I Became Famous After I Became a Parrot in the Movie Star's House - Chapter 60

With Director Sun’s blessing and his sigh that “Dabai has a promising future as a star,” Bai Gaoxing follows Li Pu back to Jiangcheng the next morning.

Peter Wang also works in Jiangcheng, but it’s far from Li Pu’s home, and it takes a long time to drive there.

Bai Gaoxing sits contentedly, gazing out the car window. The morning sunlight casts fragmented shadows of the towering buildings, streaking across his face. The traffic grows denser, and the number of people increases. Looking out, the streets are filled with well-dressed, energetic young professionals carrying the tools of their trade.

In other words, corporate slaves.

Bai Gaoxing reluctantly keeps his eyes on those bustling figures until the car takes its final turn.

They stop in front of an impressively grand building.

“Trend Media”

Two large words flash across the LED screen outside the building.

Bai Gaoxing is stunned.

If the Star Entertainment Media building represents sophistication, luxury, and minimalism, then Trend Media’s headquarters embodies its namesake—a sense of bold, cutting-edge fashion from top to bottom, inside and out.

It suits Peter Wang perfectly.

Before he can process it, Li Pu gets out of the car. Bai Gaoxing hops into his bird bag, and they enter this unfamiliar world.

“I told you they’d be punctual!”

As they enter the company lobby, a blond man who has been chatting with his colleagues turns his head. The others around him all show expressions of disbelief.

“You didn’t say it was…”

“Wait, does this mean our model today is…”

Whispered discussions break out.

This is different from the usual Peter Wang. His hair is tied up, he’s wearing glasses, and there’s a camera hanging on his chest that looks expensive.

“Hello, Muse.” Peter Wang squats down, smiling at the parrot in the bird bag.

Bai Gaoxing raises his paw and chirps through the bag: “Hello~”

“Let’s not waste time. Let’s get started,” Peter Wang says, poking the bird bag. He stands up, raises an eyebrow at Li Pu. “Let’s go.”

Bai Gaoxing feels himself being moved.

He looks around nervously, taking in the scene. The interior of Trend Media is also fashionable. The sofas and coffee table decorations are avant-garde and unique.

But even so, the company hasn’t neglected its cultural construction. A screen on the wall showcases the company’s most notable achievements. Several magazines and books with different designs flash by, and several names come into view.

Star Weekly, Natural World, Business Empire.

It’s clear that these aren’t the same type of content. Bai Gaoxing wonders what kind of all-encompassing magazine Peter Wang works for.

As the elevator ascends, they reach the 20th floor.

As soon as Bai Gaoxing enters, he is stunned by the scene in front of him.

The entire floor is set up as a photography area, with several newly constructed temporary studios. Many staff members are adjusting the scenery inside, while others are walking around with various small animals.

When Peter Wang arrives, another foreign photographer with a big beard waves at him. “Peter, over here!”

Peter Wang leads them over, introduces Li Pu, and then says, “Look, our protagonist for today is here.”

A shadow falls over him. Bai Gaoxing looks up and sees several faces passing by one by one in front of him.

Hey, this could give me nightmares!

“Oh—You must be Teacher Li Pu.” A few people look surprised, greeting Li Pu with small talk before requesting to see the model for today.

“We just found out today’s model is Dabai—Peter didn’t tell us,” the bearded man says, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Let Dabai take these photos, and they’ll definitely turn out better than expected!”

At that moment, the bird bag was lifted onto the table.

“Is this okay? Dabai won’t run around, right?” Peter Wang crossed his arms and asked with some concern.

“He should be fine.” Li Pu paused as he zipped the bag, glancing around. There didn’t seem to be any dangerous spots.

Besides, he had brought the flight leash.

So, Bai Gaoxing is fitted with the flight leash inside the bag.

How psychologically traumatizing… I said I won’t run away.

Bai Gaoxing adjusts his feathers and finally stands on the table.

“My God, these snow-white feathers, not a trace of mixed colors, so soft and smooth—like satin…” The bearded man exclaims, covering his chest with a girlish sigh.

Ah, there’s mixed color, on the head. Bai Gaoxing deliberately lowers his head, revealing a tuft of gray feathers.

The bearded man clearly notices and exclaims, “There’s actually a gray feather here! Let me see—it’s so perfectly placed, like an embellishment that makes perfection even more perfect!”

Bai Gaoxing: “!”

Big brother, you really know how to flatter! You have a bright future ahead!

Peter Wang laughs and pats the bearded man on the shoulder. “Stop howling. I know you’re excited. Hurry up and get everything set up.”

As the man heads off to gather the equipment, Li Pu can’t help but reach out to touch the parrot.

Just as the man said, Dabai is beautiful. The feathers are so smooth, they almost seem to reflect light.

Li Pu’s fingers gently sift through the soft feathers. The overly comfortable touch makes his movements even gentler. But soon, Bai Gaoxing begins to tremble slightly, and Li Pu hurries to the front to examine him.

Bai Gaoxing stares up at him with wet eyes. It’s so itchy when you touch me like that!

“Okay, okay, stop being so intimate there.” Peter Wang hurries over with a bunch of boxes, placing them on the table and interrupting them. “This is the equipment we’re using today.”

Bai Gaoxing watches as Peter Wang opens the box, revealing a gorgeous ruby necklace.

He opens another, and inside is a sapphire ring!

As the boxes continue to be opened, a pile of stunning gemstones with excellent quality and vibrant colors appears before him.

“The luxury jewelry BAP is launching this time focuses on natural gemstones,” Peter Wang explains. “They require animals, not people, to model for this series.” Peter Wang scratches his hair, seemingly unsure about the concept, and gestures for Li Pu to look to the other side. “Each group is responsible for one animal, and they’ll select a few photos to serve as promotional pages.”

Bai Gaoxing turns his head to look. On the other side, there are rabbits, guinea pigs, cats, and even a python. They all look carefully selected, each one possessing stunningly beautiful fur or scales.

Peter Wang adds, “Some groups have dolphins and horses as their models. Some went to aquariums, while others went directly to zoos.”

Such professionalism! Bai Gaoxing feels a sense of admiration rising within him.

“Anyway, we’re relying on you today,” Peter Wang says, rubbing his hands together.

That’s a given! Bai Gaoxing puffs out his chest.

“But… this rope has to come off first,” the bearded man says.

Everyone, including the bird, looks at Li Pu.

Li Pu: “… Then take it off.”

Finally, I’m free!

Bai Gaoxing flaps his wings fiercely, then slowly folds them under the tense gaze of the others, cooing softly.

Li Pu clearly relaxes.

“Dabai is really the most obedient pet I’ve ever seen,” Peter Wang says, adjusting the camera lens to take a shot.

Just to confirm his statement, a voice calls out from next door: “I can’t control this cat! Anyone want to help?”

Bai Gaoxing stands at attention.

“Let’s figure out where to start,” Peter Wang says, discussing the style and background with his colleagues while selecting jewelry.

Bai Gaoxing is placed on a table, with a pure white backdrop behind him and fresh, wet flowers arranged around him. He is helped into a pigeon-blood gemstone necklace, said to be worth three million.

He glances down. Very flashy.

Especially the largest gem in the center, which stands out even more against his snow-white feathers.

“Dabai, look here!”

Bai Gaoxing immediately looks up, and a “click” echoes through the room.

“Perfect!” the bearded man exclaims as he checks the photo, turning to praise Li Pu. “It doesn’t move! And it knows exactly where the camera is!”

“After all, Dabai is a professional actor,” Peter Wang winks at Li Pu.

“Oh~” The bearded man exclaims with an accent.

The shooting process is intense and fast-paced. Bai Gaoxing feels like a Taobao model, capable of taking 200 photos in one minute. Though the photographer is the one behind the camera, the accessories on him and around him keep changing.

Since the protagonist is an animal, no one uses a flash during the entire shoot; all that can be heard are the soft clicks of the shutters.

Ah~ the weight of money.

Bai Gaoxing wears a sapphire ring and sways left and right.

Just as the studio work is in full swing, a wave of discussions about the latest topics related to Li Pu begins trending on Weibo.

【”I actually saw Teacher Li at work today! [Picture]”】

【”This building is… Trend Media!??”】

【”Wow, amazing, the original poster actually works at Trend Media!”】

【“Could it be? Is Teacher Lei finally switching companies? (dog head)?”】

【“The real question should be, Isn’t he supposed to be filming in Chuncheng? Why is he suddenly in Jiangcheng?”】

【”Isn’t he rushing to make an announcement? Wait, what announcement can Trend Media have?”】

When it comes to Trend Media, it is well-known to everyone.

Those hearing the name for the first time might think it’s another entertainment company like Xingyu that trains celebrities and idols. But that’s not quite the case. Still, there is some connection—it’s one of the top three publishers of the six major magazines in the entertainment industry!

Star Weekly, Fashion Pioneer, and TODAY—all published by Chao Liu Media. The stars featured in these magazines are always in the public eye, with a massive fanbase, and their sales outpace the other three major magazines by multiples!

Even those who don’t care about the entertainment industry can see financial magazines like Business Empire, nature-related magazines like Natural World, or even student-focused Roll? Roll!—each of these is a classic in its own right.

Trend Media is a company that focuses entirely on magazines and publications and has perfected the art!

They don’t even spare educational newspapers!

So, when Li Pu walks into such a company, his intentions become highly speculated.

【“Could it be… Teacher Lei is going to be on TODAY again?” someone asks in a hushed tone.】

【“Impossible! TODAY is for rookies just starting out. Teacher Lei can’t possibly be on it again!”】

【“Why not Star Weekly?”】

【“Because we see him on that one all the time, we’ve gotten used to it.”】

【“Original poster! Go ask around for us!”】

After several hundred floors of speculation, the original poster finally speaks up:

【“Hmm… I’m just an ordinary employee, so I don’t know the exact details, but I heard there’s a photoshoot for a magazine today. What magazine? No clue.”】

After exchanging a knowing glance, fans are certain: Teacher Lei must be on the cover of a magazine again!

Fans, already eager, prepare for their next shopping spree.

Meanwhile, Li Pu, who has been “confirmed” to appear in a magazine, is looking over the photos with Peter Wang.

The photo shoot comes to an end, and it is time for a break.

“This one is cute! Oh, this one’s also great~” Peter Wang is overwhelmed by the photos, reluctant to eliminate any of them.

Meanwhile, Bai Gaoxing is completely free. The big bearded man next to him finds a ring toy and begins playing with him.

It looks like one of those stacking games for three-year-olds…?

The bearded man plays with it once to show Bai Gaoxing and then eagerly asks, “Dabai, can you do it?”

Bai Gaoxing makes a soft sound and performs the trick for him.

“Great!” The big bearded man applauds.

Afterward, the bearded man turns his attention to the photos.

A pile of glittering items sits in a box, looking very tempting.

Thanks to Li Pu buying him so many toys, Bai Gaoxing can’t resist thinking about the ring toss with all the bracelets and rings in front of him.

Coincidentally, there is a thin, long stand placed flat on the table next to it.

Eager to try, and noticing no one is paying attention, Bai Gaoxing lowers his head, carefully picks up a bracelet, takes two steps forward, and slowly places it onto the stand.

Success!

Bai Gaoxing looks at his achievement with satisfaction, then picks up another bracelet from the pile and places it onto another stand.

This way, he can see them better than if they were on him.

One, two, three, four… Counting the rings, Bai Gaoxing holds the last one, his favorite sapphire ring, and slowly places it onto a white, slender… hmm? Finger?

Bai Gaoxing freezes, opens his mouth, and steps back.

At that moment, Li Pu feels the cool touch of the ring on his finger. He looks down, then slowly raises his hand.

The ring is a bit small, just stuck at the joint, and can’t be pushed any further.

“…” As if realizing he has caused trouble by playing around, the snow-white parrot looks at Li Pu innocently, its eyes shining brighter than the sapphire itself.

Peter Wang, who has already seen the scene, laughs. “Looks like Dabai really likes his ring. How about we buy it for him?”

Li Pu turns the ring, feeling the cold texture warming up in his hand.

“Oh, by the way, this one seems to be a wedding ring,” Peter Wang adds.

Li Pu freezes.

Oh no, oh no. He’s not going to beat me, is he?

Bai Gaoxing continues to retreat but doesn’t notice he is nearing the edge of the platform.

A stranger’s hand suddenly blocks him.

“Hello.” The stranger’s eyes light up as they hand over a business card. “Excuse me, who is the owner of this parrot?”

Author’s note:

[Future]

Dabai: I didn’t mean to trick you (ノ￣▽￣)

Li Pu: (Tricked)