Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

  Richard was special. Even among Elves, it was a special one. What made it special was that its original owner was still alive, and they once kept each other company and loved each other affectionately. So, Richard was facing a huge dilemma—should it go back? Should it return its original owner?

  When it was captured by Zhang Zian and brought to his pet shop, Richard had attempted to escape, trying to go back to its original owner. After finding its plan unsuccessful, rather than gave up running away, it just temporarily put aside the idea. This was the modern society it was familiar with, and there were too many ways to deliver information, such as making phone calls. As long as it could find ways to make a phone call, she would come to find it no matter from how far away.

  However, how to explain its return? Its death had been recognized by the modern society, so then how could it be explained, the miracle of its resurrection?

  Richard was not Jesus, nor did it want to be the Jesus of the birds—though that might give it unparalleled Strength of Faith and its status would be raised to a much higher level, the troubles that followed could be equally the same. The longer it spent time with Zhang Zian and other partners, the more it felt it was increasingly caught in a dilemma.

  “Richard, your future, is here!”


  Hearing these words, Richard’s head was filled with a tremendous roaring, and its heart was impacted by surging emotions.

  Richard used to think that in this pet shop, it was at the bottom of the food chain, and it was bullied by everyone. Even without regarding the special abilities of those cat elves, the fact that they were cats had put fear in it intrinsically. It had been desperately showing off for itself; even though its behaviors made it look like a buffoon, it didn’t want to be taken lightly, because it represented birds in the pet shop, the one and only bird. It was the best back in the laboratory, and it must become the best in the pet shop.

  However, it seemed that Richard had been overthinking, for whether it was Zhang Zian or other cat elves, none of them looked down upon it because of its lowest level. If not for this serious illness, Richard may still live in the illusion of self-pity.

  After finishing the sentence, Galaxy walked away lightly.

  “Richard, it’s cold here, let’s go back into the house,” said Sun Xiaomeng.

  They left the storage room, passed through Zhang Zian’s parents’ bedroom and Zhang Zian’s bedroom. Richard knew that there were people behind the closed doors that cared for it, and it was not alone.

  Back to the living room, it jumped from the arm of Sun Xiaomeng.

  “Doctor.”


  “Yes? What’s the matter?” she asked.

  “I want to take the medicines, give me the medicines. I don’t care if they are bitter or not,” said Richard in a hoarse voice.

  She smiled encouragingly. “Richard is really brave. The medicines will be ready right away.”


  “Will I be all right?”


  “Yes, I promise.”


  Sun Xiaomeng left the living room, and went to the kitchen to fetch the medicines.

  Richard exhaustedly lied on the table with a clear mind.

  It had put down its obsession to excel over others, so why must it compare with the partners so as to see who was superior?

  Some of the things it could never understand or let go of because of its obsession had finally came around to it at this moment. Looking back, it felt so ridiculous.

  There were eight kinds of suffering in a human’s life: suffering of birth, aging, sickness, death, erratic changes, being apart from loved ones, being together with despised ones, and not getting what one wants. These were also true in a bird’s life.

  It had experienced birth, aging, sickness, and death, and had suffered from erratic changes. It had loved someone, it had pursued something, and it had resentment…it had experienced everything that humans and birds would experience. What else couldn’t it let go of?

  If there was anything or anyone that Richard still couldn’t let go of, it would be her. But it understood that it can’t appear in front of her ever again, it couldn’t disturb her calm life and put her into the controversy of gaining improper academic publicity. Not everyone would believe the miracles of coming back from death, and some people might doubt that it had been dead at all. Fabricating its death was nothing but drawing spotlights to herself, and she had been hiding it all this time. And when enough years had passed, she was going to announce the resurrection of it, because after all, grey parrots had very long life expectancies. If Richard did return to her, her already rough and rugged academic career would be thrown into a tremendous crisis.

  So, for her sake, it could no longer appear as its identity in the past.

  Because it loved her, it must leave her.

  It let go of everything in the past, for it was no longer Alex, but was truly Richard now!

  “Nothing will last forever, and love is no exception.”


  “My life is full of fears and dangers since my birth.”


  “I’m worried and concerned for my love.”


  “If I’m away from my love, I will no longer be worried or concerned…”


  Sun Xiaomeng walked to the kitchen and saw that Zhang Zian was still snoozing on his arm, and a part of the ground was wet because of his drooling. She canceled the alarm, quietly bypassed Zhang Zian, extinguished the gas stove, opened the lid with a cloth pad, poured the dark medicines into a small bowl prepared in advance, and left the kitchen with the bowl.

  “Richard, come drink the medicines.”


  Sun Xiaomeng walked into the living room. She didn’t notice the strange look on Richard, but just put the medicine bowl in front of it.

  Richard lowered its head into the medicine bowl, and sipped off the viscous and bitter liquid.

  Just when Sun Xiaomeng was about to leave with the medicine bowl, she heard Richard call to her from behind, “Doctor.”


  “Yes? What’s the matter?” She turned around and gazed at it.

  “Will you come here tomorrow?” It seemed to ask that with deep meaning. This was also the last question it once asked before it died, and Irene replied, “Yes, I will come here tomorrow.” And the next day, it was forever separated from her.

  Sun Xiaomeng smiled, “No, Richard, because I’m not leaving today.”


  She raised the bowl in her hands and showed it, “I’ll be right back, I’m just going to do the dishes. Sleep peacefully, Richard, and I’ll be here when you wake up.”


  Richard quietly closed its eyes and fell asleep.

  When it woke up the next morning, its pain had subsided, and the first thing that caught its eye was that Sun Xiaomeng was resting beside the table. She was sound asleep with a blanket covering her, and a few unruly hairs at the edge of her forehead were rising up and down rhythmically with her even breathing.

  Zhang Zian was also in the living room, lying on the sofa dressed in his day clothes, and arms under the pillow. On his stomach was a book that had been placed upside down, of which the packaging bag was thrown on the ground randomly. A woman and a grey parrot were printed on the cover of the book.

  “Turns out you are not a complete idiot,” whispered Richard.

  On the tea table, Zhang Zian’s cell phone screen suddenly lit up automatically.

  [Navigation Elf]: Congratulations! The Apprehensive Bird’s likability has been elevated to friendliness! Unlocking its real name!

  [Game Hints]: Pet Attributes

  [Known as]: Apprehensive Bird

  [Rarity]: Elite Level

  [Features]: The apprehensive birds were never heard before simply because they were not understood.

  [History Unlocked]:

  In 1977, animal psychologist Irene Pepperberg bought an African grey parrot, then only 13 months old, from an ordinary pet store, and named it Alex, commencing on a legendary experience.

  Alex’s name was derived from the “Avian Language Experiment” and later, its name was interpreted as the “Avian Learning Experiment”. After many twists and turns, the experiment achieved unprecedented tremendous success. The work between Irene and Alex had greatly expanded the boundaries of science, improved the status and life of parrots all over the world, and even made humans re-examine whether they were the only intelligent creatures on this planet.

  On the night of September 6, 2007, Alex perished suddenly in the laboratory, and the cause of its death remained a mystery even until today.

  The news of its death swept the front pages of the mainstream media around the world in a short time, and Alex’s death was considered to be a tragedy to the science and education communities, animal lovers and the whole world. People were also deeply astonished and moved by the last words it said before its death—”You be good. I Love You.”


  Blessed with the Strength of Faith, Alex had become an Elf in this world, with the ability to master numerous languages.

  [Unlocked real name]: Dr. Irene Pepperberg’s love bird!

  …


  Richard looked out of the window, the sky was clear, and another day had begun.

  Yesterday NOT once more.