My 1995 Small Farm.

After thinking for a moment, he also caught some of the more aggressive or larger fish.

They were also thrown into the waters of that newly designated "primitive survival zone".

Let them adapt to more complex and challenging environments.

"Hmm... When the opportunity arises later, we'll bring in a live bear, preferably a mother bear with cubs, that would be more interesting."

"And let that increasingly restless wild boar king from the desert region go in too..."

Chen Ling stroked his chin, his mind beginning to construct a more complex, more realistic miniature ecosystem, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

"Let these guys outwit and outmaneuver each other, and let the fittest survive. That's how you keep them competitive and energetic."

"Maybe we can even raise even better offspring in the future."

"No, it's not that simple. It's that we must cultivate better offspring."

Thinking about it this way, he felt a sense of satisfaction, feeling increasingly accomplished as the master of this blessed land.

This is not just a huge warehouse and sanatorium.

It is also a miniature world full of infinite possibilities and vibrant life.

And he is the shaper and manager of this world.

Animals like pet cats, pet dogs, and ornamental fish can indeed be raised in places without danger or survival risks.

But other livestock, such as cattle, horses, and donkeys, cannot be raised so comfortably; they must be allowed to roam freely.

……

Chen Ling caused quite a stir in the blessed land.

Just as I was considering whether to introduce some large birds of prey or bears, I caught a glimpse of a small figure busy in the grass not far away.

It's a little iron egg.

It skillfully dug holes in the grass with its two front paws, its shiny black nose twitching as it intently sniffed the scent of the soil.

Soon, it dug out several plump, wriggling earthworms from the soft soil, and without hesitation, it snatched them up with a "whoosh" and chewed them with relish.

After eating the earthworm, it trotted along on its short legs to a clump of plants with thick leaves and pale purple flowers.

That is a kind of herb that grows in the cave and has the effect of clearing heat and reducing inflammation.

Tie Dan leaned in and sniffed, then stuck out his little tongue and carefully licked a few tender leaves, making a satisfied "smack" sound.

Chen Ling recognized it as a herb with heat-clearing and diuretic effects.

It seems that this little guy's self-healing instinct and ability to find the right "medicine" are becoming more and more prominent under the nourishment of the spiritual energy of the cave.

What made Chen Ling chuckle even more was that Tie Dan seemed to have noticed its master's gaze.

It raised its head, with half a herb leaf still in its mouth, and looked at Chen Ling with its shiny black eyes. After hesitating for a moment, it actually carried the half leaf and waddled to Chen Ling's feet, gently placing the leaf on his shoe.

Then it tilted its head back and rubbed its little head against his trouser leg, making a soft, slightly ingratiating humming sound in its throat.

The way it looked was as if it was saying, "This is delicious, I saved it for you!"

"Hahaha!"

Chen Ling burst into laughter at the little guy's human-like behavior.

I bent down and picked up the herb leaf that was covered in its saliva, and gently stroked its fluffy little head.

"Good lad, you're eating it yourself but you still remember to bring me a portion? That's generous!"

"But you should keep this for yourself. I don't eat grass."

Tie Dan seemed to understand the praise, wagging its tail even more enthusiastically, circling around Chen Ling's feet, lively and clever.

Seeing Tie Dan's spirits, Chen Ling felt even more confident.

With the addition of spiritual water and the little guy's own tenacity and intelligence, his recovery speed far exceeded expectations.

After playing with Tiedan in the cave for a while and feeding it some diluted spiritual water, Chen Ling led it out of the cave.

It was nearly dawn outside, but the family was still fast asleep.

Chen Ling put Tie Dan back in its comfortable little nest, and the little guy quickly curled up and fell into a deep sleep, nourished by the spiritual energy of the cave.

In the morning, sunlight streamed into the hillside courtyard.

The family had just finished breakfast when the phone rang in the living room.

Wang Susu answered the call, said a few words, and then smiled and waved to Chen Ling: "Ah Ling, it's Brother Hua, he's looking for you."

Chen Ling answered the phone, and Zhang Lihua's loud and urgent voice immediately came from the other end: "Ling! Are you up yet? Did I disturb your rest?"

"Good morning, Brother Hua. We've already eaten, so we won't bother you. Go ahead and say what you're saying."

"It's 'Fire Cloud,' the one you've seen before. Something's been wrong since last night!"

"Fire Cloud?"

Chen Ling recalled the female mastiff with brownish-red fur and a relatively lively temperament that she had seen during the filming two days ago.

"What's wrong with it? Tell me slowly, Brother Hua."

"He wasn't eating or drinking, had no energy, was lying there breathing heavily, and his nose was dry."

Zhang Lihua spoke quickly, “I asked a familiar veterinarian to come and take a look. He said that the temperature has risen rapidly recently and the weather is too humid and hot, so he has a bit of heatstroke.”

"Plus, there might have been some stress. I got an injection and took some medicine, but it wasn't very effective!"

"You looked even more listless this morning! I... I'm really worried, so I thought I'd ask you right away!"

Chen Ling frowned slightly.

The hot and humid weather in Hong Kong Island during the transition from spring to summer is indeed a great test for Tibetan mastiffs from the plateau with their thick fur.

Heatstroke in dogs usually resolves with appropriate treatment.

But according to Zhang Lihua's description, "Fire Cloud's" condition seems to be more complicated than it appears, or rather, conventional treatments are not very effective for it.

"Brother Hua, don't worry."

Chen Ling calmly said, "I can't judge based on just the description. Here's what I'll do: I'll go to your kennel now and see 'Fire Cloud' in person."

"Oh! That's great! Thank you so much, Ling. Do you need me to send a car to pick you up?"

Zhang Lihua's voice instantly filled with hope.

"No need to trouble yourself, I know the way, I can get there by myself."

Chen Ling noted down the address, offered Zhang Lihua a few words of comfort, and then hung up the phone.

"Is there something urgent for Mr. Zhang?" Wang Susu asked with concern.

"Yes, one of his Tibetan mastiffs is sick, and the situation is not good. I'll go over and see if I can help."

As Chen Ling spoke, he quickly finished the last mouthful of porridge in his bowl.

"Then go quickly, be careful on the road, I'll take care of things at home."

Wang Susu knew her husband's abilities and sense of responsibility, so she quickly got up to help him with his shoes.

"Daddy, are you going to take the big dog to the vet?" Rui Rui asked, looking up at her.

"Yes, Dad will be right back. You have to listen to Mom and Auntie at home."

Chen Ling patted his son's head and then gave instructions to Wang Zhenzhen, who was feeding Tiedan egg yolk.

"Zhenzhen, help your sister keep an eye on Rui Rui and the others."

"I know, brother-in-law! Don't worry!" Wang Zhenzhen patted her chest to assure him.

Chen Ling picked up the old medicine box that he always kept handy.

Besides the usual medicines, there were also some medicinal powders that Wang Susu had prepared herself, as well as spiritual soil from the cave she had prepared, just in case.

In fact, most of them are for human use.

The soil from the cave, mixed with a little water, can treat athlete's foot and other fungal infections, and remove the infection.

Of course, these are only occasional needs.

Chen Ling hurriedly left with his medicine kit, hailed a taxi, and headed straight for Zhang Lihua's courtyard in the Southern District of Hong Kong Island.

Zhang Lihua's home is located in a relatively secluded area, nestled against the mountains and overlooking the sea, in a tranquil environment. However, as he expected, it is quite humid. The yard is kept very clean, the kennels are well-ventilated, and some air conditioning fans have even been installed, showing the owner's care.

However, the unique body odor of large dogs mixed with the smell of disinfectant permeating the air could not mask the underlying stuffiness.

Zhang Lihua had been anxiously waiting at the door. Upon seeing Chen Ling, she was overjoyed, grabbing his arm and pulling him inside.

"Ah Ling, you've finally arrived! Come with me, 'Fire Cloud' is in the quarantine room!"

Upon arriving at a specially cleaned kennel, we saw "Fire Cloud" lying listlessly on the mat.

His once bright eyes were now half-closed, his breathing was indeed a little rapid, and his chest and abdomen were rising and falling noticeably.

When it saw its owner and Chen Ling enter, it only twitched its ears slightly, seemingly lacking even the strength to lift its head.

The water basin and food bowl next to it were untouched.

Chen Ling gestured for Zhang Lihua to calm down, while he himself quietly approached "Fire Cloud".

He didn't immediately start examining it, but instead quietly observed its breathing rate, eyes, and posture for a while.

Then, he squatted down, reached out his hand, but did not touch the "fire cloud" directly.

Instead, hold it in front of its nose and feel its breath.

The air was scorching hot, with a barely perceptible sour, rotten smell.

Then, with extremely gentle movements, he carefully pried open "Fire Cloud's" eyelids to take a look, and then carefully examined its mouth, nose, and ears.

"Ah Ling, how are you?"

Zhang Lihua asked nervously, her voice much softer, afraid of startling her beloved dog.

Chen Ling did not answer immediately, but said to Zhang Lihua, "Brother Hua, could you please show me the prescription and medication written by the veterinarian?"

Zhang Lihua quickly handed over a prescription and several medicine bottles.

Chen Ling quickly glanced at it; it mainly contained medications for fever reduction, pain relief, electrolyte replenishment, and vitamin supplementation.

Theoretically, there shouldn't be any problem with treating heatstroke and stress response.

"The veterinarian diagnosed it as heatstroke and stress, and the medication was the standard approach."

Chen Ling pondered for a moment and said, "But the situation with 'Fire Cloud' might not be that simple."

"Has it recently been bred? Or has it been experiencing significant mood swings lately?"

Zhang Lihua was taken aback, then slapped his thigh: "Right, right, right! About half a month ago, we mated it with 'Lion King'!"

"Can you see this?"

"Mood... The weather has been hot and humid lately, and its appetite hasn't been very good. It might be a little irritable."

"I was quite excited on the day of the shoot, but I felt a bit lethargic afterward. I thought it was because I was tired..."

Chen Ling nodded: "That's right, this isn't just a simple case of heatstroke."

"Tibetan Mastiffs are a breed of dogs that are inherently thoughtful and prone to anxiety."

"Recent mating has depleted our vital energy, and the hot and humid weather has exacerbated our internal and external problems, leading to the accumulation of damp heat in our body, excessive heart fire, and impaired spleen and stomach function."

"To put it simply, it means that you have severe 'internal heat' and gastrointestinal dysfunction, which is somewhat similar to a 'summer dampness cold' mixed with 'liver qi stagnation'."

"Using Western medicine to reduce fever and replenish energy only treats the symptoms, not the root cause. In fact, the medication may irritate the stomach and intestines, worsening the discomfort."

Zhang Lihua was stunned: "Damp-heat stagnation? Liver qi stagnation? Ah Ling, you...you even understand traditional Chinese medicine and animal theory?"

"The old folk remedies passed down in my family have some similarities with traditional Chinese medicine."

Chen Ling said modestly and continued to explain.

“Hong Kong Island is a humid place, and heat evil can easily combine with damp evil.”

“‘Fire clouds’ come from the dry highlands, and people with poor constitutions are more susceptible to being trapped by this ‘damp-heat evil’.”

"Look at its tongue coating..."

Chen Ling carefully made the "fire cloud" open its mouth. Although he couldn't see it very clearly, he could make out the aura and his observations from before.

"It should be yellowish and greasy, which is a manifestation of internal damp-heat."

"Then...what should we do?"

Zhang Lihua was already quite convinced of Chen Ling's analysis and hurriedly asked.

"Don't rush, I'll give it a try."

Chen Ling opened the medicine box and asked Zhang Lihua to take out a clean small bowl and pour in cooled boiled water.

I added some medicine powder from the medicine box and stirred it well.

This is actually some medicine powder I brought from home to deal with the humid heat of Hong Kong Island, but it's for human consumption, something I prepared for the children in my family.

He placed the bowl near Huoyun's mouth and said gently, "Huoyun, come, drink some water, it will make you feel better."

"Fire Cloud" actually raised its head slightly, stuck out its tongue, and began to lick it in small sips.

Although he drank slowly, he was at least actively drinking water.

When Zhang Lihua saw this, she was so excited that she almost shouted out loud, but she quickly covered her mouth, and her eyes were a little red.

After taking a few sips, "Fire Cloud" seemed to have regained some strength. It looked up at Chen Ling with a much gentler expression.

Chen Ling then asked Zhang Lihua, "Brother Hua, do you have any mung beans here? Or fresh watermelon rind?"

"Yes, yes, yes! There are mung beans in the kitchen! And watermelons too!" Zhang Lihua said repeatedly.

"Okay, could you please have someone make some mung bean soup? It should be plain and without sugar."

"Take some clean watermelon rind and cut it into small pieces."

Chen Ling instructed, "Mung beans clear heat and detoxify, while watermelon rind clears heat, relieves summer heat, promotes diuresis, and reduces swelling, which can help alleviate its symptoms."

"When the weather is hot, you can occasionally give them some diluted mung bean water, but not too much, as it is cooling in nature."

"Okay, okay! I'll have someone get it done right away!" Zhang Lihua immediately turned around and ran off to make the arrangements.

Zhang Lihua quickly returned with a bowl of lightly brewed mung bean soup and a small dish of watermelon rind.

Chen Ling fed "Fire Cloud" small amounts of mung bean water several times a day, and it drank it obediently each time.

It didn't seem very interested in the watermelon rind, and Chen Ling didn't insist.

"Next, we need to adjust our diet."

Chen Ling told Zhang Lihua, "These next few days, feed it some light and easily digestible liquid food, such as rice water or light minced meat porridge. Don't feed it greasy meat or dog food for the time being."

"Keep the kennel well-ventilated and dry, but avoid direct drafts of cold air."

"I'll leave you some of this herbal powder. Mix a little bit into the water or food each time you feed it to help clear its internal heat."

Chen Ling handed a small paper packet to Zhang Lihua, which contained a small amount of ordinary heat-clearing herbal powder.

It did not contain any spiritual water powder, but it is still somewhat helpful for the current situation of "Fire Cloud".

"Thank you so much, Ah Ling!"

Zhang Lihua took the powder as if it were a priceless treasure and held Chen Ling's hand tightly.

"If it weren't for you, I really don't know what I would have done!"

"Your explanation of damp-heat stagnation is incredibly accurate! It's much more thorough than what a veterinarian would say!"

"Brother Hua, you're too kind. It was nothing."

Chen Ling smiled and said, "'Fire Cloud' has a good physique and a good foundation. With a few days of proper care, he should be able to recover."

"In the future, we must pay special attention to preventing heatstroke and cooling down the animals to avoid sudden stress."

"Any animal that has just been bred should take extra care to rest and recover."

"I've written it down! I've written it all down!"

Zhang Lihua nodded repeatedly, and looking at "Fire Cloud" whose spirits had clearly improved, a relieved smile finally appeared on her face.

"Ah Ling, you are truly a benefactor to my precious treasures."

"First it was Tie Dan, now it's 'Fire Cloud'... I really don't know how to thank you!" (End of Chapter)