I Became Famous After I Became a Parrot in the Movie Star's House - Chapter 139

Night.

It should be a time to unwind after a busy day and enjoy some peace, but Li Pu, alone at home, can’t settle down.

It’s been less than twelve hours since he parted with the boy, yet he can’t help but miss him.

Once again, he is home alone — lonely and quiet, with only the faint bubbling from the aquarium to keep him company.

Through the glass, Li Pu watches the fish lazily swimming for a moment. He scatters a handful of fish food, watches them scramble to eat, then stands there quietly for a long time before returning to the sofa.

The man leans casually on the couch, his hands clasped and his gaze vacant, showing a touch of loneliness.

He spaces out like this for a long time before pulling out his phone and looking at the screen, which still hasn’t received any replies.

Although he prepares himself mentally before the start of the semester that Dabai will likely focus more on his school life, he can’t help but feel a bit sour when he realizes the young man has already forgotten about him and moved on to who knows where.

He knows that the first day of school is always busy with trivial matters, and that cleaning the dorm and organizing takes up a lot of time, not to mention having to get along with new roommates…

He has always known that Dabai, after turning human, would have his own things to do, but he didn’t expect the time apart to feel so hard to bear.

Li Pu rests his hand on his chin, flipping back through the chat history as if it will somehow create the feeling that the young man is still with him.

He wonders if Dabai is having a good time at school…

He should be, he thinks. Otherwise, why wouldn’t he have replied to him for such a long time?

Another moment of silence.

Li Pu switches to a webpage and looks at the hot posts on the relationship forums he has been browsing.

【What to do if my boyfriend has fallen for someone else?】

【I’ve started working, but my partner is still a university student, and it seems like he prefers people his age.】

【How to maintain a long-distance relationship? Help, urgent!】

“…This must be big data,” Li Pu mutters. Yet despite dismissing it, his mind can’t help drifting. Universities are full of young, energetic people living together day and night…

“…” For the first time, Li Pu feels a sense of crisis.

“Buzz—”

His phone vibrates several times in quick succession. He returns to the chat app, and finally, a message from the other party appears on the screen.

Reading those lively and affectionate words, Li Pu suppresses his expression and quickly replies: 【Not asleep yet.】

The reply comes almost instantly: 【Still awake!? What are you doing at this hour?】

Not doing anything, just can’t sleep. Li Pu originally types these words, but his fingers pause, and he changes it to: 【Thinking of you.】

Everyone says it’s better to clearly express your thoughts than to hide them.

But then there’s no reply for a long time.

Li Pu stares at the calm chat interface, pondering, and feeling a bit confused. Could it be… this actually doesn’t work?

It works.

After reading those three words, Bai Gaoxing widens his eyes, and it feels like a surge of electricity shoots through his brain. He twists in his bed, holding the blanket.

Help! Has this account been hacked? Is this really Li Pu?? Bai Gaoxing silently screams like a groundhog, his hands shaking as he holds his phone, desperately typing: 【So cheesy!!! Take it back! Take it back NOW!!!】

Li Pu, who hasn’t discovered the recall feature yet, can’t help but laugh at the young man’s intense reaction. 【How do I take it back?】

Bai Gaoxing stops responding.

After a while, he finally types: 【…Never mind, I’ll just look at it a few more times, get used to it.】

For the rest of the time, Bai Gaoxing rambles on about the registration process today, then glances at the time and sees it’s already past midnight, so he quickly urges the other to go to sleep.

But a minute later, he receives another message.

Li Pu: 【Are you coming back this weekend?】

Li Pu: 【I’ll make sweet and sour pork ribs for you.】

Bai Gaoxing: 【Hmm… maybe not. We’ll be having military training during this time.】

Li Pu: Okay 【crying.jpg】

Bai Gaoxing: 【???!

Li Pu: 【Oops, I accidentally pressed that.】

Li Pu’s ears turn slightly red, and he clenches his fist, tapping it against his nose. He just thinks the emoji perfectly matches his mood, so he clicks on it…

【Good night,】 he finally types.

Bai Gaoxing replies with a good night emoticon, then places his phone on his pillow, pulls back his quilt, and takes a deep breath of fresh air.

He feels like he won’t be able to fall asleep for a while. Touching his slightly warm face, Bai Gaoxing gets up and goes upstairs to the bathroom.

The dormitory has its own bathroom, which is quite convenient.

On his way back down quietly, he suddenly hears Yang Juan whisper, “Looks like you haven’t slept either?”

Then, the other two chime in with soft sounds of agreement.

Wang Xue sits up, “I’m a night owl.”

Yan Ming adds, “I sleep late at home too.” After a pause, he says, “I thought Gaoxing had already gone to bed.”

Bai Gaoxing is surprised. “What time do you usually go to sleep?”

Yang Juan replies, “Around two o’clock?”

Yan Ming says, “I used to stay up doing homework until one, but I plan to sleep earlier now that I’m in college.”

Wang Xue adds, “Same here, though sometimes I stay up until nearly three.”

Bai Gaoxing is stunned. What kind of immortal beings are these?!

He can’t help but ask, “Why do you sleep so late?”

Yan Ming shrugs. “Sleeping too much feels like a waste of time.”

Wang Xue says, “You just kind of end up staying up that late.”

Yang Juan chimes in, “Do normal people even need that much sleep?”

Everyone turns to look at Yang Juan.

Yang Juan spreads his hands innocently. “What? I’m not wrong.”

Bai Gaoxing falls silent. He’s heard that some people are naturally energetic and only need four hours of sleep, but he never expected to meet one in person.

Yan Ming asks, “What about you? What time do you usually go to bed?”

Thinking of his old elementary school bedtime routine, Bai Gaoxing feels a little embarrassed. “…Usually around nine or ten.”

The three of them inhale sharply.

Yan Ming says, “Looks like we’ll have to start going to bed earlier now.”

Wang Xue laughs. “You’ve shown your true colors on the first day, brother.”

Yang Juan suddenly realizes something. “Then why are you up so late today?”

Bai Gaoxing coughs. “I couldn’t sleep.” Then he adds, “It’s fine. Sometimes I stay up past midnight too. Nine or ten… that’s just forced by the situation.”

The four of them chat casually and agree they can adjust their schedules to accommodate one another. Bai Gaoxing also mentions that he might go home occasionally for work, which reminds the others that he is also a celebrity assistant.

“Sounds really busy,” Yan Ming comments.

…

The next day is still registration day.

But today, the four of them are much more relaxed. They wander around, handle their internet connection, buy a phone card, and then find a place to eat.

“Walking with you really attracts a lot of attention,” Yang Juan remarks.

There’s nothing he can do about it. Bai Gaoxing has already decided not to wear a hat anymore, and under the sunlight, his fair skin practically glows, naturally drawing attention.

But the three roommates seem surprisingly fine with the situation. Maybe this is the calm of the academic elite, Bai Gaoxing thinks to himself.

At this time, the freshmen group chat for Jiangcheng University is buzzing with activity.

Since yesterday, both freshmen and seniors have been inquiring about Bai Gaoxing.

【Did Xiaobai report today?】

【Ahhh, I’m so glad I worked so hard to get into Jiangcheng University! Xiaobai, here I come!】

【Which building is he in? I didn’t see him yesterday.】

The admins step in to calm things down: 【Hey, hey, calm down, juniors and seniors. We understand your excitement, but please don’t disturb others.】

【Right, we’re all here to study, let’s not cause him trouble.】

【To be honest, Jiangcheng University has produced many talented people, including some who’ve done very well in self-media.】

【Nothing new, happens every year. In a couple of weeks, it’ll all calm down.】

【Reporting! I saw Xiaobai on Commercial Street~~ I’m going to go chat with him, everyone hold on~】

“Wait!!! Take me with you!”

Bai Gaoxing is stunned when a girl suddenly runs up to him, breathing heavily as she pulls out her phone. “I… I want to ask if I can take a photo with you?” She waves her hand. “I won’t, I won’t post it!”

Wang Xue chuckles and places his hand on Bai Gaoxing’s shoulder, implying, “You’d better hurry, or they’ll be swarming you soon.”

The girl eagerly looks at Bai Gaoxing.

Bai Gaoxing doesn’t think about refusing. He takes the phone and snaps a photo of the two of them. “Alright, please don’t post it!”

“Yes!” The girl glances at the photo, shocked to see that Bai Gaoxing has a soft glow about him.

With the beauty filter already applied on the camera, the young man looks almost unrealistically beautiful.

“This is what you mean by a different style…” Yang Juan, who didn’t know when he had appeared behind the girl, mutters as he looks at the photo.

“Thank you!” The girl thanks them, waving goodbye as she says, “Hurry up, Xiaobai! Otherwise, a bunch of people will be here soon to crowd you!”

Heeding the advice, the group decides to head straight back to the dorm after eating.

They chat some more, and Bai Gaoxing gets to know his roommates a bit better.

Yan Ming is a repeat student. Last year, he missed an exam due to acute gastroenteritis. Though his score is high, it doesn’t meet Jiangcheng University’s cutoff, so he decides to retake the year. He’s also the oldest among the roommates, which explains why he seems more mature.

Yang Juan loves gaming and is an anime fan. He doesn’t have myopia; he wears glasses because he thinks they look cool, fitting his “chuunibyou” mindset. As for why he’s called “Juan,” it isn’t because of sleep-related issues but because, in a family of straight-haired people, he’s the only one with curly hair.

Wang Xue appears to be well-behaved, but his long hair hints that he isn’t someone easy to handle, and it will take time to understand him better. He’s a social butterfly but has a tendency to procrastinate. His family runs a business and is quite wealthy, so his future is set without worries.

As for him…

“Uh, I just came back from abroad recently, and… coincidentally, Teacher Li’s friend is my distant cousin, and since I know French, I’m here to work for a bit and also to go back to school,” Bai Gaoxing says, trying to recall the details. Luckily, he doesn’t forget them after so long.

Time passes slowly.

Two days later, it’s time for military training.

There are only about thirty people in the class. Yan Ming sends a message in the class group about where to meet, and then they begin changing into their military training gear.

Before heading out, Bai Gaoxing is stopped by Wang Xue, who smears something cool on his face.

“What’s this?” Bai Gaoxing touches it and finds it smells nice.

“Sunscreen,” Wang Xue replies. “Your face will get roasted if you stand outside without it.”

Yang Juan raises an eyebrow. “It’s quite meticulous.”

Yan Ming leans in. “Is it effective?”

Wang Xue gives each of them a dab. “Alright, don’t thank me, bro.”

The four of them, now dressed in camouflage, head to the field to wait for the others to assemble.

Almost everyone who walks by notices Bai Gaoxing.

It’s simply because his white hair stands out so much. Even with a green floral cap on, it still catches attention. Not to mention, his waistline is highlighted by the belt.

When the assembly is complete, Bai Gaoxing is spotted by the instructor as well.

As military personnel, they have some knowledge of certain conditions, and the instructor waves him over to ask if he can participate in the training.

Sometimes, students forget to bring sick leave notes, and it isn’t unheard of.

White hair… it looks a bit like albinism, but his eyes are black, and he doesn’t seem to be sensitive to light.

Bai Gaoxing says, “No problem.”

Albinism and albinism genes are two different things in birds. For instance, albino birds would have pink eyes, which affect their vision and shorten their lifespan, whereas albinism genes would only reduce melanin and cause partial feather whitening.

The parrot Bai Gaoxing clearly has the latter.

After all, he still has some gray feathers!

After hearing Bai Gaoxing’s assurance, the instructor waves his hand and says, “Return to your unit!”

…

The first few days of military training have light rain, but later, the sun comes out in full force.

Bai Gaoxing gets sunburned and turns red, and even with sunscreen, it doesn’t help much. Luckily, he doesn’t get burned, and after tomorrow’s parade ceremony, he will be able to transition smoothly into classes.

Once classes start, he can finally go home.

Bai Gaoxing is a little excited.

He has also gotten familiar with his classmates, and even students from neighboring classes come over to check him out every day—he lets them look, but once they’re done, they can’t be curious anymore!

Meanwhile, Li Pu, caught between work and being alone in his room, hears that Bai Gaoxing will be back this week. Just as he eagerly anticipates it, he receives a message from Director Sun.

【Are you there?】

【Are you interested in filming a movie?】

Li Pu has heard that Director Sun is preparing to shoot a movie this year, but his own workload is already quite heavy, so he politely declines.

Unexpectedly, Director Sun clicks his tongue and sends a voice message: “I’m not talking about you, I’m asking about Dabai.”

Dabai?

Li Pu is momentarily unclear whether Director Sun is referring to the parrot or the young man.

Director Sun then calls: “This time, I’m filming a suspense movie. The actors are all set, but we’re still short of a Dabai.”

Li Pu has seen the script from Lei Li. It’s about a protagonist who accidentally stumbles into an uninhabited wilderness villa and discovers that everyone who had entered, including a family of four, has died. Using a signal left by a bird, the protagonist unravels the conspiracy.

The story is complex, with some horror elements.

The bird has a minor role; after the protagonist opens a door, the bird chirps and leaves a signal before flying out through the open window.

It doesn’t seem like a major role, but it’s the catalyst that sets the whole mystery-solving process in motion, and it’s also a key thread throughout the story.

Filming this, Dabai would probably enjoy it.

However… he’s currently in school. Would he have the time? Or perhaps after starting school, his interests would shift, and he might not want to act anymore. These are all things to consider.

So, Li Pu pauses for a moment before replying, “I’ll ask him.”

Director Sun pauses, surprised. “Huh?” Then he chuckles and asks, “Isn’t it just a matter of you giving the word? Or is there some other concern? We can talk it out.”

He adds, “I heard that a lot of people wanted to borrow Dabai earlier this year, but you and Lei Li turned them down. So, you have to give me some face, at least we’ve worked together before, and you know I’m reliable.”

That was because Dabai was busy preparing for the college entrance exams and didn’t want to be disturbed.

Li Pu chuckles and doesn’t offer an explanation.

He hadn’t expected “Dabai” to have another opportunity to continue his acting career, which also suggests that Dabai has performed exceptionally well in The Long Song.

After promising Director Sun he’ll get back to him soon, Li Pu calls Bai Gaoxing.

“Hello?”

During his break, Bai Gaoxing answers the phone under the shade of a tree. The surprise in his eyes grows stronger as he listens.

“Okay!” he replies excitedly. “When?”