794 Crispy and Chicken-Flavored (1/2)

After hearing Zhang Zian's explanation, everybody finally understood how the bobbit worm ended up there.

Electrician Wu blamed Welder Zhao repeatedly, complaining that he was too fixated on saving money. It would not have happened if he had bought a commercial eco-bio-block from an aquarium… Now that his beloved little grandson was almost bitten, what would he do?

In fact, everybody knew that even if Electrician Wu's grandson did stick his arm into the tank to grab the clam worm, he might not have been bitten by the bobbit worm. The bobbit worm was not stupid. A kid's arm was much thicker than a clam worm and was not on its menu for now. But since Electrician Wu was venting in rage, nobody said anything to make things worse.

It was Welder Zhao's mistake, so he had to suck it up.

To make amends, he grabbed a bottle of disinfectant immediately from the kitchen, wanting to pour it into the tank to kill the bobbit worm.

Zhang Zian stopped him from being impulsive. There was too much water in the tank. Even if a crate of disinfectant was poured in, it might not be enough for a lethal dose. Besides, bobbit worm was an extremely tough arthropod. Disinfectant might not kill it.

Wang Qian sighed. ”Crispy and chicken-flavored… Too bad that Bear Grylls is not here.”

”Even Bear Grylls may not eat this thing!” Li Kun complained.

Wang Qian didn't agree. ”Maybe Bear Grylls would be interested in taking a challenge.”

Zhang Zian asked, ”Master Zhao, did you just say that you have water hose at home? May I borrow it? Please also get a container, such as a basin or a bucket.”

”Okay. Just a moment.” Welder Zhao had already lost himself by now. He would do anything he was told.

He ran into the kitchen and searched loudly for a while. He came back with a full armor: a bucket in his hand, a basin under his arm, and a water hose on his shoulder.

”Are these enough?” he asked.

”Fine, no problem.” Zhang Zian nodded, then looked at the frightened and helpless children and smiled. ”Kids, I'll demonstrate a simple scientific phenomenon. It's called siphonage.”

If there were another adult around, such as Welder Zhao's daughter-in-law, she would certainly ask the kids to stay in another room so they would not be frightened or get injured. But as Welder Zhao was a crude man, and Electrician Wu was consumed with anger, nobody thought about keeping the kids away for the moment.

The kids stood by the wall and didn't know what to do. Without receiving instructions, they didn't know whether to stay or to leave. They were more or less scared, and even the naughtiest kid became quiet.

Zhang Zian noticed their fear. To prevent them from developing psychological trauma, he decided to use the event and to divert their attention with a scientific experiment.

Most girls their age would probably not be interested in science experiments, but the kids were all naughty boys, full of curiosity to the world. They were even tempted to crawl into a dog hole to explore if they encountered one…

As he expected, after hearing about the science experiment, they all grew very interested and crowded over eagerly.

Zhang Zian stuck one end of the hose into the aquarium tank, put a bucket on the ground, then stuck the other end of the hose into the bucket.

The tank was placed on a wooden support that Welder Zhao had made himself. The tank's bottom was over half a meter above ground.

After watching Zian, the grown-ups knew what Zhang Zian was up to, but the kids didn't.

He winked at the grown-ups and instructed, ”You can stay busy. Find all the thermos you have and start boiling water now. The more the better. Soon we'll drown this sucker!”

Welder Zhao and Electrician Wu suddenly woke up from their dreams and turned back into the kitchen. They turned on the gas stove as well as the electric water boiler, boiling one kettle after another, then poured the water into the thermos.

Zhang Zian bent down and took the other end of the hose to show to the kids. ”Do you think that the water will automatically flow from the tank into the bucket?”

The kids saw the higher end of the hose was stuck at the bottom of the tank, the middle part was bent like a hill along the tank's wall, and the lower end was stuck into the bucket. They all shook their heads.

”Absolutely not. The middle part is so high. The water can't flow up there!”

”Right. Water always flows from the higher to the lower. Uncle, you can't do it like this. You have to lay the hose flat!”

”But there's no way to lay it flat… Unless we fill up the tank first?”

They yapped one after another.

Wang Qian and Li Kun shook their heads, thinking that their Master had been having a good time posing in front of elementary school students…

Zhang Zian's face twitched after hearing them call him uncle––maybe because Sihwa had always called him uncle––and emphasized, ”Do you think that I look like an uncle? I'm an older brother, okay?”

The elementary school students were speechless.

Zhang Zian said, ”You don't think it will happen? Just watch me.”

As he spoke, he bent down and sucked the lower end of the tube. The water flew from the higher end, passed the highest point, then ran straight down. Then he moved his mouth away, and placed the tube's lower end into the bucket.

Something interesting happened. Despite that he had stopped suctioning, the saltwater flew out of the tank ceaselessly along the tube.

The kids were all stunned. Someone even tucked the tube, yet it was unaffected. Water continued to flow out of the tank.

Soon, the bucket was full. Wang Qian had been waiting with a basin. Li Kun took the bucket to the toilet to empty it, then brought it back. They alternated like so.