The breeding base is located next to a wildlife park in the north of the city. The environment is quiet and the vegetation is abundant. As soon as you step into this area, the fresh air blows in from the half-open window, making you feel happy.
The parrot was particularly well behaved today. It stayed close to Chen Ling without making a sound or breathing, as if it was afraid of being thrown away.
Chen Ling hooked its wings with his fingers and sighed inwardly. He was afraid that it was impossible to leave this thing alone in the base.
I looked up at the co-pilot in the rearview mirror and asked, "Can I take it back tonight?"
"I'm afraid not." The girl said, "It's best to let it stay at the base and develop a relationship with the other one first."
Chen Ling lowered his eyes, hesitating.
The girl continued, "Macaws are different from most other birds. They are loyal to their feelings and are monogamous. When they are in estrus, they will not court immediately, but will observe and test first, and then make contact and further interact."
The parrot suddenly nudged Chen Ling's hand on the seat with its head.
Chen Ling's eyelids twitched. He wondered if this creature had become a spirit.
He coughed lightly and said, "What if it insists on not doing it? Parrots have high IQs and rich emotions. I'm afraid it will do something extreme like before."
"This..." The girl was speechless and didn't dare to make a guarantee.
The young man in the driver's seat said, "Don't worry. Our base has a good environment. Besides, the other purple-blue parrot has very beautiful feathers and a good temper. The two of them will definitely get along happily."
Nothing is absolute.
Chen Ling was skeptical about the young man's words, and his movements of stroking the parrot's feathers became gentler.
The car passed a landscaped road lined with tall trees and stopped in front of a building. Behind the building was an ecological park. There were several three-story buildings in the park that were specially used for bird breeding, including research laboratories, medical rooms, breeding rooms, hatchery rooms, etc.
The violet parrot is about to go to the breeding room of the parrot breeding center.
The breeding room completely simulates the ecological environment in the wild. There is a skylight covered with a net on the top and tall tropical trees below. On one of the palm trees is a cute cabin that can accommodate two adult parrots. Outside the cabin are two food bowls filled with nuts and fruits.
A darker-colored violet macaw was lazily standing on a tree basking in the sun.
When the one on Chen Ling's shoulder first saw its fellow creature inside, it showed a little interest, then opened its mouth and yawned with its tongue sticking out.
He kept shouting, "Go home, go home, go home."
Chen Ling signaled it to be patient and looked at the middle-aged woman who came out of the office next to the breeding room.
The woman introduced herself: "I'm Qian Qing, who is in charge of breeding. Just give the parrot to me and I'll be responsible for sending it in."
The parrot on Chen Ling's shoulder screamed, "Go away! Go away!"
Qian Qing was a little embarrassed and spoke softly, "Little guy, I won't hurt you. I'm here to take you to meet new friends."
Without saying a word, the parrot lowered its head and pecked at Qian Qing's outstretched hand.
The fair skin turned red in an instant and almost bled. Chen Ling scolded the parrot but protected its body with his hands, fearing that Qian Qing would vent his anger on him.
Qian Qing touched his hands with heartache, and asked the girl who had brought Chen Ling here to help him get alcohol cotton to disinfect them.
"Parrots are indeed more irritable during estrus. Don't be nervous. Why would I bother with a small animal?"
Chen Ling thought for a moment and suggested, "Why don't I take it in."
Qian Qing was afraid of the parrot in front of him. The back of his hand hurt when it looked at him. He nodded and agreed, "I'll lead the way for you."
After entering the breeding room, Chen Ling held the parrot in his arms, placed it on a branch, and flicked its tail feathers with his fingers: "Go and play, I'll come to see you later."
Perhaps it was really suffocating, and although it was reluctant and afraid, it still flew to the high palm tree driven by physiological instinct and tentatively approached the other parrot.
Chen Ling raised his eyebrows, lowered his head, sent a text message to his master to explain the situation, and left the breeding room.
Qian Qing stood at the door waiting for him. Fearing that he might be worried, she consoled him, "Opposites attract. If everything goes well, the parrot will lay eggs about ten days after the back-treading is completed. After more than twenty days, the parrot will hatch."
"I heard that macaws usually lay two eggs, but the parent bird only raises one of them." Zhao Xunchang gave Chen Ling this knowledge.
"It's like this." Qian Qing said, "Survival in the wild is not easy. In addition to satisfying their own appetite, the parent birds also have to take care of the newly hatched chicks. In order to ensure that at least one can survive successfully, they will choose to only raise the stronger one. As for the other one..."
He didn't say the rest, but Chen Ling already knew the result.
Birds like macaws, which mature late and have difficulty hatching, are likely to abandon both chicks when faced with both predators and survival challenges.
It is precisely because of this that there are fewer and fewer wild macaws, and some of them with bright colors and better species are already on the verge of extinction.
Chen Ling felt depressed after hearing these words and planned to visit the zoo next door.
He walked all the way out of the breeding base, turned a corner and arrived at the ticket window of the wildlife park. Just as he was taking out his wallet to buy a ticket, his master called.
"Have you arrived?" Zhao Xunchang asked.
"It's here. We just sent it to the breeding room." Chen Ling held the phone between his ear and shoulder and handed two pink bills to the ticket seller.
Zhao Xunchang pondered for a moment and said, "There is a wildlife park next to the base. Go meet their person in charge and I will send you the phone number right away."
"What's the matter?" Chen Ling, "Is it someone I know? If so, I have to buy some things before visiting."
"No need, it's the client your Uncle Lin just called to introduce." Zhao Xunchang did not explain, but the master and apprentice knew exactly who the client was.
Chen Ling was a little surprised and said with a smile: "Director Lin? I thought he was a staunch materialist."
"That person is his friend. He said he called the police and went to the hospital, but it was useless, so he thought of me." Zhao Xunchang explained, "Old Lin originally wanted to ask the other party to come to Yuhe Mountain. I heard that you followed the staff to the base, so he asked me to tell you to go next door."
Chen Ling said he understood.
Zhao Xunchang reminded him, "Your Uncle Lin's words are ambiguous. We don't know the specific situation. You should try it out first. If you are sure, then take it. If you are not sure, forget it. Anyway, we have attracted investment now, so there is no need to risk our lives to make money."
"Got it, Master."
Zhao Xunchang and Director Lin were friends who would send each other greeting text messages during festivals. Chen Ling did not dare to neglect him. He hung up the phone, swiped his ticket to enter, and dialed the number sent by his master.
After the call was connected, I learned that Chen Ling was appointed by Zhao Xunchang, and the other party personally brought his subordinates to the zoo entrance to pick him up.
The visitor was a middle-aged man with a dignified appearance and a steady temperament. "Hello, Mr. Chen, I am Sun Peifeng. I believe Director Lin has conveyed my predicament to you through Mr. Zhao."
"Master said that Director Lin didn't explain it in detail."
"Yes, after all, it's family privacy, and there are some things I can't reveal too much to Lao Lin."
Sun Peifeng was in good spirits and didn't seem to be haunted by ghosts. Chen Ling said, "If it's convenient, could you tell me what kind of trouble you've encountered?"
"Get in the car first and we'll talk on the way." As soon as Sun Peifeng finished speaking, the subordinate who had been following him silently ran to open the car door and invited Chen Ling in.
After taking his seat, Sun Peifeng also got in. As soon as the car started, he pressed the partition between the driver's seat and the back seat.
"I originally had two children, one of whom died ten years ago from congenital heart disease. My youngest son is now 20 years old and was always in good health, but recently, for some unknown reason, he suddenly became ill with a strange disease. We went to the hospital for a check-up and there was nothing wrong with him, but his body was losing weight at a visible speed, his face was haggard, he was in a state of delirium, and he often walked up and down the stairs like a wandering soul in the middle of the night."
Chen Ling: "Sleepwalking?"
Sun Peifeng shook his head. "I thought you would just conclude it was related to ghosts."
"I usually rule out other possibilities first, and then consider whether it's evil." Chen Ling said, "You continue."
"At first, my wife and I thought it was psychologically caused, so we asked a psychologist to come to our home. But the diagnosis showed that my son's mind was normal. The doctor said he was more optimistic and cheerful than most people."
Sun Peifeng clenched his hands together and took a deep breath. "When the doctor left, my son was standing at the stairs. When the doctor left, the smile on his face suddenly changed... Mr. Chen, I can't describe the feeling. It was eerie, twisted, and filled with frightening malice."
It's like he's deliberately overturning the doctor's diagnosis.
He deliberately exposed his true face to the Sun couple.
Whenever Sun Peifeng thought of that smile, he felt cold all over and shivered uncontrollably.
"That's not the expression my son should have. Mr. Chen, you know, he has always been a very good person, simple and kind, always willing to help others, and very filial to me and my wife. I can't figure out what I did wrong that God wants to punish my son."
"Mr. Sun, let's go to your house first. I want to get close to your son." Chen Ling became interested in the Sun family's affairs.
Sun Peifeng has a broad forehead and a straight nose. He is a kind-hearted man. If his son is really as kind and excellent as he claims, he should not be entangled by evil spirits.
Unless he did something he shouldn't have done or went to a place he shouldn't have gone.
"Now?" Sun Peifeng didn't expect Chen Ling to come so soon. He was stunned for a moment, "Do I need to ask Mr. Zhao first?"
"Mr. Sun, don't you believe me?" Chen Ling did not answer but asked instead.
Sun Peifeng waved his hands repeatedly: "Of course not, if you don't believe me, I wouldn't have told you so many things just now."
Chen Ling: "Let's go then."
Although Sun Peifeng said this, he still had doubts in his heart. The person introduced by Lao Lin should not be a liar, but people with real talent also have different levels of ability.
Without showing any emotion, he lowered the partition and told his subordinates in front of him to change the route and drive towards home.
The Sun family lives in a high-end residential area with a duplex layout of more than 300 square meters. Upon entering the door, there is an antique hollow screen ornament that serves as a partition between the entrance and the living room.
Chen Ling followed his host around the screen and saw a set of luxurious mahogany furniture, the seat cushions and backrests of which were all authentic hand-embroidered.
A woman dressed elegantly stood up from the sofa and said with a friendly smile, "You must be Xiao Chen, right? Old Sun and I have heard about you from Old Lin. He said that you have a good temper, high ability, and are very talented in magic."
Although Director Lin had a good relationship with the master, he had only met him once, and Chen Ling didn't believe what Mrs. Sun said was true.
Sun Peifeng glared at his wife, indicating that he had flattered her enough.
Mrs. Sun raised her hand and pushed her hair behind her ear to hide her embarrassment, "I'll go make some tea, Mr. Chen, please take a seat."
Chen Ling sat down as he was told, squinted his eyes and looked towards a corner.
There is a shrine in the corner, with a smiling Buddha statue inside. On the square incense table in front of it, there are offerings and an incense burner with incense sticks.
There is nothing strange about the fact that many businessmen believe in Taoism and Buddhism and pray to the gods and Buddhas to bless them with prosperous businesses.
What is strange is that, since he believes in Buddhism, Mr. Sun did not mention that he had ever sought help from other Taoist priests.
"Mr. Sun, have you invited other people to come and see it before?" Chen Ling didn't like to hide things, so he asked whenever he had something to say.
Sun Peifeng smiled awkwardly and said in a low voice: "Please come in. I didn't tell you because I was afraid of upsetting you."
After all, anyone who hears "I'll look for you instead of anyone else" will feel valued. The masters are all very noble, and Sun Peifeng's original intention was simple, just to make Chen Ling happy, and then do his best to help him solve the problem.
Chen Ling asked: "What is the result? What do the masters say?"
"I invited four masters to come to my house." Sun Peifeng smiled bitterly, "The first two didn't see the problem, but the third one did. He said that there was an evil spirit lingering in our house and refused to leave. He also said that the evil spirit was my first son..."
He closed his eyes and sighed painfully, "If he was really my eldest son, I would not be willing to let anyone drive him away or hurt him, so I let the master leave."
Chen Ling did not sense any negative energy in the living room downstairs, so he asked, "What did the fourth master say?"
"The master's statement was contrary to the third one. He was sure that there was nothing wrong with the house, but my son was indeed stained with dirt. He performed a ritual that night. My son did get better after that, but within two days, he returned to his previous wandering state."
"It's not like it was before. It's clearly gotten worse." Mrs. Sun came over with a tray and placed the cups on the coffee table in front of them.
As if afraid of being overheard, she said in an extremely weak voice: "Jia Yu was only normal for two days. After that, his sleepwalking became more obvious at night. And one night, I, I..."
"What do you mean by you?" Sun Peifeng was so anxious that he was furious. "Why didn't you tell me this?"
"You are busy with business all day long, and you have to worry about your son's affairs. I am afraid that you will worry." Mrs. Sun said, "You happened to be on a business trip that day. I heard a noise at night and got up to check. I found my son squatting on the open balcony garden and eating."
If it was normal food, Mrs. Sun would definitely not have the tone and expression she has now. Chen Ling asked, "A living thing?"
Mrs. Sun grabbed the tray tightly to relieve her anxiety. "Well, I didn't see the whole picture, but I saw the tail. It should be... It should be a mouse."
Sun Peifeng's face turned pale. "What happened next?"
"I was so scared that I hid. About two or three minutes later, he came back from the balcony, went to the kitchen to wash his hands, and drank a glass of water." Mrs. Sun trembled and looked at her husband in pain, "Honey, Jiayu looked really awake at the time, he was not sleepwalking at all."
"Don't worry, I asked Mr. Chen to help." Sun Peifeng held his wife's hand tightly and looked at the young man, "Mr. Chen, I have said everything I need to say. I will not hide anything. Just decide how to solve this problem. If there is anything missing, I will send someone to buy it right away."
Chen Ling: "No hurry, I want to go see the person involved first."
"I'll take you up right away." Sun Peifeng let go of his wife's hand, stood up and led the way. While holding the handrail upstairs, he turned back and said to Chen Ling, "My son has been in a bad state recently. My nephew is looking after him at home. He is also in the room now."
Chen Ling: "Live here too?"
"My eldest brother and his wife come from ordinary families, living in a third-tier small city, where educational resources are far inferior to ours in the north. In order to give my nephew a good educational environment, he was sent to my home after he graduated from elementary school. If you count carefully, it has been fourteen years now."
In fourteen years, from junior high school to college graduation, we have become a family.
Chen Ling nodded and didn't ask any more questions.
After going up the stairs, Sun Peifeng led the young man along the corridor and stopped in the middle.
Judging from the location of the room, it was probably not the master bedroom. Chen Ling asked, "Has your son changed rooms?"
Sun Peifeng was stunned. He didn't expect the young man to guess this. He quickly said, "Yes, he did. Not long ago, he told me that the room on the east side was a bit noisy at night. He could always hear the sound of cars downstairs, which seriously affected his rest. He said he wanted to change rooms."
The room sandwiched in the middle is neither exposed to the morning light when the sun rises nor to the sunset when the sun sets, and is shaded on both sides.
After waiting for a while and seeing that the young man didn't say anything, Sun Peifeng raised his hand and knocked on the door.
Soon, footsteps were heard from inside, and then the round door handle was turned and the door opened.
The person who opened the door was a young man wearing glasses. Sun Peifeng took the initiative to introduce him: "Mr. Chen, this is my nephew, Sun Zhi."
Then he looked at his nephew and said, "Xiaozhi, this is Mr. Chen, the expert introduced by your Uncle Lin."
Sun Zhi has a modest temperament, but his words are very aggressive: "Second Uncle, why did you find another person like this? You have already found four people before, and none of them really worked. Maybe they are all liars. Don't blame me for speaking harshly. As a cadre, how could Uncle Lin introduce you to someone who spreads superstition?"
"How can you talk like that!" Sun Peifeng looked unhappy. "Apologize to Mr. Chen."
Sun Zhi frowned and looked away, "I'm sorry."
Anyone with ears that are not deaf can tell how carelessly these words were said. Sun Peifeng glared at him fiercely and said to Chen Ling: "Don't mind it. My nephew doesn't believe in ghosts and gods. He didn't like the master I asked for before, so he definitely didn't target you on purpose."
"I understand." Chen Ling asked, "Mr. Sun, can I come in?"
"Of course." Sun Peifeng pushed away his nephew who was blocking the door and walked in with Chen Ling.
As expected, this room is surrounded by walls on both sides, and the only window is blocked by another building opposite, so no sunlight can enter all year round.
You don't have to wait until night, just draw the curtains and close the door, and the whole room will be swallowed by darkness.
Chen Ling walked to the window. Sun Jiayu was sitting at the head of the bed, covered with a quilt and leaning on the pillow, reading a book.
Chen Ling took a quick look and saw that it was a suspense novel that was famous both at home and abroad, titled "One".
The novel is mainly about a man who receives an anonymous letter and goes to a small town alone. There is only one family living in the town, and the rest of the houses are empty, with doors and windows all broken.
Every night, monsters would appear in the town, breaking into every dilapidated house in search of living things, except for the one house where someone lived and the lights were on day and night.
The only way to avoid the monster and survive is to enter that house.
But there is a very serious problem. The food resources in that room are only enough for one person to survive. It is not enough to enter the room, the original owner must be killed.
Chen Ling said softly: "Sun Jiayu."
There was no expression on Sun Jiayu's pale face, except for a slight tremor of his eyelashes. He looked dull and fragile.
Sun Peifeng supported himself on the bed with both hands: "Jia Yu, Dad brought you your favorite shortbread today. Do you want to go downstairs and try it to see if it still tastes the same as before."
Sun Jiayu raised his eyelids and threw the book in his hand onto the bedside table: "I don't want to eat. Why are you so annoying? You always disturb me while I'm reading. Take that strange stranger out!"
Chen Ling narrowed his eyes and sneered: "Do you understand?"
"Why can't I understand!" Sun Jiayu was very emotional. His eyes, which had no spirit a second ago, burst into sharp emotions. "This is my home. It's not your turn to speak!"
He turned his head and directed his criticism at his father again, "Dad, can you please stop being so weird and always invite these weird people to our house?"
Sun Peifeng comforted him with a sad face: "Jia Yu, just let Mr. Chen take a look. Just take a look at us, and we will be fine. Then we won't sleepwalk in the middle of the night."
"I've already told you I'm not sleepwalking! You must be seeing things!" Sun Jiayu became more and more agitated. He jumped directly from the bed to the ground, picked up an ornament and smashed it on the ground.
"Jia Yu!" Sun Peifeng was a little angry, for his son's offense and for his attitude towards him.
But Sun Jiayu not only did not stop, but became more and more crazy. He smashed the paintings on the wall, the vase with flowers on the table, the bedside lamp, and anything that could be picked up by hand.
"Jia Yu, calm down." Sun Zhi reached out and held Sun Jia Yu's arm, forcing him to stop smashing things. "Second Uncle is doing this for your own good. You can't talk to him like that."
Sun Jiayu's chest heaved violently and his face was still angry, but he was willing to listen to Sun Zhi's advice and no longer vented his emotions by throwing things.
He closed his eyes, the veins on his forehead throbbed, all the muscles in his body tensed up, and his hands hanging on both sides of his thighs clenched into fists.
Chen Ling narrowed his eyes slightly and suddenly said, "Sun Jiayu, there are two souls living in your body. Don't you feel crowded? Why did you just watch "One"? Did the other soul hidden in your body break free from your control and ask for help from the outside?"