Chapter 18
That afternoon, “Grieving Widower” trended alongside “lcberg” on the hot search. Even Luo Huoxi’s attempt to reclaim attention with expensive donations to Si Jingce was overshadowed—he paid a fortune just to be ignored.
The grieving widower himself wasn’t in the mood to look at trending topics. After ending his stream on time, he welcomed the doctor who had come to examine Yan Yan.
The doctor’s surname was Chen. He was a well-known pet expert in the country and an old friend of Gui Yaying.
As soon as he walked in, he got straight to the point. “Let me see your pearl bird.”
Si Jingce took Yan Yan out of his hoodie hood. “Thank you for coming.”
The little bird had just napped and looked slightly better than earlier.
Yan Yan’s condition came in waves, draining Si Jingce physically and emotionally.
“Yan Yan, right?” Dr. Chen extended his hand toward the bird. “Let me have a look.”
Yan Yan doubted this human doctor would actually figure out what was wrong with him.
He turned and glanced at Si Jingce.
The dark circles under the man’s eyes were heavy—he clearly hadn’t slept well in days.
Yan Yan sighed.
Fine, let the doctor take a look.
He stepped forward. Dr. Chen gently lifted his left wing, then the right.
“It’s hard to explain over the phone. Do you know of any other unusual symptoms? Tell me everything,” said Dr. Chen.
Si Jingce hesitated, leaving out the part about once being able to hear Yan Yan speak, but shared all other abnormalities.
“The symptoms started after he drank alcohol—weakness, drowsiness, even his chirps became fewer. But the last vet said it might be a mating period.”
Dr. Chen took notes in his notebook. “Anything else?”
Si Jingce thought carefully.
“The night he drank, he was fine for a while, but things got much worse the next day,” he said. “Also, he really likes eating human food.”
Dr. Chen raised a hand to stop him. “Let’s hold off on that last point. He might just be greedy.”
Yan Yan: …
Is it wrong to enjoy human food?!
Si Jingce added, “He ate almost half a bowl of rice yesterday.”
Dr. Chen: “Okay, now that’s really concerning.”
After examining Yan Yan again, Dr. Chen seemed to have an idea. “I can say with certainty: Yan Yan is in his mating season—but something’s gone abnormal.”
“It’s hard to explain this mutation, but you can think of it like growing pains.”
It was a condition seen during childhood development in humans—unclear in cause—but more and more animals had been showing similar symptoms in recent years.
“They can’t express it in words, but the sensation is like their bones growing rapidly inside their body, piercing through flesh and muscle, creating intense pain. Without a proper ‘release,’ they die in agony.”
“But if they experience a single successful ‘release,’ their survival rate increases significantly.”
Yan Yan blinked.
This doctor actually kind of knew his stuff.
So he’d already survived the hardest part?
Si Jingce, still confused, asked, “What exactly is this release? What happens if it works? Is there a treatment?”
He fired off three questions in a row, but Dr. Chen only shook his head.
“I’ve been to many places and studied many animals with this kind of growing pain,” he said. “All I’ve found are ways to relieve the pain. As for curing it…”
Dr. Chen shrugged.
“But the good news is, it’s not always fatal. The only one I’ve seen survive it… was a bird.”
He’d only seen it once in all his years.
Dr. Chen explained, “One of my students came to me in a panic—one of their raptors had this condition. It was given a death sentence, but it pulled through.”
“I don’t know what exactly happened. The student never told me.”
He looked sincerely apologetic. “But I saw the bird not long ago—it’s doing great.”
These words didn’t comfort Si Jingce.
At the end of the day, Yan Yan’s chances of dying were still high.
“I know it’s hard to hear, but you should start preparing mentally,” said Dr. Chen, patting his shoulder as he got ready to leave. “Give him more electrolyte water for now. The rest is up to him.”
He sighed. “Honestly, these efforts may be in vain. Try to make his last days happy.”
Si Jingce’s mind buzzed. His throat wouldn’t produce a sound.
It took a long time before he composed himself and asked, “You said… only one survived.”
“If you want, I can put you in touch with my student,” Dr. Chen understood his intent.
Si Jingce nodded. “Please. I’d appreciate it.”
For Yan Yan, he’d try anything.
After seeing Dr. Chen out, Si Jingce felt like he was walking with weights strapped to him. He dragged himself back home and made Yan Yan some electrolyte water.
His chest felt bound by rope, his thoughts rusty, and his mind gradually stalled.
The little bird sipped the water obediently, and when Si Jingce tried to stroke him, he realized—his hand wouldn’t lift.
He had never truly considered the possibility of Yan Yan dying.
Pearl birds don’t live long—ten years at most—but they’d only been together for six months.
And all he could do was watch this lively bird get worse by the day, the once-warm body growing cold and still.
Yan Yan finished the water in the bottle cap and flapped his wings and claws. To his surprise, he felt a bit stronger again.
He looked up at Si Jingce—who was sitting on the couch in a daze, completely broken.
If he didn’t turn human soon, his human might break first.
With no way to communicate, Yan Yan could only curl up in Si Jingce’s palm to comfort him.
Please wait a little longer. I’ll keep trying.
After petting the soft little bird, Si Jingce felt a little better.
Yan Yan had started growing new feathers on his head recently. Si Jingce gently scratched them, making the bird tilt sideways in bliss.
A little shake, and down feathers flurried around him like snow, fluffing him up nicely.
“Feeling better now?” Si Jingce asked softly.
He was feeling way better!
The pain was easing, and the chaotic energy in his body was settling.
Yan Yan nodded eagerly.
With a helpless smile, Si Jingce picked him up again, stroking his feathers.
Unfortunately, this would only ease his pain temporarily.
In this last stretch of time, he wanted to do more for Yan Yan.
He brought the bird into the study. A few days ago, he’d bought crocheting tools online, and Bo Bo Mei had sent over a detailed tutorial.
His slender fingers picked up the crochet needle and yarn, following the instructions step by step.
He wanted to make a little scarf for Yan Yan—as a keepsake.
After drinking the electrolyte water, Yan Yan was full of energy. He nibbled at random things, and when he tired out, he lay in the pile of yarn, watching Si Jingce crochet.
The yarn beneath him was soft. He slowly synced his breath to its rhythm…
It felt like something was about to click, like he was close to breaking through.
Realizing this, Yan Yan chirped excitedly and turned his gaze to the acrylic box on the desk.
The acrylic box had been used to store seeds, but worried that the little bird might accidentally hurt himself on the sharp pins, Si Jingce had moved it aside.
Now it sat unused.
A small square box with ventilation holes—if he turned it into a nest…
Uh-oh, instinct was kicking in.
His primal urges activated. Yan Yan stared at the box, then began dragging coconut fiber inside, little by little.
He made a base layer with coconut husk, then added a thick layer of cotton, wrapping himself up evenly.
A cozy little nest was born!
Yan Yan stepped on the soft cotton with his claws, proudly chirping, “Chirp chirp cheep!”
Come in here and lie down with me, human!
But soon, he realized something was wrong.
The box was too small. Si Jingce was too big.
He’d have to build a much larger nest that could fit his human.
How many coconut fibers would that take…
Standing there, he eyed Si Jingce’s frame and roughly estimated.
Well, once I become human for real, I’ll build a big nest.
Hearing the chirps, Si Jingce set his crochet down and scratched Yan Yan’s peachy cheeks, glancing at the nest in the acrylic box and sincerely praising, “It looks great.”
Hehe… scratch me more.
Yan Yan lifted his head, his short tail feathers wagging faster.
Wait—?!
His tail feathers suddenly froze, and the pearl bird went stiff.
Male pearl birds build nests and invite females in to lay eggs.
They also wag their tails during courtship to impress the bird they like…
Yan Yan: !!
Did I just… court my human?!
Thanks for the translation!