Chapter 40: The Birdcage

“Big brother, let me tell you something. Don’t tell anyone else…”

“My mom said, since we got a new birdcage at home, she threw away the old, broken one!”

A new birdcage?

The yellow parrot’s feathers were dull, its eyes half-closed as it slumped lifelessly in the corner of the cage.

Ji Linmo picked up the cage, turned it around, and studied the parrot carefully. He noticed numerous spots on the feathers surrounding its eyes, much like moles dotting a human face.

Wait, moles on the face?

In that instant, something clicked in Ji Linmo’s mind.

“Haohao, when did your family get the new birdcage?”

Nie Haohao counted carefully on his fingers. “One, two, three... I think it was eight days ago!”

Ji Linmo frowned deeply and reached out to gently prod the parrot inside the cage.

After being touched, the parrot immediately closed its eyes again. But when he poked it a second time, the yellow parrot suddenly lifted its head, fixed its gaze on him, and let out a frantic cry, flapping its wings in excitement.

“Caw—Ji Linmo! Caw—Ji Linmo!”

There was no mistaking it—this parrot was Zhang Lanlan!

The realization struck Ji Linmo like lightning. Drinking the pork rib soup at Nie Xiaolan’s house didn’t lead to poisoning and death; instead, it subjected the victim to a spiritual contamination, causing them to appear as a parrot in the eyes of others!

“Haohao, help your mom pack up the lunchboxes in the kitchen. She’ll be heading out soon.”

A drawn-out voice drifted from the bedroom.

Nie Haohao quickly answered, then scampered off to the kitchen to help Nie Xiaolan with the lunchboxes.

With no one else around, Ji Linmo hurriedly lowered his voice and spoke to the parrot in the cage.

“Zhang Lanlan, listen to me. I need your help with something.”

“I’m going to open your cage now. In a moment, I’ll give you a key. Take it and unlock the drawer in Nie Xiaolan’s bedroom. Inside, there’s a videotape—replace it with the one I’m holding.”

“When you’re done, hide yourself. It’s best if you fly into my coat, so I can smuggle you out. Do you understand?”

Inside the cage, the yellow parrot nodded in a startlingly human manner.

Ding-ling-ling!

The watch on the table chimed again. It was already 10:00.

Nie Xiaolan emerged from the bedroom, picked up the little bag of lunchboxes from the kitchen, and stepped outside.

“Xiaolan, heading out to work?”

Outside the door stood a woman with a graceful figure, arched brows, and sharp, phoenix-like eyes, smiling as she greeted Nie Xiaolan.

“And you are?”

Sizing up the woman she’d never seen before, suspicion flickered across Nie Xiaolan’s face.

“It’s me, Granny Gu.”

Granny Gu swayed her hips and twirled before Nie Xiaolan.

“Well? How do I look now?”

A flash of astonishment crossed Nie Xiaolan’s eyes. She covered her mouth and stared in disbelief at Granny Gu.

“Heavens, Granny Gu, how did you manage this?”

“Heh, it’s all about finding a good skin. Replace every inch of your own, and you can look this beautiful.”

“Amazing, Granny Gu, you must have put a lot of effort into this.”

Nie Xiaolan reached out to touch Granny Gu’s skin, her gaze filled with envy.

The skin was so delicate and smooth, as fair and lustrous as the finest jade. Her own skin couldn’t compare at all.

“By the way, Xiaolan, I came up this time because I need to talk to you about something. Why is it always so noisy on the third floor at night?”

Nie Xiaolan immediately pointed across the hall, her anger rising.

“It’s that crazy woman across the way! She sings and dances every night, it’s unbearable.”

“Exactly! Her wailing and howling every day must be a real nuisance for you and Haohao!” As Granny Gu spoke, she strolled over to the door of “Ghost Star—Yang Xingxing’s” apartment.

“We can’t let her go on like this—neverending, day and night!”

Bang, bang, bang!

Granny Gu pounded fiercely on the door.

“Hey, 301! Get out here!”

The fierce knocking made Yang Xingxing kick her door open with a crash.

“What do you want? Planning a revolt? If you break my door, you’ll pay for it!”

Yang Xingxing stood there in wild pigtails, dramatic smoky makeup, strange clothes, and mismatched long socks. Granny Gu clicked her tongue in disapproval.

“Incredible. Just as Xiaolan said, the woman across the hall really is insane!”

At this, “Ghost Star—Yang Xingxing” bristled, her eyebrows shooting up, ready to explode with rage.

“Who are you calling crazy, 301? That foul mouth of yours never stops yapping—can’t you shut it for even a second?”

“My foul mouth? If anything, it’s your own fault—you’re the one no one can stand!”

Years of pent-up resentment flared as Nie Xiaolan lashed out. With Granny Gu fanning the flames, their argument quickly reached a fever pitch.

“Haohao, come quick! Your mom’s fighting with the woman across the hall—we should go help her!”

Inside, Ji Linmo heard the commotion and hurriedly pulled Nie Haohao outside with him.

Nie Xiaolan and Yang Xingxing were both red-faced, on the verge of coming to blows.

“Let them fight,” Ji Linmo whispered to Granny Gu as he moved closer.

Granny Gu’s eyes sparkled. In a flash, she darted between Nie Xiaolan and Yang Xingxing and rammed hard into Yang Xingxing.

“You old hag! Why’d you bump into me?” Yang Xingxing roared in fury, her face contorting. She reached out—her hand suddenly growing huge—and shoved at Granny Gu.

But Granny Gu twisted away. The powerful shove landed squarely on Nie Xiaolan.

“You! I’ve had enough of you!”

Falling to the floor, Nie Xiaolan’s eyes bulged, blood streaming from them as she glared.

The two resentful ghostly women descended into a violent, tangled brawl.

“Stop it! Stop it!” Ji Linmo put on an anxious act, grabbing at Nie Xiaolan’s waist as if trying to pull her away from the fight.

Got it! The key’s in her pocket!

“Get off me! Don’t touch me!”

The moment he retrieved the key, Nie Xiaolan lunged at Yang Xingxing again and the fight resumed in earnest.

At the side, Nie Haohao cheered his mother on.

“Now!” Ji Linmo quickly took the parrot from the cage and tossed both the key and the videotape into the bedroom.

The yellow parrot, wobbling in flight, seized the key with effort and managed to unlock the cabinet.

“My key! Where’s my key?!”

A furious roar echoed from outside.

Disheveled and wild-eyed, Nie Xiaolan charged at Ji Linmo, bloodshot eyes bulging from their sockets, the pupils twitching as they dangled in midair.

“You took my key just now, didn’t you?!”