Phoenix A: Internet Sensation! ( GL , ABO) - Chapter 3
“Chirp chirp chirp chirp chirp?”
Did she actually understand that?
Sensing danger, the ink-feathered bird quickly hopped out of the omega’s palm and stared at her cautiously.
Shen Nian felt nervous, but then she saw Jiang Zhiwan calmly pick up her chopsticks, frown slightly, and remove a piece of ginger from her bowl.
“Aunt Wu forgot again that I don’t eat ginger.”
Only then did she turn back to the bird, amusement flickering in her eyes.
“So you really can chirp. I thought you were a little mute.”
The bird immediately started stomping on the table in protest, visibly offended.
“I just didn’t want to talk to you. I am not mute.”
Despite her annoyance, Shen Nian felt a quiet sense of relief. Jiang Zhiwan clearly could not understand bird speech.
According to the rules of this ABO world, there should be no such thing as demons or spiritual beasts. If anyone discovered her unique nature, they might take her away for research or worse.
For now, the little bird was still safe. Time to return to the meal.
Shen Nian had not forgotten the steamed taro cake. After confirming that Jiang Zhiwan did not seem to mind her helping herself to food, she boldly picked up two slices and dropped them onto an empty plate nearby.
Jiang Zhiwan tapped her fingers lightly on the table without much rhythm. Every now and then, she looked in the bird’s direction.
Feeling awkward under her gaze, Shen Nian turned around and pointed her fluffy backside at her instead.
Politeness? She was a bird. Who would expect a bird to have manners?
Jiang Zhiwan’s eyes remained distant. Her slow and thoughtful movements with the chopsticks gave away the fact that she was deep in thought.
She could actually understand the bird’s chirps.
Was it the bird that was special, or had she suddenly developed the ability to understand animals?
Her instinct told her it was the first possibility.
But judging from how the bird reacted earlier, Jiang Zhiwan decided not to say anything for now.
It was better to keep quiet. That way, she could hear what this cheeky little bird was saying behind her back.
After dinner, Jiang Zhiwan picked the bird up again as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She planned to take it back to her bedroom.
There was no birdcage at home. To make sure this little creature did not escape during the night, she had to keep it close.
No matter how special it was, once it came here, it was her bird now.
Shen Nian was well-fed and much calmer than before. Still, sitting in someone’s hand was uncomfortable.
She flapped her wings a few times and jumped onto Jiang Zhiwan’s shoulder.
Her shoulder was soft and carried a subtle rose scent. Shen Nian felt relaxed and happy.
She raised her tiny head and proudly declared,
“Foolish human, becoming my personal steed is the greatest honor of your life.”
Jiang Zhiwan glanced sideways at her and smiled faintly.
Was that so?
She didn’t argue. She was in a good mood and did not feel like bickering with such an arrogant little bird.
After returning to the bedroom, Jiang Zhiwan took her usual hot shower. While blow-drying her hair, she glanced toward the bird now tied to the bedside table.
Shen Nian had a bad feeling. The look in Jiang Zhiwan’s eyes did not seem entirely innocent.
What she did not know was that Jiang Zhiwan had just finished estimating her size and was now ordering a large, beautiful birdcage from a pet platform on her phone.
Once it arrived, she could lock the bird inside and never worry about it flying away again.
As an actress, she was often busy and would not have time to carry the bird around everywhere.
Besides, this bird clearly had no intention of behaving.
A strong, elegant cage was the best solution.
Then again, Jiang Zhiwan lowered her gaze.
This house was not entirely hers.
In her previous life, Shen Nian had played the role of a substitute lover for half a year. She never seemed to grow tired of it. Everything changed when Jian Ziyu returned from overseas.
Remembering that time made her eyes darken. She set her phone down face-first on the vanity.
If she wanted to keep the bird, she would eventually need to tell Shen Nian something. She hated the feeling of having to ask for permission.
Shen Nian was an alpha. Arrogant, manipulative, and completely self-centered.
In some ways, Jiang Zhiwan hated her deeply. But this time, she had no intention of letting her off so easily.
This time, everything would move slowly. They were going to take their time.
“Chirp chirp chirp chirp chirp?”
Why did the room suddenly feel cold?
Shen Nian shivered and tucked her head down instinctively. She looked around but saw no open windows or sources of wind.
She muttered in her heart that something felt off.
Maybe she was just feeling weak. She flapped her wings, stretched her legs, and started a little bird version of stretching exercises.
Jiang Zhiwan happened to glance over and felt her mood brighten.
There was no particular reason.
If a person were doing those exercises, it might look normal. But when a bird did it?
It was adorable.
As someone who lived by a strict routine, Jiang Zhiwan kept a consistent sleep schedule.
When it was time for bed, she lay down and gently tied the thin chain on the bird’s leg to the small night lamp beside her.
Once she was sure the bird could not escape, she turned off the light.
In a soft voice, she said,
“Good night.”
Shen Nian could tell. Jiang Zhiwan really liked her.
No, to be precise, she liked her in her true form.
That thought made Shen Nian sigh silently to herself. Being a bird was clearly better than being human.
The room was completely dark, and the little ink-feathered bird stayed quiet. Only when the breathing beside her became slow and steady did she finally move.
432, who thought she would stay the night, was surprised.
“Host, so you weren’t asleep?”
Shen Nian responded with a quiet chuckle in her mind. That was her answer.
Of course she was not asleep.
The basic logic of this small world could not be disrupted. Shen Nian, as a person, could not just disappear without explanation.
She couldn’t stay by Jiang Zhiwan’s side forever, playing the role of a pretty little bird.
So she had been waiting. Waiting for Jiang Zhiwan to fall completely asleep so she could quietly slip away.
As it turned out, opportunity truly favored the prepared.
Her escape went smoothly. She didn’t even leave behind a single feather.
Flying quietly back to her own bedroom, Shen Nian shifted back into human form with a single thought.
Her white feathers turned into clothing, shaped by will alone. She never worried about accidentally showing up naked anywhere.
But just as her feet touched the ground, the phone on the bedside table rang, making her jump.
She glanced around, found the phone, picked it up, and answered the call.
The contact name on the screen was simply “Zhang Guo,” with a dog-face emoji next to it.
So this was Zhang Guo.
Flipping through her inherited memories, Shen Nian quickly recalled who he was.
There were several contacts with dog emojis in the phone. All of them were people the original Shen Nian had placed around Jiang Zhiwan.
As someone on her own side, being saved under that nickname actually fit the original Shen Nian’s personality quite well.
While she was still thinking about how similar she and the original were in some ways, the man on the other end spoke cautiously.
“Good evening, Miss Shen?”
“Yes, Zhang Guo. I mean, Manager Zhang. What’s the reason for calling so late?”
She cringed at herself for nearly calling him by the contact name and awkwardly scratched at the wall beside her bed.
Fortunately, her quick recovery meant Zhang Guo didn’t notice anything unusual.
He continued, “Earlier you mentioned you’d decide tonight whether or not Jiang Zhiwan could attend the audition.”
Yuemuo Entertainment was owned by the Shen Group. Even though Zhang Guo was a manager, his final decision still depended on the young miss.
He had been worried all night, hoping Jiang Zhiwan would get this opportunity. But tonight’s Shen Nian seemed unexpectedly agreeable.
“The audition? Just let it proceed through the normal process.”
“You mean… yes, alright, I understand. Sorry for disturbing your rest.”
He ended the call quickly, as if afraid she might change her mind at the last second.
After hanging up, Shen Nian asked 432 to bring up all the unlocked parts of the novel in her mind. She carefully read through everything to figure out where the story currently was.
She also now understood what that audition was about.
The film would become a major hit in the future. But since the author of this messy bestseller was her sworn enemy, there was no way the story would let the heroine go through it smoothly.
This audition would likely become one of the key turning points in Jiang Zhiwan’s transformation.
Shen Nian sat on the bed and thought it over. She decided she could not allow the omega to have this opportunity.
She opened her messaging app and searched for a contact marked with an orange emoji.
She typed a few words and sent a message.
“Are you there?”
The reply came back almost instantly, a single question mark. The person was clearly online.
“You asked me before to visit your set. I’ll come tomorrow.”
Ji Xicheng responded right away.
“How long ago did I ask? And how long did it take you to answer? Also, who said I begged? I clearly invited you.”
On the other end of the screen was Ji Xicheng, a sharp-tongued alpha actress and Shen Nian’s best frenemy.
The original Shen Nian had always mocked her for being born to play supporting roles. Every project she worked on, she never got to be the lead. That was why Shen Nian never visited her set.
Now, suddenly changing her mind felt like a miracle.
Still, Ji Xicheng couldn’t help feeling a little hopeful. Even though she was annoyed, she didn’t say no.
She had always watched other lead actors being visited on set and thought maybe, if someone came to see her a few times, her luck would turn around.
Especially if that someone was Shen Nian. For some reason, this woman had luck on her side. Even with subpar acting skills, she still managed to attract an army of devoted fans.
“You get one last chance. Tomorrow is the final reshoot. If you want to come, come. If not, don’t bother.”
After reading that message, Shen Nian snapped her fingers in satisfaction.
This was exactly the chance she had been waiting for.
Tomorrow, filming would wrap.