Jiang Zhan quickly walked into the teahouse carrying a birdcage, hurrying up to the second floor.
“Young Master, weren’t we going home?” A-ji followed closely behind.
Jiang Zhan surveyed the second floor and saw A-man standing outside the third private room, curtsying to him.
Jiang Zhan strode over and pointed at the door, asking, “Is your young miss inside?”
“Yes.”
Jiang Zhan smiled and impetuously pushed open the door, “Fourth Sister, look what I’ve brought you!”
He walked a few steps to Jiang-si and placed the birdcage on the table, proudly saying, “Does Fourth Sister know what kind of birds these are?”
Jiang-si looked at the pair of colorful birds in the bamboo cage, her eyes welling up with tears.
The same person, the same pair of parrots, saying the same words with eager anticipation: “Fourth Sister, look what I’ve brought you!”
How had she responded then?
She glanced at the parrots and said coldly, “Where did Second Brother get these parrots? I think Second Brother has been fooled. This type of parrot can’t learn to speak.”
At that time, Jiang Zhan had left holding the birdcage with a dejected look, not knowing that he had secretly raised the parrots.
When Grandmother ordered someone to wring the parrots’ necks, Second Brother desperately tried to protect them. When the lifeless birds were swept away like garbage, Second Brother sat on the ground, repeating in a daze: “They could say ‘congratulations’…”
At that moment, she had felt regret for the first time, wanting to apologize to Second Brother but unable to swallow her pride.
This delay dragged on until her wedding day…
Jiang-si didn’t want to think about it anymore.
Those memories were like thorns buried deep in her heart, causing piercing pain at the slightest touch.
“Why is Fourth Sister crying?” The tears in Jiang-si’s eyes startled Jiang Zhan. He hurriedly picked up the birdcage and asked, “Were you frightened?”
Jiang-si wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief and smiled, “I suddenly thought of the origin of these birds’ names and couldn’t help but feel moved.”
“Name?” Jiang Zhan was confused.
Jiang-si pointed at the colorful parrots and explained, “This type of parrot is also called the love bird. They can only survive in pairs. When one of the pair dies, the other will soon follow…”
“Oh, Fourth Sister’s explanation is the same as Brother Yu Qi’s.”
Jiang-si’s expression changed slightly.
“Brother Yu Qi also said that few people know the origin of this parrot’s nickname. I guess he was just teasing me.”
“What does the pair of parrots Second Brother brought have to do with Brother Yu Qi?” When Jiang-si heard Jiang Zhan mention Yu Qi, even though she knew it wasn’t the same person, she still felt a bit uneasy.
“I went to drink with Brother Yu Qi today. Unexpectedly, he keeps many birds at home. We drank and observed the birds, and Brother Yu Qi explained the habits and interesting facts about each bird. Later, he asked if I wanted to take a pair home. I thought, although I’m not patient enough to keep them, I could give them to Fourth Sister.”
Jiang Zhan looked proudly at the pair of colorful parrots and asked Jiang-si, “Fourth Sister, aren’t these parrots beautiful?”
“They are beautiful, but when I see this pair of parrots, I think of the origin of their name, and thinking of that makes me want to cry,” Jiang-si said softly.
“Then what should we do?” Jiang Zhan frowned slightly, feeling troubled.
He had forgotten that girls are often sentimental.
Jiang-si gently stroked the bamboo birdcage.
The pair of parrots inside were startled and curiously looked at her.
“I can’t bear to see them, and Second Brother isn’t patient enough to keep them. Why don’t we send them back?”
“Send them back?”
“Yes, I can see that these birds’ feathers are vibrant and smooth, clearly well-cared for. They won’t live well in our home, so it’s better to return them to their original owner.”
Jiang Zhan nodded, “Fourth Sister makes sense. I’ll return these two parrots to Brother Yu Qi tomorrow.”
Jiang-si stood up, “If we’re going to return them, why keep the birds for a day? They surely won’t adapt well to a new environment.”
Although the fortune-teller’s accusation against Second Brother hadn’t been revealed yet, she didn’t dare take risks.
Ji Chong-yi and Qiao-niang’s lives had already changed. Who knows if other things couldn’t change as well?
“Alright then, I’ll return them now,” Jiang Zhan said, looking at the birdcage with some regret. Suddenly, he smiled, “Brother Yu Qi has other birds. Why don’t I exchange these for ones Fourth Sister likes?”
Jiang-si quickly waved her hand, “No need, I’m not interested in birds.”
“Aren’t all girls supposed to like small animals?”
“Kittens and puppies are better, they’re more intelligent than birds. But keeping any of them is troublesome,” Jiang-si didn’t dare show any fondness for a particular small animal.
Currently, she could barely take care of herself, let alone have the energy to raise these living creatures.
“Cats are indeed cute, but dogs are a no,” Jiang Zhan suddenly remembered the large dog that was inseparable from Yu Qi and felt annoyed.
That wretched dog always gave him dirty looks. One day, he would slaughter it and eat its meat!
The siblings walked out of the teahouse together. Jiang Zhan stopped and said, “Fourth Sister, you go back to the mansion first. I’ll return the birds and then come home.”
Jiang-si nodded in agreement. Jiang Zhan lightly kicked his servant A-ji, “A-ji, escort Fourth Miss back to the mansion. If Fourth Miss loses even a strand of hair, see how I’ll deal with you!”
“Second Brother, go quickly and come back soon,” Jiang-si urged.
Jiang Zhan waved to Jiang-si and strode away carrying the birdcage.
Quezi Alley wasn’t far from here. Jiang Zhan walked the whole way, arriving at a house in about half an hour.
In front of that house stood a crooked jujube tree, now full of jujube blossoms, a sea of green to the eye.
Jiang Zhan went up and knocked on the door, “Brother Yu Qi, I’m back again.”
The door suddenly opened, and a large dog rushed out.
“What are you doing?” Jiang Zhan held the birdcage across his chest and shouted.
The parrots in the cage seemed to sense the threat and became agitated.
The large dog completely ignored the parrots in the cage and stood at the doorway, staring at Jiang Zhan with disdain.
“A guest at the door is still a guest. Get out of the way, you little beast!”
“Woof!” The large dog suddenly bared its teeth and lunged forward.
Jiang Zhan was startled and quickly climbed the jujube tree, using both hands and feet.
The large dog gave Jiang Zhan a contemptuous look, wagged its tail, and turned to go back inside.
Jiang Zhan jumped down from the tree with a black face, walking inside under the strange gazes of the doorkeepers, while cursing inwardly: Damned little beast, actually tricking me!
Under the silk tree in the courtyard, Yu Qi stood leaning against the tree in a green robe. The large dog ran over to him, affectionately rubbing against the hem of his clothes.
“Brother Yu Qi, I’m back again.”
Yu Qi’s gaze fell on the birdcage in Jiang Zhan’s hand, his brow furrowing slightly.
Jiang Zhan placed the birdcage on the stone table under the tree and said regretfully, “The people at home aren’t patient enough to keep them, so I’m returning them to Brother Yu Qi.”
“They don’t like them?”
“Ah,” Jiang Zhan responded vaguely.
“There are many other birds. Second Brother Jiang can choose the ones he likes.”
“No need, the people at home aren’t interested in keeping birds,” Jiang Zhan felt increasingly that Yu Qi was congenial.
Not only had Brother Yu Qi saved him, but he was also so generous. Such a friend was truly hard to find even with a lantern!
Yu Qi looked at the parrots in the cage, a hint of confusion flashing across his handsome jade-like face.
How could they not like such beautiful birds?
He couldn’t help but lower his gaze to look at the large dog beside him.
Jiang Zhan almost jumped up, “This kind of fierce and ugly dog is even worse!”
The large dog: “Woof——”