Just two days later, Xing Zhonghua really did get a small dog for Shen Yunfang. Barely a month old, the dog was pitch-black all over except for some white spots on its front paws, which made it quite a sight when it ran.
Shen Yunfang was extremely delighted and named it Taxue. This little creature was at its most mischievous, so during this time, one could often hear from the courtyard, "Taxue, you can't go causing trouble in the chicken coop, the hens will stop laying eggs." "Taxue, you mustn't cause damage." "Taxue..."
A month later, Shen Yunfang's chickens suddenly fell ill overnight, causing a sensation throughout Gaijiatun. When people came to look, they saw the backyard's warm shed littered with convulsing chickens and ducks—a shocking scene. Barely ten healthy ones remained, huddled in a corner, trembling.
