Chapter 161: You worked half a day and want 300?

Besides, lately the dogs of several households near the road have been barking fiercely; if they ever run away, don't blame me.

Having said that, Ye Cheng turned and left, ignoring that gossipmongering bunch.

Seeing Ye Cheng speak up for her, Zhang Guafu gave him a grateful look: "Lao Er, thank you; you're a good person—I don't believe you'd offend the Sea Dragon King."

"It's fine; let them believe what they want. What era is this, still believing in that? Let's go."

This little incident didn't delay anything; Ye Cheng took the two back to his house and put things away.

Ye Cheng took out three bread crabs and handed them to Zhang Guafu: "Aunt, you've worked hard this morning."

I thought Zhang Guafu would gladly take them, but she hesitated, then looked embarrassed at Ye Cheng and said, "Um, A Cheng, can I have money instead?"

"Sure, how much do you want? I'll give you cash," Ye Cheng said, not thinking much of it, assuming she didn't want to take the crabs to sell.

Zhang Guafu slowly raised three fingers and whispered, "I want 300."

"How much?" Ye Cheng stared at Zhang Guafu in disbelief.

Xiao Hu beside them also widened his eyes at Zhang Guafu: "No, Aunt, just working like that you'd already have 300—doesn't that make everyone a ten‑thousand‑yuan household? You're being too greedy; my brother giving you three bread crabs could sell for 150, which isn't little."

Zhang Guafu's face flushed with shame, yet she silently held up three fingers.

Ye Cheng furrowed his brows; the first person he'd seen after his rebirth was Zhang Guafu, who should have been reasonable, so what's going on today?

"Fine, I'll give you 300," Ye Cheng said, then pulled 300 from his pocket.

Xiao Hu couldn't watch anymore: "No, bro, you're really giving that much? Later they'll actually think you two have something going on."

Xiao Hu meant that people would suspect a special relationship; given the villagers' nature, Ye Cheng paying Zhang Guafu such high wages would surely start gossip.

The widow's gate attracts trouble; Ye Cheng is asking for it.

Zhang Guafu lowered her head further; Ye Cheng waved at Xiao Hu to stop talking and shoved the 300 into her hand.

"Aunt, this is 300 yuan—take it."

"Mm, I'm off," Zhang Guafu replied like a mosquito, snatched the money and hurried out.

"Bro." Xiao Hu still wanted to say something.

Ye Cheng cut him off: "Forget it; next time I just won't call her."

Hearing Ye Cheng say he wouldn't call her next time, Xiao Hu didn't add anything else.

"Bro, are you going to town to sell stuff today?"

"Wait, let me pick out and see how many oysters there are."

Ye Cheng was still thinking about eating oysters.

The oysters Zhang Guafu had set aside with the fragrant snails, Ye Cheng picked them out one by one—over twenty, fairly large, bigger than his palm.

If sold, they'd fetch about seven or eight yuan each, roughly a hundred yuan total—better to enjoy them myself.

Ye Cheng got a small knife, secured an oyster, pried it open, and inside was plump, juicy oyster meat, looking delicious.

Even at later‑day barbecue stalls, aside from fake oysters, genuinely good ones like this are rare.

Ye Cheng nudged the meat out with his knife and swallowed it whole in one gulp.

Fresh—raw oysters are so fresh it's indescribable.

Xiao Hu wasn't to be outdone; he took one too, and his eyebrows shot up.

There are many ways to eat oysters—grilling, pressure‑cooking steaming, or raw; but raw carries risk, so Ye Cheng didn't dare eat too many.

"I'll go to town to sell goods first; later I'll have my sister‑in‑law steam these in a pressure cooker. You wash the fish trap, and also wash this set of clothes of mine."

Ye Cheng pointed to the set of clothes that had been in the water.

"Damn, bro, you want me to wash these clothes too?" Xiao Hu exclaimed with a bitter‑gourd face.

"Or you could go sell the goods?"

"Nah, I'll pass—the town's too big; I'd rather stay in the village and play some games."

This guy is a total shut‑in in later days.

Ignoring Xiao Hu, Ye Cheng took the remaining oysters to Jiang Yunxiang's place, asked her to steam them for tonight, and would come over to eat.

Once ready, Ye Cheng loaded a cart of sea products and headed to town.

These are common varieties; just find Lao Qian and it's done.

Upon arriving, Lao Qian said seafood prices had risen recently, so all kinds had gone up a bit.

White eel: 46 catties total, wild, so 100 yuan per catty, 4600 yuan altogether.

Geoduck: four pieces, varying size, sold for 600 yuan.

Fragrant snail: 32 catties, 15 yuan per catty, sold for 450 yuan.

Pipi shrimp: this batch a bit smaller, 21 catties total, 40 yuan per catty, sold for 840 yuan.

The above altogether came to 6490 yuan.

As for that dog shark, Lao Qian thought it over and still took it; few eat it, but just in case someone wants it—80 yuan per catty, over four catties, sold for 340 yuan.

All told, the fish trap's haul sold for 6830 yuan; subtract the 300 given to Zhang Guafu, and the actual income is 6530 yuan.

How to put it? Not much—just piling sand to make a tower, step by step.

After selling the goods, Ye Cheng had nothing else to do, so he headed straight back to the village.

The round trip was quick; on his way back, Xiao Hu was still washing the fish trap.

Cleaning the fish trap is a hassle, especially this time in the sea ditch with lots of grime; Xiao Hu found a hose and rinsed it in Ye Cheng's courtyard.

Seeing Ye Cheng return, Xiao Hu happily shouted, "Bro, you're back! Come help—I can't manage this alone."

Ye Cheng rubbed his forehead, feigning discomfort: "No, I'm dizzy again; I need to rest—you hurry up and finish."

Then this is your 2000 yuan.

All told, Ye Cheng now has 114,000 yuan in savings; a few more days and he could buy a house.

Ye Cheng went back to his room and slept; his dizziness was half‑real, half‑feigned—yesterday's fever hadn't fully cleared, and after going out to sea he really didn't feel well.

Ye Cheng, in a daze, heard the sound of keyboard and mouse from nearby; it seemed Xiao Hu had started slaying skeletons.

Still half-asleep, he heard Xiao Hu calling him, "Brother, it's 5 o'clock, time for dinner."

Ye Cheng jerked his eyes open, his body still a bit limp.

"5 o'clock?"

"Yeah, my mom called me home for dinner, I'm heading back first."

"Yeah, go ahead, I'm also going to eat at my older brother's place."

After Xiao Hu left, Ye Cheng touched his forehead; it was fine, probably nothing wrong.

If he got a fever again, the rumors in the village would probably get even bigger.

He got up and walked to his older brother's house; Ye Guowei had come home early today and was already there.

The pressure cooker in the kitchen was hissing steam, and the aroma could already be smelled.