Chapter 14: The Enigma

Before long, after wandering all night and finally finding shelter in the Zhao household, the fluffy ball and Zhao Xu collapsed together on the large bed, each curled up in their own little world, sleeping soundly. After these two drifted off, Ci Mo, who had been so thoroughly ignored he seemed almost forgotten, rose from his corner. His ice-blue eyes moved, glancing at Zhao Xu, who slept deeply under the cool moonlight, and for a moment, that frosty gaze softened just a little.

But when his eyes fell on the clueless furball pressed right up against Zhao Xu’s face, the gentleness he’d managed to muster froze instantly. With obvious distaste, he pinched the ball of fur between two long, slender fingers and, without a hint of mercy, tossed it to the far side of the room.

There was a soft thud. The tossed furball bounced once on its soft body, rolled over, smacked its lips, scratched its rear, and promptly sank back into sweet slumber.

Ci Mo: ...

He realized his mistake—he really shouldn’t waste energy getting annoyed at such a brainless creature.

Just then, Zhao Xu, still sprawled on the bed, rolled over and kicked the quilt to the floor.

Ci Mo looked at the quilt lying at his feet, shook his head helplessly, picked it up, and gently tucked it back around Zhao Xu, even smoothing the corners with a surprising tenderness.

Having finished, he glanced at the powered-off computer and walked over so lightly that not a sound could be heard.

When Zhao Xu had been using the computer earlier, she hadn’t bothered to hide what she was doing. Ci Mo, sitting off to the side with his exceptional eyesight, had witnessed everything.

Now, reopening the computer, Ci Mo recalled Zhao Xu’s actions, frowning in contemplation. Following the memory, he began to click through the steps. His long, jade-like fingers danced gracefully across the keyboard, his movements fluid and dazzling—an exact imitation of Zhao Xu’s style.

About five minutes later, Ci Mo looked at the results displayed on the screen. The corners of his eyes curved, a secret delight flickering there as he prepared to save his work.

But before he could press the key, a weight suddenly settled on his shoulder. Zhao Xu leaned over and asked, “What are you doing?”

She’d been awakened by the noise while she slept. Opening her eyes and finding the furball missing and Ci Mo sitting at the computer, she’d lain under the covers for a long time, thinking that a good child shouldn’t sneak around listening to someone else using the computer. So she decided she might as well watch openly.

Ci Mo noticed her behind him; the tips of his pale ears flushed a delicate red, like a plum blossom blooming atop a snowy mountain—strikingly beautiful. He didn’t shy away; instead, as if seeking praise, he turned the computer toward her, displaying his work.

Zhao Xu leaned in for a look, her mouth twitching twice.

She suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for the capital’s elite families. Whether by coincidence or intent, Ci Mo had hacked into the computers of every second-rate powerful family—excluding the nine great clans—that had tried to take advantage of the chaos to move against the Zhao household. Judging by what was on the screen, not only had he copied her technique, but he’d also added a slew of bizarre tweaks. While it wasn’t as disastrous as what the nine great clans had suffered, it was still enough to give those families a hard time.

But the capital’s powerful families weren’t her concern. What intrigued her was this: how could a boy who seemed so clueless, after only watching her infiltrate the nine great clans’ networks once, not only copy her methods but even improve upon them in the blink of an eye?

After pondering for a while, Zhao Xu flashed a peace sign in front of Ci Mo’s eyes. “Do you know what number this is? If you get it right, you’ll get candy.”

Ci Mo seemed very eager for a reward. His eyes, clearer than the tears of the sea, stared intently at Zhao Xu’s fingers, but no matter how long he stared, he couldn’t make sense of it.

Able to master advanced hacking techniques in moments, yet unable to recognize the simplest of numbers—this stray she’d picked up by chance seemed to be hiding a truly astonishing mystery.