My 1995 Small Farm.

"Oh, Fugui, it'll only be a week at most, I won't make things difficult for you..."

It wasn't that Yu Qi'an had taken money from the other party; he wasn't short of money. He just felt it would be a pity not to get involved.

After all, he already knew that when Chen Ling was in Hong Kong, he didn't bring Heiwa and Xiaojin with him. Instead, two Tibetan mastiffs were used to replace Heiwa and Xiaojin in the photos.

I felt regretful for a long time.

"Qi'an, it's not that I don't want to go."

"As I just mentioned, we talked last year about how I might visit you in Beijing in the spring if I had some free time, and maybe check out the dog farm while I'm at it."

"But since the beginning of spring this year, one thing after another has happened, and I really can't leave."

“I have a lot of things to do after returning from Hong Kong Island. The village school has just started construction, and now the county is organizing the construction of flood control dikes. There are also traces of yellow worms in the mountains that we need to be wary of… My farm has a large family that can’t be left unattended.”

"June before? May is almost over in the Gregorian calendar, and it's almost May in the lunar calendar. There's too much time to wait."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone before Yu Qi'an sighed, "I knew you had a lot of trouble... But wealth and fortune are rare opportunities."

"The production team showed great sincerity, and Director Yang personally oversaw the process."

"Okay, let me first communicate your situation and concerns with them, and see if they can be more flexible in terms of scheduling and filming conditions, and try to accommodate you as much as possible. You can also reconsider. If it really doesn't work out... well, it just means that our time hasn't come yet."

Yu Qi'an's words made perfect sense, so Chen Ling couldn't refuse him outright.

"Okay, then you go ahead and communicate with them, and I'll think about it too."

Yu Qi'an laughed: "Then I'll wait for your good news. By the way, Huining and I have made plans. In about half a month, once I've roughly finished the foundation and enclosures for the dog farm, I'll head over to your place! Huining is really looking forward to seeing Susu and the dogs! And touching your two big tigers!"

Yu Qi'an and Bai Huining were engaged not long ago and were deeply in love.

Visiting their place is just like going on a honeymoon.

"Welcome!"

Chen Ling was genuinely happy: "We've been saving the room for you. It's perfect timing that you've arrived. The peaches and apricots are almost ripe, the fish and shrimp in the river are plump, and there's plenty of wild game from the mountains. We'll make sure you have enough. Let Huining try our authentic farm-style food too."

"Absolutely! Just for the food here, I'd stay for ten days or half a month!"

Yu Qi'an laughed heartily: "By the way, is that old bastard Zhang Lihua still with you? I'm still trying to get a few good mastiffs from him, don't let him get away!"

"Hey, I'm here. I went to the city with Lynx to pick up the dog. He's probably on his way today. He's a real dog lover, you two will definitely get along."

The two chatted for a while longer about dog-related matters, exchanging tips on breeding and training, until Chen Ling saw Wang Laishun waving at him from the construction site before hanging up the phone.

Putting away his phone, Chen Ling dusted himself off, stood up, and led Afu and Ashou down the slope.

Ah Shou seemed very interested in the hustle and bustle of the construction site, craning his neck to look at the busy crowd, making curious gurgling sounds in his throat.

"Fugui, who were you talking to on the phone just now? And you even brought a tiger as a bodyguard?" a familiar villager joked with a laugh.

“You all know Old Yu, who used to come to our village often.”

Chen Ling casually replied, "Fifth Uncle, is there something you need?"

Wang Laishun wiped his sweat and pointed to a section of the newly excavated foundation: "Look here. Technician Liu said the soil below is a bit soft and he's worried that the bearing capacity won't be enough. He wants the foundation widened, which will require a lot more stone. We might not have enough material on hand right now."

Chen Ling walked over, squatted down, and pinched the soil he had dug out with his hands. He then checked the depth: "It's a bit damp. This section is close to the old river ditch, and the groundwater level is high."

“In places like this, simply widening the foundation is not enough. It’s best to lay a layer of crushed stone underneath, then pour a layer of cement mortar to fix it, and then lay the stones.”

“There isn’t enough stone… I remember there were some unusable pieces of stone in the waste pile at the lime factory behind the village. Although they weren’t well-shaped, they were enough to fill the bottom.”

"This is for emergency use. As for the rest, once construction is fully underway, you can ask them to come up with another solution. We'll pay for it, and they can find a place to haul the stones."

“That makes sense, but what about the waste from the lime kiln? Will that work?” Wang Laishun hesitated.

"Why not? It's just a subbase. What we need is to be solid and permeable. The shape doesn't matter. We can reuse waste materials and save money."

Chen Ling stood up: "This afternoon I'll find two people to drive a tractor and haul a few loads."

Technician Liu pushed up his glasses and nodded in agreement: "Boss Chen is right. The requirements for the subbase are not that high. It's best to use local materials. I can apply to the county water conservancy bureau for a batch of cement and stone for flood control projects. I'll ask them to deliver it as soon as possible."

He then explained to Chen Ling why the preparations were insufficient.

"Mr. Chen, this is not our fault. It's mainly because you demanded too much progress and pace, and your ability to mobilize the masses was too strong. We really weren't prepared for anything."

"But the villagers have all come, and they're so enthusiastic. We can't just let them sit here and rest, can we?"

That made everyone laugh.

"Technician Liu, you're right. Fugui's influence here is unparalleled. He's made money and become rich but hasn't forgotten his roots. He still cares about his fellow villagers, and we all listen to him."

“Yes, yes, we’ll listen to Fugui. He said the waste material is fine, so we’ll use it. If we make sure it’s solid, it won’t be a problem.”

"That's right, make it solid, add some ginger and stone, and it'll be very hard."

After finalizing the matter, Chen Ling went to check on the other work sections.

The presence of Afu and Ashou certainly made the atmosphere on the construction site much more relaxed.

Especially the strong laborers from other villages, who were initially a little afraid, gradually relaxed when they saw the two tigers following Chen Ling obediently, and even allowed the bolder children to feed them wild fruits from a distance. Instead, the tigers became a topic of conversation and a source of fun during their tedious work.

At midday, after work, people from each village found shady spots to eat and rest.

In Chenwangzhuang, Sister Xiuying and several other women brought mung bean soup, steamed buns, and pickled vegetables on a cart.

The meal was simple, but it tasted especially delicious to the people who had worked hard all morning.

Chen Ling was squatting under the shade of a tree by the river, eating a steamed bun, when his cell phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket, emitting a "beep beep beep" ringing sound, startling several men drinking soup nearby.

"Hey, Mr. Chen, what's this thing? Why does it make noise?" A young man from Majia'ao came over curiously.

"It's my cell phone, for making calls." Chen Ling took out his phone, glanced at the number, and saw it was Liang Yuemin.

"Hey, Yuemin."

"Fugui, have you eaten?"

Liang Yuemin's voice sounded relaxed: "I have some good news to share with you. The city has approved a special fund for material subsidies for flood control projects in various townships. The first batch of cement, stones, and steel bars will be distributed to the counties tomorrow!"

"Your village can just apply to the township for the materials you need; there's no need to buy on credit."

"So fast?" Chen Ling exclaimed in surprise, "This has solved our immediate problem."

"The leaders were unusually efficient this time, probably because they were frightened by the floods in other provinces and cities in the past two years. We took precautions and caught the wave."

Liang Yuemin laughed and said, "There's something else. The provincial TV station heard from somewhere that you were patrolling with tigers to prevent 'tiger roe' and they think it's very newsworthy. They want to send an interview team down to make a special feature."

"On the one hand, it is to publicize flood prevention and control, and on the other hand, it is to showcase the spirit of grassroots people in actively responding and helping each other."

"It might arrive in the next day or two, so be prepared."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling felt a headache coming on: "An interview? I'll pass. I'll just have my fifth uncle or the township leaders handle it."

“That won’t do. They specifically asked to interview you, the ‘King of Qinling Hunters,’ saying you’re the key figure.”

"Also, about the Hong Kong incident, I've been meaning to interview you for a while now, and these two things have come together."

"Don't worry, it's not complicated. It's just about following you around, filming your daily life, patrolling, doing chores, and sharing your thoughts."

"This is also a good thing. Reporting it will be positive publicity for the village and the county, and it will be easier to apply for policy support in the future."

Liang Yuemin advised, "Just think of it as doing it for the sake of building the dike, for the sake of the villagers."

Having said that, Chen Ling had no choice but to agree: "Alright, as long as it doesn't cause too much trouble."

"Don't worry, I'll talk to them and try my best to accommodate your schedule." After hanging up, the men around him stared expectantly at the phone in his hand.

"Wealth, this thing... can it really talk to people across tens of thousands of miles?"

An older villager couldn't help but ask.

"Yes, as long as there is a signal."

Chen Ling handed over the phone: "Take a look? Just don't press those buttons."

The man carefully wiped his hands on his clothes before taking it, holding it in his palm as if it were a fragile treasure.

The others also gathered around, marveling at the sight.

"Just this little brick? Amazing!"

"I heard that people from Hong Kong Island and foreign countries come here?"

"How much does that cost?"

Chen Ling smiled and explained a few words, but in his heart he thought that while the convenience of technology was indeed slowly permeating this land, there were still some things that technology could not replace.

For example, the fragrance of the soil, the flowing sweat and sincere smiles, and the unreserved trust with the fellow villagers around me.

In the afternoon, Chen Ling took two people and drove a tractor to the lime kiln behind the village to haul away waste stone.

In the afternoons, Afu and Ashou were always too lazy to move and would doze off under the shade of a tree, while Heiwa and Xiaojin would run after the car with great enthusiasm.

The lime plant has been abandoned for many years, but mountains of waste remain.

They picked out large, hard stones to load onto the truck, raising clouds of dust.

Little Iron Egg had somehow followed along, excitedly darting among the rocks and barking at the occasional lizards it startled.

"This little Tibetan Mastiff is full of energy."

Chen Ze, who came with him, laughed and said, "Fugui, do you think it can grow to be as big as Heiwa?"

"Tibetan mastiffs have large bone structure. If they are raised properly, their size might be able to match Heiwa's, but their temperament will be different."

"Heiwa embodies the fierceness and power of a hunting dog, while the Tibetan Mastiff possesses the ferocity of a mastiff, but..."

Chen Ling looked at the little iron egg bouncing on the rock and said, "This little guy is growing up with Afu and Ashou. Who knows what he will become in the future?"

After hauling three truckloads of stone back to the construction site, the problem with the subbase layer was basically solved.

Technician Liu directed the people to lay and compact the gravel, preparing to pour the concrete as soon as it arrived tomorrow.

As the sun sets, the work call to wrap up begins.

People left, exhausted but satisfied, agreeing to fight again the next day.

When Chen Ling returned home, the aroma of food wafted from the farm.

Wang Susu was picking vegetables in the yard, Kang Kang and Lele were sitting on the ground playing with turtles, Rui Rui and Xiao Ming were squatting by the ditch, trying to catch small fish with a net, and Xiao Tiedan was cheering them on excitedly.

"Dad! Look, I caught a shrimp!"

Rui Rui lifted the net, and a small, transparent shrimp was jumping around inside.

"Great job." Chen Ling walked over and ruffled his son's hair. "Were you good at home today?"

“Be good! I even helped Grandma feed the chickens!” Rui Rui puffed out her little chest.

Wang Susu looked up at him, her eyes gentle: "Are you tired? Wash your hands, dinner will be ready soon. Brother Yuemin and his wife took Zhenzhen to school, she'll be staying at Aunt Hongyu's house for the next couple of days."

"Ah."

Chen Ling drew water to wash his face; the cool well water washed away his fatigue and dust.

During dinner, Chen Ling mentioned that the provincial television station was coming to interview them.

Wang Susu was a little worried: "Wouldn't this be too conspicuous?"

"It's nothing, just filming some scenes of work and patrols, focusing on flood prevention and wild animal protection, nothing else."

Chen Ling put some food on her plate: "By the way, Qi An called and said that he'll bring Hui Ning to visit us in about two weeks."

"Huining is coming? That's great!"

Wang Susu became happy, "I haven't seen Huining in a long time. She's quiet and straightforward, perfect for keeping me company."

"Yes, they'll be staying for a while, and it'll make our place more lively."

After dinner, Chen Ling ignored what Rui Rui and Xiao Ming were whispering about and went out to untie the little blue horse.

The little blue horse squinted comfortably, occasionally swishing its tail.

After several days of recuperation, its injuries have completely healed.

"I'm letting you go out and run around today."

Chen Ling patted the horse's back: "But we can't go too far, just stay near the village."

The little blue horse seemed to understand and affectionately rubbed against his hand.

"Come on, take me for a walk first, then you can go play by yourself."

Chen Ling mounted his horse and went for a walk around the village courtyard. He was just worried about rats getting into his house.

It wouldn't be good if it chewed up the wires or something.

After checking and finding nothing wrong, just as they were about to release the horses, they saw Wang Jusheng and his son, Da Tou, walking towards them from the other end of the village road.

Wang Jusheng carried a shovel on his shoulder, with Da Tou following behind him, carrying a small bamboo basket filled with freshly picked vegetables.

"Fugui, what are you doing?" Wang Jusheng greeted him with a smile.

"Hey, what were you two doing in the fields? Why are you coming back so late?" Chen Ling asked curiously.

"Let's go check out the watermelon patch over on the riverbank."

Wang Jusheng put down his shovel. "There are a lot of birds these days, so I need to set up a few scarecrows."

Big Head approached the little blue horse, wanting to touch it but not daring to, his eyes sparkling: "Uncle Fugui, your horse is really majestic. I heard it fought a bear with Heiwa?"

Chen Ling chuckled: "Who told you that?"

"What my aunt said, Liu Ni'er and the others also know; it's all over the village!"

Big Head excitedly said, "They said Heiwa and Xiaojin went first and bit the bear's leg, then Little Green Horse threw it and knocked the mother bear over, and Ertuzi almost blinded the bear in the air... Is that true?"

Da Tou is four years old now, and he's at the age where he's very playful. He goes out with Xiao Sen and the others every day.

He also admired Chen Ling the most.

"more or less."

Chen Ling mumbled, "But it wasn't that exaggerated, we just chased them away."

Big Head circled around Little Blue Horse, his eyes full of love and anticipation: "That's amazing! Little Blue Horse is so majestic."

Seeing his son talking so much with Chen Ling, Wang Jusheng sighed helplessly, "My kid has always only talked a lot with you, Fugui. Your sister-in-law Qiaoling and I can sit with him for ages without saying a word." (End of Chapter)