Chapter 71: Extra — What to Do When Big Brother Turns into a Bird (3)
You squeeze me? I’ll squeeze you back!
Yan Yan, unwilling to lose, rubbed himself against Si Jingce, flattening all his feathers as he pressed tightly against him before finally stopping.
Both little birds ended up covered in bits of bedding, messing up the whole nest.
After a full day of activity, Yan Yan quickly grew sleepy. Tilting his head, he leaned against Si Jingce and fell asleep.
For several days in a row, Si Jingce showed no signs of turning back into a human.
Yan Yan nearly broke down from eating bird feed. Finally unable to take it anymore, he took matters into his own wings—he turned back into a human and ordered takeout.
Taking advantage of Si Jingce being weak, pitiful, and helpless, Yan Yan ordered all the things his brother usually wouldn’t let him eat. The “big brother bird” could only glare from the side.
After eating, Si Jingce pushed Yan Yan’s textbooks out from the corner, stood on top of them, and chirped, “Jiu jiu.”
Time to study and work.
Yan Yan’s little bird-face immediately collapsed. “I’ve been taking care of you these past few days—I’m exhausted! I have to refill the bird feed, fix the nest every day… I don’t have the energy to study or work.”
Si Jingce replied sternly, “Jiu.”
No.
Did he think he didn’t know? “Refilling bird feed” meant the two of them climbing into the food box and stuffing themselves, and “fixing the nest” meant squeezing together inside the coconut shell every day.
As for being tired—he hadn’t seen any of that. Yan Yan was clearly having even more fun than him.
Left with no choice, Yan Yan reluctantly picked up his English book.
Recently, his progress had been fast—he had already reached ninth-grade material. Si Jingce stood beside him like a little bird-shaped pen holder, supervising him as he worked through exercises.
The effect, however, was greatly reduced.
With a pearl bird suddenly staring at him, Yan Yan felt uncomfortable. Every now and then, he would zone out and stare at Si Jingce, only to be pecked a few times as a reminder to focus.
At first, it worked well. Every time Si Jingce chirped, Yan Yan would immediately lower his head and continue working.
But later, Yan Yan realized that bird-form Si Jingce couldn’t really punish him. His courage gradually grew.
For the umpteenth time, Yan Yan lost focus while doing homework. Si Jingce opened his beak again to remind him—
Tap.
A pen suddenly knocked against his head.
Si Jingce: ?
Yan Yan held the pen and teased him, waving it back and forth right in front of him.
Si Jingce shifted his gaze.
So boring.
Wherever he turned his head, the pen followed. Unable to resist, he glanced at it a few more times.
He couldn’t hold back anymore.
Yan Yan lazily continued waving the pen. Finally, the pearl bird on the desk couldn’t resist—he opened his beak and tried to bite the pen cap.
Yan Yan suddenly pulled his hand back. The pen was withdrawn, and Si Jingce missed.
So teasing birds is this fun!
Yan Yan suddenly understood why his brother used to love teasing him. He stretched the pen out again, bringing it close to Si Jingce’s beak.
The little bird twisted his head and hopped onto Yan Yan’s arm, chirping rapidly, “Jiu jiu jiu jiu!”
Hurry up and do your homework.
Big brother is going to get angry.
Yan Yan obediently sat up straight, muddling through the exercises.
The little bird bobbed up and down with his writing movements…
This time, Yan Yan did become more serious. Si Jingce watched his answers, slowly frowning.
You chose B for a fill-in-the-blank?
Looking up, he saw that Yan Yan wasn’t even looking at the question—he was staring at him the whole time.
Si Jingce immediately hopped onto the worksheet and stomped hard with his claws.
Focus on your work!
Yan Yan’s gaze drifted to the bird claws. They were stepping right on the word “bird.”
Big brother bird tried to encourage studying.
Big brother bird failed.
Yan Yan tossed the pen aside, easily grabbed the little bird, and stuffed him into his pocket.
“Don’t want to study anymore,” Yan Yan said. “I’m going to work.”
Si Jingce, crammed into the pocket with messy feathers, struggled his way out.
It wasn’t even his work time yet.
As long as it wasn’t studying, Yan Yan was full of energy.
The moment he started his livestream, viewers flooded in, wailing:
[Are you two pigeon spirits? Why do you ghost us so much?]
“We don’t raise pigeons,” Yan Yan said with a smile.
Though they did have two “pearl finch spirits.”
Since he logged in early, Yan Yan didn’t rush to connect calls and patiently answered questions.
“Why did big brother suddenly stop streaming? Is he retiring?”
“No, just busy with something lately, so he paused for a while.”
“When will he come back?”
Yan Yan shook his head. “I don’t know either.”
“It’s just me at home right now. Big brother… went out to handle something.”
[Too much! How can you leave Yan Yan home alone!]
Si Jingce poked his head out from Yan Yan’s pocket, glanced at the distance to the ground, and fell silent.
Not being able to fly is painful.
Feeling the bird squirming around, Yan Yan simply took him out.
[Ah—who is this?!]
[I woke up too suddenly—Yan Yan is streaming with Yan Yan?!]
[Look carefully, that’s not Yan Yan bird.]
“This isn’t Yan Yan bird.”
Yan Yan imitated a famous scene from The Lion King, lifting Si Jingce up for display—though the pearl bird was so small he could only hold him in his palm.
He loudly announced, “This is big brother bird!”
The bird’s feet suddenly left the ground, flapping uncontrollably.
Hearing this, Si Jingce slowly turned his head and saw his rather silly self on the screen.
It’s fine. He’s just a pearl bird now.
He slowly closed his eyes.
The audience had no idea what he was thinking.
[Big brother bird? You two really like turning your partner into birds…]
[Is big brother bird Yan Yan bird’s boyfriend? lol]
“Of course.” Yan Yan admitted generously. “Yan Yan bird and big brother bird are a pair.”
[Won’t two male birds fight?]
[Even birds are gay…]
[So cute! I want to see them together!]
“There’s no video,” Yan Yan said. “Maybe I’ll take a photo when I get the chance.”
[Just set up a camera in front of the coconut nest!]
“No,” Yan Yan refused immediately. “We have to respect the birds’ privacy.”
Worried about exposing the truth, Si Jingce now didn’t allow Yan Yan to appear on camera in bird form.
Though occasionally, they would still post photos on Weibo.
Seeing viewers suggest a bird livestream, Yan Yan suddenly panicked.
Oh no, moving too fast—he messed up again.
He still didn’t know Si Jingce’s condition. What if he never turned back? Or turned back and never became a bird again…
Anyway, letting him appear on camera now definitely wasn’t a good idea.
Yan Yan, feeling guilty, added, “Thanks for liking Yan Yan bird and big brother bird, but pearl finches are very timid. For their healthy growth, we’ll try to reduce their appearances on camera.”
He smiled. “Birds just need sunlight and food every day. Such tiny birds don’t need to work hard… though we’ll occasionally post photos and videos on Weibo. Feel free to come enjoy them.”
[Okay okay, just post photos sometimes!]
Yan Yan finally relaxed.
See? He’s so smart—he even solved future problems.
Meanwhile, Si Jingce was still trying to get down from Yan Yan’s shoulder.
The height difference was even worse now. No matter how he adjusted his angle, he couldn’t get down.
Jumping directly would definitely turn him into a flattened “bird pancake.”
Viewers watched as the pearl bird on Yan Yan’s shoulder kept peering downward, even stretching out a claw to test the air, searching for a foothold.
Fans were stunned.
[What is it doing? Can’t it just fly down?]
[Why doesn’t big brother bird chirp? Is it mute?]
[Why doesn’t it fly? Clipped wings or disabled bird?]
These comments were way too blunt…
Yan Yan quickly covered Si Jingce’s head. “Don’t look, birdie—it’s negative comments.”
Si Jingce not only saw them—he memorized the usernames.
Fine. Just wait until I turn back.
Yan Yan watched him struggle, not helping at all.
After repeated attempts, the pearl bird finally found a way down—stepping on Yan Yan’s clothes, sliding down his arm with a “whoosh.”
[So big brother bird really can’t fly?]
Yan Yan said seriously, “It’s not that he can’t fly—he’s just still learning!”
Si Jingce couldn’t decide which was more insulting: “disabled bird” or “adult bird that still can’t fly.”
Not long after landing, Yan Yan picked him up again and held him high in his palm. “No matter how I teach him, he just won’t learn. It’s worrying.”
[Uh oh, we can’t fly either.]
[Isn’t it just jumping from a height and flapping?]
Easy for you to say.
Yan Yan said worriedly, “Help me take a look—is his flying posture wrong?”
He placed a thick soft cloth on the table and gestured for Si Jingce to jump.
With resignation, Si Jingce complied.
He hopped to the edge of Yan Yan’s palm, leapt, and flapped his wings wildly.
He actually hovered for a split second—then lost control and fell.
[…I don’t know if he can fly, but he’s definitely a bungee expert.]
[Pearl finches aren’t like parrots—they don’t have strong climbing ability…]
Right… what should they do?
Yan Yan was even more worried than everyone else.
What if his brother never turns back—and still can’t fly?
How would he survive without him?!
Yan Yan looked at the little bird on the table, full of concern.
Perhaps from the fall, his feathers were messy again. Si Jingce lowered his head, preening.
From Yan Yan’s angle, he looked a bit like…
A chocolate mochi.
A small, round puffball with fluffed-up feathers—oddly tempting.
Mochi was one thing, but how was it a mochi that couldn’t fly?
Yan Yan sighed softly and poked him. The softness was unbelievable.
Si Jingce looked up at him and chirped.
Yan Yan lowered his head.
Si Jingce: …?
Right in front of everyone, Yan Yan grabbed the pearl bird, stuffed him into his mouth, and bit down on his head.
A fierce bite of big brother bird!
