Chapter 141: Oh no, I'm going to get fat

Zhong Di followed Shao Hong to another guest room, and sure enough, there was a large rat hole, along with eggshells and chicken feathers scattered about.

The situation was immediately clear. Zhong Di’s temper flared instantly. "Damn it, they’re even raiding my eggs? These rats have really gotten out of hand!"

"After finding the shells and feathers, I did a headcount of the chickens. The adults seem fine, but I’m certain a few chicks are missing. I’ll have to count them more carefully later," Shao Hong added, noticing the dark look on Zhong Di’s face.

"Yes, make sure you get an accurate count." Zhong Di gnashed his teeth in frustration. Rats were good for nothing but spreading disease and wreaking havoc. If that were all, perhaps it could be endured, but their terrifying reproductive rate made the situation truly difficult to manage.

"What should we do? Should we use poison or electric traps?" Shao Hong suggested, though he felt doubtful about these methods himself.

"No, poison isn't reliable. If a guest’s child accidentally eats it, that would be a disaster. Electric traps are out of the question, too—they aren't effective enough, and they pose a risk to the customers. Even if we only use them at night, we might accidentally kill wild rabbits or weasels."

These were standard solutions, but as Shao Hong asked and Zhong Di answered, they were essentially filtering out impractical ideas. It was a way of processing the problem that, while not providing an immediate answer, definitely sped up the decision-making process.

"How about we keep a few cats?" Shao Hong suggested again. With a rat infestation, a natural predator was the best solution.

"Alright, I'll look into it. Let's go with that for now." Keeping cats was indeed the best approach. If no other solution presented itself, they would have to rely on them. Zhong Di had no intention of getting expensive, pedigreed cats; those were pampered pets that might end up running away from the rats. He needed common, local farm cats—the kind that were legendary for their mousing skills. Still, looking at the scale of the infestation, he doubted a few cats would be enough. It was going to be tough.

After discussing the finer details, the two went back to their respective tasks. Since the problem was already there, worrying wouldn't solve it. They worked until the end of the shift while it was still bright out, and then Zhong Di sent everyone home.

"Clock out, clock out! What’s with the overtime?" Zhong Di thought to himself. "It’s absurd to force three days' worth of work into two."

He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The staff had wanted to keep working, but Zhong Di insisted they stop, often muttering strange things. "Work is for the sake of living. If you lose your life to work, what’s the point?" or, "No overtime allowed. Overtime means double pay, and that’s a loss for me. Forty hours a week is the regulation—you can't work more than that."

The staff found this baffling. They were already paid top-tier wages, and an eight-hour day was standard, not the ten-hour shifts they were used to. Eventually, with Zhong Tian’s mediation, they headed home. They had grown accustomed to this routine by now, and since the benefits were so good, they worked even harder during their shifts—often completing more in eight hours than they used to in ten. This was exactly what puzzled Zhong Di: the drive to cram three days of labor into two was simply illogical.

"Zhong Di, we’re heading out too. The food today was so fragrant! Oh no, I’m going to get fat. What should I do?" Su Rou seized the chance to chat while her parents headed to the car and she settled the bill. She waited internally for him to reassure her, to say she wasn't fat at all and that her figure was perfect, but Zhong Di just looked surprised. If she knew she’d get fat, why couldn't she control herself? What did that have to do with him?

"Uh... you will get fat. Maybe try exercising more and don't go to sleep right after eating." Zhong Di offered what he considered a sensible answer. He believed in walking after a meal to aid digestion. If you just lie down, fat accumulates.

Su Rou: "..."

"Goodbye." She left immediately, feeling annoyed. Was she fat? Everyone said she had a great figure! She was one meter sixty-eight, weighed just over fifty kilograms—the perfect balance.

Watching her go, Zhong Di was baffled by her sudden irritation. "Maybe it's that time of the month," he mused. He didn't dwell on it and returned to his chores.

"What should we eat tonight?" Shao Hong asked while tossing hay for the sheep.

Ever since they had their first late-night snack, the two had kept the habit. They usually ate things that weren't heavy staples—things like seafood or barbecue.

"I remember we caught a grass carp today. How about grilled fish?" Zhong Di had a sudden inspiration. The fish had been caught and kept in a barrel to observe if there were any changes; it had turned out well, as the fish was remarkably lively. It wasn't large, barely over a pound, but grilled fish wasn't just about the fish—it was about the side dishes.

"Grilled fish? Sure! It's been a while," Shao Hong’s eyes lit up.

They prepared quickly, with Zhong Di grilling and Shao Hong getting the side dishes and seasonings ready—kelp, enoki mushrooms, bean curd sheets, and lotus root were essential. Fortunately, they always kept these in stock.

Soon, the meal was ready. They enjoyed the grilled fish, savoring the feeling of the constantly simmering, spicy, and savory broth that soaked into the vegetables. Every bite was an explosion of flavor. Neither of them treated it as a full meal; it was the kind of food that made you feel full momentarily, only to leave you hungry again later.

When night fell completely, they cleaned up. It had been a satisfying meal.

*Knock, knock.*

The weasel had arrived for its eggs. Zhong Di had prepared them in advance, placing them on the ground along with some chicken innards. Yu Sheng’s palate had become increasingly picky, and he no longer ate the innards, so Zhong Di had decided to see if the weasel would take them.

Wait... a weasel? A brilliant idea suddenly struck Zhong Di.