My 1995 Small Farm.

This year is a good year.

The autumn harvest is over, the wheat has been planted, and everyone in and around the village is still busy.

Picking wild fruits, cleaning fishponds, gathering wild mushrooms...

Besides farming, most people in the countryside don't have a stable source of income, so they do whatever work can make money.

This year, Chen Ling finally found so many business opportunities in the mountains where they could "make money for free," so they were reluctant to take a break.

Not to mention their own village, people from other villages, townships, and towns all flock to Chenwangzhuang every day.

Some came by bus, some by bicycle with baskets, and some even by carrying loads on their shoulders.

It was all wild fruits and mountain produce.

Although it's not as bustling as a market or temple fair, it's still a place where people come and go every day, from morning till night.

As a result, there are far fewer water birds in the reservoir than before.

In this atmosphere, coupled with the fact that they could see the money they earned every day actually coming into their own hands, even Chen Ling's family was affected.

Wang Qingzhong, the second brother-in-law, and his wife were also unwilling to remain idle, so they hurriedly returned from Fenglei Town.

The eldest brother-in-law, Wang Qingwen, and his wife also came over to see their parents.

Wang Cunye no longer needs to roam the mountains and fields collecting herbs, nor does he need to work in the fields much. His health has improved significantly, and his legs and feet have become more agile.

The two brothers knew that their parents were enjoying a better life with their sister and brother-in-law than they were on the mountain, so they were happy to let them stay there.

As for the two daughters-in-law, they didn't have any complaints about the elderly couple not having to take care of the children.

My sister-in-law is wonderful in every way; she always thinks of them when something happens.

In the past, the two elderly people always felt that it was not good to live in their son-in-law's house.

I'm afraid people will say that I have two sons but I'm still living at my daughter's house, implying that my sons and daughter-in-law are not filial.

The elderly are quite concerned about this.

In addition, people from the same village back home often gossiped, saying that the son-in-law was rich and that they didn't want to go back to his house.

It made the two elders very angry; they couldn't reason with them.

Fortunately, I came to terms with it later.

I told my two sons that since their brother-in-law was willing to help them make money, the whole family should work together towards the same goal and do a good job as one.

Making money has been fast these past two years, so seize the opportunity to do so.

What if things aren't this good in a couple of years? Then I'll regret it.

In short, let's talk about the facts first, and then other things.

The Wang Qingwen and Wang Qingzhong families now have a tacit understanding. In addition, the money that Wang Qingzhong earned during the National Day holiday was brought back with him, and the two brothers split the money, which was even more exciting.

I've come to terms with everything.

The two families reached an agreement that whoever was more convenient would come to Chenwangzhuang to help their brother-in-law.

It's fine even if my parents don't come home for the Chinese New Year at the end of the year.

When you have money, every day is like Chinese New Year.

Does Wang Qingzhong actually make a lot of money?

There weren't many.

But the people in the mountains are terrified of poverty.

Having hope, especially when you earn it yourself, is incredibly motivating.

This time, upon arriving in Chenwangzhuang and seeing the atmosphere of the village again, wow, my heart is even more excited.

Take advantage of your youth and make more money, otherwise you'll end up like Li Xian in my brother-in-law's village, who almost couldn't afford to raise his child a couple of years ago.

My second brother-in-law and his wife came back and stayed.

Liang Hongyu and her family left because the two chubby boys had to go back to the city to attend school.

After being sent back, Qin Rongxian and Liang Hongyu also returned to the county town, but they still came to the village every day.

Sometimes I help take care of the kids, sometimes I help collect eggs or herd cattle and sheep, and sometimes I follow Wang Qingzhong and his wife to study the various spicy snacks they've recently created.

Chen Ling entered the mountains under such circumstances.

The household chores have been arranged.

He used the excuse of releasing the leopard to get out.

To avoid worrying his family, this time he brought not only the weasel, but also Heiwa, Xiaojin, and Ertuzi.

After going to the city a few times, Er Tuzi can now deliver messages.

After trying it a few times, Chen Ling found it novel and fun.

"Huh? Fugui's back so soon? Did you let the leopard go again?"

As Chen Ling walked up Nanshan Mountain, he ran into Chen Dazhi and Chen Baoshuan, who were cutting bamboo in the bamboo forest.

"Yes, we let them go."

Chen Ling responded and walked over.

"You actually let it go? We all thought you were going to keep the leopard at home like a tiger."

As Chen Dazhi spoke, he swung his knife and chopped bamboo.

"I would like to keep one, but my family won't allow it. They say that if I feed it raw meat every day, it might hurt someone. It's not the same as a tiger raised in a zoo."

Chen Ling told the village that he had released the leopard into the barren mountains near Tenghe Township.

There are large rivers over there, but few villages, like Jinmen Village and Taohuagou beside the Jinshui River.

The area is sparsely populated, with vast forests stretching westward, making it suitable for releasing animals.

Otherwise, if we release it into the nearby mountains, the leopard might just run back.

It has this history.

Nobody was at ease.

If Chen Ling doesn't want to raise it, he should keep it far away.

This morning, we just went out for the sake of it. We didn't even leave Tenghe Township or Changle Township; we just left the leopard in the cave.

We walked along the Jinshui River, let the horses roam freely, released some hawks, bought some fried dough sticks and steamed buns, and then came back.

"Why are you cutting down bamboo? Are you not going to pick those wild fruits anymore..."

"Get some birdcages, pen holders and other small trinkets. Your friend Lao Zhou really likes them and says they're good for giving as gifts."

Chen Baoshuan said with a smile, "I also asked those bosses to get some amulets from Brother Dazhi, with carvings of turtle kings, cranes, fish and shrimp on them."

“Sure, this is much more profitable than picking fruit.”

Chen Ling's eyes lit up, and he patted him on the shoulder, "It seems that Bao Shuan's skills have improved again. Even someone as picky as Lao Zhou can appreciate the little gadgets you make."

"Hehe, I learned it from Brother Dazhi. Besides, those people came because of you. Many of them are willing to spend money to buy our things because of you."

Chen Baoshuan said.

“Fugui, look how well this child can talk now.”

Chen Dazhi chopped down a bamboo stalk with a snap, raised his thick eyebrows, and said.

Chen Ling chuckled, "Yes, I can see that too. Bao Shuan knows how to make people happy."

This made Chen Baoshuan blush and feel embarrassed.

These were actually his true feelings.

If it weren't for Chen Ling and Chen Dazhi taking care of him, the village wouldn't have accepted him so quickly for the things he did before.

Of course, he knew that the two of them were just joking with him.

The three chatted and laughed for a while, and the two of them teased Heiwa Xiaojin a bit more before carrying the bamboo down the mountain.

Chen Ling continued to wander around the mountain with the dog.

To put his family's mind at ease, he didn't go to Beishan this time and came directly to Nanshan.

There are deer in Nanshan.

There were plenty of prey.

Although a pack of wolves came down the mountain a few days ago, it's not in the north, but near the Qinling Mountains, so there aren't many large wild animals there.

With two big dogs following along, we weren't so worried about things at home.

Chen Ling didn't care about this.

There are plenty of game in the mountains this year, and it's also a great time to stroll around Nanshan.

He'll eventually have to go around to the Qinling Mountains in the north.

“Aside from when we’re herding cattle and horses, we don’t really venture deep into this area.”

Chen Ling muttered to himself, then suddenly remembered seeing a large flock of swallows flying around the reservoir dam when he arrived.

"Oh right, the various birds in the cave have bred several times, so we need to release a batch of them out."

I hadn't paid attention to the birds in the cave for a while, and when I threw the leopard into the cave, I was surprised to find that there were so many birds by the lake.

There are few threats to survival in the cave.

Their reproduction rate is quite exaggerated.

They can survive almost all year round, with one litter after another.

Before Rui Rui was born, there was a time when Chen Ling particularly enjoyed taking a slingshot out to hunt birds.

There's a knack to using a slingshot skillfully.

Unlike at the beginning, when they would immediately knock off the bird's head, leaving it a gruesome sight, now, many times, they can spare the bird's life.

Back then, Chen Ling would stuff any bird he hunted into the cave.

They don't care whether someone is pretty or not.

Sparrows, swallows, ground swallows, gray trevally, doves, magpies, crows, tits...

Everything is available.

If you hit it, put it inside.

Later, when the farm was being built, they even used bird nets to catch birds for a while.

There are even more varieties.

"The caves pose little threat, so let them go outside to breed new species. Also, let the birds of prey in the sky have a taste of the delicious food."

Chen Ling thought about it with amusement, and then, like a magician on stage, conjured up pigeons.

He takes a few steps and waves his hand, releasing a large flock of birds.

Put it down as you go.

Let them flutter and fly around overhead.

The two black boys and the weasels looked on curiously, their eyes fixed on the ground, licking their lips and whimpering. They were definitely tempted to rush up and catch a couple of them.

"Look at you all, looking so greedy."

Chen Ling chuckled, then caught two doves. He first tossed them to Heiwa and Xiaojin, then took out two more. He gave one to the five weasels to share, and the other to Ertuzi.

I fed the little ones.

Chen Ling continued forward, waiting until most of the birds in the cave had been released.

He started throwing fish and shrimp into the mountain streams again.

"Let the birds out to improve the local population's genetics, and don't forget the fish and shrimp too."

Chen Ling is now gradually getting the hang of things and really enjoys doing them.

He was inexperienced before and always felt that if he showed off too many good things, it would arouse suspicion from outsiders.

That's a valid point; you have to be extra careful when guarding something of immense value.

After getting to know Lynx and Professor Han, he gradually realized that his worries were somewhat unnecessary.

To put it bluntly, he knew too little back then and was worrying unnecessarily.

As he learned more, he discovered that many things also had regional characteristics.

Take Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs, for example.

There's also locally sourced yellow beef.

They all have distinct regional characteristics.

If we talk about medicinal herbs, there are even more examples.

In short, these things developed gradually, and often it can be summarized as being due to local conditions.

Even in the desert, there are scenes reminiscent of the Jiangnan region, and many snowy areas also have a climate similar to that of Jiangnan.

The Qinling Mountains are rich in biodiversity, and there are so many unknowns...

So there's nothing to worry about these days.

As they walked, they released birds, fish, and shrimp.

Chen Ling would also occasionally get some fruits from the cave and eat them as he walked, which was quite pleasant.

The only thing he wasn't too happy about was that there were fewer prey in Nanshan than usual. He didn't encounter any decent herds of deer all morning, only lone red muntjacs and roe deer running away into the distance.

These two items were few in number, and Chen Ling wasn't particularly interested in them.

It's more satisfying to hunt larger herds of deer and wild boars.

"Wang Wang..."

Upon reaching a wide stream, Heiwa suddenly called out twice to the opposite bank.

Xiao Jin glanced at him quietly for a moment, then followed Chen Ling's feet without saying a word.

Seeing that the two dogs didn't react much, Chen Ling walked up to a higher place, squinted his eyes and looked around, and saw a familiar figure fleeing in panic.

"It's that old wild boar."

Chen Ling laughed, "Nanshan has beautiful scenery, but it's not as lively as the other side. Let's go, let's head north."

We waded through the water.

When they arrived at West Mountain, Chen Ling saw Heiwa run to the spot where the old wild boar had been, pick up something, and run back.

"pheasant?"

Chen Ling glanced at it and saw that the pheasant had already been gnawed in half.

It's not uncommon for wild boars to eat meat, but what's wrong with this pheasant's neck...

"This is... the wild pheasant that Zhenzhen and the others saw a few days ago, which only sucked blood but didn't eat meat..."

Chen Ling picked it up, then threw it back on the ground with disgust.

Wild boar saliva smells terrible.

Just as I threw it back on the ground and wiped my hands with a leaf, Little Gold, who had been silent all along, started to whimper softly.

At that moment, a strange thought arose in Chen Ling's mind.

Seeing Xiao Jin's reaction, he asked Xiao Jin to lead the way and followed.

Over the past year, Xiao Jin has become increasingly composed.

It rarely barks loudly at home.

It usually reacts this way when there is a major discovery.

Heiwa and the five weasels crawling on his body were puzzled, seemingly not having noticed anything unusual.

Indeed.

Xiao Jin took a very far-off place.

We traversed the Western Hills for a long time, heading west and north, even crossing the mountain lake, and heading straight for the Qinling Mountains.

Once they bypassed the mountain lake, Heiwa reacted.

They called out eagerly and excitedly.

They crossed ravines and streams, running swiftly on the hills, chasing after Xiao Jin.

Er Tu Zi, who had already flown out to scout the situation, flew back at this moment, dropped a prey, and then circled down.

"Holy crap, half a deer, gnawed into this terrible state... What did you guys discover?"

Chen Ling was bursting with curiosity. There were pheasants that were sucking blood but not eating meat, and deer that had been half-eaten. There were really a lot of strange things happening in the mountains lately.

So they quickly followed in the direction of the two dogs, Xiao Jin and Xiao Jin.

Chen Ling chased after them, familiar with the mountain paths, but this year there were not only more wild animals in the mountains, but also more lush vegetation, so he couldn't move as fast as the two dogs.

They chased after them relentlessly and finally caught up.

They went all the way into the Qinling Mountains.

……

A large mountain, a high and steep mountain, with the footprints and droppings of wild animals everywhere in the forest. The air in the forest is also very humid, but there is no fishy smell of wild animal droppings. The air here is filled with the fragrance of grass and trees.

The brilliant autumn sunlight shone through the dense forest, dappling the ground with light spots, and birdsong filled the air.

This place is truly a paradise of birdsong and fragrant flowers.

After arriving here, Heiwa and Xiaojin slowed down, sneaking around and sniffing as if they were hunting.

Chen Ling was initially puzzled as to what was going on and why they had run so far.

Seeing the two guys like that, he quietly took the gun into his hand as well.

But after following the two dogs through the mountains, they climbed higher and higher, and the mountains became steeper and steeper.

From afar, you can see a herd of wild sheep walking down the steep, sloping hillside.

Ahead of the wild sheep herd was a huge herd of deer...

Perhaps it wasn't just one deer, but several herds that had come together, mostly sika deer mixed with a few grass deer.

Chen Ling could see the tall antlers of several large male deer.

The deer herd and the sheep herd were about ten meters apart.

Chen Ling looked around. The trees blocked the way. Although the area in front opened up, the deer herd was too large for him to count.

But this place isn't just home to wild sheep and deer; there are also mountain donkeys with calves leaping down from the high mountain walls.

Chen Ling also saw a furry head dart back into the dense foliage with golden fur and black markings.

It's either a clouded leopard or a leopard.

Further into the pine forest, wolves were also pacing back and forth with small, quick steps. First, one peeked out and looked around, and then a dozen or so appeared one after another, hiding as they quietly approached.

"what's the situation?!"

"What the hell is going on?"

"Are they all sentient beings holding an animal convention here?"

This scene truly shocked Chen Ling. No wonder the deer herd in Nanshan was gone. When he rushed over from Xishan, he didn't see any large wild animals. It turned out they had all run here.