Chapter 24: Mind Reading?

“It’s nothing… helping you leave the hollow was just Nico’s request, no need to…”

Zhe instinctively refused the videotape in Ye Qingfeng’s hand, but in the shoving, he accidentally glanced at the tape.

This… this is the documentary I’ve wanted to watch for years but has been out of print for ages!

“I don’t really know much about videotapes yourself—you clearly know your stuff!”

Ye Qingfeng immediately noticed the subtle expression on Zhe’s face: his eyes brimmed with longing, yet his expression hesitated.

“Just take it!”

Ye Qingfeng shoved the videotape straight into Zhe’s arms and stepped back two paces, giving him no chance to return it.

“Then… I’ll take it, uh…”

Though Zhe felt embarrassed, his hands were utterly honest—he’d already slipped the videotape quietly into his pocket.

“Buddy, you’re into this kind of artsy documentary? I’ve seen this one—I really liked it!”

Though he didn’t understand videotapes, he understood men.

A brother and sister ran a video store; unsurprisingly, one or both of them loved watching videotapes, and from his observations over this period, he suspected the brother was the one in charge.

Even if he didn’t like this type of videotape, its collector’s value was high—he’d likely find it hard to refuse.

“Yeah… let me tell you…”

Hearing Ye Qingfeng’s words, Zhe’s eyes suddenly lit up—he pulled out the videotape he’d hidden and recommended several other documentaries he loved.

Two boys of similar age, after one “buddy,” had somehow become instantly animated on their first meeting; if Nico hadn’t grown impatient waiting in the car and dashed over to drag Ye Qingfeng away by the ear, Zhe would’ve invited him to dinner, bought snacks and drinks, and watched the tape together.

Before leaving, Ye Qingfeng pulled out a simple but nicely patterned necklace and gave it to Ling; she initially wanted to refuse, but by the time she came to her senses, he’d already been dragged into the car by Nico’s grip on his ear.

Zhe watched Ye Qingfeng’s figure recede, feeling a small pang of loss—he’d never had a friend he could truly talk to, since few boys liked such artsy documentaries.

And talking with him felt strangely comfortable.

At a certain moment, two boys’ views aligned—and from that instant, a simple, pure friendship began.

Hey… I didn’t know he liked this kind of documentary too! Why did we meet so late! Brother Qingfeng!

Ding! Ding's affection increased by 20%, current affection: 20%

Ding! Ling's affection increased by 10%, current affection: 10%

As soon as he sat in the car, two notifications chimed precisely in Ye Qingfeng’s mind.

“Brother, you’ve been acting weird today…” Ling pouted, one hand resting on her chin, “You’re being way too enthusiastic toward Qingfeng…”

“Huh? Am I?” Zhe hadn’t noticed his own odd behavior—he just wanted to rush home and watch the documentary so he could discuss the plot with Ye Qingfeng next time they met, “Ling, figure out dinner yourself—I’m already dying to watch this documentary!”

“Oh no! Brother’s not…?” Ling watched Zhe sprint upstairs, her lips twitching, “Has that guy drugged him?”

“Whatever, let him be. I’ll go eat some ramen.” Ling turned toward her favorite ramen shop, idly examining the necklace Ye Qingfeng had given her, “Hmm! It’s really pretty.”

Both siblings simultaneously formed the same thought:

Zhe: Someone who likes artsy documentaries can’t possibly be evil!

Ling: Someone who gives you a beautiful necklace can’t possibly be evil!

Meanwhile, someone somewhere exhaled in relief:

“Slightly altering their consciousness was a bit difficult, but still easy for me—making them like Ye Qingfeng more is simple and effective! I’m truly a genius!”

“Wait!”

Before Ling could reach the ramen shop to satisfy her hunger, a group of people sprinted toward her from afar.

“Nico, what’s wrong?” Ling tilted her head slightly, watching Nico, who stood before her, panting, “Did you forget something? Or is there something else?”

“Qingfeng! The necklace you gave me is beautiful! I love it!”

Before Nico could answer, Ling smiled sweetly at Ye Qingfeng, who stood behind the three of them.

She hadn’t paid much attention to Ye Qingfeng before, but now that she looked closely, he was quite handsome!

For some reason, a scene suddenly flashed into her mind.

Dress Ye Qingfeng in a white suit, a tall white top hat, a white cloak, and a monocle.

Then, with a magic trick, present her with a rose, and say: “My beautiful lady, would you accept this lovely flower?”

Then, as she took it, a rich, magnetic voice would whisper into her ear:

“Since you’ve accepted my rose, does that mean you’ve already prepared your heart to be stolen?”

Aaaahhhhhhh!

Take it! Just steal me right now!

Ling suddenly felt warmth gush from her nostrils—bright red blood trickled slowly down. Only then did she snap back to reality and quickly raise her hand to cover her nose.

“Faythong, are you okay?”

Nico, seeing Ling—who had been staring blankly—suddenly bleeding from the nose, asked with concern.

“Boss, why are you bleeding from the nose? Are you thinking about something…?”

Billy, seeing Ling was only bleeding, sighed in relief and grinned mischievously—but before he could finish, Anbi cut him off: “Shut up, Billy!”

Ling was already embarrassed from suddenly bleeding in front of the entire Rabbit’s Den crew, and now Billy had guessed exactly what she’d been thinking—her already flushed cheeks turned even redder, her earlobes burning crimson.

She frantically patted her body for tissues but found none; just then, a thin trickle of red seeped between her fingers.

Aaah! I want to die!

“Wait! Faythong, I remember I brought tissues!”

Nico reached into her pocket, rummaging—when suddenly, several sheets of tissue appeared before Ling. Ye Qingfeng had pulled a pack from his spatial backpack and grabbed a large handful, offering it to her.

“Miss Ling, please stop the bleeding first!”

Ling snatched the tissues from Ye Qingfeng’s hand and turned away to handle it herself.

“Tha…”

After a long while, Ling finished cleaning up, turned slowly, and opened her mouth to thank Ye Qingfeng—but as soon as she lifted her head and saw his face, identical to the one in her mind, the fading blush instantly flooded her cheeks again, and steam inexplicably rose from her scalp.

“Are you alright?”

Ye Qingfeng now noticed Ling’s odd state and stepped forward two paces to stand before her.

His face—the one capable of bewitching countless girls—expanded in Ling’s pupils, growing larger until it filled her entire vision.

Ling’s entire face visibly turned crimson, her pupils dilated, her breathing quickened.

The next instant, she slammed her eyes shut and collapsed backward, her body uncontrollably falling.