BFAIBPMSH Chapter 92

I get in the car again—but this time, I’m in the passenger seat.

Bai Gaoxing glances at Li Pu, who is texting in the driver’s seat, and chooses not to disturb him. Instead, he looks down to find the seatbelt.

Before he can locate it, an arm stretches out from the front and pulls the belt over, buckling it for him.

Bai Gaoxing freezes for a moment, stunned.

The car starts with a soft hum.

Unable to stop himself, he turns to look at the man beside him. “Thank you. But I can do this myself!”

Li Pu, holding the steering wheel and staring straight ahead, responds casually, “Is there anything you can’t do?”

“Cooking,” Bai Gaoxing replies immediately.

Li Pu: “...”

Got it. A glutton.

The scenery outside the window begins to blur as they drive. Bai Gaoxing leans close to the window, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Finally, he’s out!

When he was a parrot, he couldn’t go shopping with Li Pu. Not only because Li Pu was a public figure, but also because pets weren’t allowed in most places. Later, when he starred in a drama and appeared on TV, his face became recognizable, making going out even more impossible.

Sometimes, he regrets becoming famous. If he hadn’t, he might have snuck out by flying through the window.

But now that he’s human, he can disguise himself with Li Pu and enjoy being an anonymous passerby!

Bai Gaoxing feels the urge to raise his arms and cheer inside the car but stops himself, knowing it would draw too much attention. His gaze catches a familiar figure in the rearview mirror, standing outside Li Pu’s building.

“Hey, is that your assistant?” he asks.

Li Pu doesn’t respond and instead steps on the accelerator.

…

"…That is to say, you’re so caught off guard yesterday that you forget to reply to his message, and now he’s come looking for you.” After hearing Li Pu’s explanation, Bai Gaoxing thinks for a moment. “Why not just let him come and check?”

Otherwise, he’ll worry unnecessarily.

Considering Li Pu’s “questionable past,” it’s perfectly understandable why the assistant might worry.

By then, they’ve parked in front of the mall. Li Pu locks the car and glances at Bai Gaoxing with a complicated expression.

Oh! Bai Gaoxing suddenly remembers the main reason for not letting the assistant come—it’s because of him.

It’s hard to explain why there’s an extra person in Li Pu’s house, especially for someone as private as Li Pu, who rarely interacts with outsiders. No matter how he looks at it, it’s an impossible problem to solve.

Clearing his throat softly, Bai Gaoxing jogs to Li Pu’s side. “So… what did you tell him?”

“I told him I’m outside and won’t be back for a while, so he shouldn’t come looking for me,” Li Pu answers, a helpless look crossing his face. “But it’s already too late.”

True enough.

Bai Gaoxing thinks about the figure already waiting downstairs. If they had been a minute later, they would’ve run into someone.

By then... ha, there’s no way to explain it.

Bai Gaoxing can’t help but get distracted. The fact that he’s turned into a human already has him rattled, and it’s been an entire day. This is his owner, the one who’s with him every day. If it’s Assistant Mei, who’s afraid of birds...

Would he be scared to death??

Bai Gaoxing’s heart skips a beat, and then he feels relief. “Fortunately, he didn’t see—” He suddenly bumps into the man’s back.

Not noticing that Li Pu stops, Bai Gaoxing covers his nose. “Why do you stop so suddenly?”

“Go this way.” Li Pu pulls him to change direction.

Bai Gaoxing glances back and notices a square in front of the large shopping mall. People are holding pink microphones and phones with two small hearts on them, as if conducting an interview.

Wow!

Without Li Pu’s reminder this time, Bai Gaoxing pulls the brim of his hat lower and even pushes Li Pu forward.

The mall’s air conditioner is on full blast.

As the cold wind hits his face, Bai Gaoxing sighs and begins to look around.

The lights in the mall are bright, and people bustle about even in the daytime. In the noisy environment, almost no one notices them, except for the staff.

This couldn’t be better—it means Li Pu’s disguise is working. It would be awkward if someone recognized him.

Bai Gaoxing adjusts the mask on his face and glances up at Li Pu. He’s always been curious about what it’s like for the other man to go out to buy things, as if he’s never been noticed—like when his clothes tear, and his hat and mask get thrown away, and he’s a mess heading home.

Now, looking at Li Pu... Well, everything’s really tight.

If it weren’t for the fact that he’s a handsome guy, wrapped up in all this, there might be a risk of being reported to the police.

Thankfully, it’s winter.

In a short time, Bai Gaoxing notices many people wearing masks and cotton hats, which makes the two of them blend in more.

Bai Gaoxing's gaze shifts to a counter nearby. He’s been away from human society for too long, and everything he sees now is new to him. He wants to visit every counter.

He tugs at Li Pu’s clothes. “Let’s go shopping over there?” He starts walking without waiting for a reply.

Li Pu pulls him back. “Let’s buy clothes first.”

“Okay!” Bai Gaoxing is momentarily stunned, tugging at his ill-fitting clothes. Since he’s wearing thick winter clothes, his whole body is puffed up like a loaf of bread. “Which floor is the clothing section?”

Li Pu, who’s only ever bought vegetables on the underground floor of the mall: “...”

Finally, the two stand in front of the mall’s directory.

According to the sign, the mall has six floors. The first floor they’re on mainly sells gold and silver jewelry, and the clothing section is on the second floor.

However...

"Let’s go to the third floor!" Bai Gaoxing says.

Sure enough, Li Pu looks at the food area on the third floor shown on the map and isn't surprised.

But at this moment, his resolve is firm. "Go to the second floor."

"Okay..." Bai Gaoxing's tone carries a hint of disappointment.

Li Pu pauses for a moment and tightens his grip on the boy's wrist.

He has to admit that he’s a little soft-hearted at that moment.

But it’s not okay.

He’s noticed how the boy keeps looking around, his small movements and habits exactly like when he was still a parrot, which causes him to involuntarily feel like the boy might run off at any moment.

...It’s probably not just an illusion.

After all, this kind of thing has happened before.

Thinking of those past moments that scared him, Li Pu looks down at the boy, and then quickly looks away after seeing his eyes filled with expectation and joy.

The two follow the crowd up the escalator. Bai Gaoxing is happily looking around, and Li Pu subconsciously draws closer to him, almost holding him in his arms.

When they reach the second floor, Li Pu silently takes a few steps back.

Watching the boy walk ahead of him, Li Pu realizes that he no longer needs a bird bag or a leash, and he doesn’t have to worry about too many people around scaring Dabai.

Because Dabai is already a human...

Thinking about this, Li Pu feels his head start to buzz.

"Why aren’t you moving?"

While walking, Bai Gaoxing suddenly notices there’s no one next to him. He quickly turns around and breathes a sigh of relief when he sees that Li Pu hasn’t gone anywhere.

Li Pu sighs helplessly and walks over to catch up with him.

At least now, he can’t get lost. That’s not too bad.

……

"Welcome."

As they walk into a clothing counter, the saleslady approaches enthusiastically. "Who are you buying clothes for?"

Bai Gaoxing has already started looking around, and Li Pu gestures. "For him."

Though the boy is wearing clothes that don’t fit properly, he’s undeniably a great fit for modeling clothes, his body outline clear. The saleslady, experienced in her work, immediately recognizes this and starts selecting a bunch of clothes to match. She then asks, "Do you need shoes?"

She notices that the young man’s shoes also don’t fit well.

"Give me a few pairs, too. And socks," Li Pu replies.

Bai Gaoxing, who is happily shopping, is suddenly handed a bunch of clothes by the saleslady. "The gentleman has selected clothes for you. Our fitting room is over there."

Bai Gaoxing, holding the clothes, looks at Li Pu helplessly and tilts his head in question. When Li Pu nods in approval, he immediately turns and strides toward the fitting room.

Inside the store, the saleslady, who has finally welcomed such a distinguished customer, sincerely praises him: "You’re so kind to your brother."

Li Pu is silent for a moment. "...Not my brother."

The saleslady immediately understands, "Oh, sorry, I meant to say, you’re really good to your boyfriend!"

Li Pu: "…"

He hasn’t really thought about how to introduce his relationship with Bai Gaoxing to outsiders. Even saying he's the owner and pet... no, that would sound strange.

Seeing Li Pu's silence, the saleslady quickly covers her mouth and stifles a laugh.

She knew it!

Worried about being too forward, she had first referred to him as a brother, but now she’s wondering—can she style boyfriend shirts? A full matching set from head to toe? So fun!!

As the two of them get lost in their thoughts, Bai Gaoxing steps out of the fitting room, “How does it look?”

Since he’s trying on sweaters, his youthful and tall figure is fully visible. His wrists and neck, exposed to the warm lighting, look smooth and delicate. Although he still wears the hat and mask, he feels completely different now.

Li Pu pauses for a moment, “Change the sweater to a turtleneck.”

Bai Gaoxing tugs at the collar, smiling, “A low neckline is pretty cold.” Then he turns to the saleslady and politely asks, “Miss, could you give me the turtleneck version?”

The saleslady quickly hands him the sweater and also grabs the hat from the mannequin, “Try this one! It matches perfectly!”

Bai Gaoxing immediately takes off the hat, revealing his fluffy white hair under the lights. The pure white is dazzling, causing the saleslady to stare blankly for a moment.

He moves so fast that Li Pu’s “Wait” doesn’t even have time to leave his mouth before Bai Gaoxing has already put on the hat the saleslady handed him.

“Do I look good?” Bai Gaoxing runs over to the mirror, looking from side to side. When he notices his white hair exposed under the hat, his expression freezes.

Oh no...

Bai Gaoxing realizes that he hasn’t quite adjusted to being human yet, or rather, it’s been too short a time, and he hasn’t fully internalized the fact that he’s different now.

He silently stuffs his hair back under the hat, glancing at Li Pu for help. Li Pu simply shakes his head.

He looks toward the saleslady, hoping she hasn’t been scared.

Unexpectedly, after snapping out of her daze, the saleslady looks at him with a thoughtful expression, “Your hair color is really cool!”

Great, she thinks he’s a trendy young man.

Bai Gaoxing lets out a breath of relief and smiles, “Thank you,” then goes back into the fitting room to try on more clothes.

The saleslady has picked out more than ten outfits for him, but after trying on only five or six, Bai Gaoxing starts to feel a little tired.

He pokes his head out of the fitting room, “Can we stop trying more clothes? I think these are enough.”

Li Pu nods, “Please pack all of these up.”

“Do you also want the ones he hasn’t tried on?” the saleslady asks.

“Yes.”

Bai Gaoxing looks stunned.

“Wait,” he runs up to Li Pu, “Isn’t this a bit much?”

Li Pu speaks calmly, “Anyway, you’ll be living at home for a while, so it’s better to buy a few more pieces to switch things up.”

Listen to that, What a boyfriend!

The saleslady, who is printing the receipt, is amazed. She can’t help but feel envious, smiling sincerely as she hands over the packaging bag. "I wish you happiness."

Bai Gaoxing: "???"

Walking out of the store, Bai Gaoxing asks Li Pu, confused, "What did she mean just now?"

Li Pu: "Maybe she's just happy today."

Bai Gaoxing: "Oh... That makes sense, since we bought so much—it's all commission!"

After buying the clothes, they head to the fourth floor to buy daily necessities.

This time, Bai Gaoxing decides to do it himself. After all, these are things he'll be using in the future, so he has to be careful with his choices.

As for Li Pu... he just follows behind, responsible for pushing the cart.

Just when Bai Gaoxing is squatting in front of the shelf, picking a toothbrush, Li Pu's phone rings.

"Brother Li!"

As soon as he picks up, a frantic and hurried voice comes from the other side."Where are you?"

"Outside," Li Pu replies. "I sent you a message, did you see it?" 

"I saw it, I saw it." Mei Youshu speaks quickly, then asks cautiously, "...Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Li Pu lowers his gaze and glances at the young man not far from him, then moves to the end of the shelf. "Sorry, I forgot to reply to you yesterday."

"It's okay, it's okay, as long as you're okay," Mei Youshu seems to breathe a sigh of relief. "I was scared to death... I didn’t sleep all night yesterday."

For some reason, hearing this makes Li Pu want to laugh. He thinks that, as someone who hasn’t slept the night before either, hearing his assistant say this feels like they’ve faced the reality together.

He clears his throat, "You should rest well. I’ve still got things to do, I’ll hang up for now."

"Wait!" Mei Youshu suddenly raises his voice.

Li Pu pauses, "What’s wrong?"

Mei Youshu hesitates for a long time before finally saying, "Brother Li, when will you be back?"

Li Pu’s expression grows cautious. "What’s the matter?"

"I... uh, actually it's nothing. I just wanted to confirm with my own eyes." Mei Youshu replies. "Otherwise, I wouldn’t feel at ease!"

Li Pu: "I can video call you."

Unexpectedly, this makes Mei Youshu’s voice even more urgent. "Brother Li, Sister Li isn’t here these days, I have to, I have to do my duty!"

Suddenly, Li Pu understands. He glances at his phone. He never takes the initiative to ask for a video call, so that makes the assistant even more suspicious.

After a brief silence, Li Pu says, "Tonight."

And he uses a diversionary tactic, so he won’t have to worry about his assistant guarding the door. "Also, bring me a copy of the script. The one from before got accidentally wet."

"Okay. I’ll come by tonight."

The call ends.

Li Pu turns off his phone screen and turns to the boy who has come over. "Have you finished choosing?"

Bai Gaoxing nods, but he is more concerned about what he has just heard. He asks cautiously, "What if he finds out?"

Li Pu thinks for a moment. "I can find a chance to explain it to him."

"Pfft."

"What are you laughing at?" Li Pu looks at the boy who has suddenly laughed, his eyes squinting.

"I remembered something happy..." Bai Gaoxing wipes away the tears that have formed in his eyes and says seriously, "I don’t mind telling them, but the real question is, will they believe it?"

Li Pu falls silent.

Considering the fact that he is about to see a psychiatrist, if he mentions this, it would probably confirm that he should be going to the psychiatric department.

Bai Gaoxing thinks the same.

So he says, "For your own safety, well... there’s no rush. Take your time."

Bai Gaoxing knows very well that while it is possible to hide things from the outside world with various excuses, among Li Pu's close contacts—like his manager or assistant—his true identity will eventually be exposed.

Besides, if he wants to continue moving freely around Li Pu, he also needs their help.

But it will definitely shatter their worldview and make a major impact... in short, a disaster.

Bai Gaoxing feels a little embarrassed and quickly changes the subject. "Look, I took this toothbrush. This is really useful. Buy two and get free toothpaste! It’s perfect for me to get one for you, right?"

One black and one white, typical couple colors.

Li Pu looks at the pile of daily necessities in the cart and feels that they have bought almost everything. He says, "Shall we go to the third floor?"

Bai Gaoxing's eyes light up instantly. "Okay!"

The two push the cart together and walk toward the elevator but are surprised to notice more and more eyes on them. Li Pu feels an uneasy sensation and can’t help but quicken his pace.

But the next moment, a voice comes from behind, followed by a camera and microphone.

"The couple in front! Wait a minute! Huh... finally caught up."

"Excuse me, can you accept our interview?"

Author has something to say:

Bai Gaoxing: Where are couples! (Looks left, looks right)

Li Pu: (Helps Dabai lower his hat)

---

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

Table of Contents