Chapter 4 — The Parrot Knows Too Much

I also don't know how I managed to drag myself to the end of work. When I walked out of the building, it was completely dark. Neon lights in the city turn on, traffic is busy, and people are crowded. But all that excitement... doesn't seem to belong to me. I was like a ghost, lost and drifting on the way home. I didn't dare call a car, nor did I dare take the train. Always have the feeling... Trinh Hao is standing somewhere, watching me. I just walked along the road, aimlessly. When my legs were tired, I mechanically returned to the house. The sensor lights in the hallway also seem to be broken. I groped in the dark, going up one floor at a time. The darkness magnified every feeling, just a small sound was enough to make my heart jump. Finally, I reached the door. Just as I took out the key and was about to open the door... my foot kicked something. A hard, square object. My heart jumped so hard, I almost screamed. I quickly turned on my phone's flashlight and shined it down. It's a normal carton, no label, no order. Just lying silently in front of my house. Who put it here? I didn't buy anything. A feeling of insecurity immediately covered my whole body. I stood there dumbfounded, not daring to touch it. It took me a few minutes before I mustered up the courage and used the tip of my foot to gently push it aside. Inside there seemed to be nothing significant. I gritted my teeth, hugged him into the house, and locked the door. I turned on all the lights in the room. Light dispels darkness... but cannot dispel the fear in my heart. I took a pair of scissors, stood at a distance, and reached out to cut the tape. Taking a deep breath... I opened the lid of the box. The inside is lined with a layer of black velvet. In the middle… was a feather. A gray feather. So familiar that it made my blood run cold. It belongs to Ly Bach. My heart felt like it was being squeezed, I could barely breathe. I tremblingly lifted the feather. Below… is a small piece of paper, printed by machine. There are only two lines of text.

“Poetry is not bad to read.”

“But there are stories… that shouldn't be told to others.”

My hand went limp, the paper fell to the ground. This is a warning. Naked, not hidden at all. Definitely Trinh Hao. He knew I was under investigation. Knowing that Ly Bach had been taken away. He's afraid I'll say something I shouldn't say. He used Li Bai's feather to remind me. My life… is as light as that feather. He could crush him at any time. Huge fear rose like a tide, engulfing me to the point where I couldn't breathe. I scrambled up and rushed to the window, pulling all the curtains closed as if I was just one step slower and someone from the outside would pierce right through. I felt like an animal trapped in a cage, and the predator was standing outside, quietly enjoying every bit of my panic and struggle as if watching a show. What should I do, report to the police, with just a feather and a piece of paper, who will believe me, they just think I'm overdoing it, and even suspect me more. I had no way back, completely trapped, it felt like a poisoned knife stabbed straight into my heart, no bleeding but pain to the bone, bit by bit eating away at me. I huddled on the sofa, hugging my knees tightly, trembling non-stop. My life seemed like from the day Trinh Hao gave me that parrot, it had gone off track, sliding down an impossible path. turn around. That whole night I didn't dare to sleep. All the lights in the house were brightly lit but still couldn't dispel the cold from my bones. I sat curled up on the sofa, like an abandoned island in the middle of a dark ocean. The curtains were closed but I still felt the eyes from outside peeking through every gap, staring at me, so cold that it made my scalp numb. The gray feather placed on the tea table in front of me was like a verdict, and the name Trinh Hao kept repeating in my head, each time it sounded it brought with it the smell of blood.

“Why me…”

“Why did he choose me…”

“Just because I'm easy to bully…”

“Just because I have no support, no one will know if I strangle you to death…”

After the fear, anger flared up like a big wave. I clenched my hands, my nails digging into my skin.

“What did I do wrong…”

“I just want to live in peace…”

“I can't just sit around waiting to die…”

“I have to protest…”

But immediately, a cold void pulled me down.

“Resistance with what…”

“I have no proof…”

“No one believes me…”

That thought was like a ray of light tearing through the darkness, clinging to me and not letting go.

“That's right… I need evidence…”

“Something that can make him unable to deny…”

That thought grew frantically, pulling me out of the quagmire of despair a little.

“Where to find…”

“His house is inaccessible…”

“Only… the office…”

The office on the top floor, where you can look down on the whole city, is definitely a secret place. I bit my lip, forcing myself to make a decision. The next morning, I reluctantly stood up, washed my face and changed clothes, looked in the mirror and saw a pale face, bloodshot eyes like a soulless person.

“Wake up, Hua Chieu…”

“Don't fall…”

On the way to the company, I felt like I was on a battlefield, every step was heavy, I didn't even dare to look others in the eye.

“Do they all know…”

“They're looking at me, right…”

“Talking about me…”

The atmosphere in the office was still heavy. I sat down, opened the computer but my mind was completely blank, all thoughts revolved around tonight's plans.

“I have to get into his office…”

“But I don't know the password…”

“What should I do…”

I bit my nails, my eyes unconsciously scanned around, then stopped at the janitor's cart. A bunch of keys hangs there, sparkling.

“I remember… there is a spare key…”

“Can open all rooms…”

A daring plan gradually took shape.

“I need to stay after work…”

“Get the key…”

“Then sneak in…”

All day I sat like I was on fire. Finally, it was time to get off work, my colleagues left one by one. I tried to keep a normal voice and speak to my superiors.

"I still have a report I need urgently, I'll finish it tonight."

He patted my shoulder.

“Yes, when you're done, go home early and rest.”

Then he also left. Soon, there was only me left in the office. My heart started beating rapidly.

“It's time…”

I walked to the cleaning lady's tool room, the door was unlocked, I pushed gently, it was dark inside. The stroller was in the corner, the keys hanging right there.

“Don't shake your hands…”

“Calm down…”

I walked over and gently took down the keys. The cold metal touched my hand, making me shiver.

“I have no way back anymore…”

I put the key in my pocket, returned to my seat, and pretended to continue working. By nine o'clock At night, the cleaning lady came back to clean up and when she saw I was still there, she asked.

“Are you still doing it, it's this late?”

I forced a smile.

“Yes, it's almost done, I'll finish it a little later and then go home.”

Waiting for the cleaning lady to finish cleaning and push the cart away, the whole floor immediately fell into absolute silence, so quiet that I could clearly hear my own heartbeat. I turned off the computer, stood up, took a deep breath, with only one thought left in my mind. The war... now really begins. I walked to Trinh Hao's office door, the dim hallway light pulled my long shadow on the floor, looking both lonely and dangerous. I took out the keys, my hands shaking so much I could barely hold them, trying one after another. Tried several times, finally one clicked into the lock. I held my breath and gently turned it. A very soft sound rang out, but in the quiet hallway it was like thunder exploding in my ears. The door... is open.