Chapter 64: Are your parents working, or is it the diapers I changed for you?

Uncle Wang looked at Ye Cheng, then sighed.

"Uncle, what's wrong with you this early morning? Xiao Hu isn't listening?"

"Lao Er, it's not Xiao Hu; I feel sorry for you. You know what people are saying about you in the village now—you clearly did a good deed." Uncle Wang's soot-blackened face was full of resentment.

Ye Cheng knew what he was talking about.

"Uncle, over time you see people's hearts; we can't control what the villagers think, we just need to live our own lives well."

Uncle Wang was also a tight-lipped person; besides sighing, he had nothing else to say.

After Xiao Hu came out, Ye Cheng took Xiao Hu and left.

Both had been hung over all night, and even riding a bike they were yawning nonstop.

"Brother, how long are we working today? I feel completely drained." Xiao Hu said, half-opening his eyes.

"You're making money and you have no energy? Pull yourself together."

Ye Cheng was still full of energy; he had plenty of things he wanted to do, and a Luck Value of 50 wasn't bad either.

Along the way, several villagers saw the two of them, gave them a strange glance, then turned away, as if they had seen a plague god.

Even someone like Xiao Hu, half-asleep, felt it: "Brother, what's wrong with them?"

"Who knows." Ye Cheng also didn't know what was up with those people, but that look didn't bode well.

Sure enough, when they reached the village entrance, Ye Cheng saw that quite a few people had already gathered there chatting.

Chatting was fine, but each person held a sea‑gathering bucket, and there were plenty with snakeskin bags, shovels, and nets.

Seeing Ye Cheng and Xiao Hu approach, everyone stopped in unison and stared straight at the two.

That gaze was like the wolf staring at Dong Guo Xiansheng's slab of rib meat.

Seeing the situation, Ye Cheng realized they were waiting for him, so he rode up and stopped his bike in front of everyone with a kick.

"Aunts and uncles, you wouldn't be waiting for me, would you?"

He saw Zhang Guafu crouching in the back, timid and hesitant to show her face, while Duan Yong's mother spoke up first, somewhat provocatively:

"Yeah, Lao Er, you've made a fortune gathering seafood, bought a motorcycle and a water heater—we all want to follow you to riches."

Someone started it, and others joined in the clamor.

"Well, teach us your secret—gathering seafood takes from the sea, you wouldn't lose out."

"Exactly, it's all a gift from heaven. Lao Er, rest assured, if you teach us, we'll surely not compete with you."

"Give us a bit of that whatever incense you have, so we can all share."

Over there, a noisy crowd bustled as Chen Jinhai walked over slowly from behind, taking small steps.

The smirking fox couldn't keep the corners of his mouth down: "Lao Er, everyone knows you must have some secret—lead us, the state said it themselves, let the rich lead the poor."

Ye Cheng, sitting on his bike, was amused by Chen Jinhai: "Yo, Uncle, when did you start caring about national affairs?"

"You kid, saying that—I'm the village chief, I often have to go to township meetings; how could I not know?"

Ye Cheng didn't argue with him, turned to the crowd, spread his hands, and said, "Folks, I truly have no secret—just a bit better luck. You say you want me to lead you, but I really can't."

No sooner had he spoken than several villagers' faces changed instantly.

"Can't lead, you're bringing Xiao Hu?"

"Exactly, Xiao Hu following you has also caught plenty of seafood."

"Xiao Hu's mother has been grinning ear to ear lately, telling everyone you're righteous—do you think we don't know?"

When Xiao Hu heard this being dragged onto him, he immediately got worked up, raising his voice: "My brother's just plain lucky, really no secret—you're overthinking it."

"Nonsense, Xiao Hu, you truly have no conscience—when you were little, did your parents work, or was I the one changing your diapers?"

"Exactly, your mother had no milk back then; you grew up drinking my milk."

Several old women chatted back and forth, all about Xiao Hu's childhood, leaving him speechless.

Ye Cheng didn't know any of this, so he lit a cigarette and stood aside watching Xiao Hu's gossip.

Xiao Hu scratched his head in annoyance, glanced at Ye Cheng's gloating expression, and immediately complained, "Brother, why aren't you saying a word?"

Ye Cheng grinned, showing his pristine white teeth, looking innocent: "Because I was little back then, I didn't know you had so many funny stories."

Xiao Hu, helpless, turned around and retreated eight hundred meters—this fighting power was too strong.

Having chased off Xiao Hu, this toothless tiger, everyone turned to look at Ye Cheng, eyes full of fighting desire, as if saying, "Kid, it's your turn now."

Ye Cheng patted himself, stood up, spread his hands, and shouted, "Well then, aunts and uncles, the beach is over there, you all have the tools, I truly have no secret—you can follow me if you like."

He figured it out—better to take the initiative than let these old women expose all his childhood embarrassments.

You want to follow? Go ahead, anyway he relies on the system.

Having said that, the crowd, though not very satisfied, had no choice.

"Fine, if you won't tell us, we'll follow you and see what tricks you have."

A group stood up, picked up their buckets from the ground, and stood stiffly behind Ye Cheng.

Ye Cheng sighed helplessly, waved at Xiao Hu eight hundred meters away, and said, "Hey, let's go, you suckling."

The crowd marched mightily toward the beach; from afar, a crab lifted its head, saw the scene, and thought this procession was more imposing than its own general.

Its eight legs scrambled a few times, then it vanished underground.

Ye Cheng looked at today's tidal flats, judging by his sea‑gathering experience.

Hmm...

He couldn't make out anything.

He hadn't been gathering for many days total, so he couldn't see a thing.

He always just gathered wherever he went, as long as there were few people.

But today having few people was impossible; he'd just counted—at least fifteen people—and as they set off from the village entrance, more kept coming from their homes with gear.

Even Li Yong didn't drive his car; it seemed everyone wanted to live that life of making over ten thousand a day.

"Brother, what should we do?" Seeing the dense crowd behind him, Xiao Hu got a headache; he was still gathering seafood, stepping over, the sea could be flattened.

Might as well go to the East Sea Dragon Palace.

"What can we do? Let's just follow our own pace, or go over there." Ye Cheng pointed to the right.

Going there, simply because the mud there isn't as sticky, and there's a layer of seawater; really don't like walking with a big lump of mud.

The two walked ahead, with chattering behind them, and after ten minutes they reached the spot.

Ye Cheng got tired from walking, he and Xiao Hu first lit a cigarette to rest a bit; this has become a habit these past few days.

Unexpectedly, just as he lit it here, behind him came a series of click-click sounds from lighters.