Waiting patiently for the girl to tell them what she knows, they all stared at her.
Xiaofan suddenly let out a chuckle.
"Why would I know? I just came to remind Yi Chen what we talked about and then was surprised when the bird wasn't in the cage anymore" she answered.
Chun and Lee looked away immediately.
"Okay but you know you have to get home soon, it is getting late and you need to return home, both of you can always talk some other time, I do not want you in trouble" Lee advised.
Yi Chen wasn't convinced enough, he knew she was hiding something.
"She will return home now! I will walk her out", the boy said, leading the girl out of the cottage.
They both got out and walked a little farther from the cottage, he suddenly stopped and turned to her.
"You know something right? I can see it in your eyes... spill it out".
The sound of seagulls was heard, making it obvious there was an ocean nearby.
Xiaofan caressed her elbow gently, debating if she should tell her best friend about the mystery going on or not.
"Xiaofan!"
"Okay.... listen", She said and looked around to make sure no one was around them.
"No one is here Xiaofan, what is it?" Yi Chen curiously asked, staring at the girl for a response.
"The bird... I know where it is...." she paused and moved closer to him, "it's in my room right now" she whispered into his ear.
Xiaofan moved back and continue, "I know you might not believe me but I am telling you the truth right now, the baby owl is in my room, Yi Chen... I came over to confirm and I was right, it is the actual bird" she added.
Yi Chen was stunned to speak, he didn't know if he should believe Xiaofan at that moment or not but why would she lie to him?
The girl walked forth and back repeatedly.
"I know... I was also surprised to speak at first.. and I think the bird is really strange as you mentioned earlier, I think it spoke to me like a whisper. And then after I saw it in my window, staring at me with the big eyes, I don't know what's going on Yi Chen, I am going crazy", she exclaimed.
All this sounds like ridiculous to the boy, he never expected the tale he told about the bird would be true, he only heard about the tale of a talking bird from his history teacher and he never believed it, all he wanted to do was impress Xiaofan, what is with the strange story she is telling him right now.
He looked at the girl.
"Relax Xia, you said it is in your room right now?" he asked.
She nodded.
He held her hand and stared into her blue eyes, "let's go see it".
She didn't refuse, they both hurried back to her house which was a few miles from the cottage he lived in.
Getting to the house, Xiaofan met her stepsister and her friends playing with their toys, she ignored her and was about to walk up the stairs with Yi Chen when the little girl cleared her throat behind them.
"Xiaofan who is he and where are you guys off to?", she asked while folding her arms.
Xiaofan looked at Yi Chen with narrowed eyes.
"Be nice", his mouth whispered to her.
"Okay okay", she whispered to herself before turning to the little girl standing in front of them, "he is a friend... go play with your friends while I play with mine... fair right?" she responded.
"Hello", Yi Chen said waving at the girl who seemed interested in their business.
"Okay whatever", Xiu Lan replied, watching them walk up the stairs.
"Why are you questioning your sister, isn't she supposed to be your big sister?"
Xiu Lan heard Suzy, she turned and saw her friend standing right in front of her while the other kids listen.
"She is not a child here, I am the only child and that's how it is so mind your business and stay out of my own", Xiu lan replied sharply.
Suzy and the other kids laughed out.
"You really think so? well we all know Xiaofan is the first child, you come after. She should be the one questioning you and not the other way, you need to respect her as a big sister", Suzy advised.
Xiu Lan got angry, she frowned and walked toward her friends, grabbed her toys from them, and pushed them to the floor aggressively.
"You all should get out of my house right away, go back to your stinky house, I know I am better than you all and you are just jealous of me" she yelled at them angrily.
She turned to Suzy and took the stuffed toy in her hand, "That belongs to me... my father got it for me, why don't you go meet your dead father for your toys too".
The girl was shocked, her eyes filled with tears as she watched Xiu Lan walk away.
"Why did you say that?" the girl cried out.
Xiaofan and Yi Chen stood by the door, wearing surprised looks.
"You were right, it is the bird", Yi Chen whispered to Xiaofan.
The girl held her head in disbelief, " I swear the bird wasn't on the box when I left home, I put it in the box and put those books it is standing on to keep it from moving...".
The books were as she had arranged them on the box, the bird stood on it with its eyes closed.
"No way! it is the actual bird Xiaofan, how did it get here?" the boy asked, he moved closer to the bird, and looked back at the girl who hasn't moved, "This is strange" he whispered.
"What do we do to it? I do not want that bird in here... it's giving me chills just by looking at it, it has been so strange and I do not want that in my life, not right now so just take it back to your place" she concluded.
"Does it really have magic", Yi Chen asked himself, stretching his hand to touch the bird.
It opened its big golden eyes and saw Yi Chen.
The boy immediately retreated.
"Ooh, that scares me".
"Just take it away Yi Chen, please," the girl said out loud.
He nodded, "Yes I will take it... I can explain to the boys that I had found it around the cottage," he said and slowly walked towards the bird, "easy... easy" he whispered to the bird.
Xiaofan watched him put the bird in the box, her heart strangely beating fast as he carried the box. She felt sad all of a sudden, not wanting the bird out of her sight.
The girl controlled her strange emotions toward the bird, she allowed Yi Chen to take it away from her.