Chapter 288 - 127: Dairy Products_3
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To be cautious, Chen Zhou did not eat the lamb's meat, nor did he allow the poison-testing mouse to take the stage. He dismembered it directly and threw it into the compost pit.
It was already February 20th at that time.
He previously knew only that there were snakes on the island, and that there was a wide variety of them in significant numbers. Chen Zhou did not expect these creatures, which are frightening to behold, could pose such a great threat.
For two consecutive days, he kept pondering whether to keep Lai Fu, Tiger Head, and the other little ones that often go out in the house, to prevent them from dying accidentally due to venomous snake attacks.
Of these small animals, Lai Fu worried him the most.
Cats are agile and responsive, as long as they're not particularly unlucky or careless, venomous snakes cannot easily touch them.
Moreover, Tiger Head and the hunting duo it has trained usually stay high up, rarely venturing into places with dense underbrush and poor visibility.
Also, cats dislike getting their paws wet, so they seldom go near streams and rivers; even when encountering small puddles in the forest, they'll take a detour.
This cautious nature helps them avoid many invisible dangers.
Even if they do encounter an attacker, with their flexible bodies, they can still escape.
Lai Fu is different, relying on its tall stature and large size; it often recklessly goes through dense grass and shrubs, making it the most likely to encounter venomous snakes.
To ensure its safety, Chen Zhou reluctantly leashed Lai Fu in the kitchen.
Unless accompanied by him, Chen Zhou does not allow Lai Fu to go out alone.
This intelligent big dog is an essential companion in his life.
Until a proper solution to the venomous snake threat is found, he can only resort to this measure, sacrificing Lai Fu's freedom to ensure its safety and reduce the probability of encountering danger.
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Lai Fu doesn't understand what mistake it made, suddenly finding itself tied up by Chen Zhou.
Accustomed to roaming freely outside, it can't bear the feeling of restricted movement and tries every trick to please Chen Zhou.
From wagging its tail, whimpering, sticking close to his leg, licking his hand, to obediently sitting on the ground with its tongue out in a silly grin...
It tried every method that had worked before.
The array of endearing skills it owned greatly surprised Chen Zhou, who had spent day and night with it as its owner.
However, no amount of coaxing could untie the leash; at most, Chen Zhou offered some material rewards or played a game of "fetch" with it to let out some of its energy.
...
From a free little spirit, Lai Fu visibly became a gloomy kitchen guard dog.
On the morning of February 22nd, donning a leather raincoat, Chen Zhou was tidying his hiking backpack in the bedroom, preparing to pick up deliveries from the beach. He saw Lai Fu curled up pitifully at the kitchen door, gazing outside in a daze, and he couldn't help but soften.
He stepped forward to untie the rope from the wooden stake, deciding to take Lai Fu downhill this time.
Of course, going downhill is one thing; the rope around Lai Fu's neck must remain fastened.
This guy spent a few days in confinement and dreams of running outside. If the rope were unfastened, it would play wildly for a day without heeding any calls.
Chen Zhou merely wanted to give it some fresh air, not release it from "jail."
However, concerning Lai Fu's mental state, he had actually devised a suitable solution.
He planned to build a spacious, weather-resistant doghouse on a platform for Lai Fu and provide a long enough chain for it to play and move outdoors with some freedom.
On the platform, where even weeds are scarce, visibility is wide open, and there is often human and pet activity noise; snakes never climb up, making it extremely safe for Lai Fu.
Laying stone bricks and building a surrounding wall later would make it even more impervious to snake intrusion.