IBFAIBPMSH Chapter 30

It is now proven: you should never go against your master for no reason.

After being locked in the cage for half an hour to reflect, Bai Gaoxing feels down, his gaze repeatedly drifting to the mark on Li Pu’s lips.

He swears he only nipped gently!

Well, compared to his beak, the human mouth really is as fragile as cake...

Bai Gaoxing glances at his reflection in the mirror inside the cage. His beak is spotless, gleaming like polished glass. It really is quite a beautiful beak.

Meanwhile, Li Pu checks in the bathroom mirror. Sure enough, there’s a visible mark at the corner of his lips, but it hasn’t broken the skin and will probably fade soon enough.

He presses his fingers lightly against the spot. A brief burning sensation flares up but quickly fades away.

It’s definitely time to teach Dabai not to flutter around so carelessly.

Li Pu quickly runs through the changes in the parrot since it came into his home. He’s glad that Dabai has come out of his shell, but if things keep going like this, he fears it might get out of control.

Right now, Dabai should be reflecting on his actions. Knowing that Dabai doesn’t like being caged, Li Pu has been strict in locking him up this time.

When he steps out of the bathroom, he finds Dabai squawking loudly inside the cage.

Li Pu: "..."

Bai Gaoxing, quick to react, catches a glimpse of Li Pu’s approaching figure. He immediately snaps to attention, retracting his wings and lowering his head. "I was wrong!"

After saying that, he sneaks a glance at Li Pu’s face.

It looks a little stern, which makes him nervous.

But he still has to go through the motions.

"I want out! Let me out," he begs, leaning against the bars of the cage and acting pitiful. "Please~~~" His voice trails off dramatically.

He spreads his wings and curves them into a heart shape, then awkwardly raises a claw to form another heart, tilts his head, and winks.

Li Pu, however, just stands there, silently staring at him for a long moment before sighing and finally opening the cage door.

Hehe, I knew it! I made the right choice!

Once free, Bai Gaoxing crawls up into Li Pu’s lap, snuggling his head against his chest, feeling content.

After a few moments of peaceful silence, his thoughts wander back to the earlier phone call. He quietly peeks up at Li Pu.

In his line of sight, the man is completely engrossed in the script he’s holding, as if nothing else in the world could distract him.

After a long internal debate, Bai Gaoxing finally makes up his mind. He gently places a claw on Li Pu’s hand. "Don’t go."

His voice is sincere and serious. To add credibility, he even uses his usual excuse, "Play with me."

Li Pu, deep in thought over the lines in his script, absentmindedly strokes Bai Gaoxing’s feathers. "Mm-hmm."

Bai Gaoxing: "...So dismissive!"

But this is also reassuring.

The ever-successful Li, the movie star, really is remarkable!

...

Unbeknownst to the people involved, Li Pu’s fans, who have noticed the clues, are already on the case. They’re determined to track down every detail.

Their plan? Wait for the suspicious account, which they believe to be Li Pu’s, to go live again. They’re sure they can catch the subtle details, follow the trail, and finally reveal the truth!

But what they don’t expect is that after organizing several waves of people to take turns watching, the account called "Dabai" on Firefly Live doesn’t go online. It’s as if the account has vanished from the platform, cut off from the world.

【Could it be... that Li Pu realized we found out and decided to lay low?】

【Unlikely,】 someone reasons logically, 【Even though Li Pu rarely does variety shows or public appearances, he’s not the type to shy away from attention or popularity. It’s totally out of character for him to go into hiding over something so small. If he did, that would be seriously shocking.】

【...Why does it feel like you’re speaking in riddles?】

Despite all the speculation, the "Dabai" account on Firefly Live remains silent.

Just as many of Li Pu’s fans are beginning to think that the whole live-stream incident might blow over, two days later, a hot topic shoots up into the top three searches.

#Xinghuo President talks about the development prospects of Xinghuo Live#

As soon as the headline appears, it draws in curious netizens from all over, eager to watch. After all, this isn’t just any regular live-streaming platform—Xinghuo Live is a trendsetter, driving massive traffic across the country. And now, it seems poised for international expansion.

This means one thing: Xinghuo Live isn’t just targeting a Chinese audience anymore, but the entire world!

The potential for global traffic and popularity leaves everyone envious and excited.

During the press conference, Xinghuo’s president shares his vision: “My ideas have received a lot of support. Whether it’s a celebrity with an existing following or an ordinary person with a dream, I believe there’s infinite potential in everyone. We’ve already started expanding overseas, and I’m confident we’ll see the results soon…”

In this age of booming internet and online traffic, many who dream of internet stardom are thrilled at the prospect of better opportunities just around the corner!

People who tune in notice that the broadcast isn’t just limited to the conference. It also includes self-recorded messages from various celebrities.

There are fresh young stars, rising female actors, and diligent industry veterans... But the two most eye-catching videos come from actress Hou Ying and the popular “empress of Transformation” Tian Xin, known for her villainous roles.

In her video, Hou Ying is seated on a sofa, smiling as she expresses how honored she feels to be part of this live-streaming revolution, adding that she hopes to see Xinghuo in foreign markets soon. She even promises to recommend it to her overseas friends during her next movie shoot abroad.

However, it’s her next sentence that really catches everyone's attention.

The beautiful, pure-looking woman blinks and makes a gesture as if sharing a secret, “If Xinghuo can manage to get the hardest-to-invite person to do a live stream, then their dream of going global would be halfway fulfilled~”

There’s definitely something hidden in her words!

People suddenly feel energized. Who could this so-called "hardest-to-invite person" be? It’s obvious—Li Pu!

In the year when Xinghuo Live is at its peak, Xinghuo Company signs contracts with nearly all the influential stars in the entertainment industry, and that includes Li Pu. At that time, Li Pu had only just started acting, but he’s already showing signs of future stardom. To support his development, the company signs a deal with Xinghuo.

The CEO of Xinghuo is overjoyed, thinking he can ride on Li Pu’s coattails to fame!

However—

The CEO, while watching the live stream, sees that the account’s total stream time is 0 and the number of works is also 0. He’s so distressed that several blisters form at the corners of his mouth.

Even now, after Li Pu has won the title of Best Actor, he has yet to grace their platform even once.

It’s frustrating. The CEO, who is in his forties, can’t understand—wasn’t this the age of the internet? Shouldn’t young people be surfing the web? Li Pu is only in his twenties; why does he have no interest at all?

This confusion only deepens after Lei Li helps Li Pu turn down an invitation a couple of days ago.

The second video comes from Tian Xin.

She speaks right after Hou Ying. Her appearance and demeanor match her name—very sweet and a bit delicate, despite frequently playing malicious supporting roles. Her acting skills are top-notch, which earns her quite a bit of fame amidst the netizens’ good-natured teasing.

Tian Xin sits on another sofa, sharing a smile with Hou Ying before turning her gaze to the camera, beaming as she says, “Teacher Li has been quite elusive lately, but when he comes back, he might surprise everyone!”

That sounds a bit like a promotional statement.

Often, stars who have good relationships casually mention each other’s upcoming works, but Tian Xin and Li Pu aren’t particularly close in the public eye—far less than the connection between Hou Ying and Li Pu. Her comments prompt the public to start speculating about what this surprise could be.

Would he come back looking more handsome? Adopting a pet? Or perhaps finding a partner?

Except for the first possibility, the latter two seem more shocking.

Meanwhile, in the conference’s Live streaming room, the two women who have just finished recording their videos step into the corridor to chat.

“Sister Yingying, have you seen the parrot that Teacher Li raised?” Tian Xin asks, looking at Hou Ying in surprise.

“I did!” Hou Ying nods, covering her mouth as she whispers, “The last time I saw him, he mentioned it… I thought he was just kidding me…”

Hou Ying chuckles, “He wouldn’t joke about something like that; he couldn’t possibly think of those excuses.”

Tian Xin is extremely curious, “What kind of parrot is it? Is it pretty? Why doesn’t Teacher Li show it to us? It's so frustrating!”

Hou Ying thinks for a moment. “It’s beautiful, and very smart.” After saying this, she shoots a meaningful glance at Tian Xin. “As for when we might see it, I guess… it might be soon?”

...

The parrot they’re discussing is lounging at home, watching TV.

The afternoon sun pours in warmly, creating a cozy spot on the sofa so inviting that it makes one’s eyes heavy.

On the screen, a middle-aged man speaks animatedly in front of the interview camera. “Me? I usually play on Xinghuo. It’s really interesting.”

Next comes a young female student. “Well, I can’t stop, but it’s mainly for learning~ Our teacher even gave a lecture on Xinghuo. At that time, the online class didn’t lag at all. I think Xinghuo’s server is very strong,” she says, gesturing to the camera.

“If it can connect to international networks? Of course, we'd welcome that! There are so many international friends on Xinghuo now,” says a fashionable woman.

The interviewer asks several children, all of whom are familiar with “Xinghuo.” When they wave goodbye, they make sure to say, “Kids, remember to watch videos for a shorter time! Protect your eyes!”

“……”

Bai Gaoxing knows that Xinghuo is the largest and most powerful platform, but he hasn’t realized that it has become the leader in Live streaminging. He feels a wave of relief wash over him that he hasn’t chosen Xinghuo for his previous live stream. After all, it’s Li Pu's contracted account; if he goes live there, the whole world would see it immediately.

The pure white parrot flaps its wings and sighs deeply.

At this moment, the living room is completely silent.

Since it’s just him, the bird, he dares to switch the TV to the Live streaming channel. Bai Gaoxing tosses the remote aside and walks to the balcony, looking down at the empty street below.

Recently, Li Pu has been going out more often.

Though he has reduced his time spent in a daze, it feels excessive to leave his pet at home so frequently. Yet, Bai Gaoxing understands; Li Pu always returns with a few books, stamped with the seal of “Jiangcheng Central Library.”

The books mostly cover various aspects of ancient times—clothing, systems, customs. It’s clear he is preparing for work.

Very dedicated.

Bai Gaoxing has forgotten when Li Pu is scheduled to shoot his next movie, but it will be soon. Once Li Pu leaves, he can be more unrestrained—no, he can surf the Internet freely!

It’s still early, and today is the weekend. Based on the past few days, Li Pu will probably return this evening.

Bai Gaoxing glances at the two boxes of food in his cage; he has no appetite. So, he wanders back to the study.

Before long, he turns on the computer.

Bai Gaoxing feels a bit nervous; it has been several days since he last went online. He wonders how his latest post has fared... He hopes to gain more viewers and fans, but he also desperately wants things to remain quiet. It’s quite contradictory.

While pondering, he carefully opens the Firefly Live streaming, but before he can check the messages, a pop-up window suddenly appears.

It’s filled with a flurry of text and a very appealing icon.

BUG? Terms of Service?

Bai Gaoxing notices a few words and is about to read them carefully when he hears a burst of cursing outside the window—something he hasn’t heard in the past few days. He pauses for a moment, then can’t help but turn to the living room to see what’s happening.

On the desktop, the one-minute countdown in the pop-up window is rapidly ticking down.

…

“You—if you have the guts—come down here!”

As soon as Bai Gaoxing enters the living room, he recognizes a familiar, smoke-like voice roaring outside.

However, the voice, which used to be full of energy, now sounds somewhat weak.

He jumps onto a shelf on the balcony and looks down. There’s no mahogany birdcage in sight. It must have been taken away a long time ago because the weather has started to heat up recently.

Bai Gaoxing shakes his feathered crest and chirps, “Xiao Guai?”

“Which ** is calling my name?”

“Ha ha.” Bai Gaoxing sneers, “I heard you’ve been too afraid of the heat to come out lately?”

“……”

There’s no response.

Bai Gaoxing is puzzled. “Hey, hey?”

A weak voice replies, “Of course not... So annoying, it’s none of your business!”

Bai Gaoxing feels helpless. He wants to chat with the starling some more, but there’s no response at all.

He then flies back to the study.

At that moment, the pop-up window has already disappeared.

Bai Gaoxing searches around for a while but doesn’t see anything unusual, so he can only give up in confusion.

He clicks on the message notification and is startled by the overwhelming number of likes.

Ten, hundred, thousand... Whoa! There are actually 220,000 likes!

Bai Gaoxing feels a bubbling happiness inside, but then he notices something seems subtly different.

Is the Firefly Live interface always this bright red?

He squints and observes it for a while, suddenly recalling that a conference is coming up, and he understands instantly: everyone must be excited! Various platforms are responding to the call.

Bai Gaoxing shrugs off his doubts and happily clicks into the Live streaming room.

However—what Bai Gaoxing doesn’t know is that in the minute he had missed, the two live streaming platforms had completed an irreversible data exchange.

As Lei Li has mentioned before, Firefly Live belongs to the Xinghuo Live Platform, and the accounts on Firefly Live are naturally associated with the Xinghuo Live Platform.

But that’s far from the end of it.

Xinghuo Live Platform automatically collects data from associated accounts and quickly identifies works whose popularity has surged far beyond average levels.

It intercepts these accounts and checks whether they exist on the Xinghuo Live Platform.

If the account belongs to a contracted author, the contract allows for automatic association with the platform.

The pop-up window earlier was a friendly notification: “Dear, your popularity has reached the conditions required by the contract. Firefly Live will automatically associate and transfer you to Xinghuo Live. If you do not refuse within 60 seconds, it will be deemed as consent.”

So, at the moment Bai Gaoxing opens the Live streaming room, all mobile phones following Li Pu's account receive a notification from Xinghuo Live.

【The account you follow, @Li Pu, is currently live!】

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