Chapter 27 – Doing very well and deserves some snacks as a reward

Editor: Xinghe

Translator: YuQiChen/Churen

Xi Jing took a glance at Jiang Que, who was wearing sunglasses and had a cold expression, then looked at the somewhat lost Shen Tazhi not far away, and had a rough understanding of the current situation.

R-021 wasn’t angry because of Shen Tazhi’s betrayal; it’s just that his behaviour, compared to the monsters who couldn’t control their emotions, seemed more human-like. He simply distanced himself coldly from Shen Tazhi.

It was indeed quite unfortunate to trust a human to come out of the underground only to be betrayed. It was only natural for R-021 to be angry.

But he had no choice. This was a series of emotional tests specifically devised by the research institute to assess R-021’s emotions. The almost stringent emotional tests had already begun from the moment he walked out of the stone gate.

With these thoughts in mind, Xi Jing inexplicably felt a bit of sympathy for this little monster who had just emerged from underground, but he still professionally opened the car door and said, “Please get in.”

The beautiful little monster glanced at him with those emotionless black eyes under the sunglasses and asked, “Isn’t he coming? Shen Tazhi.”

Xi Jing patiently explained, “Mr. Shen cannot participate in your test; he can only wait outside, so he’s not travelling with us.”

“Oh,” Jiang Que replied indifferently and got into the car.

“Bang.”

The car door closed, and Xi Jing stood in place, rubbing the goosebumps that Jiang Que’s gaze had sent up his arm.

Such a cold gaze… It was like a cold-blooded monster looking down on humans from a high place. No, no, no, it must be an illusion. It must be because R-021 was angry due to Shen Tazhi’s betrayal.

Yes! It must be like that! Many humans emit cold air when they’re angry, right? Like Shen Tazhi. R-021 was deceived by Shen Tazhi, so it was only natural that he was a bit like Shen Tazhi!

With these thoughts, Xi Jing glanced at Shen Tazhi not far away, who was getting into the car under the protection of his bodyguards.

The youngest head of the Shen family put on his windbreaker. With a slender figure, just these series of movements he made to get into the car exuded the dominance and composure of an upper-class individual. However, Xi Jing distinctly saw a flicker of astonishment and unease pass over his face.

Was it because he felt guilty and uneasy for betraying R-021 according to the script? But R-021 was already angry, so it would be difficult to regain the trust of this vigilant monster, right?

In that case, R-021 was indeed impressive to evoke such significant emotional fluctuations in Shen Tazhi.

Xi Jing silently sympathized with Shen Tazhi for a moment, then turned around and got into the car as well.

For safety reasons, R-021 was escorted in a specially made vehicle, accompanied only by a driver. They sat in another car responsible for monitoring the surroundings.

At this moment, Jiang Que, who was sitting in the car, was entangled in pulling and tugging at his own little tentacles.

I forgot to bring the five little tentacles that I was holding onto. I wonder if Shen Tazhi remembers.

Jiang Que thought to himself.

After a while, he thought again:

Why did Shen Tazhi show such an expression? It was as if I bullied him, but I had cooperated very well.

During the previous eighteen years, he didn’t need to face humans, so his most common expression was a blank face, making it difficult for others to discern his emotions from his expression.

But Jiang Que was completely unaware of this. He thought he was doing great and deserved some snacks as a reward from Shen Tazhi.

Hmm… When the test was over, what should he ask Shen Tazhi for as a reward?

Completely unaware that Shen Tazhi was already feeling anxious and worried, thinking he was ‘angry due to betrayal’, Jiang Que began to think about the issue of snacks. He kept pulling at his own little tentacles, making them twist and turn in protest.

The driver in front, driving the car, saw through the rearview mirror that the backseat was almost completely occupied by wriggling tentacles. Even though he knew there was an impenetrable transparent glass wall separating him and Jiang Que, he couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat.

Monster… a monster…

Did he really have to be sent to test this monster?

The driver, who was unfortunately chosen by drawing lots to carry out the mission, trembled as he looked at the prompter, beginning to read:

“Are you R-021?”

“Hmm?”

Jiang Que was busy talking to his little tentacles, startled by the voice of the person in front. He paused for a moment before realizing the other person was asking him, then patiently replied:

“No, I have a name, I’m called Jiang Que.”

Wait, was the R-021 from earlier referring to him?

A glimmer of insight flashed through Jiang Que’s mind, feeling like he had suddenly grasped the reason behind Shen Tazhi’s strange expression.

But before he could ponder further, his thoughts were interrupted by the person in front.

“Whether you’re Jiang Que or R-021, you should know that you are a monster, right? I really don’t understand why Mr. Shen and the Research Institute insist on bringing such a dangerous creature from underground.”

“If you ask me, it would be better to just keep you underground. At least that way it would be safer. Why am I so unlucky, being sent out to transport you.”

Jiang Que corrected seriously, “I am not a monster. Shen Tazhi said I am a person. But why do you think Shen Tazhi insisted on bringing me out?”

The driver looked at Jiang Que in surprise, “So you understand human language?”

Jiang Que: …

Was it possible that he hadn’t been talking to this person from the beginning?

Almost all of this driver’s actions seemed to be rubbing him the wrong way, but when Jiang Que thought of Shen Tazhi’s words and his pitiful eyes, the anger that had risen in him dissipated in an instant.

He pursed his lips.

Anyway, Shen Tazhi would come to pick him up in a day, so for now, he decided to ignore this annoying human and endure him for a bit.

Jiang Que simply ignored the driver, lowered his head, and continued to play with his tentacles, apologizing to himself for originally attaching the name R-021 to his tentacles.

The car fell into silence, but the driver still had a lot of the script left to read. He glanced nervously at Jiang Que and his terrifying tentacles, then forced himself to continue reading:

“The Anomaly Investigation Department had no intention of containing you to begin with. It was Shen Tazhi who suddenly showed up, using his own reputation as a guarantee, saying that you are not a monster. That’s why we are here. But seeing your indifferent attitude just now, Shen Tazhi must have been blind to trust you.”

Jiang Que had been fiddling with his tentacles all along, until the driver mentioned “Shen Tazhi.” He lazily raised his eyes, and his inhuman, emotionless gaze fell on the driver.

“You said, Shen Tazhi, do you understand him?”

The driver felt a chill run down his spine under Jiang Que’s stare. Completely forgetting about the script and the plot, he subconsciously stammered in his response, “I-I know him, but I wouldn’t say I understand him.”

“Not understand?” Jiang Que repeated this unfamiliar degree of adverb.

It was just a simple repetition, but to the driver’s ears, it sounded like a real threat. The driver wanted to cry but had no tears left, his hands trembling on the steering wheel:

“I really don’t know him well. Shen Tazhi is the head of the Shen family in Beijing. I know he is the youngest and most ambitious head of the Shen family in history. His parents died when he was young, and his uncle was eyeing his position. He ruthlessly eliminated his own uncle to secure his position.”

He already knew all of this, and what he was saying was all nonsense.

Jiang Que once again lowered his gaze casually and asked, “So? You’ve been talking about his background all this time. What kind of person is Shen Tazhi?”

“Shen Tazhi is… is…” The driver stumbled.

He suddenly realized that even though he had met this young man several times and even chatted with him a few times, he had no impression of this person’s character. After stuttering for a while, he reluctantly combined the expert evaluations from financial magazines:

“He is a ruthless, cunning, and resourceful businessman with an iron fist, as well as a politician who knows when to advance and retreat.”

Well, it seems this person really doesn’t understand Shen Tazhi. Shen Tazhi must have been terribly bullied. These humans really don’t understand Shen Tazhi.

After confirming that the driver didn’t understand Shen Tazhi, Jiang Que lost all interest in him and asked one final question:

“Why did he insist on bringing me out?”

“We don’t know either.” The driver, clueless as ever, was already sweating profusely. “He suddenly came to us, he said that he knows a lot about you and has comprehensive information that even our Anomaly Investigation Department doesn’t have. He insisted that you are an emotional being, not a monster, claiming you are his family and must be brought out.”

“Family…”

Jiang Que murmured softly.

He remembered the inexplicable “gege” that popped into his mind when he first saw Shen Tazhi, suddenly feeling that this might not be a coincidence.

“Gege.”

He knew Shen Tazhi had a very bad younger brother, someone Shen Tazhi despised, but also a family member.

So why did he feel like he should call Shen Tazhi “gege” at first sight? Clearly, they were not siblings.

Jiang Que was a bit puzzled.

Perhaps when he sees Shen Tazhi again, he can try calling him that and see if that helps him unravel any mysteries about this person.

Jiang Que quickly immersed himself in his own world again. He was always good at doing so, and he had spent the past eighteen years like this. Therefore, even though the driver had talked himself hoarse, the following words did not register in his ears, leaving the driver to monologue alone.

After finishing his lines, the driver looked despairingly towards the direction of the mini camera inside the car.

It wasn’t that he was neglecting his duties; it was that R-021 was completely ignoring him!

The mini camera faithfully broadcasted everything happening inside the car to the vehicle following alongside.

In the vehicle next to them, Xi Jing, who was continuously monitoring Jiang Que, checked off the second item on the form in his hand.

He looked at his pensive female colleague beside him and asked, “What’s wrong, Duan Yansu? Is something not right?”

His colleague, referred to as “Duan Yansu,” shook her head, glanced at Jiang Que, and then nodded.

Xi Jing: ?

So, is this a confirmation or not?

Duan Yansu pondered for a moment and suddenly spoke up, “So, our second test is to evaluate Jiang Que’s reaction after learning about Shen Tazhi’s plight following betrayal, is that right?”

Xi Jing was still puzzled, “Yes, and… what about it?”

Duan Yansu looked at the pensive and handsome young man on the screen, recalling all his recent actions, her expression complex, “I think… he seems to… like Shen Tazhi, not in a simple way.”

Xi Jing’s expression also became vivid in an instant. Duan Yansu sighed heavily, “Oh dear, now this is a big mess. I said not to come up with such unethical test questions. Now, a misunderstanding has been created, breaking up the young couple. What a mess.”

Xi Jing, feeling his worldview deeply shaken, cautiously asked, “So, after we finish the test, should we explain to Mr. Shen?”

At this point, he had no doubt that Jiang Que could pass the test.

A little guy who could fall for someone of the same sex, such complex emotions were rare even among humans. Who would dare say he’s a heartless monster now?

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