Hearing about the release event, Zhou Qing’s eyes lit up slightly. She asked again, uncertain:
“Can I go too?”
“Of course. It’s just me and the station manager here, no strict rules. We’re planning to livestream tomorrow too—more people will make it easier to handle things.”
Su Muzhi explained, then added as if remembering something:
“I heard from your sister that you really like wildlife, especially birds. Tomorrow’s release list includes a common buzzard and a golden eagle. They were both personally rescued by our station manager—he even secretly cried when he said goodbye!”
Zhou Qing couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
“Susu-jie, are you serious?”
“Of course!”
Su Muzhi repeatedly assured her. It wasn’t something she made up—but it also wasn’t something she personally witnessed; Blackie had secretly told her.
In the next room, Chen Zhiye sneezed three times in a row, rubbing his nose and wondering if Blackie was cursing him again.
Su Muzhi continued:
“Everyone has emotions—anger, happiness, sadness, fear. That’s normal. But you can’t suppress them; it will wear you down.
So it’s okay to express your feelings, like you did when you cried today.
And if you don’t want to express them to me yet, that’s fine too. I can wait, or you can talk to Zhou Yu. Either way, we’re here with you.”
She knew Zhou Qing must be in a bad state. With a sigh, she turned off the light.
“Sleep. We have an early morning tomorrow.”
Listening to Su Muzhi’s steady breathing beside her, Zhou Qing finally managed to fall asleep—but it was not a peaceful one. Nightmares tangled around her, calling her name again and again without letting go.
“Xiao Qing, wake up. Xiao Qing!”
Zhou Qing suddenly sat up, startling Su Muzhi instead.
“Did you have a nightmare? Don’t be afraid. It’s all fake.”
Zhou Qing looked around and realized she was at the rescue station, not at school. Her panicked heart slowly calmed down.
“Susu-jie, did I oversleep? I’ll get ready right away!”
“It’s fine, no rush. I just saw you weren’t sleeping well, so I woke you up. Get ready slowly—I’ll go help outside first.”
Su Muzhi gently brushed Zhou Qing’s hair aside and patted her back before leaving.
“Susu, you’re finally here! Everyone’s asking why you didn’t livestream yesterday!”
During this period, Su Muzhi had gained a small following thanks to her unique commentary style. When the livestream was suddenly handed over to Chen Zhiye the day before, many viewers were not used to it.
Today, when they heard his voice again, viewers complained and kept asking where Su Muzhi was.
She smiled, took the phone, and greeted the audience:
“Hello everyone! We’re about to start the release activity. Let me show you the animals returning to the wild today!”
She swept the camera across the animals nervously confined in cages.
“Susu-jie, when are we leaving?”
Although Zhou Qing was speaking to her, her eyes were fixed on the animals, clearly very interested.
“Now.”
The “release” mainly meant freeing birds on the spot, while other animals were taken to the back mountain for release.
“Alright, station manager, I’ll leave this tough task to you!”
Chen Zhiye walked over, reluctantly looked at the golden eagle in the cage, opened the door, and sighed:
“Go on. Don’t look back. Be careful—don’t get caught again.”
The golden eagle didn’t fly off immediately. Instead, it circled above his head several times.
【Old Chen, don’t miss me—I’m going now!】
Seeing Chen Zhiye lowering his head and refusing to look up, Su Muzhi teased:
“Station manager, why don’t you look at it? It doesn’t seem willing to leave you.”
He only glanced up once—and the emotions he had been holding back finally broke. Tears shimmered faintly in the sunlight.
The golden eagle flew farther and farther away until it became a small black dot. Chen Zhiye covered his eyes, no longer willing to watch.
The livestream chat went wild:
<Isn’t this supposed to be a comedy stream? Why is it suddenly emotional?><Did I enter the wrong livestream? I wanted Blackie!><Bring Blackie back!><So even the dry guy has emotions?><Okay fine, I forgive yesterday’s dry livestream for one second>
Although Su Muzhi found the moment touching too, the comments made her laugh.
“Dry guy… are they talking about the station manager?”
Chen Zhiye looked very wronged. Already unhappy about the eagle leaving, he couldn’t handle being mocked on top of it.
“You guys go release the common buzzard. I’ll take the small animals to the back mountain. No need to follow me.”
“Alright, be safe.”
He knew the golden eagle meant a lot to him, so she didn’t insist.
“Susu-jie, can I release the common buzzard?”
Zhou Qing asked eagerly.
Su Muzhi hesitated—she was worried Zhou Qing might get hurt. But seeing her bright eyes, she couldn’t refuse. In the end, she compromised.
She propped up the phone to film both of them and carefully took out the buzzard.
“Let’s release it together.”
Zhou Qing nodded hard, holding her hand. They counted together:
“Three, two, one—go home!”
They released it.
The buzzard spread its wings and flew into the sky. To it, that might not just be the sky—but home.
Su Muzhi quickly lifted her phone to film its departing figure:
“I know some of you don’t understand Station Manager Chen’s reaction. These animals were pulled back from the edge of death by him, one by one—like his own children. So it’s hard for him to let go.
But children eventually grow up. Wounds heal. And they must return home. This isn’t their home—the wild is.
Chang Gongzhu, Tuer, Fei Bu Hao, Kan Bu Jian… any animals that can return to nature will eventually leave. That is the meaning of rescue.
And I know you like the funny daily life I narrate, so this release might feel a bit emotional.”
The buzzard disappeared. The chat exploded again:
<This warning is too sudden!><Even Blackie might leave?!>
At that moment, Blackie—who had been hiding—finally appeared in frame.
【Susu, tell my fans I’m not leaving. Tell them not to worry!】
“Don’t worry everyone. Blackie isn’t going anywhere—it failed wild release training. It got held back.”