Forced To Take Care Of The Protagonist, She Can't Leave [Transmigration Novel] - Chapter 22

Gu Qingshi disliked physical contact. Acting was work, but at home, he preferred to be alone. Even when he volunteered in his past life, he never quite understood why children were so fond of hugging. He watched the candle as it burned down.

“Are you not going to make a wish?” Gu Qingshi asked, giving up on trying to push the boy away.

Huo Chen’s head remained buried, muffled against his sleeve. “I am already making one.”

Gu Qingshi waited for the candle to burn out. “Alright, go eat your cake.” Gu Qingshi reached out to pull the child up, but as he grabbed the boy by the collar, he saw a face flushed red from crying. He paused. He was still crying?

Seeing Gu’s hesitation, Huo Chen immediately buried himself in Gu’s arms again, desperate to climb onto his lap. Gu Qingshi’s temples throbbed as his neck was pressed to the side.

“Sob, sob. No one sang me a birthday song,” Huo Chen whined softly.

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you.” A phone played the full song, melodic and cheerful, fitting the theme perfectly.

Huo Chen was unsatisfied and did not let go.

“Get down.”

He remained motionless.

Gu Qingshi closed his eyes. “I cannot sing. I am tone-deaf.”

Huo Chen sniffled. He looked childish, but he was actually counting the seconds. Thirty-five, thirty-six, thirty-seven.

“Get down.” His tone dropped.

Huo Chen climbed down quickly and said obediently, “I will not hug you anymore.”

His eyes were red, and his bangs were ruffled, making him look like a doll. He was quite good-looking. Gu Qingshi’s anger faded, replaced by exhaustion. “Come, cut the cake.”

He propped his chin on his hand, staring at the hideous cake, feeling an urge to leave. I have to eat a bite, I suppose. It is his birthday.

Huo Chen’s heart pounded, and he struggled to suppress a smile. He could not help but pull a box of hard candies from his pocket and pop several into his mouth. His mouth felt numb and cool. Calm down. This has been going on longer today; I will get used to it.

Gu Qingshi noticed and asked with confusion, “You are about to eat cake, why are you eating so many candies first?”

The child became reserved and whispered, “Am I not allowed to eat them?”

“I am not scolding you. Of course, you may eat them.” Gu Qingshi’s tone softened against his will.

Huo Chen sat back down, cut the ugly cake into ugly slices, and piously handed a heap of messy cream to Gu Qingshi. Gu Qingshi hesitated for a moment, then took a bite under the boy’s gaze.

“Is it good?” Huo Chen leaned in, his face full of expectation.

Gu Qingshi thought for a moment. “It is good.”

996 was genuinely curious. Host, Host, I have never eaten cake. Is it delicious?

It is not delicious. Gu replied without hesitation.

Oh.

The spark of enthusiasm was thoroughly extinguished. It was too sweet and too cloying. Gu Qingshi disliked such things, but children should enjoy them; he watched as Huo Chen ate half of it without wasting a crumb. For some reason, the video of the puppy drinking milk flashed into his mind. They were so alike.

Huo Chen showed off his clean plate, eager for praise, but Gu Qingshi was already rising to leave. “I am going upstairs to rest. If you have nothing to do, read a book. You can watch television, too.”

He felt he had been too biased, so he added the suggestion about television. Huo Chen’s mouth was still coated in cream; he wanted to say more, but Gu had already walked away. Huo Chen frowned. This man has such low energy.

Huo Chen waited until the door closed before wiping his mouth with a tissue and sprinting to the second floor. The nanny, already accustomed to the boy’s erratic behavior, began cleaning the table.

The door to the master bedroom on the second floor was closed. Huo Chen crept to the doorway, wanting to enter, but his instinct told him no. He had already been too clingy today; if he went further, Gu Qingshi would become annoyed. He had to maintain control. He returned to his room.

Huo Chen looked at the crack in his cabinet; it was empty. Gu Qingshi had taken the book and not returned it. The fruit knife had been left at the orphanage. Huo Chen felt a wave of frustration, but everything was going smoothly. Gu Qingshi would like him; he would like him.

Huo Chen felt content. Bored, he sat at his desk and put the remaining candles from the table into an iron box. Inside were also a pair of glasses, an empty mint tin, and a wooden button from a coat. Huo Chen cherished these items and placed them back in their spot. He stared out the window, lost in thought. What is a goal that has nothing to do with oneself? Can Gu Qingshi not gain anything from me? Surely he can.

Huo Chen was confused but could not figure it out. He squinted his eyes, climbed onto the desk, and opened the window. He pushed himself hard to look toward the balcony next door. That was the master bedroom balcony. He gauged the distance, took a good look, and then sat back down. He pulled out his phone and sent a few messages to Zhao Kuo, his expression flat.

Gu Qingshi had actually asked about the tool code of conduct. If he were to be an adoptive parent for nine years, he would inevitably have emotional fluctuations. Even with a puppy, he would form an attachment.

Since there are ten levels of punishment, are there not levels of intimacy? Or does the system detect it randomly? Gu Qingshi lowered his eyes and flipped through the tattered Flowers for Algernon, communicating with 996 in his mind.

“Host, I do not have much authorization for this. Intimacy measurement is merely observing whether the host’s emotions interfere with the plot trajectory or the completion of system tasks. If the deviation is too great, it will purge the host and log in a new missioner,” 996 said cautiously.

Gu Qingshi paused his page-turning. And if it is one-sided? How is intimacy determined?

996 explained, “The Tool Code applies only to the host; it is inherently one-sided. As for the protagonist, I have no authorization.”

Gu Qingshi lowered his eyes, staring at the Progress Report index, lost in thought. No authorization again. This world is indeed built around the protagonist.

“Host, do not worry. The system will not favor the protagonist. As long as your intentions remain stable, you only need to raise the protagonist until he is seventeen. The later plot has nothing to do with you. 996 is with you. My system mode favors you, so rest assured,” 996 said stiffly, its tail beginning to wag. It already knew the host’s identity; this world would definitely be a successful run!

“Oh.”

996 bristled. “Huh? Just oh?”

“Am I not your little treasure, Host?”

Gu Qingshi felt a chill and frowned. “Noisy.”

996 fell silent, feeling aggrieved.

Gu Qingshi stopped considering the matter. If intimacy was one-sided, it was fair enough. If the protagonist kept pushing, and the system punished him, he would rather die. But as he leaned against the headboard reading, he felt restless. Huo Chen seems so obedient, so why were there over seven hundred failed missioners?

Bang, bang, bang. His knuckles rapped against the cover of the book.

Meanwhile, the very obedient Huo Chen had drawn a diagram on his desk—the motion trajectory to jump from his window to the master bedroom balcony. He rested his chin on his hand, staring at the paper with an earnest expression that looked nothing like a whining child. I must get closer. I must get closer. I will figure it out.

Gu Qingshi slept for three or four hours in the afternoon. When he woke up, it was already dark. A soft knocking came from the door. Gu Qingshi looked up without speaking. He rose, walked to the door, and pulled it open.

Huo Chen lost his balance and fell onto Gu’s legs. He looked up in a daze. Gu Qingshi had no expression, but he did not understand why the habit of scratching at the door whenever he could not find him had formed. Is he a puppy? He was wearing thin loungewear and leaned against the doorframe, looking down at the boy. Huo Chen instinctively tried to squeeze inside.

“Did I tell you to come in?” The hoarse voice rose again.

Huo Chen dared not move. He looked up with watery eyes, resembling a delicate, tragic character. Gu Qingshi smiled faintly. Perhaps because he had slept enough, his color was better, and he looked truly striking. Huo Chen was distracted.

“What do you want?” Gu Qingshi asked.

Huo Chen could not invent a reason. He thought about it and said in a thin, squeezed voice, “I missed you.”

“I see.”

The words stuck in his throat. Is it natural for a child to say such things? Gu Qingshi closed his eyes, turned, and went back into the room. Huo Chen moved to follow, but the door was slammed in his face.

“Wait.” The voice grew fainter.

Huo Chen pouted. What is there to change at home? Why can’t I go in? Aren’t we both boys? He reached for the handle and turned it carefully. The door creaked.

“Huo Chen.” A deep, warning voice came from within.

The boy gave up, pale-faced, and squatted at the door, full of resentment. He could not understand it. He looked good, he spoke obediently, and even the nannies at home liked him. Why did Gu Qingshi reject him? Huo Chen patted his face. Useless.

Gu Qingshi had been home all day, and the birthday had been perfectly fulfilled without any anger. Huo Chen felt Gu had calmed down. The next day, he waited eagerly by the door, only for the nanny to pass by and say pityingly, “Mr. Gu has gone out; he is not at home.”

Huo Chen jumped to his feet and grabbed the handle, but it would not budge. Locked? His mood clouded over instantly. He said nothing, but he ate even less for his meal. Why leave so early? Why lock the door? Are you not letting me in? He was distracted, failing to notice the string of messages from Zhao Kuo.

“Is that your adoptive father?” “Your adoptive father looks so damn hot!” “No wonder you look forward to coming home every day.”