Date

Lou Yuzhu rarely touched the area beneath the little parrot's wings. Usually, she'd stick to petting its head or stroking its belly. If her fingers accidentally scratched the base of its wings, Tao Tao would retaliate by biting her.

She never expected there'd be a day when Tao Tao would voluntarily ask for its wings to be rubbed—only to bite her afterward as a "thank you".

Such a mischievous little thing.

Lou Yuzhu hadn't fully opened her eyes yet, still half-asleep. "How long do I need to keep scratching?"

This part of its wings was covered in softer, finer down compared to the rest of its feathers. It was warm, plush, and oddly pleasant to the touch.

Tao Tao rested its head on her body, chirping contentedly, a string of "chuwu-chuwu" sounds escaping its beak. But hearing Lou Yuzhu's mildly annoyed tone, it let out a soft whine, almost as if it had been wronged. The little bird started chattering away, its quiet murmurs sounding like endless complaints.

Lou Yuzhu couldn't help but laugh at its pitiful act. From the way it chirped, it sounded like it was hurling dramatic accusations at her.

"I got woken up in the middle of the night to take care of you, and I can't even complain a little?" she teased, sliding both hands to the base of Tao Tao's wings. Her fingers rubbed small circles over the joints of its shoulder blades.

The girl, who had been babbling just moments before, suddenly went silent. Her flushed face burrowed into Lou Yuzhu's neck, and she let out a soft hum.

Lou Yuzhu found this oddly entertaining. Initially, she had felt uncomfortable having another 'person' in her home. But within just a few days, she found herself growing fond of this new dynamic.

"Does this feel better?" she asked, her grogginess ebbing away as she propped herself up against the headboard. Her hand gently traced along the girl's back, scratching where the feathers grew. "Like this?"

In this position, Tao Tao practically looked like it was cuddling in her arms. The girl didn't respond, keeping her head down to hide her face, only letting out occasional muffled whimpers.

"Are you feeling shy?" Lou Yuzhu chuckled, reaching up to rub Tao Tao's ears.

The little parrot absolutely loved having its ears rubbed. Every time Lou Yuzhu petted its head, Tao Tao would adjust its position to expose its ear to her thumb.

She had turned this into a routine task, viewing it as part of her duty to care for her small companion. It no longer felt as strange as it did in the first few days.

Once she had soothed Tao Tao enough that it fell asleep with a soft series of chirps, Lou Yuzhu finally drifted back into slumber.

The date with Dr. Zhuo was planned for noon at a restaurant, followed by an evening at the theater. Since there was no rush, Lou Yuzhu allowed herself to sleep in and wake up naturally.

Meanwhile, the little parrot woke with the sunrise, hopping onto the climbing perch by the window. It was unusually quiet, refraining from chirping so as not to disturb its still-sleeping owner. Instead, it flew down occasionally, wandering around the bedroom and living room. Sometimes it gnawed on the walls, other times it engaged in a little home destruction.

Parrots are climbing birds by nature, preferring to walk rather than fly. Tao Tao strutted about with an air of self-importance, leaving tiny traces of feather dust in every corner of the house.

As lunchtime approached, Lou Yuzhu finally got up. Realizing it was getting late, she checked her phone and sent a message to Dr. Zhuo:

[Morning. What time should we meet?]

The reply came quickly:

[Whenever you're ready. Just let me know, and I'll book the table. We can time it perfectly.]

Lou Yuzhu sent back a playful sticker, then began her morning routine of washing up and putting on makeup. Today, she opted for a Korean-inspired look, soft and translucent with a hazy charm. It was a departure from her usual refined, elegant style at work.

Standing before the mirror, she held up a few dresses for comparison. Turning around, she asked Tao Tao, "Does this one look good?"

She had spent extra time styling her hair into a loose, voluminous bun. The navy blue sundress with delicate floral patterns complemented her makeup beautifully, giving her a radiant, natural vibe.

Tao Tao tilted its head, still buzzing with excitement from its owner finally waking up. It hopped over to Lou Yuzhu, swaying its little body as it broke into song.

"Well, this one it is, then!" Lou Yuzhu decided, giving the little green parrot a pat on the head before leaning down to plant a kiss. "Mwah~"

She was clearly in a great mood. She filled Tao Tao's food bowl with a mix of seeds and grains, topped off its water cup with mineral water, and made sure everything was just right.

"Mommy's heading out now. I'll be back tonight," she said habitually, waving goodbye as she left the house.

The door clicked shut. Tao Tao walked up to the door, craning its neck to stare at the closed door for a long while. Its tail, which had been poised to wag in excitement, slowly drooped.

* * * *

Dr. Zhuo had chosen a high-end French restaurant. The meal included foie gras, steak, and roast turkey. On the table was a small bouquet wrapped in black pearl paper—a subtle yet elegant touch.

Lou Yuzhu, having received countless bouquets from suitors in the past, could tell at a glance that this one had been carefully curated. The purple-toned arrangement featured pale lychee roses as the main flower, accented with butterfly orchids. The low-saturation colors and sophisticated packaging gave the bouquet a luxurious feel.

"Hello, I'm Zhuo Yi," the man introduced himself as he stood and extended a hand. His features weren't particularly striking, but he had a scholarly charm that made him pleasant to look at—clean and proper. "The rumors don't do you justice. You're even more graceful in person. I'm honored to have this chance to dine with you."

Lou Yuzhu shook his hand lightly, offering a polite smile. "Lou Yuzhu."

After her string of disastrous blind dates, encountering a normal man for once left her slightly surprised.

"Would you like a drink?" Zhuo Yi asked, passing her the wine list.

She glanced at the prices—some bottles ranged from thousands to tens of thousands, with one reaching nearly a hundred thousand. Looking at the calm expression on Dr. Zhuo's face, she playfully pointed to the most expensive one. "How about this one?"

Without hesitation, Zhuo Yi turned to the waiter. "We'll take this one."

"Wait!" Lou Yuzhu hurriedly stopped him, her teasing expression shifting to slight panic. "Just juice. I don't drink when I'm out."

Feeling a little embarrassed about her own mischief, she brushed her fingers over her earrings to mask her unease.

Zhuo Yi didn't mind and ordered juice instead.

"I heard from Aunt Chen that you keep a parrot. I have a friend who's an exotic pet vet. If you ever need assistance, feel free to contact him." Zhuo Yi handed her a business card for a local pet hospital.

It was the first time Lou Yuzhu had met someone on a date who genuinely cared about her pet. Most of the men she had encountered before would immediately talk about how many houses or cars they owned, how much allowance they'd give her after marriage, or how many children they expected her to have—as if they were fast-forwarding to the 'wife assignment' stage, completely skipping the getting to know each other part.

She accepted the card, her impression of Zhuo Yi improving even further. "Thank you."

During the meal, their conversation remained light and casual. Lou Yuzhu, however, occasionally checked her phone to see what Tao Tao was up to via the home camera.

The little parrot, as lively as ever, was playing on its own. It stood in its food bowl, eating selectively—picking at one seed here, nibbling another there—leaving rejected bits scattered everywhere.

At one point, it grabbed an almond with its claw, nibbling on it for ages with exaggerated crunches.

After eating, it moved to its designated toy area, firmly gripping the pedals of its tiny bicycle and riding it across the table.

That bike was one Tao Tao had personally picked out at a pet store. Pure white with a little basket for flowers—it was adorable, and Tao Tao loved it.

Seeing how much fun Tao Tao was having on its own left Lou Yuzhu feeling strangely annoyed. She closed the app, her attention drifting during her conversation with Zhuo Yi.

They spent the rest of the day exploring a museum and attending a play. The date went smoothly, with their rapport warming up significantly.

The best part about Zhuo Yi was his sense of propriety. He was polite without being distant and unexpectedly considerate—completely different from the men Lou Yuzhu had met before.

At 9:40 PM, Zhuo Yi dropped her off at her apartment complex. From the back seat, he handed her a meticulously wrapped rectangular box. "This is a little gift I prepared for you. Whether or not we meet again, I'll have no regrets."

That statement, more than the gift itself, left a pleasant impression on her.

Carrying the bouquet she'd received at the restaurant, she smiled faintly. "I don't have a free hand right now. You can give it to me next time, Dr. Zhuo."

Zhuo Yi immediately caught on to the implied promise of a second date. His eyes lit up. "Alright. Goodnight."

* * * *

Returning home with the bouquet in hand, Lou Yuzhu hesitated at the doorway. She worried that, like last time, Tao Tao might throw a tantrum upon seeing the flowers.

She cautiously opened the door and placed the bouquet on the cabinet in the entryway. To her surprise, the little parrot didn't come flying to greet her as it usually did.

Normally, no matter what Tao Tao was doing, it would rush to the door to welcome her home. But today, it was unusually quiet.

Calling out for Tao Tao, she walked to the bedroom. The little parrot was quietly sitting in its cage, eating an almond.

The cage was littered with scattered seeds, shells, and a heap of yellow-green feathers.

"Huh? Tao Tao's molting?" Lou Yuzhu reached into the cage and gently scooped up the little bird.

Tao Tao was still nibbling on the almond, alternating between bites of the nut and preening its back feathers.

It wasn't until Lou Yuzhu brought it closer that she noticed clumps of fine down sticking out of its beak. Its once-fluffy back was thinning, with patches of feathers missing. When she stroked it, loose feathers stuck to her palm.

Realizing it was autumn, she assumed Tao Tao was simply shedding its feathers for the season. Without giving it much thought, she blew away the stray feathers and began cleaning the cage.

Meanwhile, Tao Tao perched on its climbing stand, continuing its pattern of nibbling almonds and pulling at its own feathers. Its once-fluffy back now had a bald patch near its neck, and at this rate, it wouldn't take long before the whole area was bare.

After finishing the cleanup, Lou Yuzhu, exhausted, headed for a bath. She enthusiastically shared the details of her date with Fu Ye, filling her chat with messages about Dr. Zhuo.

Even through the screen, Fu Ye could sense how happy her friend was and teased her: [What about Tao Tao? You didn't let it find out, did you?]

Lou Yuzhu wasn't sure if Tao Tao knew about the date or not: [I think it knows. I even had it help me pick out my dress. But it didn't seem to mind—I saw it playing happily on its own all day.]

Fu Ye: [Really? It didn't get mad? That doesn't sound right.]

Thinking back, Lou Yuzhu realized Tao Tao might have been a little upset. After all, it hadn't greeted her at the door today. Still, its reaction wasn't as dramatic as the first time she came home with flowers.

When she emerged from the bathroom, she immediately noticed that the cage she had just cleaned was once again covered in loose feathers. Tao Tao remained inside, not coming out.

Finding this odd, Lou Yuzhu bent down and asked softly, "Tao Tao, are you not going to sleep with Mommy tonight?"