Whats wrong Little Sparrow? In the courtyard, Ning Ning looked curiously at the young man before her.


    The other party remained silent for a moment, before stating quietly, Im not Little Sparrow, my name is Little Freckle.


    (T/N note:Sparrow is Mqu() and Freckle is Qubn())


    Ning Ning immediately felt awkward. Calling another party by the wrong name wasnt intentional, but because there were truly so many people that hade over to perform, and he hade over the leastBut most importantly, he didnt have much of a presence.


    Cough, Take a seat, Little Freckle. Ning Ning masked her awkwardness with a cough. Lets take a short break and wait for my papa toe back before starting.


    Wang ma brought pastries and tea for Ning Ning, Little Freckle, and the guard. Although the guard declined the tea, he still couldnt control his dder  one hourter, tremblings started emerging from his body


    Go if you need to. Ning Ning said.


    Excuse me, Ill make it quick. The guard left while trembling with his legs bent together.


    After he left, Ning Ning absent-mindedly ate her pastries. If it wasnt for that incident involving Li Xin, she could have nearly believed this to be a documentary about the daily life in a circus, with the synopsis probably going something like this: Boss Qu, like the magician genius Liu Qian, leads his disciples and grand disciples to carve a niche of their own. In the process of doing so, member of the circus- Chen Junyan and Li Xin fall in love and slowly became a couplesomething doesnt feel right!


    Hm? Ning Ning abruptly came back to her senses and turned to gaze at the young man before her. Little Freckle, whats wrong?


    Little Freckle looked odd. He had his head lowered while his gaze looked Ning Ning up and down. His cheeks were red, he breathed heavily, and his hands that hung at the side of his body constantly clenched and released. Then, he took a stride and rushed up to her- lifting an arm up in an attempt to grab the mask on Ning Nings face.


    Nobody expected this move, or to be more urate, nobody thought he would dare to do so.


    What are you trying to do? Wang ma broke out into cold sweat and, without thinking, threw her body forward to stop him.


    However, Little Freckle was prepared for Wang mas pounce. The ball in his hand was in a gunny sack, and although it could be called a ball, it was actually a rock that had been sanded round with coloured paint applied to it. During his performances, he would throw six of them into the air and juggle them, but because Little Freckles skills werent too good, he would throw one up into the air and then drop one, causing the audiences to jeer at him.


    But his operation this time didnt require him to have much skill.


    He ruthlessly smashed the rock within the gunny sack onto Wang mas face, causing her face to turn from a pale color to one dyed in red.


    Taking advantage of the time given as Wang ma fell to the ground making blood-curling screeches, Little Freckle took a sharp inhale, turned around and proceeded to walk towards Ning Ning.


    The second his hand grabbed onto Ning Nings mask, she asked him, Do you know the consequence of doing this?


    Only two people can see your face: one of them is Boss Qu, and the other is your husband. Little Freckles hands were trembling as well as his voice, he mumbled the information Chen Junyan leaked to him. If I see your face, Ill be your husband.


    No. The ck-hole of a gun muzzle slowly came into view from behind him and pressed into his head. Following the sound of loading the gun, Boss Qus voice sounded coldly behind him, There will be one less man in this world.


    Little Freckle frozepletely.


    In the midst of his crisis, he made up his mind.


    A tearing sound was heard, and he pulled the mask off Ning Nings face; the great amount of strength that he ced behind tearing it off caused Ning Ning to turn halfway in ce. Once she had regained her bnce, she touched the half of her face that stinged painfully.


    Ive seen it! Ive seen it! I-Ive Little Freckle raised the mask high up in the air as if he was raising a champion gold medal. Halfway through his celebration, he caught a nce of Ning Nings real face, and hisughter immediately ceased. His eyes went wide open and he couldnt stop the following words that escaped his lips, So ugly?


    Bang, as Little Freckle fell into the pool of blood, his eyes were still wide open while his lips formed the final shape of hisst word ugly.


    Despite this, Boss Qu still wasnt satisfied and continued firing a few shots at the corpse,bang, bang, bang.The corpse on the ground started jumping about from the gunshots. Once Boss Qu fired hisst shot, he kept the gun behind his waist before turning around to block Ning Nings view with his body and held her shoulders tofort her. Dont listen to his gibberish, you arent ugly, not at all. You are the most beautiful girl in the world.


    Ning Ning wore a grave expression and her shoulders were slightly shivering under his palms.


    The twitching corpse on the ground, as well as the indifferent murderer standing before her, told her that this film she was in was absolutely not a documentary of circus life, nor could it purely be a romantic film because it truly was too cruel.


    Papa. Ning Ning shut her eyes tightly to keep from looking at the disturbing scene. She lightly spoke while in his arms, Dont lie to me anymore.


    A few dayster, inside the circus.


    Chen Junyan arrived outside the door of Boss Qus resting room. He hesitated for a moment and was about to reach out to knock, when he heard a voice travelling out from within. Come in.


    Yes. Chen Junyan took a sharp inhale.


    The second he opened the door and entered, he couldnt believe the scene he was witnessing.


    Was that man seated in front of him really Boss Qu?


    He had never seen him in such a depressed and helpless state


    Boss Qus current appearance was extremely terrible his hair that was always kept swept back tidily, nowy on his head like a patch of messy grass; even his mustache, of which he was extremely proud of, had one side missing. That faint blood scar on his upper lip showed that he was too preupied with his thoughts while grooming, thus he brought upon a bloody disaster on his face.


    He sat behind a wooden table with fingers crossed together resting before his lips. Seemingly to be deep in thought, he waited for Chen Junyan to get closer, before abruptly lifting his head up to stare directly at him. The circus currentlycks a member, and I intend to pick you as a recement.


    For a quick moment, Chen Junyan began to think that he had been exposed that Boss Qu already knew he was the one that had incited Little Freckle into action.


    This feeling was especially strong when Boss Qus right hand reached down to pull open a drawer, from which he retrieved an item.Bam,he threw it onto the table.


    It was an old-fashioned wooden box.


    Gulp,Chen Junyan swallowed his saliva.


    Boss Qu closely observed every change of his expression. He lifted his hand to stroke his mustache before stating indifferently, But, I can also give you another choice.


    Chen Junyan moved his gaze from the box to Boss Qus face, speaking with a dry voice, What choice?


    My daughter Ninger. As he spoke her name, Boss Qus expression softened to the degree that Chen Junyan was almost about to mistake him as a person with blood, flesh, and feelings. She has fallen ill.


    Chen Junyan listened on quietly.


    People that are ill, will look more haggard. Boss Qu said softly, Hence why I never allow her to go out, nor have I ced any mirrors at home. Even the people who are allowed to personally serve her have been carefully selected. They will not tell her she had fallen ill, and will only tell her she is the most beautiful girl in the world. This is in no way a lie, for once Ive gotten the physician to cure her, she will definitely be the most beautiful in the world. But the problem is, a mishap happened today


    Chen Junyan asked carefully, Did Little Freckle do something?


    Boss Quughed icily. Hes now a dead freckle. To think he would dare peel off Ningers mask and even call her ugly.


    From Chen Junyans understanding of Little Freckle, if he said ugly, then it was very likely that she was truly ugly Boss Qu passionately speaking of ugly as rted to illness, should also somewhat exin it?


    Chen Junyan suppressed the guilt in his heart, and asked resolutely and respectfully, Is there anything I may help you with?


    Boss Qu nced over at him, and suddenly, he crossed his legs up onto the table and casually picked up a few wooden carvings to toy with in his palm. Only when beads of sweat on Chen Junyans face started trickling down, did he slowly state, Little Freckles words were such a heavy blow to Ninger, that none of my, nor the servants words can reach her. She insists were lying.


    You arent lying, the liar is Little Freckle. Chen Junyan said with head lowered. Please rest assured, Ill exin clearly to Miss. She may not be willing to listen to people around her, but perhaps she will want to listen to the words of an outsider like me.


    Boss Qu unhurriedly nodded; he abruptly lowered his legs ced on the table, and threw the two wooden carvings he was toying with back into the wooden box. Then, he picked up the box and walked towards Chen Junyan.


    Lets go. He stopped momentarily beside Chen Junyan.


    Chen Junyan hastily followed after his footsteps.


    It was currently morning, a time when most people would still be snuggled up in their cozy nket in bed. However, the reserves of the circus were already up and practicing. The news of the need for a recement for the main performer had already spread like wildfire. Nobody wanted to be the worst, for the worst would be the chosen one to graduate and be on stage as a main performer.


    Right when practice was in full swing- fire breathing, bncing a stack of bowls on ones head- they suddenly spotted Boss Qu, or to be more urate to say, when the wooden box in his arms was spotted, everyones expression immediately turned a one-eighty. The one walking on stilts stumbled with his right foot stepping on the left-crash-he fell with arge crash but didnt dare to let out a single cry of pain. He hurriedly climbed up from the ground and got back on his stilts to continue practicing in front of Boss Qu.


    Dont choose me.


    I beg you.


    Im still useful.


    Practically everyones bodynguage seemed to emit this message.


    Chen Junyan. Boss Qu looked at each one of them as he unhurriedly raised his right hand that held that old wooden box.


    Here. Chen Junyan stood behind him respectfully.


    Do you want to be a member like them. Boss Qu slowly turned around and smiled at him. Or do you want to be like me, to be the one that holds the box?


    In a split second, all gazes in the courtyard were concentrated on Chen Junyan.


    Those gazes were one of jealousy, envy, hatred, inconceivable, why is it him


    Even if Chen Junyan had never thought of bing someone like Boss Qu, he couldnt help the smugness that overcame him under those gazes. He nearly believed he wasnt part of the pitiful creatures, and had be another type of person The type that could easily control their life and death.


    Work hard. Boss Qu patted him on the back while smiling, and suddenly brought his head closer to his with his lips stered onto his ear. Boss Qu whispered with a voice only audible to both of them, I know you can do it well. Since you can even convince Little Freckle to die on your behalf, you can also convince Miss to believe you, right?


    In a quick second, Chen Junyan woke up from his illusion. When he turned around, Boss Qus smile was reflected in his eyes, yet it chilled him to the bones, awaking him once again to the truth of the matter.


    His fate, had never been grasped in his own hands, and had always been in Boss Qus


    No, It was now in Misss hands


    Tranted by: Ruisi


    Edited by: Ely