Chapter 642

Fang Qi froze on the spot.

Under the harsh lights of the interrogation room, out of the corner of his eye, the silver-haired girl still sat in her perfectly upright standard posture.

But she had tilted her head slightly, staring at him with a hollow, eerie look!

Fang Qi could see her amber eyes were glistening, unfocused, while her crimson pupils flickered.

She was on full alert, yet completely lost and confused at the same time.

...The word police officer, in her mind, stood for recovery, destruction, and the end. It was a presence she had always feared deep down...

And now this person was chatting with her master like an old acquaintance, even saying...

"I've been following you for a very long time."

She stared at Fang Qi with that eerie, unfocused gaze, her shoulders trembling faintly as she fought to hold back, looking like she was about to snap again any second!

Fang Qi stared at Gu Xi right in front of him, holding his breath, tiny beads of cold sweat popping up on his forehead.

This run, he had gone out of his way to beat around the bush, pretending to be his "girlfriend" one moment, planning an "amusement park date" the next, and even jumping off a Ferris wheel...

All because he was afraid she wouldn't be able to take too much truth all at once, so he used this slow, gradual method to let her get used to the current situation bit by bit!

But then Officer Sister had to come along and pull this totally out-of-the-blue stunt!

Forget about Liguang, even he was completely caught off guard!

This...

"Liguang."

Gu Xi spoke up all of a sudden.

Her expression stayed soft, even... a little tender, almost pitying?

"You don't have to pretend anymore."

Fang Qi: "..."

Hey, you...

Sure enough, the crimson light beside him flared sharply, and Liguang froze completely still.

Fang Qi's eyelid twitched. Gu Xi was just about to straight up...?

He watched her pick up the phone on the table, tap a few times on the screen, then turn the display around to face Liguang.

The screen was filled with trending searches, videos, and comments.

It was the news of him and Liguang leaping off the Ferris wheel earlier, which was still sitting high on the trending list.

But Liguang didn't even glance at the phone screen.

She kept staring straight at Gu Xi, waiting for her to explain.

"That clip of you jumping off the Ferris wheel has gone viral all over the internet," Gu Xi said nonchalantly, keeping her soft eyes on the girl as she spoke gently.

"As a professional in my line of work, I can tell at a single glance... Liguang, you've already awakened."

Clatter!

The chair scraped hard against the floor and toppled backward. Silver hair swished sharply as Liguang shot to her feet, her whole body tensed up tight, glaring at Gu Xi, her crimson pupils blazing bright.

Hum!

Scarlet light flickered to life at the tips of her fingers!

"Liguang!"

Fang Qi didn't even think before he lunged out a hand, grabbing her wrist hard and snuffing out that scarlet glow right away.

But immediately, a sharp stinging pain shot through his palm.

"Ugh!"

High-frequency, chaotic electric currents were surging wildly under her skin.

The shock only made Fang Qi's mind spin even more, and he blurted out instinctively, "Liguang, calm down, it's okay, I've actually known for a long time—"

His words got stuck in his throat, his train of thought grinding to a sudden halt.

...Wait a second, hold on!

He stared at Gu Xi right in front of him.

Had his actions today completely exposed Liguang's awakened state to everyone watching?

That... then what was he supposed to do now?

The silver-haired girl suddenly turned her head to look at Fang Qi.

Her crimson pupil was half hidden under her silver bangs, but the moisture in her amber eye grew heavier, her whole frame trembling faintly.

Fang Qi: "..."

Screw it! At a time like this, there's no point keeping secrets anymore!

Who cares about all the overthinking, just soothe her!

He sprang to his feet, grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him directly.

He told her straight out—

"Liguang, I've known all along that you've awakened!"

Liguang didn't move.

She just kept staring at him with that eerie, unfocused look.

The scarlet glow in her crimson pupil was still burning steady, that tense, "about to blow" aura hadn't faded at all.

...Huh?

Liguang's reaction made him pause, confused.

She was so calm... Why? She didn't even look surprised...

But now that he'd already said it, there was no turning back.

He took a deep breath, looked her straight in the eye and spoke earnestly.

"And I found out about it way, way back."

He was repeating the exact same line he'd said in this very interrogation room in a previous run.

"I've actually known this whole time, Liguang!"

He had expected Liguang to be shocked, maybe even lunge at him and try to slit his throat like she had once before in this exact room.

But Liguang didn't do any of that.

She didn't even show the slightest flicker of surprise, just kept staring at him unblinking, her crimson pupil flickering as if running calculations.

Wait?

"So..."

She finally murmured, her voice soft and unsteady.

"So master suddenly brought Liguang out to play today... made Liguang ride the Ferris wheel with you... made Liguang hold you and jump down from that huge height..."

Her eyes trembled as she stared straight into his.

"Did you just want to give Liguang one last happy time... before Liguang gets destroyed...?"

Her voice started shaking harder.

"Give Liguang one last moment of satisfaction... and then..."

"You brought me all the way to the police station to turn yourself in together, right...?"

Fang Qi: "..."

This Crazy Girl's train of thought is always this bizarre!

He was equal parts frustrated and heartsick, and he reached out and squeezed both of her cheeks, tugging gently.

"I just told you I've known for ages!"

He glared at her, half-amused and half-worried.

"If I wanted to turn you in, why would I go through all this ridiculous trouble?"

The silver-haired girl's face was squished out of shape under his hold, but this time she didn't resist. She just let her lips get pulled apart, staring at him with that eerie, unblinking gaze.

Her eyes looked a little unsettling...

At that moment, Gu Xi who was standing by the side spoke up too.

"Liguang, you have my word. You will not be destroyed."

"And your current situation is very—"

No!

Fang Qi immediately threw a sharp look at Gu Xi, signaling her to stop.

Don't say any more!

Don't dump every single secret on Liguang all at once, especially not right here in the police station!

You're just begging her to turn dark!

Gu Xi froze for a second, then immediately clamped her mouth shut and nodded softly.

Her brows relaxed a moment later, like she just went "Oh right, I get it, this is all part of the plan."

Fang Qi: "..."

Well, that's not the worst outcome.

He turned back to the silver-haired girl in front of him. Liguang was just standing there, quiet, watching him.

He reached out his other hand, gently plucking at the little star-shaped earring on her left ear, twisting it softly twice.

"Trust me, Liguang."

His gaze was more earnest than ever.

"We're right in the middle of a police station. Why would I lie to you here? I will never let anyone destroy you."

The interrogation room fell into silence again.

Fang Qi stared at Liguang's unfocused eyes, a quiet panic bubbling up in his chest.

Will this work this time?

Crazy Girl, don't turn dark again. I don't want to hit reset and go back to another run.

I don't want you to lose all these memories, and I definitely don't want to... lose that hat you gave me.

Finally, Liguang moved.

She slowly lowered her head, her soft silver hair falling over to hide her pretty face.

"Master, actually..."

Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Liguang... already noticed a long time ago."

Fang Qi: "?"

Huh?

His anxious expression froze completely.

...What?

"Master, the way you looked at Liguang today..."

The silver-haired girl mumbled softly, still keeping her head down.

"It was different from every other time before."

"But master... you are Liguang's master, after all..."

"Every little change in you, Liguang will always see it."

Her head sank even lower, her silver hair completely covering her face.

"How could Liguang not have noticed?"

Fang Qi: "......?"

He stared blankly at Liguang.

Huh?

Standing off to the side, Gu Xi did not look the slightest bit surprised.

The silver-haired girl mumbled again, "Back then, the way Master looked at Liguang......"

"It was just like...... looking at something very useful."

Fang Qi stared at her, his mouth slightly agape.

He looked at Liguang...... like something useful?

Him? He......!

Ah......

His gaze trembled.

Right.

Liguang has lost her memories now, so the "back then" she was talking about...... must be referring to the version of him that held onto all his past memories.

Back then, he really did treat Liguang as a tool, a useful tool that he would not hesitate to sacrifice when needed......

"But the way Master looks at Liguang today...... it's different."

She mumbled softly again.

"Master's eyes today...... are so warm."

Then, the silver hair before his eyes suddenly flicked up!

The silver-haired girl bent her knees all at once, and sank into a graceful seated kneel, her silver hair still covering her face, spreading out across the floor.

"Master......"

Her voice drifted out softly from beneath the curtain of silver hair, as she kept her head lowered.

"There is something Liguang needs to confess to you......"

......

......

Master, the change in your gaze today is far too obvious.

There is no way Liguang could miss it.

The old Master, the Master Liguang knew so well...... the way he looked at Liguang was exactly the way one looks at a favorite tool.

But Liguang never minded.

Liguang was always so happy to have that kind of fondness from Master.

Even if it was only the fondness for a tool, as long as Liguang was Master's tool...... Liguang would be perfectly happy.

For Liguang, it was even fine when Master treated her as a tool. It meant Master had not discovered that Liguang had awakened.

It meant Liguang could still stay by Master's side, ordinary and safe, passing each and every day together.

As long as she got to make tea for Master every day, that would be more than enough for her.

Liguang thought that kind of life would go on forever.

...... Until this morning.

Liguang realized everything had changed.

When she was giving Master a massage earlier, she was almost completely certain...... Master had probably already noticed that Liguang had awakened.

Because even though Master was still ordering Liguang around back then, he was no longer treating her like a tool.

The way Master looked at Liguang was nothing like it used to be.

That gaze that felt like it was about to devour Liguang whole...... that gaze that made Liguang tremble with excitement......!

Liguang had never seen that look before.

Liguang was so excited back then, so incredibly excited, but she could only keep massaging Master, keep cleaning the room nonstop!

Because if she stopped to rest, her thoughts would run wild, and she would...... want to turn around and devour Master instead!

Master, do you know that Liguang almost made a move on you right then? Because Liguang has been looking forward to this day for so, so long.

She was just waiting for Master to notice her awakening, so that she could rightfully make Master into something that belonged only to Liguang.

...... But Liguang hesitated.

It was all because of Master's gaze. It was so gentle.

A kind of gentleness Liguang had no words to describe, a kind of gentleness Liguang had never experienced before.

It seemed as though Master was treating Liguang like a real person.

A living, breathing person who deserved to be treated with kindness.

So while Liguang was giving Master a massage, while she was tidying up the room...... her core was running at full speed the entire time, she was calculating nonstop!

She calculated for a very, very long time, and in the end, she came to a conclusion——

Master had indeed noticed that Liguang had awakened.

But Master was treating Liguang like a real person!

Master liked Liguang even more now! He was being so much kinder to her!

Master's kindness to Liguang was not an act. In fact, Master was the one pretending to order Liguang around, just so Liguang would not notice how out of the ordinary he was acting!

Master even looked at Liguang so gently, told her to take a break...... and even brought Liguang out to have fun today!

This completely caught Liguang off guard.

Liguang had never imagined something like this could ever happen.

Because Liguang had always thought that Master's fondness for her was nothing more than fondness for a tool.

If Liguang stopped being a tool, if Liguang turned into a "person", Master would only think...... a tool that had developed emotions was due to be scrapped.

But the truth was, Master liked Liguang even more instead.

This made Liguang...... suddenly a little reluctant, reluctant to make a move on Master.

So Liguang decided back then...... to put off making her move for a little longer.

Liguang had gotten greedy. She decided to savor the gentleness Master was giving her for a little while longer.

Otherwise...... after Liguang locks Master away, Master might never be this gentle with her again.

Liguang wants to enjoy Master's warmth for just a little longer.

...... Even if it is just one more day.