There’re Always Paranoid Thoughts to Monopolize Me - Chapter 43.1

The weekend arrived in the blink of an eye.

The application form Qin Ke had sent out received a response on Friday, both electronically and in paper form, confirming that she had been selected for the program. It also informed her of the time and location for the recording.

Since it was in the provincial capital, some distance from Qian City, the program team didn’t provide a special vehicle to pick her up. They only booked round-trip flight tickets for Qin Ke.

Before school ended on Friday, Qin Ke told Gu Xinqing about this.

“Holy crap! They really chose you?!”

Gu Xinqing was stunned for several seconds after hearing this, almost jumping up from the ground.

After a while, she came back to her senses and excitedly grabbed Qin Ke’s arm, shaking it. “Ke Ke, you’re just too amazing! When did this happen? How come we didn’t hear a single word about it?!”

Qin Ke smiled wryly as she “rescued” her arm from Gu Xinqing, “It was on Monday. Teacher Wu called me to his office and informed me about this.”

“He told you that day?” Gu Xinqing was surprised, “I couldn’t tell at all then — you kept it so tight-lipped!”

“Because it wasn’t confirmed at that time,” Qin Ke raised her arm, indicating the envelope she had just opened. “I only received the notification this afternoon, confirming that I’ve been selected.”

Gu Xinqing: “Anyway — I must congratulate you, you’ve already taken the first step towards becoming a big star!”

Qin Ke smiled helplessly.

“This is just a new program, not very well-known, and I’m only a supporting role. The debuted artists and newcomers in the program are the real protagonists.”

“No way,” Gu Xinqing immediately stood tall, casually wrapping an arm around Qin Ke’s shoulders. “Our Ke Ke, with her genius brain, beautiful looks, and dazzling dance skills — you must outshine everyone. How could anyone possibly overshadow you?”

“…You’re exaggerating.” Qin Ke shook her head with a smile, gently poking her. “Even if you praise me to high heaven, I won’t give you a bonus.”

Gu Xinqing: “Hehe, who cares about bonuses — just don’t forget me when you become rich and famous! Remember to make me your manager when you become a big star!”

Qin Ke laughed.

A few seconds later, she seemed to think of something. The smile on her face slightly faded, and her brows furrowed lightly.

Although Gu Xinqing had a carefree personality, she had been with Qin Ke for so long that she was very familiar with Qin Ke’s subtle expressions. So when she heard the silence beside her, she turned her head to look for a couple of seconds and then curiously asked, “Ke Ke, why do you look unhappy, and even a bit worried? Isn’t this opportunity perfect for you… Or do you not want to go?”

“…”

Qin Ke shook her head. After two or three seconds, she frowned lightly, unconsciously rubbing the slightly frosted envelope with her fair fingertips.

“I just don’t know… how to tell someone.”

“Hm? Tell who?”

Gu Xinqing thought for a moment, “Qin Yan and the others? But haven’t you already moved out? You shouldn’t need to tell them about this, right?”

Qin Ke just shook her head, “It’s not them.”

“Huh? Then who is it?”

“………..”

After that, nearly half a minute passed, and Gu Xinqing still couldn’t get an answer from Qin Ke.

But after half a minute, Qin Ke seemed to have made up her mind and stood up directly, “I’m going to ask for leave from the last self-study class — I need to go back and pack tonight. The flight is early tomorrow morning, I can’t delay.”

“Ah?… Oh, okay.”

Before Gu Xinqing could react, she saw her deskmate quickly grab her backpack and run out.

After being stunned for a couple of seconds, Gu Xinqing withdrew her gaze in confusion.

—

This was the first time she had seen Qin Ke so flustered and uneasy, not at all like the calm and composed girl she knew who could handle anything.

Hmm…so who could it be?

****

Qin Ke left school one class early.

It was an hour earlier than the normal dismissal time, so the car Huo Jun usually arranged to pick her up naturally hadn’t arrived yet. Considering the potential difficulties she might face when she got back in the evening, and to avoid delaying her time and tomorrow’s schedule, she finally decided to take a taxi back to the villa.

Twenty minutes later, she entered the house and was greeted by the villa’s maid, who was a bit startled.

“Miss Qin?” The maid glanced at the clock diagonally across from the entrance, then turned back with some surprise, “Why are you back so early?”

“Mm, I had something at school, so I came back early.”

Qin Ke explained vaguely, changed her shoes, and while handing her backpack to the approaching maid, she asked without looking up, “Is Huo Jun home now?”

“…”

After waiting for two seconds without hearing a response, Qin Ke, who had put on her slippers, looked up unexpectedly.

She then saw that the maid looked a bit troubled.

“He is. But…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Um… Young Master Huo has a guest right now, it might not be convenient.”

“Oh, that’s alright. I’ll just wait for him.”

Qin Ke nodded. Before she walked away, she hesitantly looked at the maid’s expression – she felt that the other person was stammering, as if hiding something.

Could it be…

A thought flashed through her mind.

Then, Qin Ke shook her head with a smile, dismissing her own thoughts.

If Huo Jun, or rather Huo Zhonglou, would really have an improper relationship with some woman, or could have any thoughts about someone else that would distract his obsessively intense attention on her, she might have been a little “happier” in her previous life.

As Qin Ke was lost in these random thoughts, she had already sat down on the sofa in the large living room opposite the entrance.

The maid brewed her a cup of her favorite sugar-free latte. Amidst the wafting aroma, Qin Ke had just thanked her when she heard the maid hesitantly ask.

“Miss Qin, are you going to wait here?”

“Mm.” After Qin Ke responded, she looked up, her eyes tinged with a faint smile, “What’s wrong, is it not convenient for me to meet that guest?”

“…”

Qin Ke was naturally just joking, but when she noticed the maid’s awkward silence, she was also a bit surprised.

The lingering taste of the latte suddenly seemed to lose some of its fragrance. Qin Ke put down her coffee cup, the smile fading from the corners of her eyes.

“Who is this guest?”

“Miss Qin, I shouldn’t say…and I’m not very clear about it either.” The maid hesitantly looked at Qin Ke, and after confirming that Qin Ke showed no signs of getting angry, she cautiously continued, “It’s just that, after that guest leaves, Young Master Huo’s mood is always not very good…We don’t dare to disturb him at all.”

Hearing this, Qin Ke slightly raised her eyelids.

“You mean, this guest comes often?”

“…”

The maid’s face turned awkward, realizing she had accidentally let this information slip.

She immediately looked up at the second floor with a bit of fear.

Qin Ke naturally understood her concerns.

“Don’t worry,” Qin Ke lowered her eyes, softly reassuring her, “I won’t tell Huo Jun that you told me this.”

“Thank you… thank you, Miss Qin.”

Qin Ke: “So now can you tell me what the situation is with this guest?”

“…”

The maid hesitated for a long time before slowly lowering her voice and saying, “The guest is a woman who looks to be in her twenties or thirties. Young Master Huo said that from now on, she will come to the house every afternoon, staying the longest on Tuesdays and Fridays.”

“Every day?” Qin Ke frowned slightly, “When did this start?”

“It just started this Monday.”

Qin Ke was stunned.

—

Since she moved into the villa?

“Then why haven’t I seen her even once?” Qin Ke asked again.

The maid: “Uh…that guest usually leaves about half an hour before Miss Qin gets home.”

“Every single time?”

“Yes.”

“So it’s deliberately…hiding from me?” There seemed to be a hint of a smile in Qin Ke’s tone, but it somehow made the maid’s heart feel cold.

The maid didn’t respond further and lowered her head.

The air grew quiet.

Qin Ke stopped talking. After a long silence, she finally said softly, “I understand. Thank you for your help.”

Hearing her meaning, the maid nodded slightly to Qin Ke and quickly turned to leave.

Qin Ke sat silently on the sofa.

The second hand of the clock diagonally across from the entrance moved slowly, turning around and around. After Qin Ke had waited quietly for over twenty minutes, a young woman of about twenty-five years old came down the stairs from the second floor.

Their eyes met.

Qin Ke stood up.

“Hello.”

Her gaze swept over the woman’s figure.

She was an intellectual-looking woman, with soft, light brown medium-length hair, slightly curled at the ends. Her fair face wasn’t particularly beautiful, but above average, with soft facial features. Her calm and gentle eyes behind frameless glasses showed no aggression – it was the kind of appearance that easily put people at ease.

The woman was clearly surprised when she saw Qin Ke, pausing for a moment.

She quickly regained her composure and showed a faint smile.

“You must be Miss Qin Ke, right?”

There was no hostility in that smile, so Qin Ke responded.

“Yes, I am.” She paused briefly, “You seem to know who I am, but I’m not quite clear about your identity?”

The young woman showed a slightly troubled expression.

Even as a woman herself, Qin Ke had to admit that although she knew this expression was deliberate, it didn’t feel artificial or unlikable at all.

Then she heard the woman apologize softly.

“I’m really sorry, Miss Qin Ke, but I can’t tell you about that.”

“…”

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave now.”

After saying this, without giving Qin Ke a chance to react, the young woman gave a slight nod to Qin Ke and turned towards the entrance.

It wasn’t until the sound of the automatic lock on the villa’s entrance door was heard that Qin Ke slowly came back to her senses.

She frowned very lightly.

So this was… the feeling of being a bit jealous. In two lifetimes, it seemed to be the first time she had experienced this feeling.

Even though her reason clearly told her – all signs indicated that the woman and Huo Jun were unlikely to be in an ambiguous relationship – her brain couldn’t help but irresponsibly wander, imagining how these two people were alone when she wasn’t around.

If she, who prided herself on being rational, was like this…

It was no wonder that Huo Zhonglou, with his obsessive nature, had acted like a madman or a lunatic in her previous life.

Qin Ke reined in her wandering thoughts, composed herself, and turned to walk upstairs.

—

She didn’t like misunderstandings.

Especially between her and Huo Jun, or rather Huo Zhonglou.

So, she still hoped to resolve any issues clearly on the same day.

With this in mind, Qin Ke stood outside the study on the third floor.

The heavy, antique-style double doors were tightly closed.

Qin Ke hesitated for a moment, but still raised her hand and gently knocked on the door.

Three seconds.

Silence from within.

Qin Ke knocked again.

This time, just as her knuckles left the door, she heard a low, irritated voice from inside.

“I said no disturbances!”

Qin Ke was startled for a moment.

After a brief pause, she lowered her eyes and said softly, “It’s me.”

The voice inside suddenly stopped.

This time, Qin Ke patiently waited for half a minute.