The chirping of birds was as loud as the chirping of a cricket.
It was another morning in Zhejiang.
Meili opened the girl's door slightly, peeped into the room, and realize the girl was still sleeping, instead of getting ready for the day.
"Xiaofan? it is the morning... you need to get up, you don't want to be late for school", the maid said as she picked up the girl's dirty clothes into the laundry basket in her hand.
The girl yawned and rose immediately the maid walked out of her room, still remembering the mysterious event that has been happening ever since the bird enters her life.
"Oh right, where is that bird", instantly she heard the flapping of wings coming behind her, she turned and saw the Owl flying towards her, the girl tripped and fell on her bed as it caught her unexpectedly.
The owl stands on the shelf and searches around the room with its big round eyes.
"What is your problem? I do not understand why you have been clingy... why do I see you in my vision and who was that lady talking to you?... what is it!!!" she yelled at the bird who wasn't paying attention to the angry girl.
"Right... you will never listen to me", she said out of frustration.
"Click!"
The sound of the stone hitting her window caught her attention, Xiaofan hurried to see what it was.
"Yi Chen?" she whispered.
Not expecting to see him that early but still understanding the reason why he must be there, she waved at him and watched him wave back.
The girl noticed an old dusty book in her best friend's hand but that wasn't the real problem at that moment.
"The bird... it is still in here! it's back in my room, isn't that crazy!" she mouth whispered, trying to not get caught talking to a boy early in the morning instead of getting ready for school.
"What?..." Yi Chen whispered back, he couldn't understand what she was trying to tell him.
Xiaofan knew they couldn't hear themselves, she came up with an idea, "Hold up" she whispered. The boy knew she was trying to tell him to wait by her hand description, so he did as he was told.
Shortly, she dressed up and grabbed her backpack.
Running out of her room and down the stairs, she saw her father caring for Xiu Lan as usual, not bothered about that anymore, the girl hurried to the table and grab a loaf of bread.
"I will leave early today... bye"
Mr. Ji Zhang and his wife watched the girl run out of the house, he was about to ask if he could drop them off at school on his way to work but the girl had gone before he could utter a statement.
"Don't you think Xiaofan has been acting weird lately?" The woman asked, waiting for a response from her husband.
He nodded, "I might have noticed that but I am sure whatever it is, Xiaofan will handle it. Don't even bother asking, she wouldn't tell you... it's the fact that she acts she is older than her age that wow me every day... she is like a 16-year-old" he answered.
The woman hated the way he spoke about her in a good way, she frowned and looked away.
"Meili?"
The maid heard her name from across the room, she ran towards her boss and bowed slightly.
"Yes, master".
"In two days... Xiu lan's big celebration would come forth and you know what that means... a lot of guests would be here, I need the house to sparkle and for the food to be served on that day... when I come back from my meeting, we will arrange that, I need my baby 6th birthday to be awesome.. right baby".
"No! I do not want anyone, I do want no friend on my birthday, they are all bad children" Xiu Lan commented.
Mr. Zhang looked at her wife surprisingly.
He never expected that to come from his daughter's mouth, he wondered why she said such a thing so he decided to ask, "why? what's wrong sweetie? why do you think they are bad children? did your friends say anything bad to you while they were here yesterday?".
The woman knew something had happened between her daughter and her friends, they probably fought because of the conversation she has had with Xiu Lan.
Xiu Lan ignored her parent, she grabbed her backpack and walked out of the house.
"Follow her... we will be right outside", The woman ordered the maid who left without hesitation.
"These kids... they really think they are some grown-ups..." he let out a chuckle, "first Xiaofan, now Xiu Lan".
The woman smiled as she moved towards her husband and adjusted his tie, she caressed his chest up to his shoulder.
"They are still your little girls, remember where they get the tough guy from?... you", she answered and watched her husband smile, "do not worry... I will make sure to see into Xiu Lan's reason for not wanting to invite her friends over for the party... it will be a great day for her".
"I trust you.." he responded.
Meili was the only one left at home, she was in Xiu Lan's room arranging her room when she heard a creaking sound coming from the first door. She paused and looked up, trying to hear it again.
"This is what happens when you are the only one at home, everything starts to seem real..." she said and continued.
The lady was almost finished with the girl's room and all that was left was the bed.
She saw a book.
Without concentrating on what was in the book, Meili grabbed it and was about to put it back on the shelf, her gaze mistakenly fell on the drawing on the book, the image had the name of Xiaofan under it, indicating she was the image.
The disturbing image made Meili frown, "Why would Xiu Lan draw an image of Xiaofan being crushed by a car..." she thought and immediately tore the page off the book, "this is ridiculous... what does a 6-year-old know? why is she so evil?" she added, squeezing the piece of paper in her hands.
Xiaofan and Yi Chen walked up the stairs gently, taking a step at a time to avoid being caught.
They finally get to the door leading to her room, she held the doorknob and turned it gently.
"Be careful, we almost get caught while opening the first door", Yi Chen warned.
"And whose fault was that?" she replied with narrowed eyes.
As careful as she was, the door still made a creak.
They hurried in and closed the door gently, trying hard not to laugh, they both giggled silently.
The approaching footsteps made them stop giggling, they both stare at each other as the footstep got even closer to the door.
"Oh my God we are done for", Xiaofan mumbled.
"Just shhh! it can't be that bad", The boy whispered to her.
"What? I am in my room with a boy instead of school, what do you think Meili would say? what if she reports me to father?" she whispered back to him.
"Just keep quiet okay? you know she isn't like that", the boy reassured.
Suddenly the footsteps stopped, and their heart raced as they saw the maid's shadow right in front of the door, Xiaofan's shut her eyes and prayed not to get caught.
Shortly, the retreating steps were heard by the kids.
They looked at each other and let out a big grin.
"I think she is gone", Xiaofan mumbled.
Yi Chen noticed the shadow had disappeared, he moved away from the door and gave the girl a thumbs up.
The boy's gaze fell on the bird hopping around the room, he turned to Xiaofan whose eyes were already on him.
"I guess I am in trouble now, the bird wouldn't leave me alone and yesterday.... something unbelievable happened",
Yi Chen interrupted the girl by putting a book on her face, she remembered seeing him with the book.
"What is it?" she asked.
He held her hand and pulled her to sit, "Before you tell me whatever happens, you need to know something unbelievable from this ancient book right here" he said tapping the book.
The girl's eyes brightened as she stared at the book.
"There is a bird just like this baby owl right here... we are right about this strange bird in your room... back in 1901... this bird was alive and its name was Dai Yu".
The name sounds familiar, she let out a surprised gasp.