25TH DEC 2022~SV

You guys…… are you really players?

Wen Qing subconsciously took a step back, eyeing Zhou Zhou warily.

Seeing this, Zhou Zhou asked again, “Don’t you want to know?”

Wen Qing wanted to know, but he didn’t dare to speak.

He was afraid that if he said something wrong, Zhou Zhou would go crazy.

He pursed his lips. They tingled in slight pain.

The wound on his lips was reopened once more. The blood dyed his lips bright red, adding a touch of blood to his pale cheeks.

“What happened to Qing Qing’s mouth?”

“Did you accidentally bite it?”

“Or……” the smile on his face grew. He smiled until his eyes and brows were curved. “Was it bitten by someone?”

Wen Qing was very afraid of Zhou Zhou having this sort of appearance.

The more Zhou Zhou smiled, the more he felt apprehensive. He widened the distance between the two of them in a panic.

Zhou Zhou stood where he was and didn’t approach. He admired his panicked expression. After a while, he smiled and said, “Even if Qing Qing doesn’t say it, I already know.”

“It’s Yu Xing.”

“He’s too evil, how could he bite you until you got hurt……”

Half of Zhou Zhou’s face was covered by shadows. His words seemed to be a reprimand, yet the corners of his mouth were raised, and there was an indescribable abnormality. 

Wen Qing’s eyelashes trembled. His face was pale.

He shouldn’t have come to the study by himself. He should’ve found……

Should’ve found who?

The faces of Yu Xing, Mr Ji and Si Kong quickly flashed in his mind.

The others didn’t seem to be any good either.

Wen Qing couldn’t help the tip of his nose feeling sour.

He wasn’t playing a game at all, he was being played instead.

Zhou Zhou obsessively stared at his watery eyes. He smiled and asked, “Qing Qing, why are you scared of me?”

He puzzledly said, “I’ve never done anything to you.”

Wen Qing shrank back. He thought, you didn’t do anything?

Clearly it was too late.

Seeing through his psychological thoughts, Zhou Zhou laughed out loud. “In two days… well, the day after tomorrow.”

“We can leave this place the day after tomorrow.”

“Qing Qing, the game is only officially starting now.”

Wen Qing’s heart skipped a beat.

The day after tomorrow? Zhou Zhou could clearly say out the time……

It was over. Zhou Zhou should really know the solution to clear the instance.

Wen Qing didn’t dare to imagine what he would do, what he would do to himself (WQ).

Zhou Zhou lightly sang, “Looking, looking, looking for a friend……”

Hearing this nursery rhyme, Wen Qing’s face paled further.

His eyelashes trembled. He lowered his head and stared fixedly at Zhou Zhou’s feet. He readied himself to immediately run if Zhou Zhou came over.

Suddenly, Zhou Zhou lifted his foot and turned on his toes, walking towards the stairs.

“……Saluting and shaking hands with them, you are my very good friend.”

The revised singing gradually became lighter and farther away.

Wen Qing slowly raised his gaze, and just happened to see Zhou Zhou walk downstairs.

Cold sweat dripped down his forehead. He stared at the empty staircase. After a while, only then did he exhale.

The study wasn’t safe. It wasn’t safe to be alone either.

Yesterday night, Yu Xing said that he wouldn’t let him off next time.

Before that, Ji Yu and Si Kong……

Wen Qing didn’t hesitate anymore. He quickly ran up to the third floor and to Si Kong’s room’s door.

This time he didn’t knock on the door at all, instead directly pushing open the door and walking in.

Si Kong stood by the windows, staring at him with a sullen face. “What is it again?”

Wen Qing leaned against the door, out of breath. His throat was dry and sore, and he couldn’t speak even a single word.

After a while, he panted harshly and said, “I- I’m scared.”

Seeing his anxious expression, the corners of Si Kong’s mouth lifted. “So you hide here with me when you’re scared?”

He questioned, “Aren’t you afraid of me?”

Si Kong stared at Wen Qing’s face. Unlike last time, Wen Qing wasn’t frightened by him this time. He merely said softly, “Scared, I’m scared.”

Wen Qing slowly gestured and added in a low voice, “A little bit.”

Between people who were a little scary and people who were very scary as before, he chose the little bit Si Kong.

Si Kong was slightly taken aback. He didn’t expect Wen Qing to be so honest, speaking when asked.

His breathing was still a little short, and his chest rose and fell. There was still a trace of panic in his eyes, like a small animal that had just escaped from a tiger’s mouth.

Si Kong’s appearance smoothed out.

The intuition of small animals could be quite accurate sometimes.

After the dryness and pain in his throat eased, Wen Qing cautiously said, “That… I can’t find that book. It might’ve been hidden by someone.”

“Can you tell me what’s behind the paragraph ‘Evil intentions and desires will gradually infect human beings’?”

Si Kong simply and rudely said, “No. Too long.”

Wen Qing hesitated for a moment, then asked in a low voice, “Can you just tell me a few most important words?”

Si Kong sneered, “You aren’t afraid of me now?”

“Scared, I’m scared,” Wen Qing stammered.

Yu Xing had never tricked him when it came to clues. The contents recorded in the book must be very important.

Seeing that Si Kong didn’t seem to want to tell him, Wen Qing pursed his lips and softly said, “I’ll rest here for a while, then I’ll ask others later.”

Si Kong frowned. “Who are you planning to ask?”

“Ji Yu? Or Yu Xing?”

Wen Qing was silent. He hadn’t figured it out yet.

Of these two people, one wouldn’t tell him easily, while the other one could tell false clues.

After struggling for a long time, he started to think of other ways. For example, sneaking into their bedrooms to look through them. Maybe he could find the book.

Ji Yu’s bedroom was just opposite, very near.

Or should he ask Si Kong again?

As he was thinking, Si Kong’s deep voice sounded beside his ear.

“Human beings are easily corrupted by evil intentions. Some gods are keen to appreciate the fall of human beings, while others are on the side of human beings.”

Wen Qing was stunned. “Thank- thank you.”

Si Kong lowered his eyes. Seeing that he wasn’t readying to leave, he withdrew his gaze. “You’ll just trust whatever I say?”

Wen Qing pursed his lips. “I’ll trust you.”

Si Kong questioned again, “What if I was tricking you?”

If he couldn’t trust Si Kong’s words, he couldn’t trust the others even more.

Wen Qing thought about it. He quietly said, “Then I might be at the end of my life and I’m doomed to die here.”

Si Kong was silent for a moment, before he told him, “I’m not tricking you.”

Wen Qing startled. Once again, he thanked, “Thank you.”

Si Kong casually hummed.

Wen Qing lowered his head, recalling the important clues in the book.

【 God favours young humans the most. 】

【 Evil intentions and desires will gradually infect human beings. 】

【 Human beings are easily corrupted by evil intentions. Some gods are keen to appreciate the fall of human beings, while others are on the side of human beings. 】

He could feel there was a layer of gauze separating him and the truth, but it was the same as when he was in an exam. He had clearly memorised and seen the formula before, but all of a sudden, he couldn’t remember it.

Wen Qing frowned. Suddenly, two footsteps sounded outside the door.

“Mr Ji.” a male voice sounded out. It was Zhou Zhou.

Zhou Zhou asked, “Do the words you said yesterday still count?”

“I voted for Chen Yiyi. I voted for Chen Yiyi yesterday. Today, you’ll follow me and vote for Yu Xing.”

After a while, another gentle and familiar voice sounded, “It still counts.”

Wen Qing’s body froze.

Did Mr. Ji let Zhou Zhou vote for Chen Yiyi?

Why……

Wen Qing pinched his palms. Only one clear thought remained in his mind.

Yu Xing said, Ji Yu was the worst one out of all of them.

“Do you know where Wen Qing is?” Ji Yu suddenly asked.

Wen Qing was so scared that he immediately grabbed the doorknob, fearing that the people outside would open the door and enter.

“He was just at the study. Do you want to find him, sir?”

“Then let’s go together.”

The footsteps gradually faded away.

A layer of cold sweat broke out on Wen Qing’s back. His legs were weak. Slowly, he sat on the ground and leaned against the door.

After a long time, he slowly raised his head, looked at Si Kong, and softly asked, “I- can I stay with you for a while.”

Si Kong didn’t say anything. He walked straight towards him.

The next second, Wen Qing’s body was lifted into the air.

He thought Si Kong was going to throw him out, so he quickly grabbed onto Si Kong’s clothes.

He didn’t think Si Kong would carry him and throw him onto the bed.

Wen Qing stared blankly at Si Kong, who was very close. His hands were still tightly clutching the corners of his clothes, so Si Kong’s chest was wide open, revealing his abs.

Si Kong glanced at his bare chest and coldly spat out two words: “Let go.”

Wen Qing hurriedly let go. “S-sorry.”

“I thought you were going to chase me away.”

Si Kong lowered his head and straightened his collar. Wen Qing was sitting right under his eyes. His skin was very fair, and he was also wearing a white T-shirt. He sank into the bed as if he wanted to become one with the bed.

Si Kong’s gaze paused for a moment, before stopping at Wen Qing’s feet.

Sensing his gaze, Wen Qing lowered his head, only to realise that he went to bed without taking off his shoes. Then, he quickly apologised, “Sorry, I made your bed dirty.”

Si Kong hummed. He leaned over and held Wen Qing’s ankle, gently taking off his sneakers.

His palm felt very hot. Wen Qing instinctively drew back his feet, but he was firmly restrained by the other, and he couldn’t break free.

Si Kong coldly said, “The shoes are dirty.”

Wen Qing dully said, “I- I’ll do it myself…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Si Kong helped him take off his shoes.

He lifted the heel of the shoes and put them beside the bed, where it was convenient for Wen Qing to get out of bed.

It was very considerate.

Wen Qing blankly watched Si Kong’s movements.

Some gods are on the side of humans.

Literal meaning.

Gods, ordinary human beings……

Various thoughts intertwined in his mind. Wen Qing was momentarily dazed. He grabbed Si Kong’s sleeve and quietly called, “Si Kong.”

“You guys…… are you really players?”