Chapter 2433 Another Me 1
In the mirror, Li Chi tilted his head slightly, revealing an extremely confused expression.
He didn't understand this explanation and lowered his eyes to hide the emotions surging in his eyes.
Jinchen added, "Xiao Chi, don't resist my existence."
Jinchen's mind moved slightly, and he took over control of his body.
Li Chi relaxed a little, as if he had fallen into soft clouds. He could still see outside through his eyes, but he could not control his body.
The young man in the mirror slowly raised his hand, and used his slender fingers to brush away the loose hair on his forehead that blocked his vision. The corners of his lips, which were always tightly pursed and revealed stubbornness, curved upwards.
An unprecedented smile with a casual and lazy tone appeared on Li Chi's face.
The pair of wet black eyes in the mirror were also filled with an unfamiliar, sharp yet gentle light.
Li Chi was stunned, looking at his own face, making an expression that was completely different from his own. This feeling was too real, so real that it could not be denied.
"I……"
Li Chi asked softly, "Am I... mentally ill?"
This was the only explanation he could think of.
Did the long-term oppressive environment finally cause him to have a mental breakdown and split?
Jinchen shook his head slightly at the boy in the mirror.
"No, Xiao Chi, you are not, and neither am I."
He smiled and spoke softly, "Don't be afraid. I will protect you."
This was the first promise he made to this scarred soul.
Li Chi fell silent.
There was silence in his sea of consciousness, with only the sound of his own disordered heartbeat.
He didn't know how to respond to this sudden presence. The word "protection" seemed so distant to him that it seemed like a joke.
For a long time, the only thing he learned was silence and endurance.
It seemed like a century had passed.
Only then did Jinchen hear a very faint response from his sea of consciousness.
"……oh."
Jinchen felt very distressed when he heard this.
He no longer tried to take the lead by force, and gently handed control of his body back to Li Chi.
The smile in the mirror disappeared, and returned to the expression that Li Chi only had.
"Xiao Chi, you're in control," Jin Chen's voice echoed through his mind, whispering soothingly, "Don't be afraid. I won't force you."
Li Chi's tense shoulders slumped slightly.
He stopped looking in the mirror and walked stiffly to the bed.
The boy silently lifted the thin quilt and crawled completely inside, covering even his head.
The small quilt bulged into a ball and trembled slightly.
Jinchen: "...?"
He clearly felt the instantly rising temperature and stuffy air in the quilt, as well as the uncomfortable feeling of his knees pressing against his stomach when the boy curled up.
"Xiao Chi," Jin Chen said with a helpless smile, "Aren't you hot?"
It would have been fine if he hadn't made any sound, but when he did, Li Chi trembled again.
Then, Jinchen heard Li Chi's muffled nasal voice, "...Can you... not speak for now?"
Ling Gungun uttered a cry, "Host, your sudden response is quite scary."
Who is to blame?
[……] Ling Gun Gun immediately turned off the microphone.
[But…] Jinchen thought, [There’s nothing wrong with Xiaochi’s vocal cords.]
It could only be that something happened later that made him no longer willing to speak.
-
Before the stuffiness in the quilt dissipated, there was a sound of banging on the door outside. The sound was so strong that the thin door panel was shaking.
Then came Li Qiang's impatient, raspy voice, "You dumb bastard! What are you dawdling for? Get out of here! My mom wants you to take a picture!"
Li Qiang has a bad temper and it is common for him to order Li Chi around.
Jinchen felt Li Chi's body tense and he didn't feel safe at all.
"Xiao Chi," Jin Chen's voice sounded steadily, "Don't be afraid, I'll help you, okay?"
The body under the quilt seemed to curl up again.
Two seconds later, Li Chi's uncertain heartbeat could be heard, like a little claw reaching out tentatively.
"...You, help me?"
"Well, I'll help you." Jinchen said gently.
Outside the door, Li Qiang was still kicking it impatiently, "Did you hear that? Mute!"
Li Chi took a deep breath and lifted the stuffy quilt. The strands of hair on his forehead were wet with sweat and stuck to his pale forehead.
He sat up and hugged the old pillow that was washed white.
"Close your eyes, Xiaochi." Jinchen said.
Li Chi's long eyelashes trembled and he closed his eyes obediently.
Almost at the same time, Jinchen took over control of the body.
He felt the remaining stiffness in the body, moved his wrist, then stood up, walked over, and opened the door.
Li Qiang, who was standing outside the door, obviously did not expect the door to open suddenly. He was about to raise his foot to kick again when he froze in mid-air.
He was already quite tall, with a look of arrogance and hostility on his face. When he saw Li Chi standing at the door with an expressionless face, he was stunned for a moment, and then became even more annoyed.
"Get out now, you're not deaf!"
Jinchen didn't even raise his eyelids and walked straight past him.
In the restaurant, the smell of greasy food became stronger.
The nanny had already put the food on the table, which was indeed much more sumptuous than usual, and consisted of rare and delicious dishes.
Qiu Juan was adjusting the angle with her mobile phone. Li Donglai was already sitting at the table, staring at the plate of lobster. Li Fendou had disappeared somewhere.
When Qiu Juan saw Li Chi come in, she was about to tell him to stand by the dining table and take a picture, but before she could say anything, her eyes almost popped out.
The mute who usually huddled in the corner actually walked straight to the dining table, pulled out the chair next to Li Donglai, and sat down openly.
Then, under Qiu Juan's astonished gaze, he picked up the chopsticks, picked up the largest and fullest lobster meat, and put it directly into his mouth.
"Li Chi!"
Qiu Juan's screams nearly blew the roof off her head, her face twisted in pain. "Who told you to actually eat it?! Put it down! That's for Donglai and Xiaoqiang to nourish their bodies! You little bastard!"
Jinchen chewed the sweet shrimp meat slowly and carefully until he swallowed it. Then he slowly raised his eyes and calmly scanned Qiu Juan's angry face.
"Why can't you eat it?"
Li Donglai dropped the chopsticks in his hand onto the table.
Qiu Juan's scream got stuck in her throat. She couldn't believe it. Li Qiang, who followed in, was also dumbfounded. He pointed at Jinchen and said, "The mute is talking!"
Li Donglai felt that Li Chi had changed too much today, and he felt inexplicably uneasy.
