QT: Against My Will-Chapter 614 - 10.26 - Asking For Directions - Rebirth Of The Heart
Bing Shi looked around the house, taking a small stroll with her son, "You’ve taken such good care of the house in our absence. Speaking about care, how’s life been treating you? Aside from turning into a full-grown adult when we weren’t looking, of course."
"Life’s been... interesting," XiaoPu began, trying to ignore her arm around his when Xuan Mu had continued to eye him suspiciously, "Actually, just today, I had to fend off a rather dramatic confession."
"Dramatic confession, huh? Did you become the leading man in your own romance saga?" Bing Shi quipped, her tone light and teasing.
XiaoPu rolled his eyes, "More like a reluctant participant in a comedy of errors. Knox decided to drop a love bomb on me."
Bing Shi chuckled, "Knox, hm? That’s some high-quality drama."
Xuan Mu’s expression shifted to a silent frown, a look of utter disbelief crossing his face. "That little shrimp confessed to... you? Do you two even know what a love confession means?" The idea of someone confessing to his child seemed to catch him completely off guard, "Are we sure he wasn’t just asking for directions, and you misunderstood?"
Bing Shi nudged her husband with her elbow. What was this guy speaking about? Weren’t they in their teens, too, when they fell in love?
Xuan Mu quickly cleared his throat when he saw her expression, "From what I heard so far, it looks like XiaoPu was really trying to give Knox directions... but to the friend zone."
Bing Shi burst into laughter together with XiaoPu.
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The three paused their stroll in the garden. Settling comfortably, they continued their chat. The gentle crackling of the fireplace added a cozy ambiance, while the dark sky was sprinkled with a tapestry of stars.
Bing Shi decided it was time to address the reason for their visit, "XiaoPu, we actually came back to talk about your past. There are things about your background that you deserve to know."
XiaoPu, taken aback by her sudden shift in tone, "My past? What about it?" he asked.
Xuan Mu reached into the space inside Baby Shiro Junior and extracted a small, intricate headpiece. It was delicately crafted, with subtle engravings that seemed to dance in the flickering firelight.
Baby Shiro Junior flipped with its fins, pointing at the headpiece, "I should have given this to you upon reaching adulthood, but since they had returned early, it seemed more appropriate for them to present it to you personally."
"This device," Xuan Mu began, "was designed to interface directly with your brain. To use it, you must find a quiet place where you can relax and focus. Place the headpiece on your temple, and it will align itself with your neural network. Be patient; the process requires concentration and a willingness to embrace whatever comes."
Bing Shi’s voice held a note of warning as Xuan Mu handed over the remains of the old XiaoPu, "Remember, exploring your past will be both enlightening and challenging. Be prepared for what you might discover."
XiaoPu, now holding the headpiece, looked at it with caution. He always felt that they were hiding something from him, but they always said that it was not the time to know the truth yet.
"XiaoPu, we know relationships are complex, and they shouldn’t be forced," Bing Shi said softly, "Those days when we had to make all the big decisions for the baby version of you are over – thank goodness. Now, it’s your turn to make decisions, make mistakes, and yeah, maybe even get into some trouble and danger."
XiaoPu, taken aback by the uncharacteristic seriousness of both Bing Shi and Xuan Mu, found himself unsure of how to react.
Sensing the need to allow these thoughts and feelings to settle, Bing Shi and Xuan Mu sent XiaoPu back to the house.
"If he chooses to remain with us even after reaching adulthood, then we must have failed in our role as parents," Bing Shi said.
"Yeah," Xuan Mu agreed, "I couldn’t imagine living with my parents my whole life, no matter how amazing they might be."
They would love to have XiaoPu join them on their journey, but it wouldn’t be fair to make him live in the shadow of their lives and decisions. While a close family bond was important, it was equally crucial for XiaoPu to establish his own life as an individual.
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Knox had been sitting in his car since early morning, parked just outside Yun Pu’s place. He was determined to apologize for straining their friendship with his feelings...again.
Then, as he kept his eyes trained on the gate of Yun Pu’s villa, a sudden shock pierced his heart. There, walking outside the gate, was Yun Pu, accompanied by another woman.
Her dark, wavy hair cascaded like a river of midnight silk, framing her face in a bewitching allure. Her eyes were as deep and profound as the night sky, a shade of pure obsidian. (Due to the disguise she was wearing, Knox had no way to connect her with the deceased Seraphine.)
She had her hand hooked around Yun Pu’s, and he seemed to be liking it, radiating in a way that Knox had never witnessed before. She seemed to hold a special place in Yun Pu’s heart, and it sent a sharp pang of jealousy through his chest.
For a brief, irrational moment, a dangerous thought crossed his mind. He wanted to erase the presence of the woman who had captured Yun Pu’s attention in a way he never could.
Overwhelmed, Knox abruptly exited his car. Approaching them quickly, his hand shot out, grasping XiaoPu’s wrist firmly.
"Hey, what are you doing?!" XiaoPu exclaimed, "Are you crazy?!"
Skilled in combat, Knox effortlessly parried XiaoPu’s sudden attack. With a decisive tug, he pulled XiaoPu away, separating him from the woman.
To Knox’s surprise his car suddenly detonated and erupted in a fiery blaze right before his face.
"Oh dear, was I too rough?" Bing Shi covered her mouth in a feigned gesture of accident, "I didn’t mean to make such a mess. My bad, my bad."
Her tone, while outwardly sugary, carried an undercurrent of danger, subtly revealing her displeasure at Knox’s actions.
Bing Shi moved towards Knox and XiaoPu. Reaching XiaoPu, she smoothly hooked her arm around his, her movements flowing like silk as she guided him away from Knox.
Knox stepped forward with a commanding presence. "You’re not taking him anywhere," he demanded, his voice deep and authoritative, keeping his hand around XiaoPu’s wrist still.
Bing Shi stopped, turning to face him fully, "And how do you plan to enforce that? By brute strength?"
Knox’s grip on XiaoPu’s wrist tightened slightly, his resolve evident. "If that’s what it takes."
’Will I be able to take him down with this body?’ she wondered. It had been a while since she had occupied Seraphine’s body, and the contrast was stark compared to Shina and her original form.
XiaoPu winced at the pressure, looking anxiously between the two, trying to pull his wrist free.
Bing Shi’s expression hardened at XiaoPu’s discomfort, "We don’t bow to brute force." She launched into action, her attack aimed to force Knox to release XiaoPu.
Knox maintained his grip on XiaoPu, countering her strikes with a deft parry.
XiaoPu seized the opportunity to aim a well-placed kick at Knox’s knee, "You’ve decided to mess with the wrong person today!" he snapped, severing any remnants of their former friendship, ’To think I once called him a friend!’
Bing Shi maneuvered behind Knox, pulling his arms back. Using a piece of durable cord, she quickly and efficiently tied his hands together and threw him into their hover car.
She then gently ushered XiaoPu to stay back and watch the house, which he vehemently refused.
"Listen, I’ll be fine," she said, her hand wiping away the dirt from his cheek. "I need to dispose of the evidence before Knox’s backup arrives."
She continued, "You have to stay back as a witness and back me up from here: Someone ambushed Knox and stole your hover car, alright? I don’t want you getting tangled in a legal mess because of me."
After a moment of contemplation, XiaoPu nodded, "Don’t get caught and return soon."
"..." Bing Shi chuckled helplessly at XiaoPu’s coldblooded rationality before getting into the car.
