By May, midsummer had arrived, and the days grew longer.
In the evening, Chen Cheng returned to Willow Lane on Shisong Street, carrying a large bundle of food and supplies he had bought at the market.
He took out his key and opened the courtyard gate, only to see Xi'Er come jogging from the inner courtyard, her face alight with joy.
"Young Master, you're back?"
"Yes," Chen Cheng said, casually closing the gate. His eyes immediately fell on the large, strange bird with a cat-like head trotting closely behind Xi'Er.
It was a Night Owl, covered in grayish-brown feathers. It had long legs and stood over two feet tall, reaching almost to Xi'Er's waist.
Its ear tufts stood ramrod straight as it tilted its head, its large, yellowish-red eyes fixed on the cotton bundle in Chen Cheng's hands.
The Chen Family's other birds had been lured in by Xi'Er with millet and other treats, but this Night Owl was different. It was a thief.
