Chapter 11

In the evening, Ling Yue drove her new car home.

Da Hei sat in the passenger seat, his doggy gaze fixed on the freshly packaged beef on the back seat, unusually showing a hint of gloom.

Ling Yue only realized after returning home how unusually quiet the dog was. She placed the cooked steak on the table, saw Da Hei's low spirits, rubbed his head, and thought he felt the training progress was too slow.

Actually, even the occasional professional dog trainer watching from the sidelines marveled at Da Hei's intelligence.

Ling Yue hadn't said anything yet when the returning treasure-seeking rat leapt agilely onto the table, its paws still wet—this was Ling Yue's rule: since it was a pet, it must act like one, no matter how wildly it played outside, it had to clean itself up before coming home.

Even Da Hei would routinely bite a mop to sweep away dog hair.

Getting sidetracked, the treasure-seeking rat was now proud, seeing people and eagerly announcing: 'Master, I'm back. You know, I recently did something big!'

Ling Yue shook her head; she knew nothing— the treasure-seeking rat had been hiding by day and active by night, doing who-knows-what, and was still injured, with the small butterfly bow she'd bandaged still around its neck.

The rat proudly gripped its tiny paw: 'Hmph, I've been working hard lately; all the rats in the eastern part of the city have been subdued by me! From now on, you, Master, are the woman who commands millions of rats!'

Ling Yue was left laughing and crying at its words.

Hearing the treasure-seeking rat claim to have become the big boss of the entire eastern city, Ling Yue pondered: she lived in the old eastern district, where she usually saw few rats, but she knew their numbers must be huge.

They know whatever humans know, and they also know what humans don't know.

While she was thinking, the treasure-seeking rat also sensed the off mood, then noticed that the usually cheerful silly dog looked so downcast today.

The treasure-seeking rat's eyes darted around as it shouted: 'Da Hei, why aren't you eating? If you don't eat, I, the great one, will have eaten it all!'

Treasure-seeking rat: 'Tsk tsk, look at how fragrant this steak is.'

Da Hei ignored it, looking at Ling Yue: 'Master, are we out of money?'

Ling Yue was startled, hearing it say: 'I know all about it—Master, I've eaten you into poverty, waa waa waa~'

The familiar sound of a boiling kettle rang from inside the house.

Only then did Ling Yue learn from the dog's mouth the whole story: today the butcher told her steak prices had risen, and Da Hei had overheard it, unexpectedly the sensitive dog remembered it right away.

She even thought she had eaten the family into poverty.

Ling Yue: '……Ah this.'

The dog's beef is indeed a bit pricey, because Ling Yue selects fresh steak costing several hundred per pound, but it's all for the dog's physique—Da Hei wants to become a police dog, and without a strong build he can't fulfill the mission.

But Big Head—

Ling Yue rubbed her nose tip; mainly it's because she bought a car, wiping out over ten thousand from her card, so there really isn't much money left.

Just then, Xunbao Shu Duo Duo puffed out its chest proudly: 'Money? I, the great one, have plenty of money!'

Seeing the gazes of the person and the dog fall on it, the treasure-seeking rat lifted its head and puffed its chest: 'I, the great one, am a treasure-seeking rat; there's no treasure I can't find!'

Ling Yue recalled the gold ingot it had produced earlier, her eyes twitched slightly, but it was already too late today, so she could only let it be.

On the contrary, the treasure-seeking rat seemed to have opened its chatterbox.

It often runs around, and from the little rat brothers it knows plenty of news: which couples in the residential complex argue, whose night life is disharmonious, which husbands like NTR…

Ling Yue raised her hand: 'Enough!'

'What kind of gossip are you listening to? I have no voyeuristic desires.'

The treasure-seeking rat didn't know what the master meant by 'voyeuristic desires,' but the clever rat knew the master disliked gossip, and after thinking it said: 'I also know one thing—our residential complex is going to be demolished!'

Ling Yue's breath caught—demolition?

Since she was born, rumors of demolition in the complex have never ceased, but as she grew up, the compensation amounts kept rising, and these old complexes fell completely silent.

After all, land prices in Jing Shi are now astronomical.

Xunbao Shu Duo Duo spoke with earnest conviction, even mimicking human tones perfectly; if it were true…… Ling Yue's heart pounded faster.

'Master, I also know another piece of news: the family that used to bully you, the male head seems to be getting a promotion, and he's apparently happy, reportedly preparing for a blind date.'

Suddenly hearing news about that family, Ling Yue frowned: 'What does their blind date have to do with me?'

Ling Yue never gave this a thought, but she didn't realize that not provoking trouble could still invite it to come knocking.

After the meal, Ling Yue walked Da Hei; just as they reached the apartment building's entrance, they heard gongs and drums, Wang Da Ma's voice carrying from afar, and even under the dim streetlights her flushed face was visible.

Ling Yue hadn't spoken yet when the treasure-seeking rat hidden in the pet pouch cursed: 'How did we run into her? What bad luck!'

It knew well how much the master disliked that person.

Suddenly Da Hei spoke: 'Master, she's coming toward us!'

Ling Yue lowered her brows and gaze, concealing the coldness in her eyes.

Wang Da Ma's smile stiffened, then she chuckled: 'Ling Yue, earlier it was all my fault; I'll apologize, and we'll call it even.'

She quickly explained her purpose; hearing the words 'blind date,' Ling Yue stared wide-eyed in surprise at the visitor.

She was utterly astonished: 'How can someone have such a thick face?'

Even the surrounding residential complex residents were stunned; Wang Da Ma's behavior counts as a scandal in their complex—who knows her family's situation, seeing her son makes one inwardly curse a lame desire to eat swan meat.

Liu Da Niang leaned on her cane and couldn't help but say: 'Wang Hua, little Yue over there is a top graduate from Capital University, in her prime, and now she's started her own business; if I recall correctly, your grandson is only in his early teens—this is illegal!'

Wang Da Ma's face turned from green to white to purple: 'Who—who said it's a grandson? It's my son.'

That one sentence provoked uproarious laughter from the crowd.

Wang Da Ma still couldn't grasp their meaning, immediately turning ashen-faced: 'Don't think you can refuse a toast and then drink a penalty; my son is about to be promoted, I heard you recently opened a little shop—he's from the Industry and Commerce Bureau, you know?'

In her eyes, her precious son is the best in the world, even though he's over thirty and divorced with two kids.

'You're an orphan girl; if you don't hurry while young to find a reliance, your life will be ruined!'

The words carried a threat; if the person were truly timid, they might have endured it, but Ling Yue isn't like that—she suddenly tugged the leash she held on Da Hei: 'Da Hei.'

The dog barked woof woof woof.

Da Hei is no longer the skinny bony figure from before; eating several-hundred-yuan fresh beef has made him muscular and sturdy, his coat glossy and oily, when he bares his teeth his snow-white sharp canines gleam like a polished dagger, making Wang Da Ma's legs tremble.

Just now I didn't notice, but now I realize she's actually leading a large wolf-dog!

'Da Hei, don't scare people.'

Ling Yue smiled warmly: 'Sorry, my dog is a bit fierce, but rest assured, I will definitely do my best to hold him back, absolutely not let him lunge at you and snort a bite!'

Wang Dama was bursting with anger: "You, you dare threaten me!"

"How could it be? This is clearly good-intentioned advice."

Ling Yue gave a cold snort, teaming up perfectly with the vicious dog Big Black: "If you don't leave, I might just let go!"

Wang Dama was scared witless, all because she was overconfident and no one had told her that Ling Yue suddenly had a dog—look at that build; if it gave a gruff bite, it would literally tear a chunk of flesh from her!

"You, you you you're doing great! I'll just see how you manage from now on!"

Wang Dama dropped her harsh words and ran off.

The surrounding people gathered to comfort Ling Yue: "This person has a screw loose!"

As for Big Black, it obediently squatted at its owner's feet—even Lele could rub its dog head; there wasn't even a hint of the fierceness from just now.

Ling Yue nodded, accepting the goodwill of these neighbors.

Liu Damu tapped her cane: "Nonsense!"

The well-informed Qin Saozi couldn't help but roll her eyes, sharing the latest news she'd heard: "Have you heard? The Wang family is preparing to sell their house to get their son promoted!"

"Sell the house? The Wang family is really going all out—though our old neighborhood isn't great, it could still fetch over a million."

"Tsk, Wang Dama's precious son—when he was just a civil servant it made her ecstatic, and now that he's up for promotion, she's practically about to go crazy!"

Ling Yue's eyes lit up as she overheard the gossip.

She led Big Black home, turned around, and the smile vanished from her lips; the treasure-seeking mouse in her bag poked its head out at just the right moment: "Master, what's wrong with you?"

Ling Yue had never felt so urgent to make money; although the neighborhood atmosphere was nice, having someone like Wang Dama meant she was destined not to have peace.

The other party's repeated provocations also annoyed her, like flies that occasionally buzz out, making people irritable and restless.

Combining the information she had just received, Ling Yue curled her lips and thought of a good idea.

Just then, the treasure-seeking mouse suddenly shouted: "Master, let's buy the Wang family's house!"

Thanks to Ling Yue's earlier science popularization, it also understood what demolition meant; Ling Yue tapped its mouse head: "You finally get it."

"However, this matter still needs careful consideration." Ling Yue pondered for a moment; she not only wanted to buy it, but she wanted the Wang family to beg her to buy it!

The treasure-seeking mouse curiously asked: "Master, what do you plan to do?"

Ling Yue: "Then it's all up to you."

The treasure-seeking mouse blinked, not understanding how it was related to it; after thinking long and hard it still couldn't figure it out, whereas the master was full of vigor.

The next day, Ling Yue opened for business as usual.

A customer with a sorrowful face held up their dying dog: "Boss, my dog hasn't eaten anything for four or five days; the hospital checked and found nothing wrong—I really don't know what to do."

Ling Yue looked at the plump little short-legged corgi; the other party opened its mouth and yawned, as if just lifted from the bed, and upon seeing Ling Yue, the whole dog shuddered and jumped down directly.

"Hehe, miss, hello miss!"

"Miss, you're so beautiful; can I be your simp?"

Saying a whole set of extortion tactics, he collapsed to the ground unable to get up.

The corgi hummed while saying: "You foolish poop-scooper, still wanting me to lose weight? That's absolutely impossible!"

"I'm so full. Yesterday I accidentally seems to have eaten all the dog food—about four or five catties."

The customer continued describing their furry child's situation, completely unaware of Ling Yue's strange gaze: "It really hasn't eaten for four days?"

The customer blinked: "What's wrong?"

Ling Yue: "I think it needs to go to the hospital now."

The customer was frightened: "What's wrong, boss? It won't have anything happen, will it?! Peach is my life!"

Ling Yue: "It's overeaten. If we don't operate soon, it could literally be stuffed to death."

"Pfft—" a laugh suddenly came from the crowd; Bald Qiang held up his phone and said to the livestream: "Friends, everyone heard that, right? The shop owner said it would be stuffed to death."

He stared at Ling Yue: "The owner just said the dog had been hungry for four or five days, and in the blink of an eye you say it will be stuffed to death—that's too far-fetched."

Ill-intentioned visitor.

Ling Yue looked at the customer: "If you don't believe me, you can go to the hospital for a check-up now; if you wait, the dog will suffer."

Whether to trust a stranger or the shop owner, the young customer who had just seen Ling Yue display her might yesterday made an instant decision, scooping up the dog: "I'm going, I'm going to the hospital right now!"

After paying, he hurried away.

Left behind, the livestream host Bald Qiang wore a look of shock, and even the viewers in his livestream were dazed; in fact, they had been hiding in the crowd all along, following the host to watch Ling Yue's consultation.

It was basically treating people like idiots.

After a five-minute consultation, the shop owner didn't ask a single question and just made a diagnosis outright.

What kind of Arabian Nights tale is this? The key is that the customer actually believed it!

Damn!

Bald Qiang glanced and concluded: "This must be a shill!"

Well, daring to show off your skills in front of an expert.

Bald Qiang looked fierce and imposing; people unconsciously made way for him until he reached Ling Yue and said with a grin: "Boss, I also want a consultation."

He flipped his palm, slapping five stacks of red bills onto the table.

At that moment, Bald Qiang's livestream audience surged—there were those watching to debunk fakes and those there to fawn over his looks; riding the hot topic, although he had just started broadcasting, his data far surpassed before, shooting up to the top ten on the Huge Whale livestream popularity chart!

Bald Qiang felt extremely pleased; he was determined to keep this popularity.

Ling Yue looked at the bills, her thick long lashes lifting slightly, and said: "What do you want to consult about?"