Becoming Puppet Emperor of a Paranoid Eunuch - Chapter 138

The driver took the initiative to load the suitcase into the trunk and then courteously opened the back door.

 

Before getting in, Ning Qinghong cast a subtle glance at the boy beside him with a faint smile. Wu Jing, looking at the car door that seemed especially dark because no lights were on at night, took a long time to mentally prepare himself before daring to get in. He stayed as silent as a little quail.

 

He then heard the person beside him slowly report an address.

 

It sounded familiar, possibly the same hotel from before.

 

Wu Jing wanted to say something but didn’t dare to speak. He sneakily glanced at the person beside him several times in the dark.

 

Ning Qinghong slightly turned his head, “Wuwu, do you want to say something?”

 

Wu Jing shook his head like a rattle drum, “No, nothing at all…”

 

It’s just twenty thousand; even if he can’t afford three nights, he can at least manage one night!

 

As soon as they reached the hotel entrance, the uniformed receptionist promptly stepped forward to help open the car door, bowing and inviting the two of them to get out.

 

This wasn’t an exclusive service. The hotel offered the same level of reception to every vehicle, even if the guests were just stopping by and had no intention of staying. Wu Jing didn’t find it strange. After he got out, the trunk was opened, and a staff member helped carry the luggage while walking ahead, providing a guided introduction, “Would the two of you like to check in? Would you like me to take your luggage to the concierge for temporary storage?”

 

Before Wu Jing could respond, he heard the person beside him say, “My surname is Ning.”

 

The staff member immediately responded, “So you’re Mr. Ning who made the reservation over the phone?”

 

Ning Qinghong, “That’s correct.”

 

Wu Jing was completely bewildered.

 

The receptionist continued, “Hello, Mr. Ning. You’ve booked the presidential suite for three nights at twenty thousand per night. According to our records, you’ve already paid. We will now assist you with checking in.” He paused, “We noted that the reservation was made under the name of a Mr. Wu.”

 

Ning Qinghong smiled, “Wuwu?”

 

Wu Jing suddenly snapped back to reality, “M-mine?” He fumbled to pull out his ID from his down jacket and handed it over.

 

The receptionist verified the information and said, “The ID and phone number match. Please wait a moment while I assist the two of you with check-in. We’ll then escort you to the top floor.”

 

Wu Jing didn’t have to wait long. Still in a daze, before he realized it, the receptionist had quickly completed the check-in process and was leading them toward the elevator.

 

He followed Ning Qinghong in a daze, clinging to the man’s long fingers and stumbling along.

 

Something’s not right.

 

When did he make the reservation over the phone?

 

Why hadn’t he heard anything about it?

 

How did Ning Qinghong know his ID information, down to the details of his phone number? When did he see it?

 

And…where did all that money come from?

 

Wu Jing’s mind was filled with increasingly more questions. He started connecting the dots between all the oddities.

 

Had he mentioned to anyone that his mother inherited a few family companies? Or that his father liked tea?

 

Could he have said it in his sleep?

 

It seems… it seems that when they went to the hospital earlier, Ning Qinghong was the one who called the cab. But Wu Jing was pretty sure he hadn’t told him the address.

 

Then how did he wake up already there?

 

Even the scene in the traditional Chinese medicine room, where Ning Qinghong answered about the prescription before him, came to mind. Wu Jing felt that something wasn’t right, very wrong indeed.

 

He had hidden his diary so well—how could it have been found so easily?

 

The young man warily bowed his head in thought.

 

“We’ve arrived, sirs,” said the receptionist, maintaining a professional demeanor even though the term “sir” seemed completely out of place when addressing Wu Jing. He continued, “Would you like an introduction to the room, Mr. Ning?”

 

Ning Qinghong briefly replied, “No need.”

 

The receptionist added, “Understood. Do you need any food? The menu is placed on the island in the living room.”

 

Ning Qinghong smiled slightly, “No, that won’t be necessary.”

 

The receptionist asked, “Is there anything else I can assist you with?”

 

“A few of my packages will arrive downstairs shortly,” Ning Qinghong replied in a soft tone. “Please have someone bring them up and leave them by the door without knocking to notify us.” He paused, looking at Wu Jing, his voice turning teasingly ambiguous, “My friend and I—”

 

He paused again, then continued in a low, smiling tone, “need a private, secure space without interruptions.”

 

The receptionist understood, “Of course, I understand.”

 

He bowed and quickly left.

 

As soon as they entered the room, Wu Jing, pulled inside by Ning Qinghong, suddenly squatted down helplessly, holding onto the man’s hand, shaking his head, “I don’t want to go in, I don’t want to go in.”

 

Ning Qinghong gently asked, “Wuwu, what’s wrong?”

 

Wu Jing hesitated, wondering if he had guessed wrong, and blankly looked up at him.

 

Ning Qinghong crouched down, extending his arms, “Would you prefer to be carried in by your brother?”

 

In a daze, Wu Jing allowed himself to be picked up. He wrapped his arms around Ning Qinghong’s shoulders, his legs around the man’s waist, and apologized softly, “I’m sorry… I was too nervous. I thought, I thought… brother was going to punish me again.”

 

Ning Qinghong chuckled, “It’s warm inside. Shall I help you take off your clothes?”

 

The suitcase had been placed by the door earlier by the receptionist.

 

Ning Qinghong closed the door.

 

Wu Jing was placed on the living room sofa, obediently nodding as he watched Ning Qinghong unzipping his down jacket and removing the woolen hat from his head, casually placing them on the table. He then raised his arms to let Ning Qinghong take off his thick sweater underneath.

 

Underneath, he was still wearing long sleeves and long pants.

 

Ning Qinghong smiled, “Wuwu, do you want to take a shower? Change into something else?”

 

Wu Jing nodded, “Okay.”

 

He opened the suitcase, grabbed his shorts and T-shirt, and went to take a shower. He spent about ten minutes washing up with the showerhead before coming out of the bathroom.

 

When he exited, he noticed several packages placed on the table. Curious, he asked, “Are those the clothes we bought today, Brother?”

 

Ning Qinghong had taken a book from the bookshelf and was quietly flipping through it. Hearing Wu Jing’s question, he smiled, “Why don’t you open them?”

 

Opening packages was something Wu Jing enjoyed the most.

 

Excited, he found some scissors and quickly opened the first package, revealing a small ring about the size of his wrist, with a layer of long, dense black fur on the outside.

 

He stared at it for a long time, not knowing what it was.

 

Ning Qinghong smiled faintly and said, “Brother bought some things that I hadn’t heard of before. They seem interesting. If Wu Wu likes them, when we return, I’ll have someone make another one just like it.”

 

Wu Jing was busy unboxing a package, nodding as he spoke, “Sure, sure, but how do I use it?”

 

The next item he unboxed was a transparent rubber ring, about the size of his wrist but slightly longer, around the length of a finger. The rubber ring was stretchable, the material soft, but the beads embedded on the outside were somewhat hard, though still squeezable.

 

He didn’t know what this was either.

 

The next package was a bit larger, seemingly an electronic device with a peculiar design at the bottom that allowed it to stick firmly to the table.

 

While unboxing this package, Wu Jing missed a small box. When he realized it, he was already unboxing the fourth one. The small box was thin and when opened, it revealed two black straps.

 

He slowly began to sense that something was off, picking up the small box that had fallen to the floor, holding his breath as he carefully opened it.

 

The silicone object inside instantly dropped onto the table.

 

Wu Jing’s face turned bright red in an instant, his breath almost stopping.

 

Ning Qinghong leisurely turned another page of his book and said, “Wu Wu, no need to be nervous. What’s meant to come will always come, won’t it?”

 

He smiled.

 

Wu Jing sat there dazed for a moment, then frantically and clumsily crawled into the other person’s lap, so much so that the book in Ning Qinghong’s hands fell to the floor.

 

The young boy nuzzled his burning red face into the other’s neck, his eyelids trembling and moist, kissing the person’s face in a shy and hesitant manner. His actions were clumsy, but he forced himself through his fear.

 

His voice was small and trembling, with a hint of a sob, “Brother, hug me, kiss me.”

 

Ning Qinghong kissed him and said softly, “Alright, I kissed you.”

 

Hearing Ning Qinghong’s gentle voice, Wu Jing tightened his grip, shaking his head repeatedly, “I don’t want to leave, I don’t want to leave.” He felt utterly wronged, almost on the verge of tears. “I spent money for brother, I want brother to be happy, I hope, I hope brother’s illness can be cured.”

 

Ning Qinghong responded slowly, “You’re very good.”

 

Wu Jing continued to nuzzle the side of the other person’s face, his eyelids wet, “Is it because I didn’t book a hotel for brother? Should I book it now?”

 

Ning Qinghong sighed softly, “How could I let you do that? Brother and Wu Wu are just ordinary friends.”

 

A buzzing sound filled Wu Jing’s ears, his mind going blank.

 

Ning Qinghong added, “Didn’t Wu Wu say so to brother yourself?” He asked with a faint smile, “Then why is Wu Wu clinging to brother for kisses? What if someone sees?”

 

“Or worse, if it’s caught on camera and someone sees it, with all the secrecy, Wu Wu surely won’t be able to explain it.”

 

“Then how will Wu Wu explain to his parents about getting entangled with an ordinary friend?”

 

“Such actions between friends cross the line.”

 

“Wu Wu, get off of brother.”

 

Wu Jing shook his head vigorously, burying his face deeply, “No, I was lying, I didn’t mean to say that, I didn’t…”

 

Ning Qinghong spoke softly, “Is that so?”

 

Wu Jing nodded earnestly, “Really, really.”

 

Ning Qinghong gently patted his back, coaxing him without a trace of emotion, “Alright, let brother kiss you?”

 

Wu Jing raised his tear-streaked face, “Brother, kiss me.”

 

He was kissed for so long that he finally believed that the other might not intend to hold it against him.

 

Wu Jing had no idea what those things were for, nor where they might be used. Just thinking about the unknown made him feel it would surely be a form of torture.

 

He was so well-behaved that he didn’t dare close his mouth even when kissed.

 

Wu Jing, feeling aggrieved, said, “You said… but you didn’t tell me the truth either.”

 

Ning Qinghong responded with a questioning “Hmm?”

 

Wu Jing voiced all the strange things he had noticed, “Where did brother get so much money? Were you deliberately making me spend so much?” He spoke softly, “And today, I didn’t tell you, yet you knew which hospital I was taking you to, knew what the Chinese doctor would ask, knew my ID number.”

 

As he spoke, he became more and more aware that something was wrong.

 

“Wait, I haven’t taught brother how to use a phone… And how to call a car, or what a hospital is. You also knew what an ID card was, and you booked an expensive hotel over the phone. That’s strange.”

 

Wu Jing’s mind was spinning into a mess.

 

“Because when brother came, Wu Wu was still asleep. I took that time to pawn the jade pendant I brought with me to exchange for some money.”

 

Wu Jing asked in a daze, “Why did brother bring a jade pendant?”

 

Ning Qinghong smiled, “Wu Wu must remember that money is useful most of the time. If it makes things easier, why not bring it?”

 

Wu Jing nodded blankly, then suddenly remembered something, “Wait, when you went out, did anyone see you? And what about the surveillance cameras outside?”

 

Ning Qinghong smiled meaningfully, “I naturally wouldn’t let Wu Wu worry. Brother specifically chose a time when no one was around, used the back door, and borrowed Wu Wu’s phone while you were asleep, putting it back in its original place afterward.”

 

Wu Jing was about to nod, then suddenly a thought struck him, “Wait, how did you know when no one was home, and the path at the back? Even my father doesn’t know about it, it was the gardener who told me.”

 

“My phone password too, only I know it, not even my mom knows. How did you manage to use my phone? And no one told you how to use it, so it’s really strange that you could…”

 

So strange, everything is so strange.

 

Wu Jing had an inexplicable feeling that Ning Qinghong had already lived in this era for a long time, without needing anyone’s guidance. But this idea was impossible, because Ning Qinghong even knew some things that only he himself knew.

 

He subconsciously swallowed, his whole body starting to tremble.

 

Ning Qinghong leaned over to grab something from the table, saying, “I forgot to tell Wu Wu, brother really couldn’t rest easy.”

 

He smiled, “Originally, I didn’t want to press Wu Wu so hard, but when Wu Wu disappeared, brother really had no choice. Though I agreed to Wu Wu’s request and came along, there had to be some exchange.”

 

Ning Qinghong fiddled with the only strap that didn’t need to be sterilized, slowly fastening it to the boy’s wrist, who was now completely stunned.

 

It wasn’t until Wu Jing felt the soft fabric binding his wrist tightly that he panickedly looked down, hearing the voice of the person in front of him, so close to his ear.

 

Very light, with a hint of a smile.

 

“Brother has taken your memory, Wu Wu.”

 

For a moment, Wu Jing’s pupils lost focus, and when he regained his senses, he was trembling all over, his lips parting but his teeth clattering together, unable to make any sound.

 

Ning Qinghong smiled and asked, “What should we do?”

 

“Wu Wu truly has no secrets from brother now.” Not even a shred of privacy remains!