My 1995 Small Farm.

The next morning, before dawn, the farm was shrouded in a layer of damp, gray mist.

Last night's dazzling starry sky seemed to be just an illusion.

Lead-gray clouds hung low, and the air was filled with the earthy, sweet smell of soil and the oppressive stillness before the rain.

The weather in the mountains is so changeable.

Sure enough, right after breakfast, the pattering raindrops began to tap on the farm's roof tiles, making a crisp sound.

The rain wasn't heavy, but it was very persistent.

A curtain of rain quickly descended upon the world, shrouding the distant mountains and nearby orchards in a hazy, watery hue.

"Oh dear, it's raining!"

Wang Susu poked her head out of the kitchen and looked at the rain curtain that had suddenly become denser: "It looks like this rain won't stop anytime soon."

Chen Ling stood under the eaves, reached out and caught some cool rainwater, and laughed, "Spring rain is as precious as oil, and summer rain can relieve a thousand worries. It's good to have some rain. The water in the reservoir and river will rise, and the crops will have a good drink. It's just that today's fishing plan has to be changed."

He had originally planned to organize people to catch a batch of the koi and goldfish that were overrunning the orchard's irrigation ditches and ponds if the weather was good today.

These ornamental fish, nourished by the clear waters of the cave, are of excellent quality, with vibrant colors and graceful shapes.

If you send it to Hong Kong Island, you can definitely get a good price for it.

That's a considerable sum of money.

The rain wasn't torrential, but rather a steady, continuous drizzle.

The children didn't care about any of that; Rui Rui and Xiao Ming were even more excited when they heard the sound of rain.

Wearing a little raincoat and slippers, they splashed and played in the puddles in the yard.

Little Iron Egg followed behind, happily rolling around in the rain, getting covered in mud and water.

"Dad, it's raining! Aren't the fish happier? Let's go see them!"

Rui Rui ran over, hugged Chen Ling's leg, looked up and said, her eyes sparkling under the brim of her raincoat.

Chen Ling's heart skipped a beat. Yes, on rainy days, the dissolved oxygen level in the water changes, and fish tend to be more active and may gather more easily.

"Let's go check it out! Maybe we can make even more money!"

He put on a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, looking every bit the part of an old farmer.

Chen Ling stepped out of the house, the raindrops feeling cool on his face.

In the courtyard, Afu and Ashou had already woken up and were lying under the eaves to avoid the rain. When they saw Chen Ling come out, they raised their heads and made two "woof" sounds as a greeting.

Blackie Xiao Jin crawled out of the doghouse, shook his fur, and came over to rub against his leg.

"We have work to do today." Chen Ling patted their heads. "Wait here."

Seeing this, Wang Susu smiled and took out her raincoat and straw hat: "I'll go take a look too, and pick some water celery while I'm at it. Water celery is the most tender on rainy days."

So, the whole family, including Wang Zhenzhen who ran out after hearing the commotion, came over.

As for outside, the rain wasn't heavy.

Liu Nier, Xiao Sen, Xi Zi, and a group of other children had already started running around.

Upon seeing Chen Ling and the others emerge, they shouted and yelled from afar.

They surged toward the irrigation ditches and ponds of the orchard in a mighty procession.

Everyone was wearing all sorts of rain gear.

Despite wearing tattered plastic sheeting, fertilizer bag linings, and old straw hats, they all looked incredibly excited.

The orchard in the rain has a unique charm; the green leaves are washed clean and shiny, and the green peaches and apricots are covered with water droplets, making them even more tempting.

The water level in the canal has risen noticeably, and the current has become more rapid.

As Chen Ling had predicted, perhaps due to changes in air pressure, or perhaps because the rainwater brought new life, the fish in the ditches and ponds were unusually active.

The koi, which usually swim leisurely, are now swimming in groups near the surface of the water, some golden-red, some golden yellow, and some white with red spots...

On a gray, rainy day, they stood out conspicuously, like flowing ribbons of color.

With its large, bulging eyes and flowing tail, the dragon-eye goldfish darts among the water lily leaves, looking utterly adorable.

"Wow! So many fish! They're all dancing!" Xiaoming exclaimed, pointing at the water.

"They're not dancing, it's just that it's raining and they're getting stuffy in the water, so they're coming out to get some fresh air!" Liu Nier said, sounding like a little expert.

"Uncle Fugui, look over there! The fish in the pond are all crowding towards the inlet!" Xizi, with sharp eyes, pointed to the pond near the entrance of the canal and shouted.

There, the water surged and churned, and schools of fish of all sizes gathered, vying to greet the incoming rainwater, as if holding a grand gathering.

"The opportunity has come!"

Chen Ling laughed and said, "Susu, take the children and keep an eye on things away from the water. Zhenzhen, Liu Nier, go get the net and bucket. We'll be working in the rain today!"

When the children heard that they were going to catch fish, they cheered and rushed to the tool shed to get the tools.

Soon, all sorts of fishing nets, gauze nets, buckets, and large wooden basins were brought over.

Chen Ling personally went into the water and stood in the knee-deep ditch.

Raindrops pelted his straw hat and raincoat, splashing up fine droplets.

He picked up a large net, aimed at the area where the fish were most concentrated, and scooped them up with a swift motion.

With a "splash", the water splashed.

When the net left the water, four or five palm-sized, colorful koi fish were seen leaping and struggling desperately inside.

The scales shimmered with a mesmerizing luster in the rain.

"We caught it! We caught it!"

The children on the shore jumped and shouted with excitement.

Wang Zhenzhen and Liu Nier, along with other older children, followed Chen Ling's example and tried using a net in the shallow water by the ditch.

Although not as precise and powerful as Chen Ling, they still managed to catch some small fish or lively grass carp fry from time to time.

It's even more lively on the other side of the pond.

The fish were so densely packed that you didn't even need much skill; you could catch quite a few with a large net.

The rain seemed to slow down the fish's reaction, making them easier to catch.

But the fish were also very strong, struggling desperately in the net, splashing water everywhere and soaking the fishermen.

Laughter and screams rose and fell.

Kang Kang and Lele were held by Wang Susu and Gao Xiulan as they stood under the eaves watching the commotion.

Seeing their older siblings and father having so much fun in the water, especially seeing so many beautiful fish being scooped up and put into buckets and basins, the two little ones cried out excitedly, pointing their little fingers towards the pond and stretching their bodies out as far as they could.

"Ah! Dad... Dad!" Lele called out incoherently, struggling to get down from the ground.

Kang Kang imitated his older sister, wiggling his little body.

Wang Susu was both amused and exasperated: "You two little ones can't even walk steadily, and you want to go into the water to catch fish? No, no, you'll get sick if you get wet in the rain."

The two little ones were not about to give in. When their demands were not met, they pouted, and it looked like they were about to put on a show of "all bark and no bite".

Seeing this, Chen Ling climbed out of the pond, wiped the rain off his face, and laughed, "Don't cry, don't cry! Daddy has a great idea! Even if we can't go into the water, we can still play in the water at home!"

He told Gao Xiulan and Wang Susu to take the two little ones back into the house first, while he quickly went to the storage room and brought out the large wooden bathtub used for bathing the children.

This bathtub is made of old cypress wood. It's big and deep, and there's plenty of room for Kang Kang and Le Le to bathe together.

Chen Ling placed the large wooden basin in the center of the main room, then went to the kitchen to boil several large pots of hot water, added cold water to make it lukewarm, and poured it into the large wooden basin.

I also put in some toys that Kang Kang and Lele usually play with during bath time, such as little ducks and small wooden boats.

"Come on, come on, let's ride the big boat and play with the little fish!"

Chen Ling carried the two naked dolls, who were only wearing small bibs, into the wooden tub.

The warm water instantly enveloped the little ones, bringing back the familiar feeling of playing in the water.

With the toys floating in the water, Kang Kang and Lele immediately stopped crying and started laughing. They excitedly patted the water's surface, splashing water everywhere, and giggling nonstop.

They had long forgotten about going to the pond to catch fish. "You just spoil them."

Wang Susu gave Chen Ling a reproachful look, but her eyes were full of laughter.

She took a towel, sat by the basin, and kept an eye on the children while wiping their faces from time to time.

Chen Ling chuckled: "What's the point of having nothing to do on a rainy day? Let the kids have some fun. Look how much fun they're having."

After settling the two children, Chen Ling returned to the rainy "battlefield".

The fishing scene was bustling with activity at this time.

There are too many fish and they are too lively; relying solely on nets is not enough to keep up.

Chen Ling then led a few teenagers and jumped into the pond to use a large net to trap them.

Rainwater, sweat, and pool water mingled together, making everyone look like they had been pulled out of the water, but their smiles were brighter than the sunshine.

Just as Chen Ling was leading the children in a "fierce battle" with the fish by the pond and canal,

Through the rain, strange sounds could be faintly heard coming from the direction of the large wheat fields outside the farm.

The sound was deep and penetrating, "hum...hum...hum...", somewhat like the sound of a bass horn.

It also resembles a giant bee flapping its wings, appearing particularly mysterious amidst the rustling rain.

"Huh? What's that sound?" Xiao Ming was the first to stop fishing with his net and listen carefully.

"It sounds like...it's coming from the wheat field?"

Wang Zhenzhen also straightened up and looked at the wheat field that was shining green in the rain.

Liu Ni'er listened with a furrowed brow for a while, then her eyes suddenly lit up. She lowered her voice and said in a somewhat mysterious tone, "I know! That's the 'earth bull' calling!"

"A ground ox?" Rui Rui and Xiao Ming asked curiously. "What's that? Is it an ox? An ox hiding in the wheat field?"

"It's not a real cow!"

Liu Ni'er had an air of being very knowledgeable.

"My grandfather said that the ground beetle is a kind of underground worm that is very big and makes a sound like a cow, a buzzing sound."

"You can't hear them normally, they only start chirping when it rains and the earth's energy flows freely!"

"Insects? Are there insects that big?" Xiaoming asked skeptically. "Could it be a rat from the field or something else?"

"It's an insect!"

Xizi chimed in to corroborate, "I've also heard my grandfather say that the earth ox is incredibly powerful. It usually burrows deep underground and only comes out to breathe when it rains. Its call can be heard from a great distance!"
The older generation says that if you hear the mooing of a field ox, the crops will definitely grow well this year!

The children's curiosity was instantly piqued by the mysterious cry in the rain. Even fishing temporarily lost its appeal, and they all gathered together to discuss what this "earth bull" they had never seen before looked like.

"Will it be as big as a rhinoceros beetle? But rhinoceros beetles don't make a sound..."

"Maybe it's as big as a palm! It's dark and has a hard shell!"

"Shall we go to the edge of the wheat field and see if we can find it?"

Rui Rui suggested, her little face full of eagerness.

Chen Ling listened to the children's discussion and chuckled inwardly.

He naturally knew what this so-called "earth bull" was.

This is actually the sound made by a large cricket or mole cricket rubbing its wings during courtship.

After the rain, the soil is moist, and they become more active. Their calls, carried by the soil and air, sound particularly deep and loud, which the imaginative villagers have given them a mysterious quality.

He was also fascinated by this sound when he was a child.

"Alright, alright, stop guessing."

Chen Ling interrupted the children's reverie: "The rain hasn't stopped yet, and the wheat field is very muddy. We can't go in now."

This ground ox is very timid; it stops mooing when people approach.

"Once the rain stops and the ground dries a bit, let's go look along the field ridges again; maybe we'll find their holes."

His words both calmed the children's eagerness and preserved the joy of exploration.

"Really? Uncle, we can go look for it once the rain stops?"

"Uncle Fugui, do you know what the Dimangniu Cave looks like?"

The children immediately gathered around.

"Of course, I did a lot of catching... uh, observing when I was a kid."

Chen Ling quickly changed his tune: "Their holes are usually on the edge of the field or under the wheat stalks. The holes are round and covered with fine soil... Now, let's focus on catching fish!"

"Once the rain stops and we've caught most of the fish, let's go look for some!"

With new expectations, the children were even more enthusiastic about catching fish, as if catching one more fish would allow them to see the mysterious "earth bull" sooner.

The rain fell intermittently for nearly four hours, finally gradually stopping around noon.

The dark clouds dispersed, revealing the sky's true blue color once more. Sunlight streamed down, making the world, washed clean by the rain, exceptionally fresh and bright.

Tree leaves, grass blades, and crop leaves are covered with glistening water droplets, and the air is filled with a fresh scent.

The fishing operation is also nearing its end.

Buckets, wooden basins, and even large vats that were temporarily found were all filled with all kinds of lively and jumping fish.

The fish mainly consist of colorful koi and goldfish of various shapes, as well as a number of plump crucian carp, grass carp, and other edible fish, which are intended to be kept for personal consumption or shared with fellow villagers.

Chen Ling looked at the fruitful results and nodded in satisfaction.

These ornamental fish are of excellent quality and would be highly sought after in the Hong Kong Island market.

Back inside, Kang Kang and Le Le had already played in the bathtub until they were tired. Wang Susu took them out, dried them off, dressed them, and they were now drinking milk from their bottles, their little faces beaming with silly smiles.

When she saw her father come home, she pointed at the bathtub and babbled, as if she still wanted to play with it.

"You two little devils, haven't you had enough fun in the water yet?" Chen Ling said with a smile, playfully pinching their little noses.

While drying Lele's hair, Wang Susu said to Chen Ling, "Ah Ling, there's something I need to discuss with you."

A couple of days ago, Aunt Hongyu came over and mentioned that the county's health and epidemic prevention station was organizing vaccinations for children to prevent polio and measles.

Kang Kang and Le Le are almost old enough to be around, and Rui Rui was also hit when he was little, you see…”

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling's expression turned serious.

This is a big deal.

He knew that in rural areas during the 1990s, many terrible childhood infectious diseases still occurred frequently, and vaccination was the key to protecting children's health.

"We must fight! This is a good thing. Is it organized by the county? When will it start?"

"They said it would start in the next few days, with each township taking turns. Our Changle Township is probably going to be one of the later ones, but Aunt Hongyu said that if we want to get vaccinated sooner, she can help us ask if we can arrange to get vaccinated at the county epidemic prevention station in advance."

Wang Susu said.

As a mother, she naturally hopes that her child can be protected as early as possible.

“Okay! Then you can contact Aunt Hongyu later and see when you can arrange it the earliest. We can take Kang Kang and Le Le to the county to get vaccinated. We don’t need to cut in line. You can even help us get vaccinated at night.”

Chen Ling did not hesitate.

"And Rui Rui, although he's already had his vaccinations, some vaccines seem to require booster shots. We'll ask about that together later," Chen Ling added.

"Yeah, that's what I thought too."

Wang Susu nodded: "Then once we've settled things with this batch of fish and the weather's nice and clear, we'll take some time to go to the county."

Just then, Rui Rui and Xiao Ming ran in, soaking wet, excitedly reporting their catch: "Dad, we've caught all the fish! So many beautiful fish!"

"Alright, alright, you're all little heroes! Hurry up and change into dry clothes, don't catch a cold. I'll make you something delicious for lunch!" Chen Ling urged.

The children cheered and ran off to change their clothes.

Chen Ling watched their retreating figures, then glanced at his two toddlers babbling inside the house, and felt a surge of energy. (End of Chapter)