I couldn't take it anymore; when I went home for Chinese New Year, the family genealogy book ha

Jiang Xiaoshan was covered in sweat.

That once clean white vest was now covered in yellow mud.

He swung the foxtail grass in his hand, his two short legs moving quickly across the green lawn.

"Quick, grab that white one! It just spat on me!" Jiang Xiaoshan shouted, pointing at the white alpaca that was running the fastest.

Seven or eight teenagers, yelling and shouting, flanked them from behind.

This commotion startled all the pigeons on the lawn, causing them to fly away.

The white alpaca, with its long neck and long legs, ran slowly and deliberately.

It dodges left and right, yet always manages to easily evade the children's attacks.

After running a couple of steps, the alpaca stopped.

It turned its fluffy head, its two big eyes staring intently at Jiang Xiaoshan, who was running in the lead.

He puffed out his cheeks.

"Pooh!"

A mouthful of green saliva with a strong grassy smell was sprayed precisely onto Jiang Xiaoshan's forehead.

Jiang Xiaoshan was stunned.

He stopped and wiped the green saliva off his face.

He stared blankly at the alpaca with its head tilted to one side.

The surrounding children erupted in deafening laughter.

"Little Shan got spat on by an alpaca!"

"The alpaca won!"

The little girls laughed and rolled around on the lawn.

Jiang Chen, wearing flip-flops, waved his tattered palm-leaf fan.

He stood at the edge of the lawn and burst out laughing.

"This kid is just as stubborn as his father, Jiang Shitou!" Jiang Chen laughed, pointing at Jiang Xiaoshan with a palm-leaf fan.

"They can't even outrun an alpaca, they're a disgrace to Jiangjia Village!"

Su Qing walked over, holding a sun umbrella that protected against ultraviolet rays.

She rolled her eyes at Jiang Chen, annoyed.

"How dare you say that!" Su Qing switched the thermos flask in her hand to her left hand.

"Those alpacas were bought from Australia at a high price as mascots!"

"Now they've all become toys for these mischievous monkeys!" Su Qing complained coquettishly.

Jiang Chen pursed his lips.

He casually patted his floral-patterned shorts.

"Isn't it just something to play with?" Jiang Chen bounced Xiao An Yan up in his arms.

"When An Yan grows up, Dad will just rent out a horse farm and buy her a few purebred ponies to ride!" Jiang Chen announced loudly.

An Yan couldn't understand at all.

The little girl was blowing clear saliva bubbles, and her two pink little hands were desperately trying to reach the stubble on Jiang Chen's chin.

A deep, hearty laugh came from the other side of the lawn.

Jiang Shitou was shirtless, holding a large bowl bigger than his face.

He was shoveling noodles into his mouth.

Jiang Shitou strode to the edge of the lawn and picked up Jiang Xiaoshan.

"You brat! I've been teaching you boxing every day, and you can't even catch a long-necked sheep!" Jiang Shitou's voice boomed.

Jiang Xiaoshan wiped the green saliva from his forehead and complained pitifully.

"Dad! It's cheating! It won't run away, it's spraying me!"

"If you spew insults at me, spew them back!" Jiang Shitou shouted, glaring at him with his bull-like eyes.

"The men of Jiangjia Village will eat anything, but they can't stand being taken advantage of!"

His honest and straightforward remarks made the villagers who were enjoying the cool air around him burst into laughter.

Jiang Youfu, wearing a red apron covered in oil stains, came over carrying a plate of freshly sliced ​​braised pig's head.

"Stone! Don't corrupt the child!" Jiang Youfu shouted in a loud voice.

"Why are you arguing with an alpaca! Come on! Try my freshly cooked braised pork!"

Jiang Shitou grabbed a piece of meat with alternating layers of fat and lean meat with his hand and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Uncle Youfu! This meat is amazing! I have to have a couple of bites tonight!" Jiang Shitou chewed heartily.

The sun gradually slid down the western mountains.

The clouds on the horizon were baked into an extremely gorgeous purple-gold color by the setting sun.

Vast expanses of sunset glow spread over Changsheng Reservoir.

The evening breeze blew across the water, dissipating much of the daytime heat.

The water surface rippled with tiny, shimmering waves.

As far as the eye can see, it's all a golden expanse.

The air was filled with the fragrance of earth.

It also has the unique, refreshing fragrance of the Longevity Spring water.

The village's loudspeaker began playing melodious light music.

Under the big locust tree.

The older generation fanned themselves with palm-leaf fans and drank cool boiled water from large tea mugs.

Jiang Mancang tapped his pipe and pointed to the newly built plastic basketball court not far away.

"Look at those young guys! Playing ball in this sweltering heat, don't they get tired?" Jiang Mancang shouted.

Liu Cuifen, carrying a large stainless steel basin, shouted at the gate of the courtyard in her hoarse voice.

"Erhei! Stop playing ball! Come home and have some braised pork!"

"If you're late, your dad will have eaten all the meat!" Liu Cuifen's voice drowned out the sound of the basketball being dribbled on the court.

Over at the basketball court.

Several seventeen or eighteen-year-old boys were shirtless, sweating it out on the field.

The sneakers made a screeching sound as they rubbed against the top-quality rubber floor.

A row of high-power anti-glare streetlights next to it lit up on time.

It illuminated the entire half of the field as bright as day.

The facilities are even more luxurious than those of a national-level stadium in the provincial capital.

A rich aroma of food wafted from the large, single-level kitchens of every household.

It has the aroma of stewed free-range chicken, the smoky fragrance of pan-fried ribbonfish, and the spicy flavor of stir-fried pork.

The lively atmosphere of the entire village reached its peak at this moment.

The entire Jiangjia Village is filled with an indescribable sense of peace and prosperity.

Jiang Chen put away his palm-leaf fan.

He tucked the palm-leaf fan directly into the back of his floral-patterned shorts.

She pinched Xiao An Yan's armpits with both hands.

With a mighty effort.

"Take off!" Jiang Chen shouted at the top of his lungs.

Little An Yan was lifted high above her head.

The little girl in mid-air was not afraid at all.

Two chubby little legs were kicking wildly in the air.

The crisp giggles echoed across the lawn.

"Be gentle!" Su Qing was startled.

She quickly threw away the parasol to protect An Yan's back.

"This is my own daughter! What if she falls down!" Su Qing playfully slapped Jiang Chen's arm.

Jiang Chen steadily pulled An Yan back into his arms.

He gave An Yan a big kiss on her rosy cheeks.

The prickly stubble made the little girl keep backing away.

Jiang Chen raised his head and looked around the entire Jiangjia Village.

A wide and smooth top-grade asphalt road.

Rows of fully intelligent single-level apartments costing tens of millions of yuan.

Children playing on the lawn.

An elderly man leisurely playing chess under a tree.

Those petty, stingy people who used to haggle over every penny have long been washed away by their billions in wealth.

Now, even the dogs in the village eat imported, high-end dog food every day.

"Wife, look." Jiang Chen pointed to the brightly lit village.

Su Qing looked in the direction he was pointing.

The painting before my eyes was so beautiful it felt like a dream.

"This is the Jiangjia Village I wanted." Jiang Chen's tone was full of domineering and satisfaction.

"People outside are fighting for power and profit, and they're even fighting tooth and nail over the contract."

"We Jiang family members should just stay home and enjoy our retirement!" Jiang Chen said loudly.

Su Qing took out a slice of chilled watermelon from the bottom of the thermos.

The watermelon was bright red and still exuded a slight chill.

She held the watermelon to Jiang Chen's mouth.

"Alright, Village Chief Jiang, you're the most capable one," Su Qing teased him.

"You've monopolized the entire fresh produce logistics business in the province."

"Now, even the bosses of those multi-billion dollar corporations outside have to wait in line and be mindful of your attitude before they can even get a sip of soup," Su Qing said, covering her mouth and laughing.

Jiang Chen didn't stand on ceremony and took a big bite of the watermelon flesh.

The sweet, cool juice flowed down his throat, making him groan with pleasure.

"That's money I earned through my own hard work, their envy won't change anything!" Jiang Chen casually tossed the watermelon rind into the smart recycling bin by the roadside.

The night grew darker.

The village's motion-sensor streetlights cast long shadows of the two people.

An Yan had been wriggling in Jiang Chen's arms for a while, and now she started yawning.

The little girl rubbed her eyes, her head nodding, about to fall asleep.

Su Qing took out a handkerchief and wiped the watermelon juice from the corner of Jiang Chen's mouth.

"Let's go home for dinner." Su Qing took Jiang Chen's arm.

Jiang Chen, carrying his daughter and wearing flip-flops, shuffled towards his own courtyard.

"What are we having for dinner tonight? I played chess with Grandpa under the big tree all afternoon, and I'm starving," Jiang Chen asked.

Su Qing rolled her eyes at him.

"You're such a terrible chess player who always takes back his moves, how dare you even mention it?" Su Qing quickened her pace.

The two walked to the front of their impressive courtyard.

"Mom cooked for you tonight, making a top-quality turtle soup with water from the Longevity Spring, saying it's to nourish you properly," Su Qing replied casually.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen immediately stopped in his tracks.

He looked down at An Yan in his arms, then turned to look at Su Qing.

"Wife, drinking this turtle soup on such a hot day will cause you to get a sore throat!" Jiang Chen protested loudly.

"Is my mother-in-law trying to annoy me enough?" Jiang Chen asked, his eyes wide.

Su Qing pointed to the gate.

"That's a fifty-year-old wild soft-shelled turtle! Take it or leave it! Go open the door!"