Two weeks passed.
The change in the West River wasteland was subtle at first, but by the fifteenth day, it was undeniable.
Where once there had been only gray rock, cracked earth, and withered thorns, a carpet of vibrant green now covered the ground. The wild clover Li Wei had trampled into the soil had taken root with surprising vigor, fed by the river's moisture and the onset of the warm spring season.
The chicks, now juveniles, were no longer fluffy balls of cotton. Their adult feathers were coming in—white and glossy. They darted between the clover, pecking at insects and tearing at the tender leaves, growing visibly heavier by the day.
Li Wei sat on a large rock inside the Dead Hedge, watching them.
"System, status report."
**[Livestock: 10 Juvenile Chickens (Health: Excellent)]**
**[Pasture: 1 Mu Wild Clover (Growth Cycle: Early Vegetative. Protein Content: High.)]**
**[Current Objective: Prepare for Laying Phase (Approx. 6 weeks remaining).]**
Six weeks. It was a long time to wait for a return on investment, but faster than the local village hens, which took nearly six months to mature. The difference was the environment and the selective feed.
"Third Brother! Third Brother!"
Li Chen came running down the path, his face flushed with excitement. He was holding a piece of bark with charcoal scribbles on it.
"I calculated it!" Li Chen shouted, skidding to a halt at the gate of the Dead Hedge. "The field behind the house... if we plant beans, we get 300 catties. If we sell them, it's 300 copper coins! But if we buy piglets..."
Li Wei laughed, hopping off the rock. He ruffled his brother's hair. "Slow down. You're getting ahead of yourself. Did you finish copying the *Thousand Character Classic*?"
Li Chen's excitement dampened. He pouted. "I wrote ten lines. My wrist hurts."
"Practice makes the scholar," Li Wei said sternly, though his eyes were kind. "Go wash your hands. Mother is making lunch. We're having vegetable soup."
Li Chen groaned. "Soup again? I want meat."
Li Wei looked back at his chickens. "Soon, little brother. Very soon."
***
**A Cry by the Creek**
After lunch, while the rest of the family took a brief respite from the midday heat, Li Wei returned to the river. He needed to check the water flow. His long-term plan involved irrigation, and he needed to see how the river levels changed during the dry season.
As he walked along the bank, shaded by willow trees, he heard voices.
"It's worthless! Look at it, it can't even stand up straight."
"Just drown it. It eats food but won't guard the house. A waste of grain."
Li Wei paused. He knew that voice. It was Wang the Carpenter.
He rounded the bend and saw Wang standing by the water's edge, holding a burlap sack. At his feet, a small, pitiful creature was struggling in the mud.
It was a puppy. Or, it was trying to be a puppy. It was mostly skin and bones, covered in patchy yellow fur. One ear stood up, while the other flopped lazily over its eye. Its hind legs trembled as it tried to stand, only to collapse back into the slime.
"Wang Bo (Uncle Wang)," Li Wei called out, stepping forward.
Wang turned, looking annoyed. "Oh, it's Li Wei. What do you want? Coming to pick more weeds?"
Li Wei walked over, keeping his posture respectful but his eyes fixed on the dog. "What is this?"
"Runt of the litter," Wang spat, kicking a pebble near the pup. "My old yellow dog gave birth to five. Four are strong. This one... stupid thing. Won't open its eyes properly, legs are weak. It'll just die slowly if I keep it. Better to end it now."
He reached down to grab the pup by the scruff.
Li Wei moved.
He didn't fight, he didn't shout. He simply reached into his waist and pulled out the last three copper coins he had been saving for an emergency.
"Wang Bo," Li Wei said, holding out the coins. "Don't dirty your hands with killing. Sell it to me."
Wang paused, looking at the coins, then at Li Wei like he was an idiot. "You want to buy a dying dog? With money?"
"It's three coins," Li Wei said calmly. "Enough for a bowl of noodles at the town stall. Better than nothing, right? And you save the bad luck of killing a life in your yard."
Wang hesitated. He wasn't a cruel man, just a poor, pragmatic one. But the mention of 'bad luck' made him waver. Superstition was strong in the countryside.
"Tch." Wang snatched the coins from Li Wei's hand. "Fine. Take the ugly beast. Don't come crying to me when it dies tomorrow."
Wang turned and walked away, pockets jingling.
Li Wei crouched down. The puppy shivered, looking up at him with milky, uncertain eyes. It let out a low, wheezing whine.
"Hey there," Li Wei whispered.
**[System Alert: Unknown Biological Entity Detected.]**
**[Analyzing...]**
**[Species: Canis lupus familiaris (Local Village Mongrel).]**
**[Health Status: Malnutrition (Severe), Parasites (Mild), Genetic Defects (None).]**
**[Hidden Trait Detected: High Intelligence Potential. Loyalty Capacity: S-Class.]**
**[Suggestion: Proper nutrition and training can transform this 'runt' into a superior herding and guarding dog.]**
Li Wei smiled. He had thought he bought a liability. Instead, he bought a partner.
"Don't worry, boy," Li Wei scooped the trembling bundle into his arms. The puppy was shockingly light. "You're a ranch dog now. I'll call you... 'Yellow'."
It wasn't a creative name, but it was simple. Like the earth.
***
**The Family's Reaction**
When Li Wei walked into the courtyard with a muddy, smelly ball of fur tucked under his shirt, the family's reaction was mixed.
"Another mouth to feed?" Li Jun groaned, throwing his hands up. "First the birds, now a rat-dog? Father, tell him to stop!"
"Is that... a dog?" Li Hua pinched her nose. "It smells like a swamp, Third Brother!"
Zhao Lan looked at the creature with pity. "Wei'er, it looks sick. Are you sure?"
Li Dazhong sat on a stool, sharpening a sickle. He glanced at the dog, then at Li Wei. "Wang's runt?"
"Yes, Father."
"You bought his trash?"
"I saved it," Li Wei corrected gently. "And he's not trash. Look at his paws."
Li Wei held the puppy up. Despite its skinny body, its paws were large and wide. "He's going to be big. I need a dog for the ranch. I can't be everywhere at once. When the flock grows, I need someone to watch them while I sleep. A dog is cheaper than a hired man."
Li Dazhong grunted. He didn't approve, but he didn't forbid it either. "If it bites the children, I'll beat it to death."
"It won't," Li Wei promised.
He took the puppy to the back well. He didn't have fancy dog shampoo, but he had water and soap nuts used for laundry. He scrubbed the puppy gently, washing away weeks of grime.
The puppy yelped and struggled, but Li Wei held him firm, murmuring soothing words.
Underneath the dirt, Yellow was a light tan color. Once dry, Li Wei took a small piece of the hard bun he had saved from lunch, softened it in water, and placed it in front of the dog.
Yellow sniffed it. Then, as if a switch flipped, he devoured it in seconds. He looked up at Li Wei, tail giving a tentative, wobbly wag.
"Good," Li Wei whispered. "Eat. Grow."
***
**The First Night Shift**
That night, Li Wei didn't sleep in the house. He took a mat and slept in the wooden coop at the West River. He needed to bond with the dog, and he needed to ensure the chicks were safe from nocturnal predators.
He placed Yellow on the mat next to him. The night air was cool.
"Yellow," Li Wei said softly. He didn't have a whistle, so he clicked his tongue sharply. "Guard."
He pointed to the coop door.
The puppy looked at him, head tilted.
Li Wei repeated the motion. He pushed the puppy gently toward the door, then pulled him back, rewarding him with a small piece of dried vegetable he had found.
It was clumsy training. Li Wei wasn't an expert. He was relying on the **[System Knowledge: Basic Herding Dog Training]** that had unlocked the moment he bought the dog.
*Step 1: Establish territory. Step 2: Associate the coop with 'safety'. Step 3: Reward alert behavior.*
Around midnight, a rustling sound came from the thorny hedge.
*Skritch. Skritch.*
Li Wei's eyes snapped open. He lay still, his hand gripping a thick stick he had prepared.
Yellow's ears perked up. The puppy stood up, hackles rising—though he was small, he tried to look big. He let out a low, guttural growl, not a play bark, but a warning.
*Grrrr...*
Li Wei was impressed. "Good boy," he whispered.
Suddenly, a long, sleek shape slithered over the top of the Dead Hedge. A weasel. It dropped into the enclosure, eyes gleaming, heading straight for the sleeping chicks.
Yellow didn't hesitate. He didn't know he was a runt. He didn't know he was supposed to be weak.
*YAP! YAP!*
The puppy charged, barking ferociously, snapping at the weasel's tail.
The weasel, startled by the sudden noise and the aggressive ball of fur, hissed and twisted, dodging the snap. But the commotion had done its job.
Li Wei swung his stick.
*THWACK!*
He missed the weasel but smashed the ground next to it, sending up a cloud of dust. Terrified, the weasel scrambled back up the hedge and vanished into the night.
Silence returned.
Li Wei knelt down. Yellow was panting, tail tucked between his legs, shaking from the adrenaline.
"You did it," Li Wei said, pulling the puppy into his lap. He checked him for bites. None. "You scared it off."
He held the trembling dog close. "You're not a runt, Yellow. You're a wolf."
The puppy licked Li Wei's chin.
**[System Notification: First Defense Successful.]**
**[Pet Bond Level: 1 -> 2.]**
**[Skill Unlocked: Alert Bark (Effectiveness increased by 10%).]**
Li Wei smiled into the darkness. The road was long. He had no money, a field of weeds, a handful of chickens, and an ugly dog. But tonight, they had survived. And in this harsh world, that was a victory.
He lay back down, the puppy curled against his chest. Tomorrow, he would start digging the silage pit. But for now, he slept the sleep of the just.