The loose white T-shirt barely covered Tao Tao's rounded hips, and it seemed like a potential hygiene risk. Lou Yuzhu pulled out a pair of brand-new cotton underwear, but then stood there, frozen for a long time, unsure how to proceed.
Forcing herself to act, she sat on the edge of the bed and beckoned Tao Tao over. "Come here… There's no such thing as me not liking Tao Tao. No one would spend money on someone they don't like. I buy you millet, fruit, all of it because I like you. Now, lift your foot…"
Throughout the whole process, Lou Yuzhu felt like she was groping around in the dark, her gaze darting everywhere except at Tao Tao. Helping someone put on underwear—something that took just seconds—felt like standing in the middle of a furnace, her whole body burning with embarrassment.
To make things worse, the underwear was a bit small. As it got stuck at Tao Tao's hips, Lou Yuzhu had to tug at the waistband to pull it over her rounded curves.
Tao Tao had such a slim waist but full, shapely thighs—textbook pear-shaped. Lou Yuzhu was honestly jealous.
After straightening out the hem, Lou Yuzhu sighed in relief and walked over to Tao Tao's birdcage to retrieve the food bowl. She paused mid-motion, wondering if the portion she'd given Tao Tao was enough.
Turning toward the kitchen to add more food, Lou Yuzhu found herself being followed. Behind her, Tao Tao bombarded her with anxious questions.
"I… I'm sick… No feathers. Do you still like me?"
"My claws… claws can't move. Broken body. Still like me?"
"White hair… not… not cute. Do you still like Tao Tao?"
Lou Yuzhu froze with her hand on the refrigerator door, turning to look at the little woman asking her these questions. Tao Tao's big, lychee-like eyes were fixed on her, innocent and pure, yet carrying a subtle hint of accusation.
Why did these questions feel so… off?
"Well, that's a hard question to answer. These things, um…" Lou Yuzhu mumbled while washing apples and strawberries, her words stumbling as she tried to think of the right response. Finally, after a pause, she said, "If Tao Tao weren't here anymore, I wouldn't raise another Tao Tao. You're a very important companion to me. I'd say I like you, but… not in that way. Do you understand?"
At last, she realized why this whole conversation felt strange. The questions themselves weren't the problem—it was the relationship that was the problem.
Tao Tao's tone and the way she seemed to 'question' Lou Yuzhu felt exactly like the kind of coquettish complaints a girlfriend would make.
This wasn't okay. Lou Yuzhu didn't have any romantic interest in women, and she definitely wasn't into this. No, absolutely not.
When Lou Yuzhu turned around after washing the fruit, she saw Tao Tao munching on the roses she had brought home, petals stuffed into her mouth.
"Stop!" Lou Yuzhu rushed over, snatching the bouquet away. She pinched Tao Tao's cheeks and pried her mouth open. "You don't even know if these have been treated! You can't just eat anything!"
Although parrots could eat roses, flowers from shops were often sprayed with dyes or sprinkled with glitter—full of chemicals that weren't safe for consumption.
Lou Yuzhu was frantic. She grabbed a small wooden spoon to scrape the chewed-up petals out of Tao Tao's mouth, then handed her a glass of water. "Rinse your mouth."
Tao Tao stared blankly, clearly not understanding what Lou Yuzhu had just said.
Lou Yuzhu demonstrated by holding some water in her mouth, swishing it around, and spitting it out. "Like this. Rinse, don't drink it silly."
Tao Tao's pupils trembled slightly. She was used to being praised as smart, so being called silly was a blow to her pride. She turned away from Lou Yuzhu, her shoulders trembling slightly as she let out a few shaky breaths.
Lou Yuzhu sighed. This bird has such a fragile heart.
She tugged at Tao Tao's wrist. "Are you mad? Why is Tao Tao always mad? Come on, rinse your mouth and then eat something. Aren't you hungry?"
Taotao ignored her, even shaking her hand off.
Lou Yuzhu circled around to face her and saw that Tao Tao's big, black eyes were glistening with unshed tears. For a moment, Lou Yuzhu was stunned. She hadn't expected her to actually start crying.
"Alright, alright. I'm sorry, I was wrong. I should encourage Tao Tao, not discourage her," Lou Yuzhu apologized sincerely, handing the cup of water directly to Taotao's lips.
"Open your mouth," she instructed gently.
Though Tao Tao still looked upset, she seemed to instinctively follow Lou Yuzhu's commands. She opened her mouth slightly, allowing Lou Yuzhu to pour a small amount of water in.
Parrot people were indeed quick learners. After seeing Lou Yuzhu demonstrate once, Tao Tao mimicked her actions perfectly—swishing the water in her mouth, walking over to the sink, and spitting it out at the right moment.
Her meticulous imitation was oddly endearing, and Lou Yuzhu was about to praise her when Tao Tao suddenly stepped forward and buried her face against Lou Yuzhu's shoulder.
The cool, slightly damp touch of Tao Tao's lips brushed against the strap of Lou Yuzhu's nightgown, and her entire body stiffened. Before she could react, Tao Tao took her hand and placed it on her waist.
"…"
It wasn't as though Lou Yuzhu had never hugged a woman before—she and Fu Ye often draped their arms around each other when they went out. But this felt… completely different.
Lou Yuzhu was utterly flustered, her face burning. She tried to step back, but Tao Tao leaned closer, whispering tearfully into her ear, "Wings… wings hurt. So uncomfortable…"
Lou Yuzhu took a deep breath and reluctantly placed her arm around Tao Tao's shoulder blades, using her fingers to lightly scratch the spot where her wings would be.
Even when Tao Tao was in her bird form, this area was off-limits—she'd never let anyone touch it. Only recently, during her mating season had she started seeking out Lou Yuzhu for attention, spreading her wings wide and asking for scratches.
Lou Yuzhu knew very well that this behavior was a parrot's way of seeking affection, which only made her more uncomfortable.
"Tao Tao, you don't have to hug me for me to scratch your wings," Lou Yuzhu tried to reason.
"I'll buy you some underwear tomorrow after work, okay?"
"The way I pet you is the same as petting a dog's head or a cat's paw—it's not me accepting your… courtship. Don't misunderstand, alright?"
Lou Yuzhu had no idea how much of her rambling explanation Tao Tao actually understood. While she spoke, Tao Tao nestled against her neck, letting out soft, pitiful noises.
Would Tao Tao act like this even after going to school? Would she cause problems for others?
Parrots were known to be very loyal creatures. If this behavior was unique to her relationship with Lou Yuzhu, then…
Well, scratching her shoulder blades wasn't a big deal. Hugging was okay too, as long as it didn't cross any boundaries. She could manage that much.
Lou Yuzhu tried to convince herself, even as her face grew hotter. She finally pushed Tao Tao away. "Alright, let's eat."
She led Tao Tao to the dining table, where she had set out fruit and main dishes, along with chopsticks and a spoon. "I'll teach you how to use utensils so you won't have to lower your head to eat with your mouth. But listen—you can't feed me. I don't like eating food from someone else's mouth. If you don't behave, you'll have to eat in your birdcage from now on, and I won't let you out."
Lou Yuzhu guided Tao Tao's hand to pick up the chopsticks.
But the obedient and affectionate Tao Tao from a moment ago suddenly flipped her mood like a switch. She dropped the chopsticks onto the table with a loud clatter, glaring at Lou Yuzhu with a stormy expression.
Lou Yuzhu was taken aback. "You understood me?"
No way! How can she understand some things but not others? Is this selective hearing?
It was clear that Tao Tao had fully grasped the part about being confined to the birdcage. To make her displeasure known, she leaned forward, grabbed a strawberry with her mouth, and moved closer to Lou Yuzhu's face.
Lou Yuzhu instinctively leaned back, falling onto the carpet in her panic and scrambling to retreat.
Her startled, helpless expression seemed to fascinate Tao Tao, who crouched down and leaned in closer, hands braced on either side of Lou Yuzhu's waist.
Tao Tao chewed on the strawberry in small bites, savoring it slowly as her wide eyes studied Lou Yuzhu.
Realizing that Tao Tao was teasing her, Lou Yuzhu felt both embarrassed and annoyed. "Don't kiss me! You're not allowed to kiss me—ever!"
Tao Tao tilted her head, maintaining her position as she gazed at Lou Yuzhu.
When Tao Tao's long hair brushed against her face, Lou Yuzhu's embarrassment turned into full-blown frustration. "You don't understand me again, do you? You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"
The woman leaning over her suddenly lowered her head inch by inch, drawing closer.
Lou Yuzhu's heart raced wildly, her ears filled with the chaotic sound of her own heartbeat. She was completely at a loss.
A soft, velvety sensation brushed against her cheek.
Tao Tao had carefully nudged her nose against Lou Yuzhu's face. After a brief moment, she pulled back and sat quietly, her gaze timid and uncertain. She seemed to be trying to convey, in her own way, that she was being good and didn't want Lou Yuzhu to dislike her.
Lou Yuzhu sat frozen, her bangs slightly damp with sweat, as if she were a statue. Tao Tao didn't try to kiss her again.
Did I hurt her feelings?