Er Gou, life in the countryside is so carefree!

Seeing his sister-in-law's nervous expression, Chen Ergou suppressed his mischievous thoughts.

Although he's a rascal, he knows how to care for people. It's one thing to deliberately scare the black snake, but it's quite another to actually make his sister-in-law worry.

He loosened his grip on Zhang Qiaofen's hand and instead gently straightened her collar, which had been ruffled by the wind, his tone softening:

"Okay, I'll listen to you, sister-in-law. It's late, the dew is heavy, and there are a lot of mosquitoes in the field. You should go back first."

Zhang Qiaofen was taken aback, not expecting Er Gou to be so obedient, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart. She looked up at the increasingly composed man in the moonlight:

"And what about you? Aren't you going to reply?"

"I'll stay a little longer and observe the water flow. Besides..."

Chen Ergou's lips curled into a wicked smile, his eyes glancing intentionally or unintentionally at the haystack:

"It looks like a big field mouse has gotten into the field. If I don't get rid of it, I'm afraid it will steal our melons."

Zhang Qiaofen thought he was joking and gave him a reproachful look:

"Nonsense, where would you find such a big field mouse? You should go home early, don't overwork yourself."

After saying that, she took one last deep look at Chen Ergou before reluctantly turning and leaving.

……

Inside the haystack.

The black snake curled up into a ball, not daring to breathe.

When Chen Ergou said "big field mouse" just now, she felt that his gaze was like X-ray vision, piercing straight into her.

"That bastard...did he even notice me?"

Black Snake was in a state of turmoil. Her internal energy was sealed, and her body was sore and numb from maintaining one position for so long. In addition, the haystack was stuffy and poorly ventilated, making her feel like she had been pulled out of the water, and she was in terrible discomfort.

Once Zhang Qiaofen's footsteps had completely disappeared, the surroundings returned to a deathly silence.

Only the occasional croaking of frogs in the distance and the thunderous thumping of the black snake's own heartbeat remained.

Sudden.

"Phew~"

The sound of Chen Ergou stretching could be heard from outside.

Immediately following was the sound of footsteps.

One step, two steps, three steps...

The footsteps were neither hurried nor slow, yet they seemed to tread on the heart of the black snake, growing closer and closer until they stopped in front of the haystack.

Black Snake held his breath, his palms covered in cold sweat.

"Splash!"

Before she could react, the thick layer of straw above her head was suddenly ripped off, and blinding moonlight poured in instantly.

Black Snake instinctively raised her hand to shield her eyes, only to see Chen Ergou looking down at her with his signature roguish smile on his face, waving a foxtail grass in his hand.

"Hey, isn't this so-and-so? Are you here to keep me from hatching chicks?"

"you……"

Black Snake crawled out of the scattered haystack looking disheveled. Her once cool and stylish tight leather outfit was now covered in bits of grass, her hair was a mess, and her face was covered in mud and grime. She was nowhere near the image of a top assassin.

"Chen Ergou! You...you found out all along?!"

The black snake was furious, feeling ashamed of being made a fool of.

"nonsense!"

Chen Ergou squatted down and looked at her as if she were a fool:

"Your breathing was like a bellows; I could hear it from two miles away. How about that? Did you enjoy listening to that? Did you think you were going to see a good show?"

"You... shameless!"

Black Snake's face flushed red, and recalling the wild thoughts he had just had inside, he became even angrier:

"Kill me or torture me, it's all up to you! A scholar can be killed but not humiliated!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, quite fierce."

Chen Ergou stood up, his joking expression vanishing, his eyes instantly turning sharp:

"Kill you? That would be too easy on you. Besides, this is a society governed by law. I'm a law-abiding citizen; I don't do things like fighting and killing."

He pointed to the 120 acres of lush vegetable garden at his feet:

"Since you're here, don't expect to leave empty-handed. I happen to need someone to look after this place."

"You want me to... be your bodyguard?!"

Black Snake's eyes widened, as if she had heard something utterly unbelievable. She was a top-fifty assassin, her appearance fee was in the millions!

"What's wrong? Did I make you feel uncomfortable?"

Chen Ergou snorted coldly, and a powerful aura suddenly erupted from his body—the pressure of a cultivator of the Dragon King Technique—which directly made the black snake unable to breathe.

"Black Snake, you'd better understand your situation. Your life is now in my hands. Letting you watch the melons is a chance for you to atone for your sins."

He stepped forward, stared into the black snake's eyes, and said, word by word:

"Your task tonight is to guard this land. If a wild boar or badger sneaks in and eats my melons, or if someone steals a single vegetable..."

Chen Ergou pointed towards the village entrance, his smile sending chills down one's spine:

"I'll strip you out of that leather jacket... Don't get the wrong idea, I mean I'll tie you up like a dumpling, hang you on that crooked tree at the village entrance, put a sign that says 'Melon Thief,' and let people display you for three days and three nights!"

"How dare you!" Black Snake trembled with rage.

"You'll see if I dare," Chen Ergou raised an eyebrow. "Try it if you don't believe me."

After saying that, Chen Ergou patted the grass clippings off his hands, turned around and left, leaving behind only a casual remark:

"Work hard, and if you do a good job, I'll reward you with a cucumber tomorrow morning. It's good for your skin, and it'll help calm your irritable face."

Watching Chen Ergou's dashing departure, Black Snake stomped his feet in anger, but there was nothing he could do.

She gritted her teeth, looking at the crops that were growing unusually lush in this season, feeling both frustrated and shocked.

"Let's look at the melons! Chen Ergou, you just wait, once I break through your acupoints, I'll definitely... I'll definitely burn this melon patch down!"

Although they talk tough, their actions tell a different story.

Black Snake walked dejectedly to the highest rock at the edge of the field, squatted down like a wronged wife, and warily watched the movements around it.

It's unbelievable that a top-tier assassin like her has been reduced to being a gossipmonger!

If this gets out, how will I ever be able to survive in the underworld again!

At this moment, Chen Ergou, who had walked away, turned back and glanced at the figure that looked particularly desolate in the moonlight, and chuckled.

Now that we have the raw materials for this skincare product, we also have free expert security guards.

All is ready except for the opportunity.

Tomorrow will be the day to realize our grand ambitions!