It’s So Noisy, A Friend Gave Me a Pearl Bird – CH29

Chapter 29

The dining room fell into a terrifying silence.

Everyone was stunned speechless by Si Jingce’s blunt and almost reckless coming-out.

He sat there, his gaze sweeping across every face before finally settling on Doctor Chen.

“My relationship with Yanyan is none of your business, and certainly not something you get to bring up in front of my parents.”

Doctor Chen forced a smile. “Young Master Si, that’s not what I meant…”

From the head seat, Si De suddenly frowned. “What nonsense is this? Have you lost your mind?”

“These kids nowadays are too sensitive,” Doctor Chen said, relieved, easing his tone. “I just don’t often see two boys so close, so I found it novel…”

Si De could no longer tolerate it. He turned to Doctor Chen and cut him off, “I was talking about you.”

The smile finally slipped from Doctor Chen’s face. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

The room once again sank into silence.

No matter how strained Si De’s relationship with his son was, it didn’t mean he would side with an outsider.

And this was a family matter.

Besides, both Si De and Gui Yaying were sharp enough to recognize deliberate provocation.

Realizing his mistake, Doctor Chen quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, I spoke out of turn.”

“You should be apologizing to me and to Yanyan,” Si Jingce leaned back slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Was it really a slip of the tongue—or intentional? You know that better than anyone.”

“One should know when to stop. You provided a treatment plan for my zebra finch before—I was grateful.”

“And I’ve already returned that favor.”

Si Jingce let out a cold laugh. “But that doesn’t give you the right to leverage it to take my bird for research.”

Gui Yaying, who had maintained a gentle demeanor until now, finally turned her gaze toward Doctor Chen.

“You’re a veterinarian,” she said. “You should understand how important a pet is to someone.”

Doctor Chen wiped his sweat. “It’s not that serious. I just want to contribute something to society.”

Si Jingce said, “If you want to contribute, what exactly is your research direction? What’s your end goal?”

“Has your proposal been approved? Passed expert review?”

“If you’re seeking investment, you should at least complete the proper procedures so we can consider contracts and budgets.”

Doctor Chen fell silent.

“Or…” Si Jingce smiled faintly, “you haven’t even passed preliminary review—haven’t even met the requirements to establish the project?”

“It’s already in the approval process,” Doctor Chen said, avoiding his gaze. “It should be approved soon.”

Si Jingce gave a light “oh.” “So you’re pitching an unapproved project to my parents, hoping to sell them a fantasy for investment?”

Gui Yaying’s attitude turned firm. “I’m sorry, but I won’t be investing in this project.”

The moment he proposed taking Yanyan for research, her impression of him had already plummeted.

With his mother taking this stance, Si Jingce felt reassured.

“We’ve talked so long the food’s gone cold. Our family has standards—we don’t serve cold dishes to outsiders.”

He emphasized the word “outsiders.”

“Housekeeper, please see the guest out.”

The housekeeper immediately stepped forward and gestured politely.

Being asked to leave in the middle of a meal was utterly humiliating.

Doctor Chen’s lips pressed into a thin line, his face pale.

Yet neither Si De nor Gui Yaying made any move to intervene—they left it entirely to Si Jingce.

Doctor Chen forced a smile. “I’ve disturbed you today. I’ll come again next time to check on the cats.”

“No need,” Si De said. “Someone recently recommended another veterinarian to me—young and highly skilled. Doctor Chen, you should focus on your research.”

“Our family matters won’t take up your time.”

The housekeeper repeated, “Doctor Chen, this way please.”

Being thrown out of the Si family’s table like this—there was no need to guess his future prospects.

Doctor Chen cast one last unwilling glance at Si Jingce before finally leaving.

“You really can’t be too kind to outsiders,” Gui Yaying sighed. “It makes them push their luck.”

Over the years, she had introduced Doctor Chen to many wealthy pet owners. Outside, he had long been associated with the Si family’s name.

“It’s better to cut ties early,” Si De snorted. “Otherwise, if he does something unethical in the future, it could implicate our family.”

“Let’s eat. The food’s getting cold.”

But no one moved their chopsticks.

Yanyan glanced left and right, then quietly reached toward the ham.

He sensed the heavy atmosphere, hesitated, and ultimately lowered his head to eat plain rice instead.

A piece of ham was placed into his bowl.

Then more followed—everything Yanyan liked.

Soon, his bowl was piled into a small mountain.

Seeing it was enough, Si Jingce set down his chopsticks and said softly, “Eat.”

Yanyan looked up, puzzled, glancing at Si De and Gui Yaying.

They had been watching him intently, but the moment he looked up, they quickly looked away.

Yanyan: OVO?

Wh… what’s going on?

After the meal, Gui Yaying smiled as she stopped Yanyan, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and asking the housekeeper to take him out first. “There are still some pastries at home. Go with the housekeeper and pack some to take back for a late-night snack.”

Yanyan followed the housekeeper in a daze.

Si De paced back and forth in the living room with his hands behind his back, veins bulging on his neck, clearly on the verge of exploding.

Gui Yaying urged him to sit down first.

She poured him a cup of tea. Si De took it, then looked up at Si Jingce, who was standing nearby.

After draining the cup in one go, Si De slammed it heavily onto the table and pointed at his son. “Kneel!”

Without a word, Si Jingce grabbed a cushion from the sofa, placed it on the floor, and knelt down.

“Don’t rush, talk things through calmly,” Gui Yaying said, patting his back to soothe him.

Blood rushed to his head, turning Si De’s face red with anger. He glared fiercely at Si Jingce. “Don’t you have anything to say to us?”

He had already said everything he needed to.

Now that Doctor Chen was dealt with, it was time to talk about Si Jingce’s orientation.

Still, Si De’s reaction was even stronger than he had expected.

Si Jingce straightened his back. “I’ve said it already. This is who I am. I won’t change.”

Si De hurled a cushion straight at his face!

“You will shut down that livestream immediately!”

“You’ve only been out for a few years and already gone astray! Who knows what nonsense you’ve been exposed to through streaming—you’ve even started messing around with men!”

He breathed heavily, his ears buzzing. “How old is that Yanyan?!”

Si Jingce fell silent.

In bird years… about one.

In human terms…

“Eighteen.”

“You still dare say that!” Another cushion flew at his face. “Did you take advantage of him being young and clueless and trick him into bed?!”

Si Jingce froze for a moment, realizing there was a misunderstanding.

“I’m not with him.”

Si De shouted in disbelief, “You slept with him and won’t take responsibility?!”

Si Jingce: …

“Calm down, calm down,” Gui Yaying quickly intervened. “I’ll ask.”

Si De took a deep breath and simply shut his eyes, refusing to look at him.

Gui Yaying stared at Si Jingce and asked again, “You’re really not together?”

“No.”

“…At a time like this, don’t learn from your father’s stubbornness. Really not?”

“I’m not being stubborn. We’re really not together.”

She couldn’t get anything more out of him.

Gui Yaying exchanged a glance with Si De, rubbing her temples in frustration. “So you feed each other, sleep in the same bed, hug and cuddle—and yet you’re not together?”

Si Jingce: “…Right.”

What happened in the garden had already been reported to her by the housekeeper.

That level of intimacy hardly looked like they weren’t dating.

They fell into a stalemate. Si De’s anger eased somewhat. “Hmph, this is all because of that streaming job!”

“Don’t bring his job into this right now,” Gui Yaying said irritably.

She lifted her chin, signaling Si Jingce to get up. “We’re not against you liking men. We just hope you’re sincere—don’t fall in love with just anyone. Be responsible to your partner, and to yourself.”

“Yanyan is still young. You should know your limits—what you should and shouldn’t do.”

“And…” she hesitated, “I normally wouldn’t interfere in your relationships, but because of what happened before, we still need to understand the other person’s background.”

She looked at him, words left unsaid.

Yanyan had too many suspicious points—no parents, not in school, appearing out of nowhere beside Si Jingce.

“I know,” Si Jingce said.

How could he not know Yanyan’s background?

A clingy, mischievous, food-loving little zebra finch.

Legally an adult, but in truth still just a baby bird that needed careful care.

Gui Yaying sighed. “I won’t interfere with your relationship. Go back early.”

Si Jingce: …

He really wasn’t in a relationship.

…

Yanyan brought back everything Gui Yaying had packed, stuffing the fridge full.

While tidying up and eating at the same time, he didn’t forget to eavesdrop on Si Jingce’s phone call with Xiao Li.

Si Jingce quickly recounted everything that had happened today.

The person on the other end choked for a moment in shock. “He actually went to you?”

“He went to you too?” Si Jingce asked.

Xiao Li replied awkwardly, “No, but I know he wants to restart his research—and I know his project approval got stuck.”

The fewer people who knew about the mutation period, the better. But papers published years ago had likely given Doctor Chen a general direction.

Being stuck like this was frustrating. And with Xiao Li’s student surpassing him, Doctor Chen had grown even more desperate.

“Good thing you didn’t agree to invest today,” Xiao Li said with lingering fear.

If the Si family had supported him, no amount of interference from Xiao Li would have mattered.

“Alright, I more or less understand the situation. I’ll arrange for someone to handle it,” Xiao Li said. “Just keep an eye on Yanyan. Don’t let him be alone.”

In recent years, more and more animals had entered mutation periods.

If Doctor Chen couldn’t target Yanyan, he would simply find an easier target.

Xiao Li sighed. “Didn’t I tell you before? I made five calls—only you answered.”

Si Jingce remembered. The script really had sounded like a scam…

“A bit of caution is good. I’m just worried some people might panic and hand over pets they’ve raised for years without thinking,” Xiao Li said with a laugh.

After repeatedly reminding him to keep a close watch on Yanyan, Xiao Li hung up.

But a heavy weight settled in Si Jingce’s chest.

He looked up at Yanyan.

The boy had already eaten his fill, changed into pajamas, and was lying on the fluffy carpet hugging a plush toy while playing on his phone.

The room was warm, his cheeks flushed, his hair slightly messy.

Sensing Si Jingce’s gaze, the boy looked over with bright, watery eyes, long lashes trembling slightly, and smiled sweetly at him.

“Yanyan,” Si Jingce called. “Come here.”

Yanyan didn’t ask why. He trotted over eagerly.

Just as he reached him, his wrist was suddenly caught. With a light pull, he was dragged into Si Jingce’s arms.

Their bodies pressed tightly together.

Yanyan’s heart began to race wildly, his breath hitching for a moment.

“W-what are you doing?”

The next second, he couldn’t speak.

Si Jingce leaned in, burying his face into the crook of his neck, breathing in deeply—almost greedily—the scent of the boy.

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