Chapter 9
The pet communication buttons didn’t bring the owner and pet closer. Instead, they allowed Si Jingce to catch a two-faced bird in the act.
The soft little pearl bird had no idea that all his thoughts were being heard loud and clear by Si Jingce. He nuzzled into the man’s palm, rubbing his cheek blush against Si Jingce’s fingertips, letting out soft whimpering sounds.
{Just one bite…}
{Let me have just a little bite!}
Si Jingce automatically tuned him out and firmly said, “Humans can’t eat bird food, and birds can’t eat human food.”
“If you want to eat snacks, unless you become a human, forget it.”
Yan Yan: QAQ!!!
[Turn up the volume and you’ll hear Yan Yan’s loud, clingy whining!]
[Thanks to the one above—HP bar is empty (grandma leaning in to listen.jpg)]
[Enough, enough! Just give the kid a bite already!!]
Furious, Yan Yan opened his beak and aimed for a bite at Si Jingce’s hand—only to stop right before making contact. He turned his head away in silence.
The little bird struggled out of Si Jingce’s hand, fluttered down, and landed on one of the buttons, presenting his round back to Si Jingce.
The mochi-ball was furious and stomped on the buttons repeatedly.
“Hate you hate you hate you hate you hate you hate you—”
Si Jingce’s voice paired with those rapid-fire words sounded especially comical.
But Yan Yan wasn’t done. He opened his beak and let out a shrill barrage of chirps: “Chirp chirp chirp chirp chirp cheep chirp cheep chirp!!”
The man didn’t indulge him, crossing his arms and watching from the side.
As it turned out, if you’re small enough, even being angry comes off as cute.
[Ugh—ah! Someone hug and squish the baby—]
The stream chat was completely immersed in the little bird’s sweet tantrum sounds.
A minute passed. Yan Yan didn’t stop.
Five minutes passed. Still going.
Ten minutes in… finally, someone cracked.
[Okay, this chick is getting a bit loud…]
A sharp, piercing voice filled the livestream, as if auto-tuned with a megaphone effect—
[Shut up! Stop yelling already, please!]
[That’s enough, sob sob. Baby, you’re a noisy little electro-chicken qwq] (electro-chicken = noisy like an auto-tuned e-bird)
“Protest failed.” Si Jingce covered Yan Yan with his hand before the entire audience was deafened, successfully silencing the bird.
After a while, he loosened his grip.
They stared at each other in silence. Then Yan Yan suddenly tilted his head and rolled across the table.
“Chirp chirp chirp chirp cheep—!”
I want chips! I want potato chips!
If I don’t get chips, I’ll starve to death—
I’ll die!!
Si Jingce, nursing a headache, picked him up. Yan Yan kept flapping his wings in protest.
“I’ll make you a different kind of chip later. These ones aren’t healthy.” He finally relented, helplessly saying, “They’ll make you bald. You’ll lose feathers.”
He had seen a recipe recently for pet-safe, salt-free chips. He had the ingredients at home, and it wasn’t hard to make.
Yan Yan stopped flapping: “Cheep?”
Really?
Si Jingce: “Really.”
He set Yan Yan down. The little chick tilted his head and gave the chip bag a regretful look.
Si Jingce, in full view of Yan Yan, finished off all the remaining chips in a few bites.
Yan Yan: …
The man shook the bag into the trash until even the crumbs were gone.
“None left.” He showed the empty packaging. “I said I’d make you a different kind of chip. There really aren’t any left today.”
Yan Yan silently flew to the trash can and peeked inside.
They were really gone. TVT
The bird turned to look at Si Jingce: “Chirp?”
“I’ll really make them for you.” The man reassured him repeatedly.
Yan Yan eyed him suspiciously and stuck his head into the bag again to sniff the leftover scent.
Si Jingce exhaled lightly.
Not too hard to appease.
[LOL this is like coaxing a wife.]
[Yan Yan’s body is so small, he really shouldn’t be given junk food. Better to be strict.]
[It’s fine, right? As long as it doesn’t lead to knife chest.]
Knife chest?
Si Jingce caught the new term in chat and asked, “What’s knife chest?”
[It’s when a bird’s breastbone sticks out like a blade—when you look from the outside, the chest looks like it’s split. That’s knife chest!]
[If a chick shows signs of this, you have to act fast, or it could die!]
Could die.
Si Jingce immediately pulled Yan Yan out and inspected him carefully.
He saw the fluffy white feathers on Yan Yan’s chest and belly… and a small dip in the middle.
He reached out and, sure enough, felt a prominent ridge of bone.
He turned the camera toward Yan Yan and asked sincerely, “Can someone help me check if Yan Yan has knife chest?”
Little ball Yan Yan: ?
[…Huh?]
[Stop!! Knife chest doesn’t mean your bird looks like he’s been sliced in half from being too fat!!!]
[I’m starving and probably have knife chest—why can’t you see that instead.jpg]
[Bird owner’s curse: fat bird owners always think their bird has knife chest…]
Si Jingce searched the term on his phone and found out what it really meant—
Long-term malnutrition or gastrointestinal issues could cause knife chest in birds. If the owner doesn’t improve the bird’s diet, it can die quickly…
Looking at Yan Yan now, there was no way he was malnourished.
He immediately turned on the viewers. He flipped Yan Yan around and pointed at the screen. “They’re talking bad about you.”
The chat: ?
While they were still discussing his chubby chick, Yan Yan narrowed his eyes and studied the messages seriously.
[So fat the zipper’s about to burst.]
Yan Yan froze.
[Even though love often feels undeserved, this kid is built like a little tank…]
Yan Yan was furious.
Fat? Him?
This is fluff! Just fluff!!
Yan Yan squawked in protest and twisted his body, lunging straight at the camera—
All viewers heard was a loud bird shriek. Then the screen went black, and large words appeared across it.
This livestream has ended.
Si Jingce stared in shock after watching Yan Yan shut down the stream.
He checked the camera—thankfully, not damaged.
Yan Yan, having committed the crime, retreated into his coconut shell nest without a word.
“Mad now?” Si Jingce poked him. “They’re just body-shaming. You’re not fat at all.”
He pulled the bird out, but Yan Yan immediately went back in, this time leaving only the top of his head visible.
He was really mad.
And this time, it was Si Jingce’s own fault. He had to think of a way to apologize.
Si Jingce stood there silently for a while, then finally went into the kitchen.
Hearing the noise, Yan Yan pecked at his nest in frustration.
Fat chicken—how could he be a fat chicken?!
Yan Yan quickly looked down and examined himself. Every part looked balanced and well-proportioned.
The “fat”… it was just the fluffy feathers!
His old cage hadn’t been thrown out yet. After thinking for a bit, Yan Yan slowly flew over to it.
He lifted a foot and tried to squeeze through the bars.
Barely fit—his round belly got stuck in the gap and wouldn’t go through.
Wait… am I really… fat?
Yan Yan pulled himself back out, full of concern.
Being too fat could lead to illness.
He closed his eyes and re-examined his figure, then steeled himself and made a big decision—
Birdie is going on a diet!
Before he could finalize a plan, he heard the sound of chopping from the kitchen.
He shuffled over, step by step.
At the door, he didn’t go in immediately. He peeked his head around the corner to see what Si Jingce was doing.
His owner rarely cooked. Since Yan Yan moved in, this was probably only the third time he’d gone into the kitchen.
Now, the tall man wore an apron and was carefully slicing potatoes.
His sleeves were rolled to his elbows, exposing firm forearms. Yan Yan’s gaze crept up slowly—Si Jingce’s side profile was perfectly handsome.
He placed the sliced potatoes in a bowl and steamed them.
White steam billowed up, making the kitchen look ethereal. Once the potatoes were soft, Si Jingce mashed them with a spoon.
He strained and flattened them, then placed them into the air fryer. In just half an hour, a batch of homemade salt-free, oil-free potato chips was ready.
Yan Yan watched as he picked one up and popped it into his mouth. The crisp crunch of chip against teeth echoed even in the hallway!
He really made the chips!
Yan Yan’s stomach growled.
Yan Yan: …!
No! I’m dieting!
He stared intently as Si Jingce plated the chips.
I’m a bird on a diet!
But as soon as Si Jingce turned his back, Yan Yan dashed away.
By the time Si Jingce returned to the living room, Yan Yan was back in his nest, as if nothing had happened.
“Yan Yan, come eat the chips.” Si Jingce called softly, but the little bird didn’t move.
Sometimes you could tell what a small animal was thinking through its behavior.
But sometimes, Si Jingce really had no clue.
He reached out to pet Yan Yan. The bird coldly turned away and left only the back of his head.
{Can’t eat, can’t eat, can’t be tempted by chips!! I have to lose weight!}
Si Jingce raised a brow slightly.
Dieting, huh?
He placed the chips on the table. “Go play on your own. I’m heading to the study to edit videos.”
Yan Yan paused mid-scratch at his coconut bedding.
He waited until he heard the door close before emerging from his nest, staring hard at the plate of chips.
The smell of potatoes teased his senses. Yan Yan hesitated, then crept over.
Compared to humans, pearl birds ate very little.
So just one little chip… couldn’t hurt.
His actions were quicker than his thoughts.
Yan Yan ducked into the plate, tail feathers flicking.
He took a tiny bite. It wasn’t as tasty as last time.
No salt—barely passable.
Sigh.
The bird let out a heavy sigh.
If only he could become human.
Then he could eat all kinds of delicious things.
Even without flavor, this chip was way better than plain millet.
He burrowed deeper into the pile of chips, completely forgetting he had just vowed to diet.
Si Jingce crept back into the room and was greeted by the sight of a fluffy little bird butt.
Yan Yan was always clean, preening his feathers every day. His chest to tail was spotless and so bright it gleamed.
His butt was perked up, like a freshly picked mangosteen.
Si Jingce’s hand itched.
He reached out and gave it a light flick.
Startled, the bird who had just taken a bite snapped his head up, mouth slightly open. The chip dropped onto the table with a plop.
He looked at Si Jingce with wide, shocked eyes.
