Chapter 28
A small stone naturally wouldn't cause Zhou Shiqing any harm, but Qiao also expressed his anger. Taking advantage of Ji Fang holding him back, he picked up another stone and threw it at him with a fierce and annoyed expression.
Ji Fang pulled the agitated Qiao Ye back, "Stop fooling around, take off your clothes."
Zhou Shiqing, with his hands behind his back, watched with considerable amusement: "Hey, it can actually understand human speech, and it has quite a temper. Interesting!"
Li Cheng hesitated for a moment, then finally couldn't help but say, "This primitive man was rescued by our general from the primitive man hot pot restaurant. He was covered in blood when he ran out of the slaughterhouse. He's very smart and knows what you mean."
Zhou Shiqing said "Oh," and then praised, "No wonder you're so brave. You escaped death. It seems that people and things are similar; a brush with death can enlighten one's mind."
After saying that, Zhou Shiqing sat down and continued fishing leisurely.
Ji Fang stripped Qiao naked, and Qiao was embarrassed. He didn't want anyone other than his master to see him, so he insisted on pulling Ji Fang to cover him.
As Ji Fang poured water on him to wash away the mud, he said, "Nobody's watching you. You're just a primitive human. Where did you learn this? And you're shy about letting us see you, huh?"
Qiao ignored what he said and insisted that Ji Fang block her way. She then washed herself by the lake, and Ji Fang helped her wash. When he touched Qiao's wound, Qiao hissed and gasped for breath.
Ji Fang noticed a bloodstain on his arm and gently cleaned it for him. "Serves you right for being naughty," Ji Fang scolded. After washing Qiao Ye, he slapped him on the buttock as a punishment to teach him a lesson.
Qiao also covered his lower abdomen to prevent exposure, his expression conflicted. His master treated him like his grandmother treated him when he was a child. When he was naughty, his grandmother would grab him and spank him.
But that was when he was five or six years old! Now he's such a grown adult, and this scene is happening again. He's a little bewildered.
His owner seems like such a cold and aloof person, and is quite silent and calm around others, so why is he so casual with his pet?
Joe felt he needed to protest in Cohen; it was the bottom line he could bring himself to do. He was holding it in, but in the end, he bit his tongue and swallowed the words back down.
"I can't say it, I can't say it, or I'll be roasted and eaten like a monster," Qiao muttered to herself, trying to calm her impulse.
Ji Fang helped him clean the pet clothes, then carried Qiao Ye back. Qiao Ye wasn't wearing any clothes either. He hugged Ji Fang, his back facing outwards, burying his face in the crook of his neck. His wet hair rubbed against Ji Fang's face, leaving water all over his skin.
Knowing Qiao's habit of needing to wear clothes, Ji Fang asked Li Cheng to get one of his shirts from the car. Qiao didn't get out of Ji Fang's arms until he was wearing the shirt.
Qiao also wore Ji Fang's clothes and put on the shoes that hadn't gotten wet from being left on the shore, just like a child. Although being in neutral didn't make her feel safe, it was better than being naked. Given the special circumstances, she couldn't worry too much about it.
Then Qiao was no longer allowed to run around. Li Cheng was thoughtful and prepared food and snacks for the original inhabitants. Qiao was thinking of saving his stomach for fresh crabs and grilled fish, so he just took the snacks and sat next to Ji Fang to eat and pass the time.
After finishing with Qiao Ye's business, Ji Fang sat down to fish again. The bait he had put in the water earlier had been eaten, so he rebaited it and put it back in the water.
Zhou Shiqing looked at the Yuan Ren wearing a green shirt and said with some disapproval, "You really treat this little guy like a child? You even dress him up."
Ji Fang said, "He wanted to wear it himself; he knows what shame is."
Zhou Shiqing clicked his tongue twice, finding this primitive man increasingly interesting.
A short while later, Zhou Shiqing's fishing rod stirred, and another fish took the bait. This fish was even bigger than the previous one, and it took Zhou Shiqing some effort to reel it in.
Ji Fang's fishing rod remained motionless, and Qiao also looked at the distant float and found it completely still.
The fishing spot he had dug must have attracted the fish by now. Zhou Shiqing was lucky; not long after, another fish took the bait.
Zhou Shiqing caught three fish in a row, while Ji Fang hadn't made a move yet. He pulled up his fishing rod, and the bait was still on it.
We're all fishing in the same spot, using the same bait, yet there's such a big difference. Does fishing really depend on luck and who you are?
Zhou Shiqing, carrying the fish, laughed triumphantly and teased Ji Fang, "Oh, as expected of someone with the titles 'Living Yama' and 'Ghost's Bane,' this fish is going to avoid you. It seems that Commander Ji is going to have his subordinates and you go hungry!"
Ji Fang continued casting his fishing rod, his attitude completely unaffected by Zhou Shiqing. Li Cheng brought over some tea, and Ji Fang picked it up, took a sip, and said, "The time isn't right yet. The fish that come first are small fish; the big fish are yet to come."
Zhou Shiqing laughed heartily, saying expectantly, "Then I'll be waiting for you to catch a big fish."
Qiao also felt anxious when he saw that his master hadn't caught a single fish and was being ridiculed. He stared at the float, thinking that he would alert his master as soon as there was any movement.
Just then, a gentle breeze came by, and Joe noticed that the buoy had moved. He excitedly patted his owner's leg to get his attention.
Ji Fang saw a fish take the bait, lifted the fishing rod, and the thing hooked on the bottom of the water looked very heavy. Ji Fang stood up and slowly reeled in the line. When the "fish" floated to the surface and was dragged ashore, it turned out to be the wreckage of a mecha.
A pile of scrap metal was pulled ashore, and Qiao sighed in frustration. Zhou Shiqing, on the other hand, grinned from ear to ear and mocked Ji Fang, "Is this the big fish you caught? It would be quite an achievement if Commander Ji could catch a whole set of mecha parts!"
Ji Fang remained expressionless, but inwardly he sighed. His biologically immune constitution meant even fish rejected him. He glanced at Qiao Ye; only Ling Mu was an exception, willing to get close to him.
Zhou Shiqing narrowed his eyes slightly and suddenly proposed a bet: "Commander Ji, if you can catch a fish today, I'll give you an island, how about it?"
Ji Fang raised his eyebrows, seemingly interested: "Oh? What if I don't catch any fish today?"
Zhou Shiqing pointed at Qiao Ye and said, "If you can't catch it, you can give me your original human body. How about it? Commander Ji, you wouldn't be too scared to accept the challenge, would you?"
Li Cheng was getting a little anxious. The general was known to be immune to biological threats. Even at the border, the monsters would almost always avoid him. The general could defeat those terrifying monsters by himself. It seemed that even the fish in the water were selectively avoiding the general's bait.
Zhou Shiqing must have known about this characteristic of a general for a long time, and his bet now must be intentional.
If this is agreed to, and the general loses the original man, then Zhou Shiqing is the kind of person who likes to kill the original man to reward the soldiers, how can that be allowed!
“General, if a person is given away after recognizing a master, they will fall ill or even die. This gamble is meaningless!” Li Cheng couldn’t help but speak up.
Ji Fang raised his hand to signal Li Cheng to shut up. Li Cheng knew he had said too much and could only stand there anxiously.
Zhou Shiqing continued to provoke: "How about it? My island was a gift from my father on my coming-of-age birthday. It's famous for its pearls, so I'll call it South Pearl Island. I guarantee you'll make a profit."
Ji Fang stopped, cast the fishing rod out again, and said with a half-smile, "Alright, Commander Zhou is into making bets. Don't go back on your word if you lose."
Zhou Shiqing smiled slyly: "Am I, Zhou, such a person as to break my promise? Well then, let's see how lucky Commander Ji is." He then glanced at Qiao Ye, his expression full of confidence, "Good boy, wait until you follow me, I'll feed you well and make you plump!"
Qiao cursed inwardly. He didn't want to become a fat man. This person was definitely up to no good, actually coveting him. This was intolerable!
But is his owner really not afraid of losing? If he really loses, will he really give him away to someone else?
He was just a pet. Compared to political favors, giving away a primitive human as a gift was a trivial matter to the Cohen people.
In the eyes of the Cohen people, he was nothing more than a beast.
Thinking about this, Joe also felt sad about his fate.
Ji Fang noticed that his pet had stopped eating its treats and was sitting listlessly, as if it had been abandoned. He patted its head and said, "Don't worry, your master won't let you lose to anyone else. Come on, sit in front of me and help me hold the fishing rod."
Qiao also moved to help Ji Fang hold the fishing rod, then stared intently at the float with some worry, especially after Zhou Shiqing caught another big fish, this worry turned into anxiety.
Ji Fang withdrew his spiritual power and said to Qiao Ye, "Focus on this. You stay here and I'm going to use the restroom."
Qiao nodded blankly, and after Ji Fang left, she focused intently on the buoy.
Fishing is indeed a test of patience, but fortunately Qiao is also quite patient. Since this concerns whether he will be sent away, he dares not be distracted and doesn't even notice that Ji Fang behind him hasn't returned for a long time.
Just as Joe was staring at the buoy on the water until his eyes were about to blur, he noticed that the buoy was shaking violently—the fish was coming!
When he turned around, he found that his owner was not there and Li Cheng was in the distance. He dared not shout loudly for fear of scaring the fish away, and he was also afraid that the fish would eat the bait and run away, thus losing the opportunity.
Qiao was extremely anxious. When the float suddenly lost its weight and started to float, Qiao couldn't hold back any longer. He had fishing experience and knew that at this moment, it was very likely that a fish had taken the bait. He suddenly lifted the fishing rod and immediately felt a huge pulling force.
The fishing rod had completed a semi-circle, the fishing line was taut, and Qiao felt the force pulling him down. Overjoyed, Qiao knew it was a big fish! His master had caught one!
But why hasn't his master arrived yet? Qiao was in a daze at this moment and didn't think of shouting loudly.
Joe was also locked in a fierce battle with the big fish. He felt a sense of crisis and gritted his teeth. No matter what, he would not let go!
Sure enough, the big fish struggled, and Qiao, along with the fishing rod, was dragged into the water with a splash.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com