Xu Kui tried to persuade his father for a long time to no avail. Instead, everyone formed a team, leaving him alone with no friends.

Is it so bleak?

 He glanced at everyone with a resentful look.

 When we were drinking, we looked like a good brother, but when we competed, we abandoned him. Didn’t he just get promoted to shopkeeper and get a higher monthly salary? Are you so despised?

The nursing staff and the servants who were scratched by his resentful little eyes looked around, but they didn't dare to look at him.

joke! Drinking allows you to brag and talk about mountains, but why row a boat? The purpose is to pick the lotus pods with the largest and plump lotus seeds—to earn a lot of money!

Of course you need to find a companion who is lean, flexible, and preferably knows how to steer. If you don’t do business on the boat, what is the use of a fat man who can’t row or swim?

Xu Kui scanned around but couldn't find anyone willing to team up with him, and his eyes returned to his father.

Xu Yin took care of the housekeeper and gave him the lottery stick with "one" written on it, so that he could directly compete in the first group without drawing lots.

 After the competition, you can be like her - sit comfortably under the shade of a tree, drink tea, peel lotus seeds and watch the competition! There is always one unfinished thing hanging over the province's mind, and he can't calm down to watch the game.

At this time, Wang Huyuan, who was in the rowing team with the old butler and was responsible for rowing, had already sat down at the stern of the boat, and the old butler was stepping tremblingly to the bow.

 The small fishing boat felt the weight and rocked with the water surface. The old housekeeper was so frightened that he screamed and took the opportunity to persuade:

“Dad, how about I get on the boat and you watch from the shore? I will definitely pick the biggest and fullest lotus for you!”

 “You go on your way!”

“…” Xu Kui couldn’t help but mutter, “Where am I going? I also want to compete, but no one is on the same team as me…”

 “Go find Sikong! He is also alone.”

Hearing that there was a man alone without his teammates, Xu Kui suddenly became more energetic: "Where is Sikong? Sikong - Sikong -"

　　The accountant who was hiding in the house was dragged out by Xu Kui with a look of helplessness.

 Except for the housekeeper and Wang Huyuan, the order of other groups is determined by drawing lots.

 Otherwise, everyone would want to compete first, lest the mature and full lotus pods behind would be picked off by the people in front, leaving only the young lotus pods that have not yet grown full.

 After drawing lots, the second group is Zi Yuan and Hong Qian, the third group is the nursing home who formed a free team, the fourth group is two good boys, the fifth group...

Looking at the wooden sign he caught in his hand, there were two huge ones on it. Xu Kui was speechless and choked: What kind of luck is this?

 Except for Dad, there were only sixteen groups left, and he was surprised to get the last group.

“Sikong, it seems that we both have bad luck. Please don’t bet with others in the future. It’s easy to lose.”

Sikong glanced at him: "You caught him."

"...What do you mean? Aren't we two of the same team?" Xu Kui said unconvinced, "My luck is naturally our luck, what's wrong?"

 “If I catch him, this won’t be the result.”

　　　…”

 “Hurry, hurry, hurry! The first group has started!”

 “Wang Huyuan’s rowing is so stable! It’s both stable and fast!”

“The housekeeper is a thief. The girl in front of me just said she wanted to have a lotus picking competition, so he snatched Wang Huyuan away.”

“Dad! Dad, you can do it!” Xu Kui shouted from the shore, “I hope to get the lottery! I’ll buy you wine with the silver ingot later, and keep the hairpin for your daughter-in-law!”

 The old housekeeper almost stumbled and fell into the water.

 "Hahahaha..." Everyone couldn't help but be happy.

“Butler, you picked it too quickly!” They all felt sorry for the butler when he saw that he picked a lotus pod shortly after entering the lotus bush. “Why don’t you pick one? Half of the incense sticks haven’t been burned yet!”

“Dad, you are too impatient!” Xu Kui shook his head regretfully, “Didn’t you see there is a particularly big lotus pod at the back? Oh, what a pity! Don’t expect to be the first to win the prize now!”

The old housekeeper almost fell into a trap: "You're stupid! Just pick the big ones yourself when you see them. Why are you yelling?"

 Xu Kui: “…”

 That’s right! He will have to play a game soon. "Ha ha ha ha…"

 Everyone was so amused by these two men that their cheeks were sore from laughter.

As expected, Ziyuan and Hongqian from the second group picked back the extra-large lotus pod that Xu Kui mentioned.

Xu Kui was very embarrassed: "Ziyuan, I thought that based on our friendship, you would definitely not pick this lotus pod, but you did, so do you know what this behavior is?"

 “What behavior?”

 “Take advantage of the situation!”

 “Pfft…”

While Xu Kui was arguing with Zi Yuan, the other groups also finished their competition one after another.

 “Let’s go!” Sikong couldn’t bear his noise, so he jumped on the boat first and sat down at the stern.

“Is it because Sikong Accountant is so thin? Why did the boat not move even when he jumped directly? I almost capsized when I went down like this just now.”

Hearing the two boys whispering to each other, Xu Kui, who was planning to imitate Sikong and jump onto the boat, quickly retracted his feet and instead gently lowered himself into the cabin.

 As a result, one foot went down while the other foot was still on the road. The boat rocked due to the uneven force.

He lost his balance and fell into the water with a "plop".

　　　…”

 “Puff puff…”

 Everyone on the shore was silent at first, then turned away and snickered.

I didn’t dare to laugh too loudly, so I almost choked.

Xu Kui held on to the side of the boat and finally stood firm in the water, and wiped his face: "Girl, does this count? Can you do it again?"

Xu Yin couldn't help but be happy: "If you're not afraid of being wet and uncomfortable, just continue! I have no objection!"

"It's such a hot day. It doesn't matter if you get wet. At worst, I'll take off my coat."

He climbed slowly onto the ship's side, took off his outer shirt, and rolled up his trousers a few times. A scarlet plum blossom birthmark was exposed on the belly of his left calf.

 Seeing this birthmark, Sikong's pupils shrank and the smile on his face gradually faded.

"Oh, you saw it!" Xu Kui was about to say something to Sikong. He raised his head and stared at his calf, scratching his head shyly, "Isn't this birthmark quite girly? Not only does it look like a plum blossom, but it is also unlucky. It's still bright red, tsk! If I were a girl, I would admit it, but I am a man... You think it would be better to have a bruise, right? Why don't I dare to roll up my trouser legs every summer, for fear of being laughed at? …”

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

The air suddenly stagnated, and a hidden metal weapon broke through the air and flew straight towards Xu Kui's front door.

The speed was so fast that Xu Kui didn’t even react.

Sikong rose into the sky, threw a stone, and knocked down the hidden weapon with a "clang" sound.

 Then, he picked up the dumbfounded Xu Kui, held him under his arm, and walked out of the fishing boat on the water of the lotus pond.

 It only takes a blink of an eye.

 “咻咻咻—”

 The fishing boat was hit with more than a dozen hidden weapons.

Two wild birds were frightened and spread their wings to fly away from the lotus pond. They were accidentally hit by hidden weapons and fell from the bow of the boat with two clatters. They died, and the blood they shed was black.

 “Poison, poison dart!” Wang Huyuan was shocked, “There is an assassin! Protect the girl!”

Sikong, who carried Xu Kui back to the shore, twitched his lips when he saw this, thinking that it was the fat man who should be protected.