Chapter 52: Someone Tries to Steal Fish

Meng Laosan and Meng Laosi stared at the scene before them, speechless for a long time.

“This doesn’t make sense. We clearly heard them say they caught the fish from their own pond.”

Meng Daye smacked Meng Laosan on the head. “You fool! Just because they said so doesn’t mean it’s true. What if they didn’t actually catch the fish from here?”

“Then where did they get them from?” Meng Laosan furrowed his brows in confusion.

Meng Daye smacked his head again. “Why are you asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? Let’s go home!”

Meng Laosan and Meng Laosi, feeling deflated, turned to leave.

Just then, Madam Meng suddenly noticed something moving in the murky water. She quickly stopped them. “Old man, come and take a look! There’s really something in this pond!”

Meng Daye was startled. “Could there actually be fish?!”

Madam Meng’s face lit up with excitement. “Should we go down and check?”

Meng Laosan wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Mother, this water stinks. I’m not going in.”

Madam Meng frowned. “Look at you, such a coward! Zhou Zhao and Zhou Feng went in, but you can’t?”

Meng Laosan glanced at the slimy, foul-smelling water and felt nauseous. “Mother, it’s really too disgusting.”

Meng Laosi took a quick look as well and immediately backed up. “Yeah, Mother, let’s just go. There might not even be any fish in there.”

Madam Meng snorted. “Look at you two—useless! Those are fish! Buying one costs a lot of copper coins, and all you have to do is reach in and grab them!”

Meng Daye added, “Meng Laosan, go down and check.”

Meng Laosan and Meng Laosi hung their heads, not daring to reply.

Seeing their hesitation, Madam Meng suddenly shoved them both forward while they were off guard, sending them tumbling into the filthy pond.

The two of them splashed into the rancid water, flailing about. “Mother, what are you doing?!”

Madam Meng barked, “Hurry up and catch the fish!”

Hearing this, the two brothers had no choice but to endure the overwhelming stench and start searching for fish in the water.

As ripples spread across the pond’s surface, Meng Laosan suddenly lunged forward, grabbing something with his hand.

Excited, he shouted, “Mother! I think I caught a fish!”

Madam Meng was overjoyed. “Quick! Throw it up here!”

Hearing her, Meng Laosan gripped the creature’s tail tightly and flung it toward the shore with all his strength.

Madam Meng eagerly reached out to catch it.

But as the creature flew toward her, she realized—it wasn’t a fish.

It was a small crocodile, baring its sharp teeth!

She was stunned. By the time she reacted, the ferocious little crocodile had already landed in her arms!

“Oh my goodness! What kind of fish is this?!” Madam Meng shrieked, tumbling to the ground and struggling in terror.

The little crocodile’s eyes gleamed as it lunged at her, sinking its teeth into her backside.

Madam Meng let out a piercing scream. “Aaaah! Help! Old man, help me!”

Meng Daye saw the vicious little crocodile and was so terrified his jaw nearly dropped. Without a second thought, he turned and ran as fast as he could—like a startled rabbit, not daring to look back.

Madam Meng twisted and shouted loudly at her husband while the little crocodile was still biting her backside. “Old man! Get back here right now!”

Hearing her voice, Meng Daye ran even faster. In his panic, he tripped, sending one of his shoes flying off.

“Old man, help me!” Another desperate scream came from behind.

This time, Meng Daye didn’t even bother looking back—he abandoned his shoe entirely and sprinted forward with all his might, disappearing into the distance.

Meng Laosan and Meng Laosi, still soaking in the filthy pond water, were utterly stunned.

Their father, who usually complained about being tired after walking just a few steps, was now running faster than a rabbit.

Neither of them dared to get out of the putrid water.

Meanwhile, Madam Meng was still struggling on the ground, the little crocodile clamped firmly onto her backside. She desperately called out to her sons, “Laosan, Laosi, help your mother! This damn thing is going to kill me!”

Meng Laosan and Meng Laosi sank deeper into the water, whispering, “Mother, didn’t you say you wanted fish? A crocodile is also a kind of fish. Just take it home with you.”

Madam Meng was in so much pain she could hardly speak. Upon hearing her sons’ words, she was so enraged she nearly coughed up blood.

She thrashed on the ground, struggling in agony, until she eventually fainted.

Even then, Meng Laosan and Meng Laosi didn’t dare to climb out and carry their mother away.

It wasn’t until nightfall, when the little crocodile finally wandered off, that the two brothers cautiously pulled themselves out of the water and carried their unconscious mother home.

After spending so long submerged in the filthy pond, both of them reeked of an unbearable stench.

When Doctor Xu arrived to treat Madam Meng’s wounds, he almost vomited from the smell.

Fortunately, the crocodile wasn’t too big, and Madam Meng only lost a small chunk of flesh from her backside.

However, the news spread quickly throughout the village—word got out that the Meng family had sneaked into someone else’s pond to steal fish, only to have Madam Meng’s backside bitten by a crocodile.

From that day on, whenever villagers passed by the Meng household, they couldn’t resist glancing at Madam Meng’s backside.

Everyone wondered how it looked after losing a piece of flesh—would her pants even fit properly anymore?

Madam Meng was so embarrassed and furious that she didn’t dare step outside for several days.

One day, while Zhou Daniu and Du Wanchun were gathering flowers in the mountains, they ran into Auntie Wang.

Auntie Wang could barely contain her laughter as she covered her stomach and said, “Sister Zhou, you should’ve seen it! That old hag from the Meng family holding her backside—it was the funniest thing ever! Honestly, she and her husband aren’t young anymore, yet they still pull ridiculous stunts like this!”

Zhou Daniu chuckled. “Serves them right. They’ve been making trouble for us for years—it’s about time they learned their lesson.”

Auntie Wang nodded. “Exactly! And to think, back in the day, that Meng Daye even wanted to take you as a concubine! He should’ve taken a good look in the mirror first—what a filthy old man!”

Zhou Daniu nodded in agreement. “That’s right.”

Du Wanchun, listening from the side, quickly pieced together the gist of the situation.

Just then, Auntie Wang leaned closer, grabbed Du Wanchun’s hand, and grinned mischievously. “Wanchun, have you heard about your stepmother?”