Axolotl Translations

Once again, his own pet had outsmarted him, and Huo Yunyan just had to quietly deal with all the mixed feelings. He wasn’t about to tell anyone how he felt—he just kept it to himself.

Even now, he still wasn’t sure if Little Feather ran off because he was lonely or because that second bird had moved into his space.

The truth? It was a bit of both. Things don’t just go bad overnight—it was like tiny snowflakes piling up into a giant snowball, and eventually… it just rolled away.

As far as Little Feather was concerned, his rebellion had only just begun. The winds of freedom were blowing, and he was ready to fly high.

But first… he had to get rid of that little tracker ring on his leg.

When he woke up that morning, Little Feather was putting on quite the show, limping dramatically.

He hobbled over to his human, looking totally heartbroken and chirping so sadly it would make anyone tear up.

“What’s wrong?” Huo Yunyan immediately dropped everything, completely focused on the bird.

The little bird tilted his head, pointing to his foot.

“Your foot? What happened?” Honestly, no pet owner would ever think their pet was faking an injury—because if you can’t even trust your own pet, what’s the point?

“Did you hurt it when you were out the other day?” Huo Yunyan had a bad feeling. After being gone for so long, there was no way Little Feather came back totally fine.

A trip to the vet was definitely needed.

Shen Jingque really didn’t want to go. He knew a proper check-up would only show he was perfectly healthy, maybe just a little stressed out.

And sure enough, that’s exactly what the vet said. “Nothing wrong physically. If anything, maybe think about seeing a bird psychologist.”

The psychologist had a bit more to say. After hearing the whole story, they gave a very calm explanation: “It’s okay, Mr. Huo. He just doesn’t want to wear the tracker ring. That’s all.”

“…What?” Huo Yunyan snapped his head around and stared at his bird.

Little Feather nervously scratched at the edge of the table, clearly avoiding eye contact.

They’d basically spent a whole day and some money for nothing. On the way home, the car was quiet—the vibe just felt a little… off.

Little Feather rolled over in his travel cage and pretended none of this had anything to do with him.

“I’m sorry,” Huo Yunyan finally said. “That ring must have made you uncomfortable last time.”

He wasn’t really mad about the refusal. If he were in Little Feather’s shoes, he wouldn’t want to be tracked either. No one likes being tied down, even if it’s supposed to be for their own good.

What made him feel so conflicted wasn’t whether the tracker was right or wrong—it was that if he took it off, he might lose Little Feather all over again.

There were good and bad points to both sides, and that’s what was really bothering him.

Little Feather suddenly sat up straight. Exactly! He was in the right! He was totally justified! Why should he feel guilty about any of this?

“Chirp!” We’re not done talking about this!

Huo Yunyan let out a long sigh. Honestly, maybe he just wasn’t cut out to be a pet owner. He wanted to keep Little Feather close, but he also couldn’t bring himself to clip his wings. Did other pet owners feel this way too?

He thought about it for a long time but still couldn’t come up with a perfect solution. Staring at the little bird still pretending he couldn’t walk, Huo Yunyan gently reached out and stroked his feathers.

“This is my fault. What bird doesn’t want to be free? Your life is already so short—just a few years. If you never get to see the world outside, then I’ve failed you.”

Little Feather froze. Wait… was he actually going to take the tracker off?

“I’ll take you traveling,” Huo Yunyan said. “Let’s go see the world together.”

Whether it was a spur-of-the-moment decision or something he’d been mulling over, this announcement stunned literally everyone—except him. He was at the peak of his career, and suddenly he requested a month-long vacation.

The reason? To take his pet bird on a trip. A trip!

Shen Jingque was over the moon. The word “travel” was like pure magic to him. It was something he’d dreamed about but had never even come close to. Was this really happening? He’d made such a fuss for freedom and somehow actually got what he wanted… and now he was starting to feel a little guilty. Was this too much to ask of someone as busy as Huo Yunyan?

But when he saw Huo Yunyan really packing a suitcase, Shen Jingque finally realized—it was real. They were actually going on a trip!

Living the dream, Little Feather nuzzled up to his human and started spinning happy circles by his hand. Seeing how happy he looked, Huo Yunyan felt it was all worth it. Even though he was just as excited, he kept his cool and gently warned, “Don’t get in the way. I’m packing.”

“Chirp chirp~” Yeah right. Shen Jingque wasn’t going anywhere. He just wanted snuggles.

So of course, Huo Yunyan gave in and gave him a head rub.

From the moment they stepped outside, Little Feather stuck to Huo Yunyan like glue, happily clinging to his shoulder like some living sticker. Human and bird, reunited and thriving.

Huo Yunyan, ever the patient one, took Little Feather across the country… and even abroad. But traveling with a bird? A total nightmare. Airline policies for birds were all over the place, so in the end, he chartered a private jet.

They asked friendly tourists along the way to help take photos of them together, but honestly? Most of the time, it was just Huo Yunyan with a camera in hand, capturing every adorable moment. There were pictures of the bird posing on blooming branches, shots of him making silly faces at the lens, and candid snaps of him drooling over street food.

Sure, lots of people travel with dogs or cats. But a bird? A bird sitting proudly on his owner’s shoulder turned heads everywhere they went. Plenty of pretty girls even came over, wanting to play with him.

Huo Yunyan couldn’t help but notice—when Little Feather took photos with girls, he acted all sweet and shy. But the moment it was time for a selfie with him, the whole mood changed. He’d peck at his face, yank his hair with those little claws, and give him that smug look like he was some celebrity on a red carpet.

And just like that, the bird flew off again—straight to another table full of girls.

“Little Feather, get back here!”

“What are you, a dog? You just run wherever the pretty girls are?!”

Huo Yunyan’s voice was hoarse from shouting. He kept chasing the bird down, dragging him away from yet another group of swooning girls.

“Wow, is he your pet bird? He’s so cute!” one of the girls beamed. Bold and friendly, she clearly wasn’t shy. “And you’re pretty cute too. Can we be friends?”

Shen Jingque watched curiously, glancing from the girl to Huo Yunyan. How was he going to respond to that?

He heard Huo Yunyan politely thank the girl for the compliment about his bird, but when it came to “being friends,” he turned her down with a hint of cool detachment. A little distant, maybe, but fair—especially since he wasn’t interested.

“What’s on your mind, Little Feather?” Huo Yunyan asked later, narrowing his eyes. Lately, he’d started noticing things—this bird’s eyes were just too expressive. Sometimes it felt like he could tell when he was zoning out, thinking hard, or even secretly scheming something.

What was on Shen Jingque’s mind? He was wondering—why was Huo Yunyan so distant with everyone else, but so good to him?

And then came the old dilemma: freedom or this strange, wonderful connection? Bird life is short. How do you make the kind of choice you won’t regret?

Traveling was fun, but Huo Yunyan quickly found out that new environments made the bird anxious. He wouldn’t sleep on his own. Instead, he insisted on sleeping either curled up on Huo Yunyan’s chest or snuggled against his neck. It was a serious test of Huo Yunyan’s sleeping skills. That first night, he didn’t sleep a wink.

Eventually, he got used to it—so much so that even while asleep, he instinctively avoided any big movements so he wouldn’t disturb his little roommate.

The month flew by. Little Feather left behind a trail of touristy selfies across cities and countries. Huo Yunyan was exhausted, often staying up late on international video calls even while traveling, but he didn’t complain. The bird was happy again. That was enough.

He picked out the cutest photos and had them printed as postcards, writing well-wishes on the back before mailing them out to friends and family. No one could resist falling in love with that smart, bright-eyed little bird.

After their big trip, Little Feather collapsed at home like a human after a long-haul flight. He didn’t even bother pretending to be injured anymore. No fussing, no begging to go out. Just lying in his cozy little nest like it was the best thing on earth. And anyone who tried to take that away? Well, they’d have to fight him for it.

Huo Yunyan was very pleased with this homebody attitude. He decided that in the future, he’d take the bird out every now and then for a wild adventure—just so he’d remember how amazing it felt to be home. But wild adventures came with a price—and not just for the bird.

Back at work, Huo Yunyan was absolutely slammed. He was so busy his feet barely touched the ground. The backlog was brutal. He was up earlier than the bird and going to bed later than a dog. It was rough.

To his credit, the bird did seem to have a conscience. Seeing how miserable Huo Yunyan looked, he dialed down the mischief for once and behaved himself.

Time passed in a blink, and suddenly it was New Year’s Eve again. This was Little Feather’s second year with Huo Yunyan. He was now a little over two years old—roughly twenty in human years.

On New Year’s Eve, it was tradition to take a proper bath. The weather had been cold lately, so Little Feather hadn’t had one in over a month. Today, Huo Yunyan gave him a nice, thorough wash.

Midway through scrubbing, the tracking device on his leg suddenly slipped off…

Both man and bird stared at it in silence, stunned, each lost in their own thoughts. Little Feather was secretly thrilled. Great! Hopefully this annoying thing never goes back on!

“Broken already? What kind of cheap junk is this?” Huo Yunyan muttered, picking it up and inspecting it. Then he turned to the smug little bird and warned, “Alright, guess it’s fate. We won’t put it back on. But I’m only giving you this one shot. If you run off again and I catch you, I’ll put it right back on. No more second chances.”

It was a compromise—for Little Feather’s love of freedom, and for the sake of trust between them. Huo Yunyan couldn’t help but laugh at himself. Why am I being so serious with a bird? But honestly, talking to Little Feather like this had already become a habit.

The damp little bird blinked innocently and splashed at the water like he didn’t understand a thing.

Soon after, Huo Yunyan’s family noticed the missing tracker. “Hey, what happened to the thing on his leg? Aren’t you worried he’ll fly off again?”

Worried? Of course. But he loved him too much. Just the thought of Little Feather wearing that tracker made his heart ache.

Huo Yunyan just said, “It’s fine. He may be a little rascal, but he wouldn’t actually leave me.”

Little Feather thought: Wow. Someone’s confident. What are you using, Self-Esteem Shampoo?

Still, even with his leg free, Shen Jingque didn’t fly off. No rush. Now’s not the right time yet.

He’d already decided: once his human got married, had kids, and the house was full of noise and laughter, that’s when he’d take off. He’d probably be an old bird by then, but that was fine. He’d start training now and make sure he’d still be able to fly when the time came.

Everyone dreams of getting fit… but whether it actually happens? That’s fate.

For the next two weeks, Little Feather kept muttering about working out—from New Year’s Eve to Lantern Festival—but never once got around to it. In fact, he’d gained two full circles of fluff. He comforted himself: It’s not my fault. It’s just post-holiday weight. Totally normal.

He glanced at Huo Yunyan, who still looked flawlessly in shape—like he had the body of a model, not a man in his thirties.

Little Feather scratched his head, feeling hopeless. Even having such a disciplined owner isn’t enough to motivate me. Maybe I really am a lost cause.

No. I can’t give up that easily!

After a big satisfying dinner, he took the initiative to go on a walk with Huo Yunyan. At first, the guy was touched. But a few steps in, he was already sighing, “You want me to wait for you again? You walk so slow. Honestly, it’d be faster if I just carried you.”

At that moment, Little Feather finally realized why he’d become so lazy. It wasn’t his fault at all—it was entirely because of this guy.

It was all Huo Yunyan’s fault. His coddling and blind indulgence had completely ruined what used to be a motivated, ambitious little bird. Now spoiled rotten, the bird embodied one simple truth: If you can blame someone else, why take responsibility yourself?

Aside from his eternal struggle between “work out” and “stay in bed,” Little Feather had just one other pressing concern: When is Huo Yunyan getting married?

Wait—scratch that. This guy didn’t even have a girlfriend yet. The real question was: When is he even going to start dating?

Shen Jingque had never had a girlfriend either, so this kind of thing was all new to him. But the more his feelings for Huo Yunyan grew, the more he genuinely started to care. At his age, still single? From a bird’s perspective, that was just… kinda sad.

Could it be… a physical issue? Like, seriously—what kind of “normal” guy spends all his time either working or doting on a bird?

For the sake of his own freedom—and Huo Yunyan’s happiness—Little Feather started seriously considering joining Huo’s parents in their “please get married ASAP” campaign.

Then one day, he found a flyer at home with a beautiful woman on it. Excited, he grabbed it in his claws and rushed over to show Huo Yunyan.

It was a real estate flyer.

Huo Yunyan glanced at it and chuckled. “You want to move into a new place?”

Little Feather nearly screamed. No! Look at the woman! The woman!

Was he… trying to share a pretty girl with him? Huo Yunyan had been outwitted by this bird so many times. This time, he decided to play dumb and have a little fun himself.

“Oh, the red dress? You like red?” he asked with a straight face.

Little Feather: “……”

The way the bird fluffed up with frustration was just too satisfying. Huo Yunyan pressed his lips together, trying not to laugh, but the amusement was plain in his eyes and the arch of his brows.

Little Feather glared at him, then dramatically moved his claw to the woman’s face and widened his eyes like: Wow! Stunning!

“So cute,” Huo Yunyan grinned. “Can I see your little feet? Yep, these tiny claws are adorable.”

Little Feather flopped onto his back in pure rage. I’m gonna die of anger!

Huo Yunyan burst out laughing.

Honestly, why did he love this little fluffball so much? Probably because no one else could give him this kind of chaotic, all-or-nothing energy.

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