After Losing My Memory, I Became My Rival's Palm-Sized Chirper - Chapter 5

Chapter 05: I’m Full

After being brought back to the palace by Yu Baixi, Qi Jia, who had originally prepared a stomach full of questions, instantly tossed them to the back of his mind.

After all, laid out before him were exquisitely shaped Lotus Crisps, fragrant Date Paste Pastries, Osmanthus Cakes, Chestnut Crisps, and so on—a total of eight varieties of snacks.

Beyond that, there were spiritual teas and spiritual fruits—all sorts of top-tier fruits with excellent appearance were brought in one after another and arranged on the table.

Most importantly, these foods were all infused with spiritual energy!

While there were plenty of fruits to eat at Mt. Budu, most were just wild mountain berries; they could fill the stomach, but only in a basic sense.

Ever since he woke up, he felt that the energy in his body wasn’t circulating smoothly. After asking the Ancestor, he learned it was likely because he had suffered severe trauma before losing his memory. His internal spiritual power had gone to heal his wounds, leaving his inner palace empty and unsupported, which caused his frequent feelings of weakness.

To put it simply, his spiritual power depletion was severe, and he needed a “refill.”

Mainly through eating.

However, Mt. Budu did not belong to the Immortal Realm. Although there was some earthly energy for spirits to cultivate, for someone with injuries as severe as Qi Jia’s, it was like trying to put out a forest fire with a cup of water.

As for the fruits grown in the soil or the edible fish and beasts, they carried almost no spiritual energy.

Qi Jia had been hungry for a long time.

No matter how much food he ate on Mt. Budu, it only provided temporary physical comfort to his outer shell; only he knew how truly weak and exhausted he felt.

So, the moment he pecked at that beautifully shaped Lotus Crisp and felt the surging, clear spiritual energy seep into his inner palace, Qi Jia was like a cat smelling fish or a donkey seeing a carrot dangled in front of it. Aside from chasing food, he couldn’t care about anything else for the time being.

On a large square table, the little fat bird hopped right up, bouncing around, pecking at this for a bit and then sampling that.

Long-term food scarcity had taught the bird not to waste anything.

Despite jumping back and forth between various delicious pastries and fruits—and wanting to chirp loudly in delight when he was having his fill—the little fat bird still finished every spiritual cake or fruit he pecked before moving on to the next one.

While Qi Jia was feasting, Yu Baixi, presumably seeing that he was truly famished, ordered people to bring some meat dishes—a steamed fish that smelled delicious, chestnut mutton, a dish of braised ribs, and a small pot of old duck soup were served one after another.

Qi Jia’s eyes widened into circles.

Was the food in the Heaven Realm always this abundant?

He knew these foods existed because of the common knowledge in his mind.

But during his time at Mt. Budu, Qi Jia had never eaten these!

Mt. Budu not only lacked food but also lacked cooks.

After all, most of the inhabitants were spirits cultivated from animals. He and Qi Shaoxu only ate cooked fish because the little fat bird was both greedy and sweet-tongued, constantly pestering Senior Brother Qi to cook for him.

But imagine this: a little fat bird who had been desperately craving food and starving since the moment he woke up; who knew many delicacies existed in the world but had never tasted them—living like this for three months was truly pitiful!

.Do these foods… carry… carry spiritual energy?”

Perhaps the mutton looked too tender, or the reddish glaze on the ribs perfectly suited the bird’s aesthetic, or the aroma of the old duck soup was simply too fresh and appetizing.

Qi Jia stared fixedly at the dishes, and for a moment, he didn’t move.

Yu Baixi looked at the frozen little fat bird and said, “Mhm.”

Then, these are all for me?”

Mhm.” Seeing the fat bird stay still, Yu Baixi also frowned slightly.

He wasn’t sure if these foods were suitable for the other party, nor was he sure of his tastes.

Yu Baixi hesitated: “You…”

Before he could finish, the soft yellow little bird suddenly “awu-ed” and dove headfirst into the mutton, eating at a speed impossible for a bird.

Yu Baixi: “…”

The Celestial Emperor sitting nearby, after a moment of silence, silently ladled a bowl of soup for the little fat bird.

After gorging himself, Qi Jia slumped halfway against the edge of the table, rubbing his little belly with a wing.

The bird hadn’t actually changed in height, but he was visibly a circle rounder to the naked eye.

Even so, he refused to leave the table.

“Your Highness, please eat slowly, there is more coming.”

The immortal maid responsible for delivering the spiritual food had stayed aside to wait for orders. Seeing the little fat bird eat in such a cute and urgent manner, she couldn’t help but speak up: “His Majesty has already ordered the Heavenly Kitchen to prepare more food. It just takes time to make. Do not worry, Your Highness, it will be here in a moment.”

Qi Jia felt this immortal sister was very kind and polite, so he took a moment to be courteous: “Okay, thank you for the trouble, Fairy.”

“It is no trouble. Your Highness may call me Shuoling. I am one of the female officials in charge of this palace.”

Fairy Shuoling became even more respectful: “And please, Your Highness, do not be so polite with me. There is no need to address me so formally; I cannot accept it.”

Why do you call me ‘Your Highness’?” No matter how much common knowledge and memory he lacked, Qi Jia knew this fairy was being overly enthusiastic toward him.

The fairy suddenly curtsied to Qi Jia and smiled: “Is there even a need to ask? Your Highness is carrying His Majesty’s dragon offspring, so you are naturally the first master of this Jade Capital, second only to His Majesty…”

“Shuoling.” A cold, low voice suddenly rang out, interrupting Fairy Shuoling: “You may leave.”

Yu Baixi was still sitting properly by the table.

Shuoling: “…”

Shuoling’s whole body shivered. Normally, she would never dare to speak so much in front of His Majesty.

But wasn’t there a new master in the Heavenly Palace? She had heard that His Majesty had rarely dismissed the grand morning court so suddenly, directly taking this Highness away.

Now, not only had he brought the person back to his own palace, but he had personally ordered all sorts of fruits and spiritual food… One must know, His Majesty never touched these things himself!

“Yes.”

Not daring to argue, Shuoling immediately retreated.

After a long while, the thoroughly stuffed little fat bird finally stopped eating. He took flight, swooped down from the table, and landed on a clean chair.

How could a bird who loved cleanliness stay on the table after eating… even though he was truly reluctant to leave.

But now that he was full, it was time to continue negotiations with the Celestial Emperor!

“How about a round of rapid-fire Q&A?” Qi Jia glanced sideways at the still-properly seated Emperor.

“Alright.”

Those smoke-blue eyes turned toward him. Yu Baixi nodded slightly and spoke first: “You have amnesia, but do you still remember your name?”

Qi Jia: “…?”

He said rapid-fire Q&A, but he didn’t say the other party was the one asking and he was the one answering!

Completely unexpected that the seemingly taciturn and passive Emperor could pull this move, Qi Jia hummed with a bit of a temper, but still followed the rules of the game: “I don’t remember. Do you know my name?”

Now it was his turn to ask.

“I know,” Yu Baixi said, also following the rules.

Qi Jia’s face immediately filled with hope.

But the Emperor added: “This Seat cannot tell you.”

Qi Jia: …?!

“You can’t play like that!” Finally unable to take it, the round little bird flapped his plump body and sat up, protesting: “That’s cheating! You’re breaking the rules!”

The Emperor looked at him strangely: “You didn’t ask me what your name is. Furthermore, this Seat already said in advance that I wouldn’t tell.”

“Why?” the little round bird looked up and asked.

Yu Baixi: “It cannot be said.”

“But that’s my name!” Out of anger, the round bird waved one of his little wings frantically, pointing it at the Emperor: “What do you mean it ‘cannot be said’!!?”

“Do you truly remember nothing?” Yu Baixi didn’t care about being pointed at. After a slight pause, he asked back: “The one on Mt. Budu… told you nothing?”

“The Ancestor?”

Qi Jia thought of that immortal-like figure who was always either “clueless” or “silent,” and fell into a hush.

He felt that the Celestial Emperor before him actually shared a very similar temperament with that Ancestor.

“The Ancestor knew me from before? He never mentioned it…” Qi Jia muttered to himself.

He was clearly picked up by the Ancestor at the foot of Mt. Budu three months ago.

The others like Wu Shu called him an outsider bird at first.

And looking at Qi Shaoxu’s reaction, he definitely hadn’t seen him before either…

Filled with doubt, Qi Jia immediately looked at the Emperor.

But the Emperor kept his lips tightly shut, suddenly falling silent.

Seeing that the other party was also deep in thought, the little fat bird’s eyes suddenly darted around, and he said: “The Ancestor calls me Qi Jia.”

Qi what?” A flash of hesitation appeared on the Celestial Emperor’s face.

Jia. Like the ‘Jia’ in reed (Jianjia).”

Qi Jia’s tone became more dejected—he had hoped the other party would react to the name, but it seemed he didn’t go by anything like “Qi Jia” before.

But that was the name the Ancestor gave him after all. Having failed to bait any info, the little fat bird explained: “The Ancestor said he found me in a thicket of reeds, so he called me Qi Jia. ‘Qi’ is his secular surname.”

Many creatures on Mt. Budu had the surname Qi. This wasn’t very useful information.

Yu Baixi nodded as if understanding, non-committal about the name. He simply said: “When you remember your true name, you will naturally know everything.”

Qi Jia: …

That was the exact same sentence the Ancestor had said!

Yu Baixi: “If I am not mistaken, your spiritual palace is currently depleted, your spiritual power is stagnant, and you still have injuries. Your amnesia was caused by those injuries.”

In those smoke-blue eyes, emotions were unreadable. The Emperor said slowly: “Until your injuries improve, you cannot recover your memories. Even if I told you now, you wouldn’t be able to do anything.”

But that isn’t a reason for you not to tell me.” Qi Jia didn’t agree.

Yu Baixi said: “Mhm.”

Qi Jia: “Mhm??”

Yu Baixi: “It is just that this Seat will not reveal a single detail to you regardless.”

The Emperor’s voice was very cold, like wind through an empty valley or water into a deep pool—deep but pleasant to hear.

But such an atmospheric voice was saying the most unreasonable things!

He said: “You must remember it yourself.”

Qi Jia: …

The little fat bird was so angry he clutched his chest and collapsed.

This Seat will not harm you.”

His gaze shifted away quickly after the bird fell onto his back, exposing his soft belly. Yu Baixi’s expression was a bit stiff, but his voice became noticeably gentler: “If you do not believe me, this Seat can swear an oath.”

“A divine oath?”

“Mhm.” Yu Baixi actually raised three fingers and decisively made a divine oath that he would not harm him.

Fine, fine.”

The other party’s attitude was indeed a bit unexpected. He knew the power of a divine oath.

He hadn’t originally planned to get much info about his identity right now anyway. Seeing he couldn’t get anything out of him, he stopped pestering: “Continue the rapid-fire Q&A.”

Rapid-fire Q&A means I ask a question and you answer quickly, understand?”

After quickly emphasizing the rules, Qi Jia simply took flight again.

He couldn’t help it. Facing a beast like this “big scumbag dragon,” who was clearly strong-willed and hard to handle, Qi Jia felt it was easier to control the situation if he stayed close.

And on Mt. Budu, the little fat bird was used to this energy-saving method of flying with spiritual power instead of his wings.

So now, he maintained his sprawled-out posture and landed directly on the Emperor’s… lap.

Yu Baixi: “…?”

A sudden warmth and softness hit his lap. The Emperor’s eyelashes flickered downward sharply.

Qi Jia looked up and blinked innocently.

…Squatting on the shoulder wasn’t convenient for talking. He had originally wanted to land on the man’s hand.

But the Emperor sat so perfectly straight with his arms hanging down that the round bird had no other place to land.

On the contrary, the bird lying flat on the Emperor’s lap found it quite comfortable. Without waiting for a reaction, he waved a claw upward and asked: “What was our relationship before?”

What the bird didn’t expect was that this round of rapid-fire Q&A failed again.

The Celestial Emperor actually fell silent!

Yu Baixi looked elsewhere, silent for a long while, his throat bobbing repeatedly. It took a long time before he finally spoke: “Unfamiliar.”

Qi Jia: ?

Hearing those two words the Emperor had squeezed out after ages, Qi Jia’s downy feathers immediately puffed up: “Unfamiliar? You mated with me when we were ‘unfamiliar’? You!… You big scumbag dragon!!!”

Yu Baixi: “…”

The Celestial Emperor’s eyelid twitched, but he still didn’t look back at him.

Only when the ruffled bird took flight again did the Emperor turn his gaze back. Those smoke-blue eyes stared seriously at the bird who had just been exposing his belly so casually…

His deep voice held a hint of helplessness: “I told you, we did not mate.”

The Celestial Emperor was never used to explaining anything.

He thought the puffed-up round bird would continue to be relentless.

But to his surprise, the previously agitated bird calmed down instantly. His tone even seemed to suggest he wanted to drop the matter: “Fine. As long as you didn’t force me, we’ll both take half the blame for now. Let’s set this matter aside for the moment.”

Yu Baixi: “…?”

Qi Jia was moved by his own fairness and reason.

Of course, it was also because he wasn’t sure if his pre-amnesia self was also a “scumbag bird”—what if he had also been… reckless and very unrestrained in the past?

After all, he would recover his memories one day—the Ancestor had already told him he would remember everything once his injuries were healed.

…So for the sake of his future dignity, he shouldn’t make things too absolute.

Setting that aside, Qi Jia quickly followed up: “Then how did we meet? Even if we were ‘unfamiliar,’ there must have been an occasion where we met, right?”