I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chapter 171: Chapter 169: The Impatient Zhao Wenwu (Part 2)

’Oh no, it’s those humans again.’

”SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK!”

A small gray-and-white squirrel was blissfully sunbathing on a distant tree when it suddenly spotted the group of people walking below. Its fur instantly stood on end, and its tail shot straight up. Without a moment’s hesitation, it scrambled away, tumbling and crawling as it fled into the distance. Everyone heard its cries, and Zhao Wenwu’s eyes lit up as he watched it go.

”Wendong, is that the one? Is its den still around? We’re almost out of nuts at home. Let’s raid another one.”

Zhao Wendong watched the squirrel vanish in a flash. They all looked the same, so it was hard to tell from its appearance if this was the same one they had raided twice before. But from its inner voice, Zhao Wendong could tell it was indeed that same unlucky squirrel. This area must be its territory. Good thing it ran off so quickly today, or it would have tragically lost another warehouse full of nuts.

”Haha, it’s long gone. What’s the point of digging now? Let’s head to the stronghold first. We need to hurry and hunt some game.”

”Oh!”

Zhao Wenwu was a little disappointed. Wendong had already told him that the more they gathered, the faster they could build a new house, and the faster he could marry Jin Xiuying. He was really looking forward to getting married. Although he didn’t quite understand *why* he had to get a wife, he was well aware that his parents nagged him every day, worried he’d never be able to.

Therefore, Zhao Wenwu wanted to marry Jin Xiuying as soon as possible to put his parents’ minds at ease. He was no longer the soft-hearted Wenwu of the past. Now, his ruthlessness scared even himself. Worries like whether raiding a squirrel’s home would cause it to starve would never again trouble him—the new, hard-hearted Wenwu.

If that squirrel hadn’t been so fast, he—the new, hard-hearted Wenwu—would have pulled out his gun and shot it. No one could stand in the way of his plan to build a house and get a wife!

Zhao Wendong had no idea about his second brother’s inner turmoil. If he did, he would have surely given him a thumbs-up. ’The mark of a mature man is throwing your pride and kindness on the ground, then stomping on them for good measure.’

The group had just arrived at the entrance to the stronghold when, before they could even move the stone slab, General started barking.

’The fox is here.’

Hearing General’s thoughts, Zhao Wendong immediately relaxed and grinned at Zhao Wenwu.

”Second Brother, your Xiaobai is here!”

The words had barely left his mouth when a white figure shot out from a gap under the stronghold’s stone slab, bounding toward Zhao Wenwu.

”YIP YIP YIP!”

”Hahaha, Xiaobai, it’s great that you’re okay...”

Zhao Wenwu trailed off mid-sentence. With his arms still outstretched, he twisted his head to the side, eyes wide with disbelief. He watched as Xiaobai leaped past him and burrowed into the arms of Jin Xiuying, who was standing right beside him, letting out a stream of cute whimpers.

”Oh, what an adorable little fox! So you’re Xiaobai!”

Lin Zhiyin’s eyes lit up, and she couldn’t resist leaning in to pet the fox too. Zhao Wendong cringed, not because he was jealous of the little fox, but out of pure second-hand embarrassment for his brother. ’This damn, sly fox is just cruel, toying with Second Brother’s feelings like this.’

”Wendong, how many bricks can we get for a fox?”

Zhao Wenwu stared at Zhao Wendong, his eyes bloodshot. Xiaobai suddenly sensed the murderous intent coming from his direction and its fur stood on end in fright. It burrowed deeper into Jin Xiuying’s arms and even let out a pitiful whimper toward Lin Zhiyin.

”Zhao Wenwu, don’t you dare scare Xiaobai!”

”That’s right, Second Brother. Xiaobai is so adorable. You can’t trade it for bricks.”

Seeing the two women defending the fox, Zhao Wenwu looked grievously at Zhao Wendong. Zhao Wendong could only give him a look that said, ’I can’t help you.’ Zhao Wenwu shot Xiaobai a glare, huffily moved the stone slab, and prepared to enter the cave.

Zhao Wendong patted his second brother sympathetically.

”Second Brother, you know the saying, ’Only women and small-minded men are difficult to raise.’ A two-for-one deal like this is unbeatable. Just try to endure it!”

Once inside the cave stronghold, they organized their gear and stowed away the supplies they’d brought. The group then prepared to explore deeper into the mountains. Zhao Wendong remembered they had an extra Type 38 rifle, so he asked Lin Zhiyin.

”Lin Zhiyin, there’s another gun here. Do you want one?”

”Yes!”

Lin Zhiyin agreed readily. After taking the Type 38 rifle, she began proactively asking all sorts of questions about firearms. It was obvious she was very interested.

”You don’t really have to learn. I’m here, you know!”

Seeing her eagerness, Zhao Wendong actually felt a pang of regret about giving her the gun. ’My wife is the kind of badass who’d take a boat full of people out to ’see the fireworks’ without batting an eye. I’m truly afraid I’ll awaken some dormant gene or attribute of hers.’

Hearing Zhao Wendong, Lin Zhiyin immediately recalled the scene from yesterday: Jin Xiuying grabbing a gun to fight back while she could only remain helplessly in the room. She shook her head firmly.

”No, I want to learn. I’d much rather fight side-by-side with you!”

What could Zhao Wendong say? He could only pray silently that no more idiots like Li Guangming’s family would come looking for trouble. The group had just stepped out of the cave stronghold when Zhao Wendong heard Xiaobai’s voice in his head.

’I need to get the humans to help me get revenge again.’

”YIP YIP YIP, YIP YIP YIP!”

The thought had just registered when Xiaobai jumped to the ground and started yipping. It trotted a few steps ahead, then looked back at them, calling out continuously. Hearing its plan, Zhao Wendong almost burst out laughing. ’This little trickster is using us as its muscle again!’

Zhao Wendong wasn’t the only one who understood Xiaobai’s intentions. Watching the familiar scene play out, Zhao Wenjun’s eyes also lit up.

”Last time, this is how Xiaobai led us to the roe deer. Did it find another one?”

Zhao Ergou had already heard the story about Xiaobai leading them to a roe deer, and he grew excited at the prospect.

”Xiaobai is a great scout! Let’s hurry and follow it!”

Only Zhao Wenwu was still sulking. He turned his head, pointedly ignoring Xiaobai. Zhao Wendong wondered which poor bastard had managed to piss off this cunning little fox this time. The creature clearly had no qualms about using them for its own ends. But, considering it was leading them straight to prey, Zhao Wendong wasn’t going to argue.

Lately, the game in the outer regions of the mountains had become noticeably scarcer. This was possibly due to a lack of food, but the increasing number of people entering the mountains and pushing deeper into their territory was also likely a contributing factor.

”Let’s go. Let’s see what this little guy is leading us to this time!”

With Zhao Wendong’s decision made, the group started following Xiaobai deeper into the mountains. The fox would trot ahead, then stop and look back to wait for them, as if afraid its helpers would fall behind. Paired with the smug little smirk on its foxy face, it looked about as cheeky as an animal could get.

Xiaojin had become restless as soon as they entered the mountains. Zhao Wendong fed it and let it go. It had already flown off to who-knows-where, but Zhao Wendong had confidence in his eagle now. As a sovereign of the skies, it faced almost no danger in this forest.

As long as it stayed away from other humans, it would be fine, and Zhao Wendong wasn’t worried about that. Having been captured by Chen the Seventh before, Xiaojin was extremely wary of people. Even now, among the entire group, it was only close to him, completely unlike the other animals.