Professor 7
[Why is he here again? And he’s not even going in.]
Tang Xi subtly avoided the man. He had come to the research institute on his own this morning.
Besides, why was he looking for him instead of Chen Liu?
1551: [Your villain told him he’s not allowed inside the institute.]
Jiang Jingcheng wasn’t upset about being avoided. Instead, he smiled playfully. “Little cutie, we meet again?”
It was only this morning that he found out his investment had been withdrawn. Now, he wasn’t even allowed inside the institute. He was furious, but he didn’t dare to confront Duan Sifei openly. So, he could only take it out on Duan Sifei’s little disciple.
Tang Xi didn’t want to deal with him, but since Jiang Jingcheng was blocked outside, he deliberately wouldn’t let Tang Xi pass.
Frustrated, Tang Xi could only glare up at him in silence, his big eyes fixed on him.
His round, cat-like eyes were filled with clear displeasure and confusion.
Jiang Jingcheng had initially come looking for trouble, but under such a gaze, he suddenly felt a little guilty.
It was like he was bullying a small animal—
A small, clueless animal that didn’t know how to fight back or even extend its claws.
Jiang Jingcheng toned down his playful attitude slightly. “Where’s your Professor Duan? Why isn’t he with you? How could he let you run around alone?”
He looked like someone who could be easily kidnapped.
The little researcher still didn’t respond, making Jiang Jingcheng even more intrigued.
He had never interacted with someone this quiet and innocent before.
Just then, a rough voice interrupted the strange atmosphere between them.
Huang Lihan appeared out of nowhere, laughing. “Why are you two just standing at the entrance instead of going in?”
Why is he here?
In the original storyline, he was not only the villain’s close friend but also the first one to be killed—his head severed clean off.
But now, some random passerby had died instead, while he was still alive and well.
Tang Xi snuck a glance at his neck.
It looked intact. No risk of it falling off anytime soon.
As Duan Sifei’s friend, Huang Lihan wasn’t just some passerby. He had ties to the director of the institute and had permission to come and go freely.
That was also why he had become one of Chen Liu’s backup plans.
“Who are you?” Jiang Jingcheng’s expression darkened.
“Ah, Young Master Jiang, you may not know me, but I’ve heard plenty about you. My name is Huang Lihan.” Huang Lihan smiled politely, but as he spoke formally, he winked playfully at Tang Xi.
Tang Xi was momentarily stunned but quickly understood the situation. Seizing the opportunity while Jiang Jingcheng was preoccupied, he dashed into the research institute.
After much effort, he finally returned to his workstation, only to find that Huang Lihan had caught up with him.
It seemed like Huang Lihan had easily shaken off Jiang Jingcheng. Tang Xi pursed his lips.
“Wasn’t Professor Duan with you?” Huang Lihan asked him the same question Jiang Jingcheng had.
It was as if everyone found it strange that Duan Sifei wasn’t by his side.
Do we really look that close?
Tang Xi cast him a timid glance but said nothing.
Huang Lihan was quite the chatterbox. Even if Tang Xi ignored him, he could still ramble on endlessly.
He was so persistent that Tang Xi had no choice but to mumble a few responses.
This was, without a doubt, the most talkative person Tang Xi had encountered since arriving in this world.
The incessant chatter was making it difficult for him to concentrate on his research—especially now, at a crucial stage where he couldn’t afford any mistakes.
This guy’s personality really hit all his nerves.
Unable to endure it any longer, Tang Xi set down his report, looked up, and huffed, “C-Can you please not disturb me?”
Though he was frustrated, his voice remained soft and quiet, barely louder than a kitten’s meow—completely lacking in intimidation.
Yet, Huang Lihan’s expression instantly changed. His usual playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a blank face.
Only now did Tang Xi realize that without his smile, Huang Lihan’s strong brows and deep-set eyes made him look rather intimidating, almost as if he were angry.
The atmosphere suddenly turned eerie and unsettling.
Tang Xi’s instincts, like a small animal sensing danger, made him feel on edge. If he were in his original form, his fur would have bristled by now.
“A little thing like you, getting too close to Duan Sifei, will be eaten clean to the bone,” Huang Lihan murmured darkly.
Seeing Tang Xi frozen in shock, he deliberately leaned in closer and whispered hoarsely into his ear, “He’s not a good person.”
The warm breath against his ear sent a shiver down Tang Xi’s spine, turning his ears bright red.
His wide, jet-black cat-like eyes stared at Huang Lihan in alarm. He couldn’t comprehend how someone who had seemed normal just moments ago could suddenly change so drastically.
Huang Lihan glanced at Tang Xi’s reddened ears and, for some reason, chuckled. After laughing, he returned to his usual carefree demeanor.
“See you later, kid. I’ll come to play with you next time.”
With that, he turned and left.
Tang Xi clutched his report, utterly bewildered.
Wasn’t this guy supposed to be the villain’s close friend? In the original storyline, he had regarded the villain as a good friend until the moment he was killed. Why was he badmouthing him now…?
Something felt off.
. . . . .
Huang Lihan hadn’t been gone for long before Duan Sifei arrived.
Tang Xi couldn’t help but suspect that the guy had deliberately timed it to mess with him.
But he had no way to complain to his “poop scooper.” Even if it weren’t a matter of staying in character, he feared that if he told Duan Sifei, he might actually go and kill Huang Lihan.
Saving a person with a few screws loose was really tough.
The little cat sighed.
Duan Sifei, as if nothing had happened, handed him a breakfast of soy milk and steamed buns.
The reason he was late today was that, on his way here, he stopped by another institution to analyze the cat fur left on his bed yesterday.
The test results showed that it belonged to a British Shorthair kitten, no more than two months old.
Tang Xi had no idea he was being suspected again—he was diligently focused on his research.
Chen Liu had already noticed what he was working on yesterday, and judging by his reaction, he wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with the experiment.
In fact, he even made a point of discouraging him.
This made Tang Xi start to doubt the original storyline.
Did Chen Liu really just stumble upon the original character’s research results while cleaning, then “accidentally” publish them under his own name?
The storyline had glossed over this detail, but thinking about it now, it was riddled with inconsistencies. Just how “accidental” could such an act truly be?
If the story had been biased, then it was very likely that Chen Liu had been eyeing the original character’s research for a long time.
After noticing the original character’s autism, he must have realized that even if the experiment was stolen, the original character wouldn’t be able to fight back. That would explain why he so conveniently volunteered to help clean up when the original character was hospitalized.
This so-called child of fate was far more terrifying than Tang Xi had imagined.
Tang Xi jotted down a few numbers, then silently reassured the original character, who was no longer here: Don’t worry, I’ll get you the ending you deserve.
Duan Sifei, after all, was a well-known professor with a busy schedule. He couldn’t stay by Tang Xi’s side all the time. After accompanying him for a short while, he left again.
Tang Xi relaxed his shoulders slightly. Just as he was about to chat with the system, he heard a commotion outside.
[What’s going on?]
The little cat was curious.
1551: […Someone’s dead again.]
What?!
The shock made his hand tremble, nearly causing him to increase the dosage by accident.
There was no way he could continue his experiment now—he really wanted to go out and see what had happened.
“Hey, come out for a moment.”
Just as he was about to take a break, someone delivered him a perfect excuse—a police officer ran over, spotted the idle Tang Xi, and immediately waved him over.
Since childhood, the original character’s parents had drilled into him the importance of seeking out the police if something ever happened.
For the autistic original character, trusting the police was one of the few things ingrained deeply in his mind.
Despite his fear, he followed the officer.
The officer was just an auxiliary policeman. He had gone out to retrieve something and lost his way upon returning. The only reason he called Tang Xi over was to ask for directions.
If it weren’t for Tang Xi’s white lab coat, with his youthful face, the officer would’ve mistaken him for some professor’s kid visiting the research institute for fun.
Tang Xi led him to the restroom on the second floor, where he finally realized—the victim had died in the second-floor restroom of the research institute.
The entire way there, the atmosphere was tense. Many people were fearful, their anxious chatter filling the hallways.
In just a few days, two people had died in the research institute—two people who seemed to have no connection besides being colleagues.
The thought that a deranged murderer might be targeting their workplace was enough to terrify anyone.
The institute was of great importance to the country, so a large number of police officers had been dispatched. Police cars surrounded the building.
“Thank you. Please wait in the lobby for a bit. You may need to give a statement,” the officer said after expressing his gratitude.
Tang Xi nodded lightly.
Everyone still in the institute was a suspect.
[1551, can you show me the crime scene?]
1551 deducted some points without hesitation and displayed the scene for him.
Even though he had already experienced this once before, Tang Xi was still caught off guard by the sudden images in his mind, making him jump in fright.
The method of killing was even more gruesome than last time. This time, at least the researcher’s head was intact—but their limbs had been severed.
The dismembered parts lay scattered beside the body in a haphazard manner.
Blood was splattered across the entire bathroom stall.
Tang Xi was so horrified that his cat ears almost popped out. He quickly asked the system to remove the images while clutching his head and rushing away.
A chilling sensation clung to him, following him closely—until he crashed into a familiar, solid chest.
Only then did the eerie feeling dissipate.
Tang Xi looked up with teary eyes, his nose slightly red.
Duan Sifei smirked, though his eyes remained unreadable. He reached down and pinched Tang Xi’s cheek. “Where did you run off to?” His tone was playful, as if scolding a little child who had been bullied.
Tang Xi pursed his lips and ignored him, rubbing his slightly reddened nose.
“Answer me. If you don’t, I’ll bite you,” Duan Sifei threatened with a smile.
Tang Xi’s eyes widened in shock. Since when did he learn this kind of trick?
Reluctantly, he mumbled, “I went to the second floor.”
“Good boy,” Duan Sifei murmured before leaning down and pressing a kiss to Tang Xi’s lips.
Tang Xi was so startled that he stumbled back—only to be pulled right back by a firm grip on the back of his neck.
Duan Sifei’s eyes, hidden behind his glasses, gleamed mischievously. “That was your reward.”
Then, his expression instantly turned serious. “What were you doing on the second floor? Do you realize that someone as small as you could be killed by just about anyone?”
The sudden shift in attitude completely threw Tang Xi off, making him forget to dwell on the kiss.
“It wasn’t my idea. The police asked me to lead the way,” he explained quietly, like a child being scolded by a strict parent.
Duan Sifei was clearly dissatisfied with this answer. “So you just went because they asked? Do you know that obedient kids like you are the easiest targets for psychopaths? Honestly, I doubt there’s anyone easier to abduct than you.”
He obviously knew about the incident on the second floor.
Tang Xi lowered his head, trying to hide the defiant pout forming on his lips.
I wouldn’t be kidnapped that easily.
Author’s note:
Cat (determined): I wouldn’t be kidnapped!
Duan Sifei (silently abducting the little cat): Mm, sure, whatever you say.