My 1995 Small Farm.

Yu Qi'an was second only to Chen Ling in popularity among the kids in Chenwangzhuang.

Although I don't come here often.

But whenever the name "Donkey" is mentioned, adults and children alike are delighted and have a very good impression of him.

That's just how he is; he has no temper and is naturally approachable.

He doesn't have any of the bad habits of city people.

I get along with everyone.

In particular, he would eat anyone's food, regardless of whether it was dirty or not. He would squat where others squatted, and he would sit on bricks or stones where others sat.

If they see something fun, they're willing to spend money to buy it, so that the villagers can earn some extra money.

Who wouldn't like someone like that?

So, when Yu Qi'an came to the village, the happiest people weren't Chen Ling's family, but the village kids.

They arrived in the village but hadn't even reached Chen Ling's house.

They were then pulled into each family's home by adults and children.

There are an unusually large number of birds in the mountains this year, all in huge flocks. When picking wild fruits, we can also set some snares or dig some pits and make some traps with tiles.

Those birds are very easy to catch.

A little wheat bran can attract a whole flock.

The kids aren't allowed to play in the mountains, but they can catch a lot of them in the village.

At this time of year, when the nights get cold, some clumsy birds that don't know how to build nests will deliberately sneak into people's homes in various villages.

In the cracks of the wall, in the livestock shed...

Wherever there's even a tiny gap, they'll live there.

Even if you bring a ladder to block them at night, you definitely won't be disappointed.

The kids' favorite bird to catch was one that resembled a sparrow.

It also looks a lot like a sparrow.

They are entirely mottled in color, but lack the markings on a sparrow's cheeks, so they are called mottled sticks.

These birds are just as lazy and stupid as sparrows; they don't know how to build their own nests.

In winter, they only hide in the cracks of farmhouse walls.

If you catch one, it's easier to raise than a sparrow.

Just feed them some stale sesame seeds and rotten grains.

This kind of bird is not popular in the local area.

The meat isn't as tasty as sparrow meat.

They eat the grain from the fields even more badly than sparrows.

But if they were caught and handed over to Yu Qi'an, they could be sold for a good price.

If only we could grow 'yellow' or 'red' under the neck of the hemp stalk.

They became either "red-necked" or "yellow-necked" stick figures.

The price can often double.

This is something little kids enjoy doing; they can play with birds and even sell them for money, which is definitely more fun than collecting cicada shells.

Apart from hemp stalks.

Among the most popular species of tits are the red-billed leiothrix and the lovebird.

Among tits, the wax-billed tit is the easiest to catch and the easiest to sell for money.

Actually, the Light-vented Bulbul and the Hwamei are easy to catch.

But the light-vented bulbul is too noisy, and wild thrushes are difficult to feed once caught and brought home; they will die if not cared for properly.

So it still comes down to these three categories: hemp stalks, tits, and lovebirds.

It's easy to care for, looks good, and will bloom and sing once it's been properly cared for.

Speaking of which, when the villagers pick wild fruits or raise cattle, it's either Chen Ling who comes up with the ideas, or they just follow him around like he does.

The only skills I learned were catching birds and making birdcages. Nobody taught me those.

It was all done voluntarily by each company.

Nobody in the village is stupid.

So many people from other places have come here.

I know what city dwellers who don't often come to the countryside are interested in.

Birdcages and birds are sometimes liked by children, and sometimes by adults.

Adults are much more addicted to these kinds of things than children are; they'll want a whole bunch of them at once.

So they happened to catch it and kept it at home.

They had heard that Chen Ling was going to hold a banquet for their second and third sons soon after winter began.

All his friends will be there then.

So we're all getting ready.

So when Yu Qi'an entered the village this time, he visited one house after another, wandering around from morning until almost noon.

The old man was a little tired, but he was very happy.

Because I personally experienced the warmth and hospitality of the villagers.

However, he would tell Chen Ling in private that he was not that interested in birds anymore, and he would only keep one or two if he came across a particularly good one.

Fewer birds, but the birds must be of good quality.

In addition, he is now interested in pigeons and various kinds of horses.

You can't even say you're interested; you have to say you're fascinated.

When Chen Ling heard him say that, she couldn't help but want to laugh: "Do you really like it that much?"

"Yes, I like it! I really like it..."

Yu Qi'an's tone was particularly strong, as if he liked them to the core: "Don't you think pigeons and horses both have a kind of elegance about them?"

grace?

Chen Ling suddenly thought of his little blue horse and felt a sudden wave of unease.

You think the little blue horse is bad?

Regardless of its appearance or physique, whether it's for riding or pulling a cart, there's not a single flaw to be found.

That's the character...

"Fugui, why aren't you saying anything?"

"Oh? It's nothing, please continue..."

"I mean, that senior figure in the art world you mentioned last time has also settled in the village, but I haven't seen him all day."

This refers to Chen Xiaoer.

Chen Xiaoer is considered extremely talented in the art world, and his appearances on the Spring Festival Gala several times have boosted his reputation in the art community.

Yu Qi'an also enjoys making friends. He'll definitely be heading this way once he arrives.

“He went back to Beijing yesterday. His father is not in good health and has been hospitalized again.”

"Oh? What a coincidence! We just came from Beijing, and he's already gone back?"

"Yes, he had just left when you arrived."

Chen Xiaoer also went back yesterday afternoon. After He Jiawen and the others had lunch and left, Chen Ling drove Liang Hongyu's car to take Chen Xiaoer away.

"What about Dahai and Shanmao? Are they coming?"

"They won't be here for a while either, they both have things to do. Lynx and the others are still in Yunnan and Guizhou, Dahai isn't busy, but he was transferred to another place in the second half of the year, and he'll be even further away."

"Tsk, boring."

"Damn... I was all set to have some fun with you for a few days, and you're saying it's boring?"

"Can you come with me to the Miao village?"

"Uh, no."

"See? Your whole family can't be left alone, but Dahai and the others can come with me."

Chen Ling was speechless: "..."

This old guy really doesn't look like he's thirty.

Damn it, when I'm thirty and my kids are all grown up, I want to be just as carefree and relaxed.

"Don't rush off to the Miao village to have fun. Get those packhorses out of there quickly. They have to eat, drink, and take care of their needs every day. It's much more tiring than raising other livestock for me."

After Chen Ling finished speaking, he added, "Remember to save one for me as a reward for my hard work."

Yu Qi'an raised an eyebrow: "Fine, then you have to give me a pair of your pigeons."

Then he said that he had already prepared everything, and was just waiting for a spare scooter to come so he could take them all away.

His friends in the provincial capital were there to meet him.

It is said that his friend is also in the art world. He has been studying under a senior figure in the provincial capital, living and eating with his family for two or three years, and has become very well-connected in the area.

Chatting and laughing, playing around, we returned to the farm.

However, when passing through the village, knowing that Yu Qi'an had come, Wang Zhenzhen made a special trip to bring back the two birds she kept in the yard, saying that she wanted Brother Qi'an to help her teach the birds to talk.

These two eggs were crow eggs and azalea eggs that Wang Zhenzhen took from the crow's nest in the fruit tree in the spring.

The little girl was furious that the cuckoo had laid its eggs in other birds' nests.

So they took out the cuckoo's eggs and the crow's eggs and incubated them together.

We'll give the little crows extra food then.

The cuckoo should eat less.

They want the little crow to grow up and take revenge on the little cuckoo.

But after feeding them for a while, both birds became very obedient and affectionate, and it became impossible to treat them differently.

They were fed insects like two birds and grew very quickly.

Moreover, baby crows eat almost anything and are easy to raise. They grow much faster than cuckoos, are glossy black, and are very robust. Even if a cuckoo becomes aggressive, they are not afraid of being bullied.

Wang Zhenzhen even put a red scarf around the crow's neck. The pure black feathers paired with the red scarf looked quite nice.

The little girl was thinking that when winter vacation came, she would ask Chen Ling to help her catch a female crow to make a pair.

However, after seeing crows talk in cartoons recently, she has been wanting Chen Ling to teach crows to talk.

Chen Ling had no idea how to do that.

Tell her that when your brother Qi'an comes, she can train the crows for you.

So when Yu Qi'an arrived, he was caught red-handed by the little girl.

Yu Qi'an and his wife also liked Wang Zhenzhen very much, so they readily agreed.

Bai Huining also brought a gift for the little girl.

They happily returned to the farm and released the two birds.

Then the crows that Wang Zhenzhen raised gave Yu Qi'an a big surprise.

Because this crow is not afraid of people at all.

Moreover, she is extremely intelligent and listens to Wang Zhenzhen very well.

As long as Yu Qi'an directs Wang Zhenzhen, the crow doesn't need to be taught many times; it knows how to pick up stones and branches and carry them to a fixed location.

The crow behaved so well.

Chen Ling's contribution is not included in this.

The main reason is that they were raised from a young age, so they can cooperate smoothly with others.

In addition, birds like crows and magpies are inherently very intelligent.

Can understand some simple words.

Of course, this understanding is limited to the level of understanding that one has with pet cats and dogs at home.

For Yu Qi'an, this was no different from the difference between a Border Collie and an ordinary silly dog. He kept complaining about how all the animals Chen Ling kept were so smart.

Chen Ling kept protesting his innocence, saying that he really hadn't paid much attention to the crow and the cuckoo.

Even when feeding them, it was Wang Zhenzhen who caught the insects.

He has always taken special care of me.

But no matter what he said, Yu Qi'an was intrigued and accompanied Wang Zhenzhen in various training sessions for the crow.

While Rui Rui was away, they took out all of his little turtles and let the crow play with them.

Bai Huining arrived, put down her things, and went upstairs to talk to Wang Susu and her daughter.

Chen Ling saw Yu Qi'an having so much fun playing with the little girl that he even forgot about the pigeons he had been asking for.

He then went to the kitchen in the backyard to cook.

Yu Qi'an is different from others; he doesn't need to prepare a special feast, just home-style dishes are fine.

I steamed the leftover noodles from yesterday and stir-fried two side dishes, one meat and one vegetable. The meat dish was wild boar meat stir-fried in oil, and the vegetable dish was scallions and eggs.

Steam the noodles, add the vegetables on top, and simmer for a while. After eating the fragrant noodles, make a pot of salted egg drop soup. It's so delicious!

However, Chen Ling had just finished steaming the noodles and stir-frying the vegetables, but hadn't had time to finish cooking them yet.

From the front yard came the child's angry shouts and the barking of Erhei.

Chen Ling quickly went out to see what was going on.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out that Rui Rui had returned home to find that Yu Qi'an had ruined her turtle, and was chasing Yu Qi'an all over the yard with her dog.

Wang Zhenzhen shouted from the side, "Brother Qi'an, quickly put the turtle down!"

As Yu Qi'an ran, he turned around and shouted, "I won't let him go! That brat doesn't even call me 'uncle' when he gets home. He just sets his dog to chase me. All that delicious food I brought him was for nothing!"

Upon hearing this, Rui Rui chased even more fiercely. Seeing that its little master was angry, Heiwa and Xiaojin barked and pounced on him as well.

Ah Fu and Ah Shou were also itching to make a move, constantly glancing at Chen Ling, as if they would rush forward as soon as Chen Ling nodded.

Seeing this, Chen Ling quickly stopped the two silly tigers.

Utterly speechless: Damn it, that donkey guy is something else! He's caused chaos the moment he arrived at our house. (End of Chapter)