Chirp-Chirp Plant Supply Station - Chapter 5

Sleep was out of the question.

The little chick was a stubborn little thing.

Lu Linshu frowned slightly, scooped up the warm, fluffy ball of a bird, and placed it on his chest.

The little chick opened its eyes, blinking its bean-like eyes and tilting its head as if lost in thought.

Man and bird remained motionless.

After a few seconds, the little chick’s short legs pattered as it waddled back to Lu Linshu’s neck. It lowered its head, and its beak once again wedged itself into the gap of Lu Linshu’s lips.

Lu Linshu: “…”

The little chick closed its eyes.

For the second time, Lu Linshu grabbed the little chick’s small body and placed it on his chest.

Once again, man and bird remained motionless.

Compared to before, the pause was noticeably shorter. This time, the little chick stood still for only about three seconds before its short legs pattered back to Lu Linshu’s neck. It settled into the exact same position as the previous two times, its beak wedged right in the same spot.

However…

Unlike before, when the little chick had immediately closed its eyes after settling, this time…

If you looked closely, you’d notice the little chick had only closed one eye.

One eye shut, pretending to sleep, while the other remained open, keeping watch.

After about five seconds, the little chick finally closed both eyes.

For the third time, Lu Linshu reached out, scooped up the little chick, and placed it on his chest.

This time, the little chick didn’t even pause. Its short legs pitter-pattered as it charged straight for Lu Linshu’s lips.

Slam! Its beak wedged right into the gap of his lips.

Lu Linshu had a strong resistance to cute things. The moment the little chick landed, he tried to move it back to his chest.

He never knew birds could be so completely devoid of personal boundaries.

He couldn’t tell how long the struggle had been going on, but the little chick seemed genuinely furious. It chirped a string of incomprehensible curses, its beak wedging into the gap of his lips for the nth time before delivering a sharp nip. The message was clear: If you keep being this stubborn, I’m going to bite you for real.

The little chick’s spirits soared.

Oh my god!

At that moment, Lu Linshu had no idea that this was the first time Lin Xichuan, after being reincarnated as a bird, had bitten someone’s lips. It was, by all accounts, a truly magical experience.

Back when he was human and dating Lu Linshu, Lin Xichuan had always been the one to constantly initiate kisses. That was why, even after being reborn as a bird, the mere sight of Lu Linshu’s lips made him want to curl up and sleep.

It just felt so incredibly cozy.

And now that I’ve finally bitten them.

The sensation of biting his lips was a pleasure beyond words.

I’m just a little chick who hasn’t even been weaned yet, Lin Xichuan thought, I can definitely use Lu Linshu’s lips as a chew toy to sharpen my beak from now on.

Biting them feels super, super, super, super good!

Perhaps it was the little chick’s sheer persistence, or perhaps it was simply because the bird couldn’t understand human speech, but Lu Linshu finally stopped struggling. He let out a silent sigh and allowed the little chick to wedge its sharp beak between his lips and drift off to sleep.

He’s still young, so he needs a lot of sleep.

The tiny creature soon fell into a deep slumber.

Feeling the warmth of the little life on his face, Lu Linshu closed his eyes and fell asleep as well.

In truth, this was one of the rare moments Lu Linshu could actually sleep soundly.

For the past seven years, he had suffered from severe insomnia, only able to achieve a light, restless sleep after taking heavy doses of sleeping pills.

But…

At that moment, without any medication, he actually fell asleep.

The room was utterly silent.

Lin Xichuan woke to the sound of knocking.

“Uncle, Uncle!” a childish voice called from outside the door.

Lu Linshu opened his eyes to find the little chick’s sharp beak still wedged between his lips.

For Lu Linshu, this nap had been an unexpected, extraordinarily good sleep that left him feeling far more refreshed.

At the sound of the little cub’s voice, Lu Linshu gently moved the little chick from his face to his chest.

But he couldn’t even set the little creature down, as its tiny claws were clamped firmly onto his finger.

“Uncle, Rourou is a little Piggy Chicken! Rourou the Little Birdie needs to eat now!” the little cub called from outside, his voice brimming with anticipation at the thought of seeing the new life.

Keeping his hand occupied by the little chick, Lu Linshu got out of bed.

As if suddenly remembering something, he first took the little chick into the bathroom. He positioned the bird’s backside over the sink and said, “Go on, poop.”

I might as well be raising a child, he thought. I’m even helping it poop now.

It couldn’t be helped.

That was just how little birds were, straight-gutted creatures that needed their droppings manually expressed. Otherwise, they’d likely end up pooping on you.

Lu Linshu realized he had no choice but to deal with this trouble for now. He resolved to minimize the inconvenience the little chick caused him as much as possible.

The little chick understood Lu Linshu’s intentions and felt a strange sense of embarrassment. Although Lu Linshu himself had no idea, Lin Xichuan knew all too well that they used to be boyfriends.

He never imagined the day would come when his own boyfriend would be helping him poop.

The little chick strained!

The little chick gripped Lu Linshu’s fingers with its tiny claws and pushed down with its plump body, its small, fleshy wings flapping upward…

It was obvious the little chick was giving it everything he had.

But nothing came out.

Lin Xichuan: “…” What’s going on!?

The little chick’s pupils dilated in shock.

Lin Xichuan questioned the System.

[ Chatterbox, is my body a little constipated? ]

[ Uh, maybe a tiny bit. ]

[ I’m a bird! ]

Why do birds get constipated?

Yes, you are Chicken Overlord.

Why am I still constipated as a bird? Aren’t birds supposed to have straight intestines?

This makes it easier for Little Chicken Treasure to gain weight.

I don’t want to be a Piggy Chicken.

How about you try a few more times?

The little chick paused, squaring his plump little body. After resting for a few seconds, and with another “Push!” from Lu Linshu, his tiny body strained downward again.

The little chick still couldn’t manage it.

Outside the door, the little cub’s impatient voice continued to drift in.

Lu Linshu glanced toward the door, replied briefly for him to wait, and then refocused his attention on the little chick.

The little chick took a deep breath and paused again.

After three more attempts, the little chick finally managed to poop.

Not just the little chick himself, but even Lu Linshu felt a subtle sense of relief after seeing the little chick finally succeed after such an ordeal.

Lu Linshu wiped down the sink and then carried the little chick out.

The little cub stared longingly at the bird in Lu Linshu’s hand, clearly wanting to hold the little chick.

Lu Linshu paused, his expression impassive. He tried to transfer the little chick from his hand to the little cub’s.

It was a failure.

The little chick seemed to be welded to Lu Linshu’s hand, refusing to let go.

Lu Linshu’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He tried again, only to be met with the little chick puffing up in anger and transforming into a miniature flying vice. Despite its tiny size, it possessed surprising strength, its sharp beak clamping down on Lu Linshu’s finger until it bruised.

Lu Linshu fixed the little chick with a stern gaze, his voice harsh. “No biting.”

Sensing that Lu Linshu might be angry, the little chick immediately squeezed its eyes shut, looking fragile and helpless.

The little cub’s heart ached for it. “Oh, Uncle, don’t be mean to Rourou! She’s still so little. What could she possibly understand?”

Lu Linshu looked at the little cub.

The little cub continued, “And Uncle, I just read a lot of bird facts with Grandma. Believe me, Rourou loves you.”

The adult and the child locked eyes.

The little chick peeked open one eye, glancing at the little cub with utter confusion.

Now, Little Birdie’s head was filled with the little cub’s words. The cub said with a completely serious expression, “Uncle, although Rourou is still small, creatures like her have a very strong bite. The fact that she didn’t bite a chunk of your flesh off is the deepest proof of a baby’s love for their father!”

Lin Xichuan: “…”

The little chick’s pupils shook.

No way… What kind of nonsense has this little cub been learning online while I was asleep?

Under the little chick’s utterly shocked gaze, the little cub continued, “Uncle, Rourou only bruised you, she didn’t bite your flesh off. Believe me, Uncle, Rourou definitely loves you!”

Lu Linshu: “…”

After a moment of silence, Lu Linshu simply uttered an “Oh.”

To Lin Xichuan, this entire exchange felt incredibly bizarre, yet it actually ended just like that.

The little cub walked ahead, hopping happily every now and then. He kept glancing back, his gaze practically glued to Little Birdie. Lu Linshu followed behind, carrying the little chick down the stairs.

It was around 3:00 PM.

A woman with gentle features had appeared in the first-floor living room.

The little cub’s eyes lit up when he saw her. He ran over and asked, “Mom, you’re back?”

The woman smiled and gently stroked the little cub’s head. “My mission is over for now. I came back to let you know I’m safe and to make some ice for you. I have to return to the team later to settle my Points.”

“Mom, are you eating dinner at home tonight?” the little cub asked.

The woman nodded. “I’m eating here.” As she spoke, her gaze moved past the little cub to Lu Linshu. “Good afternoon, A’shu.” Her eyes then drifted down to the little chick, who was clutching Lu Linshu’s finger tightly.

The little chick was a plump little thing with a pair of sparkling Doudouyan, looking adorably ugly.

At that moment, the little chick’s gaze also landed on the woman.

The woman and Lu Linshu must be siblings.

She looked to be in her thirties, with long black hair tied into a high ponytail that shimmered smoothly in the sunlight. Her features were delicate, her face soft and oval-shaped, and her fair skin was flawless. Her beautiful, captivating peach-blossom eyes had deep, bright black pupils, and her full lips were naturally red.

The woman exuded a mature elegance, but what truly fascinated Lin Xichuan was the scene unfolding beneath her hands.

He could see wisps of energy swirling and condensing around her palms, and with each passing moment, the layer of ice she was creating grew thicker and more solid.

Lin Xichuan quickly exchanged a few words with the System.

After spending two copper coins, he received the relevant information: Lu Linshu’s elder sister, Lu Yutang, was a low-level Ice-element ability user. With her current strength, she was far from capable of using her powers to hunt zombies. All she could manage for now was to conjure ice to cool things down during the summer heat.

Even so, it was an incredibly useful “cooling artifact.”

Ice-element ability users were typically seen as high-tier and powerful, but because her level was so low, she could only use her abilities for this simple purpose.

As the woman focused on condensing the ice, the little cub began introducing her to the little chick.

Just then, the little chick, which had been clinging tightly to Lu Linshu, instinctively started chirping “cheep cheep” and fluttering its tiny wings, performing its Milk-Seeking Dance.

The little chick was hungry.

The little cub’s eyes lit up. “Mama, Mama, look! Baby Chicken is doing the Milk-Seeking Dance! It’s so cute, it’s such a good dancer!”

Lin Xichuan froze, only then realizing he had started dancing again.

Yes, he had.

Before the little cub pointed it out, Lin Xichuan hadn’t even noticed his instincts had kicked in, making him perform the Milk-Seeking Dance.

The little cub continued, “Mama, Rourou is so cute, right? Right? Our Rourou will definitely become the Base’s Top Dancing Chicken one day!”

The woman chuckled. “Is that how you use the word ‘Dancing Chicken’?” As they spoke, the ice she was forming with her hands grew thicker and more solid.

Lu Linshu nodded at her, still holding the little chick on his finger. With the little cub’s help, they prepared the milk powder together.

Just like before, the little chick clung to Lu Linshu’s finger as if terrified he would abandon it, even while feeding.

The tiny, milky creature ate like a perpetual motion machine, its wings flapping so fast they became a blur, splashing milk everywhere.

Once the little chick’s crop was stuffed full, Lu Linshu used a handkerchief to wipe away the milk stains. After a moment’s thought, he carried the little chick to the bathroom to poop.

It had to be said, the little chick’s chubby fat was earned through sheer effort, as it was always wanting to eat something.

Wherever Lu Linshu went, the little cub followed.

After feeding the little one and cleaning up, the woman had already condensed several blocks of ice. She looked at Lu Linshu and asked him to take some of the ice blocks back to the room.

Lu Linshu said thank you and headed upstairs with the little chick.

The little cub followed behind.

Before entering the room, Lu Linshu paused. Knowing the little cub liked the bird, he tried again to hand the little chick over to him. In response, he got pecked hard by the little bird’s sharp beak.

Lu Linshu gave up.

Lu Linshu had a strong sense of personal space, and the little cub was very respectful of boundaries. Knowing Lu Linshu didn’t like it, he never stepped into Lu Linshu’s private domain. He just stood at the doorway until Lu Linshu entered the room with the little chick, then turned and went downstairs.

Inside the room.

The little chick, full and satisfied, followed Lu Linshu’s movements. Its beady eyes darted around as its head tilted from side to side.

Lu Linshu was holding a plastic basin containing a massive block of ice, which emitted wisps of cold mist.

After glancing at Lu Linshu and finding nothing of interest, Lin Xichuan’s gaze wandered. He noticed something strange about the room: the entire floor was engraved with patterns resembling a magic array.

What is this?

A magic array? Isn’t that something only cringey teenagers believe in?

Lu Linshu had always been such a serious, proper young man. How had he gotten into magic arrays in the seven years since they’d last met?

Lin Xichuan messaged the System, trying to find out what this magic array-like thing was for.

[ Host, I don’t know much about magic formations, so I can’t tell. ]

Lin Xichuan thought for a moment before asking, [ Two copper coins? ]

[ Oh, that works. I’ll look it up for you now. ]

Lin Xichuan: “…”

He had previously complained that the Shop’s loan interest rates were too high and refused to borrow even a single copper coin. Now, he was actively offering money just to get some information.

The System quickly responded to Lin Xichuan.

[ There are two possibilities. ]

[ Which two? ]

[ First, your authorization level is too low to query this specific magic array. If you need a deeper search, you’ll have to pay extra. ]

Lin Xichuan: “…”

Amidst Lin Xichuan’s silence, the System continued.

[ The second possibility is that it’s actually just a useless formation with no function at all. ]

The System continued to convey its thoughts.

[ Statistically speaking, the second possibility is more likely. ]

The little chick blinked its Doudouyan, lost in thought.

Based on what he knew of the old Lu Linshu, this was theoretically impossible, but.

Just as the little chick was pondering, Lu Linshu actually lay back down on the bed.

Lin Xichuan was utterly shocked.

He had no idea Lu Linshu suffered from severe insomnia. His boyfriend is such a sleeper now, Lin Xichuan thought.

All he does is eat and sleep. No wonder his whole family worries about him.

Lu Linshu closed his eyes.

The little chick hesitated, then shuffled from Lu Linshu’s finger and climbed onto his shoulder to stand.

Lu Linshu opened his eyes and looked at the little chick.

The little chick’s two tiny feet pitter-pattered.

Lu Linshu thought, This little chicken probably wants to jam its beak into the gap of my lips again.

After his previous tug-of-war with the stubborn little bird, Lu Linshu had largely given up trying to be strict with such a tiny creature.

Mainly, he had no other choice.

With its size measured in days and its weight in grams, this little thing was smaller than the palm of his hand. Forget scolding or punishing it, he’d heard that even a loud noise could stress out such a fragile creature.

Just as Lu Linshu had anticipated, the little chick had already perched on his shoulder.

Oh, he thought, it’s only a matter of time before it hops up and jams its beak between my lips.

But…

The little chick’s sharp beak did indeed land on his face, but then, one tiny foot lifted…

And the entire bird scrambled up onto his cheek.

Yes, the little chick had planted both its tiny feet right on his face.

Lu Linshu’s dark eyes widened slightly.

Then, as if patrolling its territory, the little creature with absolutely no sense of boundaries began to pitter-patter across his face, its tiny feet tapping as it walked back and forth.

Lu Linshu: “…”

Lu Linshu: “…………”