NOVEL WEB Chapter 25 - The Right Way to Unlock the Parrot
Being stared at by the canteen staff, He Gu quickly gave up the idea of taking the steamed bun out.
If he got caught, who knows what would happen.
He could leave tonight, there’s no way He Gu would take the risk.
Left with no choice, He Gu found a corner to sit down and slowly started eating the steamed buns on his tray.
After quickly finishing one steamed bun, He Gu got up, holding the tofu noodles and soy milk, and walked out of the canteen.
Not until he reached the middle of the playground did He Gu look back.
At the canteen door, the two staff were gone.
He Gu breathed a sigh of relief, with a hint of a smug smile at the corner of his mouth. He took out a piece of steamed bun filling from his sleeve.
This was what he had smuggled out just now.
Putting the filling into a paper bag, He Gu hurried towards the dorm building.
At the dorm entrance, the dorm supervisor was still there reading his newspaper.
When He Gu walked past him, the supervisor happened to turn a page and the newspaper slipped out of his hand, falling in front of He Gu.
Feeling guilty about smuggling meat, He Gu quickly picked up the paper and handed it back to the supervisor before rushing upstairs without looking back.
Soon, He Gu was back in the dorm room.
Luckily, Xiao Ying had gotten off his bed and was now sitting on the edge brushing her hair, wearing a black nightgown.
He Gu took out the smuggled meat and handed Xiao Ying two plain steamed buns and a cup of soy milk.
“The canteen still wouldn’t let me take any meat dishes, so I could only get two tofu noodle buns for you.” He Gu explained.
He had expected Xiao Ying to be upset, but to his surprise, she just nodded indifferently, taking a bite of the bun.
“It’s fine, I don’t like meat much anyway, afraid of getting fat.” She said breezily, with a strange look in her eyes, almost seeming…happy?
He Gu glanced at Xiao Ying in bewilderment but didn’t say anything more. He turned to look at the parrot.
The food and water bowls in the birdcage were still full. It seemed like the parrot hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday.
The parrot looked rather listless now, moping around in the cage with much dimmer eyes.
He Gu walked to the birdcage and dangled the piece of meat he had smuggled.
Seeing the meat, the parrot immediately perked up, its eyes shining brightly.
“Wow—eat meat! Eat meat!”
“Wow—eat meat! Eat meat!”
…
The parrot flapped its wings excitedly, squawking loudly.
Seeing this, He Gu hesitated for a moment before carefully handing the meat over.
The parrot immediately flew to the cage bars, quickly pecking the meat into its mouth, so fast that He Gu didn’t even react.
After eating the meat, the parrot looked satisfied, closing its eyes and tilting its head back to swallow it down.
The meat seemed to invigorate the parrot. Its eyes became much brighter and it cocked its head looking at He Gu.
He Gu watched the parrot anxiously but expectantly.
Since the hidden message from the Eyes of Delusion Breaking said the parrot could safely eat any food from the school, feeding it meat should be fine.
But the parrot had been begging for meat all this time. Now that He Gu had given it meat, there should be some other reaction, right?
He Gu looked at the parrot expectantly as it tilted its head at him.
The two stared at each other for half a minute but nothing happened…
He Gu sighed dejectedly, laughing bitterly at himself.
Logically, with so many hidden messages about the parrot, it should have something special about it.
He Gu had hoped feeding it meat would trigger some change or give him clear clues.
But it seemed he had thought too much?
Still clinging to hope, He Gu asked the parrot, “Do you have anything to tell me?”
The parrot kept tilting its head at He Gu, seeming to have an expectant look in its eyes.
After a few seconds with no response, He Gu resignedly sighed.
Could he really have guessed wrong?
“Nevermind…”
As He Gu turned away from the parrot, he noticed Xiao Ying holding her half-eaten steamed bun, staring intently at him.
“What’s wrong?” He Gu asked, puzzled.
Xiao Ying immediately averted her gaze and lowered her head to continue eating, shaking her head. “Nothing.”
He Gu looked strangely at Xiao Ying. Her gaze just now…seemed full of wariness?
Just then He Gu noticed a scratch on Xiao Ying’s fair arm, and some marks on her neck too.
This was…
He Gu recalled the scene of Zhang Chao returning late at night.
Thinking of this, He Gu tentatively asked, “Zhang Chao really didn’t come back last night?”
Xiao Ying’s eyebrows furrowed in annoyance and she was about to deny it.
But just then, the parrot suddenly squawked loudly, “Came back! Came back!”
He Gu jerked in shock and quickly turned to the parrot, saying urgently, “Zhang Chao came back last night?”
The parrot nodded in a human-like way and squawked again, “Came back! Came back!”
…
A brief silence descended on the dorm room.
He Gu was stunned, both shocked and delighted as he looked at the parrot.
So this was the right way to unlock the parrot!?
Feeding it meat enabled it to answer questions!?
On the other side, Xiao Ying glared resentfully at the parrot. “What nonsense is this bird spewing!? I’ll roast you someday!”
He Gu’s heart chilled at her words. He quickly said, “Don’t do anything rash. Parrot meat can’t be eaten!”
“If you eat it, I…I won’t shelter you anymore!”
Facing Xiao Ying, He Gu didn’t really have any good options. He could only make empty threats.
The rules clearly said he couldn’t reject any of Xiao Ying’s requests. He Gu couldn’t really drive her away, or he wouldn’t have so much trouble.
What He Gu feared most was Xiao Ying suddenly requesting to kill the parrot – that would be truly hopeless.
Luckily Xiao Ying just glared at He Gu resentfully, hurt flashing in her eyes. “If you want to believe that silly bird then go ahead, it’s none of my business!”
With that, she threw down her unfinished steamed bun and stormed back to the bed, yanking the curtains closed.
He Gu paid her no attention. Instead, he turned and excitedly asked the parrot, “Can I really leave safely tonight?”
Right now, nothing else mattered. This was the most pressing question for He Gu!
The parrot flapped its wings, squawking, “Meat! Meat!”
…
Upon hearing this, He Gu let out a wry smile.
So, he could only ask one question for a piece of meat?
Still, at least now he understood the parrot’s purpose. Everything else seemed much simpler!
…