Becoming Puppet Emperor of a Paranoid Eunuch - Chapter 143

In the latter part of the meal, Wu Jing kept his head down, eating quietly, afraid to move.

He wasn’t afraid of Ning Qinghong, but of those strange, unfamiliar things he had never seen before. Both past and present, each one had tortured him as if he had died once. He truly didn’t want to experience them again.

As Wu Jing ate, he began to daydream with his bowl after finishing his meal. He couldn’t use his phone, as his father would notice.

Ning Qinghong put down his chopsticks and asked, “Are you finished?”

Wu Jing snapped out of his thoughts and nodded.

Ning Qinghong suggested, “Do you want to go to the living room to sit and digest?”

Wu Jing’s mother wanted to comment on how sitting wouldn’t really help digestion, but since it was the guest’s suggestion, she held her tongue. She watched as Wu Jing eagerly agreed and ran off to the living room to play with his phone.

Wu Jing’s mother gave a forced smile.

Ning Qinghong picked up his chopsticks again and said with a smile, “In a while, I’ll take Wu Wu out for a walk. Would you like to join us?”

Wu Jing’s mother’s expression softened, “Your father and I have some paperwork to handle tonight, so you young people go ahead.”

Wu Jing’s father added, “I’m truly at ease with someone like you as Wu Jing’s friend. Thank you for taking care of him.”

Wu Jing’s father was surprised by his own words, realizing he had said them without thinking. He and his wife hadn’t asked Wu Jing how he met this friend, fearing it might touch on sensitive topics. From their interactions and Ning Qinghong’s demeanor, they assumed that Wu Jing hadn’t been the one to seek out someone from a hospital.

Wu Jing’s father shrugged off the awkward moment, attributing it to the effects of drinking.

Ning Qinghong placed his chopsticks down and exchanged a few pleasantries before saying, “I won’t trouble you any longer.”

Wu Jing’s mother, while seeing them off, called out to Wu Jing, who was still lounging in the living room, “Wu Jing, go out for a walk. You’ve gained weight.”

Wu Jing, initially reluctant to leave, immediately sat up upon hearing this. “Mom?!”

Wu Jing’s mother chuckled, “I was just joking.”

Wu Jing mumbled in response but couldn’t resist looking back at his mother before leaving. He ran up and hugged her, saying, “Dad, Mom, I’m going now?”

Wu Jing’s mother hugged him back with a smile, “If you’re out too late, don’t worry about coming back.”

Wu Jing nodded with closed eyes.

He took Ning Qinghong’s hand and walked a bit further, looking back to see the door closing behind him. He couldn’t hold back his tears any longer, burying his face in Ning Qinghong’s chest, crying.

He clung tightly, tears streaming down his face, and asked through his sobs, “Brother… do you think when we go back, my body will be like before, just sleeping when I’m not there?”

“Will I become a vegetable?”

“Will Mom and Dad be very worried?”

“Or will there be another me to take over…”

The three days had passed so quickly, seeming like a blink. Ning Qinghong had arrived a bit earlier, and it seemed he might not be here for tomorrow night.

Ning Qinghong gently patted Wu Jing’s back, comforting him, “How about tomorrow I accompany Wu Wu home once more?”

Wu Jing nodded through his tears but then shook his head, “I-I said I’d take you to see and do a lot of things.” He sniffled, “We didn’t go to many places, and now you’re going to leave with me.”

Ning Qinghong softly said, “I’ve seen through Wu Wu’s eyes; it’s indeed very beautiful and fresh.”

Wu Jing questioned, “Really?”

Wu Jing cried even harder, “Well, it does seem quite nice.” He thought about Ning Qinghong seeing his memories without his permission.

Thinking about it that way, it didn’t seem so unreasonable after all.

Wu Jing cried for a while, and feeling a bit cold from the wind, he wiped his tears with Ning Qinghong’s clothes and lifted his tearful eyes, “…I don’t want to go for a walk anymore.”

Ning Qinghong asked, “Then where does Wu Wu want to go?”

Wu Jing shook his head, saying, “I don’t want to go anywhere.” He had lost all desire to play and simply said, “I want to go back and stay with my brother.”

That is, to return to the hotel.

While waiting for the car, he still walked around for a bit. Wu Jing, unhappy, tried to put his hand in Ning Qinghong’s, wanting to hold it for warmth since it was cold.

As they walked, he sulkily buried his head, feeling both uncomfortable and shaken while holding Ning Qinghong’s hand.

When the car arrived, seeing only the two of them on the street, it drove straight up to them. Over half an hour later, they were back at the hotel.

Wu Jing had calmed down and stuffed his cold hands into Ning Qinghong’s coat pockets for warmth. While doing so, he felt the swelling medicine Ning Qinghong had bought him today.

He quietly tried to pull his hand back, but before he could succeed, Ning Qinghong grasped it.

Wu Jing had no choice but to follow Ning Qinghong into the elevator. He messaged his mother, noted in WeChat as “Financial Authority,” saying, “Mom, I won’t be coming back to sleep tonight.”

His mother responded with a few words, mostly reminding him to stay warm in the cold weather and be safe…

Though there were only a few sentences, Wu Jing found them somewhat nagging. He read them several times before sending a simple nodding emoji.

By then, the elevator had arrived.

When they reached the door, Wu Jing noticed a package left at the entrance.

Since there was only this room on the floor, and without a room card, no one else could come up. The staff had brought the package and left it there, not worried about it being stolen.

Seeing the package, Wu Jing immediately became alert, vaguely recalling something but unable to remember clearly.

He withdrew his hand from Ning Qinghong’s coat pocket, hurried over to pick up the package, and nonchalantly said, “Brother, why didn’t you open the door?”

Ning Qinghong opened the door with a meaningful look in his eyes, shaking his head as he watched Wu Jing’s retreating figure.

Once inside, Wu Jing casually placed the package in the corner and ran to the living room, picking up the menu and pretending to study it seriously.

He even forgot to take off his down jacket.

Wu Jing asked quietly, “Brother, should we order some late-night snacks?”

Ning Qinghong, removing his coat at a leisurely pace, replied, “If Wu Wu wants to eat, just have them bring it up.”

Wu Jing quickly ran back to the bedroom, planning to use the hotel phone to call the service desk. Realizing he was still warm, he took off his clothes and lay on the bed, holding the receiver while looking at the menu and swinging his legs.

“Hello? I’d like to ask if you have fried chicken, milk tea, and fries available? Yes, I want all of that, and also two chocolate-flavored ice creams.”

“Yes, we have them at the hotel. We’ll send them up right away. Thank you!”

Since it was fast food, it arrived in ten minutes and was placed on the dining table.

Wu Jing had forgotten how long it had been since he had eaten such junk food. When he returned to the living room, he found that the package had been opened, and Ning Qinghong was holding a half of it—gently touching the soft plush and the short bunny tail.

Seeing this, Wu Jing suddenly remembered the half-sentence he had heard earlier about “putting on” something. Although he didn’t know how to use it, he gulped nervously.

Without saying a word, he wanted to go back to his room and lock the door.

Ning Qinghong set the item down and said softly, “Wu Wu, aren’t you coming to eat?”

Wu Jing stopped in his tracks and turned around stiffly, “I really… really can’t anymore.” He swallowed hard and shook his head, “Today… today has been too many times.”

Ning Qinghong asked, “What is Wu Wu talking about?” He pretended not to understand and gently said, “The food has been delivered. If Wu Wu doesn’t eat now, it will get cold.”

Wu Jing looked at the fried chicken and milk tea on the table, feeling shamefully tempted.

He had just eaten, but the portions from the hotel were small enough for both of them to finish together.

Wu Jing hesitated and moved closer, putting on gloves and serving the food to Ning Qinghong’s mouth, “Brother, you should eat too.”

Ning Qinghong frowned slightly but ate calmly.

Wu Jing blinked and said, “Brother, try this too.” He picked up the milk tea, used the same straw as Ning Qinghong, letting him taste it first before drinking it himself, smiling contentedly. He then discreetly let the bunny tail fall to the floor.

Quickly, he sat down in Ning Qinghong’s lap and said, “Brother, let’s watch a movie?”