My 1995 Small Farm.

It’s just that.

They wanted to experience rural life happily.

I experienced rural life.

But happiness is nowhere near it.

Even though the Mid-Autumn Festival has passed, it's still not pleasant to go into a cornfield when the sun is out during the day.

It was hot, prickly, and itchy; my whole body was covered in itchy scratches.

It's completely different from going to the mountains to pick mushrooms in the morning.

Picking mushrooms is so much fun!

The mountains are fun too.

At first, they were fine picking corn, but then they started picking it like monkeys in a cornfield, cracking and popping with great enthusiasm.

But once you start working and sweating, the cornfield becomes stuffy and humid.

Ugh, I feel sticky all over, and it's also prickly and itchy, like there are a lot of little bugs crawling into my clothes.

They couldn't be happy anymore.

Before Chen Xiaoer came in, he was complaining that Chen Ling was secretly doing the work.

How could he possibly say such a thing now?

However, these people either boasted and were concerned about saving face, or they were inherently quite competitive.

Including Shen Jiayi, who was still recovering from her illness, none of them dared to say that the farm work was too painful, that they didn't want to do it anymore, or that they wanted to rest, since Chen Ling didn't go to rest.

However, while Chen Ling wasn't paying attention, the women were whispering among themselves, saying that it was even hotter when they were harvesting wheat in the summer, so why were the Water Margin crew having so much fun?

They saw photos at Chen Ling's house. Even the actress who played Pan Jinlian was working in the fields, wearing sunglasses and driving a tractor. She looked so cool and stylish.

Chen Xiaoer said it must be because the corn was too tall and the wheat was too short. He also noticed that there wasn't much grass in the wheat field when the wheat was being harvested, making the work easier.

The corn stalks are so tall in the cornfield, and the grass is just as tall. When you pick corn, the corn stalks sway back and forth, and sometimes the dry corn ears on top of the stalks, or the insects that fall on them, will fall on you without you even noticing.

It's very uncomfortable.

The others thought about it and agreed.

But then, when I looked at Chen Ling, I felt depressed again.

Chen Ling was fair-skinned and delicate, not at all like a farmer.

And he's young.

Logically speaking, these kinds of people are not very willing to work.

I didn't expect them to be so hardworking.

Humming a little tune, followed by a pack of big and small dogs, they went in and out of the cornfield.

In no time, a truckload of corn cobs arrived.

They didn't seem to have that prickly, itchy, and uncomfortable feeling they usually have.

This left them completely baffled.

……

Although the three families didn't have a good time, the busy farming season was completely different from what they had imagined.

But if you grit your teeth and keep going, you can hold on.

Although sometimes, in addition to the itching on my body, the mosquitoes can also be quite annoying.

However, the juice that Chen Ling prepared was delicious.

After a tiring day at work, a couple of drinks will leave you feeling refreshed and invigorated.

Especially the female celebrity Shen Jiayi, after a day's work, she became much more cheerful.

In the evening, I took Rui Rui and Chen Xiao Er's children to sing nursery rhymes and feed the fish in front of the big fish tank.

According to her own words and those of Mr. and Mrs. Shen, even though farm work is so hard and tiring, no one in the village complains. So her setback is nothing.

This made Mr. and Mrs. Shen very happy.

However, they gritted their teeth and persevered for a day.

But ultimately, he had never done any farm work.

So when the three families woke up the next morning...

Apart from Chen Xiaoer's two-year-old child, everyone else was suffering from allergies.

This is also normal.

During the busy farming season, whether it's the summer harvest or the autumn harvest.

Allergies are common, whether it's corn, wheat, rice, or soybeans.

People who do little farm work are more prone to allergic reactions after a trip to the fields.

It causes patches of small red bumps, rashes, and the like.

The solution is also very simple.

Apply some grain liquor to the affected area, and it will subside in less than half an hour.

"Wow, that's amazing. It really did disappear in less than half an hour."

Shen Jiayi showed her parents her fair and slender arms, then looked at Chen Ling with bright eyes, her gaze inquiring: "Brother Chen, how come you and Sister Susu are both so amazing? You can cure diseases with ease."

"That's nothing special, it's just average."

Chen Ling chuckled and said, "For allergies in the fields, you need wine made from grains to treat them. Just treat it the way it came about."

"I know."

Chen Xiaoer immediately raised his hand, "This is called 'using the original broth to digest the original food.' After eating crab roe buns, you have to drink crab porridge. What do you think, Fugui?"

Chen Ling ignored him and said to his two-and-a-half-year-old son, "Daxu, look at your dad. He's still eating crabs. Yesterday, after finishing his work, he ate crabs and was rolling on the ground in pain. And today he's starting to eat them again."

Chen Xiao Er is quite interesting; he calls himself Xiao Er, but names his son Da Xu.

Da Xu looked a lot like his father, but he wasn't as clever or eccentric. The little boy was a bit cocky, showing off his crab roe bun with big bites, and whining, "My mom said my dad is an idiot. An idiot eats like an idiot, and he deserves to die from it."

"Hey, you brat, you're insulting your dad in front of so many people. You're always teaming up with your mom to get back at me, aren't you?"

Chen Xiaoer immediately winked and glared, snatched the bun from his son's hand, and ate it in two bites.

This made everyone laugh, and Rui Rui giggled too.

Only Daxu got up and slapped his father.

Wu Fei said, "This child is quite good; he's only two and a half years old and already has such a sharp tongue."

Chen Xiaoer waved his hand: "Hey, no, compared to Rui Rui, it's like Mr. Wang meeting Mr. Yu, he's still a bit lacking."

Compared to Daxu, who is two years old, there is no difference between Rui Rui and Daxu.

Strong and sturdy, able to run and talk, and very clever.

He's incredibly clever; even a three- or four-year-old can't compare to him.

After breakfast.

The adults cleared the table.

Da Xu felt that he had gotten to know Rui Rui better, so he took the toy he had brought and traded it with Rui Rui for the little white elephant toy.

Rui Rui treasures this little white elephant very much.

How could I possibly trade with him? I'm only willing to let him play with the little turtle.

Da Xu, that kid is really fierce; he went up and tried to snatch it.

As a result, Rui Rui pushed her to the ground and she started crying loudly.

Chen Xiao'er's wife saw this and wanted to go over.

Chen Xiaoer hurriedly stopped them, preventing Chen Ling and the others from passing by.

"Don't worry about it, it's just a toy fight, it's not a big deal. This child has been spoiled by his mother and needs to be disciplined."

No one paid any attention to it.

It's actually true that it doesn't matter.

Sometimes, when kids have disagreements, they come and go quickly. One second they're fighting, and the next they're playing happily together.

Adults sometimes take it seriously, and once they get involved, things just go wrong.

It's easy to escalate things.

really.

Seeing that no one was watching him, Daxu wanted to play with Ruirui's toys again.

He wiped away his tears, crawled to Rui Rui's side, and called him "Brother Rui Rui" in a flattering manner, wanting Rui Rui to let him play with him.

Rui Rui is used to playing with the two- or three-year-old children in the village.

The village kids don't do that; they start crying while playing.

After she finished crying, she called him "brother".

He had no idea what an older brother was, so he was a little confused.

I don't know how to deal with this.

I had no choice but to take out the little white elephant and let Da Xu play with it twice.

Da Xu was so happy that snot bubbles were coming out of his nose. He chuckled and said, "Thank you, Brother Rui Rui."

Everyone burst into laughter upon seeing this.

Chen Xiaoer was furious: "Damn it, this stupid kid can't tell the difference between elders and younger ones. Rui Rui is so much younger than him, yet he still calls Rui Rui 'brother.' He's really embarrassing me."

Chen Ling said, "You're still ashamed? You've confused my Rui Rui. No one in the village has ever called him 'brother' before. Even those of lower seniority have to call him 'uncle'."

Wu Fei smiled and said, "It's okay, just consider it getting used to it in advance. Anyway, it won't be long before Rui Rui really becomes a big brother."

Chen Ling thought about it and agreed, so he burst into laughter, overjoyed.

Chen Xiaoer's wife and Wu Fei's wife watched the two little kids playing for a while and then found it amusing.

He said, "Xiao Er, I realized that I used to pay too much attention to Da Xu, focusing all my attention on him, afraid that he would bump into something or get hurt. Now that I've neglected my son, such interesting things have happened."

Look at our son, he's playing so well! He can even poop by himself now, and he's even wiping Rui Rui's bottom for him.

Chen Xiaoer was speechless, thinking to himself that this mother and daughter had none of his intelligence and were just embarrassing him.

……

Chen Ling led the horse out: "If you find picking corn uncomfortable, you can rest today. Once everyone arrives, I'll take you to dig up peanuts and sweet potatoes. That's more fun than picking corn."

"Hey, that's good. But we already agreed that we'd help you with the autumn harvest, so we'll have to work a little less each day picking corn. Otherwise, it won't be easy for your whole family to harvest these twenty acres."

"Okay. But we won't be picking corn today. I have to go to town to see if that person has arrived yet. He's the only one of the three families who hasn't come yet."

"Then let's..."

"You can go and see where the houses will be built in the future, or you can go up the mountain to pick mushrooms, gather thatch, and build a thatched house like Teacher Zhao's. You'll need a thatched roof." "Oh yes, yes, let Qingzhong take us up the mountain."

……

One pen pal is still missing.

Chen Ling had told them on the phone that they should wait for him at the county government and the county hospital when he arrived.

After going to the county town, I didn't see anyone.

He also brought some snacks and freshly squeezed juice from home to the hospital for Wang Susu and the others.

After coming out, I went back to the courtyard and cooked lunch for my father-in-law and mother-in-law.

They can eat when they come back at noon.

Chen Ling also took a bite.

Then, taking the little rabbit in the bamboo cage, he went out, mounted his horse, and prepared to go home.

Just then, a group of elementary school students walked by, cautiously watching the little blue horse and walking around it from a distance.

He smiled, glanced at the time on his pocket watch, and reminded them, "You lot, hurry up, you're going to be late."

Upon hearing this, the children forgot all about being afraid of the big bad horse and took off running, their heavy schoolbags bouncing up and down behind them.

A string of laughter drifted far away.

Chen Ling chuckled twice: "A bunch of brats, you think we can't fool you?"

These elementary school students were much younger than Wang Zhenzhen, around six or seven years old and just starting school.

I often pass by here.

I've been scared by the little blue horse several times.

Chen Ling hasn't been coming to the county often lately, which is why they dare to take this main road.

Otherwise, they would usually avoid it.

Moreover, after the Mid-Autumn Festival, the weather turns cold, the river becomes shallower, and there are many fish.

These elementary school students, taking advantage of the warm midday weather, would go out early after lunch to catch fish and shrimp and play, without paying much attention to the time.

When they arrived at school, panting and with flushed faces, there was a clock in the upper-grade classrooms, showing that there were still more than twenty minutes before class.

"He lied to me."

"Stop using 'me' all the time, it's so unsophisticated and not stylish at all. Haven't you seen those city people? They all say that about me."

"Oh, that person lied to me."

"Do you know who that person is? My mom said that person is Chen Fugui. His big bad horse always scares little kids like us. You used to walk with us, and we were scared several times. Xiao Hao, who was in third grade, had just learned to ride a bike when he was scared by the big bad horse and fell down."

However, Chen Fugui is a good person. If the horse frightens us, he will give us food.

The food at his house is delicious.

"Huh? Really? I think Chen Fugui is just as bad as his horse. He lied to us and made us worry about being scolded by the teacher. We ran all the way and I'm sweating so much."

"Shh, don't curse him. His family not only has a bad horse, but also a bad dog and a man-eating tiger..."

"what?"

Chen Ling was in a great mood after joking around with the snotty-nosed kids.

Carrying a cage of rabbits, he rode his horse back to the village.

Two more days passed like this.

The pen pal still hadn't arrived.

Chen Ling and the others didn't know where to look, and worrying was useless, so they simply decided to leave it for the time being.

Unexpectedly, two days later, at dusk that day, just before sunset...

A dispute broke out at the village entrance.

"Don't let her follow us anymore. If she does, we're going to beat her up!"

"Yes, if you keep following us, we won't be polite."

“They’re obviously not good people. If they keep following us, we’ll go to the county to find the police.”

Three young men from the village, riding on a long pole, were yelling at a man in a suit, their voices filled with anger.

Behind the man in the suit was a woman in a dress with a camera hanging around her neck. She had delicate features, light makeup, and a warm smile. Her eyes revealed a humble yet confident expression, giving her a very special feeling.

Just then, a little girl with braided pigtails came skipping along, followed by a big black dog with a crescent-shaped white patch on its chest and the rest of its body was jet black.

"Xiao Chao, what are you doing?"

"Huh? It's Zhenzhen. Why aren't you home yet? Your brother-in-law is going to scold you."

The three of them beamed with joy when they saw Wang Zhenzhen. They were the younger ones and called Chen Ling "Uncle," so Wang Zhenzhen was also an elder.

But, well, this is the sister-in-law, and they can't bring themselves to call her that.

However, since Wang Zhenzhen addressed them by their given names, they dared not object.

"Hehe, I just delivered canned food to Jusheng's house and was on my way back. What are you guys doing?"

Wang Zhenzhen blinked curiously. She had heard her brother-in-law say that one of his pen pals hadn't arrived yet. Seeing that the two men didn't look like they were from the village, she came over and asked them a question.

"They're asking about Uncle Fugui. They followed us from the reservoir and asked around the whole way. But the woman can't speak Chinese, and the man looks respectable, so I suspect he's a traitor."

They definitely have ulterior motives for coming here.

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhenzhen's eyes darted around, and she said crisply, "I know where Chen Fugui lives. What do you want with him?"

When Wang Zhenzhen didn't mention Chen Ling's brother-in-law, Wang Wenchao and the other two were taken aback, but then they understood and looked at each other without saying a word.

"Oh? We're Chen Ling's pen pals, little friends, would you like to take us with you?"

The man in the suit exclaimed with delight and took out two pieces of candy, handing them to Wang Zhenzhen.

Wang Zhenzhen took the candy, looked at it, peeled off the skin, and tossed it to the big black dog next to her.

"This……"

The man and woman were dumbfounded. They thought the country kids were poor, so why were they feeding candy to the dog?

The big black dog sniffed the candy, didn't say a word, picked it up and ate it.

Seeing that everything was alright, Wang Zhenzhen said, "Okay, you're their pen pal, so you're not an outsider. I can take you there..."

By the way, my name is Wang Zhenzhen. What are your names?

The little girl shook hands with them like a little adult.

"My name is Li Zhongyi, and her name is Chishima Miyoko. We are foreign friends."

Li Zhongyi introduced it with great pride.

"Yes, little sister, you can call me Miyoko-neechan."

Chishima Miyoko winked playfully, thinking she was quite charming. She found the little girl who had taken the initiative to shake hands with them very endearing.

They're much better than those impolite country folk.

"what?"

Wang Zhenzhen was immediately stunned. "My goodness, are you a Japanese soldier?"

Miyoko Chishima's expression froze.

Although her Chinese was not standard, she knew that the name "little devil" was a derogatory term used to refer to their miserable lives.

Li Zhongyi quickly took out two more pieces of candy and said, "Little sister, you can't say that. It's not like the days of war anymore. It's a time of world peace. These are all our friends, our international friends."

Wang Zhenzhen took the milk candy, peeled off a piece, and fed it to Erhei again. She tilted her head up and asked innocently, "Brother Li Zhongyi, your name is Zhongyi, so why did you become a traitor?"

"Uh……"

This time, it was Li Zhongyi's turn to freeze.

Wang Wenchao and the others burst into laughter.

Li Zhongyi blushed slightly: "Sister Zhenzhen, you don't know the situation... Never mind, it's getting dark. Can you take us to Brother Chen Ling's house? We correspond and are very good friends."

"Okay, I'll take you there."

Wang Zhenzhen nodded and waved to the big black dog: "Erhei, let's go."

Li Zhongyi and Chishima Miyoko rarely come to the countryside, especially the countryside in China.

They were quite afraid of the dogs in the countryside.

Moreover, it was such a big dog, and its eyes were terrifying, like those of a wolf.

Following Wang Zhenzhen, they dared not get too close.

He kept glancing at the big black dog.

He noticed that the big black dog in front of him walked with a particularly steady gait, looking around with an air of authority, almost like a high-ranking official inspecting the countryside.

In front of a villager's house, a toddler of two or three years old was climbing over a water vat outside the wall.

Upon seeing this, the dog ran up and grabbed the baby's clothes, tearing them off without a word, causing the little child to fall to the ground on his bottom.

The little boy didn't cry, nor was he afraid of the big black dog. Instead, his eyes lit up, and he excitedly called out "Erhei" "Erhei," reaching out to grab the big black dog's ear while still sitting on the ground.

The big black dog disdainfully shook him off and started barking at the villager's door.

After attracting the villagers to come out, the big black dog picked up the baby and barked at the villagers a few more times.

Although I couldn't understand what the dog's barking meant.

But Li Zhongyi and the other man seemed to understand what it was trying to express.

It was complaining that the family didn't take good care of their child.

The villager wasn't surprised at all; he even smiled and patted the big black dog's head, giving it some deer entrails to eat.

This……

Along the way, this meddlesome big black dog was a busybody, stopping little kids from climbing on the water vat, barking at two children who were fighting over a pheasant in a snare, picking up trash twice, and even helping two old men herd their unruly sheep back up the hill.

The little girl followed behind, shouting and chattering. She wanted whatever the villagers offered her along the way, carrying a bunch of food in her arms, and she was just as restless.

After looking at it again and again, Li Zhongyi and Chishima Miyoko whispered a few words to each other.

He said to Wang Zhenzhen, "Little sister, this dog is very smart. Is it your pet? Go back and tell your family that I'd like to buy it."

Erhei turned around instantly and glared at him fiercely.

"Wang Wang Wang..."

Wang Zhenzhen immediately chuckled: "Erhei, don't swear."

Li Zhongyi's face darkened instantly.

Damn, this dog must be possessed.

The Japanese woman's eyes lit up even more, and she said something in Japanese to Li Zhongyi, roughly meaning: "This place truly lives up to its reputation as a treasure land that produced a giant turtle a thousand years ago. Even the dogs are so intelligent. This trip was definitely worthwhile."