I Became Famous After I Became a Parrot in the Movie Star's House - Chapter 68

When the premiere ends, discussions about The Long Song quickly occupy the top spots on Weibo’s trending topics.

The effect exceeds expectations.

The actors happily pull out their phones and see that the first trending topic is followed by an explosive reaction.

Curious to see who claims the top spot… Hmm——!?

• #TheLongSong Dabai [Explosive]#

The bold words leave everyone stunned.

“So… it’s Dabai…?” Someone murmurs, struggling to believe what they are seeing.

It’s hard to believe that a group of movie kings, actresses, and popular young stars are overshadowed by a parrot.

“Teacher Li——!” Someone shouts, pulling out their phone. Since the parrot isn’t present, they figure they’ll find its owner.

“Hey, where is he?”

Looking around, the man who had been sitting here just moments ago has disappeared.

At that moment, Li Pu is already in the car, on his way home.

“I didn’t expect this…” Lei Li sighs, her fingers quickly tapping away on her phone, switching numbers with skill. Even she hasn’t anticipated this turn of events.

She knows Director Sun will make several people famous with the show, but she never imagines that the first to go viral will be Dabai.

Lei Li glances at Li Pu for a long time.

Li Pu leans back, resting his arm on the window as he gazes out at the traffic. The warm glow of the streetlights outside flashes by, a little blurry in the night, but still visible. The once heavy expression in his eyes now seems lighter, with the hint of a smile.

It should be okay now.

For some reason, Lei Li feels a sense of relief wash over her.

If she could, she really wishes they could stay like this forever.

…

At home, the parrot who claims the top spot on the trending list is happily browsing through the hot searches.

Both the comment section under the trending topic and the comments on Li Pu’s Weibo are like a hive, buzzing with activity. People are all speculating whether the parrot at the end of the film is him.

It’s me, everyone!

The comment section splits into two camps: one insists it’s him, the other argues it’s not. Both sides are armed with “evidence,” fiercely debating and throwing arguments at each other.

Come on, stop fighting already!

Bai Gaoxing paces back and forth in frustration.

It isn’t until Director Sun finally steps in and settles the matter by posting a photo that the argument is finally settled.

It was the “wrap photo.”

To be precise, it’s his wrap photo.

The picture is taken after he receives his lunch. At the time, many people think he will leave the set after filming, so they suggest taking a photo with him. What starts as a simple photo quickly turns into a group shot when everyone wants to join in.

Apart from the opening ceremony, this photo is probably the one with the most people in it.

In the picture, he’s standing next to Li Pu, tilting his head to look at the camera, looking a bit silly.

But… I didn’t notice it at the time, but now I suddenly realize that Li Pu is actually smiling.

Bai Gaoxing leans closer to the computer screen, carefully examining the 0.1 millimeter rise of Li Pu’s lips, confirming that he’s not seeing things.

“Tap, tap, tap.”

Footsteps! Someone’s coming back!

Bai Gaoxing is startled and quickly turns off the computer and, as the door opens, jumps up to block the view.

“Oh, this is to welcome you.”

A familiar face, though slightly unfamiliar due to the passage of time, appears—Li Pu’s manager.

Bai Gaoxing looks up and sees the woman standing in the doorway.

No wonder the footsteps he hears from Li Pu are so messy—it turns out there are two people.

“Brother Li, these are the snacks that Dabai liked when he went to the company earlier. I brought them all here.” Outside the door, Mei Youshu pokes her head in, holding two large bags.

Ah, three people!

The manager and assistant are here, but what are they doing here? Bai Gaoxing tilts his head in confusion.

Sure enough, the next second, Lei Li says something packed with information: “Don’t forget about the variety show, it’s in two weeks.”

So soon!

Bai Gaoxing looks at Li Pu, recalling what Lei Li said at the company before. He worries a bit that Li Pu might refuse.

Luckily, Li Pu replies, “Yeah, I know.”

He watches Li Pu squat down, his fingers casually messing with Bai Gaoxing’s feathers.

“Oh, that’s so nice.” Lei Li sees this scene and speaks with envy in her voice, “If I had the time, I’d also love to raise one.” She turns around and waves, “Xiao Mei, let’s go.”

Mei Youshu hurriedly follows, and just as the door is about to close, Lei Li suddenly stops and slaps her forehead.

“Ah, I forgot to tell him the video was great, and he can shoot more soon.”

Mei Youshu stops as well, turns around, and raises her hand to knock on the door. “Should I go tell Brother Li again?”

“Forget it.” Lei Li feels lazy and heads straight for the elevator. “Anyway, he’s posted a lot recently…”

In the room, one person and one bird stare at each other.

“Dabai,” Li Pu speaks first, turning off the lights by the door, “It’s time to go to bed.”

I knew you wouldn’t say anything serious…

Bai Gaoxing deflates, but still says, “Okay!”

Anyway, tomorrow morning will be his time to act.

Bai Gaoxing lies on the bed, looking at Li Pu’s profile. He can’t remember when he earned the privilege of lying on the bed, nor when the man stopped driving him away.

—Probably just because he hasn’t pooped.

As he watches, Bai Gaoxing starts to feel a little sleepy. His eyelids grow heavier, and just as he’s about to drift off to sleep, he seems to hear a faint “good night.”

…

On the internet, fans who confirm that the parrot in the show is Dabai are in shock.

【So it was really Teacher Li who brought Dabai to the crew?!】

【Didn’t I tell you before~ Why didn’t you believe me?】

【That kind of gossip… Damn! Who would’ve thought that a parrot would be brought to the crew! Is it really that clingy?】

【It’s not about being clingy, Dabai clearly had a role! Otherwise, how could it have been in the ending song?!】

【Who here has read the original novel? Can anyone tell me what role Dabai played?”

【I’ll look it up… here [picture].】

Some kind-hearted people summarize the parrot’s role, which is mainly that it spoke, directly confirmed the queen’s conspiracy, and indirectly helped the heroine.

【Speaking?】 Everyone expresses their anticipation.

They’ve seen Dabai‘s speaking skills in the short videos.

Not long after, netizens and fans watch the first episode featuring the parrot.

This is the scene where the queen is playing with the parrot while listening to the servants’ reports. Perched in the golden cage, the snow-white parrot looks especially noble and cute.

On this clear and peaceful night, Bai Gaoxing, who is watching TV, sees this scene too.

Li Pu is also watching, but his attention keeps drifting to Dabai beside him. He sees that Dabai is in a daze, as though shocked that a parrot exactly like itself appears on TV, and he suddenly finds it a little funny.

“The one on the screen is you.” The man points at the parrot in the picture and rubs its furry head.

“Ga!” Bai Gaoxing pecks at Li Pu’s dishonest finger. He recognizes it!

As the plot of The Long Song develops, its popularity continues to rise, shooting straight to the top of the ratings.

Bai Gaoxing also notices the massive attention the show is getting—every time he posts a video in the morning, he sees countless topics about the drama trending on Weibo, and the number of people liking and commenting on his videos keeps increasing.

This isn’t even the highlight of his role in the drama yet. Bai Gaoxing feels a little nervous. What would the audience think when they saw the later episodes?

Before he can speculate, The Long Song soon airs the episode where the parrot imitates the palace maid’s voice.

That night, the ratings, already high, jump two points higher than usual!

On TV, the parrot repeats the palace maid’s words word for word. Its slightly hoarse voice, which is about 70% similar to the palace maid’s, combined with the cold, gloomy atmosphere of the palace, creates an eerie feeling.

After watching the episode, the audience explodes with excitement online.

【Damn, I get goosebumps when I hear Dabai talking!】

【When I read the original novel, I thought Yuan Changge would be left in vain again this time, and it would take a long time for the queen to fall. But I didn’t expect this trick.】

【Discussing the plot: The heroine’s halo here is simply amazing! Fortunately, in ancient times, everyone was superstitious. If it were now, wouldn’t people think it was all just deliberately staged?】

【Someone had to teach it! The heroine didn’t have time to come to Changning Palace before, and she didn’t have many people under her command. Everything lines up—the timing, the place, the people—and the evidence points directly to the queen.】

【Not to mention anything else, this just makes my scalp tingle. You really can’t be around a parrot when discussing important matters!】

【The maid’s frightened expression makes me laugh to death. It’s so real. It doesn’t even look like acting.】

But along with the praise, doubts mix in with the surprise.

【No way? No one’s going to believe this, right? This is obviously dubbing.】

【The crew of The Long Song is really good at tricking people. It doesn’t matter if such a long line was synthesized in post-production, but the director still claims it’s ‘real.’ Isn’t that ridiculous?】

【I heard that the crew made Dabai shoot over and over again for the effect, and the poor bird got tired and sick!】

As soon as these words come out, the people who were previously on the sidelines are pulled into the debate.

When small animals are harmed for entertainment purposes, it always draws special attention.

The discussion quickly snowballs, and the screen fills with #TheLongSongCrewApologize!#

The morning after the new episode airs, Bai Gaoxing sees this topic as soon as he opens the webpage, and his heart skips a beat.

He feels a little distracted all day.

Li Pu quickly notices that his parrot seems off, so he gently places it on his lap and strokes it a few times. “What’s wrong?”

You wouldn’t understand.

Bai Gaoxing looks at Li Pu with a sense of disillusionment. A man like you who shuts himself off from the world, what troubles could you have?

Unlike Li Pu’s silence after unplugging the network cable, his agent Lei Li calls him on the same day.

“Don’t pay attention to the things online. The crew anticipated this situation and is already prepared. Just be patient.”

What kind of prophet is this?

Bai Gaoxing hears the words on the phone and glances at Li Pu curiously.

What exactly is the crew going to do to clear the rumors?

“Okay, I understand.” Li Pu gently strokes the soft and warm parrot in his hand, then goes to check Weibo after hanging up the phone. His relaxed expression gradually turns serious. He taps on the screen a few times, but then remembers his agent’s words and stops.

About a day later, those who had been criticizing the crew online completely stop.

Not only do they stop, they also become cautious and fearful.

The reason? The three latest videos released on the crew’s official Weibo.

As is common with every drama, behind-the-scenes footage is released to attract attention during the broadcast, and The Long Song is no exception. Each episode has corresponding interesting clips, sparking various jokes and memes.

In the past, behind-the-scenes footage has been released by the official Weibo account, but today, Director Sun also joins in. 【This scene I personally supervise—how could I not know if it’s real or not!?】

With this sentence, the official blog reposts clips that were not used in the drama.

Video 1: The camera is positioned correctly, capturing the parrot speaking lines in a voice very similar to that of a palace maid, with an extremely fluent tone. After a few seconds, Director Sun says “click!”

Video 2: The picture quality suggests it was shot with a mobile phone, with a slightly shaky lens. The position indicates it was taken by a staff member at the time. It shows Huang Shaqing walking out with a guilty expression, saying, “Sorry, director, I was distracted,” followed by Director Sun’s shocked exclamation (censored here).

Video 3: The set during a break, lit in warm colors. Huang Shaqing and Li Pu sit on opposite sides of a low table, each with a small pile of melon seeds in front of them. They’re peeling them and happily feeding them to Dabai.

But that’s not all. After reposting these clips, Director Sun personally uploads a series of GIFs showing actors or staff talking to Dabai during breaks. These pictures also have sound, with each word the parrot says clearly audible. “Hello” and “Thank you” are nothing new, but the longer sentences are jaw-dropping.

Mei Youshu, who has been following the official updates, is shocked: Where did the director find so many clips!?

Just as he thinks the farce might be coming to an end, Director Sun posts a short article detailing his process of finding a suitable animal actor.

“… Initially, we used Big Head from Wanshan Bird Park, and we filmed more than half of the scenes, but it just isn’t working. That’s when Dabai comes in. Dabai’s intelligence and abilities really exceed my expectations. I thought it would take a long time for it to keep up with the crew’s rhythm, but it surprised me right away. Our trainers can attest to this.”

As if to echo Director Sun’s words, within half an hour, not only Huang Shaqing and other actors who have scenes with the parrot, but also the trainer Xiao Yi respond on Weibo. Xiao Yi also tags two colleagues and posts a photo with Big Head from the crew.

At that moment, the truth is fully revealed.

Big Head from Wanshan Bird Park is a famous parrot on the internet, known for learning to talk quickly. Wanshan Bird Park, a public institution in the city specializing in ornamental birds, would not have allowed the crew to use its parrot so easily unless they had treated it well.

From there, Dabai‘s fame skyrockets.

The popularity of “Parrot Dabai” soars, surpassing even the most famous actors.

Who wouldn’t love a smart, cute, talkative, and talented parrot?

【It’s over, I have a dangerous idea… Who’s teaming up with me to steal Dabai?】

【Me! Team up!】

【Strongly requesting that Teacher Li posts more of Dabai’s daily life! I want to raise Dabai online!】

Meanwhile, Li Pu is notified that the storm has subsided.

After thinking it over, he decides to post something himself.

“Dabai,” he calls.

Bai Gaoxing, who has been bored these past couple of days but knows nothing about the current situation, is lying on the sofa. He turns and sees Li Pu holding up his phone and waving at him.

“What’s up~” Bai Gaoxing drags out his words, barely looking up.

Then, he sees Li Pu pull out a bag of dried fruit.

Hmm…  He would never say no to snacks.

Gurgling and rolling to Li Pu’s legs, Bai Gaoxing takes a bite and says, “Thank you~”

Li Pu posts the video on his personal Weibo with the caption: “Thank you everyone for your concern, Bai Gaoxing is very cute.”

Cute!?

This man actually uses cute!

Fans are so excited that their eyes are about to pop out. This is the first time Li Pu posts an update during his break, and they have to screenshot it as a memento!

Then they cry out, saying they also want to raise a Dabai.

【The previous suspicions are completely disproved~ Looking at how they get along, I can tell Teacher Li is an experienced bird owner.】

【Look at how familiar Bai Gaoxing is with this sofa, it even knows to kick once in the middle, or it’ll get stuck in the crack.】

【No, why is Dabai so obedient!? There isn’t even a trace of poop on the sofa!!!】

【His speaking skills… 10/10!】

Amid the lively comments from netizens, the actors from the crew also like and comment happily. However, their agent feels something is off.

This time, the one who becomes popular thanks to Director Sun’s production… doesn’t seem to be a human??

……

One morning, Bai Gaoxing logs onto Weibo as usual and is dumbfounded when he sees the latest posts.

Both the crew and Director Sun have posted that “a lawyer’s letter has been sent to the rumormonger.” What’s going on?

He carefully looks at Director Sun’s Weibo, where the director says the impact of such rumors is very negative and issues a serious warning, promising to use legal means to protect the reputation of both himself and the crew.

What has happened while he’s been offline?

Bai Gaoxing blinks and quickly sends a short video.

After his long-term efforts, his works on the Xinghuo platform have reached sixty-six works.

Sixty-six!

Six six! great luck and prosperity!

The company would probably be overjoyed when they saw this!

Bai Gaoxing is thrilled but quickly composes himself.

Stay low-key.

He skillfully turns off the phone just before Li Pu opens the door, then flutters into his arms.

By this time, the plot of The Long Song has reached its middle stage, revealing the backstory of Ning Chen and the parrot in a series of flashbacks.

Therefore, in conjunction with the new episode’s release, behind-the-scenes footage is also shared.

The audience is delighted and only asks for more. Whether it’s a mistake on set or an outtake, people can’t help but add it to their collection of funny moments. Especially for a serious drama like The Long Song, the contrast is so great that it allows viewers to temporarily forget the heaviness of the plot.

When the behind-the-scenes footage is released, the audience rushes to watch it.

In the distance, a purple figure walks back and forth with a bird. Although he is tall and handsome, he’s carrying a birdcage like an old man walking his bird in the park.

【Dabai is treated so well, even gets taken for walks!】

【I think this little brother is really handsome~ Zoom in, let’s take a closer look.】

Compared to the passersby looking at the parrot, Li Pu’s fans have already narrowed their eyes.

Wait a minute… why does this figure look so familiar…?

When the man comes closer, his handsome face is magnified, and countless fans are left with just one thought:

F*ck!