Chapter 18: An Unexpected Invitation

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Chapter 18: An Unexpected Invitation

Lin You had heard of men with feminine features before. After all, it was a type of physiognomy, and in some respects, it was a rather special facial appearance. But he had never seen a man so feminine that even he had trouble telling his gender. Well, back when he was a shut-in, he had barely seen any people at all. Nevertheless, he was certain his eyes weren’t blind or defective. They might be small, but they were still a pair of bright, piercing bird eyes!

So, in response to the veterinarian’s extreme dissatisfaction and questioning, Young Master Lin You displayed his fearless spirit of speaking the truth. He immediately gave a chuckle and said, “Except for your chest, you look like a woman in every other way.”

Wang Xiao was instantly stunned. He narrowed his eyes and stared at Lin You for a long while before turning to Mu Yanxiao. “Are you sure he’s really a parrot and hasn’t been possessed by something?”

The moment those words were spoken, Lin You’s parrot body suddenly stiffened. Mu Yanxiao, however, immediately shook his head. “How could that be? You actually believe in unscientific nonsense like spirits, demons, ghosts, and monsters possessing people? Aren’t you a staunch believer in science? And look at Linlin. Does he look anything like those ugly, gloomy things? Can’t a genius come out of the parrot world once in a while?”

Wang Xiao responded with a classic smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Forget it. I can’t be bothered with whatever goes on between you two. We’re not even that familiar with each other. If you happen to run into my second brother at some high-end gathering, just tell him I’m alive and well and ask him not to bother me anymore.”

“I’ll give him a full-body check-up. As for the vaccination…” Wang Xiao’s gaze drifted toward the parrot cautiously backing away. A sinister smile appeared on his handsome face. “He’s definitely getting one.”

Lin You knew it! A woman’s heart was the most poisonous thing of all! Even if a man merely looked like a woman, he could still be this vicious!!

Mu Yanxiao naturally guessed that his parrot was in a terrible mood right now, and the unscrupulous veterinarian was clearly taking the opportunity to get revenge. The problem was that he knew absolutely nothing about animal health or disease prevention. Sometimes, even a rich mafia boss had no way around things.

“How about I take you for barbecue after the check-up?”

Even though Mu Yanxiao couldn’t see his parrot’s pitiful, drooping-headed expression, he still couldn’t help comforting him when he didn’t hear Lin You’s usual crazy, cheerful voice.

Lin You raised his head and gave Mu Yanxiao a resentful look, then glanced at all the syringes and instruments around him. He covered his head with his wings in a desperate attempt to resist. “I want ten skewers of grilled chicken wings!”

Mu Yanxiao, “…” He felt that he couldn’t refuse him outright. Hearing that slightly coquettish, pitiful tone made it impossible for him to be cruel.

The veterinarian listening nearby, however, had no such reservations and immediately mocked him. “Ten skewers of grilled chicken wings? Don’t you think that’s like chopping off your relatives’ claws just to satisfy your appetite? That’s practically cannibalism.”

As a veterinarian, don’t ever assume that Wang Xiao had chosen this profession because of his immense love for small animals. He had simply “abandoned human medicine for veterinary medicine” for reasons of his own.

Before becoming a veterinarian, the eldest son of the Wang Family had been a medical prodigy whose talent and reputation surpassed even those of Lu Yuan, the Lu Family’s Second Young Master. His eventual career change had shocked practically all the prestigious families in City A, not to mention the Wang Family patriarch, who had nearly suffered a stroke from the news, and the Wang Family’s Second Young Master, who had been left completely dumbfounded.

Oh right, the Wang Family’s Second Young Master was the same guy who had once declared that he absolutely had to find a parrot as clever and fierce as Lin You’s and pair them up.

Until his brother got over whatever had gotten into him and decided to return to inherit the family business, Second Young Master Wang had been miserably bearing all kinds of pressure from his parents, including the daily task of trying to persuade his brother to come home.

So, just as Wang Xiao was expressing his contempt for Mu Yanxiao’s soft-heartedness and preparing to mock him, while Young Master Lin You was unable to speak up because he hadn’t even gotten his injection yet, a certain miserable Second Young Master arrived.

When Second Young Master Wang saw Mu Yanxiao in the pet shop, his miserable expression immediately disappeared. He hurried over and greeted him loudly, “Brother Mu! What brings you to my brother’s place? Are your eyes doing okay? Did you come here to catch up with my brother?”

Mu Yanxiao’s eyes twitched when he heard Second Young Master Wang’s voice. Logically speaking, both he and Wang Xiao had rather cold personalities, and they were quite different from each other. Even if they met, they shouldn’t have had much in common, much less become friends.

But reality was often bizarre.

One day, Young Master Mu and Young Master Wang had both been forced to lower themselves to visit the same VIP bar because of their troublesome, spoiled younger brothers. That was when the two of them discovered that they actually had quite a lot in common, especially when it came to figuring out how to deal with their younger brothers.

So Second Young Master Wang and Mu Yanxiao were fairly familiar with each other. Of course, he was even more familiar with Second Young Master Mu. The two of them had even been punished by their respective older brothers to stand against the wall together… It was a story filled with blood, sweat, and tears.

Before Mu Yanxiao could reply, Wang Xiao crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

“What exactly is wrong with your brain? Is asking someone how they’re doing the same as asking about their eyes? If his eyes were fine, would he need Mu One and Mu Five following him around? With a brain like yours, why haven’t Mom and Dad sent you back to be remade?”

Second Young Master Wang, “…” He knew it. Every time he came here, it was a disaster.

“Brother, this is just how I am. Mom and Dad argue every day and are practically on the verge of getting divorced. You know that. Rather than letting Dad’s mistresses give us more brothers to fight over the family fortune, you should hurry back. Sure, Dad doesn’t like the way you look, but you can just ignore him. Besides, the Wang Family’s wealth today wasn’t built by him. Before Dad turned thirty, he relied on Grandpa. From thirty to forty, he relied on Grandpa and Mom. After forty, he relied on you. Tsk, the only thing he can take credit for is bringing us into this world.”

Mu Yanxiao and Lin You the parrot remained completely calm upon hearing such blatantly rebellious words from the Wang Family’s Second Young Master. Well, whose family didn’t have its own troubles? Especially the richest of the rich: the prestigious families.

“Heh, you’re wrong about one thing.” Wang Xiao sneered. “His only merits were marrying Mom and giving birth to me.”

Second Young Master Wang, “!!” Brother, we’re still blood brothers! Can’t you give me some face?!

“Fine, then. Brother, are you going back?”

At that moment, Wang Xiao pushed the syringe, and a few drops of liquid slid from the thin needle. Then, narrowing his eyes, he swiftly pinned Lin You down, jabbed the needle into the parrot, pushed the plunger, and pulled it out.

“Of course not. Let those mistresses keep making trouble. Let’s see whether our gentlemanly father will still be able to remain so gentlemanly after they’ve been at it for long enough.”

The ruthlessness in his words made even Young Master Lin You, who had just received an injection, shiver slightly. Lin You immediately flapped his wings and tremblingly flew into his master’s arms, vigorously nuzzling against him for comfort.

“This lord is absolutely never coming back here again! You heartless veterinarian! I curse you to run into nothing but rotten love interests!!”

Mu Yanxiao stroked his parrot’s glossy feathers as he walked toward the entrance. Staying here any longer was clearly unwise. The Wang Family’s eldest son was no pushover. Unfortunately, actions were never as fast as words. Just as Mu Yanxiao was about to make it back to the entrance, Wang Xiao’s half-mocking voice came from behind him.

“Mr. Mu, you can leave, but don’t forget the ten-thousand-yuan consultation fee. Thank you.”

Young Master Lin You immediately exploded. “What the hell?! Ten thousand yuan for one lousy vaccine! This is robbery! Robbery, squawk squawk!!”

Wang Xiao and his younger brother, “…” They both felt that this parrot was extremely, extraordinarily special. So special that they really wanted to catch him and study him.

Mu Yanxiao immediately pressed his parrot into his arms, preventing him from attracting any more hostility or suspicion. He nodded very decisively. “Fine. I’ll have Mu Two transfer the money to your account later.”

With that, he carried Lin You away. Just as Wang Xiao’s face revealed a triumphant smile, Mu Yanxiao suddenly stopped as though he had remembered something. Then he delivered a single sentence that drew the maximum amount of hostility.

“Consider it charity. After all, you’re homeless now.”

Wang Xiao, “…” Motherfucker, how dare your blind ass say that I can’t go home?! You’d better pray that your parrot never gets hurt or sick. Otherwise, this lord will pluck every last feather off him!!

Second Young Master Wang was a little conflicted. Well, although Brother Mu’s words were rather blunt, it seemed like he was actually trying to encourage his brother to go back home. Forget it. He’d better keep his mouth shut.

Mu Yanxiao carried Lin You away, with Mu One and Mu Five following behind. About half an hour later, they arrived at a farmhouse resort on the outskirts of the city.

Although this leisure resort had the word “farmhouse” in its name, no one would actually mistake it for some crude, rustic place. On the contrary, after Lin You flew a circle around the resort, he landed on Mu Yanxiao’s shoulder and sighed in amazement.

“This lord never knew eating barbecue could be this luxurious. They even gave us a private outdoor villa!”

Mu Yanxiao silently raised the corners of his lips. “Everything here is very fresh. We can barbecue outside while listening to the news.”

Lin You glanced at the time on Mu Yanxiao’s watch and thought for a moment. “Let’s listen to a collection of jokes instead.”

Mu Yanxiao fell silent before eventually giving in. Forget it. He wouldn’t go bankrupt from not listening to the news for one day.

Thus, Mu One and Mu Five dutifully went to gather all kinds of barbecue ingredients. The barbecue grill and cookware had already been prepared. Lin You specifically ordered New Orleans-style marinated chicken wings, black-pepper beef short ribs, and fresh shrimp. As for Boss Mu, he thought about it seriously before deciding to get a little of everything. After all, anything they couldn’t finish could simply be taken home.

Lin You the parrot was filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred. Damn rich people!

Just as Mu One and Mu Five went to get the food, while Lin You the parrot and his master happily listened to a selection of crosstalk and comedy skits, a discordant voice came from nearby. Lin You immediately puffed up his feathers and went on high alert.

“Brother Mu?”

Mu Yanxiao raised an eyebrow when he heard the voice. “Lu Yuan?”

Lu Yuan was delighted that Mu Yanxiao recognized his voice. He nodded, walked over, and naturally sat down beside him. “It’s me. Brother Mu, your hearing is really good. You brought Linlin here for barbecue? What a coincidence. Our crew is here for dinner too.”

Only then did Mu Yanxiao remember that, besides being a pharmacist, Lu Yuan also worked as an actor—and was a fairly famous one at that. He wasn’t quite at the level of an award-winning actor, but he was still a highly popular star.

“I took Linlin for a check-up. Afterward, I thought of coming here. You’re in the courtyard next door? Go ahead and enjoy your meal. Don’t worry about us.”

Lu Yuan could hear the implication in Mu Yanxiao’s words: he wanted him to leave. He was unwilling to do so.

When he turned around, he saw Director Huang from the crew staring at Mu Yanxiao’s direction with his eyes practically glowing. Then he glanced at Lin You in Mu Yanxiao’s arms, and an idea immediately came to him.

“Brother Mu, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you. Is that okay?”

Lu Yuan’s voice was gentle, and his attitude was pleasant. Mu Yanxiao couldn’t think of any reason to refuse, so he patted Lin You reassuringly and nodded.

Lu Yuan smiled. “That’s great.”

He then stood up, walked over to Director Huang, and whispered a few words to him.

A moment later, Lu Yuan and Director Huang walked over together. Director Huang bowed slightly and greeted him respectfully. “Young Master, I’m Huang Qi. Your company has invested in quite a few of my films.”

Mu Yanxiao thought for a moment before nodding. “I know who you are. What is it?”

Huang Qi hadn’t expected Mu Yanxiao to be so approachable. Hadn’t everyone always said that this man was cold and merciless? But he couldn’t afford to think about that now.

“It’s like this. I’m currently shooting a wuxia-fantasy film, and the protagonist has a particularly intelligent and adorable parrot. I’ve already prepared another parrot for the role, but unfortunately, it’s not obedient or intelligent enough. Young Master, your parrot seems exceptionally clever. Would you be willing to let him appear in the film? I’m sure the result would be excellent!”

Lin You, the parrot who was lying in Mu Yanxiao’s arms right now, “…”

So you’re all blind too?! This lord is lying in his master’s arms like a pig, and somehow you can tell that I’m clever and intelligent?!

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