My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 151

Two days before heading into the mountains, Chen Ling harvested the cucumbers, eggplants, tomatoes, green beans, and other vegetables that had been planted around the thatched hut in the cave and piled them up inside the hut. He uprooted the plants and dismantled the wire trellises as well. These vegetables were only for their own consumption and not intended for sale; they would simply be planted as needed, whenever they wanted to grow some.

Otherwise, the hut will be surrounded by these things, and whether it looks nice or not is secondary; the main problem is that they take up too much space. There are plenty of "treasures" in the mountains; we need to make room for these.

This area, which I walked through this afternoon, is rarely visited. There are many common medicinal herbs and wild fruits, and beautiful wildflowers are everywhere.

Chen Ling was now eyeing a few orchids. At first glance, they didn't seem particularly stunning, but they were incredibly fragrant, growing on rocks beside a stream. The leaves were thick, the petals round and full, displaying a light red color with fine, speckled patterns, and the edges of the petals had a golden outer edge.

As you get closer, the fragrance becomes even stronger, a rich aroma with a hint of sweetness, filling the air with its fragrance.

Carefully plucking one and storing it in his cave, Chen Ling was about to move on to another spot when he suddenly discovered several more wild jujube trees. Wild jujubes are very common, found in fields and ditches, but these trees were a little different.

It was a wild jujube tree that left a deep impression on him during his childhood. Locals called it "phoenix eye". The fruit was very small, but the taste was quite good. Each tree was usually small and produced very little fruit. Some small trees would only grow five or six jujubes a year, and they were often completely destroyed by birds.

Even if they longed for it when they were young, they rarely got to eat it.

Adults love to eat it too, and some people have tried to grow it, but the taste is far inferior.

Gradually, these wild jujubes with phoenix eyes can no longer be seen outside; they only grow in remote, untouched mountains.

Wild fruits are called wild fruits because they cannot withstand large-scale cultivation. They are either small, difficult to cultivate, or have a sour and astringent taste, making them inedible. However, Chen Ling was not afraid of these problems; since he had encountered them, he simply stored them in his cave.

"Puch!"

"Wang Wang Wang..."

Heiwa suddenly sneezed, shook his big head violently, and let out a frustrated cry.

The sun had set, and swarms of mosquitoes swarmed by the water, both dogs finding it unbearable.

Little Jin also started whimpering in frustration.

They weren't afraid of wolves, but they were helpless against mosquitoes.

Chen Ling had no choice but to wave his sleeves and help drive them away, saying, "Let's go, dig up another sapling, and then we'll go back."

Plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums—we must gather them all.

However, the tree he was digging up wasn't one of those trees; it was just a wild cherry sapling, not far away. Chen Ling quickly dug it up and put it into his cave. There were several large trees nearby, their branches laden with clusters of bright red cherries, a delightful sight. Chen Ling picked a few bunches, wiped the fuzz off them, and gave some to his two dogs. The two dogs and he ate as they walked.

Cherries, and the wild grapes that were transplanted earlier.

He planned to leave the mountain and brew some fruit wine, while the wild fruit trees would be cultivated in the cave for a while first.

When the time comes, we'll categorize and brew a large vat of each of various fruits, such as cherries, wild grapes, and goat milk, and bring some to my father-in-law when I accompany my wife back to her parents' home.

Let them savor the taste of fine wine and also let the two elders take care of their health.

As Chen Ling walked towards his lodgings, he also took the opportunity to search for a large amount of dry branches. This place hadn't been visited for many years, and there was a thick layer of dead branches and leaves piled up, making it easy to gather a pile. He broke them all into pieces about a meter long, then pulled up some wild grass, twisted them a few times, wrapped them together, and tied them into bundles. He then carried two bundles of firewood back home.

The wild grasses in the mountains grow very lushly and are very resilient. They are very strong; a few stalks can be twisted together and used as rope.

As we walked back, and got further away from the stream, the number of mosquitoes gradually decreased.

The two dogs also became lively and, imitating Chen Ling, helped him gather firewood.

However, they are childlike and rather greedy.

They only picked the big ones.

Heiwa found a broken pine branch lying on the ground, about the thickness of a palm and more than a meter long. He was immediately excited, picked it up, and ran forward.

As a result, it walked sideways like this, and after only a few steps, it tripped over a tree in the forest and cried out in distress.

Little Jin is smarter.

Help it hold one end in its mouth, and the two of them, each biting one side, one in front and one behind, lift themselves up and run forward.

They started arguing like two dogs.

Chen Ling found it amusing and followed behind, cheering them on.

Sure enough, the two dogs ran around even more happily.

When the man and his two dogs returned to their lodgings, everyone was stunned.

Especially the group of young people, who don't often go to Chen Ling's house, were astonished and amazed when they saw this scene.

Not only them, but even Chen Dazhi couldn't help but stand up.

"Hahaha, good heavens, Fugui, how come your dog is so capable? It can fight wolves, chase mountains, and even gather firewood..."

"If we put in another two years and work harder, it might even soar into the sky."

Chen Ling put down the two bundles of firewood and laughed, "It's easy to want to fly, but we'll have to wait until they grow wings."

"How can you fly if you can't grow wings? Are you going to strap a rocket to your butt?"

Everyone burst into laughter, then gathered around the two dogs to look them over.

One by one, they muttered: "I don't know how Fugui's two dogs are raised. They can do everything. They're so capable."

Heiwa and Xiaojin were no longer in the mood to listen to others praising them. They just lay at Chen Ling's feet, rolled around on their bellies, wanting Chen Ling to scratch their itch.

Those two guys were bitten terribly by mosquitoes just now. They have several big welts all over their bodies, and they are itchy and painful, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

...It's just a pity that it got dark too quickly.

The last glimmer of light was disappearing at a visible speed, and the entire forest instantly turned dark, as if a curtain had been drawn across the sky, leaving no light whatsoever, so dark that one could not see their own hand in front of their face.

Chen Ling scratched the two dogs a few times, and then the surroundings were plunged into darkness.

She stood up and said, "Alright, alright, stop making a fuss. I'll apply some medicine for you after I've cooked dinner."

Then Yuqiang and the others went to start a fire with flashlights.

The fire was lit, and a clearing had been made around the area. Chen Ling caught two wild rabbits, and Chen Dazhi took out the mountain rats that the dogs had caught at noon and started playing with them.

As for deer and muntjacs, they refuse to eat them.

Everyone comes into the mountains to make a living.

They rely entirely on selling the large game they hunt at the market to make money.

The saying goes: "They seek the flesh and blood but do not enjoy it themselves, exchanging it for food and clothing for their families." This is exactly the case.

...The deep mountains at night are terrifyingly dark.

The long howl of the wolf, accompanied by the mournful cries of birds, made the desolate and lonely atmosphere even more eerie, sending chills down one's spine.

A campfire was lit in the woods here.

There are two campfires.

On the other side, Chen Ling skewered a rabbit, placed it over the fire, and turned it over and over to roast it.

The fire was burning brightly, and drops of rabbit oil fell into the fire, making a sizzling sound, and the rabbit meat was tinged with a light golden color.

The aroma gradually wafted out.

The sight made the hungry crowd involuntarily swallow their saliva; they wanted to eat it even before it was fully cooked.

On the other side, Chen Dazhi was roasting rats.

Three are strung together.

He skewered three pieces, a cigarette dangling from his lips, and grilled them with great enthusiasm.

It took almost half an hour to roast the rabbit and the mountain mouse.

Wang Lixian took out a small bottle of wine, and with the fragrant rabbit meat, everyone took a small sip. The temperature was low in the mountains at night, and a few sips of wine made everyone feel comfortable.

After the rabbit meat was distributed, everyone also tried the roasted mountain rat.

It's mainly because young people haven't tried it before and want to try something new.

The mountain rat meat tastes pretty good; it's crisp with a slight sweetness, lean and tender, and after being roasted over a fire, it's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Chen Ling only took two bites to taste it, and then stopped eating.

He can accept bamboo rats and eats them happily, but he won't eat rats.

Others, however, became somewhat addicted to it. Chen Yubin, for example, was a small man whose eyes lit up after just one bite. He ate the rat's paws and tail clean, and when he saw that others were full, he kept stuffing rat meat into his mouth, crunching it along with the bones.

Heiwa and Xiaojin stared at him with wide eyes, as if wondering if rat meat was really that delicious.

After Chen Ling had eaten and drunk his fill, he boiled hot water for everyone.

He then turned around and went to make his own bed.

With limited resources, a thick layer of fallen leaves, soft and cozy enough to sleep on, will suffice.

The ground nearby was covered with fallen leaves; you could easily gather a pile by simply shoveling them aside and use them as a mat to sleep on overnight.

They all wore overcoats when they went into the mountains, and with the fire burning at night, they didn't feel cold.

After the others had finished eating, they also came over and carried piles of dry leaves.

Not far from the fire, everyone found their own spot.

"Uncle Fugui, what are you doing?"

Seeing Chen Ling get up again and bend down to scatter some things at the edge of the cleared area, Chen Yuqiang followed and asked.

"Snake repellent."

Chen Ling carried a blue cloth bag and handed him some: "Go and sprinkle it on the other side. At night, with the fire burning, wild animals won't come near. Sprinkle this snake repellent, and not only will snakes be repelled, but other poisonous insects and ants won't come near either, so everyone can sleep peacefully."

"Good stuff."

"I'll go sprinkle it on right away."

After sprinkling the medicine, Chen Ling added some mugwort and other crushed herbs to the campfire. Instantly, a rich medicinal aroma filled the surroundings and gradually spread outwards. Now, not a single mosquito or flying insect could be seen around. Before, you could still hear the faint buzzing of mosquitoes, but now it was completely quiet.

"Fugui, you've prepared so well! We haven't even taken anything out yet, and you've already finished."

Chen Ze walked up to him and teased him while picking his teeth with a small stick.

"Of course, Uncle Fugui is really capable now."

"Uncle Fugui, take a rest, let me get you some water."

The young people laughed heartily, creating a lively atmosphere.

"Let's try to curry favor with your Uncle Fugui. Whether we can get more loot in the mountains this time depends entirely on him."

Wang Lixian, who is usually not very talkative, joined in with a laugh.

There's no doubt he can find prey, but whether he can successfully catch it is another matter. Having not been in the mountains for many years, he's become somewhat rusty; having two intelligent dogs assisting him certainly makes things much easier.

...The night passed peacefully; in the mountains, it gets dark early and dawn early too.

Early in the morning, while everyone else was still asleep, Chen Ling opened his eyes and got up.

I'm going to collect a few things from a slightly distant place into the cave.

Leave your place of stay.

With Heiwa by my side, we strolled slowly through the mountains and forests, listening to the crisp birdsong. I felt an extraordinary sense of peace in my heart. The cool air, mixed with the scent of morning dew and decaying leaves, made me feel even more comfortable and at ease.

A large squirrel stood on a branch, chirped a few times, threw nuts at Chen Ling's feet, and bared its teeth at him, seemingly protesting that he had entered its territory.

Woof! Woof! Not to be outdone, Heiwa barked fiercely at the little creature in the tree, telling it that he was not someone to be trifled with.

Chen Ling stopped Heiwa, telling him not to waste his energy on such a harmless little thing. Ahead lay a grove of wild bamboo; the bamboo was short and some leaves were withered and tangled, blocked by vines.

The little squirrel, however, wouldn't give up. It followed Chen Ling, leaping from tree to tree, declaring that these were its own and not to be touched. Perhaps because it was jumping so enthusiastically, it stepped on a dry branch and fell with a thud at Chen Ling's feet.

Seeing this, Chen Ling laughed and gently kicked the little squirrel lying on the ground pretending to be unconscious, wanting to see how it was doing. Heiwa, who had long been dissatisfied with the little thing, pounced on it and bit it, wanting to teach this annoying little creature a lesson.

Chen Ling hurriedly stopped him. This little guy was quite interesting. He seemed to sense Heiwa's presence and closed his eyes tightly, pretending to be dead, but his large gray-brown tail was still swaying gently.

"Huh? Don't move, what's that smell!"

Chen Ling sniffed and suddenly smelled a peculiar odor stimulating his nasal cavity.

(End of this chapter)