There’re Always Paranoid Thoughts to Monopolize Me - Extra 12.1

When the maid entered Qin Ke’s room again, she saw a child who looked completely different from the dirty appearance he had before.

The borrowed clothes weren’t a very good fit, being about one size too large for him. The sleeves were a bit long, and even with his arms hanging down, only half of his palms were visible from the cuffs.

At that moment, he was sitting quietly at the edge of the sofa. The girl behind him was standing behind the backrest, gently stroking his wet black hair while carefully drying it with a hairdryer.

Seeing this scene, the maid couldn’t help but smile and whispered to the servant following her, “Young Master Zhonglou’s fiancée is really a very gentle young lady.”

“Yes, I can already imagine what it would be like if they had a child of their own in the future.”

“…”

As the two spoke softly, the boy on the sofa noticed something and turned his head towards the door.

The little face hidden beneath the black hair was revealed, expressionless, with a hint of baby fat, yet unable to conceal the already forming beautiful features.

The two servants were stunned, frozen in place.

—

This face looked far too similar to their Young Master Zhonglou!

“Miss, Miss Qin Ke…” the maid who had been constantly by Qin Ke’s side couldn’t help but speak with a trembling voice.

Qin Ke turned her head at the sound, her face still wearing a gentle smile. “What’s wrong?”

“He and Young Master Zhonglou…” The maid swallowed, her eyes panicked, with all sorts of chaotic guesses running through her mind.

Qin Ke had planned to arrange for this child to stay here, so naturally, she hadn’t thought his appearance could be hidden from her personal maid. Therefore, she hadn’t tried to conceal it from the beginning. Now that it had been discovered, she was prepared.

“He just looks a bit similar, no need to make a fuss. However, I will have Butler Huo investigate where he came from. Before Butler Huo has concrete information, please don’t mention this to anyone else.”

“Yes…” The maid had just nodded when she hesitated and paused. “Should we keep this from Young Master Zhonglou as well for now?”

“Try to keep it secret if possible.”

Although it might not be successful, Qin Ke thought helplessly to herself.

She looked up at the servant standing behind, “Are those the things prepared for him? Bring them in.”

“Yes, Miss Qin Ke.”

The servant snapped back to reality and hesitantly shuffled into the room. After the initial shock had passed, they should have felt nothing more, but the way that child looked at them…

It was like a predatory animal eyeing intruders who dared to step into its territory.

Even though he still looked like a harmless cub.

This level of intensity was not much different from their Young Master Zhonglou. How could it be just a resemblance… it was clearly an inherited trait.

Seeing the two servants hurriedly leave after putting down the items, Qin Ke was a bit puzzled. She put down the hairdryer in her hand and picked up the softest towel from the tray beside her to gently dry the little boy’s hair ends one last time.

“They seem a bit afraid of you. Maybe it’s because you look so much like Huo Zhonglou.”

“…Are you afraid too, then?”

A low, hoarse voice suddenly sounded.

“…!”

Qin Ke’s hand suddenly froze.

A few seconds later, she came to her senses, surprisingly moved to the front of the sofa, crouched down, and looked directly into the boy’s eyes.

“You can speak?”

The boy silently looked at her, his black puppy-like eyes showing a hint of regret, yet trying hard to remain composed, seemingly frustrated by his own slip of the tongue.

Qin Ke couldn’t help but smile.

“You can actually speak, so why pretend to be mute?”

The boy remained silent.

Seeing that Qin Ke hadn’t received an answer, she stayed crouched in front of him, her beautiful face wearing a soft smile, looking absolutely patient enough to wait for him to speak again.

The boy lightly pressed his pale lips together, avoiding her gaze.

“Not talking… no threat.”

Qin Ke was stunned.

The little boy’s words left her with a vague understanding. After thinking for a few seconds, she tentatively asked, “Do you mean that if you don’t speak, people won’t be wary of you?”

The boy shook his head, paused for a few seconds, then nodded slightly.

“Can… get beaten less.”

Qin Ke’s pupils suddenly constricted.

Her heart clenched painfully. Perhaps because of the little boy’s face, she suddenly thought of Huo Jun. She remembered Huo Jun smiling as he told her that when he was young, he was like a stray dog on the street, anyone could kick him. Before the Huo family found him, he had already suffered too much, growing wildly like weeds for many years, his body and heart full of mud and filth. To survive, he could only be that way.

Just like… this child?

When Qin Ke came back to her senses, she found that she had unconsciously hugged the little boy tightly. This child with the watchful eyes of a young beast didn’t struggle, docile and gentle like a kitten.

“Not anymore, it won’t happen anymore,” her voice trembled slightly. “You don’t need to pretend to be mute anymore. With me here, no one will bully you in the future.”

The little boy didn’t speak.

After hesitating for a few seconds, he reached out his hand. His small, pale hand was now clean of dirt, with only a few scratches remaining. He gently grasped the hem of the girl’s shirt.

He could hear the undisguised concern in the girl’s voice. Actually, there was something he hadn’t said – Qin Ke was right from the beginning. Mute, weak, foolish… such pretenses would deceive people. When they truly let their guard down, he would retaliate without hesitation, just like when he had pinned down the tallest boy behind that villa and beat him.

He didn’t know how he had come to this place, he had forgotten his past, but he had the instinct to survive in this environment.

However, what was in front of him now… seemed to be what he found most difficult to adapt to.

But it didn’t matter.

The little boy slowly relaxed his tense body and nestled into the embrace of the person in front of him.

It didn’t matter. Because she made him feel safe. That feeling of safety was something he had never experienced before, as if nothing mattered as long as this person was around.

So if she felt sorry for him being this way, he could always be this way.

****

Qin Ke successfully kept the little boy’s existence hidden from Huo Zhonglou for a week.

With Huo Jingyan’s help, whenever Huo Zhonglou was about to visit Qin Ke, she would receive advance notice. Then she would have the servants who knew about the child take him to play in the backyard.

The Huo family’s estate was vast, covering an enormous area. A whole week passed, and Huo Zhonglou truly hadn’t discovered that there was such a child in the main building.

However, Huo Zhonglou was still Huo Zhonglou after all.

Even though he was overwhelmed with wedding preparations, after a week, he slowly began to sense that something was amiss—

“Qin– Miss Qin Ke!”

The door was suddenly pushed open, and a maid rushed in, flustered.

“What’s wrong?” Qin Ke, who was sitting on the sofa holding a hardcover book and telling a story to the child, was startled and looked up in confusion. “Why so panicked? Did something happen?”

“Young Master Zhonglou!” The maid pointed behind her. “He’s almost up to this floor!”

“–?!”

Qin Ke practically sprang up from the sofa, closed the book with a snap, then picked up the still dazed child from the sofa and rushed into the bedroom.

Putting him down in front of the bed, Qin Ke crouched down and instructed him in a low voice.

“Stay in this room, and don’t come out before I come to get you, okay? The big brother who’s coming soon can be quite fierce.”

Qin Ke was about to leave after saying this, but as she stood up, she felt a slight resistance at her waist.

She looked down to see the child grasping the hem of her clothes, his head lowered.

After a week of care, the small hand that had been covered with several scratches had healed, with only a slight redness remaining.

Qin Ke felt a pang in her heart and softened her voice even more, “What’s wrong?”

“You… come back soon.”

The child kept his head down, his voice hoarse.

“I’ll wait for you.”

“…Okay.”

Qin Ke’s eyes softened, and she reached out to ruffle the child’s hair.

Qin Ke closed the door and went to the outer room. After clearing away any traces of a second person’s presence, she heard the maid who was “keeping watch” at the door raise her voice–

“Young Master Zhonglou!”

It was clearly meant to warn Qin Ke inside, but even Qin Ke was startled, her hands trembling. She thought to herself that this maid had really suffered, and she must express her gratitude later.

Before she could think further, Huo Zhonglou had already walked in.

The moment he entered, his eyes narrowed slightly as he scanned the outer room, finally landing on Qin Ke.

Following behind Huo Zhonglou, the maid carefully looked around as well, before silently sighing in relief. Just as she was about to step forward, she saw Huo Zhonglou turn around and close the door with a “bang.”

Leaving the maid outside.

Qin Ke: “…”

This didn’t seem like a good start.

Only two people were left in the room.

Huo Zhonglou turned around, walked over, his voice steady and calm.

“You seem to be hiding something from me.”

Qin Ke blinked innocently. “Do I?”

“…”

Huo Zhonglou stopped in front of the sofa, staring at the girl for a few seconds. He leaned forward, supporting himself on the back of the sofa, effectively trapping her–

“I’m the one asking, you should be the one answering.”

Qin Ke felt guilty for two seconds but maintained her smile.

“I don’t think so.”

Huo Zhonglou didn’t speak, slowly turning his head, his gaze stopping after a few seconds.

Qin Ke followed his line of sight– the tightly closed door of the inner room.

“Really nothing?”

Huo Zhonglou asked without turning back, staring in the direction of that door.

Qin Ke smiled nervously, “What could I possibly be hiding…”

“If there’s anything, we’ll know once we look.”

As Huo Zhonglou finished speaking, he was already standing up straight and walking towards the inner room.