After the Secrets of the Passerby Were Leaked, He Was Cherished by the Entire Family of Antagonists-Chapter 95

L1 turned and explained, “My body doesn’t grow.”

Qin Yao furrowed his brow slightly before giving a helpless smile.

L1 was puzzled. “What’s wrong?”

Having spent a year with humans, L1 had learned to understand most human expressions and body language, but some things still eluded him—like the regretful yet complex smile on Qin Yao’s face at this moment.

Qin Yao replied, “I just feel a little unaccomplished.”

L1 tilted his head. “Hm?”

Qin Yao squatted down in front of him, at eye level with L1, and said, “I’ve been feeding you milk for over a year now, and yet you haven’t grown at all. I’ve been trying so hard to raise you, but you haven’t gotten any bigger.”

L1 wanted to say that he was a system and wasn’t supposed to grow. His growth was more about data upgrades than physical changes.

But as the words formed in his mind, he swallowed them.

Over the past year, L1 had come to realize that sometimes his words could spoil the mood.

So, after thinking for a moment, he said seriously, “I can grow if you want.”

Qin Yao raised an eyebrow. “Hm?”

Taking advantage of Qin Yao’s confusion, L1 quickly exchanged his points for a bottle of growth potion from the system shop.

All biological bodies that systems exchanged from the shop didn’t grow naturally. However, due to the five-year exchange rule, many systems became dissatisfied with the lack of change. To prevent protests, the shop introduced both growth and anti-growth potions.

As their names suggested, one allowed for growth, and the other reversed it.

In the blink of an eye, L1 had successfully exchanged for the potion. Before Qin Yao could react, L1 had already downed the entire bottle.

Qin Yao’s eyes widened slightly. “What did you just drink—”

Before he could finish his sentence, the five-year-old L1’s body began to grow taller.

Within seconds, L1 shot up to about 180 centimeters.

Seeing the world from this new, elevated perspective, L1 felt a little disoriented. He glanced down to confirm that his clothes had grown with him, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief. Looking down at Qin Yao, L1 grinned.

Qin Yao, still squatting, had to tilt his head back slightly to meet L1’s eyes. His deep gaze locked onto L1’s face, not blinking.

L1, pleased with Qin Yao’s reaction, smiled brightly. “How do I look now? Am I still good-looking, even grown up?”

Qin Yao slowly stood up.

It was only then that L1 realized Qin Yao was still taller than him. But that didn’t bother him; height was never a concern for L1. He simply smiled and waited for Qin Yao’s response.

However, after a long while, Qin Yao still hadn’t answered. Instead, L1 noticed that Qin Yao’s eyes were gradually turning red.

The young man’s gaze was as gentle as always, often carrying a hint of a smile. But now, that same gaze was tinged with redness, and tears seemed to well up, reflecting a swirl of complex emotions.

L1 didn’t understand and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Qin Yao stood still, shaking his head slowly, before softly uttering two words.

L1 didn’t catch them. “Hm?”

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Qin Yao turned his head slightly, and L1 thought he saw a tear trickle down his cheek.

L1 asked again, “What’s wrong, Qin Yao? Aren’t you happy that I’ve grown up?”

Qin Yao replied, “I’m very happy.”

He was so happy, in fact, that he couldn’t help but shed tears.

Qin Yao had long accepted that he might never meet the system who helped him all those years ago.

But it wasn’t until this moment that he realized—he had already reunited with that system.

L1 wanted to ask more, but Qin Yao walked back inside.

After a moment, he returned with a cup of oat milk for L1.

L1 took the cup, studying Qin Yao’s expression. “What was that about?”

L1 didn’t believe what Qin Yao had said earlier.

If Qin Yao was truly happy, why would he cry?

Qin Yao, seeing the confusion in L1’s clear eyes, thought for a moment before answering, “You know there are many kinds of tears, right?”

L1 blinked. “So you were crying because you were happy?”

Qin Yao nodded.

The smile on L1’s face grew wider. “You’re that happy just because I grew up?”

“Of course,” Qin Yao’s gaze lingered on L1’s face, almost as if he were memorizing every detail.

After all, he had never imagined that the system he once thought he’d never meet again could turn out to be the very same one standing before him.

Overcome with joy, he couldn’t stop himself from crying.

Qin Yao asked, “Yiyi, aside from ‘L1’ and ‘Yiyi,’ do you have any other names?”

L1 took a sip of milk and shook his head. “No.”

Qin Yao thought for a moment. “Why don’t you give yourself a name?”

L1 tilted his head. “How? I don’t know how to choose a name for myself. Why don’t you help me come up with one?”

Qin Yao gazed at L1 for a moment before suggesting, “How about ‘Yaoyao’? It sounds similar to ‘Yiyi,’ but…”

“But what?” L1 asked.

Qin Yao hesitated. The name felt too intimate. He didn’t want others to call L1 by such an endearing name.

So, instead, Qin Yao said, “Let’s add a word before ‘Yaoyao.’ Since you’re called ‘L1,’ the letter ‘L’ sounds like the word for ‘happy’ in Chinese. How about ‘Leyao’?”

L1 repeated the name twice, then broke into a wide smile. “I like it. I think ‘Leyao’ sounds great.”

Qin Yao, seeing L1’s bright smile, felt a deep sense of happiness as well.

In his heart, Qin Yao silently wished that ‘Leyao’ would always live a life of joy and freedom.

---

The next day, L1 visited the Huo family.

When they saw the suddenly “grown-up” L1, the family was surprised at first, but they quickly accepted his new appearance.

Mother Huo even praised him, saying that he had grown up to be even more handsome than the Huo brothers.

Naturally, Huo Yan and Huo Ze weren’t pleased.

In unison, the two brothers protested, telling their mother not to compliment L1 at their expense, as it hurt their feelings.

L1 found it amusing and sat on the couch laughing.

That year’s Spring Festival passed with the family’s laughter and chatter.

As the cold winter gave way to spring and summer, the warmth of last year’s spring was no longer present.

L1 still lived with Qin Yao, but he spent less and less time at the house, often being away for extended periods.

L1 saw Yu Bai sign a contract with Qin Yao and take the lead role in Qin Yao’s most important project.

L1 saw He Shi argue with Su Rui, and after they broke up, Su Rui discovered she was pregnant.

Without hesitation, Su Rui contacted Huo Yan.

As Huo Yan grew closer to Su Rui, they made their relationship official. Soon after, Huo Yan was heavily intoxicated and taken to a hotel by Su Rui.

Not long after, Huo Yan brought Su Rui home, standing against his entire family to be with her.

L1 saw Mother Huo’s cousin steal her wedding ring, which later ended up in the hands of Father Huo’s estranged cousin.

Mother and Father Huo had a massive argument, the most intense fight of their decades-long marriage.

Meanwhile, the reality show Qin Yao had invested in was also running into trouble.

During the first recording session,

a scandal broke out involving one of the participants.

During that time, Qin Yao was incredibly busy, barely able to keep up with everything. One day, L1 waited at home for him all day, only for Qin Yao to rush back late at night, close to 11 p.m.

“Have you been waiting long?” Qin Yao apologized as soon as he stepped inside. “I’m so sorry, Yaoyao, I’ve been so swamped lately. Here, drink some oat milk…”

His voice trailed off as he stared at the cup in L1’s hands. “What’s this?”

L1 softly explained, “You’ve been so busy, so I tried making the milk myself.”

Qin Yao’s expression softened. Sitting beside L1, he gently asked, “How does it taste?”

L1 shook his head.

It didn’t compare to the milk Qin Yao made.

“Can I try it?” Qin Yao asked, eyeing the cup in L1’s hands with interest.

L1 nodded and was about to get up to pour some milk for Qin Yao, but before he could, Qin Yao placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. Then, he took the cup from L1 and drank the remaining milk in one gulp.

L1 blinked.

Wasn’t that the leftover milk from his own cup?

Qin Yao took a moment to savor the taste of the milk, smiling as he said, “I think it tastes pretty good.”

L1 responded, “But it’s not as good as the milk you make.”

For L1, the milk Qin Yao made was always the best.

Seeing that, Qin Yao stood up. “Alright, I’ll go make you some now.”

Though L1 had already made plenty of milk, Qin Yao carefully stored the rest in the fridge and then began preparing fresh oat milk for him. L1 had watched Qin Yao make milk many times before, yet he still found the process deeply satisfying to observe.

As he watched, an odd thought crossed his mind:

L1 wished that time could freeze at this moment.

He could have made that happen, but he chose not to.

And so, time continued moving forward, as did the events already written in the script.

Before long, more crises unfolded. Huo Ze’s team lost a key player right before an important competition due to a suspension.

Qin Yao’s reality show continued to face scandals, and investors began pulling out one by one.

Meanwhile, Huo Jing’s assistant was fired for leaking his private schedule, and soon after, a significant shipment for the Huo family’s business was lost to a typhoon, leading to severe financial losses and turmoil in the company.

Both Qin Yao and the entire Huo family grew busier and more consumed by their personal challenges.

L1 found himself seeing them less and less frequently.

It wasn’t that L1 didn’t have the time. Rather, he began to realize that he was afraid to see them.

The Huo family treated him as kindly as ever. Even when Huo’s parents argued, they would smile and reassure L1 that everything was fine whenever he asked about it.

They didn’t want to worry him, so they kept things hidden from him.

But what they didn’t know was that L1, as a monitoring system, already knew everything.

And yet, L1 was no longer the system that was ignorant of human emotions. So he chose not to ask, and he gradually started visiting them less often.

He didn’t even go to see Qin Yao as frequently. Still, Qin Yao would prepare a cup of oat milk for him each day before rushing out the door.

L1 would wait until Qin Yao had left, then sit on his rocking chair and sip the milk slowly.

He continued this routine, spending most of his days at the Huo family’s home, visiting Mother Huo or spending time with the Huo brothers.

Time passed quickly. Before long, the Huo and Qin families faced sweeping changes.

But even amidst the chaos, the characters’ scripted storylines persisted.

The first major event was Qin Yao’s ending.

It was the last day of August, a bright and sunny day.

L1 had arrived on the balcony early that morning.

When Qin Yao came out with the milk, his eyes lit up with surprise. “You’re finally here.”

L1 replied, “I come every day.”

Qin Yao handed him the milk, smiling. “I know. What I meant to say was that it feels like I haven’t really seen you for a long time. Have you been busy lately?”

L1 took a sip of the milk, but this time, it tasted different. Despite its sweetness, it couldn’t mask the bitterness that seemed to linger.

“Yeah, a bit busy,” L1 replied.

Qin Yao quietly observed him for a long moment before finally asking, “Are you… going to leave soon?”

L1 looked at him, puzzled. “Hm?”

Qin Yao’s expression grew tense, and he looked away as L1 stared at him. “What I mean is, if you’re going to leave, could you tell me beforehand and say goodbye?”

L1 pressed his lips together. “Do humans always feel the need to say goodbye?”

Qin Yao lowered his gaze, his eyelashes casting shadows under his eyes, hiding the weariness that had accumulated over the past few days.

For the first time, L1 couldn’t decipher Qin Yao’s emotions.

After a long pause, Qin Yao finally answered, “I’m not sure about others, but I do.”

L1 asked, “Why?”

Qin Yao’s voice was laced with a faint smile, but L1 could sense that the smile didn’t reach his heart.

“Because I want to know the exact day of the farewell,” Qin Yao said. “So that there’s something to hold onto in the future.”

L1 still didn’t fully understand.

But he knew one thing for certain: Qin Yao didn’t have a future.

His life would come to an end today.

Qin Yao waited for L1 to finish his milk before taking the cup and washing it. “Just promise me, when you do leave, you’ll say goodbye. Okay?”

L1 nodded. “Okay.”

This was the first time L1 had ever told a lie.

Once Qin Yao finished cleaning up, he prepared to leave. As he reached for the door, L1 suddenly grabbed his hand.

Qin Yao froze and turned around, looking at him in confusion.

L1 normally didn’t like physical contact with humans. It was a strange feeling, something he had never experienced before.

But this time, as he held Qin Yao’s hand, he didn’t feel any resistance.

L1 opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out.

“What did you say?” Qin Yao asked.

L1 repeated the words silently.

Qin Yao smiled softly. “Yaoyao, why are you speaking without making any sound? Are you playing a guessing game with me?”

At that moment, L1 suddenly remembered the program he had set up for himself.

The program was designed to silence him whenever he might reveal the truth. It was meant to protect him, but now it was binding him.

L1’s lips pressed together tightly. He couldn’t say the words he desperately wanted to say—he couldn’t tell Qin Yao not to leave.

For the first time, L1 felt pain in his heart.

But he didn’t understand why. He was a system—why did he feel this pain?

Qin Yao still left.

Before he walked out the door, he ruffled L1’s hair and smiled. “I’ll bring you a little cake when I come back tonight.”

L1 stood on the balcony, watching Qin Yao’s figure disappear into the distance.

He stood there all day, waiting on the balcony, but Qin Yao never came back.

The next day came and went, and still, Qin Yao didn’t return.

On the third day, someone finally came to the house.

But it wasn’t Qin Yao—it was Qin Hongxi.

He ordered the servants to pack up all of Qin Yao’s belongings, but the balcony was left untouched.

L1 stood invisible on the balcony, watching as people busily came and went.

When he finally flew away from the house, he noticed some new decorations.

He recognized them—white banners used by humans to signify death.

Qin Yao was dead.

L1 didn’t go to see him.

Instead, he went to the Huo family’s home.

By then, Mother and Father Huo had divorced, and the Huo family business was rapidly declining.

Both of them had moved out of the family villa.

L1 visited Father Huo first. He had injured his arm in a fire, and it still hadn’t fully healed.

The house was eerily quiet. L1 wandered around and found Father Huo sitting alone in a dark corner.

After a moment of thought, L1 decided not to reveal himself and left to visit Mother Huo.

Her situation was even worse. She sat in silence on the sofa, tears streaming down her face.

L1 wanted to comfort her but accidentally bumped into the corner of a table, making a sound.

The pain was so sharp that for a brief moment, L1 forgot how to breathe.

Mother Huo’s voice rang out, “Yiyi? Are you here?”

L1 remained silent.

After waiting for a long time without a response, Mother Huo sighed. It sounded like she was talking to herself as she said, “Maybe it’s better if you don’t come… That way, you won’t know about Qin Yao…”

At the mention of Qin Yao’s name, tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

L1 overheard her quietly whisper, “How did this happen? Why did it have to happen like this?”

Exactly.

L1 also wanted to know—why did it have to happen like this?

The reality of Qin Yao’s death was like a dagger, piercing deep into L1’s heart.

Fleeing the 20231007 world, L1 paused the timeline as he left.

And then, he ran into Qiu and L2.

At first, the two were surprised to see him, but they quickly realized that this was L1 in his human form.

“Back already?” they asked in unison.

“Did the story end?” L2 inquired.

Qiu had already pulled up the storyline’s progress and was taken aback by what she saw. “L1, you…”

L1 said, “I redeemed a time extension in the points mall. I’ve extended both world S20070501 and world A20231007 by two more years.”

Qiu and L2 were both shocked.

“What are you planning to do with all that extra time?” L2 asked.

Without emotion, L1 replied, “I want to take a vacation.”

Qiu furrowed her brow.

The Temporal Bureau allowed systems to take vacations, and their time off was usually quite generous.

But L1 was different. Ever

since he came into existence, he had never taken a break.

He had always been like a machine that never tired.

But now, this machine was saying it needed a vacation.

Qiu watched as L1’s brows furrowed deeply, and then she suddenly realized something. “It seems you’ve come to understand some of those uniquely human emotions.”

L1 didn’t deny it.

L2 was confused. “Isn’t understanding human emotions a good thing? Then why do you look like…”

Qiu cut him off, preventing him from saying anything more.

L1 didn’t explain further. He quickly submitted his vacation request and retreated into his system space to sleep.

For systems, sleep was a way to reorganize data.

L1 was a highly advanced system and didn’t need much time to process his data.

But this time, he spent a full two years in his system space, never once leaving.

L1 sorted through his data again and again, as if hoping that by clearing out the bad data, he could feel happy once more.

Time moved slowly in the Temporal Bureau, but even after two long years had passed, L1 still hadn’t found happiness.

On the last day of his vacation, L1 left his system space. As soon as he returned to the Temporal Bureau, he encountered L2.

“Where did you go for your vacation these past two years?” L2 asked.

L1 remained silent.

L2, persistent, jumped onto his shoulder. “Was it fun?”

Still, L1 said nothing.

L2 snuggled closer. “Come on, give me a little scratch.”

L1 finally glanced at L2, whose orange cat form was irresistibly cute, and obligingly scooped him into his arms, gently stroking his fur. L2 purred in contentment and even exposed his belly for more attention.

Just then, Qiu walked in and saw the scene unfold.

Amused, she remarked, “You’ve never done this before, so now you—”

“I don’t understand,” L1 interrupted her.

Qiu stood still, watching him intently.

L1 looked down, his voice tinged with sadness. “I’ve cleared all the data, and logically, I shouldn’t feel this sadness anymore. But why am I still so sad?”

L2, who had been rolling on his back, suddenly froze.

Qiu sighed softly, her gaze softening. After a moment, she spoke, “L1, I can’t give you the answer you’re looking for. Your confusion began in world S20070501 and deepened in world A20231007. So I think you need to go back to those worlds to find your answers.”

L2 chimed in with a phrase, “It’s like that human saying: ‘Only the one who ties the knot can untie it,’ right?”

Qiu chuckled. “Yes, something like that.”

L1 looked up at Qiu.

She held his gaze and asked gently, “Will you go back?”

L1 hesitated for a long moment before nodding.

He needed to understand—why he felt this way, why he was so deeply sad.

And so, L1 restarted the paused timeline in world A20231007.

His first destination was Mother Huo’s house.

Though two years had passed in the Temporal Bureau, time in the paused world hadn’t moved.

Before setting off, L1 visited numerous bubble tea shops and convenience stores, purchasing oat milk from each one. He drank them all, and as the sun began to set, he finally arrived at Mother Huo’s house.

When she saw L1 standing before her, her eyes lit up, and a warm smile spread across her face—one he hadn’t seen in a long time. “Yiyi, you haven’t been here in so long!”

L1 nodded. Before she could rush off to prepare a grand meal, he politely stopped her and asked, “Could you make me a cup of oat milk instead?”

Mother Huo studied him quietly for a moment before nodding with gentle affection. “Of course.”

Following L1’s instructions, she carefully made him a cup of oat milk, but sadly, it still didn’t taste the way he remembered.

Even so, it was undeniably delicious.

Before leaving, L1 asked Mother Huo a question: “What is love?”

Mother Huo thought for a long while before responding, “Love means different things to different people. But for me, love means closeness—it’s the desire to always be with someone.”

L1 pondered her words, then nodded thoughtfully. He helped her wash the cup, said his goodbyes, and prepared to leave.

Mother Huo walked him to the door, and as his figure began to fade from sight, she called out, “Yiyi, take care of yourself!”

L1 turned back to look at her and smiled warmly. “You like me, don’t you?”

Tears welled up in Mother Huo’s eyes, but she nodded with a smile.

Of course, she liked him. Ever since she first met L1, she had liked this child with all her heart. To her, it didn’t matter whether he was a system or something else—she simply liked him and wanted him to be safe and happy.

Next, L1 went to the Qin family’s home.

The balcony where Qin Yao used to welcome him remained the same. L1 sat down in his usual spot on the rocking chair and noticed that the rose leaves still had dewdrops on them, and the surroundings were immaculately clean—as if someone had been tending to the area.

Just then, he heard the sound of the bedroom door opening behind him. Someone unexpected stepped out.

Qin Hongxi looked at L1 and smiled. “You must be Le Yao, right?”

L1 observed Qin Hongxi. In just a few short days, the middle-aged man’s hair had turned gray.

L1 nodded. “Yes.”

Le Yao was the name Qin Yao had given him.

Qin Hongxi smiled again. “Don’t worry, I mean no harm. When I was going through Qin Yao’s things, I found a letter he wrote for you.”

With that, Qin Hongxi turned back into the room and returned a moment later, handing L1 the letter. “Here. If this troubles you...”

L1 didn’t hesitate and took the letter, nodding gratefully. “Thank you.”

Qin Hongxi glanced at the roses and the rocking chair on the balcony before looking away. “Actually, I should be the one thanking you. If it weren’t for you…”

He didn’t finish his sentence but added, “Before Qin Yao passed, he mentioned that you liked oat milk. He asked me to make you a cup if you ever came to visit him. Would you like some?”

L1 had already drunk plenty of oat milk that day, but upon hearing Qin Hongxi’s offer, he nodded. “Yes, please.”

While Qin Hongxi prepared the milk, L1 opened the letter.

It contained just one simple line:

“Thank you, Yaoyao. I hope you live a life of joy and freedom.”

L1 stared at the short sentence for a long time before letting out a small laugh. “How foolish.”

He was a system, after all. How could he not live a life of joy and freedom?

Qin Hongxi returned with the milk and saw the letter in L1’s hands. “He genuinely wished for you to be happy and free, so don’t be sad because he’s gone.”

L1 accepted the milk, looking up at Qin Hongxi.

His eyes were bloodshot, and up close, L1 could see how much older he looked—his hair wasn’t just graying, even his eyebrows had turned white.

Despite being the one most deeply affected by Qin Yao’s death, Qin Hongxi was still trying to comfort him.

L1 softly said, “Thank you.”

Qin Hongxi smiled again. “I buried him in a place with the best view. He loved the sun, and the spot gets plenty of sunlight. If you have the time, maybe you could visit him.”

L1 nodded. “I will.”

After finishing his oat milk, L1 left.

But he didn’t go to visit Qin Yao just yet, as the thought of it still made him too sad.

Instead, L1 decided to check in on the other main characters and supporting roles in the world.

He saw Huo Yan being framed by He Shi and Su Rui, ultimately forced to leave the entertainment industry. He saw Huo Ze’s team fall apart in disarray, eventually dissolving completely. He saw the collapse of the Huo family business, with Huo Jing standing in despair on a rooftop.

As the Huo family’s world unraveled, the story’s conclusion loomed near.

By then, two years had passed since Qin Yao’s death.

L1 finally decided it was time to visit him.

On a bright and sunny day, L1 bought a bouquet of flowers and made his way to the cemetery where Qin Hongxi had told him Qin Yao was buried.

Just as described, the cemetery was bathed in sunlight. L1 stood in the warmth, placing the flowers at the base of the gravestone.

He stood quietly for a long time, letting his gaze linger on Qin Yao’s photograph before finally breaking into a small smile.

“Qin Yao, I’ve come to see you,” L1 said. “Even though I still don’t fully understand human emotions, I think I’ve come to really like all of you—whether it’s you, or Father Huo, Mother Huo, Huo Jing, Huo Yan, Huo Ze... even your father. He’s a good man too. You all deserved better endings.”

He crouched down and touched the photograph of Qin Yao on the gravestone. Smiling, he continued, “So I’ve made a decision. I’m going to change your endings.”

L1 remained seated at the foot of the gravestone, talking to Qin Yao for a long time.

Even though he knew that Qin Yao couldn’t hear a single word, he kept talking.

It wasn’t until the sun began to set that L1 finally left the cemetery.

On his way back, he ran into someone familiar.

“Are you… Zhang Qiran?” L1 asked.

Zhang Qiran turned around, his eyes red and puffy. He forced a smile. “Yes, that’s me.”

L1 didn’t ask who he was visiting because he had already seen the name on the gravestone: Song Zhehan.

L1 shifted his gaze back to the ground and softly said, “My condolences.”

Zhang Qiran nodded without speaking.

L1 turned to leave, but just as he did, Zhang Qiran suddenly spoke up, “I don’t understand...”

L1 paused mid-step.

Zhang Qiran’s voice trembled as he continued, sounding as if

he was speaking to himself more than anyone else, “I don’t understand why someone as good as Song Zhehan had to die... He was...”

Tears streamed down Zhang Qiran’s face. “He was such a good person. I loved him so much... but...”

The last sentence was whispered so softly that L1 barely heard it.

“But he lived too painfully. I didn’t stop him. It’s all my fault.”

L1 watched as the sun dipped below the horizon.

Softly, he said, “It’s not your fault.”

None of them were to blame.

The fault lay with the world’s predetermined plot.

And so, for the first time since he had been created, L1 decided to reset time.

He first restarted the timeline in world S20070501, altering Ye Fan’s fate so that he wouldn’t die.

Without hesitation, he then reset the timeline in world A20231007.

But what L1 didn’t expect was just how arduous and long this journey to change their fates would be.