Compromise

Lou Yuzhu didn't say much more, nor did she try to comfort Tao Tao. Instead, she planned to expedite Tao Tao's school enrollment process. Only by meeting new companions could Tao Tao's feelings toward her gradually change.

That night, Tao Tao cried herself to sleep. She cried on and off for a long time—first facing the wall, then inching closer, until finally crawling into Lou Yuzhu's arms to cry.

The next morning, Lou Yuzhu contacted Fu Ye and went to her newly rented house to pick her up before taking Tao Tao to school for registration.

As soon as they got in the car, Fu Ye noticed the lethargic little parrot. Tao Tao was curled up in a transparent bag without a zipper, yet she didn't attempt to come out. Almonds and dried fruit were placed at her feet, but she didn't touch them, remaining motionless.

"What's wrong with her? Didn't you say she was fine yesterday?" Fu Ye asked as she fastened her seatbelt, lifting the bag for a closer look.

No matter how she looked at her, the little parrot sat there with a sulky expression, ignoring everyone. Even her usual cheerful chirping was absent; she was completely silent, puffed up with anger.

Lou Yuzhu glanced over and deliberately hardened her heart. "Ignore her. She's just spoiled. Now she's even learned to go on a hunger strike."

That morning, Lou Yuzhu had tried to feed Tao Tao, but the little one refused to eat, pulling out her feathers and refusing to drink water. She even bit Lou Yuzhu whenever she got close.

Although Lou Yuzhu had already scolded her and resolved to let her go hungry for two days, she still packed her favorite dried fruit and nuts in the bag when taking her out.

But the little one had such a terrible temper that she refused to eat a single bite, infuriating Lou Yuzhu.

Hearing this, Fu Ye sighed in exasperation. "You can't hold a grudge against a parrot. Their way of thinking is different from ours. They really will starve themselves to death."

Small animals like parrots have strong tempers. Unlike dogs, which can be trained through food rewards, parrots cannot be managed that way. Trying to force them to comply with your wishes or commands is a mistake.

The higher a parrot's intelligence, the more prone it is to depression. They can even become heartbroken over the realization that their favorite toy is lifeless.

Lou Yuzhu sighed as well, clearly distressed. She hadn't slept well the previous night, listening to Tao Tao cry. "I don't know what else to do. Do you know why she's acting out? I told her we can't kiss on the lips anymore, and she cried all night. Now she's ignoring me, refusing to eat, attacking me. I can't just give in to her every time she throws a tantrum."

Once or twice was fine, but not every time.

Lou Yuzhu wasn't opposed to kissing Tao Tao; what she couldn't stand was being coerced into compromising through these tactics. She was just as stubborn as Tao Tao in this regard.

Fu Ye didn't know what to say at first. She could understand Lou Yuzhu's frustration—spoiling a parrot unconditionally was one thing, but treating her like a person was entirely different.

"How about this," Fu Ye suggested, "why don't you let her stay with me for a few days? Sometimes, when young parrots are separated from their owners for a while, they become timid."

The woman driving the car remained silent, not responding.

Fu Ye couldn't help but burst out, "Damn it! What's your deal? Can't agree? Can't bear to part with her? Then just comfort her! You don't want her clingy side, but you don't want to deal with her emotions either. You want everything your way. Typical straight girl nonsense!"

Lou Yuzhu: "..."

Fu Ye had been the one to gift the parrot egg to Lou Yuzhu in the first place. From hatching to raising her, it had all been Lou Yuzhu's responsibility. If she refused, Fu Ye had no way of taking Tao Tao away by force.

Not to mention, Tao Tao might refuse to go with her.

Faced with the stubbornness of both bird and human, Fu Ye was at a loss.

After completing the school registration process, they bought two backpacks and a small crossbody bag for Tao Tao to use when playing with classmates.

Back home, Lou Yuzhu set a 7 a.m. alarm and prepared a lunchbox and a large water bottle. Being a first-time 'parent', she felt an inexplicable sense of nervousness. She even picked out Tao Tao's clothes for the next day, folding them neatly and placing them on the bedside table.

She was also added to a parent group on WeChat. For two hours, she quietly observed. Most of the members were guardians, with a few being parrot parents.

How did she recognize the parrot parents? The ones who sent voice messages mimicking other parents' speech were unmistakably parrots. Their nature made them love imitation.

While scrolling through the chat, the teacher posted a serious message along with a video:

[Parents of lovebird parrots, please strictly supervise your children. Fighting is strictly prohibited at school! Lovebirds are notorious for fighting. Despite our repeated warnings, we ask parents to work with us to maintain a harmonious campus environment.]

Responses from parents filled the chat.

Lou Yuzhu hesitated, wondering if she should send something too.

She opened the video. Two girls, about 16 or 17 years old, were arguing over whose hair tie was uglier. At first, they bickered in broken human language, but as the argument escalated, they reverted to bird language, screeching furiously.

The one who lost the argument wasn't satisfied and yanked the other's hair tie off, triggering an all-out brawl.

Lou Yuzhu glanced worriedly at Tao Tao. If this were Tao Tao, she wouldn't win an argument, nor would she win a fight.

While parrots were lively and sociable, they also fought easily. One moment they might share food lovingly, and the next, they could be at each other's throats.

Tao Tao was still sulking, staying in her bag without eating or drinking—nearly an entire day now.

Lou Yuzhu reached in to take her out, patting her chubby little body. "Still mad? You're so cute, aren't you afraid I'll kiss you bald?"

Tao Tao, realizing her tantrum was seen as cute, felt powerless. She flapped down to the carpet and went to the bedroom to change clothes. When she came back to the living room, she was a girl in a white shirt, barefoot.

"Why can you kiss me whenever you want, but I can't kiss you?" she demanded indignantly, her words stumbling but her little face brimming with anger.

Lou Yuzhu cupped her cheeks and gave them a playful squeeze. "Because when I kiss you, it's innocent. When you kiss me, it's not. That's the difference. Also, I raised you, so you're supposed to provide me with emotional support and comfort."

Tao Tao had been domineering long enough; it was Lou Yuzhu's turn to take control.

On the car ride earlier, hearing Fu Ye suggest sending Tao Tao away had genuinely upset her.

Tao Tao tried to understand her owner's words, looking puzzled before asking, "Then when will you kiss me?"

"Shouldn't you be embarrassed to ask something like that?" Lou Yuzhu teased, handing her a freshly washed apple. "Hmm, when you're being cute, I'll want to kiss you. But when you're naughty, you're not cute, and I won't want to kiss you."

Tao Tao didn't understand what defined "cute." Why did she have to be cute? Why did she have to be obedient?

Her expression was like a rainy sky, gloomy and unsettled. She sat on the couch, gnawing on the apple, fiddling with the remote to find Animal Planet.

Lou Yuzhu helped her tune the channel and asked, "Not crying anymore?"

Tao Tao took a big bite of the apple, staring straight at the TV screen. "If you won't give me the kind of love you have for Dr. Zhuo... then I'll leave. I don't want to like you anymore."

This tantrum was something new. Lou Yuzhu paused the TV and asked, "Where will you go?"

The girl's pupils flickered, and she replied firmly, "Fu! Ye!"

Lou Yuzhu's expression turned complicated. She was already annoyed by Fu Ye's earlier suggestion, and now Tao Tao was using it as leverage against her.

"Fu Ye doesn't want you," Lou Yuzhu said bluntly, unable to hold back. "You're so naughty, always biting and throwing tantrums. Fu Ye was just being polite. If I really sent you to her, she'd keep you locked in a cage, cover it with a black cloth 24/7, and never let you out."

Tao Tao's chewing slowed, her face paling as she processed the words. It took her nearly two minutes to fully understand.

Her eyes welled up, and she dropped the apple, turning to run back to her room.

Lou Yuzhu caught her and turned her around. "No one else has ever raised you, fed you, or cared for you. Why would they have any feelings for you or treat you well?"

She pulled Tao Tao into a hug, her tone sincere. "But I'm different. I'm willing to spend money on you, share my time with you, and take care of you every day. Who else would care so much about you? Silly Tao Tao, don't ever say such things again."

Tao Tao rested her head against Lou Yuzhu's chest, her mind racing. Though she only half understood, she no longer mentioned leaving.

Instead, she asked another question: "What makes someone cute? I want you to kiss me."

Her voice was soft, almost inaudible, and she fidgeted shyly as if she had finally grasped the concept of embarrassment.

Lou Yuzhu thought for a moment. Trying to change their dynamic would clearly take time and patience.

"How about this: if you eat well today, go to bed early tonight, and behave at school tomorrow, you'll be 'Cute Tao Tao.'"

Tao Tao was easy to pacify. Ten minutes ago, she had been on a hunger strike and threatening to run away. Now, with just a few words, she was completely mollified.

Lou Yuzhu also planted the idea that no one but her would love or accept Tao Tao—that she was just a bad-tempered bird who loved to bite.

Lou Yuzhu prepared a variety of fruits—imported strawberries, peeled pomelos, pitted cherries—and even bought fresh roses from the downstairs florist.

She personally fed Tao Tao, watching her cheeks puff up with food, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction.

Once Tao Tao was full, Lou Yuzhu kept her promise, kissing her plump cheeks repeatedly. "Tao Tao is so cute, so good. Eat well, drink well, and stay healthy. No more hunger strikes, okay?"

Raising Tao Tao to be chubby, dressing her up prettily, and snuggling her after work—that was the ultimate emotional comfort for Lou Yuzhu as a parrot owner.

Since Tao Tao had to wake up early for school, she went to bed before 10 p.m. She lay there, her round eyes wide open, staring at her owner.

Lou Yuzhu leaned over to kiss her forehead lightly. "Sleep tight. Goodnight."

After tucking her in, Lou Yuzhu prepared for her own busy Monday. Just as she logged onto WeChat, she received a message from Fu Ye.

[How's Tao Tao? Still pulling out her feathers?]

[No, she's fine now. I gave in and kissed her twice tonight. Otherwise, she wouldn't stop fussing.]

[Haha! Don't worry, she'll stop eventually. She's only clingy because she hasn't been around her own kind.]

Knowing her best friend wasn't comfortable with same-sex relationships—though not outright homophobic—Fu Ye understood Lou Yuzhu's lack of romantic interest in women.

From Lou Yuzhu's perspective, the situation was indeed tricky.

[You're laughing, but Tao Tao heard what you said in the car. She even said she wanted to go to you! I'll weld my doors and windows shut before I let that happen!]

She even started contemplating whether she should stop letting Fu Ye visit. Otherwise, Tao Tao might think running away was a viable option.

Was this... jealousy? Possessiveness? Tao Tao was hers, after all. Who wouldn't worry about losing their beloved bird?

The little parrot she had cared for with all her heart had actually considered leaving her. Of course, she would feel upset.