Red Peacock [English] (Original Novel by Ju~On, translation by LuckyCasualty)

12.Pier Pressure

***🪶I might come back to this chapter at a later time, and make a few changes. It's a long read and I've the nagging feeling we potentially missed a few paragraphs while correcting it, so bare with us, though I hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much as I did back when, I sincerely hope I've done this story justice. /LC***

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Lù Yī Péng didn't know exactly how he should feel. Another four days had passed, and Hóng Kǒng Què hadn't contacted anyone or gone anywhere. Where had he gone or what had he done to make the peacock so indifferent?

Aside from tying his neck with a leather collar, one day, Hóng Kǒng Què had come to drag him out to watch the sunrise, drink a tonic, then forced him to practice boxing, all the while with his neck tied. Then, breakfast followed. After that, spent his time with the cockatoo, trying to pair it up with the fiancée for a long time. Even so, it still hadn't laid any eggs. Not to mention spending half a day feeding insects to the plants in the greenhouse nursery. Hmm... and at times, it even made his nerves itch.

The young police officer began to wonder what business Hóng Kǒng Què was really in. Why did he spend his life in such a meaningless way, day after day? Even though he had enough money to support a dozen servants and waiters in his mansion, it wasn't enough. What about the expenses of taking care of and maintaining the mansion? the cost of oil, the expenses of repairing the cars, some of which were top-notch, like the long-bodied limousine that withstood a barrage of bullets, which he had ordered to plunge into another car to help him? It was really suspicious.

"Péng Péng, what's on your mind?" Hóng Kǒng Què said, turning his eyes away from a Sarracenia plant, the size of which the trunk alone, almost surpassed him.

Lù Yī Péng looked at the person and then at the cone like leaves in the crown of the Sarracenia plant."I was just thinking, if this plant is any bigger, will you put people in it instead of insects?"

Hóng Kǒng Què raised his eyebrows, then frowned, "That's a very good idea. Next time, I'll try putting someone's finger in it. It might grow bigger than ever."

Lù Yī Péng tried to force the muscles on his face to remain calm, not to reveal his look of horror.

Hóng Kǒng Què looked at him for a moment, then spoke as if he had thought of something, "Hey, Péng Péng, since you're the one who mentioned it. Let's try cutting your finger off to feed it."

Then, he turned to pick up the pruning shears that had been lying there since who knows when. Now Lù Yī Péng was no longer able to keep his face calm anymore. Before the peacock could move, he shouted, "Hey! Stop thinking crazy! And put those shears away. I'm not a plant food, you know!"

Hóng Kǒng Què frowned in disappointment for a moment, like a bird shot down from a tree, then responded, "What's the matter? Péng Péng, you're the one who talks. Take responsibility for such genuine thoughts, okay?"

If he could strangle Hóng Kǒng Què every time he thought about it, this bloody peacock would have died at least a million times by now. Lù Yī Péng gritted his teeth, trying to contain the anger before responding, "I'm just curious if someone with a personality like yours, might want to try something unusual."

"You're right. Péng Péng seems to understand me more every day." Hóng Kǒng Què said, smiling slightly, "Alright, hold out your finger for me to cut it."

"Are you crazy? I'm not a plant. If you want to cut something, cut your own finger!" Lù Yī Péng retorted immediately. Hóng Kǒng Què looked disappointed for a moment before he returned the shears to their place.