Chapter 661: The Dog Has No Knife (Revised)

I've been sleeping less lately, my brain isn't working too well, last night's plot wasn't very reasonable, I've already revised it.

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Ye Yaodong pinched Ye Ye Xiaoxi's chubby little cheeks, wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth as he went, and said casually.

"That's exactly what I mean. If someone really has a sharp mind and the ability to get in on it, then let them. I don't necessarily have to rely on them. I'm just saying, with such a large quantity all at once, we can sell faster and recoup the capital sooner. Who knows, if I just leave my shop there and sell slowly, more bosses might still come knocking."

"I was overthinking it. Seeing so many fellow villagers crowding around today, I figured there'd be copycats."

"If they were going to copy, they would've done it long ago. Picking them one by one to sell in town, or going door to door — how much could they sell? Don't worry about it."

"If A Zheng can help you collect and dry the fish, it'll save you a lot of trouble. No need to worry about it being hard to dry after spring starts."

"That's a win-win. Make money together."

A Guang crossed his arms over his chest and stroked his chin with one hand. "If his profit margin is small, it'd be fine to share a bit more with him. Worst case, just raise the selling price a little. The main thing is your supply issue is solved — no need to worry about not getting bulk dried fish and having to close up shop."

"Pah, knock on wood! Take him to the market tonight to have a look first, buy a batch back to dry and do the math. Anyway, I've bought a batch of lizardfish at the market before, calculated the costs, and can still make a decent profit."

"What a pity, there's too much work at home, and I have two boats. Otherwise I'd be tempted to get in on it too. Looks like a sure-fire, no-loss deal."

"What deal is ever sure-fire and no-loss? If it rains halfway through drying, that's a headache. If it's continuous heavy rain, we're done for."

"At least it'll be a bit more stable."

"Mm."

"How about I go to the city with you guys tonight to have a look?"

A Guang had only been saying it casually at first, but once the words left his mouth, he found himself quite tempted. He'd never been to the market either. Not stealing A Zheng's job, just going to broaden his horizons would be fine. He had nothing going on lately anyway, so hitching a ride to have a look wouldn't cost him anything.

All the brothers-in-law had bought shops — no reason for him, a brother-in-law himself, not to go take a look?

Ye Yaodong looked at him in surprise. "What are you going for?"

"Help you escort the goods, be your bodyguard. And broaden my horizons while I'm at it. I've never been to the city in my life. I've always heard you guys talking about shops in the city but never seen one myself. Anyway, I've got nothing going on tomorrow."

"Fine then, one more tag-along it is."

One more person to do the work, helping carry and lift things is good too.

"Great, thanks Third Brother!"

Lin Lin Xiuqing had originally wanted to come in and ask A Guang if he wanted to stay for dinner so she could cook a bit more. But hearing their conversation, she laughed — it was rare to hear A Guang sucking up like that, calling him Third Brother.

"Hehe, what are you guys talking about? Tag-along?"

"Nothing much. Third Brother said his dinner was shit, can't afford to feed me, told me to go home and eat my own."

"Huh?"

Why did she feel these two were getting more and more unreliable? Talking like they were playing charades — impossible to understand, with all those weird words.

And they always talked in the same tone?

"I'm off, Third Brother. I'll come back over at midnight."

Seeing Ye Yaodong glaring and about to curse him out, A Guang sensibly beat a hasty retreat.

Lin Lin Xiuqing was completely baffled. She looked at his retreating back, then at Ye Yaodong. "What were you guys talking about? What's shit?"

"Nothing? Just shooting the breeze."

"Makes no sense."

"Hurry up and cook. I'll eat and go to bed early — I have to get up at midnight to set off."

"Oh." Lin Lin Xiuqing shot him a glance, then went out to cook.

"Daddy? You call me daddy? Or papa? Say it…"

Behind him came that someone's tireless voice once again…

Night. Blackness shrouded everything. The moonlight was hazy, tree shadows swayed, the earth seemed already asleep, silence reigned everywhere. Only the sea breeze blew gently, waves surging and crashing against the shore, occasionally interspersed with a bark or two from a dog.

Ye Yaodong finished dinner and went to bed before it got dark. With things on his mind, he woke up early before the appointed hour.

Checking the time, it was only 11. He closed his eyes again, resting them.

Until he heard a bark or two from outside, intermittent, he thought about getting up to get ready.

But before he could even finish getting dressed, the intermittent barks outside escalated into fierce howling. This startled him — under normal circumstances, his dogs wouldn't bark randomly.

When neighbors passed by, at most they'd go up and sniff, never bark, unless a stranger went by.

In the middle of the night like this…

Ye Yaodong frowned. Not bothering to finish dressing, he hurried to the window to take a look, but only saw a few dogs wandering around. He had no choice but to go back inside and finish getting dressed.

Lin Lin Xiuqing was woken by the commotion. "What time is it? This early? Why were the dogs barking like that just now?"

"Don't know. I just went to the window to look, didn't see anything. Maybe whoever was there got scared by the dogs barking so fiercely and left."

"A person? At this hour, could it be some unclean thing? Everyone in the village knows we keep a lot of dogs. Nothing was left in the yard today, everyone's home — surely no one would come sneaking around, right?"

"What nonsense. Where would any unclean thing come from? If anything, it's definitely a person!"

Although his rebirth wasn't exactly scientific, and he did believe in these unscientific things, given how the dogs were barking at night, he figured it was a person, not a ghost.

"People are far scarier than ghosts. Good thing it's quiet now."

"I'm heading out in a bit. If anything happens, just scream. Big Brother and Second Brother next door are both home."

"Mm, everyone's home, doors and windows are locked. It shouldn't be. It's empty houses that get robbed. Remember to wear your hat and scarf, it's cold at night."

"I know. It's not my first time going out, you don't have to remind me every single time. Go back to sleep."

"I'm afraid you'll be careless and forget."

"Mm."

Ye Yaodong finished dressing, grabbed his hat, scarf, and gloves, putting them on as he walked out. He went to the window first to take a few more looks. Seeing the yard still peaceful and the dogs back in their kennels, he felt a bit more at ease.

He went to the back door for a quick wash, then popped into his two sons' room to check on them, tucking them in so they wouldn't catch cold.

Their crooked sleeping postures he left alone — no point straightening them now, by morning they'd be twisted up again anyway.

But while he was in his sons' room, he heard whimpering sounds from outside, followed immediately by another fierce bout of barking.

His brows furrowed even tighter, and after gently pulling the door shut, he hurried toward the gate.

The moment he opened the front door, he saw a terrifying sight—under the hazy moonlight, a dog was hanging from the wall on the left.

The instant he stepped out, the dog dropped down from the wall as well.

He glanced at it without any guard up, and it startled him; at the same time, rustling sounds came from outside.

He ran to the corner, his temper flaring up on the spot, but seeing the dog lying on the ground kicking its legs a few times before getting back up, he was instantly relieved.

He had originally thought it was a petty thief unwilling to leave just like that, creeping back closer, which was why the dog had barked so fiercely—he never expected to see such a heart-stopping sight.

"Shit! Follow them, let's see who's so eager to die—bite them to death."

As he spoke, he pulled a stick out from the pile of chopped firewood beside him and ran toward the courtyard gate; after opening the latch, the old black dog hugged his leg and kept barking, woof woof woof, clearly wanting to chase out too.

"You lot chase out first, don't let the person get away—once you catch up, bite, don't hold back."

He hurried back and untied the rope fastened to the old black dog.

Ever since he'd kept this dog, he'd always tied it up, afraid its wild nature would be hard to tame and it would bite someone—there's no rabies vaccine now, so he only occasionally let it loose to take it out for a stroll.

Seeing it hug his leg, he figured it wanted to chase out too.

A pack of dogs, receiving the command, immediately barked and went sprinting off in one direction.

Ye Yaodong followed behind with the big black dog, hurrying to catch up; out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a stool at the base of the wall, but didn't have time to stop and take a closer look.

It wouldn't grow legs and run off anyway—every household marks their stools so they don't get borrowed and never returned.

He'd take a closer look when he came back; for now, catch the person first.

The big black dog ran faster than anyone and barked louder than anyone; the moment it bolted out of the courtyard gate, it left Ye Yaodong behind and chased after the pack of little dogs.

In the night, Ye Yaodong could only see a few dogs sprinting and barking wildly—no human shadow in sight.

But just because he couldn't see didn't mean the dogs couldn't.

People only have two legs, while the dogs have four—they could track a person down by scent alone, let alone that the person hadn't had much of a head start.

Just as he was halfway there, he heard a scream ring out from up ahead, especially clear in the dark night, and the dogs' barking grew even more frenzied.

They caught the person!

Overjoyed, he tightened his grip on the stick and immediately quickened his pace to chase after them.

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PS: Got up early in the morning and saw the feedback in the backend, immediately revised the plot.

Sleeping at 2, waking at 6—I can't take it………

Already fixed, don't worry

The later chapters are being written right now too, definitely going to give the readers a good time.