39: Chapter 39 This parrot isn't talkative, it's just too chatty.

"It's not physically ill."

"It's just that this bird of yours... has it been talking a bit too much lately?"

Bald Brother's facial muscles tightened.

The colorful macaw on his shoulder tilted its head, its small black eyes reflecting Jiang Feng's face, which was mostly obscured by gold-rimmed glasses.

The surrounding clamor suddenly quieted down.

Everyone's attention was pulled away from the earlier showdown between science and metaphysics, focusing instead on this beautiful and innocent-looking bird.

【Darling, open the door!】

【The password is four 8s!】

【Hide it under the bed! Don't tell the wife!】

【You're so bad, so naughty!】

Jiang Feng knitted his brows together.

He felt like this wasn't fortune-telling anymore; it was like listening to a live show by the Yunde Troupe, and a stand-up routine on loop at that.

"Ma... Master."

Bald Brother's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, his voice dry.

He grabbed the parrot from his shoulder and held it in his palm.

The movement was somewhat rough, and the parrot flapped its wings in dissatisfaction.

"It... it's just mimicking speech, talking nonsense. It learned it from the TV, from the TV!"

Bald Brother explained awkwardly, trying to shift the blame to prime-time television.

Before Jiang Feng could speak.

The parrot, very uncooperatively, let out a screech in a voice so coquettish that it gave all the women present goosebumps.

"Darling! Open the door!"

This call was melodious and moving, filled with an unspeakable sense of anticipation.

Pfft—

In the crowd, someone couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing.

Immediately after, laughter erupted throughout the crowd.

"Damn! That tone, that's professional!"

"This isn't something learned from TV, this is clearly knowledge gained from practice!"

"Brother, your TV has some serious content. Can you share the channel?"

Bald Brother's face darkened.

He wished he could sew this damn bird's mouth shut.

Lao Chen behind him, who had been standing straight as a pine, began to shake uncontrollably at the shoulders. He tried hard to turn his gaze elsewhere, looking at the distant sky as if there were some beautiful scenery there.

"Brother."

Jiang Feng stifled a laugh and spoke with a straight face.

"This bird isn't talkative, it's just a chatterbox."

"Has it been learning sentences lately that are... well, not suitable to be played in a family setting when the wife is present?"

Cold sweat broke out instantly on Bald Brother's shiny forehead.

"Ye... yes." His voice trembled, and he was on the verge of tears. "My wife has been fighting with me lately, thinking I have someone else outside, and she's even talking about separating from me! I can't even clear my name even if I jump into the Yellow River!"

He looked at Jiang Feng with a face full of desperation, hoping Jiang Feng could help him clear things up.

Jiang Feng cleared his throat, deciding to help him out, and also to complete his own task.

He began to translate the parrot's inner monologue.

"It says that the new words it learned recently were all learned from a stuffed toy in your car."

As soon as these words were spoken, the laughter stopped abruptly.

Everyone pricked up their ears, ready for more explosive insider information.

Bald Brother, however, was stunned.

"A stuffed toy?" He didn't react in time. "I don't have that stuff in my car? I'm a grown man; if I put that in my car, wouldn't I be laughed to death?"

Jiang Feng didn't answer him.

He just looked at the parrot, which was still restless in his hand.

The parrot seemed to feel Jiang Feng's gaze and let out a cry again with its unique voice.

"The password is four 8s!"

Crisp and loud.

Bald Brother's body jolted, and the color drained completely from his face.

Jiang Feng extended a finger and pointed at Bald Brother's bulging pants pocket.

"Brother, did you hide a spare phone under the passenger seat?"

Bald Brother's lips began to tremble, unable to speak.

"The phone password is four 8s."

Jiang Feng's tone was flat, but every word struck Bald Brother's heart.

"As for that stuffed toy."

Jiang Feng looked at Bald Brother's pale face and felt he was quite pitiful.

"It's the exclusive ringtone you set for the contact labeled 'Darling' on that phone."

"Your parrot has too good a memory."

"Every time you were in the car, thinking you left it in the backseat and it didn't know anything while you were sneaking around answering calls, it heard everything clearly."

Jiang Feng paused, giving everyone present time to digest the information.

"Now, it has learned your ringtone and the content of your phone calls."

"So, what your wife heard at home wasn't it mimicking speech."

"It was the original soundtrack, a live replay."

The whole scene fell silent.

You could hear a pin drop.

Everyone looked at the petrified Bald Brother with a complex expression mixed with shock, sympathy, and suppressed laughter.

This wasn't fortune-telling?

This was a public execution!

And one with live sound effects and surround sound!

Bald Brother stood frozen on the spot, his mind blank.

The macaw he held in his hand, completely unaware of the disaster it had caused, was still recklessly seeking credit.

It sang a brand new lyric in a cheerful, baby-like tone.

"Hide it under the bed! Don't tell the wife!"

This line was the final straw, completely breaking Bald Brother.

His legs went weak, and he almost knelt on the ground.

Just then.

Ring-ring—Ring-ring—

A sharp cell phone ringtone rang out from Bald Brother's pants pocket.

It wasn't the spare phone hidden in the car, but the one he used regularly.

The square was silent, and this ringtone was piercingly loud.

Bald Brother shuddered, and the phone almost slipped from his hand.

His hands were shaking violently as he took the phone out of his pocket.

The three characters "Mother Tiger" on the screen made everyone watching gasp.

Bald Brother's hand trembled, and the phone almost fell to the ground.

He looked up, looking at Jiang Feng in despair, his lips moving, seemingly wanting to beg the master to save him again.

However, another voice sounded in Jiang Feng's mind.

【Ding! Valid fortune-telling count: 3/3.】

【Ding! Three-fortune task completed!】

【Calculating rewards...】

【Congratulations to the host, brain cancer cell activity reduced by 8%, remaining lifespan increased by 50 days!】

【Congratulations to the host, received a cash reward of 2 million!】

【Ding! Detected that the host's behavior involves a complex causal chain, task evaluation upgraded, additional rewards being distributed...】

【Congratulations to the host, obtained new ability: Lingxi Ear】

【Lingxi Ear: The host can selectively block or amplify sounds within a specified range, effectively combating auditory hypersensitivity caused by illness. Note: This ability only applies to the host.】

A warm current surged from deep within his brain, reaching his whole body.

Those annoying background noises and stinging sensations were all blocked out.

The whole world was unprecedentedly quiet.

Jiang Feng let out a long sigh of relief.

He ignored Bald Brother's plea for help.

Merit?

The work done today was too damaging; his merit points were almost in the negative.

He signaled for Lao Chen to close the trunk, ready to pack up and go home.

"Boss, get in the car." Lao Chen opened the car door, his voice steady.

Jiang Feng turned and walked away.

Bald Brother's last hope was dashed.

He looked at the incoming call on his phone screen with a mournful face, and like someone accepting their fate, he swiped to answer.

"Hello... honey..."

His voice trembled.