“Hee-haw! Hee-haw! That two-legged beast who’s poorer than dirt is back in the village!” The old donkey brays in its cracked voice, its front hooves pounding the stone mill until it rocks. “Look at that sorry sight. Hoof Grandpa’s about to laugh himself into a split!” Its cry lands like a bomb, instantly rousing all the animals in the village. They stay up all night munching on melon seeds, waiting to enjoy the show.
Chen Mo scowls and grips the wolf-tooth pendant at his chest. Who knows why, but ever since he hung that wolf tooth around his neck, he’s been stuck in the “cesspit” of animal speech. From then on, whether it’s sparrows in the trees, field mice in the fields, or the old yellow dog in the village, every time one of them opens its mouth, a torrent of curses comes flying at him. It’s enough to drive him mad.
After losing his job and falling on hard times, he returns to the village hoping to enjoy a few quiet days. He never expects to shoot to fame online like a meteor.
As his fame grows, trouble follows one thing after another. Advertisers come swarming, variety shows compete to invite him, and even the old locust tree in the village seems to have become a popular check-in spot. Chen Mo clutches his head and wails, “I just want to be a sensible wage slave in peace!”
But the animals don’t see it that way. They all fold their paws and sneer. “No, you don’t want peace and quiet. You want to be a top-tier star.”
