Chapter 146: Chapter 146: Such a Strange Request

“Sister Xu, Big Black is being disliked by the villagers. Can you help Big Black?”

Ya Ya’s face was scrunched up like a bun, full of worry.

“The villagers all say Big Black steals chickens, and they chase him away whenever he passes by their houses. Now Big Black can’t even enjoy strolling around the village freely.”

Xu Ying and Ya Ya were sitting in front of Aunt Bao’s house at the moment. Some villagers were visiting Aunt Bao, carrying large bags, and happened to hear Ya Ya’s words, making them blush with embarrassment.

Aunt Li took the lead and said, “Ya Ya, Station Chief Xu has already cleared up the misunderstanding for Big Black. We’re here today to apologize.”

Facing the child, the adults felt even more guilty. They placed their gifts in front of Ya Ya’s house, including chickens, fruits, cured beef, and cured lamb…

Ya Ya was surprised by the presents in the villagers’ hands. How come the villagers, who hadn’t interacted with them for a while, suddenly became so nice?

Ya Ya blinked her deer-like round eyes and looked at Xu Ying, “Sister Xu, was it you who helped us?”

Xu Ying smiled and finished telling the story about how two goats were abducted, and Ya Ya instantly understood. Sister Xu had used her ability to communicate with animals to prove their innocence.

Ya Ya couldn’t help but exclaim, “Sister, you’re amazing. You’re even better than what they say on TV!”

“It’s not that exaggerated.”

Children’s words are often the most sincere, and Xu Ying felt embarrassed by the praise.

At this moment, Ya Ya waved her little hands and invited the villagers, “Everyone, come in and sit. My grandma is busy cooking.”

The villagers were too shy to go in, feeling it wasn’t appropriate to visit during dinnertime.

“No, no, we’re here to listen to what Little Xu Station Chief has to say about termite control.”

Termites?

Upon hearing Little Xu Station Chief was going to help with termite control, Ya Ya’s eyes lit up like tiny light bulbs, and Yangyang, who was doing homework, also curiously looked over.

These little bugs had been a real headache! They could only sleep in tents as their house was filled with sawdust.

“Sister, I came to your house this time to film the termite infestation situation. Do you know where the termites are mostly hiding in your house?”

Ya Ya nodded vigorously, “I know, I know!”

She turned to Yangyang, “Brother, come and help too.”

Yangyang immediately put down his pen and joined them.

Xu Ying lifted the crate by her feet. Inside, the Big-eared Hedgehog was still curled up, yawning like a big sea urchin.

“Little Hedgehog, wake up. It’s your turn to check the house!”

Xu Ying coaxed, “There are so many termites here~”

The Big-eared Hedgehog’s sleepy eyes suddenly widened, [Where are they? Where?]

As it spoke, it twitched its nose, sniffing around, [I can smell it already, it’s the scent of formic acid!]

“Expert indeed!”

Xu Ying pointed out Ya Ya and Yangyang to the Big-eared Hedgehog, “These two little friends are the owners showing you around.”

Ya Ya and Yangyang had been curious about the crate Xu Ying was carrying from the moment she walked in. Now, seeing a hedgehog with big ears inside, they were wide-eyed with amazement.

“It’s so cute! Its ears look like two soft cotton candies~”

“Its quills aren’t as scary as I imagined.”

The timid and socially awkward Big-eared Hedgehog had initially worried that the house’s owners might be afraid of it, given its prickly appearance.

Seeing the two little humans praising its cuteness, the Big-eared Hedgehog blushed and shrank back into the corner of the crate.

Xu Ying laughed and explained to the two children, “You’ve made it shy with your compliments.”

“This big-eared hedgehog is timid and afraid of light, that’s why it only wakes up at night.”

“Termites are one of its foods. You should quickly show it where the termites are hiding~”

With the help of the enthusiastic children, Xu Ying soon photographed and videotaped the termites inside the house and wrote descriptions to send to Feng Yun’s recommended termite control expert.

During the inspection, the Big-eared Hedgehog gradually adapted to the environment and even climbed onto Xu Ying’s shoulder, “So how is it, Little Hedgehog? Is there enough food reserve for you here?”

[There’s enough, but I wonder if they will allow us to stay here.]

The Big-eared Hedgehog nervously twitched its little paws on Xu Ying’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry.”

Xu Ying tapped its nose, “I’ll help you communicate. Although not all villagers will accept this, some will~”

The villagers peeked around Ya Ya’s door. Seeing Xu Ying had finished inspecting Bao Sufen’s house, they quickly asked, “Station Chief Xu, how should we deal with these termites?”

Xu Ying smiled and shared her knowledge with them, “Xizhou Province has a subsidy policy for dangerous houses. You can apply for renovation. For houses that aren’t classified as dangerous, termite control doesn’t cost a fortune.”

Upon hearing this, the villagers became curious and hopeful, “Really?”

Xu Ying nodded earnestly, “Yes, indeed. The best part is it doesn’t involve any chemical agents, so there are no adverse effects, and children won’t accidentally ingest or touch anything harmful.”

“However, you will need to accept that these professional termite technicians stay in your home. They don’t need meals, just a place to stay throughout the winter.”

The request sounded rather strange.

The cost isn’t high, but it only requires accommodation, not meals.

The villagers exchanged puzzled glances.

Someone said, “But with our humble homes, would any technician want to stay here long-term? Wouldn’t they mind our less than ideal living conditions?”

“Not at all. They only want a little cozy corner to shelter from the cold inside the house.”

Xu Ying pointed to the Big-eared Hedgehog on her shoulder, “This is the professional termite control worker I told you about.”

The villagers stared in disbelief at the hedgehog on Xu Ying’s shoulder.

Xu Ying explained, “I’ve discussed with the hedgehogs: if you provide them with a warm little nest for the winter, they’ll help you eliminate termites. Anyone interested can sign up with me.”

“As for the cost of this termite control method, once I calculate the fees related to moving and setting up the small animals, I will inform everyone. It won’t be expensive. If you split the cost among the village, each household won’t need to spend more than five thousand yuan, even on the higher end.”

Hearing the affordable price, the villagers were deeply moved.

With the weather getting colder and winter approaching, termite activity would decrease, and many colonies would hibernate.

But the villagers dared not slack off.

After winter, when spring arrives, all living things revive, and as the termite army awakens and begins its bustling activity and reproduction, the terrifying prospect is simply unthinkable!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep