My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 1001 The Leopard's Shadow and Childlike Fun: The Ferocious Beast Forced Away

"Little wild boar, little wild boar, that's..."

Rui Rui scratched his head in confusion, "Brother Liu Ni'er and the others said they'd taste good when they grew up, so we raised them together."

Xiao Ming added, "And another thing, Uncle, Xiao Sen also said that pigs taste better if they are castrated."

These words immediately amused Chen Ling and his wife.

"You young kids, what do you know? You just talk nonsense."

However, the two little kids, Kang Kang and Le Le, didn't care what they were saying.

All the attention was focused on the adorable little leopard.

Two little clouded leopards were toddling around on a haystack, their big, dark eyes fixed on the "big cat" and "little cat" inside, filled with excitement and a touch of timid curiosity.

"Mom, my younger brother and sister also like the little leopards. Let's keep them, but... will they bite?" Rui Rui asked softly.

Wang Susu smiled gently and patted her son's head: "No, they won't. As long as we don't scare them and treat them well, they won't bite. Look, their mother recognizes her mother."

As if to confirm Wang Susu's words, the mother cloud leopard looked up at her with a gentle gaze, and even tilted her head slightly. Her expression was somewhat similar to that of Heiwa when he was being spoiled at home.

Xiao Ming, being a bit bolder, cautiously tossed a small piece of unsalted boiled chicken that Wang Susu had just given him into the pot, where it landed on the hay not far from the little clouded leopard.

One of the slightly bolder clouded leopard cubs twitched its pink little nose, attracted by the aroma of chicken. It wobbled over, sniffed it first, then stuck out its little tongue and licked it. Then it opened its mouth, which didn't have all its teeth yet, and tried to bite it.

Seeing this, the other one stumbled over, and the two furballs immediately rolled together over the "giant meat," emitting a weak but energetic "howl."

The scene made both children laugh, and their previous fear vanished.

"They're so cute!" Xiao Ming clapped his hands and exclaimed, "They're like little kittens!"

"Hehe, let me touch it!" Rui Rui grinned, forgetting his fear, and eagerly wanted to go in and touch it.

“Not now.” Chen Ling walked over and stopped her son. “They’ve just arrived and aren’t familiar with us yet. We can only touch them gently once they’re a little older and more comfortable with you. Going in now will scare the mother leopard.”

Gao Xiulan brought over two old, faded cotton mats that Kang Kang and Lele had used when they were little, and carefully laid them out in the corner of the woodshed. She said to Wang Susu, "Give them some mats. It's cool and damp at night. This mother leopard is so thin, she probably doesn't have much heat to keep her cubs warm."

Wang Susu took it and slowly approached.

The mother clouded leopard looked at the mat in her hand, twitched her nose, and did not resist.

Wang Susu laid the cushion next to it, and it even rubbed its head against the cushion. Then it carefully picked up the two cubs that were playing and placed them on the soft cushion.

Ah Fu and Ah Shou relaxed when they saw that everything was settled inside.

Afu yawned loudly, revealing dagger-like fangs, then lay down on the ground, resting its huge head on its front paws, squinting its eyes, looking every bit like a "gatekeeper".

Ah Shou then gracefully strolled to the window on the other side of the woodshed, lay down, and the sunlight shone through the window frame onto its golden fur, making it gleam.

At first, Little Iron Egg didn't dare to approach, only barking twice from a distance. After being stopped by Blackie's low growl, it curiously circled the woodshed, occasionally putting its nose to the crack in the door and sniffing hard.

When it smelled the aroma of chicken and milk coming from inside, its mouth watered, and it scratched at the door with its paws, making a pitiful "woof woof" sound.

Chen Ling found it amusing, grabbed Xiao Tiedan by the collar and lifted it away: "You greedy little thing, that's for the guests, your food is over there." He pointed to the direction of the dog food bowl.

Little Iron Egg twisted his body reluctantly, his eyes still fixed longingly on the woodshed.

Over the next few days, the area around the woodshed became the liveliest spot on the farm.

Rui Rui and Xiao Ming would run to the woodshed whenever they had free time to "report for duty," and they quickly discovered the joy of feeding the animals.

Wang Susu strictly controlled her diet, which mainly consisted of easily digestible minced chicken, fish paste, and goat milk.

The two children took turns filling small, flat-bottomed plates with the contents and carefully placing them at the entrance of the woodshed.

The mother clouded leopard would initially wait until her cubs were far away before quickly taking the food.

As they gradually became familiar with their smells and voices, they allowed the children to place the plates closer to them.

The two little clouded leopards are like mothers to their children; as soon as they see Rui Rui and Xiao Ming appear with plates, they stumble over and circle around their feet, urging them on with their soft cries, which makes the two children giggle.

Kang Kang and Lele also became loyal "onlookers".

Wang Cunye and Gao Xiulan each held one of the children and sat on the stone bench outside the woodshed.

When Kang Kang sees the little clouded leopards fighting, he will excitedly wave his little hands and shout "Ya ya!"

Lele was more quiet, staring intently with her big eyes, occasionally pointing with her little finger and mumbling "cat...cat..."

What's most amazing is the interaction between Afu and Ashou and the clouded leopard family.

Once, a little clouded leopard got carried away with its play and climbed onto Afu, who was lying down and dozing, and used its little paws to scratch at Afu's soft belly fur that rose and fell with its breath.

Everyone was startled, fearing that Afu might impatiently swat it down with its paw.

To everyone's surprise, Afu lazily opened one amber eye, glanced at the little thing on its body, let out a gurgling sound like a sigh, and then closed its eyes again, letting the little thing explore it as if it were a furry hillside.

Seeing this, another clouded leopard cub mustered its courage and came over, trying to imitate its brother.

Ah Shou, on the other hand, appeared to be more "kind".

It uses its huge, barbed tongue to lick the clouded leopard cubs very gently, grooming their fur.

The force was controlled perfectly, effectively cleaning without harming the cubs' delicate skin.

The mother clouded leopard watched nervously at first, but later realized that Ashou meant no harm, so she acquiesced.

Of course, there are also times when they "compete for each other's affections".

Little Iron Egg saw that the little clouded leopards were drinking goat milk, and he was very tempted to do the same.

Once, when no one was looking, it sneaked into the woodshed, intending to lick up the leftover goat milk from the little clouded leopard's food dish.

As soon as it stuck out its tongue, the mother clouded leopard, protecting her cubs, growled a warning and slapped it on the nose with its paw.

Little Iron Egg let out a "woof" and ran away with its tail between its legs. It nestled into Rui Rui's arms for comfort, making everyone burst into laughter.

Looking at this harmonious scene that transcends species, Chen Ling felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

This trust and warmth between living beings is far more satisfying than any wealth.

In the past few days, he has been secretly adding a little bit of the spiritual water from the cave to the drinking water and food of the clouded leopard family, to help the mother clouded leopard recover her strength as soon as possible, and to allow the cubs to grow up healthier.

……

Inside the farm, everything was warm and peaceful, but outside, the world continued to turn even during the intermittent rain.

The flood control work has entered the final and consolidation stage.

The recent clear skies have caused the water level to drop, gradually revealing the flooded farmland and roads. Wang Laishun organized villagers to clear the silt, dredge ditches, and repair the damaged field ridges and some village roads.

The air was filled with the smells of earth and water, but even more so with the energy of rebuilding their homes. Zhao Dahai and Shanmao constantly shuttled between the forest farm and the village, reporting the situation to Chen Ling.

The livestock are mostly unharmed, and the pregnant females are in stable condition.

The newly added litters of puppies at the dog farm are in good health, and Erhei is managing them very well.

“It’s just…” Zhao Dahai rubbed his hands, hesitatingly saying, “Fugui, these past two days, some brothers near the forest farm said they seemed to hear strange noises coming from the deep mountains. They weren’t like the usual calls of wild boars or wolves; they were low and guttural, giving people the creeps. Someone else said they vaguely saw a large yellow shadow flash by in the forest at the edge of the forest farm, moving extremely fast… Could it be…”

"Huang Guo? Did he go to the forest farm?"

Chen Ling felt a chill run down his spine, but remained outwardly calm: "Tell everyone to be extra careful on patrol, especially in the evening and early morning. Tell the lynx to keep a close eye on the pack of dogs and not let them chase you into the deep mountains. Also, tell everyone to try not to go into the mountains alone to cut firewood or collect herbs recently. If you must go, go in groups and bring your tools."

"Okay!" Seeing that Chen Ling took it seriously, Zhao Dahai quickly agreed, "I'll go and make the arrangements right away."

After Zhao Dahai left, Chen Ling frowned slightly.

Based on what Chen Gannian saw, and the reports from the forestry workers, it's highly likely that the Yellow River chrysanthemums were indeed forced to the outer edges of the mountain range by the continuous rains, towards the county town.

Moreover, they were active in the mountainous area near Chenwangzhuang.

This thing holds grudges; it may not have forgotten what happened to Little Blue Horse last time.

Nowadays, Afu and Ashou mainly focus their energy on protecting the farm and the clouded leopard family, which may have reduced their deterrent effect on the forest farm.

He walked into the courtyard and looked towards Wuyunling.

The setting sun gilded the mountains with a golden edge, but the depths of the mountain valleys were already shrouded in inky shadows, as if hiding endless secrets and dangers.

"I need to make some preparations," Chen Ling thought to himself.

He wasn't afraid of the yellow catfish, but rather didn't want it to harm the villagers or livestock.

If we can take this opportunity to completely resolve this hidden danger, or even... "invite" it into the cave, that would be the best course of action.

The vast mountain forest environment within the cave is sufficient to accommodate this rare giant beast, and it might even allow it to undergo some positive "evolution".

Meanwhile, the righteous act of Chen Ling purchasing grain to stabilize public sentiment, as well as the successful experience of flood control in Chenwangzhuang, indeed attracted higher-level attention through the compilation and reporting by Zhao Yubao and Professor Zhong, and the promotion by Professor Sun and others.

The provincial newspaper reporter finally overcame the transportation difficulties and arrived in Chenwangzhuang for a special interview.

The reporter who arrived was a woman in her thirties, wearing glasses, and looking very capable. Her surname was He.

She not only interviewed Chen Ling, Wang Laishun, Zhao Yubao and others, but also inspected the reservoir dam, the forest farm dog farm, and even visited beneficiary villages such as Kinmen Village, interviewing ordinary villagers.

The villagers' simplicity and heartfelt gratitude left a deep impression on reporter He.

She was especially shocked when she saw the strange sight of tigers and clouded leopards, children and dogs living in harmony on the farm, and she kept pressing the shutter button on her camera.

After the initial excitement of the reporters' arrival, life on the farm returned to a brief period of calm.

The weather seems to be getting better. For the past three or four days, it has been mostly cloudy with some sunshine. Although the sunshine is not intense, it is enough to make people feel good.

Taking advantage of the rare sunny weather, Wang Susu and Gao Xiulan mobilized the whole family to do a thorough cleaning and drying of the clothes.

Bedding, clothing, and previously damp grains and dried goods were all brought out to see the sun.

The courtyard was filled with colorful clothes and sheets, fluttering in the breeze and exuding the fresh scent of sunshine and soap.

Rui Rui and Xiao Ming volunteered to use feather dusters to dust off the mat. They worked up a sweat and their faces turned red, but they enjoyed it immensely.

Kang Kang and Lele crawled around in the shade where a straw mat had been laid out, chasing after the grasshoppers that Wang Zhenzhen had woven for them.

Chen Ling was busy repairing the parts of the farm that had been damaged by the wind and rain.

The roof tiles, the orchard fence, the chicken coop roof...

He worked quickly and efficiently, and after a whole day of bustling activity, the farm was completely transformed, inside and out.

The clouded leopard family is getting better and better under careful care.

The mother clouded leopard had clearly gained weight, her fur had regained its luster, and her eyes were sharp and bright. The two cubs had grown even larger, like balloons, becoming more lively and active, and much bolder.

They now dare to run out of the woodshed and play with Afu and Ashou in the yard. Occasionally, they will provoke the leisurely strolling little white calf and little water buffalo, leaving the two docile calves quite helpless and making everyone laugh.

Little Iron Egg finally accepted his three new companions. Although he would occasionally be yelled at by the mother clouded leopard for fighting over food, he could get along peacefully with the cub most of the time, and sometimes they would even lie side by side in the sun and take a nap.

That evening, the sky was ablaze with the glow of sunset.

The family sat around the grape trellis for dinner. The dishes on the table were simple, but all were homegrown: cucumber salad, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, steamed crucian carp, and a bowl of mushroom and tofu soup.

"These mushrooms are really fresh," Wang Cunye said contentedly, taking a sip of his wine. "They're even better than meat."

"That's right, this rain has brought a lot of treasures to the mountains, not to mention anything else."

Gao Xiulan fed Kang Kang and Lele steamed egg custard, "When the weather clears up a bit more, let Lingzi take us into the mountains to pick some more and dry them."

Wang Susu placed a piece of fish belly meat on Chen Ling's plate: "Ah Ling, you've worked so hard these past two days, taking care of everything inside and out."

Chen Ling laughed and said, "It's nothing, it's just what I should do. It makes me feel comfortable when the house is clean and tidy."

As they were talking, Afu and Ashou walked over with steady steps and lay down not far from the dining table.

The two clouded leopard cubs, like two little shadows, scurried in and out between their massive bodies, having a great time.

The mother clouded leopard sat quietly at the door of the woodshed, watching with a serene expression.

Rui Rui and Xiao Ming quickly finished their meal and ran over to play with the little clouded leopard.

Rui Rui picked up a blade of grass and teased a little clouded leopard, making it jump around.

Xiao Ming carefully reached out and gently stroked the back of another clouded leopard cub.

The little clouded leopard squinted comfortably and rubbed its head against his palm.

"Brother Xiaoming, it likes you!" Rui Rui exclaimed.

Xiao Ming smiled smugly: "It's so soft!"

Watching the children playing with the clouded leopard, Wang Susu's eyes were full of tenderness. She whispered to Chen Ling, "Ling, sometimes I feel like our home isn't a home, it's more like a zoo. But it's so harmonious, it's wonderful."

Chen Ling held her hand: "Harmony in the family brings prosperity in everything. Animals are intuitive; they can sense when you treat them well. Our home has a good atmosphere, so they naturally want to be close to us."

Night falls and the stars are shining.

The croaking of frogs and chirping of insects rang out again, even louder than before the rain.

Chen Ling and Wang Susu lay in bed, listening to the natural symphony outside the window.

“Susu. I plan to go into the mountains in a couple of days, after Reporter He’s report is published and things have come to a close.”