There’re Always Paranoid Thoughts to Monopolize Me - Extra 11

Upon seeing the boy’s face clearly, Qin Ke almost instinctively reached out and grabbed his wrist.

The boy was startled and looked up at her with a confused expression, showing none of the hostility he displayed towards other adults or children. Surprisingly, he didn’t struggle or resist.

The middle-aged woman, who had initially looked embarrassed, now forced a smile.

“Hey, even this little fool knows who’s in charge, huh?”

“…”

The clearly insulting term made Qin Ke frown. She looked at the woman with displeasure and stopped her with words before she could reach out again.

“Leave this child to me — taking him away in this state will make outsiders think the Huo family is some kind of den of iniquity, beating such a young child like this.”

The middle-aged woman heard Qin Ke’s displeasure and quickly nodded, “Yes, yes, Miss Qin Ke, you’re so considerate.”

Just as Qin Ke was about to move, she heard a boy’s voice shout shrilly. “This mute idiot is a thief! You can’t take him away!”

“…” Qin Ke’s face turned cold — the child she was holding by the hand was thin and dirty, how could he possibly hide anything?

“What did he steal from you? Tell me. I’ll compensate you for it!”

The boy was frightened for a moment, exchanged glances with the other children, then stuck out his neck but didn’t dare to look Qin Ke in the eye.

“He… he stole our toys.”

“That’s right!” Another child immediately chimed in, “Our toys are gone, he must have stolen them!”

“…”

Qin Ke turned a cold gaze towards the middle-aged woman.

“Do you think so too?”

The middle-aged woman smiled bitterly, “That’s certainly not the case. This child probably hasn’t eaten since yesterday, how could he be concerned with stealing toys?”

Qin Ke’s expression softened slightly.

“If that’s the case, please keep these naughty children in check — if something like this happens again, don’t blame me for informing Butler Huo and not allowing these children to stay here anymore.”

“Yes, yes, Miss Qin, don’t worry! This kind of thing will never happen again!”

“…”

Only then did Qin Ke nod.

“Come with me first,” she said softly to the boy, before leading him back with a complex expression.

As they rounded the villa and left the other children’s sight, Qin Ke glanced in surprise at the small boy beside her, who barely reached her waist.

She had thought he would struggle or resist, unwilling to go with her.

Unexpectedly, he was so obedient — not at all like the fierce tiger that could bite people earlier, but more like a gentle little house cat.

As Qin Ke’s heart was filled with complex and strange feelings, the maid behind her finally couldn’t hold back and stepped forward to ask in a low voice, “Miss Qin Ke, are you planning to take him back?”

Qin Ke nodded, “Mm, at least we should get him cleaned up — didn’t you hear what that person said earlier? This little boy probably hasn’t eaten since yesterday.”

The maid hesitantly looked at the dirty child with his head lowered, “You don’t need to trouble yourself with this kind of thing.”

Qin Ke paused in her steps.

She understood, of course, but looking at that face so similar to Huo Jun’s in a miniature version, even though it was dirty and disheveled, she simply couldn’t bring herself to hand him over to someone else.

Moreover, unless she was blind or the world could be this coincidental, a face like that meant he was either Huo Zhonglou’s father’s illegitimate child or Huo Zhonglou’s own illegitimate child.

“…”

Thinking this, Qin Ke unconsciously furrowed her brow.

If it was truly the latter…

Then she didn’t know how she should face this world’s Huo Zhonglou.

“Forget it,” Qin Ke was tired of thinking, “Let’s take him back to my place first and then decide.”

“Alright, Miss Qin Ke, everything will be done according to your instructions.”

****

Qin Ke’s “jungle adventure” half-morning resulted in bringing a dirty little mud monkey back to her room.

She first had the servants prepare some simple, easily digestible food in advance, then sent someone to find two sets of clothes that a child of this age could wear. Only then did Qin Ke hand the child over to the summoned servant.

“Give him a bath, just use my bathroom.”

The servant agreed repeatedly, but in less than half a minute, she ran out of the bathroom with a troubled face, “Miss Qin Ke, this child, he won’t let me touch him!”

Qin Ke, who had already sat back at her desk, was startled and stood up.

“What did you do to him?”

“I didn’t do anything! As soon as I went in, he glared at me, his eyes as fierce as a little wolf’s, cold and piercing. When I reached out, it was as if he was about to bite me!”

“…”

Qin Ke frowned and walked towards the bathroom.

The child who had been quietly and obediently following her back earlier, not making a sound, truly like a little fool, how could he be as fierce as this person described?

Qin Ke pushed open the frosted glass door of the bathroom and saw the little boy, wearing dirty and soaked clothes, curled up in the corner of the bathroom, hugging his knees.

His wet hair hung down in strands, sticking to his temples and cheeks. The mud had been washed away, revealing delicate, pale skin. His eyes were as black as that person’s, perhaps even darker because he was a child, deep and heavy, as if they could swallow one’s soul. But now he wasn’t speaking, just lowering his head and hugging his knees in the corner, his eyes half-lowered, long eyelashes wet and trembling slightly in the bathroom mist, like a lost feline, so pitiful it made one’s heart ache.

Qin Ke frowned and glanced at the servant behind her.

“How is he fierce? Did you… never mind, I’ll do it.”

The servant felt wronged but had no way to explain. Seeing Qin Ke walk in, he quickly peered into the bathroom. Qin Ke had already crouched down in front of the little boy curled up in the corner, not minding his wet and dirty state, and reached out to pick him up.

The child seemed extremely frightened and curled into her embrace as soon as she touched him, being incredibly docile, and even rested his head on the girl’s shoulder.

It was only at this moment that the little boy finally raised his eyes slightly.

It was still that slightly chubby little face, but the pitiful expression had completely vanished. His pitch-black eyes, along with his nascent handsome features, showed no emotion.

He coldly glanced at the servant at the door.

“…!”

The servant shuddered violently.

This dramatic change in expression, happening in less than two seconds, gave him goosebumps all over.

—

This, this was nothing like a seven or eight-year-old child!?

The servant was terribly frightened and ran away in panic.

As he left, he bumped into the maid standing at the door. Upon hearing that Qin Ke was going to handle it herself, she quickly followed her in.

“Miss Qin Ke, let me do it! How can we trouble you with such a thing?”

Qin Ke was adjusting the water temperature in the spherical bathtub at that moment. She didn’t turn around when she heard this, “It’s fine, he might be a bit shy with strangers.”

After saying this, Qin Ke was stunned for a moment — she should be a stranger to the boy too, so why wasn’t he afraid of her?

Was it because she saved him?

Qin Ke couldn’t figure it out and didn’t bother to think further. After not hearing any movement behind her for a while, she turned around and saw the maid hesitating, not knowing how to speak.

Qin Ke thought for a moment and understood. She smiled and said, “What are you worrying about? He’s just a seven or eight-year-old child, still years away from developing secondary sexual characteristics.”

The maid nodded sheepishly.

Qin Ke: “By the way, have you contacted Butler Huo?”

“Yes, Butler Huo should be here soon.”

“Mm, you haven’t mentioned this to anyone else, have you?”

“Don’t worry, Miss Qin Ke. As you specifically instructed, I won’t disclose this to others.”

“Good, you can go out now. Don’t forget to close the bathroom door to prevent the child from catching a cold.”

“Yes, Miss Qin Ke.”

****

When Huo Jingyan arrived at Qin Ke’s room, he saw a little boy with wet, shoulder-length black hair, wrapped in a towel, sitting on the edge of the bed with an indifferent expression.

Even though he was mentally prepared, the features that looked extremely similar to Huo Jun’s made Huo Jingyan pause in his steps.

During this pause, the little boy had already heard his movement. His gaze, alert and cold, fell on him, carrying obvious and undisguised unfamiliarity and hostility.

“…”

Huo Jingyan was stunned.

He really couldn’t understand how he had offended this child.

Just as he was puzzled, he saw the boy suddenly seem to sense something. He withdrew his hostility and lowered his eyes, returning to the harmless and quiet appearance he had when Huo Jingyan first entered.

Almost simultaneously, Qin Ke walked out from the inner room, drying her long hair.

Having just given the boy a bath, she had gotten herself covered in mud and water as well. She had taken a quick shower and came out, also worried that the child might be scared if left alone in the room.

“Butler Huo.”

Seeing Huo Jingyan, Qin Ke put down the towel in her hand, “This is the child I told you about.”

Huo Jingyan said, “I see, he does look very similar indeed.”

“So…?”

Huo Jingyan’s gaze flickered, and he spoke frankly. “What does Miss Qin think?”

Qin Ke: “If it’s not a coincidence, then he must be blood-related to Huo Zhonglou — either father and son, or brothers.”

Huo Jingyan sighed, “Seven or eight years ago, Young Master Zhonglou was still a student, and it was right after that accident… Does Miss Qin Ke suspect him?”

“I don’t suspect him in his normal state, but what if…there are exceptions to everything?”

“There are no exceptions,” Huo Jingyan said firmly. “I had already returned to the country at that time and was taking care of Young Master Zhonglou as per Old Master Huo’s request, so I’m certain.”

Qin Ke felt a weight lift from her heart, she almost felt like flying, but her expression remained tense, “Then… he must be Old Master Huo’s…”

Out of respect for her elders, Qin Ke ultimately didn’t finish that sentence.

Huo Jingyan spoke directly. “But according to my hasty check of Old Master Huo’s schedule from that year before I came here, the possibility is also extremely slim.”

Qin Ke: “…”

Qin Ke pointed and said, “Then is this a one in sixty billion chance, or a clone?”

Huo Jingyan smiled bitterly. “I will arrange for someone to investigate this matter as soon as possible.”

“That’s all we can do.”

“However, from what I gathered from the maid who came to deliver the message earlier, Miss Qin doesn’t plan to tell Young Master Zhonglou about this?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to tell him, I just don’t know how to bring it up.”

Qin Ke rubbed her brow, feeling a headache coming on.

“I can’t just push this child in front of him and say, ‘This is either your son or your brother,’ can I?”

“…”

Thinking about that scene and what might happen, Huo Jingyan also felt overwhelmed.

After a few seconds of silence, he nodded.

“Then, according to Miss Qin’s wishes, I will help you keep this from Young Master Zhonglou. But please try to ask this child about his background.”

“I tried on the way back, but it was useless,” Qin Ke said helplessly. “He can’t speak, and he doesn’t seem to remember where he came from at all.”

“That is indeed troublesome.”

Huo Jingyan smiled wryly, but his gaze was somewhat meaningful as he looked at the boy on the bed. In those pitch-black eyes, he could only see blankness.

Could it be amnesia…

After this thought, Huo Jingyan said, “If I get any concrete information, I’ll notify you immediately.”

“Alright, thank you for your trouble, Butler Huo.”

“Miss Qin is too polite. This is what I should do.”

“Then Butler Huo can attend to your other duties. I can take care of things here.”

“Alright.”

Huo Jingyan turned to leave.

At the door of the room, he hesitated for a moment, paused his steps, and looked back.

He saw Qin Ke by the large bed, lifting the little boy down from the bed, saying something to him while leading him to the table set with various stomach-friendly dishes and congee.

Judging from her expression and gaze, Qin Ke was clearly completely off guard with the little boy.

But…

Recalling the somewhat chilling gaze of the boy sitting on the edge of the bed before he entered the room, Huo Jingyan felt uncertain.

Was he overthinking it?