Chapter 37

Chapter 37

It's hard to say which is more terrifying: human nature or demons and ghosts.

All fear ultimately stems from the unknown.

If a villain openly declares their schemes, they cease to be frightening; if a demon reveals its monstrous form, it can always be subdued by force.

Qi Jing suspected Bo Chengyan had seen 996, but he stammered, too hesitant to ask, and was led back to the dining table.

He didn't know how to explain it either.

Would Bo Chengyan think he was also an otherworldly being once he learned the truth?

It was truly hard to say.

Qi Jing suddenly lost his appetite. After quickly finishing his sweet soup, he wanted to go upstairs to sleep, only to have his wrist grabbed and pulled back.

Bo Chengyan sat with crossed legs, looking refined, and frowned, "You've barely eaten anything."

Qi Jing was sullen and about to speak when a hand slipped under his clothes. He instinctively tried to pull back, but his wrist was held tight, leaving him completely unable to move.

On his overly slender body, the rise and fall of his stomach was quite noticeable.

One touch would reveal everything.

"Mmm…" The boy let out a soft whimper.

"Unhappy?"

Bo Chengyan looked up, asking patiently.

The housekeeper happened to come out of the kitchen, unfazed. Xiao Jing had always been a difficult child to raise; he didn't like eating.

In the past, he only managed to eat a few more bowls when Sir came home every week to supervise.

Bo Chengyan had indeed taken on a certain "parental" role.

Even the slightest changes in Qi Jing's mood would be noticed—whether he was happy or unhappy, whether it was about school or home.

Every loose end would be neatly tied up.

He never hesitated to invest effort in this.

"You've worked hard. I'll handle serving the dishes in a moment," Bo Chengyan said calmly to the housekeeper, holding Qi Jing's palm.

Soon, only the two of them remained.

"What's wrong?"

Bo Chengyan gently rubbed Qi Jing's fingers, his expression composed.

Lin Se was right about some things—it was important to ask the child for their own thoughts. If Qi Jing wasn't ready to talk about that thing, then the timing wasn't right.

The trust wasn't strong enough.

Qi Jing had never truly suffered any grievances. He'd been raised to speak his mind openly because someone was always there to support him.

996 sat on the dining table, completely absorbed in the scene.

No melon seeds to crack.

But there was other entertainment.

"I… I can see something."

Bo Chengyan raised a brow, lacing their fingers together, and replied gently, "Mm."

"But it's really cute. It's not a ghost."

"Is that so?"

Bo Chengyan remained perfectly calm, pulling Qi Jing closer and naturally settling him on his lap, asking gently, "What does it look like?"

Qi Jing's eyelashes drooped, his cheeks tinged with color. After a long silence, he asked, confused, "You don't think I'm crazy?"

That was what was truly bothering him.

"No."

Often, inexplicable misunderstandings and rifts can be attributed to a lack of trust.

Just talking it out helps.

People in love are foolish. Even if their partner's words make no logical sense, the other half will still offer full support—even if they claim the Earth is square.

This is the essence of emotional value.

Verbal support might seem superficial, but if even that is absent, there's only one possibility.

That person isn't in love.

*

Chen Zhuo was quite annoyed, unable to understand why Jiang Xiuyuan kept trying to run. He had already investigated his family's situation.

A little money, and they immediately sent him away.

Left penniless.

But he also knew deep down that if Jiang Xiuyuan learned his grandmother had passed away, he would likely abandon him for good.

Those in power were selfish and cold.

He didn't see it as a big deal.

To put it bluntly, Chen Zhuo believed psychological issues could be resolved by seeing a doctor.

He never expected things to spiral out of control.

His arm had been stabbed with a dinner knife, but he casually bandaged it himself. Then, he saw a message.

—[Photo]

It was a childhood photo of Qi Jing, but the background wasn't some remote mountain forest; it was a neighborhood playground, even with a slide in the background.

Beside him stood a pair of parents.

Chen Zhuo's eyebrows lifted slightly. Such a good-looking child—he was indeed abducted.

What?

Sending photos directly to him, trying to sow discord?

"Give me my phone."

Jiang Xiuyuan held the knife menacingly, his chest heaving, his emotions highly unstable. "Give it to me!"

Chen Zhuo: "...Just stab me to death."

"..."

"Do you really have to message Qi Jing? What if the two of them are having a sweet moment? Aren't you just disturbing them?"

Chen Zhuo spoke gently, casually moving closer before suddenly grabbing the knife and snatching it away.

But his hand was cut again.

Blood dripped steadily...

"Tsk."

Clang—the knife was thrown far away.

The phone was handed over.

Chen Zhuo truly had nothing to say. He stood up to rinse his hand, frowning as he muttered, "You're impossible."

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, messages kept pouring in.

45782: Mr. Chen, you're jealous of that Bao guy too, aren't you? Abduction is a serious crime. As long as you help us, we have both witnesses and evidence.

45872: Qi Jing is a pitiful child. His parents miss him dearly.

...

Chen Zhuo leaned against the counter, laughing lazily, his tongue touching his teeth. But he forgot his palm had just been cut, and the sudden pain made him grimace.

Just then, the young man outside pushed the door open, holding the bloodstained knife again.

He'd retrieved it.

"..."

Jiang Xiuyuan took a moment to react, then muttered awkwardly, "I just came to wash the knife."

"."

*

Qi Jing sat on Bo Chengyan's lap, turning his head to chat with 996, "What would happen if he saw you?"

"...Actually, it might not make much difference."

The system belonged to a higher-dimensional being, assisting the host in completing plot tasks—essentially, it was a cheat.

Other characters were confined to their "character roles." The system couldn't be detected, or there'd be a risk of OOC (Out Of Character).

But.

It had already gone OOC long ago.

996 even stood up worriedly and asked Qi Jing, very concerned about its appearance, "Has my skin grown back yet?"

"Looks like you're still missing a small patch."

From an outsider’s perspective, it looked like he was talking to himself.

Bo Chengyan's phone vibrated. With one arm around Qi Jing's waist, he lowered his gaze to the forwarded message, his expression subtly changing.

—You're welcome.

—I traced the IP. It's in Z Province. They'll likely head to the capital once the rain stops.

Qi Jing was still intently watching 996, the back of his neck exposed and vulnerable as he muttered to himself, "It's fine, you're cute. He'll think you're cute."

The man scrolled through the information below.

—Want me to stall them for you?

—Or do you want to handle it yourself?

Bo Chengyan's eyes were dark and unreadable, but when the boy turned to face him, he immediately composed himself, asking gently, "Hmm?"

Qi Jing said seriously, "It can let you see it!"

His tone was a little excited.

Perhaps it was the urge to share, or perhaps it was the desire to "be believed."

Qi Jing guided Bo Chengyan's hand toward the empty space above the table, biting his lip. "It can let you see it for a second or two. It's blue and soft."

996 was uncharacteristically serious, puffing out its chest, hoping to impress the other party.

"He can see me for a second or two."

Bo Chengyan's gaze remained fixed on the back of Qi Jing's neck. From the corner of his eye, he vaguely saw something, but didn't pay much attention.

He had seen such things as a child—mostly women who had died in various ways.

Hovering on the ceiling.

Just vengeful spirits.

His thoughts drifted...

"Cute?"

The boy turned to look at him, his eyes bright.

Bo Chengyan gently rubbed Qi Jing's fingertip and said softly, "Very cute."

His dark pupils reflected the oblivious boy.

Perhaps he wasn't afraid at all, or perhaps he trusted too much.

Qi Jing told him everything, still using dreams as a medium, saying he came from another world, and that world was also terrible.

"Dad and Mom?"

Bo Chengyan frowned, repeating the words, then gripped the boy's wrist, stating calmly, "You have no parents."

You are mine.

*

"Just a child's silly thoughts, and you actually believed it?" Lin Se came to Jinjiang Bieyuan, bringing some nourishing traditional Chinese medicine ingredients, which he had the housekeeper put away.

The young man paced around the study before finally getting to the point, "Aren't you going back to Macau to check on things? I heard... it's a bit chaotic over there."

A bit chaotic? That was an understatement.

Attempted murders were happening—the stepmothers weren't just squabbling over trivialities anymore, they were genuinely trying to kill each other.

There was only one reason for it.

Bo Zhonglin was dying.

"Later."

Lin Se was truly puzzled. Leaning against the desk, he asked, "Seriously? The media in Macau are all over it. You're still not going back?"

"He's not dying."

Bo Chengyan's expression was indifferent. "Even if he really dies, it won't be revealed."

Lin Se paused.

It took him a moment to fully grasp the implication.

Death in a biological sense is easy.

But the demise of influence and power... that's truly difficult.

After all, it involved inheritance distribution.

"But you can't just stay out of it, can you? If you're worried about Qi Jing, leave him with me. I'll look after him for you." Lin Se thought about it and could only pinpoint this as the issue.

"You'll look after him for me?"

The atmosphere in the study suddenly grew quiet.

Heaven knows, Lin Se genuinely had no idea that Qi Jing's other "parents" had come looking for him. Bo Chengyan saw everyone as a potential enemy.

"Just take him with you..."

Qi Jing woke up groggily in the morning to find Bo Chengyan sitting beside him, dressed in a suit, gently holding his wrist.

"Hmm?"

A soft murmur.

Rain still fell occasionally, and the sky outside the window remained overcast.

Before the boy could fully react, he was gently scooped up, his warm skin meeting the cool suit, making him shiver involuntarily.

Cold.

Qi Jing leaned against the man's shoulder and closed his eyes again, still sleepy...

Around 4:50 in the morning.

He vaguely felt himself being carried downstairs. Bo Chengyan seemed to be talking to the housekeeper, his shoulder gently vibrating.

—Yes, just our regular order. Thank you for your trouble.

—Sir, breakfast...

—No need, I've prepared it for him.

It wasn't until Qi Jing was in the car that he began to react, mumbling, "Where are we going...?"

Dawn hadn't fully broken yet, and the rain still fell gently.

"To Z Province."

Bo Chengyan's life had always been solitary until Qi Jing appeared. He had to learn some medical knowledge, had to consult on nutritional issues.

The boy grew taller bit by bit, hugging him intimately.

Trust came almost naturally.

This life was captivating.

He could have left Qi Jing at home like those parents who work away from home, handling external affairs on his own.

But unfortunately, Bo Chengyan couldn't do that.

He didn't believe home was safer than "by his side."

Qi Jing was still a child—the kind who could stumble just walking in society. There was no need for him to know about ugly business.

"What are we going there for?"

"To donate."