Sirens wailed, and Dayu Mountain was soon cordoned off by the police.
When Lao He and the others were escorted down the mountain by the police, they were completely bewildered, not knowing what had happened, until they saw Wu Lao and Wang Defa, both pale-faced, being helped down by the police.
"...You two, did you fall?" Lao He and the others asked.
Hearing this, Wang Defa waved his hand, closed his eyes, and lay on the ground, looking like he was barely breathing, with no desire to speak at all.
Wu Lao's condition wasn't much better, but after lying on the ground for a while, Wu Lao suddenly remembered something and sat up abruptly. He looked at Lao He and the others with a strange, peculiar, and excited look.
He asked, "Do you remember the bet we made?"
Lao He and the others were confused, but Wang Defa, who was lying to the side, suddenly opened his eyelids and looked at Wu Lao in disbelief.
It has to be said that the person who understands you best is often your enemy. Just as Wang Defa looked at him with a "Are you crazy?" expression, Old Wu said with burning eyes, "...I think our bet can be declared a winner already, because I'm definitely the one who won!"
His face was full of pride, as if he had won.
Old He and the others were bewildered: What did you catch that you're so sure about?
"That's hard to say!" someone immediately retorted, "Old He caught a huge yellow eel. That eel has been growing in this wild pond for who knows how many years. It's enormous, its color is even reddish, it's already looking like a blood eel... What did you catch that can compare to Old He's?"
Blood eels are different from ordinary yellow eels. They are very rare, and are said to have high nutritional value, so their price has remained high for many years. Even a fish weighing a hundred pounds isn't as valuable as a blood eel.
So everyone thought that with Lao He catching such a blood eel, the outcome of the bet was practically a foregone conclusion.
But to everyone's surprise, upon hearing this, Wu Yongfa's face didn't show disappointment at all; instead, his smugness only intensified. He, who valued winning and losing above all else, proudly and confidently declared, "So what if it's a blood eel? A blood eel isn't as rare as what I caught!"
The others were inevitably curious and puzzled. Lao He couldn't help but ask, "...What did you catch?"
Hearing this, Wang Defa closed his eyes again, unable to bear watching what was about to happen. He already knew what Wu Yongfa was going to say.
Sure enough, at the same moment Wang Defa closed his eyes, he heard Wu Yongfa say clearly, "I caught a corpse. Tell me, who among you can catch something as special as what I caught?"
"..."
The scene suddenly fell into a suffocating silence. Everyone stared at Wu Yongfa, until a few seconds later, someone suddenly gasped.
The only one who seemed calm was Wang Defa. He was somewhat numb, unsure of his own feelings.
Logically, he should be resentful after losing to Wu Yongfa again, but perhaps because Wu Yongfa's victory was so unbelievable, he was surprisingly calm, even somewhat convinced. This time, he
truly had lost!
As for Lao He and the others, after a few seconds of daze, they finally came to their senses.
"...If you put it that way, then...then no one can catch anything more special than what you caught," Lao He murmured absently.
Who could catch something more special than a corpse?
At this moment, Lao He and the others finally understood why the police had cordoned off Dayu Mountain, and why they, the fishermen, had been brought down from the mountain.
After the initial shock, curiosity got the better of everyone, and they couldn't help but ask,
"You, you fished up a corpse? My God, Lao Wu, are you alright?"
"No wonder the police sealed this place off. I never thought I'd be so close to a crime scene."
"Did you see what the corpse looked like?"
...
"Ugh!"
When asked what the corpse looked like, Lao Wu's face suddenly stiffened. The man who had been so proud of his victory suddenly covered his mouth and rushed to the side to vomit.
Lying on the ground, Wang Defa couldn't help but recall the corpse's appearance. He covered his mouth, trying to clear his mind.
*
Meanwhile
, Xu Gui, unaware of what had happened at Dayu Mountain, was sitting in a police car telling fortunes for two officers.
Yes, you read that right, she was indeed telling fortunes for two officers. Mainly, Xu Gui was still live-streaming, and she couldn't just live-stream the scenery on the highway the whole time, so she could only arrest people nearby. Amidst the suspicious and embarrassed expressions of the two officers, she continued her work.
She looked at the young-looking policeman and asked, "Do you have a cat?"
The young policeman nodded, not surprised, because cat owners like them always have some cat hair on them, something anyone with a little observation could notice.
However, Xu Gui's next words surprised him, because Xu Gui said,
"You have three cats, but one of them likes to pee and poop on your bed, bedding, and even your wardrobe, right?"
This surprised not only the young policeman, but even the older policeman who overheard and was driving looked astonished—they were all from the same police station, and after working together for a while, everyone probably knew about their colleagues' situations.
The young policeman had complained to his colleagues more than once about his cat's indiscriminate urination and defecation.
But how did Xu Gui know this, given that they had only just met?
Hearing this, even Hu Tu, who was anxiously waiting nearby, couldn't help but be drawn in by their conversation and looked over curiously.
The young policeman scratched his head and said, "My cat does indeed love to pee and poop everywhere."
A troubled expression crossed his face as he continued, "I haven't neglected it in any way. It eats the best food, uses the finest things, and I've changed its litter box several times. But I don't know why it just likes to pee and poop everywhere, even in its own bowl. This has been going on for years, and no matter how I try to train it, it won't change."
The young policeman was extremely frustrated with this situation and had even considered giving the cat away several times, but he always couldn't bring himself to do it.
"On the one hand, I've raised it for so many years and poured my heart into it; I really can't bear to
part with it," he said. "On the other hand…" the young policeman smiled bitterly, "I can't just release it back into the wild, can I? Although it was originally a stray cat, I took it in and let it experience the joy of being a domesticated cat. Wouldn't it be too cruel to give it away now?"
This calico cat was originally a stray. He already had two cats at home, a tabby and a golden shaded, but when he found the calico cat, its leg was injured, and the young policeman couldn't bear it, so he took it home and raised it for three years.
But the young policeman couldn't bring himself to let it become a stray cat again. Since he couldn't let it roam freely, he could only give it away, but then another situation arose.
"Even I can't stand it peeing and pooping everywhere. If I give it to another owner, how could that owner stand it? At least it's with me, and I can guarantee I won't abandon it. But if it's with a different owner, I can't guarantee that."
So, for various reasons, the cat has been peeing and pooping everywhere for several years. He hasn't abandoned or given the cat away; he's just dutifully cleaning up the mess it's made at home.
After listening, Xu Gui said, "Have you ever considered the possibility that this cat doesn't actually want to pee and poop everywhere on purpose? Maybe it's because the original inhabitants of the house have been bullying it and not allowing it to pee and poop in the litter box?"
The young policeman was dumbfounded and subconsciously said, "That can't be, right?"
Xu Gui: "Do you have security cameras at home? If so, you can turn on the camera now and take a look."
The young policeman hesitated for a moment, perhaps because he was really curious. After some internal struggle, he silently took out his phone from his pocket and turned on the home security camera.
He had two security cameras installed, one in the living room and one in the pet room. He first checked the living room camera and, finding no sign of the cats, turned on the pet room camera.
This time, the three cats appeared on the monitor.
The young policeman's expression softened upon seeing his three beloved pets. Many netizens wondered if his voice would immediately become strained if he spoke.
The footage initially looked fine; the three cats appeared harmonious.
The young policeman looked at Xu Gui and whispered, "Seems like there's nothing wrong?"
The camera panned to his phone screen, instantly bringing the three cats into the view of countless viewers in the live stream, causing a frenzy among cat lovers:
[What is that? Is it Mimi? I want to sniff it, I want to sniff it so much! Ah, it smells like cats!]
[Ahhh! This guy, he actually has a long-haired calico cat!!! The value of a long-haired calico cat, who knows? A feline beauty!! I dream of having one!] [
Is that cat that poops and pees everywhere the long-haired calico? If so, I finally understand why this young man is so conflicted. Who could bear to abandon such a beautiful cat?]
[No way! Aren't calico cats supposed to be the beauties of the feline world? The other two cats would probably want to lick the calico cat, how could they be so cold to it?]
[Ha, dog lovers scoff, dogs are the best!!! Where are the dog lovers? Let me see your hands!]
[There's a dog cult here, ptooey ptooey]
...
It has to be said that these three cats are very well cared for, each one plump and healthy, with glossy skin. At this moment, the three cats are doing their own thing, one is lying on the cat tree, one is sleeping soundly on the carpet, and one is burrowing under the scratching post, scratching at it with its paws.
The young policeman watched for a while but couldn't see anything wrong with the three cats getting along. He then looked up at Xu Gui.
Xu Gui said the same thing: "Let's take another look."
Finally, the calico cat, sitting at the top of the cat tree, jumped down, seemingly wanting to eat from its bowl.
But as soon as it moved, the young policeman felt something was off. It seemed like his calico cat was afraid of the other two cats.
At that moment, the young policeman's gaze on the surveillance footage became more serious. He couldn't help but think: Could Miss Xu be right? Was his little calico cat really being bullied by the two native cats? What happened
next on the surveillance footage completely surprised the young policeman.
In his mind, the three cats had always gotten along very well. Except for the initial hostility shown by the two native cats when they first brought the calico cat home, they quickly accepted it as a new member.
However, he now saw that when Sanhua went to eat from her food bowl, the two cats actually extended their claws at her and even tried to bite her.
Sanhua dodged and weaved, but when that failed, she started urinating into her bowl—her previous bowl had been washed by the young policeman that morning before he went to work, but now he watched helplessly as Sanhua urinated into it again.
Even through the screen, everyone seemed to be able to smell the stench of the cat urine. After Sanhua finished urinating, the two cats finally let go and squatted down to lick their paws.
This scene was like a vision of school bullying, completely stunning the young policeman.
The viewers in the live stream were also stunned:
[The truth is out, Sanhua really has been bullied by these two native cats! Poor Sanhua, Auntie wants to hug her!]
[These two cats are so mean! Are they impotent?] "How could they do something so heinous to a beautiful cat like that? I suggest sending these two cats to me for a lesson!"
[Sanhua: QAQ, I'm finally innocent! It really wasn't that I wanted to pee everywhere, it was just that some bad cat bullied me, and my owner kept misunderstanding me!]
[Actually, cats, like people, really do have jealousy. For example, this policeman's two cats are clearly like that, and very jealous at that. Poor Sanhua has been bullied for three years!]
[Three years after three years!! If Xu Gui hadn't told this policeman's fortune, how long would his Sanhua have been bullied?]
...
The young policeman fell silent.
He had considered many possibilities, but he never imagined that Sanhua's indiscriminate peeing was because of this. At this moment, his guilt reached its peak.
"I'm guilty," the young policeman said, pressing his face.
Xu Gui comforted him, "It's okay, apologize to the kitten when you get back, it won't be angry with you." How could a cat be angry with a human? Right?
However…
"Since you like keeping pets so much, I think you could also get a tortoise…" Xu Gui subtly revealed her little scheme, "Tortoises are so cute, and they live so long. If you keep one, it can not only see you off, but maybe even your children and grandchildren!"
The young policeman: "…"
The others: "…"
What kind of hellish joke is this?
Looking at Xu Gui, her expression actually seemed very serious. She had already talked about how long tortoises live, how cute their shells are, and even said, "You humans… don't we humans especially like auspicious things? Tortoises live so long, they're so auspicious!"
"Look, even the tortoise shell is auspicious. Many people even use tortoise shells for fortune telling! And you don't have to put much effort into keeping a tortoise, because I, because they are all very lazy, you just put it there and it can lie there all day!" Just like
her, when she has nothing to do, she can sleep on the beach for three months. Of course, ordinary tortoises aren't as strong as hers.
Seeing her earnest expression, everyone couldn't help but think, "She's really trying hard to promote turtles to us..." It seems she genuinely loves turtles.
Of course, among the more than one million viewers, there were bound to be others like Xu Gui, and for a moment, the entire live stream chat became a turtle promotion event, almost making newcomers think they had stumbled into a large-scale aquatic pet sales event.
However, the young policeman was already depressed about his pet calico being bullied, so Xu Gui's recommendation hadn't worked. She couldn't help but sigh.
But what she didn't expect was that her unintentional act had backfired. While she hadn't successfully recommended it to the young policeman, she had successfully convinced many viewers in the live stream, especially many working professionals.
After all, they didn't have much time to care for cats or dogs, but keeping a turtle seemed like a reliable option. These creatures didn't need to be walked or played with; they required very little effort.
So, what kind of turtle is the best pet? Any recommendations?
Xu Gui hadn't watched the live stream and didn't know about the viewers' interest, but just because she hadn't seen it didn't mean others hadn't. [Miaoyu] was a company specializing in aquatic pets. Their boss, a lazy and unambitious manager who relied entirely on his employees' hard work, loved nothing more than lounging in his office chair watching live streams.
And coincidentally, he stumbled upon Xu Gui's livestream. After watching, his eyes lit up, and he exclaimed that they were kindred spirits. Then, he called his secretary in.
"...So, what do you think about us getting this celebrity to be our spokesperson?" He looked at his good secretary with shining eyes. "Isn't my idea brilliant?"
The secretary, with an icy expression, adjusted her glasses. She first carefully examined the livestream content to make sure it was legitimate, then looked up and said, "Boss, I think you shouldn't be so delusional."
She posed a soul-searching question: "Have you ever seen a celebrity endorse a pet company?" Even if they're minor celebrities, they're still celebrities. They endorse high-end brands.
It's not that they look down on them, it's just that [Miaoyu] isn't worthy.
Hearing this, the boss wasn't disappointed at all. Instead, he said happily, "That only means that I, the one who came up with this idea, am a genius. Nobody else thought of this!"
Secretary: "..." I think you're an idiot, and I even have evidence.
The boss confidently declared, "And this celebrity is different. I can tell she genuinely loves turtles. As the saying goes, people who like turtles are usually good people. As long as we offer enough for the endorsement fee, I believe she'll definitely agree!"
The secretary asked, "...Are you sure you really want this celebrity as a spokesperson?"
The boss nodded vigorously, "I'm absolutely, positively, and without a doubt!"
He looked pitifully at the secretary and said, "Ms. Ye, if I don't get this, I won't be able to sleep or eat properly. Please!"
Seeing this, the secretary could only sigh helplessly and say, "Alright, we'll try our best to contact Ms. Ye."
Who could blame them when their boss was so capricious? And this capricious boss happened to be a third-generation rich kid, incredibly wealthy, and very good at spending money. Perhaps, under the onslaught of money, this minor celebrity would agree to be their company's spokesperson.
*
Before this unexpected endorsement, Xu Gui was still quietly livestreaming.
After finishing her reading for the young policeman, she turned her attention to the older officer, but since he was a driver, she didn't want to bother him and could only sigh silently.
So, what to do now?
Xu Gui was bored.
"Can you do fortune telling live?" the cameraman asked curiously. Seeing Xu Gui looking over, he explained, "I read in novels that the protagonists could do fortune telling live. Can you do that?"
Xu Gui, who was about to say "I don't know," instantly straightened up when she heard "...you can.
" "Of course!" she said firmly and confidently—if others could do it, then she could too. Even if she couldn't, she had to be able to. When it came to fortune telling, she wouldn't allow herself to be inferior to anyone!
A fierce battle ignited in Xu Gui's eyes.
The cameraman: ...Did he say something extraordinary?
But his words did open everyone's minds. After all, when Xu Gui was setting up her stall, not everyone came to have their fortune told, but her live stream was different. Her live stream now had hundreds of thousands of viewers every day; surely some of them were interested in fortune telling?
The cameraman's guess was correct. When Xu Gui said she could also tell fortunes via livestream, many netizens were intrigued.
Many were curious about Xu Gui's fortune-telling, but unfortunately, not everyone lived in City A, so their interest was futile. They couldn't possibly travel all the way to City A just for a fortune telling, could they?
But if they could experience it without leaving home, that would be incredibly appealing.
Immediately, many comments appeared in the livestream chat saying, "[If you can tell fortunes via livestream, then I can too!]"
Xu Gui, holding her breath, looked at her and said, "Shall we give it a try?"
Xu Gui: "...Well, let's try?" She should be fine, right? She'd never done livestream fortune-telling before, or rather, because fortune-telling was an instinct for them, the Xuan Turtle, she hadn't really told fortunes for many people before.
But since it was an instinct, she should be able to do it over the internet, right? The paparazzi was more familiar with live streaming than
Xu
Gui. He communicated with the production team and got a moderator position to facilitate his operation—the live streams of Xu Gui and the other guests were managed by the production team, and the opening and closing of the streams were also controlled by the production team. After getting the
moderator position, the paparazzi started operating.
Xu Gui's live stream currently has 1.73 million followers. Originally, many people were lurking, but now many couldn't help but pop up, saying, "Pick me! Pick me! Pick me to tell my fortune!"
There were too many people, and it wouldn't be good to choose anyone. The only fair way was to randomly select someone.
"How about this, those who want their fortunes told, type 'fortune telling' in the public chat at 25 minutes. I'll just use a mini-program to randomly select people. Whoever is selected is the one, okay?" the paparazzi said. After
saying that, he had a strange feeling in his heart, feeling that something was a little off, but he couldn't figure it out for the moment.
Until he saw a comment on the live stream: "[This guy is supposed to be Xu Gui's personal cameraman, how come he suddenly seems to be Xu Gui's dedicated moderator?]"
The cameraman
was speechless. He knew something was wrong! Damn it! Wasn't he supposed to be the cameraman? Why did he seem to be Xu Gui's personal moderator now?
The director, watching this scene, thought with some satisfaction: "...You finally remembered your role as the cameraman! People who don't know would think you're Xu Gui's personal employee!!"
The cameraman was stunned, confused, and somewhat absent-minded.
Just then, Xu Gui suddenly leaned over and whispered, "How's it going, cameraman? Are you done?"
The cameraman snapped out of his daze, looking at Xu Gui's curious and cautious eyes, feeling an overwhelming surge of fatherly love.
Glancing at the person who had already been extracted, he immediately said, "All done!"
So what if he's a personal moderator? As the old saying goes, the capable do more work; this only proves that he's competent!
(Director's reaction at this moment: ???)