My 1995 Small Farm.

Passing through the village, we called out to Da Tou from Wang Jusheng's family, and together we went to Chen Sangui's old courtyard.

Ever since Chen Baoshuan's wife ran away on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

Chen Sangui and Chen Baoshuan lived in the new house.

The old courtyard used to be used for raising pigs.

The three wild boar cubs that Chen Ling brought back from the mountains were raised here by Rui Rui and Xiao Ming.

Chen Sangui doted on his granddaughter and raised two pigs for Xizi, one male and one female, planning to keep the piglets to sell for money next year.

They saved up for their granddaughter's school fees.

Perfect, the baby wild boar can grow up alongside the mother pig.

At first, these little wild boars were quite nice.

But as they grew larger, these little creatures became more wild.

He's very naughty now, not only disobedient but also always jumping around in circles.

Chen Ling led Rui Rui, Xiao Ming, and that kid Da Tou, strolling leisurely towards Chen San Gui's old courtyard.

Da Tou is a year older than Rui Rui. He has a chubby face and looks just like his father, but his personality is not like his father's. Instead, he is like Chen Ling, who has liked to tease cats and dogs since he was a child.

I couldn't move when I saw the puppy behind Erhei.

Along the way, Afu and Ashou followed slowly behind, while Erhei led several puppies running back and forth. The little black dog was the most mischievous, chasing after butterflies by the roadside from time to time. Erhei would growl at it, and it would obediently run back.

Big Head teased the dogs with a chuckle, which made the puppies run around following him everywhere.

Then Erhei called out again.

Have a great time.

Chen Sangui's new courtyard is located at the west end of the village, next to Chen Dazhi's house.

The old courtyard is located on the east side of the village, next to the large pond, and also near the former primary school.

"Uncle Fugui, is Sister Xizi home?" Da Tou asked.

"No, she's at school," Rui Rui answered quickly. "Is today Monday? Oh no, Wednesday. Sister Xizi must be at school."

"Is Grandpa Sangui here?" Da Tou asked again.

“Yes, he is,” Chen Ling said. “Your Grandpa Sangui recently took on a carpentry job, making some frames for the archaeological team in Donggang. He works at home every day.”

Before they knew it, they arrived at Chen Sangui's new courtyard.

That is, Chen Baoshuan's previous home, which was expanded.

The yard wasn't big, but it was kept very tidy.

There was a pile of chopped firewood against the east wall, and a carpentry table against the west wall with a plane, chisel, saw, and several freshly planed planks on it. The wood shavings were rolled up and gave off a fresh woody smell.

Chen Sangui was squatting next to the table, holding a plane in his hand, pushing it on a wooden board, and shavings were coming out in rolls.

Hearing the noise, he looked up, squinted, and chuckled, "Fugui's here? And these three lads are here too?"

"Grandpa Sangui!" Rui Rui ran over, "We've come to see the little wild boar!"

"Watching wild boars?" Chen Sangui put down his plane and patted the sawdust off his apron. "What's so interesting about those things? They get uglier as they grow, and they've been restless lately."

"But your father is here, and with the tiger following him, they won't behave themselves. Come on, I'll take you to the old courtyard."

Chen Sangui cheerfully led everyone out the door and headed east along the village road.

The old courtyard was much more dilapidated than the new house, with earthen walls and blue tiles, and moss growing at the base of the walls.

The gate was made of two old wooden planks nailed together; the latch could be pulled open easily.

As soon as you enter the yard, the distinctive smell of a pigsty wafts over.

The hay mixed with the smell of manure, but it wasn't too pungent, probably because it was cleaned up frequently.

There was a row of pigsties in the yard, with wooden fences and a stone floor.

In the largest pen, a large black and white sow was lying on her side, with a row of piglets squeezing under her belly to nurse, grunting and swishing their little tails.

In a pen next to it was a large black boar, its head buried in the trough, making loud smacking noises as it ate.

The innermost circle is the territory of those three little wild boars.

Chen Ling walked to the edge of the circle and peered inside.

The three little wild boars were sleeping huddled in a corner when they heard a noise and all raised their heads.

Wow, you've grown so much!

Chen Ling remembered that when they first brought them home, the three little creatures were only the size of a palm, fluffy and like little puppy puppies.

Now, they all weigh forty or fifty pounds, their bodies have lengthened, the mane on their backs has begun to harden, and their mouths have become pointed.

Its fur color has also changed.

When we first brought it home, it was covered in yellow and brown stripes, like patterns.

The patterns have faded, and some areas are starting to turn dark brown, but it hasn't completely changed yet. Patches of yellow hair remain on its back, making it look like the fur hasn't completely faded.

"Wow, these three little rascals are growing pretty fast," Chen Ling said, peering over the railing.

“Absolutely.” Chen Sangui walked over. “They eat a lot and poop a lot, so we have to feed them three times a day. They even steal half of my sow’s food.”

Big Head leaned against the railing, squeezing his head through the gap: "Uncle Fugui, why are there patches of yellow and black on their bodies? Are they sick?"

“No illness.” Chen Ling laughed. “Wild boar piglets have patterns when they are young. It’s camouflage so they can blend in with the shadows of the trees in the mountains and are not easily spotted by eagles and leopards. The patterns fade as they grow up. By the time they are one or two years old, the males are completely black, while the females are more brown.”

"Then what are they now? Half-grown kids?" Xiaoming asked.

“Yes, half-grown boy, half-grown wild boar,” Chen Ling said. “This is the stage when he’s most mischievous and wildest.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the largest of the three wild boars stood up, shook its head, and walked towards the fence.

It walked slowly, but its little eyes darted around, glancing at Chen Ling, then at the children, and finally settling on Erhei.

Erhei squatted at Chen Ling's feet, watching the three little wild boars with a calm expression.

The little wild boar stared at Erhei for a few seconds, then suddenly grunted twice and turned to walk back.

He took two steps, then stopped and looked back.

Then--

It suddenly leaped up, its four short legs moving incredibly fast, and charged towards the lowest part of the railing!
"Hey!" Chen Sangui, quick as a flash, grabbed a bamboo pole leaning against the wall and tapped it on the railing. "Go back!"

With a "snap," the bamboo pole startled the little wild boar, which shrank back in front of the fence and retreated dejectedly.

The other two woke up too, stood up and moved closer to the big one. The three of them huddled together, staring intently outside, their eyes brimming with an undisguised desire to get out.

"See that?" Chen Sangui put down the bamboo pole. "It's like this every day. They jump once in the morning, once at noon, and once in the evening. I've put this bamboo pole here specifically to keep them in check."

Big Head chuckled: "Grandpa San Gui, they want to break out of the circle!" "Break out of the circle? They just want to run away."

Chen Sangui said, "They're too wild to be kept in captivity. My two domestic pigs are well-behaved, eating and sleeping all the time, and they never jump around. But these three are different; they try to escape whenever they get the chance."

Rui Rui leaned on the railing, staring at the three little wild boars, his little face full of worry: "Third Grandpa, what if they run away?"

“We can’t escape now,” Chen Sangui said. “I’ve raised the railings by a foot and reinforced them with two more. But it’s hard to say what will happen in the future. They’ll grow bigger and stronger, and who knows, they might just jump out one day.”

Just then, footsteps and laughter came from outside the courtyard gate.

Chen Ling turned around and saw the brothers Chen Guoxing and Chen Guowang, along with several young men carrying hoes and walking this way.

"Hey, Fugui's here too!" Chen Guoxing's loud voice rang out from afar, "Look, the wild boar's here?"

"That's right," Chen Ling laughed. "Are you guys working in the fields?"

“Where are you going? We’re coming back from Donggang.” Chen Guowang walked over and peered over the railing. “These little guys are growing pretty fast.”

"What's the rush? You're just causing trouble." Chen Sangui leaned the bamboo pole against the wall. "They're always trying to run away. They're going to wear my old bones out."

Chen Guoxing looked at the few wild boars and suddenly said, "Hey, Third Uncle, isn't now the perfect time to get these three? Look at their fur, it's patchy yellow and black, it hasn't completely shed yet."

Chen Sangui nodded: "It's time; the yellow hair hasn't completely faded yet."

"When?" Big Head asked, confused. "When?"

Chen Guoxing chuckled and winked at Da Tou: "When we eat."

Big Head was stunned: "Eat? Eat what?"

"Eat them."

Chen Guowang chimed in, pointing to the three wild boars, "The meat of these half-grown wild boars is the most tender and fragrant when their yellow hair hasn't completely fallen off. There's no unpleasant smell at all, and it's much more fragrant than domestic pork."

“Yes, yes, yes!” A young man chimed in. “I heard from the elders that wild boar calves at this stage are called ‘yellow-haired’ and they’re the best to eat. Once their hair turns completely black, the meat becomes tough and has a strong gamey smell.”

Chen Guoxing patted the railing: "Third Uncle, how about we pick one to kill? Let us have a taste! Fugui will cook for us!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

Chen Ling laughed and waved his hand, "Don't drag me into this. These three are raised by my Rui Rui and Xiao Ming. I can't make that decision."

Upon hearing this, Rui Rui's face tightened. She moved closer to the fence, blocking the three little wild boars, and looked up at Chen Guoxing: "Uncle Guoxing, you can't eat them!"

Chen Guoxing teased him deliberately, "Why can't we eat it? We'll raise it to be eaten anyway."

"No!" Rui Rui exclaimed anxiously, "They're pets! They're there to play with me!"

"Oh, a pet?" Chen Guoxing suppressed a laugh. "Have you ever seen anyone keep a wild boar as a pet?"

"I've seen it!" Xiaoming squeezed in and blurted out, "A classmate of mine in Beiji raised one! His dad said you can tame wild boars!"

Big Head chimed in from the side, "That's right, that's right, you can't eat it!"

The adults burst into laughter.

Chen Ling squatted down, pulled Rui Rui in front of him, and said with a smile, "Uncle Guoxing was just teasing you, no, no. But..."

"Your Grandpa Sangui is right. These little ones are always jumping around, which is not a good thing. As they grow bigger, what if they really jump out and run around the village, bumping into people or biting them?"

Rui Rui was stunned, blinking her eyes repeatedly.

Xiao Ming scratched his head and asked, "Then... what should we do?"

Chen Ling stood up, walked to the railing, and carefully examined the three little wild boars.

The largest one was staring at him warily, while the other two huddled behind it, but their eyes showed little fear, more of a wildness and curiosity.

“Actually, there are two ways,” Chen Ling said. “One is to kill it and eat it now, while the yellow fur hasn’t completely shed, the meat is at its best. If you wait until the fur is completely black before killing it, the meat won’t taste good, it will have a strong gamey smell, and you’ll have to stew it with heavy spices for a long time to mask it.”

Upon hearing the word "kill," Rui Rui's face turned pale, and she grabbed Chen Ling's leg, crying, "Daddy! Don't kill!"

"Alright, alright, I won't kill you." Chen Ling patted his head. "Then there's only the second option left."

"What's the solution?" Big Head asked anxiously.

Chen Ling looked at Chen Sangui: "Third Uncle, have you ever castrated a pig?"

Chen Sangui was taken aback, then realized: "Castrate pigs? You mean... castrate them?"

“Yes.” Chen Ling nodded. “Now that they’ve been castrated, they can be raised to be meat pigs, or they can continue to be kept as pets, it’s all fine.”

Rui Rui blinked, looked up, and asked, "Daddy, what's castrating a pig?"

Chen Ling thought for a moment, wondering how to explain this to the child.
He crouched down and tried to put it simply: "It's about turning them... well, into the kind of pigs that don't cause trouble."

"Not causing trouble?" Xiao Ming didn't understand. "How do I change?"

Chen Guoxing chuckled and interjected, "It's just a minor surgery. After that, they won't want to run away anymore, and they won't be so wild. They'll eat and sleep obediently, just like domestic pigs."

Rui Rui still didn't quite understand, but when she heard "don't run outside," her eyes lit up: "Then they won't jump in circles?"

"Yes, not anymore," Chen Ling said. "At least I won't be thinking about running away every day."

"Do they feel pain?" Rui Rui asked.

"It will hurt for a little while, but it will be over soon," Chen Ling said. "It's like getting a shot; you prick yourself, take a nap, and wake up feeling fine."

Rui Rui frowned and thought for a long time, then looked at the three little wild boars again.

The three little wild boars were huddled together, cautiously watching the outside.

The largest one suddenly grunted twice, as if it were communicating with its companion.

Rui Rui watched for a while, then looked up and said, "Dad, then... then let's do it. I don't want them to die."

Xiao Ming nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, yes, we need to have surgery. If we don't have surgery, we'll have to kill him, and then he'll be gone."

Chen Ling smiled and patted the two children's heads: "Okay, then we'll listen to you. But we have to hurry, these three are ready to be castrated now. If we wait another month, their fur will be completely black, and their meat won't taste good. Castration won't make much difference either."

Chen Sangui nodded in agreement: "Fugui is right. The last time to castrate is when the hair turns yellow. When I was young, the production team raised a few wild boar piglets, but we didn't castrate them in time. We waited until their hair turned black before casting them, but the meat was still smelly, so it was a waste of effort."

Big Head asked curiously, "Grandpa Sangui, why was it okay to castrate someone when they were blond, but not when they were black?"

Chen Sangui smacked his lips and thought for a moment: "Well... it's hard to say for sure, but it's been passed down from the older generation. Wild boars, before they're castrated, that thing affects the taste of the meat. When they're yellow-haired, that thing hasn't grown yet, so they can be castrated cleanly. Once it's grown, that taste seeps into the meat, and no amount of castration can remove it."

Chen Ling nodded: "Yeah, that's pretty much the idea. Actually, it's the same with domestic pigs. If you don't castrate young male pigs, the meat will have a gamey smell when they grow up. It has to be called 'gamey pork,' and it's inedible. Wild boars are even worse; the smell is even stronger."

Chen Guowang chimed in from the side, "Then hurry up and castrate the pig! What are you waiting for? Third Uncle, do you have any tools for castrating pigs at home?"

Chen Sangui waved his hand: "I don't have that kind of thing. I'm a carpenter, I can't do the work of slaughtering pigs and sheep. There used to be a pig castrator in Kinmen Village, nicknamed 'Liu Yidao', but he's gone a few years ago. Otherwise, if we invite him, his skills would definitely be fine."

Chen Guoxing looked at Chen Ling: "Fugui, do you know how? Aren't you a veterinarian?"

Chen Ling laughed: "I am a veterinarian, but I mainly treat dogs and cows. Castrating pigs... I have never actually done it before. I only castrated a sheep for Brother Xian once two years ago."

"What should we do then?" Chen Guowang scratched his head. "We can't just learn it all on the spot, can we?" (End of Chapter)