My 1995 Small Farm.

When returning to my hometown, I naturally still traveled by water.

Although it's much slower than by land, as it's upstream, it saves us the trouble of transporting those cows downstream.

It's too much trouble to go back and forth, so let's just go slowly.

Generally speaking, it takes about a day to travel from Chenwangzhuang to the city by water from Tenghe Township Wharf.

Because it's by water, even if the route is winding and the total distance is much longer than by land, it doesn't matter.

But it's not like that on the return trip.

The time is basically double, sometimes even more than double.

Just like when Chen Ling was transporting the fish tank back home.

That large aquarium.

It took more than a day and a night to transport it back.

But it doesn’t matter.

We've already sailed across the ocean, so this little waterway is nothing.

I can just wait it out and I'll be home soon.

"Finally going home! I can't take it anymore!!!"

Wang Zhenzhen has finally stopped praising the ocean.

We've been adrift on the ship for so many days.

She and Rui Rui are really starting to get tired of each other.

At first, seagulls and dolphins could make them shout and scream.

All I want to do right now is go home.

Rui Rui is actually a little better, after all, he is younger.

With Little Iron Egg as a companion, and the crab-eating mongoose whose leg had healed, they ran around on the deck every day.

This prompted Kang Kang and Le Le to follow him and climb back and forth.

There's no problem.

I just miss home.

So, it took another day and a night.

Chen Ling and the others had just returned home.

On the way back, we arrived at the Tenghe Township Wharf, where Liang Hongyu and Qin Rongxian, an elderly couple, came to pick us up.

After bringing the person home.

Chen Ling then prepared a tractor to haul the cattle.

……

Two cars arrived, and the car, people, and luggage arrived home safely.

The car had just come to a stop, and Chen Ling and her family hadn't even gotten out yet.

Then, a burst of excited barking came from the woods of the North Mountain.

Two agile figures rushed over like lightning.

It was Heiwa and Xiaojin.

They had clearly already caught a whiff of their owner's presence, and were so excited that their tails were wagging like fans.

It rushed to the car, stood up on its hind legs, and clung to the car door with its front paws, making soft, mournful whimpers filled with endless longing and grievance.

The enormous tongue kept licking the car window, as if it wanted to crawl inside immediately.

"Heiwa! Xiaojin!"

Chen Ling quickly opened the car door, and the two giant dogs immediately pounced on him, their immense force nearly knocking him off balance.

They rubbed their heads against Chen Ling's legs, making satisfied gurgling sounds in their throats.

Then he went to lick Wang Susu's and the children's hands, "greeting" them one by one.

Their enthusiasm was overwhelming.

"Hey, slow down, slow down, you missed us, didn't you?"

Chen Ling gently rubbed their fluffy heads, feeling a warm glow in his heart.

At this moment, more animals that heard the commotion came running out of the farm.

The imposing Baldy circled twice in the air, let out a clear eagle cry, and landed steadily on the roof of the car, tilting his head to look down.

Afu and Ashou also strolled out of the orchard. Afu hugged Chen Ling's leg tightly and wouldn't let go, opening his mouth wide to bite him all over.

Ah Shou then lifted him up, originally intending to crawl between Chen Ling's legs and get close to him, just like when they were children.

But it lifted Chen Ling up in an instant.

"Wow, you're such a big guy, you walk so quietly, you startled me..."

Chen Ling laughed and scolded, then slapped Ah Shou on the forehead.

Afu angrily waved his front paws and slapped him.

At the same time, the little white calf mooed and walked over with steady steps.

She looked at Chen Ling with her gentle, big eyes and gently nuzzled his arm.

"Good heavens! Ah Ling, your place... this really is a zoo!"

Zhang Lihua, who was visiting for the first time, was stunned and her glasses almost fell off.

He knew Chen Ling's family had many animals, but seeing this strange scene with his own eyes still deeply shocked him.

In particular, Heiwa Xiaojin's incredibly intelligent appearance, as well as the two affectionate yet powerful tigers, far exceeded his expectations.

"My God, are these tigers really free-range? Don't they fight? Don't they eat... or bite people?"

Zhang Lihua felt that her worldview, which had been shaped over the decades, had been shaken.

"Haha, Brother Hua, you'll get used to it. They're all well-behaved and don't fight easily."

Chen Ling introduced with a smile: "Heiwa, Xiaojin, these are our guests, we can't be rude."

Heiwa and Xiaojin seemed to understand, wagging their tails at Zhang Lihua in a friendly manner and sniffing his scent, as if to acknowledge him.

Zhang Lihua was flattered and tentatively reached out to touch Xiao Jin's fur. It was smooth and thick to the touch, and she couldn't help but exclaim in admiration:
"Amazing dog! It's truly an amazing dog! Ah Ling, I'm completely impressed!"

At this moment, Wang Cunye and Gao Xiulan also took Kang Kang and Lele down, and the old couple beamed with joy.

"Finally back! It's been a month or so since I left. The kids have grown so fast, they've shot up so much taller...!"

"If they don't come back soon, we won't recognize them anymore..."

"Yeah, who says it's not?"

Liang Hongyu also smiled.

“I was talking to Rongxian on the way here. Kang Kang and Lele are changing every day. When they were little, they needed to be carried, but now they can walk on their own.”

"Sigh, seeing little kids running around all over makes me feel old..."

"Grandma! Grandpa! I've grown taller too!"

Rui Rui rushed into the old man's arms.

"Good, good, good! Our Rui Rui has grown taller, he's a big baby now!"

The elderly people couldn't stop laughing when they saw his jealous expression.

Wang Zhenzhen quickly chimed in, "Dad, Mom, Kang Kang, and Lele have all learned to talk!"

"Now she can say 'Dad,' 'Mom,' 'Brother,' and 'Auntie.'"

"Kang Kang, Le Le, quickly call your auntie."

The two little kids wouldn't normally know how, but on the way back, Wang Zhenzhen was incredibly bored on the boat.

He caught the two little kids and gave them a good talking-to.

Finally, they managed to dawdle for a while.

After a lively exchange of greetings, Chen Ling glanced at the frolicking animals, raised an eyebrow slightly, and asked Wang Cunye, "Dad, where's Little Blue Horse? Where did it run off to again?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Cunye's face showed a helpless yet amused expression, and he pointed to the hillside behind the farm:

"That guy, it's like he knew you were coming back today, he's been unable to stand still since this morning."

"As soon as the car entered the village, it was the first to hear the noise, and guess what happened?"

"It ran off to the back mountain and hid! It's probably scared, afraid you'll deal with it!"

Gao Xiulan laughed and said, "That's right. Not long after you left, the horse started running away at night again. A few nights ago, it got into a fight with something and came back with a bruise, which made your father scold it."

"He knows he's made a mistake, but he's too ashamed to face you!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling was both angry and amused: "That bastard, he actually knows fear? Looks like his injury wasn't for nothing, he's learned his lesson!" "Once we're settled, I'll settle the score with him!"

Zhang Lihua found it amusing: "Is this the blue horse you were talking about that loves to roam at night? It's so intelligent! It even knows to hide from its owner?"

"It understands human nature? It's practically a spirit!"

Chen Ling shook his head, laughing at himself in exasperation.

He rarely comments on whether his own pets have become sentient.

But in his heart, he was thinking that he should "interrogate" Er Tu Zi properly that night and have it lead the way to see the remaining traces of the battle.

Let's see what exactly could hurt Little Blue Horse.

The group walked into the farm, chatting and laughing.

Back in their familiar home, although they had been away for over a month, the elderly couple, Wang Cunye and his wife, had kept everything in perfect order, clean and tidy.

The courtyard is lush with flowers and plants, full of vibrant life.

Chen Ling and Wang Susu took out the gifts they brought for their families and distributed them, filling the house with laughter and joy.

Zhang Lihua was filled with curiosity about everything on the farm, and accompanied by Chen Ling, she toured the entire place, inside and out.

We also went to the back mountain to look out over the lake inhabited by red-crowned cranes.

This made Zhang Lihua praise the superior natural environment and harmonious ecology of the place.

They were particularly drawn to the lush, aquatic lake in the mountains and the well-planned aquaculture area within the orchard.

"What a great place! What a great place, Ah Ling!"

"With mountains and water, a large enough area, and a first-class environment! No wonder you can raise so many spiritual creatures!"

"I made the right decision to come! From now on, I'll have to run my kennel to your standards too!"

"I'm glad you like it, Brother Hua. Come often in the future."

Chen Ling smiled and said, "I'll go prepare the food first, stew the meat, and then go get the cow."

He then turned and went to the small water tower outside to get naturally frozen beef and chicken.

……

The news of Chen Ling's family's return spread like wildfire throughout the small village of Chenwangzhuang.

The farm gate was quickly surrounded by villagers who had come after hearing the news, adults and children, men and women of all ages.

They called it a welcome, but really they were just there to join in the fun.

"Fugui is back!"

"Oh, this family is finally back! They've been away for a month or so!"

"Susu looks much healthier; the city environment really does take care of people!"

"Rui Rui has grown taller again! Zhen Zhen is growing into a young lady too!"

"Oh my, these two little ones, Kang Kang and Lele, can they walk already? Let Grandma hold them!"

The villagers greeted each other with a cacophony of voices, creating a lively and bustling scene.

Chen Ling and Wang Susu responded with smiles.

They took out candies and snacks brought back from Hong Kong Island and distributed them to the children, which drew cheers from the crowd.

Standing to the side, Zhang Lihua watched this scene, full of local flavor yet incredibly sincere and warm, and was filled with emotion.

He had seen both the glamour and the indifference of Hong Kong Island.

This pure and simple rural sentiment made him feel both refreshed and warm.

"Brother Hua, come on, let me take you to settle in first."

Chen Ling greeted Zhang Lihua and then smiled at the villagers who had gathered around, saying, "Uncles and aunts, we just got back. Let's tidy up first, and come over to our house tonight if you have time!"

"Alright, alright, you guys get back to your work!"

"The main reason is that the donations from Hong Kong and Taiwanese business owners have arrived. Our village school is about to be renovated, and we've come to ask for your opinion on how to best renovate it..."

"You've just gotten back, so take a rest first, and we'll talk again tonight."

This is Wang Laishun speaking.

"I see. Okay, then let's have a good talk tonight."

"I do have something to do right now. After I've cooked the meat, I still need to go to the Tenghe Township Wharf to pick up some things."

After informing Wang Laishun and the others, Chen Ling led Zhang Lihua to pick fruit in the orchard.

The main reason is that the apricots are ripe.

The various vegetables in the vegetable patch are growing very well.

The medicinal herb garden cultivated by Wang Cunye is also thriving.

Several brightly colored pheasants strolled leisurely among the grass, showing no alarm at the sight of people.

It just looked up for a moment, then continued searching for food.

"Ah Ling, this place... is truly a paradise!"

As Zhang Lihua walked and looked around, she couldn't help but exclaim, "The air is so sweet, and the mountain breeze is so refreshing! It's much more comfortable than the humid heat of summer in Hong Kong!"

"If Brother Hua likes it, he can stay a few more days."

Chen Ling smiled and led Zhang Lihua to the wooden building in the backyard of the farm.

These are guest rooms prepared specifically for guests at the farm.

Although not luxurious, it was clean and tidy, with bright windows and spotless furniture. The bedding was freshly washed and dried, smelling of sunshine.

“No one lives in this room usually, but my parents-in-law come to clean it every few days. Brother Hua, please let me know if you need anything else.”

Zhang Lihua put down her simple luggage, opened the window, and a fresh breeze carrying the scents of grass, soil, and fruit rushed in.

In the distance are verdant northern mountains, and nearby is a shimmering pond where several white geese are gracefully preening their feathers.

"We lack nothing, that's perfect, perfect!"

Zhang Lihua took a deep breath, her face full of enjoyment: "Ah Ling, I don't want to leave anymore. How about I buy a piece of land here and build a house to retire in!"

"That would be great! If you really come, Brother Hua, I'll save you the best seat."

Chen Ling said, half-jokingly and half-seriously.

There are precedents like Zhao Yubao and Chen Xiaoer.

He doesn't really need a few more Hong Kong Island residents to move in.

After settling Zhang Lihua in, Chen Ling started stewing the meat and immediately began dealing with important matters.

The most important thing, of course, is those precious bison.

He went to the village and found Chen Yuqiang and Chen Ze, and also called on several strong laborers he knew in the village.

They drove two tractors, one for their own use and one for the brigade, straight to the Tenghe Township Wharf.

The cargo ship that brought them back was still docked at the pier.

The boat captain was squatting at the bow smoking when he saw Chen Ling approaching. He quickly stood up to greet him.
"Boss Chen, you're here! All your cows are in high spirits, except for that biggest one, which has a really bad temper and almost knocked the cage open!"

Chen Ling thanked him for his hard work, handed him two packs of good cigarettes, and then led the men onto the ship.

In the hold, several bison were kept in sturdy iron cages.

The five cows were relatively calm. When they saw people coming, they just raised their heads warily and their nostrils twitched.

But the "Bull Demon King" was completely different.

Its enormous body almost filled the entire specially made iron cage. Upon seeing Chen Ling appear, it immediately emitted a low, threatening "moo".

Its thick neck muscles tensed, and its large hooves slammed heavily onto the steel plate at the bottom of the cage, making a dull "thump, thump" sound.

The bull's eyes, as big as copper bells, burned with wild rage as it stared intently at Chen Ling, as if it wanted to devour this human who had repeatedly "offended" it.

"Good heavens, this beast is really vicious!"

Chen Ze, who followed, clicked his tongue and said, "Fugui, where did you get such a big guy? It looks even bigger than your little white calf..."

"Wild buffalo caught in the mountains of Hong Kong Island."

While checking the cage's latches, Chen Ling explained, "This is a good breeding cow. We brought it back to improve the breed of our cattle and also to keep the little white calves company."

"A bison? No wonder it's so fierce!"

Chen Yuqiang circled the cage, his eyes shining: "But this physique is really impressive! Look at those shoulders, those hindquarters, all muscle! If it were bred, the calf would definitely be strong!"

Several villagers were also discussing it, both amazed by the size and ferocity of the bull and admiring Chen Ling's skills.

They even managed to bring back this incredibly wild creature.

"Alright, everyone, lend a hand and get these docile cows down here first."

Chen Ling instructed, "Be careful. They are wild animals after all. They've been tranquilized and have been through a lot; they might easily hurt people if they're startled." (End of Chapter)