IBFAIBPMSH Chapter 19

"Knock, knock, knock."

The door gets knocked several times again. The person outside seems very confused as to why the owner of this house is not at home after ordering takeout. He raises his voice: "Hello, your delivery!"

"Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong." Then comes a series of doorbell rings. Bai Gaoxing can almost imagine the delivery guy's impatience as he hurries, eager enough to tear the door down.

It will be too late if he doesn't do something soon.

Bai Gaoxing jumps up to the hook by the door. Thinking it is too close, he steps back to the bathroom door and imitates Li Pu's voice: "Just leave it outside. I'm..."

He glances around. The toilet is pristine white. "I'm using the bathroom."

He lowers his voice, "It's a bit inconvenient."

His voice isn't low enough, and he even coughs a few times, sounding like someone who is overexerting himself, falling into an embarrassing situation.

The atmosphere outside instantly relaxes—Bai Gaoxing, with his sharp sixth sense as a bird, swears that the delivery guy must understand or empathize. After all, using the bathroom is a daily necessity.

"Okay, I'll put it at the door. Remember to take it," the delivery boy says, and the footsteps quickly fade away.

Bai Gaoxing goes to the screen by the door and presses the button to check the footage outside. From this angle, he can see the bulging, branded bag hanging on the doorknob, swaying slightly...

Bai Gaoxing can't help but want to cover his face. He forgot to tell the delivery boy to put it in a hidden place! Hanging it here is simply a clear sign to Li Pu that something is very wrong!

In his mind, he can't help but picture Li Pu's face turning as dark as iron when he returns, his cautious expression, and then calling the police to have Bai taken away to a lab for research—

NO!

Bai Gaoxing squats down on the floor in sorrow, his wings limp, looking utterly defeated.

The only silver lining is that the food is still edible, even cold...

No, no, now he should be thinking about how to explain things when Li Pu comes back.

But it isn't time to give up yet.

Bai Gaoxing focuses his energy into his dantian, flutters up, grabs the door handle, and hangs upside down!

Failed.

No, it isn't working; he can't budge it at all.

He overestimates the strength of a parrot. Even a large parrot's power is only in its beak.

Then he just needs to create a force similar to wrist movement, or use something heavier to press down the door handle, and then knock the door open in an instant—well, he never wants to be a dog so much.

So all kinds of methods are used, but the door doesn't move at all.

After a moment of frustration, Bai Gaoxing’s eyes twitch slightly. Then, he glances sharply at the phone on top of the cage.

As long as it looks like it’s the innocent mistake of a parrot, everything will be fine, right?

…

"I didn’t expect you to be so anxious that you even forgot to bring your phone. That’s really unlike you," Lei Li laughs when she hears Li Pu’s explanation about leaving his phone at home. "Can I say that this little one has been quite helpful for your 'condition'?"

Li Pu doesn’t respond.

Lei Li’s gaze softens. "If that’s the case, then I can safely give you a new task."

As Li Pu’s agent, Lei Li understands his situation well. While he hasn’t been diagnosed with a “mental illness,” his immersive acting style is like walking a tightrope, something that frightens her.

People like him can be considered geniuses, but they also teeter on the edge of danger. Method acting, in his case, means the potential for either brilliance—or disaster.

"Director Sun's shoot has been moved up by a week, so you need to report in a month. In a few days, there’s a promotion event in another city you need to attend—consider it a business trip. There are also a few variety shows... I know you rarely appear on them, but some of these have been especially popular lately. And after hearing you have a parrot, I think this one could suit you perfectly." She points to an invitation with her red-tipped index finger: Cute Pet Diary.

"This variety show has been trending lately. It’s very popular, and a lot of artists are trying to get on it. All you need to do is bring your pet, chat, and act cute. Some people even hire trainers to make their pets behave perfectly for the cameras," Lei Li explains the perks directly, her tone light and breezy. "You won’t have to embarrass yourself, it won’t damage your image, and you can brand yourself as an animal lover. Plenty of stars have signed up for it."

Li Pu remains calm: "I didn’t sign up."

"Mm~" Lei Li nods, as if she expects this. "I figured you'd be too attached to your little cutie at home. There’s definitely some risk with this show. Pets without any stage experience might get stressed. Only star pets—the ones used to flashbulbs, cameras, applause, and shouting—can stay composed on stage."

"In the first few episodes, that’s exactly what happened. A few pets came off the show not doing so well. But the show improves its filming process and now provides pre-show training for the pets to help them acclimate. It’s much better now."

After saying so much, Lei Li feels a bit parched. She sips her water before continuing, "Anyway, if you’re not interested, forget it. Just thought I’d mention it."

It’s just a casual suggestion, after all.

With that, Lei Li calls over Mei Youshu to report on some progress and emphasizes again, "Don’t forget to participate in the promotional activities."

Li Pu pauses for a moment. "I won’t forget, but..."

"But what?"

"Dabai can’t stay home alone."

"Not even for two days?" Lei Li asks.

"I’m worried he’ll bump into things."

"What about leaving him in a cage?"

Li Pu considers for a moment. "I’ve never tried it. Besides, Dabai doesn’t like cages."

Lei Li frowns slightly. She knows Li Pu's situation. With no family nearby, having someone come to the house to feed the bird runs the risk of leaking information or theft—it has happened more than once, so that isn’t an option. As for trusted friends…

"Where’s your childhood friend?"

"He is busy too."

Those four words crush the last glimmer of hope.

It is understandable; everyone has their own things to deal with.

Lei Li nods inwardly. After all, she herself has pulled several all-nighters lately; no amount of face masks can make up for it. Li Pu’s schedule is packed to the extreme, to the point where he barely has time to catch his breath. The new assistant she trusts the most has just graduated and is assigned to a rookie. As for the remaining trustworthy people... none of them seem available.

Wait, there is one.

"Dashu, I remember you don’t need to attend the promotional event, right?"

Mei Youshu blinks in surprise, then nods. "Yes, I have something to take care of here first..."

"Perfect." Lei Li snaps her fingers. "You can go feed Li Pu’s bird."

Mei Youshu shudders at the mention of the word "bird." "Sister Li, I don’t—"

"An extra hundred dollars for each visit," Lei Li interrupts, casting a glance his way. "You’ll only need to go twice—just to add some food. You’re not moving in."

"I…"

"Two hundred?"

"This..."

"Five hundred, take it or leave it."

"I’ll do it!"

Mei Youshu quickly surrenders to the bribe, clutching the documents in his arms tightly, his eyes sparkling with determination. "Brother Li’s bird is my bird. Don’t worry, Brother Li! I’ll treat it like a king!"

Lei Li: "..."

Li Pu: "..."

And so, the bird-sitting service is arranged.

After leaving the company, Li Pu heads home at a pace that nearly triggers the speed cameras. He can’t help but rush—worried that Dabai might have caused some kind of mischief again. Although Dabai has been behaving well recently, Li Pu has a nagging feeling that, given Dabai's intelligence, it is only a matter of time before something outrageous happens.

Hopefully, the phone has been turned off before Dabai finds it.

But things never go as planned.

As Li Pu steps out of the elevator, he sees a plastic bag hanging from the handle of his front door.

It is unmistakable—takeout.

Suspicion fills Li Pu’s eyes. At work, only his agent and assistant know his address. As for his neighbors, he isn’t familiar with them, except for the old man downstairs…

He doesn’t seem like the type to order fast food.

Li Pu approaches the door, staring at the three letters on the bag. After a moment of hesitation, he takes it off, exhales deeply, and unlocks the door. The house is peaceful, with sunlight pouring into the living room, illuminating a dozing parrot on the sofa.

Li Pu lets out a sigh of relief.

He hangs the takeout on the shelf by the door, then goes to the cage to retrieve his phone. Focused on his task, Li Pu doesn’t notice that the parrot, who should be sleeping on the sofa, has quietly opened one eye.

Unfortunately, the phone screen is still on; but fortunately, no call has been made to 110.

As Li Pu checks his phone, he notices faint claw marks on the screen, likely from Dabai’s dusty feet after playing in the flower pot on the balcony. A couple of apps have been moved, and several others are running in the background. Nothing too serious. He casually swipes through, closing unnecessary apps, but pauses when he reaches the takeout app.

It reads, "Your order has been delivered. Don't forget to leave a good review, dear~"

Li Pu glances calmly at the big white parrot on the sofa.

Bai Gaoxing quickly tucks his head under his wings, pretending to be fast asleep.

The parrot has actually figured out how to order takeout.

Amused, Li Pu thinks that if he ever sends Dabai to school, he might end up working at a TV station.

But he shrugs it off as a coincidence. If he hadn’t accidentally left his phone at home, none of this happens.

From his perch on the sofa, Bai Gaoxing watches Li Pu pocket his phone and head into the bedroom without saying a word.

Feeling he has successfully distracted him, Bai Gaoxing stretches, easing the stiffness from pretending to sleep. He lounges around for a while but eventually grows curious when Li Pu doesn’t come out of the bedroom for a long time.

What on earth is he doing!?

Peeking into the bedroom, he sees Li Pu with half his body buried in the closet. A medium-sized suitcase lies open on the floor, neatly packed with clothes.

Bai Gaoxing feels a wave of unease. Though Li Pu has said he won’t send him away, his current actions suggest otherwise. Where is he going? Will he be taking him along? Or leaving him behind? The thought of being sent to someone else’s house doesn’t sit well.

Li Pu notices the nervous parrot pacing by the door. Putting down the clothes he is folding, he crouches and gently scratches the side of Bai Gaoxing's face. "What's wrong?"

After a moment of thought, Bai Gaoxing says, "Going out to play? I’ll come too."

Li Pu chuckles. "I’m heading out in a few days, but I can’t take you with me."

So it is just a short trip.

Relieved, Bai Gaoxing’s feathers smooth out. He gives Li Pu's finger a light peck, not too hard.

Evening comes.

In preparation for his upcoming promotional activities, Li Pu reads messages from the publicity team while coordinating with his assistant on various details, eating his meal absent-mindedly.

As for the takeout, after catching Dabai trying to sneak a peek inside the bag, he stores it in the fridge.

When Li Pu finishes eating, he realizes that Dabai hasn’t tried to steal any food this time. Instead, the parrot is quietly munching on food in its cage. A box of millet has been emptied, and half of the hanging cereal snacks are gone too.

It is time for some fruit.

Li Pu goes to the kitchen, slices an apple, and holds a piece out toward the cage door. The parrot quickly turns its head and hops onto his arm without hesitation.

The parrot's flexible claws grip the apple in his hand, and it eats piece by piece without dropping any pulp.

Very good, very well-behaved.

Li Pu recalls his agent's evaluation of Dabai, which is entirely consistent with his own observations.

He takes out the parrot toys he bought earlier—a basketball hoop and a small basketball—and tries to teach Dabai how to play. To his surprise, the parrot picks it up after just a few attempts. It seems too simple, and soon Dabai is just holding the ball and playing by himself. When he grows tired, he flies to the bedroom to sleep. Truly, he is a model pet for contemporary pet owners.

But it is strange. Li Pu ponders for a moment in the moonlit living room, wondering if his parrot is feeling unwell from eating too much. He decides to observe Dabai for a day; if the parrot is still listless tomorrow, he will take him to the pet hospital.

With that thought in mind, Li Pu walks into the bedroom, removes his coat, and sits on the bed. Just as he is about to lift the quilt, he is startled to see a large white ball lying next to his pillow.

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