Chapter 12: Terracotta Dog

Chapter 12: Terracotta Dog

The next day, when Big Lin Zi returned to the small inn's backyard, he was stunned. His sister, who insisted on planting trees in summer, had dug dozens of tree pits in just one day. Outside the pits, a straight trench surrounded the two properties' backyards.

What kind of superhuman strength did she possess? The two backyards were massive; even he didn't know how many days it would take him to complete such a task.

"You're telling me... all these, you dug them all by yourself?" It was outrageous. His sister, dressed in a flowing, floor-length skirt, sat by the window, fiddling with paper and scissors. She looked so delicate and scholarly that it was hard to imagine her being capable of such laborious work.

"I couldn't sleep last night, so I got up and dug the backyard. I've told you before, I've learned martial arts for a few years, making me much stronger than an average person. When I have time, I'll teach you." She often spent time with Big Lin Zi, and although he was quite careless, it was inevitable that her abilities would eventually be revealed. She had mentioned her skills a few times as a precaution, but this simpleton didn't believe her, thinking she was just trying to fool him again. Zhaozhao didn't have much credibility with him, considering the injuries she'd suffered as a child.

On such a hot day, she wouldn't dream of letting Big Lin Zi dig the pits slowly.

Upon returning, she had asked Yaoguang about Big Lin Zi's potential for cultivation. He informed her that without a spiritual root, Big Lin Zi couldn't practice her cultivation techniques, which left her feeling disappointed for a long time. But then, Yaoguang came up with an idea. He promised to search the cave mansion for a suitable external cultivation technique for Big Lin Zi. The cave mansion was protected by restrictions, and with her current level of cultivation, she couldn't enter. She had to rely on Yaoguang.

Thinking of this, she urged the large parrot hanging from the Earth Vein Spirit Tree, "Yaoguang, where is Big Lin Zi's body tempering technique? How can you be so indifferent? My silly brother adores you, and you're wasting his time! Go find it now!"

Yaoguang turned around on the branch, showing her his backside. "There are countless books hidden inside. If you're capable, go find it yourself. Some people won't even make an effort for their only younger brother, yet they expect me, the great master, to do their bidding!"

This parrot spirit was deliberately being difficult.

Big Lin Zi, hearing that there was real martial arts, became interested. "There really is martial arts? Can I learn it too? Isn't your master against teaching outsiders? Aren't powerful martial arts usually kept secret?"

"It's not anything extraordinary, just for strengthening the body. Once my master sends over a technique suitable for you, you can start practicing."

"That's great! After I get good at it, if any fishing tyrants try to bully us again, I'll beat them until they submit!" Big Lin Zi clenched his fists, eagerly imagining the scenario.

"Have they bullied the islanders before?" Xiong Zhaozhao inquired.

"I heard that valuable catches would catch their attention. We haven't caught anything good in a while, so I forgot about it. Last year, Liu Manyi was beaten by them."

Next time they encountered those scum, she would give them a proper reception. Her sister would deal with them, taking away their hard-earned money.

Farmer Dog

When the vacuum machine and saplings arrived, she and Big Lin Zi went to Changshan Island to retrieve them and planted them in the pits that same day. Along the way, they had to explain to every villager they passed that the saplings were experimental new varieties from a friend, and they could survive on the island. Still, everyone thought it was just another youthful folly.

As Xiong Zhaozhao filled the pits, she sighed, realizing that this task should have been done secretly at night. Now, they were in a frenzy.

She had forgotten to confine Gungun, and the creature was now beyond recognition.

The Earth Vein Fruit core hadn't been buried yet, and she needed to set up an isolation array to prevent its energy from leaking out. Otherwise, the rampant growth of plants around her home would be alarming. However, she wasn't proficient enough with isolation arrays...

So, to ensure the fruit trees survived, she watered them with diluted spirit spring water. Her beloved dog recognized its value and rushed to each tree, drinking its fill before the water could seep into the ground, covering itself in wet mud.

By the time they finished, Gungun had transformed into a terracotta dog, its fur completely obscured, leaving only two big eyes blinking at you.

Xiong Zhaozhao tried to stifle her laughter, instead opening her phone and aiming it at Gungun. Pointing sternly to a corner of the yard, she ordered him to stand there. The terracotta dog tilted its head at her. "Don't try to be cute with me. Stand over there!"

Gungun wiggled its little butt and squatted in the corner, its tail still wagging behind it, picking up more dry dirt...

"Do you know what you've done? Look at yourself!" She showed him his muddy legs, and the guilty dog whimpered softly in a high-pitched voice.

"You caused trouble today, didn't you? If you do something like this again, Sister will have to punish you!" As she said this, she slapped Big Lin Zi on the back, demonstrating what would happen. Big Lin Zi let out a loud "Ow!"

"See that? Next time you cause trouble, you'll end up like your brother!"

Big Lin Zi was indignant. "Why don't you just hit him?"

"You're going to squat here for five minutes without moving! Got it?"

"How can five minutes be intimidating?" Big Lin Zi, the dog's older brother, was unconvinced.

"It's plenty. Once the mud on his body dries completely, we won't be able to keep the dog anymore. It'll be impossible to wash off..."

That night, Xiong Zhaozhao uploaded the video to Panda, titling it #Gungun's Black History Archive 1#.

Before long, the comment section was flooded with Gungun's expression-filled memes: "I can still be saved after a wash.JPEG."

"The person getting hit in the background is our streamer Little Xiong, right? So pitiful, hahaha"

"Send him to me, I'll wash him!"

"He doesn't look like a dog anymore. Don't want him? Wait for me! I'm coming by boat to pick him up."

"Did our Gungun go farming today? He's so capable!"

"This '1' is intriguing. I can't wait for number 2 to come out soon."

"So cute! Is his name Gungun? What does he look like normally?"

"To the commenter above, our Gungun is destined to grow into a tall, muscular man. Hahaha, sorry Gungun, this is indeed a black history moment."

Harvesting Razor Clams

With the vacuum machine in place, they started collecting dried razor clams the next day. There weren't many, so only she and Big Lin Zi handled the task.

Everything was ready, and the announcement had been made, but no one came. The siblings exchanged glances, wondering if they had miscalculated.

Accountant Third Master wasn't worried about the lack of supply. "These things aren't worth much. People will send them over when they have time. How can we not collect 500 jin? Where are you selling them? Are you paying cash?"

"We're selling them online," Big Lin Zi replied. "My mom said she was coming, but she hasn't shown up yet. Wouldn't it be great if one jin could be exchanged for a jin of beef? Who doesn't want more variety in their seafood diet?"

Upon hearing this, the old man asked, "Exchange for beef? Beef costs over thirty yuan per jin. How much are you paying for the razor clams?"

"Thirty-five yuan, Third Master. Didn't you listen to the announcement? It's not cheap, first come, first served. I thought we'd have to fight over them." Before Big Lin Zi could finish speaking, Accountant Third Master pulled out his phone. "You didn't tell me the price earlier!" He began calling his wife, instructing her to bring over their stash.

The first to arrive was indeed Big Lin Zi's mother, carrying half a bag of dried razor clams. Finally, business had begun.

Xiong Zhaozhao attached the camera to Yaoguang's leg to capture footage.

"Auntie Qin, aren't you keeping some for yourself? Selling them all?" Qin Yunmei worked diligently, cleaning the dried razor clams meticulously. Xiong Zhaozhao was responsible for weighing and payment, while Big Lin Zi vacuum-packed them in one-jin bags.

Qin Yunmei explained, "Xiong Jin doesn't like eating these, so we didn't have much this year. Can you sell them? Ask Big Lin Zi, but this silly boy never tells us anything! I hope you don't end up losing money."

"Don't worry, Auntie Qin. We've already sold them. Once we collect enough, we'll ship them out immediately. Your batch weighs fourteen jin and three liang. I'll transfer the payment to you. Scan the code, please."

Big Lin Zi took the bags to pack them, and upon hearing that they had sold everything, Qin Yunmei stopped worrying about the matter. Looking at Big Lin Zi, she said, "That's good. Our Big Lin Zi found a good job today, pulling weeds in the peanut field. He ran there so quickly!"

Xiong Zhaozhao knew what her shrewd Auntie Qin was implying and smiled. "Indeed, you didn't pay him for weeding, but he's helping me, and I'm giving him a salary."

Qin Yunmei was satisfied with this response and glanced at Big Lin Zi, snorting. "I can't control that. Anyway, he doesn't give me any of his money."

Xiong Zhaozhao transferred the calculated amount for the razor clams. "Five hundred and five yuan. Here you go! You can decide what to do with the money. Whether Big Lin Zi gives it to you or not, he won't spend it recklessly. What do you have to worry about?"

That was true.

As Qin Yunmei walked back, she spread the word. Hearing that they had earned five hundred yuan and that the price was indeed thirty-five yuan per jin, more people started arriving. Accountant Third Master organized them into a queue.

Aunt Hai Ming's mother-in-law even came over to complain that they hadn't announced the thirty-five yuan per jin price earlier. Her eldest daughter had plenty of dried razor clams and would have sent them over if she had known.

Aunt Hai Ming dragged her mother-in-law away, as she lacked tact. There were already enough people in the queue, and she was still thinking about her eldest daughter who wasn't even on the island.

The villagers brought their own dried razor clams to sell, which they had cleaned thoroughly. They were honest people and wouldn't dare to send in old stock. Soon, they collected over four hundred jin. Xiong Zhaozhao estimated that they had enough and asked Third Master to announce that those in the queue didn't need to wait for the next round, assuring them that there would be future opportunities.

Those who hadn't made it into the queue were unhappy, feeling as if they had suffered a significant loss. Xiong Zhaozhao promised that if the response was positive, she would help them sell more for extra pocket money in the future. A group of aunties and mothers surrounded her, praising her for her success and looking out for the villagers.

But Xiong Zhaozhao knew that when she chose to stay on the island, the villagers had whispered that she was crazy. With her education, returning to this desolate island was considered a waste.

There were over five hundred packages to send, and with such a large quantity, the courier from Changshan Island agreed to make a special trip. They worked until nightfall to finish the task.

Xiong Zhaozhao quickly calculated the accounts. Aside from shipping fees, she reserved five yuan for packaging and labor. Without factoring in the cost of the vacuum machine, she had a surplus of 1,080 yuan. At this rate, it would take her another five hundred years to open a sea fishery... She felt exhausted.

Xiong Zhaozhao transferred 540 yuan to the laborer's assistant, and Big Lin Zi happily went home to show off to his mother.

Considering the vacuum machine cost over eight hundred yuan, she was the only one suffering losses. After working for two days, she was 300 yuan in the red.