Chapter 13: Harmonious Relationship

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Chapter 13: A Harmonious Relationship

Mu Four’s cooking was so good that there was nothing more to say. After eating his fill, Young Master Lin You praised Mu Four lavishly to give Mu Yanxiao face. Just as Mu Yanxiao raised an eyebrow and was about to say something, that sharp-tongued parrot suddenly sighed with emotion. “I wonder who a good wife like him will marry someday~ squawk squawk~”

Young Master Mu’s mood suddenly became rather complicated. The irritation he had felt over his parrot’s relentless praise of his subordinate vanished instantly. After all, no matter how outstanding a man was, was it really something to be proud of when he was praised as a great wife? That was a profound question.

“Ahem. It’s getting late. In a little while, Mu Two will record the files that need to be processed into audio for me. You can play by yourself for a while, then go to bed at ten.”

After hearing this, Lin You looked at the antique clock hanging on the wall and immediately flapped his wings in protest. “Are you an elementary school student or something~? Going to bed at ten?! Ten o’clock is when the nightlife is just getting started! Squawk squawk~”

Mu Yanxiao paused slightly, still holding his teacup. He glanced toward the direction of Lin You’s voice and sneered. “What kind of nightlife does a parrot like you have? Catching bugs and eating them at night?”

Lin You the parrot, “…” Blind man, you’re not going to have a good ending!

In the end, Young Master Lin You could not win against the blind Mu Yanxiao. Around ten o’clock, Mu Yanxiao grabbed Lin You and returned to the bedroom with him. He also forcibly turned off the home theater in the living room and locked the bedroom door.

Lin You flew around the bedroom but could not find anywhere to escape. Even the windows were closed. He immediately raised his head and protested, “Illegal detention!! What are you planning to do~~? Young Master would rather die than surrender~~!”

Mu Yanxiao silently pursed his lips. “Stop fooling around and go to sleep. You’re sleeping with me tonight.”

“I thought we were sleeping in separate rooms?! Don’t all men need their own private space?!” Lin You protested. He absolutely did not want to sleep in the same room as Mu Yanxiao. More importantly, if he had to sleep with Mu Yanxiao every night, how was he supposed to get onto the Netherworld Network and contact his Little Uncle? And if he could not find his Little Uncle, how could he regain his human form? If he could not regain his human form, he would be exhausted before he could even fall in love, okay?!

But Young Master Mu was never someone who changed his mind easily. He ignored Lin You’s protests, reached out, and pressed the parrot onto a small, soft pillow at the head of the bed. His voice was low and slightly weary. “Sleep. Don’t make trouble.”

Young Master Lin You was furious. He almost pecked and scratched the master he had been forced to follow with his sharp beak and claws. But when he lowered his head, that face, so close yet completely defenseless, left him unable to bring himself to attack. The faint blue bruises beneath those tightly closed eyes made Lin You’s heart soften.

No matter how powerful this man appeared in front of his subordinates and outsiders, to the point that people almost forgot he could no longer see anything, he was still a blind man. The darkness of a world he could no longer see followed him like a shadow, and he still felt the uneasiness and anxiety anyone would naturally experience. It was just that strong people did not show it easily.

“…Suffering so much just to keep up appearances.” Young Master Lin You whispered. After thinking for a moment, he threw himself onto the soft pillow and stomped around until he had made himself a little nest. Only then did he settle down comfortably. Resting one wing lightly against the back of Mu Yanxiao’s hand beside his head, he slowly closed his eyes.

When the moonlight streamed through the French windows and spilled across the room, the light blue wings and long, strong fingers resting together looked inexplicably warm and peaceful.

……

Early the next morning, Lin You was still a little dazed when he woke up.

He rubbed his black-bean eyes with his wings, only to discover that the scene around him had not changed at all. His feathers immediately stood on end. “What the?! Young Master was kidnapped?!”

He was resting on a very soft cushion that was clearly different from the pillow he had slept on the night before. The cushion was not on the bed but on a pearwood chair that carried a familiar scent from his hometown. The entire room had a strong traditional atmosphere, completely different from the high-tech environment he had seen the day before.

“…If all these things were replaced with fakes, I could practically believe I was back home.”

Lin You muttered to himself. After looking around, he discovered that most of the room was actually filled with genuine antiques. Although many of the decorations looked ordinary at first glance, with the Lin Family’s sinister eye for antiques, Lin You could tell that they were all authentic. There were even a few pieces that would have made his great-grandfather drool if he had seen them.

“Could it be that Young Master is so charming that I was kidnapped by someone even richer? Tsk tsk, I really can’t help being so popular. Squawk squawk squawk~~~”

Just as Lin You was becoming smug, a familiar voice shattered his fantasy.

“I’m sorry to interrupt. Although I won’t ask you to get up and work at the same time as Mu One or Mu Five because you’re a parrot, as a personally hired escort who sleeps from ten at night until ten in the morning, shouldn’t you feel ashamed? Don’t you think you should change your species?”

Hearing that familiar tone and the Mu Family’s equally familiar mockery, Lin You’s feathers immediately puffed up. Sure enough, when he turned around, he saw his fierce master standing with his arms crossed, looking in his direction with an expression that seemed to say, What a lazy pig.

Behind him, Second Young Master Mu was covering his mouth as he struggled to suppress his laughter. Further behind them stood an elite old man about the same age as Lin You’s grandfather, looking at his fierce grandson and foolish younger brother with affection and kindness.

“…” Oh, what a harmonious and loving family this was! Pah!!

“You could have woken me up.” Lin You the parrot retorted. Unable to control his sharp tongue, he added, “I was the one who helped you sleep peacefully last night when you were too scared to sleep~ Master~ You crossed the river and then tore down the bridge~ Throwing me away as soon as you’ve gotten what you needed~~”

“Pfft! Ahahaha! I’m dying! I’m dying! Brother, this parrot is too good at talking! ‘Throwing him away once you’ve used him up’! Isn’t that exactly what you should be saying?” Mu Yanming could no longer hold back his laughter and simply burst out laughing.

After the hot springs yesterday and this morning’s wake-up call, Second Young Master Mu had finally realized something. His inhuman elder brother, known throughout their circle as a cold-blooded elite who was particularly ruthless toward his younger brother, was actually completely helpless against a parrot! Whether it was because he needed the parrot’s help or simply because he liked his pet, the result was the same: his elder brother had a hard time getting the upper hand over his parrot.

“Tsk tsk, what a joyous occasion!” Second Young Master Mu happily shook his head, but he barely had time to enjoy himself before a voice as cold as winter came from behind him. “You’re very free?”

Mu Yanming instantly stiffened.

“Mu Two already reported yesterday’s work to me.” Mu Yanxiao calmly delivered another blow. “What you accomplished in one day was still not as much as what Mu Two finished in an hour. What do you think about that?”

Mu Yanming’s face began to turn blue.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Mu Yanxiao continued mercilessly. “Look, even the parrot I raised knows how to talk back to me and increase his bargaining power when I scold him. How can you, the younger brother I raised for twenty years, not even say a word?”

Mu Yanming slowly turned his head toward Grandfather for help.

“As a person, you’re not even as capable as a parrot, yet you have the nerve to laugh at him?” Mu Yanxiao continued. “Besides, your elder brother is already blind and considered disabled. As a healthy person, shouldn’t you take over the work I used to handle?”

Mu Yanxiao delivered the final blow. “So now you should reflect on yourself with an appropriately guilty expression, then get in the car and go to the company. Swear that if you don’t finish your work, you won’t eat lunch or go out at night to fool around, just to prove that you’re not completely hopeless. What do you think?”

Mu Yanming, who was already lying on the sofa pretending to be dead, “…”

The stupefied Lin You, “…” Holy shit! Master was ruthless!

Just as Lin You and Mu Yanming were both rendered speechless by Mu Yanxiao’s domineering attitude, Elder Mu finally could not help laughing. Unlike Mu Yanming’s gloating laughter, Elder Mu’s smile was filled with relief and joy.

“All right, Yanxiao. Look at how badly you’ve frightened them. I also heard Mu Two’s report on what Yanming did yesterday. Although his performance was barely satisfactory, isn’t he at least working hard? At any rate, you have to give him some time to adapt.”

When Elder Mu finished speaking, he looked at Lin You. The emotions in his eyes were so complicated, containing affection, doubt, gratitude, and worry, that Lin You felt his entire body tense up. Young Master Lin You, unable to withstand that gaze, instinctively took several steps backward. Then one foot landed outside the mat, and he fell headfirst.

Lin You, “…” Sure enough, every old man was more terrifying than the last. The Mu Family really wasn’t easy to deal with! I really want to invite him to drink a cup of immortal tea…

“Linlin?” Mu Yanxiao’s voice carried a hint of confusion.

“Ay~ It’s okay~ I was pierced by Grandfather’s loving gaze and accidentally did a backflip~~”

Mu Yanxiao, “…” He could now be absolutely certain that his grandfather had no idea the parrot was a spirit when he picked him up.

Elder Mu, who had just experienced his first full encounter with Young Master Lin’s craziness, sighed. “That fellow shouldn’t have lied to me…” But… could a parrot like this really help my grandson survive this calamity? He doesn’t seem very reliable.

“Grandfather?” Mu Yanxiao’s hearing had become exceptionally sensitive lately. “What did you just say?”

Hearing this, Elder Mu hurriedly coughed and shook his head. “Nothing. You asked me before where I found him?”

“Yes. I also think it’s a matter of good karma. If my vision is restored in the future, I intend to release him.” Mu Yanxiao nodded, but he was slightly puzzled by what he had just heard. It sounded as though his grandfather had been looking for someone.

“Ah, I had someone catch him in the Qinling Mountains,” Elder Mu said.

In reality, he had obtained him by pestering that old Daoist friend of his and exchanging quite a few antique vases with him. Although he had thought the trade was not worthwhile at the time, looking at this parrot now, it seemed that he really was… special.

Elder Mu glanced again at the light blue parrot flying around his house and circling his antiques. For some reason, he suddenly had a feeling that his antiques would disappear one day.

He quickly shook his head.

At any rate, he believed that the person who had given him the parrot would not harm him. And Yanxiao’s current condition was indeed much better than he had expected. It could even be said to be better than before he lost his sight.

Elder Mu made up his mind. Even if this parrot was actually some mountain spirit or monster in disguise, as long as he could help his grandson, he would treat him kindly. Even if he suddenly transformed into a ghost, a human, or something else one day, he would accept him.

Even so, Elder Mu remained somewhat worried. Even if this parrot could help Yanxiao adjust to life after losing his sight, a craniotomy would still be unavoidable if Yanxiao wanted to regain his vision. However, the success rate of such an operation was less than one in a thousand. How was Yanxiao supposed to survive this calamity?

“Qinling?” Mu Yanxiao frowned at first, then nodded. The Qinling Mountains could very well be that parrot’s hometown. After all, there were far too many supernatural legends surrounding that place.

Lin You, who had been examining the antiques nearby, was also attracted by the word “Qinling.” He flapped his wings around Mu Yanxiao and squawked, “That’s right! Young Master’s hometown is there! But I’ve forgotten which mountain it was. How about you accompany Young Master there for a walk?”

Mu Yanxiao’s heart tightened when he heard this, but his expression remained calm. “Sure. I’ll take you there once I finish my current work.” Of course, he had a great deal of work waiting for him, and it would probably take at least half a year to finish.

“Hehe, okay! I’ll invite you to eat the fruit there when the time comes~ Fresh and juicy fruit! Squawk squawk~” Lin You was delighted. As long as he could get Young Master to the Qinling Mountains, he could find some fruit infused with the Water of Forgetfulness and make sure this blind man forgot all about his embarrassing past!

……

At this moment, Young Master Mu and Young Master Lin were exactly alike. Both were smiling on the surface while scheming inwardly. Each was simply waiting to see who would have the last laugh.

Looking at the person and bird in the room getting along so harmoniously, Mu Yanming and Elder Mu both thought, “…” Why did they suddenly feel a cold breeze blowing past?

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