My 1995 Small Farm.

Chen Ling thought for a moment: "Learning it on the spot isn't a bad idea. The principle is pretty much the same as castrating sheep, but you have to be careful with the technique."

"How about this, I'll go to the county later and ask if there are any experienced pig castrators we can hire to do it. If we really can't find any, I can do it myself, but we'll have to ask around a bit more to be on the safe side."

Castration is the process of sterilizing a pig.

This thing really requires a lot of skill.

Otherwise, there wouldn't be professional pig castrators in the countryside.

For example, here, they carry pig-castrating knives on their waists and walk through villages and communities shouting.

The peak season is in the spring.

Chen Sangui nodded: "Alright, then I'll trouble Fugui to go to the county town and ask. I've heard before that there's an old man named Liang at Liangjiaqiao in the south of the town who used to castrate pigs. I wonder if he still does it."

Chen Sangui had been a carpenter for many years and had visited countless villages.

This is something that many people don't know.

“Yes, Liangjiaqiao isn’t far. I can ride a horse there; it’s fast, a round trip in half an hour,” Chen Ling laughed.

At this moment, Rui Rui suddenly asked, "Dad, after they're castrated, can they still be called little wild boars?"

Chen Ling was taken aback, then laughed: "Of course you can. The name remains the same, only the temperament changes."

"Do they still recognize us?" Xiaoming asked.

“I recognize him,” Chen Ling said. “After waking up from the surgery, I ate and drank as usual and played with you guys just the same.”

Rui Rui breathed a sigh of relief, then leaned on the railing again, watching the three little wild boars.

The three little wild boars, unaware of the impending disaster, were still huddled together.

The biggest one even took two steps forward, tilted its head back, and hummed twice at Rui Rui, as if asking: Did you bring any good food today?
Rui Rui took a biscuit out of his pocket, broke it into small pieces, and threw it through the gap in the railing.

The three little wild boars immediately rushed over, scrambling to eat, grunting and swishing their little tails.

Big Head also reached into his pocket, pulled out a few roasted soybeans, and threw them in.

Xiao Ming also took out rice noodles and threw them in as well.

The three little wild boars fought even more fiercely over it.

Wild boars have such a varied diet that they eat the children's snacks, which are both sweet and oily, with great relish.

I love eating children's food the most.

Chen Sangui, watching from the side, laughed and said, "These three are quite close to the children. Alright, let's keep them then. Castrate them and raise them, so the children will have something to play with."

When Chen Ling got home, he told Wang Susu about it.

Wang Susu laughed after hearing this: "Great! Our veterinarian's business scope has expanded again, from delivery to sterilization, a one-stop service."

Chen Ling shook his head helplessly: "Don't flatter me. I just happened to be in this situation. I'll go to Liangjiaqiao first and ask around. If there really is an experienced craftsman there, we'll ask him to come. If that doesn't work, I'll step in myself."

Wang Susu nodded: "Then go ahead, and come back for dinner early."

Chen Ling changed into clean clothes and went to the backyard to fetch the little blue horse.

When the little blue horse saw its owner arrive, it snorted excitedly and nuzzled him with its head.

Chen Ling stroked its neck, then mounted it and headed south out of the farm.

This thief horse has been bored lately because Chen Ling hasn't ridden it much.

As soon as it left the village, it took off running, its hooves flying, and the poplar trees on both sides of the road rustled backward.

Chen Ling ignored it and let it run, since Liangjiaqiao wasn't far away anyway.

Liangjiaqiao is a small village located south of the county seat, with only twenty or thirty households scattered on a slope on the south bank of the Nansha River.

Chen Ling rode his horse into the village and met an old man fishing at the village entrance. He asked about Old Man Liang.

The old man squinted and thought for a moment: "Old Liang? The one who castrates pigs?"

"Yes, yes, that's him."

"He passed away last year." The old man sighed. "He was over eighty when he died, which is considered a long life."

Chen Ling's heart sank, and he asked again, "Does his family have anyone else in this line of work?"

The old man pointed into the village: "His son, Liang Laosi, took over his father's job and does the same thing. Just walk along this road, the third house is it."

Chen Ling thanked the old man and rode his horse inside.

The gate to the third house was open, and a man in his forties was squatting in the yard sharpening a knife.

The knife wasn't big; it was curved, and the blade was polished to a shine. Next to it were a pair of scissors and a roll of thread.

"Master Liang?" Chen Ling dismounted.

The man looked up; he was a dark-skinned farmer with small but bright eyes.

"It's me. Who are you looking for?"

"I am Chen Fugui from Chenwangzhuang. I would like to ask you to castrate a few pigs."

Upon hearing this, the man put down his knife and stood up: "Chen Fugui? Chen Fugui from Chenwangzhuang? The one who raises tigers?"

Chen Ling smiled and nodded: "Yes, it's me."

The man's eyes lit up: "Oh my, I've heard of you! You're a celebrity! Please come in! Have some water!"

Chen Ling waved his hand: "I'm not going in, my family is waiting. Are you free now? Three wild boar pups, half-grown, their yellow fur hasn't completely shed yet."

"Wild boar?" The man paused, "Wild boar cubs?"

"Yes, we brought it back from the mountains. We've been raising it for a few months, but it's become very wild and keeps jumping around. We're thinking of castrating it but keeping it as a pet."

The man nodded: "Castrated wild boar piglets are indeed easier to raise, and their meat is more flavorful. Okay, I'll pack my things and come with you."

He went inside, picked up an old cloth bag, slung it over his shoulder, and then pushed a 28-inch bicycle out of the yard.

Chen Ling looked at his vehicle; the tires were almost worn flat, and the chain was badly rusted. He laughed and said, "Master Liang, would you like to ride a horse? My little blue horse can carry two."

The man looked at the sleek, shiny blue horse, a little embarrassed: "Is this... alright?"

"Okay, come on up."

Chen Ling mounted his horse and reached out to help the man up. The man clumsily climbed on and sat behind Chen Ling, unsure of where to hold on.

"Just hold my shoulder," Chen Ling said.

The man carefully steadied the horse, but the little blue horse took off running, startling him so much that he cried out "Ouch!" and almost fell over.

"Slow down, slow down! My old arms and legs can't take this much!"

Chen Ling laughed heartily and slowed down.

The man talked a lot along the way.

"Mr. Chen, is that tiger you actually keep? I've heard people talk about it, it's huge!"

"Yes, two, one male and one female."

Does it bite?

"It doesn't bite; it understands human nature."

"Tsk tsk, how much meat would that take?"

"About several dozen kilograms a day."

The man smacked his lips: "Goodness, they eat better than people."

Upon arriving at Chenwangzhuang, Chen Ling took the people directly to Chen Sangui's old courtyard.

A crowd had already gathered in the courtyard.

Besides Chen Sangui, Chen Guoxing, and Chen Guowang, there were also seven or eight tourists from the city who had heard from somewhere that wild boars were going to be castrated and came to watch the spectacle.

When Chen Sangui saw Chen Ling arrive with his men, he went up to greet him: "Fugui, is this the master from Liangjiaqiao?"

Chen Ling helped Liang Laosi down from his horse: "Yes, this is Master Liang. His father is the old pig castrator from Liangjiaqiao."

Liang Laosi waved his hand: "My dad has been doing this for many years. My skills are not as good as his, but I have been doing it for more than 20 years. I have always worked in the east and south of the county town. You people come here less often."

Chen Sangui nodded: "Then I'll have to trouble Master Liang."

Liang Laosi walked to the edge of the pigpen and peered inside at the three little wild boars.

When the three little wild boars saw a stranger, they huddled together warily, the largest one baring its teeth and making a "whoosh" sound.

"Wow, quite wild," Liang Laosi laughed. "Alright, can castrate them. Are they all males?"

“Yes, they are all males,” Chen Sangui said.

"That makes things easier, but the mother's a bit more troublesome." Liang Laosi opened the cloth bag and took out his weapon.

A curved knife, a straight knife, a pair of scissors, a roll of black thread, and a small bottle containing a dark, paste-like substance.

The onlookers crowded closer to take a look, and someone asked, "Master, what's that?"

"Knife." Liang Laosi didn't even look up. "A pig-castrating knife."

"No, what's in that little bottle?"

"Mix lard with soot from the bottom of the pot," Liang Laosi said. "Put some on the wound, and it will heal faster."

The city dwellers exchanged bewildered glances, and someone whispered, "Will this work? Won't they get infected?"

When Liang Laosi heard this, he wasn't angry. He laughed and said, "We've castrated pigs for generations, and we've always used this method. We've never seen a pig get infected and die."

Chen Ling explained from the side, "The soot from the bottom of the pot is just wood ash, which has anti-inflammatory and hemostatic properties. The lard seals the wound and prevents dirt from getting in. It's a folk remedy, but it works."

The city folks then nodded in agreement.

Liang Laosi picked up his knife and said to Chen Sangui, "Find a few people to help hold the pig down."

The brothers Chen Guoxing and Chen Guowang rolled up their sleeves and went into the pigsty.

When the three little wild boars saw people come in, they immediately went wild, squealing and running all over the circle.

The biggest one was the fiercest, and it charged straight at Chen Guoxing.

Chen Guoxing dodged and grabbed its hind leg, lifting it up directly.

The little wild boar struggled desperately, screaming and howling in agony. Its cries were so sharp and loud that they hurt one's ears.

Chen Guowang went up and held its head down, and the two of them pinned the little wild boar to the ground, unable to move.

Liang Laosi squatted down, felt around on the pig's belly, found the spot, and picked up the knife.

The onlookers held their breath.

Rui Rui and Xiao Ming squeezed to the front, their eyes wide open.

Big Head covered his eyes, but couldn't help peeking through his fingers.

With a swift motion, Liang Laosi made a small incision in the pig's belly.

Not much blood was lost, just a little seepage.

He put the knife down, inserted two fingers into the wound, and hooked them out...

Two pinkish things, about the size of a thumb, were pulled out. "These are... wild boar testicles?" someone asked in a low voice.

The person next to him nodded, staring intently.

Liang Laosi was very quick; with a "snip," the scissors cut the two little things in his hand.

He tossed the thing aside, scooped some black ointment from the bottle, and applied it to the wound.

"Alright, next one."

Chen Guoxing picked up the little wild boar and put it outside the pen.

As soon as the little wild boar landed, its four legs trembled, and it staggered a couple of steps before collapsing to the ground with a "plop," making "grunt and squeal" sounds. The sounds were completely different from its previous screams; it sounded both aggrieved and bewildered.

"Dad, what's wrong with it?" Rui Rui asked.

Chen Ling said, "It hurts a bit. It'll be fine in a little while."

The second one was the naughtiest; it had just been baring its teeth at Liang Laosi, but now that Chen Guowang was holding it down, it was screaming even more pitifully than the first one.

Liang Laosi followed the same method, making another cut, hook, snip, and swipe.

The two little creatures were tossed aside again.

The third one is the same.

Three little wild boars lay in a row on the ground, grunting and squealing. Their six little eyes were watery, and they looked both pitiful and funny.

Among the onlookers, some couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Look at their eyes, as if they've suffered some great injustice."

"That's right, he's lost all his testicles, how could he not feel wronged?"

"Hey, these three are brothers from now on, we'll get stabbed together."

Everyone burst into laughter.

Liang Laosi put away his knife, stood up, and said to Chen Sangui, "Alright, keep the pen clean these next few days, don't let them lie in dirty places. Feed them as usual, and don't stop them from drinking water. They'll be fine in a few days once their wounds have healed."

Chen Sangui nodded: "Thank you for your help, Master Liang. How much?"

"Three heads, give me ten yuan."

Chen Sangui took out the money, and Liang Laosi took it and stuffed it into his pocket.

Just then, someone nearby suddenly shouted, "Hey, look! A dog!"

Everyone looked down and saw that Erhei had led the puppies over at some point.

Erhei squatted to one side, very steady, just watching.

But those puppies were different.

The little black dog was the first to spot the few pink little things on the ground, went over to sniff them, and stuck out its tongue to lick them.

then……

It snatched it up in one bite and ran!

"Hey!" Chen Guoxing called out.

The little black dog carried the thing in its mouth, ran a few steps, put it down, tilted its head to look at it, and then licked it.

The little blue dog came over, sniffed it, picked up the other one in its mouth, and ran away.

The last one was taken away by the most steady black and yellow spotted dog.

The three puppies, each carrying one in their mouths, squatted in three corners and began to gnaw on it.

That thing is small; it's gone in one bite.

It's crunchy and delicious.

"Holy crap!" a young tourist exclaimed, his eyes wide. "What do they eat?"

"Eat the testicles." The person next to him suppressed a laugh. "Freshly cut wild boar testicles, you know."

"Ugh..." A young woman covered her mouth and turned to run away.

Everyone burst into laughter.

"Why are you running? This is good stuff!"

"Exactly! Pig testicles are super nutritious! Didn't you see the dogs fighting over them?"

After finishing his own, the little black dog was still not satisfied and went up to the little blue dog, trying to snatch it.

The little green dog, possessive of its food, growled and swallowed the rest in one gulp.

The little black dog then turned to the little black and yellow spotted dog.

The little dog had already finished eating and was licking its lips when it saw the little black dog coming over. It barked at it, the meaning of which couldn't be clearer: That's all, don't even think about it.

The little black dog retreated dejectedly, squatted on the ground licking its lips, its eyes still showing a hint of reminiscence.

"These three puppies are doing well, they're eating quite heartily," Chen Guoxing said with a smile.

“It’s normal for dogs to eat this,” Liang Laosi said while packing up his things. “After we castrate a pig, we usually throw this stuff to the dogs. It gives them energy, and they’re fiercer guarding the house.”

"Of course!" Chen Guowang laughed and replied, "This stuff is incredibly nutritious; it even makes dogs more aggressive when they mate with other dogs after eating it!"

Everyone laughed again.

The three little wild boars lay on the ground, grunting and squealing, completely unaware that their testicles had been eaten by the dog.

The largest one raised its head, glanced at the puppies, then at Chen Ling, its eyes showing a hint of confusion.

Rui Rui squatted down, looked at it through the railing, and whispered, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, it will be over soon."

The little wild boar grunted twice and then lowered its head again.

Xiao Ming leaned over and asked, "Uncle, are they really not going to jump in hoops anymore?"

“They really won’t jump around anymore,” Chen Ling said. “After we finish this, they won’t want to run outside anymore. They’ll just eat and sleep quietly.”

"Do they still recognize us?" Big Head asked.

"Don't worry, he'll definitely recognize it," Chen Ling laughed. "It's just that his temper has changed; he won't be as wild as he used to be."

The children were relieved.

Among the onlookers, a middle-aged man wearing glasses approached Chen Ling and asked, "Mr. Chen, do you raise this wild boar piglet?"

“My son raised him.” Chen Ling pointed to Rui Rui.

The man looked at Rui Rui and smiled, "Little friend, you've raised this wild boar quite well. Can I take a picture of it?"

Rui Rui looked at Chen Ling, and Chen Ling nodded.

Rui Rui stood by the railing and pointed at the three little wild boars: "Take a picture, their names are Big Flower, Second Flower, and Third Flower."

"Big Flower, Second Flower, Third Flower?" the man laughed. "These names really do sound like pig names..."

He raised his camera and snapped a picture.

Someone nearby asked, "Boss Chen, what are you going to do with this wild boar once it's grown up? Eat it for meat?"

"No, we won't eat them," Rui Rui answered quickly. "They're pets, we won't kill them."

"A pet?" The man was stunned. "A wild boar as a pet?"

“Yes.” Rui Rui nodded seriously. “They are very smart. They recognized me as soon as I arrived.”

The little wild boar then raised its head and grunted twice at Rui Rui, whether in response or from pain in its wound, it was unclear.

The man looked at it and laughed, "Well, your village is really interesting. You raise tigers, wild boars, you raise everything."

Chen Ling smiled and waved his hand: "It's just that the kids like it, they keep it as a pet."

Liang Laosi packed his things and was about to leave when Chen Ling stopped him: "Master Liang, have dinner before you go."

"I'm not eating anymore, my family is waiting for me." Liang Laosi waved his hand. "Boss Chen, if you ever need any work involving castrating pigs or sheep, just come to Liangjiaqiao and find me. You're a very honest man, and I'd love to do business with you."

Chen Ling laughed and said, "Okay, then I'll take you there on my motorcycle. Riding a horse was a bit bumpy earlier."

Wang Lishan squeezed through the crowd and shouted, "Fugui, I'll take you there in a donkey cart. I need to go to town anyway!"

Upon hearing this, Liang Laosi said to Chen Ling, "Then let's use a donkey cart."

“Alright, the donkey cart is safe.” Chen Ling smiled.

Chen Ling watched them walk away, then turned to Chen Sangui and said, "Uncle Sangui, spread more dry grass in the pen these next few days, and don't let them lie on the wet ground. Just leave the feeding to the babies."

Chen Sangui nodded: "Don't worry, Fugui. I raised livestock in the production team for several years, so I know about this kind of thing."

Chen Guoxing laughed from the side, "Uncle Sangui, your old courtyard is lively now, with pigs and wild boars everywhere, and people come to see it every day."

Chen Guowang chimed in, "That's right. I just saw those city folks staring at the wild boar taking pictures for ages, more enthusiastic than when they were photographing ancient tombs."

“Of course,” Chen Sangui chuckled. “What’s so interesting about an ancient tomb? It’s just a pile of broken bricks and tiles. Wild boars are rare, especially alive ones.”

Everyone laughed again.

The three little wild boars lay on the ground, grunted and squealed for a while, and then gradually quieted down.

The largest one struggled to its feet, its four legs trembling, and wobbled to the feeding trough. It lowered its head, sniffed the food, didn't eat, and then wobbled back to lie down.

The other two followed suit, standing up, taking a few steps, and then lying down again.

"Are they hungry?" Xiaoming asked.

Chen Ling shook her head: "I'm not hungry. I just had surgery and don't have an appetite. I'll be fine tomorrow."

Rui Rui squatted there and watched for a while, then suddenly asked, "Daddy, will they hate me?"

Chen Ling was taken aback: "Hate you? Why?"

Rui Rui lowered her head and whispered, "I asked them to have the surgery, and it hurts them."

Chen Ling squatted down, hugged her son, and pointed at the three little wild boars: "Look at them, lying there now, aren't they quite quiet?"

Rui Rui nodded.

"Do you know what will happen to them if they don't have surgery?"

Rui Rui shook his head.

Chen Ling said, "They will grow bigger and bigger, and become more and more wild. One day they will break out of their enclosure. Once they break out, they will either be eaten by tigers and leopards in the mountains, or they will run around in the village and be beaten. No matter which way they go, they will not survive."

Rui Rui raised her head, frowned, and looked a little confused.

Chen Ling continued, "Now that they've had the surgery, they can live a good life, eating and sleeping in their enclosure, never having to worry about food or drink for the rest of their lives. Tell me, should they hate you or thank you?"

Rui Rui thought for a moment, then whispered, "Thank me?"

Chen Ling laughed heartily.

“Yes.” Chen Ling patted his head. “You helped them, you didn’t harm them.”

Rui Rui smiled and leaned on the fence again to watch the three little wild boars. (End of Chapter)