Huo Chen’s expression grew complicated. Where had this kid even come from? At least he wasn’t some illegitimate child.

Qi Jing’s throat felt tight, his body tense, but he pressed on.

“I’ve seen people give him gifts. And I’ve smelled other perfume on his clothes.”

“Equal love requires material equality first, right? Only then can there be spiritual equality.”

The young man quietly placed his hands on his knees and murmured softly, “We’re just too different.”

Huo Chen couldn’t wrap his head around all this philosophical rambling, but he could tell the kid was young—prime age for overthinking.

“None of that proves anything. How different, exactly? Isn’t he supporting you? If he’s raising you, he has to take responsibility.”

996: 【……】

“It’s just a lack of security, isn’t it? Have him share his wealth with you. Half isn’t enough? Give you everything. What’s so hard about that?”

Gu Qingshi frowned. “Huo Chen!”

Qi Jing blinked in surprise. He suddenly remembered those documents dividing up shares and inheritance. Mumbling, he said, “He… kind of already gave them to me.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

It was as if they’d finally hit the nail on the head. Qi Jing frowned. “He monitors me.”

“So?”

Huo Chen shrugged it off. “I love doing that too.”

The man turned his gaze to the young man beside him, possessiveness plain as day. “The entire first floor is wired with cameras. How else do you think I got back here so fast?”

Qi Jing froze, his damp eyes turning in that direction.

Gu Qingshi said calmly, “Talk properly.”

Huo Chen checked the time on his wristwatch and frowned. “It’s easy to explain. A lack of security leads people to do things like that.”

“He doesn’t act like he dislikes you.”

Qi Jing looked utterly dumbfounded. The whole place was… cameras?

“Besides, did you go out by yourself?”

“Just being polite—how long were you out of contact?”