Professor 9
“D-Did you see the murderer yesterday?” Tang Xi blinked curiously.
Chen Liu frowned. “What are you trying to do? Are you disappointed that I didn’t die?”
Tang Xi shook his head honestly. “No.”
His eyes were too clear and pure. Chen Liu, who was looking directly at him, revealed a disgusted expression. Just as he was about to say something, he was interrupted.
“So you’re here. Please come with us again, Mr. Chen.”
A police officer knocked on the door, drawing their attention.
Chen Liu shot Tang Xi a glare before walking out.
Tang Xi: [1551, help me listen in on their conversation.]
1551 activated its broadcast mode.
The police had called Chen Liu in to confirm a few details. Through their conversation, Tang Xi managed to piece together the sequence of events.
It turned out that Chen Liu had stumbled upon the murderer in the middle of committing a crime. In a panic, the murderer had tried to kill him too.
Fortunately, Chen Liu had managed to break free and run downstairs. He made it to the first floor and shouted for help, alerting everyone that something had happened.
Forensic analysis determined that the murderer was likely the same person responsible for a previous killing—the methods were similar, and the weapon used was identical.
This murderer was highly intelligent and had some knowledge of the research institute. They had skillfully avoided all surveillance cameras. The only lead the police had was Chen Liu, the sole person who had come face-to-face with the killer.
But Chen Liu claimed the murderer had been wearing a mask. In his panic, he hadn’t gotten a clear look at their face.
He couldn’t even confirm whether the killer was a researcher.
And just like that, the only clue hit a dead end.
Tang Xi frowned. He had a bad feeling about this.
Who would be the murderer’s next target?
Chen Liu? Or another innocent person?
The police, having gotten nothing useful, left. Just as Tang Xi was about to tell the system to shut off the broadcast, he heard a familiar voice.
“Are you okay?”
It was Jiang Jingcheng.
He looked like he had rushed over in a hurry. As expected of the protagonist gong—his investment had been withdrawn, yet he still managed to find a way in during such a critical moment.
There was a trace of urgency in his voice.
Jiang Jingcheng was indeed anxious. The moment he heard about what happened to Chen Liu, he came running.
But it wasn’t entirely for Chen Liu. He hadn’t even realized it himself, but the first person who came to mind when he heard the news was that boy with round, cat-like eyes.
“I’m fine,” Chen Liu said cheerfully, even reaching out to hold his hand.
Seeing him safe and sound, another name kept surfacing in Jiang Jingcheng’s mind.
Even though he was worried, he was still an experienced player in love and carefully chose his words. “Aside from the victim, has anyone else at the institute been harmed?”
Chen Liu half-complained, half-pouted. “No, just me. I’m the only unlucky one who got caught up in this.”
He deliberately exposed his minor injuries.
Jiang Jingcheng subtly let out a sigh of relief and skillfully comforted him with sweet words. But just as the two of them were about to get affectionate again, Tang Xi quickly ordered the system to cut off the broadcast.
Just as he snapped back to reality, Huang Lihan suddenly appeared.
He swaggered over and asked, “Kid, where’s Professor Duan?”
Tang Xi frowned. He was sure he had locked the door. How did Huang Lihan get in?
A vague sense of unease crept over him. He lowered his head, pretending to be completely focused on his experiment, not wanting to acknowledge him.
“I saw Professor Duan consulting a psychologist the other day.” Huang Lihan ignored his reaction and continued standing beside him, watching.
He leaned in slightly, admiring the way Tang Xi’s pale, slender hands moved deftly among the various instruments.
“So, you have autism?” Huang Lihan’s tone was casual at first, but then it sharpened. “When you’re with Professor Duan, you just seem like a quiet kid. But why do you turn into a timid little quail when you’re around me? Are you afraid of me?”
Tang Xi’s hands didn’t stop moving, fully committing to his role of silent indifference.
At the same time, he kept praying in his heart—Professor Duan, hurry back.
Huang Lihan gave him an unsettling feeling.
“Do you know the two people who died?”
That successfully made Tang Xi’s hands stop moving.
Seeing his reaction to the topic, Huang Lihan let out a raspy chuckle. “The first person had a beautiful nose. The second had beautiful eyes.”
The bodies of the two victims had both been mutilated—one had their nose cut off, the other had their eyes gouged out.
Anyone who asked around a little would know this.
But why was he suddenly bringing it up now?
A terrible feeling settled in Tang Xi’s chest, growing heavier and heavier. He started trembling.
“Do you know what I find beautiful about you?” Huang Lihan smiled. “Everything.”
There was no overt killing intent in his demeanor, yet Tang Xi had a strong, undeniable premonition—
This man wants to kill me!
The sudden, almost self-incriminating words sent a whimper escaping Tang Xi’s lips.
Huang Lihan extended a hand and glanced at his watch. With a regretful sigh, he said, “Looks like I don’t have enough time right now. I didn’t want to make a move on you so soon, but you just had to disobey me and make me angry.”
“Haven’t I already warned you? Duan Sifei isn’t a good person, yet you insist on getting closer to him.”
So the rumors floating around the institute had reached his ears too.
Tang Xi’s hand quietly reached behind him, feeling around until his fingers brushed against a glass bottle.
He was prepared to go down with him if necessary—
But unexpectedly, Huang Lihan withdrew on his own. Before leaving, his cold gaze slithered over Tang Xi’s body like a serpent’s tongue, as if he were evaluating the best place to strike.
Not long after Huang Lihan left, Duan Sifei walked in.
It was only then that Tang Xi realized what Huang Lihan had meant by “not enough time.”
He had been seconds away from being killed.
The delayed realization made his legs go weak, and his eyes turned red.
“Did someone come by?” Duan Sifei’s expression darkened. He gently patted Tang Xi’s head, his fingers brushing the corners of his reddened eyes with a hint of tenderness.
Tang Xi mumbled softly, “Huang Lihan.”
1551: Should I tell the host that while Huang Lihan was inside, the villain was standing outside the whole time…?
Duan Sifei, ever the skilled actor, furrowed his brows slightly and coaxed him to say more.
He looked like he was simply concerned.
As if he didn’t know anything.
Under his gentle yet persistent guidance, Tang Xi ended up explaining everything that had just happened.
Duan Sifei was very pleased with the way Tang Xi relied on him. His gaze was deep and indulgent, as if he were looking at a pure white sheet of paper—one that was slowly being dyed with his own colors.
“You don’t like him, do you?” His deep, magnetic voice murmured.
Tang Xi obediently shook his head.
“Then how about we make him disappear?” he asked with a smile—calmly uttering the most dangerous words.
Tang Xi jolted in shock, his round eyes widening. “You can’t break the law!”
“Break the law… break the law…” Duan Sifei muttered the words a few times like a deranged mantra, then suddenly burst into laughter.
Tang Xi: [1551, help! The villain’s gone crazy! QwQ]
Only after laughing to his heart’s content did Duan Sifei finally pull him into his embrace, whispering a soft promise:
“As long as you behave, I will never cross the line.”
Anyone else might not understand what he meant—
But Tang Xi, who had read the script, was trembling.
And in the end, he still had to force himself to nod along with an innocent, clueless expression.
. . . . .
On the way home, Tang Xi once again felt grateful that he was living with this world’s big villain.
As long as he stayed with his “poop scooper,” the fear within him would gradually dissipate.
The tension that had been tightly wound in his chest eased in his presence.
However, the words his poop scooper had said earlier still lingered in his mind, making him uneasy—
Like a knife perpetually hanging over him, ready to fall at any moment.
He was terrified that his poop scooper might secretly wade into that dark abyss, that he might go after Huang Lihan to avenge him.
If he lost control and actually killed someone, there would be no turning back.
Yet Duan Sifei acted just as he always did—calmly bringing him home. On the way, he even stopped to buy him a small cake.
By now, Duan Sifei had fully realized that this little one was a true greedy little cat. Once those strict eating habits were broken, its true nature gradually emerged.
He finally realized that this little one was just a greedy little cat. Once those strict eating habits were broken, its true nature gradually emerged.
Every time he was reluctantly fed extra treats, he would put on an expression of displeasure—
But the moment he took the first bite of something delicious, his eyes would light up instinctively.
No matter how unwilling he seemed, he would always finish the food obediently.
And if someone took the plate away while he was still eating, his eyes would instantly turn red with grievance.
Fuming yet too timid to protest.
It was utterly addictive to watch.
The only time he truly resisted was when it came to taking medicine.
Tang Xi, still under the illusion that he was maintaining his aloof image, carefully controlled his gaze—
Refusing to let it drift toward the cake.
When they arrived home, Duan Sifei did what he always did—placing a light kiss on Tang Xi’s forehead.
It wasn’t flirtatious or inappropriate, but rather… cherishing.
Tang Xi didn’t resist in the slightest.
In his own little world, being treated with such cautious tenderness was completely acceptable.
The villain of this world was a walking contradiction—powerful yet elegant, effortlessly disarming people’s wariness.
A dangerous predator disguised in perfect camouflage.
Duan Sifei placed the cake in his hands and gently patted his head.
“Go eat in your room. A guest will be arriving soon—don’t come out unless necessary.”
Curiosity was a cat’s natural instinct.
Duan Sifei knew all too well. The more he said something like this, the more it would spark Tang Xi’s curiosity.
Still, Tang Xi obediently carried his cake back to his room, doing exactly as he was told.
He carefully opened the cake box.
It was just a small cake, but he insisted on dividing it into exactly twenty bites.
Each bite was precisely the same size.
The rhythm of his chewing remained perfectly consistent—neither quickening nor slowing, no matter how delicious it was.
So when Tang Xi finally finished eating, only ten minutes had passed.
Swallowing the last mouthful of sweet, creamy frosting, he stood up and walked to the door.
The soundproofing in the villain’s house was excellent.
It was only when he stood right at the door that he could finally hear the faint noises from outside.
The guest has arrived.
Who could it be?
Duan Sifei’s words drifted through his mind at the worst possible moment, making his heart itch as if someone were teasing him with a cat toy right in front of his eyes.
He was curious—so curious that, like a mischievous child under a spell, he disobediently pushed the door open.
Click.
Duan Sifei heard the sound and turned around leisurely.
White gloves—almost entirely soaked in blood, their original color barely visible.
A few drops of fresh blood had splattered onto his face, just below the corner of his eye, resembling a blood-red beauty mark. His gaze was dark and ominous, exuding an eerie intensity.
At that moment, he perfectly embodied the ruthless villain from the story—the one who killed without a second thought.
This time, the fear was real. His mind went blank in an instant.
By the time Tang Xi regained his senses, it was already too late—he had embarrassed himself right in front of the villain by reverting to his original form.
With a soft plop, a tiny golden kitten flopped onto the ground, collapsing into a helpless little puddle.
Duan Sifei let out a low chuckle and strolled forward. Using two fingers, he pinched the loose skin at the back of the kitten’s neck and lifted him up, bringing him to eye level. His expression was unreadable as he murmured, “Hmm?”
Author’s Note:
And here we are again at everyone’s favorite identity-revealing moment! Time to tie up some loose ends!