CH 004 Curiosity is Unacceptable

Zhang Junshi left Chicken Nest Village with a broken heart, not even showing up to the following chicken supply pick ups.

Nie Bufan quite missed him. Without him around the amusement was somewhat lacking. Those two workers were just too vigilant. Having witnessed the tragic cases from previous visits, the two workers were as rule abiding as innocent virgin girls.

They were only there to pick up the chickens, all the while pretending to be deaf and blind to the happenings in Chicken Nest Village. There were no delightful displays of curiosity or extra time spent within the village.

“Ai~” Nie Bufan sat at the bank of the river not too far from the village, dejectedly holding a fishing rod in his hands.

At that moment, feeling movement from the bait he leisurely reeled it in, revealing a white grass carp.

Dropping the fish in a pail, he looked up at the sky before deciding to clean up and head back to the village.

He had just entered the village when he saw Tu Beng run over with a grin, “Ye, I have good news.”

“Oh? What good news?”

“The first nest of chicks have hatched, 30 in total.”

“Really? Let me go have a look.”

Tu Beng quickly followed after Nie Bufan, his eyes accidentally glimpsed the pail in Nie Bufan’s hand and he immediately had a terrified look.

Nie Bufan noticed his strange expression and also looked down. Only to see a white hen currently swimming in the pail of water……

Nie Bufan calmly picked it up and threw it to the side: “Seriously, chickens can even play in water.”

Tu Beng: “……”

When the white hen reached the ground it paddled at the air with two wet wings, causing it to be covered in mud and sand. Not too long, its eyes began to roll back only showing whites.

Seeing this, Nie Bufan snatched it up and threw it back into the pail of water. In an instant, it came back alive.

Tu Beng: “……”

Nie Bufan patted him on the shoulder and said earnestly: “At Chicken Nest Village you must learn to keep calm. It’s not like you haven’t seen strange chickens before.”

How was this just strange? It was practically beyond human comprehension, almost to demonic levels!

Nie Bufan did not bother with Tu Beng’s distress. Right after stepping inside the chicken coop he saw a flock of bright yellow fuzzballs jumping up and down on the hay.

Tu Beng smiled: “They look quite healthy. It won’t be long before they can leave the nest.”

But Nie Bufan had on a puzzled expression, head turning left and right as if looking for something.

“Ye, what’s wrong?” Tu Beng couldn’t help feeling nervous.

Nie Bufan pointed at the flock of chicks, saying seriously: “They are too normal.”

“Ah?”

“The chickens that I raise, how is it possible they are this normal?” Nie Bufan rubbed at his chin, expression solemn.

Tu Beng: “……”

Nie Bufan had Tu Beng stand at the doorway while he walked further in to investigate.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up and he ran over to a corner. Lifting up a bamboo hatch, the nest of hay inside indeed had three black chicks. Their eyes had yet to open, pitifully squeezed up against each other.

Just as he was about to touch them, a sharp beak suddenly flashed by and fiercely pecked at his hand.

Nie Bufan rapidly retracted his hand and looked up to see a black hen lightly jump down next to the chicks, a pair of chicken eyes narrowed and closely focused on him.

The meaning was clear, those who come near: die!

Nie Bufan rubbed at his hand, not at all bothered. In fact, he had on a wide and toothy grin.

Afterwards he began to search all over the coop, managing to offend all the mama chickens and in the end being kicked out of the chicken coop.

But he was quite satisfied because he found that his guess was not wrong. Mutated chickens also give birth to out of the ordinary chicks. Though their outer appearance resemble any normal chicken but their coloring was varied——reds, greens, stripes, dots, all incredibly adorable.

Hehehe, maybe in the future he could expand his business to ornamental chickens or pet chickens.

“Chicken Servant, go and have this stewed.” Nie Bufan handed the pail of water to the bewildered Tu Beng.

Tu Beng accepted the pail, bemusedly watching the chicken currently playing in the water. He asked hesistantly: “Is it edible?”

“Of course.” Nie Bufan gave him a strange look, “this is good stuff. Look at you, only having lived here for about 2 months and already built up this much pig fat and muscle. That’s all thanks to the good fengshui of our village.”

Tu Beng looked silently at his ‘pig fat and muscle’, inside he shouted: Where do you see the fat? Where do you see the fat! You can’t insult pigs this much!

But, he did have to to admit, his life at Chicken Nest Village wasn’t bad at all. The work everyday was light and he could often eat meat.

“That’s right, ye.” Tu Beng seemed to have recalled something and said, “It’s almost winter, should we stock up on some grains?”

“Hnn? The supply in the grain storage isn’t enough for the two of us?”

Tu Beng slapped his forehead: “Not us, the chickens.”

“Oh that’s right.” Nie Bufan walked leisurely towards his house.

“Ye, what do you plan to do?” Tu Beng saw his light and carefree appearance and couldn’t help silently disagree. Just exactly how did this person manage to raise alive these chickens? In this world was there even a chicken farmer more bizarre than him?

Stopping at the door Nie Bufan turned around and said: “Tomorrow we enter the city to stock up on some grain and wheat.”

Tu Beng finally had on a relieved look, so actually it turned out he did know what he was doing!

He then heard a low mumble: “En, the vegetables and fruits are all eaten, tomorrow we must buy some more.”

Tu Beng teared up: So in actuality his true motive was here waiting for him!

The next day, Nie Bufan with Tu Beng in tow and leading two chicken bodyguards entered the city.

They first went to Zhang Junshi’s shop but discovered he wasn’t there. He was a little bit disappointed, and he had even brought Dusty (that unlucky donkey turned chicken) to visit him.

Nie Bufan had Tu Beng go to other villages to stock up on some chicken feed, while he scuttled about the streets, buying anything that looked tasty and not bothering to haggle, until his money was almost all spent. Except he bought too much stuff and was feeling too lazy to carry it all. Suddenly he thought of the two workers who often came to his village to pick up chickens and he immediately had on a toothy smile.

“What? You want us to help you carry stuff?” Worker 1 stepped back, his head shaking like he had epilepsy, “no, no, no, we are very busy, very busy.”

Nie Bufan gave them a contemptuous look: “It’s not even mealtimes, what are you busy at? If Zhang Third was here, he would definitely not refuse.”

Worker 2 said weakly: “We truly are busy, truly.”

“Aw come on, I will go talk to the manager. I’ll also pay travel expenses, it won’t be for free.”

“Hai, brother Nie,” Worker 1 suggested, “in fact you can just hire a couple manual laborers to make the delivery.”

Nie Bufan gave them a sorrowful look causing the 2 workers to immediately feel the chills.

“What’s going on?” At this moment Zhang Junshi’s voice sounded.

The 2 workers immediately had on an expression of seeing their savior and quickly ran over to their boss.

“Zhang Third Gongzi, you’re back?” Nie Bufan warmly said, “It’s been a long time, how come you haven’t come to play at Chicken Nest Village?”

Zhang Junshi’s eyes were dazzled by that brilliant smile, his mouth twitching: “I’ve been busy the past few days.”

“Do you guys only use this reason to refuse others?” Nie Bufan asked curiously.

Zhang Junshi: “……”

“Zhang Third Gongzi.” Nie Bufan familiarly hooked an arm over his shoulders, “we can be considered business mates, in the future there will be many chances to meet and look after each other. Don’t tell me you won’t even help out on such a little matter?”

The instant Nie Bufan moved closer, Zhang Junshi smelled the scent of grass, like new sprouts. Though it wasn’t too aromatic but it still had a fresh and natural scent. When he talked, his breath blew past his neck leaving behind an itchy feeling and his heart like a frisky monkey, mind like a cantering horse (TN: idiom to describe an unsettled, hyperactive feeling).

Zhang Junshi’s heart skipped a beat, and he rapidly moved the other’s arm away, saying: “How about this, I’ll have the doorman lead a donkey over, and you can use the donkey to carry your packages.”

“A donkey.” Nie Bufan grinned, “do I need to return it?”

Zhang Junshi twitched: “……You can keep it.”

He recalled the donkey he lost the first time he went to Chicken Nest Village.

“You are truly a good person!” Nie Bufan gave the other a big hug before leaving in high spirits.

Zhang Junshi froze with his arms half outreached, eyes stunned, and expression a little bit……unsettled.

Nie Bufan lead the donkey loaded with packages and left carefree and unconcerned, not even saying a goodbye.

Zhang Junshi looked in the direction a certain person left in and let out a sorrowful sigh. The rays of the setting sun fell down on him and embellished him with dream-like coloring……

Gongzi did not know the taste of love, only taking boy’s love for chicken love…… (TN: jiqing or chicken love=bromance, friendship)

On this side, Nie Bufan lead his donkey on the path to Chicken Nest Village. He and Tu Beng had already agreed that they didn’t need to meet up, just directly bring the supplies back to the village.

Halfway back, the originally quiet Lady Flower suddenly clucked in the direction of a certain place in the woods. Nie Bufan casted a brief look in that direction before turning around and continued walking.

It was often said, curiosity killed the cat, therefore if one wanted to have a longer life, they should adhere to the ‘mind your own business, stay away from trouble’ mindset and live life optimistically.

Unfortunately, Nie Bufan underestimated the stubbornness of God. He had just taken a few steps when a blood soaked figure rolled out into the middle of the road, dead or alive unknown.

Nie Bufan’s expression remained calm and tranquil, preparing to step around the obstacle and continue on his way.

Just as he was about to move past, a hand suddenly grabbed at his ankle, leaving behind a red handprint.

“I say, brother,” Nie Bufan looked down at the barely breathing man at his feet and urged, “don’t struggle anymore, there’s not much to miss on Earth, it’s better to just pass on!”

The black clothed figure vomit up a gush of blood, a hand clutched at his chest and looked to soon take his last breath.

Nie Bufan crouched down and put a hand over the other’s bloodshot eyes, sighing: “Please rest in peace, I will burn some paper money for you when I get back, us strangers meeting by chance will not be in vain.”

The black clothed figure vomit up another gush of blood.

Nie Bufan did not bother with the other anymore and decided to use some strength in removing the hand clutching at his ankle.

Grudgingly, he found that the person’s hand was like an iron clasp, not even showing a hint of loosening.

“Old chap, you are almost dead, can’t you display a weaker constitution!”

The black clothed person was extremely vexed, finally saying with gritted teeth: “I won’t die just yet!”

“Well, that’s unfortunate.” Nie Bufan looked troubled.

The black clothed man glared at the human faced, beast hearted (TN: idiom for describing a malicious and duplicitous person) fellow in front of him: If you don’t save me, I will haunt you after my death!”

God only knows, he had yet to say something this pathetic his whole life.

“What kind of attitude is that for begging?”

The black clothed person did not say anything, only using his eyes to attack. Unfortunately, his injuries were too heavy and he only persisted for a short while before he fainted resentfully.

Nie Bufan pulled his foot out and used it to lightly nudge at the lump on the ground. He was at a loss for a long time, the sun had almost even finished setting, when he finally decided to bring the person with him back.

Hopefully, this person’s lifeforce was tenacious enough, otherwise having come across Nie Bufan was truly his misfortune. At that point his blood had almost all bled out……