IBFAIBPMSH Chapter 14

Early in the morning, Bai Gaoxing is awakened by the sound of inexplicable footsteps.

The living room is noisy, filled with several unfamiliar voices speaking.

Sleepily, Bai Gaoxing opens one eye and glances at the clock. It’s not even eight o'clock yet. 

At this time, Li Pu usually isn’t back yet.

So, who is it?

Bai Gaoxing tilts his head, still sluggish, and speaks a few seconds later, “Who is it?”

The noise outside immediately stops. 

Suddenly wide awake, Bai Gaoxing regrets his rashness. 

What if it’s a thief? But could there really be a thief in such a high-end community, where a movie star lives? 

It's not impossible.

Bai Gaoxing isn’t someone who likes to say “never,” especially after personally experiencing something as bizarre as transmigration. So, what’s really impossible?

Since the homeowner isn’t here, shouldn’t he, the “resident bird,” take care of things?

With that thought, Bai Gaoxing flies down from the balcony perch, walks toward the half-open door, clears his throat, and mimics Li Pu’s voice: “Who’s outside?”

His imitation is low and elegant, about 80% like the real thing.

The moment he speaks, the chaos outside only intensifies.

“Didn’t we all see Teacher Lileave? What’s going on inside?” One voice sounds as if on the verge of tears. 

“Don’t... don’t say that. I’m scared of ghosts!”

“You two are guessing too much. What if it’s just Mr. Li’s phone ringtone?”

“No way! He’s not that self-obsessed, is he?”

Bai Gaoxing is very puzzled when he hears this. Three people? A group of thieves? Have they staked the place out beforehand?

“How about we go inside and take a look?” one of the voices suggests. 

Bai Gaoxing immediately coughs again and says, “You can’t come in without my permission.”

“Ahhh!” The noise outside erupts into even more chaos. 

When Li Pu returns, he sees the three housekeeping staff, who come once a week, huddled together, trembling in fear.

He glances around at the freshly cleaned furniture, not noticing anything amiss, and asks, “What’s going on?”

Unexpectedly, at the sound of his voice, the three housekeepers look even more terrified, shaking uncontrollably.

Finally, one of them speaks up, “Brother Li, we hear you... in the bedroom.”

Even Li Pu, who reads scripts every day, can’t immediately grasp what they’re trying to say. A hint of confusion flickers in his eyes, which appear darker from the backlight. “I’m... in the bedroom?”

To the three housekeepers, his look seems murderous, as if he’s about to silence them for good!

The three housekeeping staff who have watched Li Pu’s R-rated horror movies are on the verge of tears. The bravest among them points at the bedroom again and stammers, “It’s exactly like your voice! From inside!”

The words barely make sense at this point.

Li Pu glances in the direction the man is pointing and understands instantly. 

At that moment, a voice comes from inside, “If you don’t leave, I’m calling the police.”

Li Pu chuckles and walks to the bedroom door under everyone’s anxious gazes. He gently pushes it open, and immediately, a large white ball of fluff voices its displeasure, though what it is saying is unclear.

Maybe the door hits it when he opens it? The sound of claws scratching the floor fills the room as it hurriedly retreats to a safer distance.

Bai Gaoxing doesn’t expect anyone to suddenly push the door open. After imitating Li Pu’s voice and threatening to call the police, he is rudely hit in the nose.

Who dares?!

Bai Gaoxing fluffs up his feathers in shock and looks up but immediately loses all his rage upon seeing Li Pu’s face. 

Surely he hasn’t been overheard just now, right? he thinks nervously.

“Dabai,” Li Pu says softly. 

His voice is elegant, smooth as a violin, and far more refined than the imitation Bai Gaoxing attempts moments earlier. Although it should be a pleasure to listen to, Bai Gaoxing feels like his end is near.

"...This is my parrot, Dabai." 

After serving tea to the three housekeepers to calm their nerves, Li Pu introduces them to the large parrot perched on his shoulder.

The three accept their tea in astonishment. One of them murmurs, “I notice a birdcage when we walk in, but I don’t see any bird.” 

The golden cage is prominently attached to the living room wall, its interior littered with nut and millet shells—clear evidence that something is living inside.

The three housekeepers have signed a one-year contract with Li Pu. In the first few months, they have only seen the aggressive fish in the aquarium, and this is their first time noticing the birdcage. After hearing no chirping or seeing any bird around, they assume the poor creature has... died under Li Pu’s care.

Bai Gaoxing also glances at the three people, their expressions rapidly changing, and notices their uniforms, which read "Little Bee Housekeeping." Now it makes sense why Li Pu is rarely seen cleaning.

After a brief awkward silence, someone finally breaks the tension with a smile, “What kind of parrot is that? It’s so big and beautiful.”

The comment isn’t just flattery. The parrot on Li Pu’s shoulder has smooth white feathers, round, bright eyes like black pearls, and a fluffy, rotund body that radiates charm. It is undeniably adorable.

As soon as the words come out, the other two housekeepers study the bird more closely and nod in agreement.

Li Pu’s expression softens, and he gently smooths down the feathers on Bai Gaoxing’s head. “It’s a Zongqi Wutong parrot. This color is relatively rare.”

Bai Gaoxing fluffs up his feathers and politely says, “Hello~,” earning even more astonished looks from the group. 

Though they compliment him as “beautiful” rather than “handsome,” it is close enough.

Bai Gaoxing has also seen the image of the Zongqi Parrot in Li Pu’s breeding manual. Most parrots have bright, vibrant colors, like leaves blending between spring and autumn. His, however, is considered albino. 

And he has black eyes, which make him even more expensive than the red-eyed ones.

Bai Gaoxing sighs, realizing that he is still quite valuable. When he snaps out of it, Li Pu has already fastened the anklet around his claw, greeted the three housekeepers, and is taking him out. 

This is the first time Li Pu has taken the initiative to bring him outside.

Bai Gaoxing can’t help but glance back. The high-rise building is bathed in the warm morning sunlight, and he can see the large French windows of their home at a glance.

Thinking back to the last time he secretly followed Li Pu downstairs—only to be met with his stern expression—he thought Li Pu would keep him locked up for the rest of his life.

“Are we going to the supermarket? The park? The weather’s great! Let’s go out and play!!” 

Bai Gaoxing flaps his wings to stretch, his characteristic loud parrot voice echoing for several meters, shattering the morning’s peace. 

The nearest passerby winces, closing their eyes and raising their hands to cover their ears.

"Dabai. Be quiet."

Oops.

Bai Gaoxing doesn’t realize how powerful his voice is. Feeling embarrassed for disturbing others, he quickly huddles up, stops flapping his wings, and pretends nothing has happened.

Li Pu continues walking. 

Bai Gaoxing scans the surroundings and notices that the left side is all community greenery, which isn’t too interesting. He steps forward, trying to climb from Li Pu’s left shoulder to his right, hoping to get a better view of the park facilities on the other side. But as soon as he takes two steps, he feels a tug on his claws, slips, and nearly topples over.

Looking down, the silver chain around his ankle glints in the sunlight.

“Dabai, don’t move.” Li Pu notices the movement and lightly steadies him with his hand. 

Oh, right... I’m a little parrot now.

Bai Gaoxing chuckles to himself, adjusts his posture, and continues squatting quietly on Li Pu’s left shoulder.

What he doesn’t expect is that instead of heading to the park like last time, Li Pu walks straight to the underground garage. It really is a high-end community—luxury cars line the area, each with impressive license plates.

Excited, Bai Gaoxing watches as Li Pu approaches a sleek black domestic car, opens the door, and gets inside, rolling down the window and turning on the overhead lights.

Are we going to the supermarket? The mall? But don’t those places have a no-pet policy? Actually, the vegetable market would be nice! Though Li Pu doesn’t seem like the type to visit a vegetable market, it’s not impossible that he’s more down-to-earth than he seems, right?

But Bai Gaoxing is dreaming too beautifully. 

Li Pu places him on the passenger seat, then takes out his phone and starts sending a message. There is no next move.

What is this? What’s going on?

Bai Gaoxing can’t hold back any longer. He grasps the handbrake with one claw, staring intently at Li Pu. “Go——out——and——play——!” 

Then, under Li Pu’s puzzled gaze, Bai Gaoxing mutters fiercely, “Go out and play! Go out and play! I want to go out and play!”

He is losing it. “Don’t you want to go out and play?”

With no laptop, no phone, and stuck indoors, "I really want to go out and play!"

In the dim underground garage, the parrot’s voice echoes mechanically, with a slightly hollow tone. Its childlike quality, combined with the eerie atmosphere, could easily be mistaken for a scene out of a horror movie, especially if some creepy background music were added.

Just as Li Pu is about to say something, he notices a young girl walking past. She seems to be paying extra attention to them, constantly glancing over.

A fan? Li Pu guesses and rolls the car window down all the way. To his surprise, the girl’s eyes widen in fear, and she runs off screaming, “There’s a ghost——!!!”

Ghost? Where?! Bai Gaoxing is startled and frantically looks around.

“Dabai, stop it.” Li Pu gently pats Bai Gaoxing on the head, his voice filled with helplessness.

It becomes clear that the girl has heard Dabai's voice but freaked out when she realizes he is alone.

Bai Gaoxing quickly pieces together the situation, mutters a few words, and then falls silent again. 

Li Pu continues typing.

Under the warm light, the man lowers his gaze, his slender fingers tapping away, engaged in an enthusiastic conversation with someone.

Soon, the other party sends a video call request.

“Hello~ Long time no see.” A familiar voice echoes from the phone, and Bai Gaoxing takes a few seconds to recall who it is.

It is Peter Wang, Li Pu’s childhood friend—the one who sent him here.

The blonde youth appears on the screen, dressed in his usual flashy style. After a brief exchange with Li Pu, he shifts the conversation to Bai Gaoxing, “Where’s Dabai? Did you leave him at home?”

Li Pu angles the phone toward the passenger seat, and Bai Gaoxing’s silly face fills the screen. 

He cautiously leans in closer, only to hear Peter Wang’s laughter, “Dabai, you doing alright? I can’t believe he actually brought you along!”

Bai Gaoxing thinks about the sunflower seeds he’s eaten, the snacks he’s had to fight for, the cozy sofa, and the amusing robot vacuum. “Not bad,” he replies.

There is a stunned silence on the other side.

Sensing something is off, Bai Gaoxing quickly backtracks, pretending to be clueless. “Okay, okay! Good morning! Happy New Year! Hello!”

Peter Wang is floored. “Damn! You actually taught Dabai to say all that?”

Li Pu responds calmly, “I didn’t teach him. He picked it up on his own.”

Peter Wang’s eyes are wide with amazement. “Impressive... Dabai, come on, say ‘hello’? Can you do it?”

If you can't say it, it will be a shame for his major and the countries he has been to. Bai Gaoxing gives a cold, haughty look and responds in a perfect British accent, “Hello.”

Peter Wang is speechless for a while before muttering, “Damn.” 

Li Pu raises an eyebrow in amusement.

Peter Wang immediately covers his mouth. “Don’t learn this, Dabai.” He then glances at Bai Gaoxing, a look of fear on his face. 

Bai Gaoxing responds politely, “Thank you.” Of course, he will learn it.

For a while afterward, Bai Gaoxing half-listens to the two chatting and learns that Peter Wang is currently working in photography. He has been exploring this field domestically and has gained some fame from the works he brings back from abroad, taking on some magazine shoots.

“This time, I must be self-reliant! I can’t let my family help me,” the blond young man declares with determination.

“I wish you success,” Li Pu says pointedly. “Especially if they don’t know you’re back.”

Peter Wang grimaces. “That’s why I changed my name and kept a low profile this time. All the works I bring back are new.”

Bai Gaoxing quickly grasps that Peter Wang is likely a rich second-generation trying to break free from his family's control and achieve success on his own. 

Very ambitious.

Bai Gaoxing stops listening and focuses on examining his own face in the camera.

While at Li Pu’s house, he hasn’t had many opportunities to observe himself. The bathroom mirror is off-limits, and other reflective surfaces appear blurry. He can’t help but notice that, unlike ordinary parrots with sharp small eyes, his big eyes look quite cute. Plus, he is big and fluffy, sporting a unique tuft of gray feathers on his head that makes him resemble a plush toy.

His beak is gray, his claws match, and though the color scheme is simple, it is very harmonious.

Just as Bai Gaoxing admires his appearance, he realizes that he has captured Peter Wang's attention.

“Hey...” The blond man rubs his chin thoughtfully. “I’ve noticed that Dabai has a knack for the camera.” Suddenly, as if a light bulb goes off in his head, his eyes brighten. “How about you lend him to me for a shoot later?”

Author's Note:

Peter Wang: Damn!

Bai Gaoxing: Damn! (Learned it)

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