My 1995 Small Farm.

Chen Ling was pleased and patted the puppy's head: "You're all quite well-behaved. Tomorrow I'll take you little ones for a stroll in the mountains."

Really?

Upon hearing this, Rui Rui ran over immediately, "Dad, why are we going into the mountains?"

"Patrolling the mountain."

Chen Ling laughed and said, "Donggang has been crowded with people lately, and the village is noisy, but the mountains are quiet. It's perfect since no one has picked the wild fruits this year, and if we don't go now, they'll all benefit the monkeys."

Wang Zhenzhen was holding the little black dog and rubbing its head when she heard this, and her eyes lit up: "Brother-in-law, tomorrow is Sunday, I don't have to go to school!"

"I know, that's why I said I'd go."

Chen Ling looked at Wang Susu and said, "Susu, you should go too. You're exhausted from taking care of the kids at home every day. Go into the mountains for some fresh air."

Wang Susu paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Is it okay? Kang Kang Le Le..."

"Bring them along." Chen Ling waved his hand. "Have Afu and Ashou come along, and also Erhei and Xiaotiedan. With so many bodyguards, what are you afraid of?"

“Yes, sister, with Afu and Ashou following along, they can carry the baskets, and the two little ones can sit comfortably inside!” Wang Zhenzhen quickly added her suggestion.

"Mommy's going! Mommy's going!" Kang Kang clapped his little hands, whether he understood or not, he just joined in the commotion.

Lele was even more direct. She wobbled over to Wang Susu, hugged her legs, and looked up at her, saying, "Mommy, let's go up the mountain! Let's go up the mountain!"

Wang Susu bent down and picked her up, laughing, "Alright, alright, let's go to the mountains, let's go play in the mountains."

Wang Cunye took a puff of his pipe and said, "Then your mother and I will look after the house tomorrow."

"Father, you should come too."

Chen Ling said, "This year there has been plenty of rain, and there are many good things in the mountains. Wild grapes and the like will definitely grow abundantly. Let's pick more to make wine and sauce."

Gao Xiulan poked her head out from the kitchen: "Go, go, all of you! Let your father gather some medicinal herbs; those honeysuckle flowers in the mountains should be picked."

Qin Rongxian and Liang Hongyu also became interested.

Qin Rongxian said, "Fugui, can we come along? Last time we went into the mountains near Laohewan, we didn't really have a proper time to enjoy the mountains."

"That's great!" Chen Ling laughed. "Tomorrow we'll be a big team."

Liang Hongyu raised her camera: "I need to take more photos. The scenery in these mountains is no less beautiful than those scenic spots."

Zhang Lihua, listening nearby, was somewhat tempted: "Ah Ling, I can..."

"Brother Hua, don't even think about it."

Chen Ling interrupted him directly: "Your mastiffs are still in a critical period of treatment, you need to keep an eye on them. Besides, there are many wild animals in the mountains, and your mastiff has just recovered, don't cause it any trouble."

Zhang Lihua sighed, "Fine, I'll go back to the dog farm to take care of the mastiffs."

The lynx gloated, "I'll go with them; I'm fast on my feet."

"You shouldn't go either." Chen Ling glanced at him. "The dog farm can't be left unattended. Tomorrow, you need to thoroughly disinfect those kennels, and the day after tomorrow, Lion King and the others can be allowed to roam freely."

The lynx's face fell: "So you think I'm the only one who can do the work?"

Everyone laughed.

After dinner, Chen Ling began preparing for his trip into the mountains.

Baskets, sacks, machetes, water bottles, dry food, first-aid kits—all were packed away one by one.

Wang Susu was folding the child's clothes nearby: "A-Ling, how far are you going tomorrow?"

"Not far, in the old forest valley area."

Chen Ling said, "The terrain over there is flat, there are many wild fruits, and there is a stream where the children can play in the water."

"That's good."

Wang Susu was relieved.

Rui Rui and Xiao Ming lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), whispering to each other and occasionally giggling.

"What are you two whispering about?" Chen Ling asked.

Rui Rui looked up and asked, "Dad, shall we bring our slingshots tomorrow?"

Chen Ling was taken aback: "Why did you bring a slingshot?"

"We'll hunt wild berries!" Xiao Ming said matter-of-factly. "Some are too high to reach, so we'll use a slingshot to shoot them down!"

Chen Ling laughed: "Okay, bring them. But no shooting birds, no shooting monkeys, understand?"

"We heard you!" the two children answered in unison, their eyes sparkling.

Erhei lay at the doorway, its ears twitching and its tail wagging gently.

Beside it, several puppies huddled together, fast asleep.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the courtyard came alive with activity.

When Chen Ling got up, Wang Zhenzhen was already wandering around the yard with a small basket on her back, her little face full of excitement.

"Brother-in-law, hurry up! The sun's already up!"

"Where?" Chen Ling looked up at the sky; the east was just beginning to lighten.

Wang Susu carried Lele out and laughed, "Your sister-in-law hasn't woken up yet, but you're already in a hurry."

Wang Zhenzhen chuckled: "I finished packing last night!"

Gao Xiulan came out of the kitchen carrying a large basket filled with dry food and water: "Alright, alright, are you all packed? Let's set off while it's still cool."

Qin Rongxian and Liang Hongyu also came out, both having changed into comfortable clothes. Liang Hongyu had a camera hanging around her neck, while Qin Rongxian was leaning on a wooden stick.

Ah Fu and Ah Shou were already lying at the gate waiting.

Ah Shou is in good spirits today and no longer keeps looking in the direction of the county town. I guess the seven or eight matings last night satisfied it.

He's always thinking about that tigress.

Heiwa and Xiaojin squatted beside them, quietly watching everyone busy.

Erhei led several puppies, who squatted neatly in a row. The smaller ones tried to run away, but Erhei growled at them and made them obediently squat down again.

Little Iron Egg lay under the jujube tree, gnawing on a bone, occasionally looking up at the tree with a lazy air of "you guys go, I'm not going."

"Isn't Tiedan going?" Wang Zhenzhen asked.

"It's too lazy to move."

Chen Ling laughed and said, "The main thing is that this guy is really like a golden retriever. He's not interested in going into the mountains, and his fur is too long to be suitable for venturing into the forest. He's perfect for guarding the house."

After the group finished packing, they left the farm and walked along the path behind the mountain into the mountains.

Turning into a mountain gully, the noise of the village gradually faded away, replaced by birdsong and the sound of a stream.

Wild grass grew lushly on both sides of the mountain road, and dew soaked the trouser legs.

The puppies were incredibly excited as they ventured into the mountains for the first time, darting in and out of the grass and sniffing incessantly.

Erhei walked at the front, glancing back every now and then, and barking at anyone who ran too far away to call them back.

"Erhei is a really good parent." Liang Hongyu took a picture with her camera.

“It’s always been like this since it was a puppy,” Chen Ling said with a smile. “It’s more troublesome than Heiwa and Xiaojin.”

Heiwa and Xiaojin walked on either side of the group, at a leisurely pace, but their eyes were always alert to their surroundings.

Behind Afu and Ashou Palace, the massive body moved silently through the forest.

After walking for almost an hour, the view suddenly opened up before us.

A clear stream flows down from the mountains, its bottom visible. The streambank is a gentle slope covered with various shrubs and vines.

"This place is nice. Let's rest here for a bit and stretch our legs," Chen Ling said.

Rui Rui and Xiao Ming couldn't wait any longer, so they took off their shoes and ran to the stream.

"Slow down! The water's cold!" Wang Susu shouted.

"Know!"

The two children stepped into the stream, then jumped out shouting, "So cool! So cool!"

Kang Kang and Lele were being held, watching longingly, and stretching out their little feet to try and step on it.

Wang Susu and Gao Xiulan found a flat, large rock to sit on, put the two little ones down, and let them play on the rock.

Wang Cunye looked around and pointed to a patch of vines: "Look over there, it's an August melon!"

Following his pointing finger, everyone looked and saw several thick vines entwined around a large tree, laden with purplish-red fruits, some of which had already split open, revealing the white flesh inside.

"Oh my, it's really ripe!" Wang Zhenzhen was the first to rush over. "I'll pick it! I'll pick it!" "Wait a minute," Chen Ling stopped her. "Check if there are any snakes first."

He poked around the vines with a stick a few times to make sure it was safe before saying, "Alright, go ahead and pick them. Pick the split ones first, they're the sweeter ones."

Wang Zhenzhen immediately picked a split akebia melon, broke it open, and popped it into her mouth: "Mmm! Sweet! So sweet!"

Rui Rui and Xiao Ming also ran over from the stream, looking up at the vines full of fruit, jumping up and down anxiously: "Daddy, Daddy, I can't reach them!"

Chen Ling smiled and picked up the two children, letting them pick things from the higher places.

Qin Rongxian and Liang Hongyu were also busy, one picking and the other taking pictures, having a great time.

Heiwa Xiaojin squatted to the side, showing no interest in the fruit, and focused intently on his surroundings.

Ah Fu and Ah Shou found a shady spot, lay down, and lazily basked in the sun to rest.

Erhei was leading several puppies to play in the stream.

It was the first time the puppies had seen water, and some were scared and stayed far away.

Some of the bolder ones reached out their paws to grab at the water, only to be splashed with water and run away screaming in fright.

The most steady little black and yellow dog stood by the stream, looking down at the water, as if studying what it was.

After a while, it stuck out its tongue and licked the water, then slowly walked into the shallow water. After taking a few steps, it looked back at Erhei.

Erhei barked, as if to encourage him.

The puppy grew bolder and started splashing around in the water, pawing wildly with its four paws, creating a spray of water.

"Hey, this one's really good!" Wang Cunye exclaimed with delight.

As I was picking them, a squeaking sound suddenly came from the tree.

Everyone looked up and saw several monkeys squatting on a persimmon tree not far away, happily munching on persimmons.

"Monkey!" Rui Rui shouted.

When the monkeys saw humans, they didn't run away. Instead, they bared their teeth and made warning noises.

One of the large male monkeys, with a robust build and grayish-brown fur, was perched on the highest branch of a tree, holding a persimmon in his hand. He was gnawing on it while staring at the crowd with disdain in his eyes.

"Hey, this monkey's pretty tough, it's not even afraid of tigers," Qin Rongxian laughed.

Xiao Ming took out a slingshot from his pocket, loaded it with a small pebble, aimed it, and said, "Uncle, I'm going to shoot it!"

"No," Chen Ling stopped him. "These are wild monkeys. If you provoke them, they might throw stones. Let's pick our own food and let them eat theirs. Let's keep to ourselves."

Xiao Ming reluctantly put away his slingshot, but his eyes were still fixed on the group of monkeys.

Seeing that the humans didn't react, the monkeys became even bolder.

A few small ones climbed down the branches, peeking out at the August melons in the basket on this side.

"Oh, they're trying to steal our fruit!" Wang Zhenzhen protected her basket.

Chen Ling laughed and said, "Let them see, they can't reach it anyway."

As soon as he finished speaking, a little monkey suddenly jumped down from the tree and landed not far from the basket, tentatively walking forward.

Erhei immediately stood up and let out a low growl.

The little monkey squeaked in fright and scrambled back up the tree.

The large male monkey became enraged, baring its teeth at Erhei and letting out a sharp cry.

Erhei, not to be outdone, raised its head and barked twice in response.

For a time, the sounds of monkeys howling and dogs barking filled the air, creating a lively and bustling scene.

"Alright, alright, stop arguing."

Chen Ling patted Erhei's head, "Let's pick them somewhere else. We have a little kid with us today, so let's be lenient with them. We'll deal with them later."

Erhei obediently shut up, but his eyes were still fixed on the group of monkeys, as if to say, "Don't mess with me."

Chen Ling led the group upstream for several dozen meters, where there was another patch of wild grapevines.

The wild grapes grow densely, with bunches of dark purple berries hanging from the vines, emitting a sweet and sour aroma.

"Wow! So many!" Wang Zhenzhen put down her basket and started picking.

Wang Susu also became interested, handed Lele to Gao Xiulan, and picked some herself.

Kang Kang and Lele sat on a rock, being fed freshly picked August melons by Gao Xiulan, their faces covered in white flesh from eating.

Qin Rong first picked a wild grape and put it in her mouth. She squinted her eyes because it was so sour: "Goodness, it's really sour!"

"This isn't for eating right away."

Chen Ling laughed and said, "Pick them and use them to make wine or grape jam. Add enough sugar, and that's when they'll be truly fragrant."

Liang Hongyu held up her camera to take close-up photos of the wild grapes, then turned around to take pictures of the mountain scenery, the stream, and the dogs playing, keeping herself very busy.

The puppies had finished playing by the stream and came over to circle around the group.

The little black dog held a twig in its mouth and tried to put it in Wang Zhenzhen's hand, wanting her to throw it out to retrieve it.

Wang Zhenzhen caught the branch and threw it forcefully: "Go!"

The little black dog took off running, but halfway there, it was intercepted by the little blue dog.

The two dogs fought over each other, rolling around in the dirt.

Erhei walked over and growled. The two dogs immediately let go, obediently retrieved the branch, and placed it at Erhei's feet.

Erhei picked up a branch, walked to Wang Zhenzhen, put it down, squatted down, and looked up at her.

Wang Zhenzhen laughed: "Erhei, you want to play too?"

She picked up the branch and threw it again.

Erhei darted out, grabbed a branch in a few leaps, and ran back steadily, its tail wagging happily.

"Erhei is really amazing!" Rui Rui and Xiao Ming clapped.

The puppies watched from the side, their faces filled with admiration.

While we were playing, a commotion suddenly came from upstream.

Everyone looked up and saw a group of monkeys moving quickly along the treetops by the stream, chirping as they moved towards them.

"Why are you here again?" Chen Ling frowned.

The monkeys stopped about 20 or 30 meters away from the group, perched on a tree, and stared intently at the wild fruit in the basket on the group's back.

The big male monkey reappeared, squatting at the front, its eyes even fiercer than before.

"Are they trying to steal our fruit?" Wang Zhenzhen became wary.

“It doesn’t look like it.” Chen Ling observed, “Look, they’re not heading towards us, they’re heading towards…over there.”

He pointed to a grove of trees across the stream.

Everyone looked in the direction he pointed, and saw several tall persimmon trees in the grove, their branches laden with golden persimmons.

But at that moment, another group of monkeys were perched on those persimmon trees.

The monkeys had golden fur that shimmered beautifully in the sunlight, pale blue faces, and slightly upturned noses.

"Golden monkey!" Qin Rongxian exclaimed in surprise.

It really is a golden monkey!
There were about ten golden monkeys, some big and some small, squatting on the persimmon tree, slowly and methodically munching on the persimmons.

With an elegant and composed demeanor, she completely disregarded the group of wild monkeys opposite her.

"These monkeys are so beautiful!" Liang Hongyu raised her camera, and the shutter clicked away.

"This is the real Monkey King," Qin Rongxian exclaimed.

He then looked the monkey troop over and asked, "Fugui, look, aren't these the same golden monkeys you rescued before? They seem so much bigger now. They're completely different from before."

Chen Ling rescued the golden monkeys in the mountains twice.

One instance was a couple of years ago at Lutou Mountain in Fenglei Town, where I rescued a baby monkey that had been captured by a clouded leopard.

The second time was in January this year, when it was snowing, when I used maggot therapy to treat the infected wound of the Monkey King's wife.

They forged a deep friendship.

"Definitely. The golden monkeys in the mountains only recognize my brother-in-law. Look, there are so many little monkeys among them now. They're so cute and fluffy. There must have been a lot of births this year."

Wang Zhenzhen pointed to the trees in the distance, her eyes darting around as far as she could. (End of Chapter)