Forced To Take Care Of The Protagonist, She Can't Leave [Transmigration Novel] - Chapter 11

Gu Qingshi’s shirt was damp. He did not know that a child of this age could cry so much. Was he not eight years old? By this age, he should care about his pride. Why was he crying like this?

With a head buried against his waist, Gu Qingshi picked up his chopsticks, wanting to grab a piece of bamboo shoot. However, his body was shoved, and the vegetable fell back into the plate.

Can he not let me eat in peace?

Huo Chen cried for a while, looking truly miserable, as if he were the one who was ill. Gu Qingshi had initially tried to soothe him, but he realized that the more he patted the boy’s head, the harder he shoved his waist, almost pushing him off the chair. It was incredibly annoying. However, he could not say anything, as the child was crying.

Huo Chen had indeed been overwhelmed with emotion at first, but he actually calmed down quickly. He just did not want to get up because this person smelled so good.

“That is enough, is it not?” A helpless voice came from above.

“Get up, quickly.” The tone that followed was a simple command, devoid of emotion. If he did not get up, things would become complicated.

Huo Chen sensibly lifted his head, but Gu Qingshi was momentarily stunned. The child’s eyelids were genuinely swollen. Someone who did not know better might think he was mourning at a grave.

“You…” Gu Qingshi felt a wave of exhaustion. He gestured outward with a look of disdain. “Go ask the nanny for a hot egg.”

Huo Chen lowered his head. He knew he looked unsightly, but he lingered for a moment. He was crying, after all.

“Go quickly.” The man frowned slightly.

He did not like to repeat himself. Huo Chen scurried to the kitchen, took an egg, pressed it against his eyelids, and sat obediently in the chair, watching the man eat. The nanny also brought over a bowl of warm, steaming soup. The meal was finally complete, and Gu Qingshi was at last able to finish his dinner in relative peace.

Huo Chen trailed behind Gu Qingshi like a little tail until the bedroom door closed, leaving him outside. Muffled sounds came from within.

“If you have nothing to do, go read a book.”

Huo Chen puffed out his cheeks and touched the doorknob. He really wanted to go in, but he was not allowed. His eyelids were still as swollen as walnuts. He had eaten the egg after only pressing it for a few seconds, as he did not believe food was merely a tool. So, he went to rinse his mouth and swallowed it. He touched his stomach and thought about going downstairs to ask the nanny for a cup of juice, which he could then give to Gu Qingshi.

Yes! Just as Huo Chen was thinking this, a muffled question came from behind the door.

“Huo Chen?”

Huo Chen turned his head, looking puzzled. Since he had been locked out, he approached the door again.

“Come inside.”

He immediately pushed the door open and ran in. Gu Qingshi had intended to rest, so he had just changed into a robe, which softened his usual distant aura. Huo Chen seemed to have grown taller, but compared to an adult, he was still a complete shrimp. He walked up and felt inexplicably nervous.

“Whose pillow is this?” Gu Qingshi was almost laughing in anger. He liked this room so much that he insisted on sleeping here.

Huo Chen stepped forward cautiously, moved a little closer, and stole a glance at the man’s face. Is he not particularly angry?

Gu Qingshi was indeed getting emotional. Although he had lived for over twenty years, he had zero experience in raising children. Furthermore, he had a slight obsessive-compulsive need for cleanliness. This pillow was clearly a size too small.

Huo Chen felt a bit stifled, and before he knew it, he was holding his own little pillow in his arms.

“Out.”

He was being sent away. Huo Chen felt dejected, but he walked toward the door honestly, thinking to himself that he must never be so careless in the future. He would definitely tidy up next time.

“Wait.” Gu Qingshi frowned and called him again.

The child scurried back, looking up at him, thinking there might be a turning point. What if, what if…

“Are there any other things? Pack them up and get out.” Gu Qingshi pointed toward the bedside table.

Huo Chen’s lips drooped, and he began gathering his belongings at a snail’s pace. Shirts, shirts, and more shirts. They were all tiny clothes.

Gu Qingshi frowned and asked, “I installed a wardrobe for you.”

Huo Chen did not say much; he just hugged his pile of belongings and ran out. This time, he was very quick. As he walked out, he buried his face in his shirts and sniffed, finally catching a faint scent.

Gu Qingshi felt as if he were raising a puppy that was obedient one moment and troublesome the next. Because the boy was so small, he could not discipline him too harshly. He felt a massive headache. He looked at his bed, not understanding why the boy thought it was bigger or more comfortable.

The next day came quickly. Huo Chen rose early to prepare for school, but he did not see Gu Qingshi at breakfast. Anxiety began to stir in his heart. Had he left again? His habit of looking toward the upstairs room was too obvious, so the nanny spoke up. “The master gave orders yesterday not to wake him. When one is ill, one must get proper sleep.”

The nanny was also exhausted. She did not know what kind of child Huo Chen was. Did he like his adoptive father, or did he not? He looked like he liked him, but he did not even call him “Dad.”

Huo Chen felt discouraged. The man usually stayed home for less than a day, but this time it had been two full days, and perhaps longer. However, school had started. Gu Qingshi’s pull on him was too strong; Huo Chen found it hard not to be curious and hard not to hover around him. He had read that book; perhaps he, too, had been an orphan in the past. How did he end up here? Huo Chen had ten thousand questions, but Gu Qingshi would not tell him. How can I find out?

Huo Chen eventually left with his backpack. The car was parked outside, and he could not help but look up at the second-floor window. The curtains were drawn, and he could see nothing. The dejected puppy went off to school.

When Huo Chen stepped into the car, Gu Qingshi pulled back the curtains and looked down.

【Host, Host, I found the information you asked me to look up.】

He walked back to the bedside, picked up a script to read, and communicated with 996. 【Mmm, speak.】

【According to the system settings, every host’s identity, social status, and appearance will be adjusted according to their original world, but personal relationships, friends, and family will be completely deleted.】

Gu Qingshi frowned slightly.

【Then what about Fu Lian?】

996 was also puzzled. Every world had its own main plot, and support characters were completely detached to facilitate logging in and out. Under normal circumstances, a host would not encounter acquaintances in the mission world, let alone share the same memories. The system would not go through the trouble of creating such a complex character.

996 had to offer an explanation: 【Perhaps… there is a bug?】

【…】

Gu Qingshi did not want to worry about it for now; he just felt that Fu Lian was a bit too enthusiastic, which he found strange. He felt weary and went back to sleep after watching the boy leave for school.

However, this time, he had a dream. In the dream, it seemed to be the day before he died. The weather was gloomy, as if it were about to rain, and he saw himself helping out at the welfare home. Some children surrounded him. He was not good at speaking, but he hugged each child in turn. Time flowed very slowly; that day was no different from any other, and Gu Qingshi even grew bored watching himself. Why am I still here?

Finally, the scene shifted. He was reading, or rather… telling a story. It was the cliché story of a prince rescuing a princess. A child leaned over; he could not see the face clearly, but the voice seemed very distinct.

“Is it real? Is the world in the book real?” The voice was very young.

Gu Qingshi saw his own expression falter for a moment before he explained, “If you believe it is real, then it is real. Discussing whether it is real or fake is not important; what matters is that the story has a happy ending, right?”

Is that so? Gu Qingshi asked himself in the dream. Why doesn’t it matter if it is real or fake? If it is fake, what is the meaning of it?

However, perhaps because the emotional shift was too great, the scene became fragmented, and Gu Qingshi’s ears suddenly rang. He saw himself driving on an elevated bridge. It was raining, and the road conditions were very poor. A car drove toward him with its high beams on, charging straight at him as if out of control. Waves of car wreckage fell onto his face.

Cold, damp.

Rainwater washed over the bloodstains, erasing his traces over and over again.

Gu Qingshi opened his eyes abruptly and sat up in bed, cold sweat seeping from his forehead. His brown pupils widened slightly. He pressed his throat and glanced sideways at the curtains. It was not raining outside; it was a clear, sunny day.

996 said with concern, 【Host, you slept for three hours and fell into a deep sleep. Did you rest well?】

【No.】

996 stuttered, 【Ah, ah?】

Gu Qingshi felt sticky, so he got up to take a shower. By the time he actually had a brunch, it was nearly 11:30 AM. It was practically lunch.

Then came the happiest moment of Huo Chen’s midday return from school. The moment he pushed the door open, he looked toward the dining room, stunned, and then ran straight over. He stood by Gu Qingshi’s side.

Gu Qingshi frowned and reminded him, “Go change your shoes.”

Huo Chen’s eyes lit up. He glanced down at his feet, then ran back to the entryway, honestly changing his shoes before running back to Gu Qingshi’s side.

“…”

Gu Qingshi glanced over and said helplessly, “Either put down your backpack or give it to the nanny. Did you not see the nanny standing behind you?”

Huo Chen lowered his head, took off the backpack himself, handed it to the nanny, and politely said, “Thank you.” He was truly a well-behaved little boy.

Gu Qingshi thought the matter was settled and intended to take a sip of soup, but the child was still standing right by his side.

“…Go wash your hands.”

Upon hearing Gu Qingshi’s words, Huo Chen ran off to wash his hands immediately, moving with great agility. This sight left even 996 in awe.

【The protagonist is so obedient; that is rare…】

Gu Qingshi was puzzled: 【Rare?】

【…It is always rare.】 996 muttered to itself, though it believed the success of the mission was also linked to its dear host being good-looking. After all, he was the most beautiful one. 996 felt quite proud, but it kept that to itself.

Huo Chen quickly washed his hands and ran back.

Gu Qingshi did not even look up. “Eat.”

The boy acted like an obedient robot, doing exactly as he was told, only occasionally looking up at Gu Qingshi. He felt very happy. This is great. I wish he were home every day.