Axolotl Translations

When the cat’s away, the mouse will play.

Honestly, even when Huo Yunyan was home, Little Feather was pretty much a tiny boss, always asking for this, demanding that, and usually getting his way. The only times he didn’t were for things that weren’t good for him. But let’s be real: the more you tell a kid (or a bird!) not to do something, the more they want to try it.

So, the second Huo Yunyan left, Little Feather cranked up the living room speakers and threw himself a solo dance party. Think super loud, over-the-top pop music.

Party time!

The staff watching him just stood there. “…”

Should they… tell Mr. Huo about this?

Nah. Anyone with a heart could see Little Feather had been holding back for way too long. No one who cared about him could bring themselves to snitch. Though, uh, the way he was flinging his head around, someone might need to check him for whiplash later.

Huo Yunyan was right, though—the bird’s taste was nothing like his. Sophisticated? Elegant? Not Little Feather. He was all about flashy, cheesy stuff. You know those confetti cannons they use at grand openings? He’d set those off every single day if he could. And now, with his human out of town, that dream was finally coming true.

Next on his rebellion list: surfing in Huo Yunyan’s huge swimming pool.

“We’re so sorry, Mr. Huo… we just couldn’t stop him…”

The pool was way too risky. What if he got a cramp mid-flight and fell in?

“But don’t worry, we built a bird-rescue net. If he falls, we can get him out in under five seconds.”

Huo Yunyan’s eye twitched. “He really doesn’t miss me at all, huh? Just out here causing trouble.”

The staff tried to make him feel better. “He does miss you. Little Feather still sleeps in your bed every night. He must be clinging to your scent.”

“That’s only because I usually don’t let him sleep there,” Huo Yunyan grumbled. “He’s just being difficult.”

And sure enough, once sleeping on the bed was allowed, it turned out he didn’t even like it that much.

But he really did miss him. After a couple of days of checking off everything on his forbidden wish list, Little Feather started to feel that empty, lonely ache.

He kept looking at the calendar. How many more days? He’d wander to the door, just to see if Huo Yunyan’s car had pulled in. But today, the sun had already gone down, and still no sign of him.

Little Feather trudged back to the bedroom, flopped onto the bed, settled right in the middle, leaned against a pillow, and gave his wings a little flap.

“Chirp…”

What’s the point of having a huge, fancy house if the person you love isn’t in it?

When Huo Yunyan finished his work overseas and checked the security cameras, the moment he saw that scene, his heart just ached. Watching Little Feather like that made him realize… yeah. Missing someone can really feel like a punch to the gut.

“I thought you didn’t miss me,” he said with a gentle, teasing smile. “But now you know how great I am, huh?”

Wait a minute—was that Huo Yunyan’s voice?

Little Feather flew up to the camera, tilting his head this way and that. Was his human inside this little box? “Chirp?”

“Little Feather, be good, okay? I’ll be home in just two more days.”

“Oh.” Okay then.

“What were you up to today?”

“Chirp chirp~” So much!

“Did you eat enough?”

“Chirp…” Not really feeling it today.

“Do you miss me?”

The bird squirmed shyly, then finally let out a chirp: Fine, yes!

And so, human and bird had a full half-hour chat, even though one was speaking Mandarin and the other was chirping like a duck.

“Chirp chirp chirp.” Little Feather squinted, clearly getting sleepy, and flew back to bed.

His human, still buried in work, kept sneaking glances at the camera. He swore he didn’t look away for more than ten minutes at a time. Which is why, when Huo Yunyan suddenly saw a boy curled up in bed on his screen, he just froze.

“…”

Was the camera broken? Did it somehow connect to someone else’s house? He pulled up the app to double-check and paused. Nope, the room layout, furniture, all the little details—everything matched his own home. Maybe it was just a glitch? But then, just a few seconds later, when he looked again, everything was back to normal.

“???”

Huo Yunyan scratched his head. He was only thirty—not that old! Sure, he’d been working long hours, barely sleeping, but there was no way he was seeing things. He was sure of what he saw: a person, asleep on his bed.

Thankfully, the cameras had a rewind function. He pulled the footage back a minute or two, paused it, and zoomed in. There he was—a sleeping boy, peaceful and quiet.

“…”

How was this even possible? Huo Yunyan knew he wasn’t hallucinating, but his entire worldview was suddenly shaken.

Who was that?

Did two worlds overlap for a second?

Did reality… glitch?

All kinds of ridiculous ideas started flashing through his brain. No, come on. That’s crazy. He was in AI development, sure, but he couldn’t let his imagination run that wild.

Then, an even crazier thought hit him like fireworks—

Could it be… Little Feather?

Had his bird… turned into a human?

Huo Yunyan watched that footage over and over, replaying it more than a hundred times. He even went online and started searching nonsense like: #BirdTurnsHuman, #BirdBoy, #CanaryBecomesHuman. All he found were random myths and some totally unhinged movies.

He rubbed his temples. What if Little Feather had become a spirit? Did that mean he wasn’t an ordinary bird—maybe he’d live a really long time? Actually… that didn’t sound so bad. If it meant Little Feather could live longer, Huo Yunyan didn’t care whether he was a spirit, a demon, or anything else.

That was his bird—the one he raised, loved, and saw every day. No matter what he became, Huo Yunyan wasn’t scared. But the thing was—nothing was certain. Little Feather only transformed that one time. After that, Huo Yunyan watched him constantly for two whole days, and… nothing.

His heart couldn’t settle. One moment hope would bloom, the next it’d crash down again. It felt like riding a roller coaster—up, down, twisted in knots. And the worst part? If it wasn’t real, then why had he seen it at all? That tiny glimmer of hope—was pure torture.

Two days later, Huo Yunyan finally finished work and raced home. He didn’t sleep at all on the long, ten-plus-hour flight, and every time he closed his eyes, all he could think about was the little bird waiting for him.

Sure enough, the bird was already by the door. When he saw the car pull up, he happily hopped around and immediately flew over to cling to Huo Yunyan. The silly bird didn’t even notice the complex look in his owner’s eyes.

It took Little Feather most of the day to realize: wait, why is this guy staring at me nonstop?

Of course, Huo Yunyan was staring. He was looking for any clue, any sign—some tiny bit of hope. “Little Feather,” he asked seriously, “be honest. Can you turn into a human?”

After watching him for half a day, that was the line he came up with? The bird froze, staring back like he was looking at a lunatic. Are you okay, sir?

“…”

Huo Yunyan was a bit offended by that look. Which only convinced him more—this bird definitely wasn’t ordinary. He knew something. He was just hiding it.

“Don’t play dumb. I know you can turn human. You’re a spirit or something, right?” Huo Yunyan scooped the bird into his hands and held him up, looking him in the eye. “I’m not scared of you. You don’t have to keep it a secret.”

“Chirp chirp…” Help! The bird struggled in his palm, flapping in panic. Someone save me, this man’s lost his mind!

Since he wouldn’t admit it, Huo Yunyan pulled out the big guns—he opened the security footage on his phone. “Look. Just watch this.”

Shen Jingque was actually curious. He stretched his head over to the screen, and when he saw it, his beak dropped open. Whoa, he really did turn into a human! He stared at Huo Yunyan, eyes wide.

“So… you are a little spirit creature?” Huo Yunyan held his breath, waiting for an answer.

The bird looked annoyed. Why spirit? Can’t I be a god or something? He was an auspicious bird! Maybe he was just lucky and got promoted to bird god. As for how he transformed? Shen Jingque had no idea. He couldn’t remember a thing.

He watched the video again and got excited. Look at that! He could turn human! He must be a bird deity!

“Chirp chirp~”

“Don’t just smile like that,” Huo Yunyan said sternly. “You still haven’t answered me, Little Feather.”

“…”

Okay, fine. Looks like there’s no hiding the whole ‘immortal bird’ thing now.

The bird thought it over. Then thought it over again. He bobbed his head around a bit but still didn’t give a straight answer.

“What are you hesitating for?” Huo Yunyan frowned. “After everything we’ve been through, do you really think I’d hurt you?”

Well… not necessarily. The little bird carefully weighed their relationship. Was it really strong enough to risk coming clean?

“You’ve really broken my heart,” Huo Yunyan said, sounding a little down. He’d been completely open with Little Feather, told him everything—but this little guy had a million secrets and wasn’t sharing any of them.

With a disappointed sigh, Huo Yunyan turned and started walking away.

Shen Jingque quickly flapped after him. Hey, hey, hey, don’t be like that… It’s not like he fully understood what was going on either! He wasn’t an ordinary bird anymore—what if people found out and tried to capture him for science experiments?

“Stop following me,” Huo Yunyan said dramatically. “You’re clearly on another level. I’m not worthy of your honesty.”

Come on, that’s not fair…

Seeing his human dropping dramatic lines like he was in a soap opera, the little bird panicked a bit. If this kept up, things might get out of hand. He had to give him some kind of explanation. He flapped his wings and flew straight in front of Huo Yunyan to block his path.

“Alright,” Huo Yunyan said, picking up on the gesture. “Explain.”

The bird flew over to the iPad on the table, opened the Notes app, and used his foot to carefully tap out two words: Immortal Being.

Huo Yunyan glanced at it and burst out laughing. “Pfft.”

Little Feather stomped his foot in outrage. What’s so funny?!

Nothing in particular. It’s just… in Huo Yunyan’s mind, a real immortal wouldn’t have been caught in such a mess, dragged home all dusty and miserable. And definitely wouldn’t have gotten himself stuck in a crack, pitifully begging for help. His Little Feather, at most, was a tiny magical bird spirit. That’s it.

Huo Yunyan leaned in and asked gently, “So… you really can turn into a human, right?”

Technically, yes—but Shen Jingque had zero memory of how it happened. Still, that didn’t stop him from puffing up with pride. He was very pleased with himself. Niohulu Little Bird, now upgraded: Bird Immortal Mode Activated.

“Little Feather…” Huo Yunyan’s voice was full of affection. He didn’t know how to express just how happy he was. All he could do was call his name, pouring all his emotions into those two words.

The little bird looked up at his human from a noble 45-degree angle. What? He was a big deal now, okay? Chin up, nose in the air—absolutely majestic.

Looking into those sparkly little eyes, Huo Yunyan couldn’t help but smile. “See? I knew it. No ordinary bird could be this smart.”

Come on, that was obvious!

The bird hopped around proudly on the table, then accidentally knocked over his water dish. Ugh, dirty feet. Normally, he’d just wipe it off on his feathers or grab a tissue himself. But today? Oh no—times had changed. He stuck his dirty little claw in front of Huo Yunyan.

Your immortal needs help. Clean my foot, please.

“…”

Huo Yunyan sighed and dutifully took care of it. Once the bird was satisfied, he gently asked, “Can you try changing again? Just once?” He needed to see it with his own eyes—otherwise, he couldn’t feel at ease.

The little immortal bird froze. He… didn’t actually know how to transform.

Thinking fast, he made something up to bluff his human. “Transforming takes a lot of energy. I need to build up my qi first.”

“Alright, take your time,” Huo Yunyan nodded seriously. “I’ll make sure you’re taken care of while you recover.”

And just like that, the pressure shifted to Little Feather. While enjoying his VIP treatment from Huo Yunyan, the little bird also racked his tiny brain, trying to figure out: How do birds turn into people anyway? He was just a regular bird! Why was he being put through this?

Two weeks passed. He’d gained weight—twice around the belly—but his qi? Still not “fully restored.” At this point, Huo Yunyan was beginning to suspect he was just being cheeky and avoiding the whole thing. And this time, Little Feather felt truly wronged. He could admit to being mischievous in the past—but this was slander!

Still, even if he knew Little Feather was being stubborn, Huo Yunyan didn’t dare to push. All he could do was quietly plan how to help his Little Feather adjust to the human world. Put yourself in his claws: a sentient being, trapped in a bird’s body, living the life of an animal. That couldn’t be easy. After all, cultivating into a spirit wasn’t just about power—it was about freedom. And Huo Yunyan wanted nothing more than for his Little Feather to have the same freedoms people did: to live, to explore, to choose.

He’d even come up with a backstory: Little Feather would be introduced as a distant relative’s child he was looking after.

As for getting him to transform again? Huo Yunyan had a new plan: temptation. He curated a highlight reel of the most luxurious, over-the-top human experiences—five-star food, travel, spas—and showed it to Little Feather like a marketing campaign.

From time to time, he’d lean in and whisper:

“Wanna go?”

“Wanna try that?”

“Wanna play there?”

So annoying. Shen Jingque wanted to peck him to death. Of course he wanted to go! He’d been dreaming about it since his last life! Ughhh!

“If you turn into a person, I’ll take you,” Huo Yunyan said sweetly.

The bird didn’t fall for it. “You’re too busy with work.”

“I’ll drop everything for you,” Huo Yunyan said with feeling. “So what if I have to stay up late working? I’d rather suffer than let my kid miss out.”

Damn it. The bird was so tempted he could cry!

Now, even in the middle of pooping, he was thinking hard: How do I become human again? Maybe he needed a magic chant or something.

“Bala bala little fairy… transform, transform!”

“Watch me—Sun Wukong’s 72 transformations!”

“Little Feather, what are you mumbling about in the bathroom?”

Huo Yunyan was reading outside and called out casually, “Hurry up, don’t fall in!”

“Aiya—!”

“I told you—wait… that didn’t sound like a bird…” That sounded… human.

Huo Yunyan jolted upright, tossed his book aside, and ran straight to the bathroom.

“Little Feather!”

Inside the spacious bathroom, a completely naked teenage boy was sprawled awkwardly on the floor, one foot still propped against the edge of the tub. Huo Yunyan stood frozen for two whole seconds. Then he snapped into action and rushed over.

“What happened? Did you hit your head?”

He gently picked the boy up and carried him to the sofa in the dressing room, carefully checking the back of his head.

“Wuwuwu…”

“Just a bump. Thank god it didn’t break the skin,” Huo Yunyan exhaled in relief.

“Wuwuwu…”

“Hey…” Huo Yunyan stared at the tearful face in front of him, the smooth skin, the human eyes, the lack of feathers… His heart skipped a beat. “How did you fall?” He couldn’t stop staring at the boy’s face. No matter how hard he looked, this wasn’t a bird anymore. But still… Even though Little Feather looked unfamiliar now, Huo Yunyan felt no distance between them. Seeing him cry made his chest ache. It was definitely his Little Feather.

Sniffling, the boy said, “I was in the bathroom and accidentally… I said a magic spell, and then… wuwuwuwu…”

“…Well, what can I even say to that.” Huo Yunyan sighed and comforted him. “Alright, I’ll get you some ice. It’ll stop hurting soon.”

“Hurry up,” the newly human bird said, still bossy as ever.

“I’ll cover you with a blanket first.” Huo Yunyan grabbed a light throw and pulled it over the boy’s body up to his neck. He wasn’t wearing a thing. Thankfully, Little Feather was a boy—otherwise this would’ve been way more awkward.

Who would’ve thought Little Feather’s first full transformation would happen in such a chaotic mess?

After a few minutes with the ice pack, Shen Jingque finally started to feel better. His face was still all scrunched up, though. But to Huo Yunyan, boy or bird, this was still his Little Feather.

“Anywhere else hurt besides your head?” he asked as he gently checked him over. Little Feather was a boy he’d raised—there was no need for awkwardness. The teen’s skin was pale like porcelain, smooth as ivory, and even the slightest bump left a mark—it looked alarming.

“I’m so unlucky…” the boy muttered miserably.

Yeah, pretty unlucky. But Huo Yunyan couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you supposed to be an immortal? You can’t even handle a little accident like this?”

Shen Jingque glared and instinctively raised his foot to kick Huo Yunyan in the face—but before it connected, Huo Yunyan caught him, gently pushed the leg back down, and sighed, “Now that you’re human, you can’t go around kicking people anymore. Out in the world, people won’t let that slide. I’m the only one you can bully.”

…He had a point. The little bird reflected on that.

Huo Yunyan took his hand and said, “From now on, if you want to do something, use your hands. If you want to hit someone, use your hands. Feet are for walking, got it?”

The boy slowly lifted his hand. Huo Yunyan braced himself—was he about to get slapped? But no. The boy just gently touched his face, like he was testing what it felt like. Then he looked down and studied his own hand.

I’m human again, Shen Jingque thought. He stretched out his fingers, wiggling them freely, then looked down with a soft laugh—his expression overlapped perfectly with the confident little bird from before.

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