Chapter 53 Mother: "Why are you only coming to see me now?"...

"May I have your name?"

Do you know how to say "Wishing you prosperity"?

Do you like your dad or your mom more?

My roommates were absolutely amazed; how could a sparrow talk?

Several heads crowded around her, their eyes seeming to want to see right through her.

Cheng Shiyun flapped her wings but didn't dare to speak. Xie Shijin raised his hand to stop her: "You scared her."

My roommate said awkwardly, "Sorry, I've never seen a talking sparrow before."

"I've never seen it either."

"Chirp chirp~" The little sparrow huddled in Xie Shijin's palm, its head burrowing into the gap between his hands, only its fluffy, round bottom sticking out.

His roommates were completely charmed: "Oh my god, Xie, your little sparrow is so cute! Did you catch it yourself or buy it? How do you train it to talk?"

Xie Shijin clasped his hands together, put the little sparrow in his pocket, and coughed lightly to change the subject: "Have you all packed up?"

"Just about to make the bed."

"Brother Xie, is your phone ringing?"

The phone in his other pocket buzzed. Xie Shijin took it out, glanced at the screen, and said to his roommates, "I'm going out for a bit."

The people from the conservation station have arrived; he needs to go home first.

He took a taxi, had a small sparrow in his pocket, and found it inconvenient to take the subway.

Enter the password to open the door. The breeding box is still on the living room table. The red crossbills, having eaten and drunk their fill, are curled up in their nest and fast asleep.

The staff at the conservation station exclaimed in surprise, "This little guy is only five days old! How come he's so chubby?"

Xie Shijin said, "It eats a lot." This bird is very greedy; its crop is so full it's almost transparent, yet it still wants to eat.

Didn't it eat its own eggshell?

Xie Shijin looked at the cracked eggshell that had been pushed into the corner: "...That's not its egg."

This red crossbill was just as jealous as its older siblings. It pushed the little sparrow out and took over the little sparrow's nest for itself.

The conservation station took the baby red crossbill finches away.

Xie Shijin braced his hands on the edge of the table, trying to calm his breathing.

"Chirp?"

The little sparrow chirped once, followed by the sound of its tiny claws kicking.

Summer pants are thin, and Cheng Shiyun is tickling his thigh.

Xie Shijin looked down at his bulging pockets, and his previously calm breathing suddenly stopped.

Her sharp claws pierced through the fabric of his sweatpants and scratched his skin.

A slightly prickly, sharp, tingling sensation.

Cheng Shiyun tried to squeeze out, but she couldn't get the fabric around the pocket open no matter what she did.

Finally, the little sparrow couldn't hold back any longer and spoke in human language, shouting, "Xie Shijin, my claws are caught!"

Pocket quality!

Her fingernail caught on a thread.

Xie Shijin chuckled. He took out a pair of scissors from the cabinet, carefully cut off the thread ends, and patiently untied the thread wrapped around her claws little by little.

"Give it a rub." The little sparrow immediately pounced on his fingers.

Her paws were small, just big enough to hold his index finger.

Xie Shijin took the outstretched hand in his hand, pinched it between two fingers, pressed it, blew on it, and then looked up at her.

"What are you looking at?" Cheng Shiyun tilted her head. "Haven't you ever seen such a beautiful little bird before?"

"I've never seen it before." Xie Shijin lowered his eyes, his pupils calm and composed. "I've seen it now."

Cheng Shiyun looked smug and ruffled her hair: "Besides being pretty, what else is there?"

Isn't she cute?

Her feathers were snow-white, and when fluffed up, they looked like a snow skin mooncake sprinkled with coconut flakes. When Cheng Shiyun looked in the mirror, she was almost smitten by her own cuteness.

Xie Shijin scrutinized her, remaining silent for a moment before asking, "Why are your legs so short?"

"...?"

Who has shorter legs?

How could she possibly have short legs!

Looking down, it was indeed short, not even half the length of his finger joint.

Let's estimate it to be about one centimeter.

Cheng Shiyun shyly withdrew her paws, squatted on the boy's fingers, and curled into a round ball, her feathers puffing up as she tried to cover her two paws: "Because I'm a little bird, I haven't fully developed yet, so it's normal for my legs to be short. You know that, why did you have to say it out loud..."

Xie Shijin pressed down on the corner of his lips: "Yes, Chairman."

Her mouth is pointed, meaning she has sharp teeth and a sharp tongue in a physical sense.

She used to be so eloquent, but now she's become tongue-tied and can't say a word.

Cheng Shiyun misses him a lot.

But whenever she sees him, she thinks of her confession on the rooftop that day. In that emergency, she spoke without thinking, saying she wanted to be with him and never be apart...

Good heavens, now that she thinks back, Cheng Shiyun just wants to travel back in time and make herself lose her memory.

The little sparrow tilted its head, trying to play dead again.

Xie Shijin held her with his other hand to prevent her from falling to the ground and asked, "When did you hatch? Why did you come to the school to find me?"

"About an hour or two ago?" Little Sparrow still didn't have a watch! Cheng Shiyun couldn't remember the time and glared at him, "Can't I look for you? Do I need a reason to look for you?"

She missed him terribly.

She couldn't wait to see him, not even for a quarter of an hour, and even came to see him right after she was born.

But she was too embarrassed to say it.

Suddenly, Cheng Shiyun paused and looked at the cracked eggshell in the breeding box: "You know that egg contains me?"

Xie Shijin shook his head and said, "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Cheng Shiyun blinked. "Then with so many eggs in the world, how did you find mine? Did you search for a long time?"

She has no idea what she will become next.

Xie Shijin: "You laid the egg yourself."

"?"

"I thought they were snake eggs."

"???"

"Ni Jiaqi told me to put you in the refrigerator."

Cheng Shiyun: "Ni Jiaqi!"

She's like an egg, why would you put her in the refrigerator!

She couldn't remember if she had laid an egg. Maybe she had? She didn't feel anything, but Xie Shijin had no reason to lie to her.

She looked up, and Xie Shijin raised an eyebrow, his eyes bright and dark.

"So..." Cheng Shiyun concluded, "I gave birth to myself?!"

"Not entirely."

It paused for a few seconds.

Xie Shijin lifted her eyelashes and said, "I incubated it for a long time."

...

It's all a mess.

Everything is in chaos.

She gave birth to herself.

Xie Shijin incubated her.

...

After a brief moment of shock, Cheng Shiyun managed to swallow these two outrageous pieces of information thanks to her strong digestive abilities.

That's not surprising.

Other birds need a long growth period to learn to fly, but she can fly as soon as she hatches! What else is impossible?

She felt something was off.

You hatched it, so what do you want to do by saying it out loud? Are you trying to take credit or are you hinting at something to her?

For some reason, Cheng Shiyun thought back to the night she turned into a kitten and came back to find Xie Shijin, when the nurse said, "The kitten really likes its dad, doesn't it?"

The boys in my class used to joke with each other, asking each other to call them "Dad."

"..."

How could that be!

Don't even think about it!

Cheng Shiyun feigned composure and retorted casually, "I don't need you to incubate it... I can come out on my own."

The little sparrow puffed out its chest, looking quite smug. Xie Shijin lowered his eyes and smiled: "Then why didn't you come out sooner?"

"..."

It's been almost half a month since she disappeared.

He really... incubated her for a long time.

They didn't even know what kind of egg it was.

His dark, wispy bangs fell down, covering half of his forehead. His brows and eyes were serene, and his gaze was so deep that it seemed to draw people in.

"Aren't you even sure if I'm the one hatching inside?" Cheng Shiyun couldn't help but ask. "What if a nest of cockroaches, spiders, and centipedes hatches out?"

Xie Shijin said, "Those were born from you too."

Cheng Shiyun was stunned and dazed.

“Whether it’s a cockroach or a centipede…” Xie Shijin’s long eyelashes drooped slightly, and his Adam’s apple bobbed.

"They were all born from you."

A fire spread from the tip of a sparrow's tail to the top of its head.

"What do you mean, 'you gave birth to me' or 'I gave birth to you'..."

After two seconds of silence, the little sparrow's head feathers stood on end, truly a sight to behold.

"I would never give birth to such a thing!"

...

In the afternoon, Xie Shijin moved some of her personal belongings to her dormitory.

Since we're only staying for twenty days, we should avoid bringing unnecessary items, otherwise it will be a hassle to move them back later.

Xie Shijin placed an order on a shopping app for some essential items for raising birds.

The most difficult period to care for is the chick stage.

During this period, the chicks are delicate and fragile; they can even choke to death while nursing. Once they are out of the chick stage, they are actually easier to raise than kittens or snakes.

Cheng Shiyun squatted on his hand, leaned close to the phone screen, and nodded her little head: "Let me see what you chose."

Xie Shijin clicked on the order and scrolled down.

"Wait a minute, a bird water dispenser?"

The little sparrow commanded him, "Stop, stop! I'm not a stupid bird. If I'm thirsty, do you think I won't find water myself?"

Xie Shijin nodded: "...Okay."

"A grain blower?"

"Purely a scam!" The little sparrow glanced at his mouth, speaking with righteous indignation, "What's the point of having a mouth? Can't you just blow with your mouth?"

"...Okay, canceled."

Scroll down further, and you'll find a fluffy bird's nest.

“Bird’s nest…” Cheng Shiyun thought, “Let’s keep this.”

The next second, a notification popped up at the top of the screen: [Because of your good credit, you have already enjoyed the express refund service, and the platform has refunded you in advance...]

Cheng Shiyun looked up: "...I didn't ask you to cancel the bird's nest."

"You didn't say you wouldn't cancel," Xie Shijin said calmly. "...My hand slipped."

"Then place another order."

"There are no more discounts available."

Xie Shijin opened the product details page and found that the price was fifty yuan more expensive than what he had just paid. He had originally planned to return the item after adding it to his order.

Cheng Shiyun then noticed that the bird's nest cost 150 yuan: "So expensive... Never mind, I'll just sleep in the cat's nest."

Xie Shijin added, "I didn't bring the cat bed."

"Didn't you bring me a cat bed?"

I took it.

Xie Shijin put away her phone, looked straight ahead, and said in a flat tone, "I forgot."

"Oh?" she said coldly, mimicking his tone. "Really? Xie Shijin, do you have a problem with me?"

He didn't care about what she said at all, and was just being perfunctory with her.

Xie Shijin: "No, you don't need me."

Cheng Shiyun opened her pointed mouth, wanting to bite his ear: "Where am I supposed to sleep if I don't have a place to stay?"

Before he even bit me, his ears turned red.

Xie Shijin's expression was cold and stern.

He said.

"Sleep with me."

...

Xie Shijin's roommate had no objection to him keeping birds in the dormitory, especially a soft, cute bird that could talk, sing, and even solve calculus problems.

Cheng Shiyun's roommates not only accepted her, but also often bought her little trinkets. One of her roommates kept a parrot at home, and since the parrot had grown up, it was a waste to leave the unfinished baby formula at home.

Cheng Shiyun got drunk and puffed up her hair in front of her roommate, turning into a round little snowball.

Birds fluffing their feathers is a way of expressing their affection for humans.

Xie Shijin finished washing the small porcelain bowl with a cold face, then coldly scooped the bird back: "Time to sleep."

The little sparrow flew onto the bed, perched on his pillow, tilted its head to look at him, and its tail twitched back and forth.

Xie Shijin poked the little sparrow with his finger, and it wobbled like a roly-poly toy before falling onto the pillow with a thud, its white belly exposed as it lay upside down.

Sleep wherever you fall down!

Cheng Shiyun flapped her short legs and rolled over, turning back into a round ball. The cricket nudged his hand twice.

Please pat my back, thank you.

Xie Shijin glanced at her and said, "Whoever feeds me is my mother."

They're calling her an ingrate.

Parrot milk powder is indeed delicious, it's a pity Xie Shijin isn't a bird, so he can't drink such delicious milk.

Xie Shijin got into bed and lay down properly.

Cheng Shiyun grabbed his earlobe with her claws, climbed onto Xie Shijin's face, stomped on him, and then strolled to the tip of his nose to peck at his eyelashes.

Xie Shijin's eyelashes fluttered, and he opened his eyes. The little sparrow's "magnificent" but fluffy chest filled his entire field of vision.

Cheng Shiyun lowered her head, turned her head to look at him, and focused with one eye so that she could see him more clearly: "Are you angry?"

"No." Xie Shijin said in a hoarse voice, reaching out to grab the audacious little sparrow off his face and tucking it into the blankets.

"Of course they did." Cheng Shiyun chimed in again, "The milk they gave me was terrible. I've never had such awful milk before."

Xie Shijin asked in a cold tone, "Really?"

Why would I lie to you? Your milk tastes better than theirs.

Xie Shijin: "..."

The air was still for a few seconds.

Xie Shijin pursed his lips and coughed lightly: "Okay, go to sleep."

"Go to sleep, go to sleep."

She was already sleepy.

After a while, Cheng Shiyun felt that something was not quite right, so she leaned against Xie Shijin's chest.

The boy's chest was warm and firm, strong enough to iron out a bird's feathers.

Of course, if you go a little lower, she can still open her mouth and drink milk.

After a while, Cheng Shiyun finally realized that her fur had stood on end again. It was bristling.

What do you mean, your milk tastes good!

What indecent words!

The little sparrow rolled over, silently slid onto the pillow, and muttered, "Pretend I didn't say anything."

Xie Shijin: "Mm."

A very cold reply.

Cheng Shiyun: "..."

Hmm. Just hmm?

Who are you trying to fool?

I meant to comfort someone, but I ended up making myself angry.

Birds and humans shouldn't hold grudges overnight.

Cheng Shiyun flipped over like a pancake and curled up next to his head: "...Xie Shijin, why are you so easily angered? I won't play with them anymore."

She plucked the most beautiful feather and inserted it into Xie Shijin's hair.

She didn't have much to give him; all she had to offer was her snow-white feathers.

"Here, please don't be angry anymore, okay?"

Xie Shijin raised her hand and removed the feather from her temple.

Its snow-white tail feathers, fine and neat, are truly beautiful.

He pursed his lips tightly, then turned his head to look at the little sparrow beside his pillow: "Are you sure you want to give it to me?"

"..."

I told you I'd give it to you, why are you asking so many questions! I've already given it to you, so just take it! Why are you asking so many questions? Cheng Shiyun dug her claws into the pillow, sharpening them fiercely: "Take it or leave it, if you don't want it, give it back to me."

Xie Shijin said in a low voice, "They didn't say no."

When birds court, they pluck their most beautiful feathers and give them to their desired mates. If rejected, the little sparrow will become depressed.

...

Military training officially began. Xie Shijin got up at 6:30 in the morning, washed up, made milk powder for Xiao Maque, and then tucked her back into bed to continue sleeping.

But at 6:20 this morning, Cheng Shiyun was woken up by the sound of the toilet flushing.

Xie Shijin was the only boy in dormitory 309 who had hung a bed curtain. The curtain created a small space, and the little sparrow perched on his chest smacked its lips and opened its eyes.

Xie Shijin said, "It's still early."

"Chirp chirp chirp!"

The early bird catches the worm!

Xie Shijin understood what she meant: "I don't eat insects, you can sleep a little longer."

"...Who said I was going to catch bugs for you to eat?" Only crows feed their parents; she's not a crow. Cheng Shiyun nuzzled his collarbone. "What's wrong with your roommate?"

Someone in the next bed asked, "Xiazi, are you alright?"

"It's nothing, I ate something bad. Sorry for disturbing you..."

Xie Shijin peeked through a corner of the curtain and saw her roommate standing by the bed wearing only underwear. Cheng Shiyun was curious and squeezed through the curtain to peek, but before she could see anything clearly, she was pulled back and stuffed into the quilt.

The person in the next bed yawned and said, "It's okay, it's time to get up."

"I get up at 6:30 every day. I've never worked this hard in high school."

It was 6:30. Xie Shijin's roommate thought he had overslept, so he came over and knocked on the bed: "Brother Xie, aren't you up yet?"

Xie Shijin said, "You go first, don't wait for me."

The two roommates washed their faces and went out to eat breakfast.

The dormitory door closed, and five minutes later, the surroundings became unusually quiet. All Little Sparrow could hear was the boy's irregular breathing and pounding heartbeat.

Sometimes fast, sometimes slow. The sounds, varying in intensity, lapped against her eardrums.

She looked like she was asleep, but also like she wasn't.

This was the first time Cheng Shiyun had ever seen him stay in bed so long.

The little sparrow pecked at his face: "Aren't you getting up?"

Xie Shijin's cheeks were flushed, and his ears were burning hot.

Cheng Shiyun touched his forehead, puzzled, "Are you feeling unwell? Are you sick?"

"No."

Cheng Shiyun asked suspiciously, "Why aren't you up yet if it's not you?"

"You lazy bum."

The little sparrow pecked at his chin, and Xie Shijin's temple twitched suddenly. He grabbed her and held her in his hand, opening his eyes and then closing them again: "..."

Visibly, the auricle of the ear became increasingly red.

Cheng Shiyun stared at him for a while, completely baffled: "What's wrong with you?"

After a long pause, Xie Shijin sighed heavily, as if resigned to his fate, and managed to utter, "...Nothing much."

He threw off the covers, quickly got out of bed, grabbed his clothes and went to the bathroom to change. His back was hurried, and he fled in panic.

But Cheng Shiyun still saw him the moment he opened the balcony door and turned around.

Oh~

So that's how it is.

She hadn't woken up by 6:30, so Xie Shijin didn't need to hide certain reactions.

The sound of washing up came from the balcony.

Cheng Shiyun gasped, feeling inexplicably hot-headed, and buried her head in the pillow, inhaling Xie Shijin's scent twice.

...

She was very curious.

Are all male college students this energetic in the morning?

...

During Xie Shijin's military training, Cheng Shiyun would hide in a big tree near the camp, chatting with magpies and doves. Just like how the red crossbills helped her hatch, Cheng Shiyun also helped give birth to a baby sparrow, and was even told that touching a baby bird's back was sexual harassment.

So when she asked Xie Shijin to touch her, she was actually... inviting him to sexually harass her.

Those who haven't passed away, Xie Shijin doesn't know.

Military training is halfway through, and we have a half-day off this Saturday.

With his roommates all having plans, Xie Shijin returned to his rented apartment.

After dinner, Xie Shijin said to Cheng Shiyun while washing the dishes, "Teacher Cheng has come to Beijing."

Guo Renyi is still in the recovery period after his amputation, so the court hearing cannot be held for the time being. Ran Hongyin's treatment is not over either. After dealing with Yichuan's matter last month, Cheng Jinghua brought her to Beijing again.

Cheng Shiyun nestled on his shoulder, and before it got dark, she said, "Xie Shijin, take me to see my parents."

She misses them very much.

...

After calling Cheng Jinghua, Xie Shijin took Cheng Shiyun to the hospital.

It was already night when I arrived at the hospital. The corridor was quiet, with only the occasional nurse pushing a treatment cart by.

Xie Shijin knocked on the door: "Teacher Cheng."

"They're here."

Cheng Jinghua opened the door, and the boy outside was still carrying his old cat carrier.

"Xiao Xie," Cheng Jinghua stepped aside to let him in, "how's your head recovery going?"

Boys' hair grows quickly; in just one month, quite a bit has sprouted, just enough to cover the scar next to his temple. Xie Shijin nodded: "It's all healed, nothing to worry about."

"Please sit down."

Upon entering the ward, Xie Shijin placed the cat carrier on the floor.

Cheng Jinghua looked at the little white bird in the cat carrier and asked curiously, "What kind of bird is this?"

"Albino sparrow."

Little sparrow: "Chirp, chirp, chirp!"

"Sparrows, so beautiful." Cheng Jinghua smiled, then paused and asked, "What about the tabby cat you used to have?"

Xie Shijin thought for a moment and replied naturally, "Someone has adopted him."

Cheng Jinghua nodded and said repeatedly, "Good, good... It's good that you have a good home."

"How is Teacher Ran doing?" Xie Shijin asked.

“Still the same,” Cheng Jinghua said.

Ran Hongyin sat cross-legged on the carpet by the bed, playing with a jigsaw puzzle. Cheng Jinghua tied her hair up, using the same hair tie that Cheng Shiyun used to wear.

Her eyes were as pure and innocent as a child's; when she saw someone coming, she simply looked up and then continued doing what she was doing.

Just then, the nurse knocked on the door and came in. The young woman smiled and said, "Teacher Cheng, it's time for Teacher Ran to get her injection."

She was a student taught by Ran Hongyin before. The couple taught for twenty years and had many students.

The nurse coaxed her like a child: "Teacher Ran, we're about to get our shots."

Ran Hongyin immediately pouted and shook her head: "No injection, it hurts so much, no injection..."

"How about I give you a little red flower as a reward after you get your shot?" The nurse squatted down to coax her.

“Okay!” Ran Hongyin’s eyes lit up and she nodded quickly. “Little red flower, Little Cloud likes little red flower…”

Ran Hongyin still keeps the certificates and red flowers that Cheng Shiyun received in kindergarten at home.

The nurse helped Ran Hongyin onto the bed.

"Okay...that's great." The nurse put away the syringe, stuck a little red flower on her hand, and covered her with a blanket. "Now it's time to get ready for bed."

Cheng Jinghua said to Xie Shijin, "Let's talk outside."

After closing the ward door, the two sat down on a bench in the corridor.

Cheng Jinghua's expression darkened, and he said, "Qian Juan has hired a very capable lawyer to defend Guo Renyi, hoping to get him a suspended death sentence."

Xie Shijin frowned: "Impossible."

The day Guo Renyi was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve was the day he died.

Cheng Jinghua said, "I have prepared for the worst."

Qian Juan even testified to the police that Guo Renyi had a history of mental illness and that he would continue to appeal if the court sentenced him to death with a two-year reprieve.

In the hospital ward.

The warm yellow light from the bedside lamp illuminated Ran Hongyin's quiet profile. Cheng Shiyun used her pointed beak to pry open the zipper of the cat carrier, peeked out and looked towards the bedside, but hesitated to fly over.

Before coming to the hospital, Xie Shijin had combed her fur. Her snow-white down was fluffy and clean and wouldn't shed. However, Cheng Shiyun didn't dare to get too close to Ran Hongyin. She flapped her wings and flew to the head of the bed, grabbing the metal railing.

Ran Hongyin slowly opened her eyes, which had been closed, and saw the little sparrow on the railing.

She was somewhat bewildered at first, but then her clear eyes shone with a crystalline light, like stars submerged in water.

"Little Cloud?"

Her voice was soft, slightly hoarse from a long illness, but still gentle and kind, calling Cheng Shiyun by her nickname.

Cheng Shiyun wasn't sure if Ran Hongyin recognized her, so she couldn't help but call out, "Mom."

"Why are you only coming to see your mother now?"

Ran Hongyin looked at her, her eyes gradually reddening, tears welling up in them. She sat up in bed, reaching out to touch the little sparrow, but then hesitated, afraid of startling her: "Why has Mommy's little cloud turned into a little bird again?"

Cheng Shiyun restrained herself from rushing over to her and asked softly, "...Does Mommy like birds?"

"I like it."

Ran Hongyin smiled, but tears welled up in her eyes and fell down her cheeks onto the snow-white sheets.

She said, "Mommy loves Little Cloud."

I love kittens.

"I also love birds."

The noise of blood flowing boomed in my ears.

Ran Hongyin found out.

She knows everything.

She knew that the kitten Xie Shijin had adopted was hers.

She also knew that the little bird in front of her was her.

No mother would fail to recognize her own daughter.

Overwhelmed with regret, Cheng Shiyun deeply regretted not coming to see her sooner.

"Mom, I'm sorry..." Cheng Shiyun apologized to her, "...I didn't answer your call that day."

"I should listen to you and stay home obediently and not go out..."

If she had been obedient, she wouldn't be like this now, unable to run into her mother's arms or properly call her "Mom."

“Mom knows…Mom doesn’t blame you.” Ran Hongyin shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “Mom has never blamed you.”

Why would your mother blame you?

Ran Hongyin said, "It's because your mother didn't protect you well."

"come over."

"Let Mommy hug you..."

She opened her arms.

Just like when I was a child, I waited for her to run into my arms.

"Mom misses you so much."

-----------------------

Author's Note: Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the next chapter will feature a human!

Please, please give me some nutrient solution! [Sprinkling flowers]