My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 179 Release the turtle
Joking aside, Chen Ling had indeed considered bringing it along.

Moreover, he wanted to bring not only chickens and ducks, but also quail, fruit wine, geese, wild ducks, and wild boar meat.

This was Wang Susu's first proper visit to her parents' home after her marriage, so he wanted to bring her father-in-law and mother-in-law some gifts.

Going back like this, aside from anything else, at least when she meets the villagers, her wife will feel proud.

But thinking about it carefully, with the mountains high and the roads long, having too much stuff won't work either.

Later, I gritted my teeth and thought to myself, let's focus on what everyone considers good these days.

Anyway, there's still a long way to go.

If not, I'll deliver it more often next time.

Before and after the New Year, make sure to travel back and forth frequently.

If his wife is unavailable, he can deliver it himself if he has nothing else to do.

Once you know the way, distance isn't an issue anymore.

……

"To save my beloved Li Lang, I left my home; who would have thought I'd become the top scholar in the imperial examination..."

Chen Ling hummed a little tune as he rummaged through the rotten pile of peach trees for insects. He parted the withered branches and weeds to reveal the damp earth that had been covered up, as well as the tree trunk riddled with wormholes.

Whether it's damp soil or a tree trunk severely infested with insects, you can easily find many plump, white insects.

This is a saw beetle, also known as a hen beetle, which is the larva of a rhinoceros beetle. Sometimes you can hear creaking or groaning sounds coming from wooden furniture or beams; that's actually this thing causing the noise.

When the weather gets cold, earthworms go deep underground and are harder to dig up. At this time, if you want to find fish bait, sawworms are a good alternative.

Chen Ling bent down and rummaged through the clothes, finding a few. He held them in his hand, when suddenly two little creatures darted out from between his trouser legs, like two big yellow mice, running and jumping around his feet.

A little while later, three smaller little creatures came running over.

It's Xiao Huang and Xiao Pang's family.

They ate and drank well under Chen Ling's guidance, their intelligence and abilities increased, and their range of activities expanded.

Not only do they roam around the village, but they also frequently venture into the wild outside the village to forage for food.

After the swallows flew away in early winter.

On the earthen cliffs of the nearby reservoir embankment, many burrows left by swallows are occupied by various birds for overwintering, mostly sparrows. They are not as wary as swallows and can catch an entire nest at once, so weasels often come to wander around this area.

Wang Zhenzhen mentioned it several times at home.

When I go out to play, I always see them around the neighborhood.

There's no way around it, the three little ones are just too easy to recognize.

Having basically grown up in Chen Ling's home since birth, compared to other weasels, it is not afraid of people and runs around under the villagers' noses all day long.

When chased away by people, they will put on a fierce appearance to resist. Because they run fast, they have also learned to climb walls and roofs. They are not afraid of being chased by people or dogs. They are very bold.

In other words, they don't harm chickens and ducks; the villagers chase them away and don't really pay them any attention.

Otherwise, the villagers would definitely find a way to deal with them.

"Alright, alright, stop fooling around and come help me find the bugs."

Chen Ling smiled helplessly, squatted down and fed each of them two saw beetles, then led them to search in the pile of grass and wood.

Little Yellow and Little Fatty were obedient; once they found it, they dutifully carried it into the bamboo basket.

The three little worms, however, were still restless, burrowing into the gaps between the fallen and piled-up peach trees, sniffing around everywhere. Once they found an insect, they would use their claws to peel off the bark and eat it.

They ate with great relish, crunching and munching away.

Chen Ling didn't bother with them. After he had collected enough insects, he took his fishing rod and bamboo basket and went fishing.

Seeing this, they scurried over and climbed up Chen Ling's trouser leg, then jumped into the bamboo basket one after another, wanting to eat the remaining sawflies.

As a result, they all received a slap from Chen Ling.

Like Heiwa, they were used to being beaten.

They don't really take it seriously.

In the blink of an eye, they acted as if nothing had happened. After Chen Ling found a rock to sit on and cast his line, the three of them ran over and curiously watched the spot where the fishing line entered the water.

Little Yellow and Little Fatty completely ignored the three little brats, simply lying quietly on Chen Ling's lap, licking each other's fur.

Soon, a fish took the bait.

Before Chen Ling could even lift the fish out of the water, the three little fish excitedly jumped in, swam over, and together pulled a large crucian carp up.

"Alright, alright, let's catch fish, but don't bite the fishing line, or you'll get a beating."

After winter sets in, the water level drops, and there are far fewer fish in the water.

But today's harvest was not bad.

Sitting by the water, a big fish would bite every now and then.

They were all caught by three little yellow weasels that went into the water and dragged them ashore with their butts sticking out.

Even with their fur soaked, they were having a great time.

The bamboo basket was soon full.

Chen Ling looked at the gloomy sky and saw that the sun still hadn't peeked out, so he decided not to fish anymore.

Ready to go home.

But the three little ones were in high spirits and spontaneously went to find bugs for him.

It caught one in no time, moving incredibly fast.

So Chen Ling continued to sit in the same spot and fish.

They threw the fish from the bamboo basket into the cave to feed the old turtle.

The fish we caught today were almost all crucian carp.

And none of them are particularly small.

The main reason is that crucian carp are quite different from other fish.

It is not afraid of the cold. Other fish don't like to move around or eat much when it gets cold, but they are still looking for food. They will swim over as soon as they see food, and they are very easy to bite.

So, it didn't take long before Chen Ling's fish basket was overflowing again.

"Kakakaka."

At this moment, a sharp, urgent cry came, and Xiao Huang and Xiao Pang, who were dozing off, jumped up and leaped off Chen Ling's lap. They were extremely fast and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Chen Ling knew that the sound was the cry of a weasel when it was in danger. Weasels rarely make a sound, and they only make a clicking sound like a sneeze when they are cornered. Having spent a lot of time with them, he was naturally very familiar with it.

He quickly put down his fishing rod and chased after them.

He hadn't taken it seriously at first.

These three little guys are just like Heiwa, always teasing cats and dogs, never staying still.

Previously, because it refused to suffer losses, it was chased away but refused to run away. Instead, it went back and bared its teeth and swore at the other person. As a result, it was chased and bitten by the other person's goose, which chased it all the way into their house, and its feathers were almost pecked off.

But when they got closer, they smelled a strong stench.

Chen Lingcai then became serious.

You know, these three little guys never farted when they were chased and pecked by geese before; they just thought it was playing around.

I don't know what happened today, the situation is so serious.

So they pinched their noses and went forward, only to find a cave hidden under the reeds by the water. The three little guys, led by Little Yellow and Little Fatty, scurried out of the cave.

Chen Ling glanced at them; they weren't injured anywhere on their bodies, but they were clearly terrified. They were quietly leaning against his feet, staring fearfully at the cave entrance, much more docile than before.

"What kind of hole is this? It's so big!"

Chen Ling was puzzled, so he pinched his nose, walked closer, and bent down to examine it carefully.

He has good eyesight and can see in the dark, so the darkness of the cave doesn't bother him much; he can see clearly what's inside.

But after looking around, all that could be seen were some messy traces and puddles of silt near the entrance; nothing could be seen inside.

But I just scared those three little weasels so badly.

Needless to say, there must be something inside.

The hole was quite wide; an adult could easily crawl through it. However, it wasn't very deep. Chen Ling couldn't see anything yet, so he figured there should be more in other directions. He started looking along the water's edge and found another similar hole, though it was slightly smaller. Still, he couldn't see anything inside.

This proves that the holes are interconnected, like mouse holes, with the outer holes serving as exits and the innermost holes as the dwellings.

Moreover, among the surrounding withered reeds, there were several sunken marks, just like the pits that cattle and sheep had made by piling up hay in their pens.

"Looks like it's quite big."

Chen Ling scratched his temples, brushing away some of the reed fluff, his doubts deepening. "These marks look a bit like a snake, but... can a snake in the water grow this big?"

Unable to understand, Chen Ling turned around and slapped the three rascals a few times: "Damn it, only the three of you know how to cause trouble."

He disciplined the three little creatures so much that they dared not look up at him, and just licked their fur with droopy eyes.

Looking back again, they circled around the two cave entrances. As soon as they approached these two caves, Little Yellow and Little Fatty showed fear and made threatening clicking noises.

But when they tried to lure them out, they looked at Chen Ling pleadingly, not daring to go in at all.

"Or should we block it?"

Chen Ling thought helplessly.

There were rumors in the water that some kind of "monster" was swimming around, which scared people quite a bit. Everyone said that the Dragon King had come to the reservoir.

People would secretly come to burn incense at night.

Now they've created such a huge hole; I don't know what happened.

"Damn it, no matter what it is or whether it can drill its own hole, we should block it up tightly first."

Chen Ling gritted his teeth and became fierce.

Otherwise, if the kids sneak over to play on the edge of the village, they might encounter some danger.

Just like Wang Zhenzhen, even though she made promises at home.

Once he leaves the house, he'll still sneak off to the water's edge to play, catching crabs and shrimp, collecting snails and clams—he'll do anything.

In case.

Chen Ling first found some dry reeds and lit a fire inside the cave, using the thick smoke to fumigate the area for a while.

After waiting for quite a while, nothing came out of the two holes.

Having exhausted all other options, he resorted to a clumsy method: he retrieved a hoe from the cave and, with considerable effort, sealed the two entrances with mud.

Only then did he pack up his fishing rod and prepare to go home.

As we walked down the dam.

Suddenly, he had a flash of inspiration and hurriedly went back.

Xiao Huang and Xiao Pang's family had already run quite far. They had intended to take a shortcut to get home ahead of him, but seeing him go back, they quickly followed.

Chen Ling looked around for a while, but there wasn't much of a person around.

So I simply released the big turtle and garlic.

At this moment, the sun lazily peeked out, reluctantly casting down streaks of dim sunlight.

Under the sunlight, a giant turtle the size of a millstone suddenly appeared on the shore.

The sudden change in environment made it immediately cower and become fully alert.

"Garlic, look here."

Chen Ling patted its big head and called out to it.

Upon seeing that it was Chen Ling, it relaxed, feeling both curious and somewhat bewildered.

Then it stretched its neck and rubbed against the back of his hand, and slowly crawled around him.

Seeing it crawling around everywhere, occasionally tilting its head back to look around with a look of curiosity, Chen Ling couldn't help but laugh.

This is because they've been staying in this secluded place for too long.

"Garlic, are you still feeling cold? Try the water first."

Chen Ling directed it to crawl into the water.

Splash! Ripples spread out in circles as the garlic swam back and forth in the water.

It returned to Chen Ling's side, poked its head out, and comfortably squinted its eyes.

Chen Ling nodded to himself, patted its head, and thought to himself that it was indeed stronger than ordinary turtles and was not afraid of the cold at all.

The three little rascals watched this scene curiously beside Chen Ling, wondering what was going on.

Maybe it was fun, but it forgot the pain as soon as the wound healed, and started teasing the garlic again, sniffing it with its nose, and then standing up to play with the garlic.

The old turtle ignored them.

They then became bolder, leaping and bounding back and forth on the shore and on the back of the garlic plant.

They looked incredibly cheerful.

Unfortunately, his joy was short-lived, as Chen Ling released several more large male turtles.

These male turtles lacked the wisdom of garlic. After emerging from their cave, they immediately opened their mouths and bit at the animals, frightening them so much that they ran far away, cautiously peeking out but not daring to approach.

"Garlic, take your bastards and guard this place well..."

Chen Ling squatted by the water and gave instructions.

Garlic is intelligent and can understand what he says.

After Chen Ling finished describing the water monster hiding in the water and the unidentified creatures on the shore, Garlic Head was stunned for a moment, then understood Chen Ling's meaning. It then led several male turtles into the water and swam to the vicinity of the blocked earthen cave to make their home.

Garlic Head is still the size of a millstone, and the other male turtles are the size of a well cover. Although their size hasn't changed much, they have become increasingly ferocious. Their shells are extremely hard, and their bite force is astonishing. They are not just pretty faces.

So there's nothing to be afraid of, no matter what strange things are in the water or on the shore.

"Just keep a close watch on things. I'll come to see you from time to time. Remember not to let your scoundrel hurt anyone."

Chen Ling took some spiritual water from the cave as a reward.

He left under Garlic Head's reluctant gaze.

……

I made crucian carp soup at home, stir-fried cabbage and tofu, and served it with white rice. It tasted pretty good.

After eating and drinking their fill, the couple prepared to pickle sauerkraut.

Locally, the pickled vegetables eaten in winter are called "pressed pickled vegetables," and Chinese cabbage, white radish, mustard greens, and other vegetables can be pickled.

Today, the vegetables they're pickling are Chinese cabbage and white radishes. A few days ago, Wang Jusheng gave them a lot of white radishes so they could pickle them in the winter.

After the meal, Wang Susu washed the pots and pans and brought out the large mixing basin and the small porcelain basin.

Chen Ling then rolled out the two sauerkraut jars that he had reserved during the brewing process.

Wash the stones used to press the sauerkraut clean.

Chen Ling then carried a bucket to the hand pump well to draw water and poured it into the large pot on the stove to boil.

After adding firewood and blocking the stove opening, I went to help Wang Susu peel the old stalks from the cabbage, throwing the scraps into a basket to feed the rabbits.

After cleaning the cabbage, there are two pickling methods.

One method involves chopping cabbage, pressing it into a jar, layering the cabbage, and sprinkling some salt and seasoning.

The jar is filled to the brim, and a large, heavy pickling stone is placed on top. Pickled cabbage prepared this way can be ready in just a few days and can be easily scooped into bowls and plates to eat anytime.

One method involves pickling whole cabbages. Cut a cabbage in half or quarters, blanch it in boiling water, and then stack the stalks and leaves upside down in a jar. Sprinkle some salt and seasonings on each layer. Once the jar is full, pour in a basin of cooled boiled water and weigh it down with a pickling stone. The jar should be placed in a slightly warm place.

It's a little slower than the first method. After pickling, place the jar in a cool, shady place. When you want to eat it, just take one out. You can chop it up and stir-fry or make a cold salad.

White radishes can be prepared in a similar way; you can cut them into strips or slices.

The two of them finished pickling cabbage and pickled radishes at home that afternoon.

During dinner, Wang Laishun came over. After entering the house, he talked to Chen Ling about contracting the lake in the mountains. Chen Ling had mentioned this to him twice during the funeral of Fourth Grandmother.

"I just came to let you know. Don't rush to pay or sign anything. Once you've finished working on your orchard and have some money left over, then go to the brigade to hand it over..."

Wang Laishun tapped his pipe and laughed, "Anyway, no one's going to take it from you."

It's certain that no one will fight over it; these days, everyone's thinking about going abroad to make a fortune.

Who has the leisure to contract out mountain forests and reservoirs in this remote mountain valley?
Chen Ling agreed, and then asked about his mother's household registration.

These days, he's been looking through old photos and letters at home, and some of his father's regrets from his lifetime have left him feeling uneasy.

It's been weighing on my mind, and I can't seem to let it go.

"Jusheng checked for you in the village, but it's still the same. It's been so many years. Even if you ask the city leaders to investigate for you, what good will it do? There's been no news for a long time."

"In a few days it will be the first day of the tenth lunar month, and we'll be visiting your grave again. Don't be so sad. Think of it on the bright side. Susu is pregnant this year, so it's a good time to let you know. Isn't that wonderful?"

"This family is counting on you from now on. Let me show you that you are a capable man. If you have other worries, try not to think about them."

Wang Laishun exhaled a puff of smoke, glanced at Chen Ling who was holding a teacup and staring blankly, and sighed deeply, thinking to himself that this kid was too late to understand, and that the talented man was ultimately not found.

(End of this chapter)