I Became Famous After I Became a Parrot in the Movie Star's House - Chapter 126

Avoidance Is Shameful, but It Works.

Under the night sky, Bai Gaoxing curls himself into a ball, nestled in the corner of the pillow.

He has never regretted a decision this much before—was he out of his mind when he suggested sleeping in the same bed as Li Pu? Wasn’t the guest room a good option? Didn’t he want to sleep comfortably? Anything would be better than… lying wide awake, unable to sleep.

Bai Gaoxing realizes he has overestimated his ability to handle things. He thought he could sleep soundly as a parrot, but in reality, it is only a tiny bit better than when he is human.

At times like this, whether human or bird, his feelings are the same.

His feathers are warm, but they can’t hide his blushing face.

Bai Gaoxing tilts his head, unable to see Li Pu’s face from this angle, but he should have fallen asleep by now…

However, Li Pu isn’t asleep either.

He simply keeps his eyes closed, thinking about how to talk to the boy after the movie shoot ends.

He has thought about it many times but hasn’t taken the final step because he’s afraid of scaring him.

His thoughts always revolve around one fear—what if Dabai rejects him? What should he do then?

The boy is human, not just a pet. He has a full ID and is fully capable of taking care of himself. Even if he leaves Li Pu, he will still be able to live well in society.

…What if the boy leaves him?

Thinking of this, Li Pu’s breathing grows a little heavier. If anyone nearby has keen senses, they would notice he is still awake.

Unfortunately, the only two people in the room are both lost in their own thoughts, and neither notices.

The result is that neither of them sleeps well. Li Pu only drifts off close to dawn, while Bai Gaoxing wakes up early.

Waking early, Bai Gaoxing first turns back into a human and quietly sneaks off to the bathroom to wash up. Then, he transforms back into a parrot and hops into the living room to space out.

It seems like he is getting more and more skilled at switching between being a human and a parrot. Compared to when he used to struggle to transform—or when he would suddenly turn into a parrot without warning—this is a huge improvement.

He can almost control the transformation at will, switching between forms without difficulty.

But he certainly doesn’t want to use it to avoid Li Pu!

Bai Gaoxing scratches his head with his claws and smooths out the feathers all over his body, turning himself into a large, fluffy ball before stopping.

In the end, he decides to keep busy to avoid thinking too much.

Bai Gaoxing enters the study, opens the long-unused live-streaming equipment, and logs into his Xinghuo account.

Li Pu’s Xinghuo account has remained stagnant with 101 works since he went abroad, and fans are now eagerly asking when they can see more of Li Pu recording Bai Gaoxing’s daily life.

Bai Gaoxing cracks his knuckles, deciding to skip short videos for now and just go live!

…

When Li Pu wakes up, he sees his parrot bouncing in front of the camera, holding a microphone and singing karaoke, occasionally opening his beak to entertain.

So, this is how Bai Gaoxing used to live-stream at home.

Thinking about the live-streaming snippets he has only heard from the boy and seen online, a slight smile appears in Li Pu’s eyes. Leaning against the door frame, he quietly watches the scene inside. After a while, he turns and heads to the living room.

【Ahhhhh Dabai! Mama misses you so much!】

【Bai Bai, you look like you’ve grown a little! Have you been eating well lately?】

【The New Year is coming! Is Teacher Li staying abroad until after the holidays? Poor little chick left behind—who’s taking care of him this time?】

Bai Gaoxing replies to the comments at random, catching sight of one that makes him think: You probably won’t believe this, but he’s not a left-behind chick—he’ll be going out with Li Pu.

The situation on Xinghuo is just as he expected—everyone is still so enthusiastic, and with the holiday season approaching, traffic is even higher, with a considerable number of people watching live in the morning.

It is only 7 AM.

Bai Gaoxing walks a few steps in front of the camera, planning to tell a cold joke he recently heard, but he feels a bit thirsty. He coughs a couple of times and decides to wait until after his joke to get some water.

However, just then, the barrage of comments suddenly surges. The words start scrolling up faster and faster, and he vaguely sees three words repeated:

【Teacher Li!!!】

A slender, knuckled hand holding a cup of water appears in front of the camera.

Bai Gaoxing stares blankly at his reflection on the glass, then tilts his head and says, “Huh?”

The audience goes wild, rapidly typing in the chat.

The calm camera suddenly captures the tall, lean figure of the man in his casual homewear—the rare, limited-edition Li Pu. Even though his face isn’t visible, it’s enough to spark their imaginations!

“Drink some water,” the man’s deep voice is picked up by the microphone and transmitted into everyone’s ears.

【Ahhhhhhh! I’ll drink it! I’ll drink it right now!】

【Eight glasses a day, I swear I’m super disciplined!】

【Honey, lemon, or jasmine?】

【Hey, wake up! Teacher Li is telling Dabai to drink water, not you!】

Realizing this, the barrage bursts into laughter:

【Teacher Li, you’re making Dabai do your job again.】

【He’s a nice guy—at least he makes sure Dabai stays hydrated.】

It’s impossible not to be moved. Bai Gaoxing is actually thirsty, and the feeling of being constantly cared for is simply wonderful.

He glances at the man, hesitates for two seconds, and then leans into the cup to drink.

The temperature is just right. Bai Gaoxing drinks quickly, then looks up and burps.

“Good boy.” A hand descends gently onto his head.

Bai Gaoxing feels his head being petted in front of thousands of people. Whether intentional or not, Li Pu’s fingertips brush against the sensitive area near Bai Gaoxing’s ear hole, the spot that always feels the most comfortable.

The impact of such a direct touch is overwhelming. It isn’t like before—when he can easily accept Li Pu’s affection as a parrot, even leaning in for more. Now, he can no longer handle such close contact so casually, especially in front of the camera.

…At least, that’s what he thinks.

But his body refuses to cooperate.

Bai Gaoxing’s gaze shifts toward Li Pu’s home clothes just within reach, then flickers toward the half-open door.

He really wants to escape…

But the live broadcast holds him captive. Bai Gaoxing knows he can’t just fly off and leave Li Pu to deal with the aftermath alone. In the end, he does the only thing he can—slowly, slowly raising his wings and burying his head beneath them.

If he can’t see, then they can’t see him either. Right?

The audience bursts into laughter.

【Bai Gaoxing can still be shy? So cute!】

But the fans soon shift their attention back to Li Pu’s hand.

When Li Pu comes over holding the cup, he uses his left hand. Now that his upper body is in view, his right hand is exposed as well.

Unlike the photos from when they were in the U.S., where his hand had been wrapped in thick bandages, now there are only a few thin layers, as if it has been simply wrapped a few times. But the medical tape on his palm is still faintly visible.

When Li Pu sits down, the fans immediately flood the chat.

【Getting ready to work for Dabai again?】

【Teacher Li, how’s your hand?】

【It’s been a few days, is it healing well?】

“It’s almost healed.” Li Pu glances at the comments. “Thanks for everyone’s concern.”

…That’s a lie. Actually, he still has to apply medication.

Bai Gaoxing, who has been the one changing Li Pu’s dressings these past few days on set, scoffs internally. Before they left, he even went to the crew’s doctor to confirm the treatment plan.

The result is that Li Pu saves the latter half of his live-stream.

When Li Pu finishes the broadcast, Bai Gaoxing is still hiding his head inside his wings. It isn’t until Li Pu pokes him with his finger and asks, “Want to shoot a short video?”

Still thinking about posting, Bai Gaoxing instinctively responds, “Yes!”

…

They shoot five short videos in a row, and Bai Gaoxing uses all the jokes he has picked up during the filming. The process goes relatively smoothly.

But it doesn’t feel as good as before… after all, the photographer is Li Pu.

All he can say is, fortunately, a parrot doesn’t need to be judged on its acting skills. It still looks pretty much the same.

Bai Gaoxing quietly stares at the Xinghuo backstage for a while, sighs, and suddenly hears the sound of something being torn. He looks up and sees Li Pu sitting on the sofa, his right hand, now partially unwrapped, spread out. The coffee table has the removed bandages and a bottle of medication.

The rough and casual movements make his eyelids twitch.

Bai Gaoxing’s gaze unconsciously falls on the man’s palm.

Because of the wound, it has been difficult for Li Pu to perform many tasks. He initially wore thick bandages, but to regain some dexterity, he later switched to a looser wrap. However, this also means he often ignores the injury, causing the wound to reopen repeatedly.

The crew’s doctors have scolded him several times because of this.

This is also the reason why his wound has not yet healed.

Bai Gaoxing stares in shock for a long time before realizing that Li Pu is moving around again. He snaps back to his senses and exclaims, “What are you doing?!”

Li Pu looks at him, his voice softening. “Changing the bandage.”

“Why are you doing it yourself? What if the wound opens up again?” Bai Gaoxing flaps his wings from the screen to the sofa, then moves closer to the man’s legs, craning his neck to take a look at his hand.

“Mm.” Li Pu responds, a vague look in his dark eyes. “But right now, I can only change it myself.”

“But I’m here too!” Bai Gaoxing says with irritation. “I don’t know who changed it for you at the hotel.”

“Is that so?” Li Pu, after hearing this, puts down the medication bottle he has just picked up, suppressing the curve of his lips, feigning seriousness. “But there’s nothing I can do. I just got a notice yesterday that for the next few days, I’ll be the only human at home.”

Bai Gaoxing opens his mouth in shock.

Then, he sheepishly turns his gaze away.

It seems like, indeed… he made up an excuse yesterday, planning not to change back before returning to the crew, completely forgetting to consider Li Pu’s hand injury.

In the end, he changes back.

Bai Gaoxing sits next to Li Pu, lowers his head, fiddling with the medicine and bandages, and finally, almost as a vent, ties a cute little bow on the back of Li Pu’s hand.

“All done.” He looks at his work with satisfaction.

Li Pu lowers his gaze, observing the boy up close. The angle is just right, allowing him to see the soft, pure white strands of hair gently falling, and the long eyelashes fluttering with each blink, as if teasing his heart.

He wants to get even closer.

Slowly, let him get used to it.

The boy is at the prime of his youth, probably at an age where he hasn’t had many relationships, and perhaps hasn’t even considered spending a lifetime with anyone.

Li Pu is afraid of scaring him, and also afraid that the boy won’t realize he is serious.

It is just like the time he accidentally brought the parrot downstairs—if he isn’t careful, Bai Gaoxing will startle and fly away.

…

The next day is Chinese New Year’s Eve.

Most of the residents in the complex are young people and have already left the day before. Only the brilliant festival lanterns remain, casting a warm glow across the area.

Outside, the wind howls, its cold bite audible even through the window. Inside, however, the house is filled with warmth, and two figures move busily.

Bai Gaoxing helps Li Pu in the kitchen.

Although there are only the two of them at home, the day before, the company sent over a huge amount of New Year’s goods and ingredients, expressing their concern and well wishes.

So, they decide to prepare a lavish New Year’s Eve dinner.

—Bai Gaoxing decides, and Li Pu nods.

They stay busy from around 3 or 4 PM until 6, finally bringing all the dishes to the table just as it gets dark, the food steaming hot.

Bai Gaoxing takes a photo but doesn’t post it, instead keeping it in his phone’s album, staring at it for a long time.

They sit facing each other, the TV in the living room playing, adding a bit of liveliness to the large house. Li Pu smiles and says, “Just the two of us for New Year, doesn’t it feel a bit lonely?”

Bai Gaoxing shakes his head. “No, I think it’s fine.” He sighs in contentment. “I used to spend New Year’s all by myself.”

Li Pu doesn’t reply.

The dishes are plentiful, and they have two bottles of beer.

Bai Gaoxing feels much more relaxed and even lets his guard down a bit, chatting as he blushes slightly.

The TV is already playing a program, and from a distance, the sound of firecrackers can be heard. Bai Gaoxing continues talking, reminiscing about the funny moments from filming when suddenly, Li Pu’s phone rings.

It’s a video call, with the caller ID showing “Mom.”

Bai Gaoxing sees it and quickly closes his mouth, waiting for Li Pu to answer the call.

Li Pu answers, and when the woman appears on the screen, he calls out to her.

“Son~” The woman on the other end sounds delighted. “Long time no see~”

Li Pu nods. “It’s been more than half a year.”

Li Pu’s mother laughs lightly. “Are you eating? This time, your dad and I really can’t be there for New Year’s, but I’m sure you won’t go hungry, right? I believe in you!”

Li Pu knows that his parents started traveling after finishing their work at the end of the year, so he softens his voice. “Mm, it’s fine, enjoy yourselves.”

“Come and see your dad, Lao Li! Where is he? Ah, never mind, we’ll send you a photo later.”

“Alright.”

The mother and son chat for a while, and Bai Gaoxing sits there, holding his face, listening. Unbeknownst to him, envy flickers in his eyes.

“By the way,” Li Pu’s mom suddenly says, “I heard from Youshu that you have a parrot? Let me see it~”

Li Pu: “Mm…”

Bai Gaoxing jolts—Why does she have to bring him up!?

Li Pu’s mom’s voice is filled with anticipation. “I’ve seen the ones on Weibo and Xinghuo, but I also want to see Dabai.”

Bai Gaoxing sits nervously opposite Li Pu.

Li Pu smiles. “Next time. Dabai is sleeping.”

Bai Gaoxing lets out a sigh of relief.

After all, this is Li Pu’s parent! He is, well, a bit nervous.

“Alright then,” Li Pu’s mom says helplessly.

Then she turns to ask her son what he had for dinner, and Li Pu shows her the dishes.

“So many dishes…” Li Pu’s mom’s tone suddenly becomes meaningful. “Is there someone at home?”

“Mm.” Li Pu doesn’t try to hide it. “Yes.”

Bai Gaoxing is about to cross his arms in an ‘X’ to deny it, but halfway through, he hesitates.

Then, as if surrendering, he covers his face with both hands. The tips of his ears turn red.

Li Pu’s mom’s surprised voice comes through, and Bai Gaoxing walks over to Li Pu, revealing his face.

Li Pu’s mom immediately recognizes Bai Gaoxing and waves first. “Is this Xiaobai? Hello, I’m Li Pu’s mom.”

In the video, Li Pu’s mom looks well-maintained, with fair skin, beautiful brows and eyes, looking very young. It’s clear Li Pu inherited some of her looks.

What’s even more stunning is her gentle aura, which makes people feel drawn to her.

Bai Gaoxing is a bit distracted, murmuring, “Mom…”

Li Pu’s mom freezes for a moment, then smiles more deeply, her entire expression warm.

He suddenly realizes what he just blurted out and awkwardly lowers his voice, “Ah, no… Hello, Auntie.”

Li Pu’s mom chats with him for a bit, then resumes talking to Li Pu.

Bai Gaoxing watches as Li Pu takes his phone and walks to the balcony, his gaze involuntarily following, then awkwardly pulling back.

The alcohol has completely worn off.

On the balcony, Li Pu’s mom continues the conversation.

“Is no one else there? Let me ask you, do you like Xiaobai?”

“Mm.”

Li Pu’s heart skips a beat. No one knows how nervous he is to hear that question.

The hand holding the phone tightens slightly, waiting for his mom’s next words.

“Have you made it official?”

“Mm?” Li Pu is caught off guard.

Li Pu’s mom is even more excited than he is. “I really like this kid. Bring him home soon!”

Her obvious approval makes Li Pu relax. “I haven’t told him yet.”

Li Pu’s mom, who knows her son best, hums, “Don’t drag it out. When it’s time to act, you should act. Be careful, or he’ll run away.”

After a long pause, Li Pu responds, “Alright.”

Li Pu returns from the balcony and sees Bai Gaoxing sitting on the chair, lost in thought.

“Sorry, I chatted a bit longer,” Li Pu says hurriedly. It has only been a few minutes, but he still checks the plate, relieved to find the food is still warm. “Let’s eat.”

Bai Gaoxing snaps out of his trance. “Oh, right… okay…”

They take a long time to finish the New Year’s Eve dinner, and the half-filled beer glass remains untouched.

Neither Bai Gaoxing nor Li Pu has the habit of staying up late for the New Year, but they both instinctively stay up close to midnight.

The wind dies down, and fireworks begin to light up the sky, one after another, brightening a corner of the night. Bai Gaoxing excitedly runs to the balcony. “Fireworks!”

Li Pu follows him.

The large floor-to-ceiling windows give a perfect view of the outside. Colorful fireworks bloom for a few seconds, then fade away, leaving a faint trail of smoke.

Bai Gaoxing gazes at the colors reflecting in his eyes, absentmindedly saying, “This is the time to make a New Year’s wish.”

Li Pu turns to look at him. “What wish are you going to make?”

Bai Gaoxing smiles. “If I say it, it won’t come true.”

Li Pu looks up again, seemingly immersed in the fleeting beauty of the fireworks.

As the sky darkens again, Bai Gaoxing slowly closes his eyes just as the next round of fireworks goes up and the midnight chime sounds from the TV.

…

Later, they begin preparing for bed.

Li Pu comes out of the bathroom and heads to the bedroom, thinking that he might not sleep well tonight.

But as long as the boy is by his side, he feels unusually at ease.

Just as he is about to open the door, he runs into Bai Gaoxing, who is about to step out of the room.

The blanket on the bed is missing a corner, and the boy is holding a pillow.

When Bai Gaoxing sees him, he seems to panic for a moment but quickly calms down.

“I thought about it. Let’s sleep separately.” The boy speaks naturally, but the reason he gives is clearly made up on the spot. “The bed feels a bit small. I suddenly realized I’m used to sleeping alone. With someone beside me, I… can’t sleep.”

But the last part is true.

Li Pu can only watch as the boy flees in panic.

Bai Gaoxing leans against the guest room door, letting out a long breath.

Then, he suddenly chuckles to himself.

Even becoming a parrot doesn’t help. Maybe… it’s best not to stay close to Li Pu after all.