After not long, the two returned, bags hanging from their necks, containing ten steamed buns. When I opened them, I realized I’d been tricked; they were severely watered down. Three of these weren’t as big as one my mother used to make. I could eat thirty of these right now.

But a man must keep his word. Ge-bu ge-bu, I first reset the arms of the two lads. Then, lifting a bun, I was about to take a bite when I saw Zhou Ni busy by the pond's edge. I called out and tossed her one.

Zhou Ni caught the bun only to toss it back. She replied coolly, "Forcibly taking things—what’s the difference between that and being a scoundrel? I won't eat it."

I was so angry I wanted to curse her. I was helping her! Those two who were trying to steal fish just now—didn't she remember how her father died?

Ugly.

But after a moment's thought, I put the bun I’d brought to my lips back into the plastic bag. I turned and tossed it to the two fish thieves beside me. "Go on. Don't let me see you again, or I'll break both your dog legs."

The two thanked me profusely and left. I sat by the pond, bored, watching Zhou Ni fish. Her presence had made my mood quite chaotic. Had I done something wrong? Why was she treating me like that?

Was she just angry about what I did last night? Maybe. I couldn’t give up halfway. If I didn't perform well now, all the effort I put into filling that water vat this morning, plus gathering a pile of firewood, would be for nothing. So, I had to keep trying.

I stood up. "I'll go down and help you catch fish."

Without waiting for Zhou Ni's reaction, I plunged headfirst into the fishpond. Damn it, the pond water was shallow; I nearly smashed my head into the silt. That would have been incredibly embarrassing. Of course, this little bit of water couldn't drown me, but ending up covered in muck would be bad.

The feeling of being in the water was more comfortable than on land, something I had experienced during the great flood in Peach Blossom Village long ago. Looking around carefully, there were no big fish left in the pond, but there were still small fish and shrimp. My speed was already far greater than the fish’s, so I caught one after another, tossing them casually onto the bank, startling Zhou Ni, who stared wide-eyed from above.

After catching over ten, I stood in the pond and asked Zhou Ni, "Is that enough? Should I clean them all out?"

Zhou Ni said, "That should be enough. I’m afraid I can’t sell them all at once, and it would be a waste to leave them. I'll catch the rest tomorrow."

"Good," I felt a secret joy. She had already planned for tomorrow, which meant she wouldn't chase me away tonight. This way, I could continue working on her mentality.

As I stood in the pond's mud talking, a tingling sensation shot up through my toes. I lifted my foot out of the water to look—good heavens, a large turtle had sunk its jaws onto my toe and wouldn't let go. For some reason, the pain wasn't as intense as it should have been. I figured my evolved nervous system still needed time to recover, which worked out for me. Otherwise, that bite would have made me weep from pain.

I brought the turtle ashore. The creature wouldn't loosen its grip once it bit down. I was afraid that pulling too hard would snap its neck off. "Zhou Ni, how much do you think such a big turtle is worth?"

Zhou Ni wasn't looking at the turtle; she anxiously asked, "Does it hurt? Just chop its head off!"

"No," I quickly stopped her. "This is strange. Judging by its size, this pond hasn't been dug long. Does this big turtle eat the Fruit of Immortality and grow an ounce a day?"

Zhou Ni said, "It might have swum over from Dragon Pool. Stop talking nonsense and be careful it doesn't damage your foot."

Turns out Zhou Ni cared about me a little. I said, "It can't damage me. Is there a hospital around here? We can sell it and get something to eat on the way home."

Zhou Ni suddenly remembered the scissors couldn't even damage that monster of a [thread/wire], so how could a turtle damage my toe? Thinking of that, her face flushed bright red. But it also made her hate the big thief in front of her even more. Her tone turned cold. "There’s one in the town. Sell the turtle, take the money, and leave. I don't want to see you again."

I sighed. "Fine, let's sell it first. Come on, let's carry the fish too. We should sell them before noon."

Zhou Ni didn't speak to me. She found a sack and packed the fish. I found a rope and tied the turtle up, dangling it. I followed silently behind Zhou Ni toward town, carrying it. Midway, a slight breeze combined with the sun quickly dried my clothes.

"The hospital is that way," Zhou Ni pointed with her hand and then ignored me again.

I didn't get angry with her; it was my own fault for acting so out of line last night. First, I'd find a sick person and sell the turtle.

A live turtle biting a living person—just that fact alone attracted a large crowd. Before long, a group gathered outside the hospital entrance, and I began my sales pitch: "Hey, folks! Freshly caught, live turtle! Anyone who doubts its vigorous life force, look here! I sacrificed my own big toe to verify it—its vitality index reaches 99.999999 percent! This rare, once-in-a-lifetime wonder turtle is a premium tonic for strengthening the body and prolonging life! I'm just collecting some medical fees. If any of you have sick elderly relatives, hurry up and buy one! This is the only one, gone once it sells!"

After shouting a few lines, a man in his forties actually asked, "Young man, how much are you selling it for?"

I replied, "I’m not selling it myself; I’m selling this turtle. Since you look sincere, take it for three hundred yuan. If I took this turtle to the county seat, I guarantee you’d sell it for five hundred. If I took it to the capital, I guarantee it’d sell for a thousand."

The man exclaimed, "Three hundred yuan for a turtle! Are you robbing me?"

Actually, I wasn't asking for too much. This big turtle weighed over three jin (about 1.5 kg). If sold in the capital, it would be worth fifteen hundred. Natural wild turtles are superior to farmed ones—pure, green food! But given the low living standards here, selling it for less is fine. Anyway, I needed some money first to buy a few buns to fill my stomach.

"Boss, you think three hundred is expensive? If you took this turtle to give as a gift to a leader, what business wouldn't get done?"

An older woman suddenly chimed in from the side, "This turtle really is strong; it’s been biting for so long and hasn't let go. Fine, I'll buy it. My old man is currently hospitalized, I’ll buy it to nourish him."

The man was unhappy. He snapped, "Are you a Bietuo [turtle supporter]? Are you deliberately trying to mess with me?"

The turtle was called a bie (turtle/soft-shelled turtle). Those selling socks have watuo (sock supporters); those selling shoes have xietuo (shoe supporters). Since I was selling a bie, I naturally had a Bietuo.

The older woman retorted, "How can a man your age speak like that? You're the Bietuo! Whoever wants to buy it can buy it. If you don't want to buy it, stop shouting!"

As she spoke, the woman took out three hundred yuan and handed it to me. "Big brother, I’m buying it, so no one can accuse me of being your Bietuo. Hurry up and get your toe out; don't let my turtle suffocate."

Once I had the money, it was easy to talk. I pinched the turtle’s head and pulled hard. Gepeng, gepeng—I figured all its teeth were ruined, but of course, it couldn't bite my toe anymore. "Take care of it, ma'am. I need to find a place to get my foot checked. I’m leaving now."

The man yelled from the side, "I was going to buy it first! How could you sell it to her?"

I couldn't care less about that. I squeezed through the crowd and ran. There was a small market ahead. I had noticed Zhou Ni carrying the fish in that direction. When I got there, sure enough, she was standing there staring blankly at the pile of fish.

I flashed the three red bills in my hand at her, then pulled out two and handed them to her. "This turtle is yours. I'll take a commission for catching and selling it."

Zhou Ni, however, didn't appreciate my gesture. "I don't want it. My family doesn't raise turtles. Take the money and hurry back to Beijing."