My baby is two and a half years old. Daddy, hurry up and make some milk!

The midday sun hung high in the sky, its blazing rays pouring over the rice paddies, scorching the wild grass along the ridges until its leaves drooped. The air was thick with scalding steam, carrying with it the sweet, pungent smell of mud, rice seedlings, and river water.

Water splashed and popped incessantly in the shallow ditch by the field. Several teenagers bent over, squatted on the slippery muddy bank, and probed their fingertips into the murky shallow water, groping for crayfish hidden under the rocks and water plants.

In the very center of the crowd, a round little ball of mud stood out conspicuously.

Le Bao and a group of friends spent the whole morning catching crayfish. The sun was getting hotter and hotter, but the little guys seemed not to feel the heat and continued to work hard in the field.

The little guy rolled up his trouser legs, his fair little legs were already covered in brown mud, and his once fluffy pigtails were stuck to his reddened forehead with bits of grass and mud.

The pink sandals on her feet had cracked at the top while wading through the water early in the morning, and most of the shoelaces had broken off. She simply kicked them aside and stepped barefoot into the cool mud.

"Le Bao, there's a big guy under these rocks! Its pincers are bright red, and it's incredibly strong!"

The little boy, Gouzi, who was herding cattle next door, lay by the ditch and called to her in a low voice, gently parting the water plants covering the surface of the water with his little hands.

Le Bao's eyes lit up instantly. He kicked his short legs through the mud and took a few steps to get closer. Without hesitation, he put his chubby little hands into the water. Just as his fingertips touched the hard shrimp shell, they were suddenly pinched by a large pincer.

"Ouch—it hurts!"

The little girl frowned, but didn't pull her hand back at all. Instead, she gritted her teeth, pinched the crayfish's head with her other hand, and pulled it up forcefully.

A small, palm-sized, red-shelled crayfish with its claws outstretched was forcibly pulled out of the water and flailed its limbs wildly in the air.

"Wow, Le Bao, you're amazing! You're not even afraid of pain!"

The other children nearby erupted in cheers and applause.

Le Bao raised his muddy little face, his lips curled up high, and proudly shook the crayfish in his hand before casually stuffing it into the woven plastic bag at his feet.

Ouch, that really hurts!

The chubby boy secretly put his hands behind his back and rubbed them back and forth.

The bag was bulging, filled with crayfish of all sizes, the result of everyone's hard work throughout the morning.

"It's so hot! My mom's calling us home for dinner from the village entrance!"

A little girl with pigtails straightened up, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and turned to look at the heavy bag in Le Bao's hand.

"Here, take all of this. We eat it often. Take it home and have your family cook it for you."

As soon as he finished speaking, the children dumped all the crayfish from their baskets into Le Bao's plastic bag.

In a short while, the bag, which was originally half full, bulged out, and the crayfish weighed a good two or three pounds, hanging heavily in Le Bao's hand.

Thank you!

Le Bao smiled broadly, her eyes crinkling, and sweetly thanked him.

"I'll come visit you guys again this afternoon!"

"It's a deal! We'll be waiting for you at our usual spot!"

The children waved goodbye and ran off in twos and threes toward the village entrance, leaving only Le Bao squatting on the edge of the field.

The little girl looked down at the bag full of crayfish, feeling very happy.

Thinking about the delicious spicy crayfish I'd be enjoying that evening, my steps felt lighter and lighter.

She bent down, picked up her broken sandals, gripped the sandal strap with one hand, and tightly carried the plastic bag containing crayfish with the other. With her short legs striding proudly, she headed towards the cement road leading to the Zheng family's courtyard.

Having just gotten used to the cool, soft mud, the moment I stepped onto the cement road, a wave of scorching heat shot straight from my feet to my head.

The cement road, exposed to the scorching sun for hours at midday in the sweltering summer heat, reached an astonishing temperature, like a red-hot iron plate scorching the delicate soles of the feet.

Le Bao suddenly stood on tiptoe, his little body instinctively jumped, and then his left and right feet quickly alternated kicking. His round body twisted and swayed on the empty road, just like a little fat penguin that had burned its paws, jumping around in place.

The plastic bag swayed gently as she shook it, and the crayfish inside rubbed against the plastic walls with a soft rustling sound.

"Hot! Hot! Hot!!"

The little girl muttered to herself, trying to quicken her pace to escape the scorching pavement, but the faster she rushed, the more chaotic her steps became, and her comical dance moves became more and more obvious.

Just then, the sound of a sputtering engine came from afar, and a light gray farm tricycle slowly drove up.

Shen Shilan, sitting in the driver's seat, held the handlebars with one hand and rested the other on his knee. His straw hat was pulled low to block out the glaring sunlight.

My gaze casually swept across the road, then instantly settled on the little dumpling covered in mud, hopping and skipping along the road.

The tricycle braked slowly, its tires making a slight rubbing sound as they rolled over the road.

Shen Shilan stepped off the car seat, crossed her arms, and raised an eyebrow, looking at the flustered Le Bao in front of her with a playful expression.

"Lu Anle, where have you been gallivanting off to this time? You're covered in mud, like a little mud monkey, hopping around in the middle of the street. What kind of dance are you doing?"

When Le Bao heard the familiar voice, she stopped jumping and puffed out her cheeks, looked up at him with her chin held high, and looked defiant.

"Hmph, I wasn't fooling around! I went to catch crayfish in the rice paddies and ditches!"

She shook the heavy plastic bag in her hand, and the crayfish inside made a soft rustling sound as they collided.

Shen Shilan's gaze fell on the bulging plastic bag, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He bent down and reached out to weigh the bag, his fingertips touching the cold plastic shell.

"Wow, that's impressive! There must be two or three pounds of crayfish here. Did you catch them all?"

Le Bao snorted coldly, proudly raising her head, and didn't reply.

Suddenly, the chubby boy's eyes lit up.

"Uncle, I have something good to show you."

She pursed her lips, pretended to be mysterious as she leaned closer to Shen Shilan, tugged at his clothes with her chubby little hand, and lowered her voice.

Shen Shilan raised an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity rising in her heart.

"What good stuff is it? Why are you being so mysterious?"

"Close your eyes first, don't peek, and hold out your hand."

Le Bao stood on tiptoe, pushing his arm with her little hands, urging him to raise his hand.

"Alright, I'd like to see what good stuff it is!"

After confirming that her uncle's eyes were closed, a sly glint flashed in Le Bao's eyes. She quickly reached into the corner of the plastic bag, pinched the slender body of the little green snake with her fingertips, carefully lifted it out, and gently placed it in Shen Shilan's outstretched palm.

The cool, slippery touch instantly adhered to the skin, the slender body wriggled slightly, carrying the damp coolness of grass and water stains, the snake's tongue flicked in and out quickly, sweeping across the lines of the palm.

Shen Shilan's fingertips suddenly stiffened, a tingling discomfort rising in her heart. She frowned and muttered under her breath:

"What is that? It's cold and slippery, is it a loach? Or an eel?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze falling on his palm, his pupils contracting sharply.

A small, bluish-green snake was coiled in his palm, its tiny head slightly raised, its forked tongue constantly moving, and its pair of bright black vertical pupils staring straight at him.

"ah--!"

A sharp cry of alarm pierced Shen Shilan's throat, and the hairs on her body stood on end instantly, with a layer of fine goosebumps crawling all over her arms and the back of her neck.

On a conditioned reflex, he suddenly flung his hand, violently sending the small green snake flying from his palm.

The little snake drew an arc in the air, crashed heavily into the roadside grass, and instantly disappeared into the depths of the water plants.

Shen Shilan froze on the spot, his palms rubbing together unconsciously, as if trying to wipe away the slippery feeling remaining on his palms.

A cold sweat broke out on my back, my heart pounded wildly, and fear and anger mingled together, surging into my heart.

"Lu Anle!"

Shen Shilan gritted her teeth, her voice filled with suppressed anger, and turned to look at the chubby boy beside her, who was covering his mouth, trying not to laugh, and whose shoulders were shaking uncontrollably:

"I'm going to make you taste what it's like to have your ass split in two today!"

When Le Bao saw his uncle get angry, his smile vanished instantly, and he turned around and ran away on his short legs.

The cement floor, which had been so hot that she was jumping around, now seemed to have lost its scorching heat.

With his survival instincts blazing, the chubby boy moved nimbly, his round body twisting and turning as he sprinted towards the Zheng family's courtyard.

"Don't run! Stop!"

Shen Shilan bent down, picked up a tree branch of moderate thickness from the roadside, held it in his hand, and strode after it, leaving the tricycle behind and not bothering to watch over it at all.

On the highway, a comical chase scene officially began.

Ahead was a chubby little girl, barefoot and covered in mud, running wildly while glancing back every now and then, her dark eyes darting around to gauge the distance to her pursuers.

Behind them, the tall Shen Shilan held a tree branch, chasing and cursing.

"Lu Anle, you stop right there! I'll beat you until you cry, or I'll change my surname to yours!"

"I was wrong, Uncle! It was just a joke!"

Le Bao ran while shouting back, her short legs moving incredibly fast, her loose braids swinging behind her head.

Just then, several villagers carrying farm tools, on their way home for lunch, happened to pass by the road at the village entrance. Seeing this scene from afar, they all stopped and watched with great interest.

"Hey, isn't this Old Zheng's son-in-law, young Shen? Why are you chasing after that little girl?"

"Judging from this, the little girl must have gotten into trouble and angered her uncle."

"I just saw the little girl carrying a bag of crayfish. Could she be playing a trick on someone with the fish and shrimp?"

The chatter reached her ears intermittently, and Le Bao's cheeks flushed slightly. She ran even faster, wanting nothing more than to rush back to the yard and hide behind her aunt, grandparents, and great-aunt.

The footsteps behind me grew closer.

Le Bao rushed into the Zheng family's courtyard, pushed the door open with a bang, and tried to close it behind him, but he was too weak and the wooden door was blocked by Shen Shilan who followed closely behind.

The little girl dashed into the living room and bumped into Ranran, who was carrying a plate of vegetables out of the kitchen, along with Zheng's parents.

"Auntie! Grandma and Grandpa! Help! My uncle is going to hit me!"

Le Bao rushed up behind Ran Ran, his chubby little hands tightly gripping Ran Ran's clothes. He peeked out half his head, looking timidly at Shen Shilan who had just entered the room, but there was still a hint of smugness in his eyes. He secretly stuck out his tongue and made a face at Shen Shilan.

Ranran put down the plate of food in her hand, her brows furrowed slightly, and she raised her hand to protect the little dumpling behind her.

He looked up at Shen Shilan, who was still breathing heavily and clutching a tree branch in his hand:

"Shen Shilan, what are you doing? Are you trying to scare the child with a tree branch?"

Upon hearing the sound, Zheng's mother quickly walked to Le Bao's side, reached out and touched the little girl's mud-covered face, then turned to look at her son-in-law:

"Shi Lan, let's talk this out. What kind of behavior is this, resorting to sticks?"

Shen Shilan threw away the branch in her hand, her chest still rising and falling slightly. She walked up to the group and raised her hand to rub her throbbing temples.

"Ask this little devil what she did; she caught a snake."

"snake?"

Ranran's pupils contracted, and she subconsciously looked at Le Bao.

The chubby boy glanced guiltily at his aunt and lowered his head.

"Go ahead and hit me."

Ranran stepped aside, exposing Le Bao behind her.

This little girl is getting bolder and bolder. What if it's poisonous?

It's time to teach her a lesson.

Le Bao stared wide-eyed at her aunt.

No, there's no love left, is that it?

"Run, huh? You're supposed to be a fast runner, aren't you?"

Without Ranran's obstruction, Shen Shilan grabbed Le Bao by the collar, placed her across his lap, and slapped her buttocks several times.

"Waaaaah, Uncle, I was wrong, I'll never do it again!"

The chubby boy then realized that his uncle was really angry.

My aunt doesn't care about me anymore, and my grandparents won't help me either.

"If there's a next time, it won't be as simple as just a few slaps."

Seeing the chubby boy cry, Shen Shilan felt sorry for him.

But he still wanted to teach the little brat a lesson.

He wasn't angry that the kid was scared, but that the little brat had absolutely no sense of safety.

Mr. Zheng walked to the side, picked up the plastic bag full of crayfish from the corner, opened it to take a look, and then looked at Le Bao:

"Girl, catching shrimp and playing in the water is fine, but you absolutely must not touch snakes, wild insects, or other small wild animals. The venom of snakes cannot be seen with the naked eye, and if you are bitten, the consequences could be unimaginable."

Le Bao lowered her head, her long eyelashes drooping: "Waaah, I know I was wrong..."

Ranran gently patted Le Bao's back and patiently and softly comforted him:

"It's good that you know you were wrong. You can't be so naughty again, okay? Go take a shower first and wash off the mud."

We'll save the crayfish for lunch and stir-fry them. As for catching the snake and scaring Uncle, you're not allowed to run around on the paddy field ridges this afternoon. Stay home, reflect on your actions, and apologize to Uncle.

"don't want"

Le Bao pouted, looking aggrieved, and tugged at Ran Ran's sleeve.

"I promised my friends we'd keep catching shrimp this afternoon."

"Make a mistake and you must accept the punishment."

Shen Shilan leaned against the door frame, arms crossed, and slowly said, "Cancel your afternoon playtime. Stay home and reflect on your actions. Finish writing one page of calligraphy practice."

The little girl, with a sullen face, reluctantly nodded, and slowly walked out from behind Ranran. She looked up at Shen Shilan and apologized in a barely audible voice:

"Uncle, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have caught the little green snake to scare you."

Seeing her listless appearance, Shen Shilan's anger completely dissipated. He reached out and ruffled her messy hair, his fingertips covered in mud, and sighed helplessly.

"If you dare touch wild snakes or poisonous insects again, not only will you be punished by practicing calligraphy, but I'll also immediately call your parents and have them come to the countryside to pick you up."

"Okay."

Le Bao raised her hand and rubbed her hair, then turned and ran to the bathroom to wash off the mud.

In the courtyard, Zheng's father carried crayfish into the kitchen, and Ranran tied on an apron and followed him to prepare the ingredients, planning to stir-fry the crayfish for lunch.

Shen Shilan sat in the rattan chair, the slippery feeling of the snake's body still lingering on her fingertips.

The rice paddies outside the door swayed in the wind, cicadas chirped incessantly, and the sun remained scorching.

The two chapters have been combined.

Hey guys, let's generate some free electricity!