My 1995 Small Farm.

Saying such things late at night, even on the Lantern Festival during the Lunar New Year, is chilling to hear.

The lanterns all had an eerie red hue.

The buzzing around them subsided considerably, and many people wore expressions of fear.

People in the mountains deeply believe in the taboos passed down from their elders.

The elderly white man named Jackson, surrounded by so many people whispering amongst themselves, turned even paler with fear. He couldn't understand what they were saying, but kept repeating to Chen Ling in English:
“Mr. Chen! Help! Please! Our companions…William and Hans…”

The elderly Chinese man nodded repeatedly, his face filled with lingering fear: "Yes, Mr. Chen! Our bad luck started when we couldn't hit that rabbit! The compass spun wildly, and even though we had marked the path we were on, we would just go around in circles... The fog suddenly thickened, and we heard strange noises... And then... and then William and the other two people just disappeared in the fog!"

His voice was trembling.

His tone was pleading: "Mr. Chen, look at this... everyone knows this is strange, only someone as capable as you..."

Chen Ling waved his hand, stopping him from continuing.

He has some tricks up his sleeve against mutated creatures like the Yellow Mountain Goose, but this is being told like it's some kind of ghost story, and there's nothing he can do about it.

He's not an exorcist or a paranormal expert.

He glanced at the growing crowd of villagers watching the spectacle, then looked at the few uneasy foreigners, and began to ponder.

This group of people would be a problem if they stayed in the county town, and could easily cause panic.

"How about this."

Chen Ling spoke, his voice not loud, but it suppressed the surrounding noise somewhat.

"I don't have time to go into the mountains to look for him right now, no amount of money will help you."

"Given this year's weather, road conditions, and those strange creatures that have become spirits in the mountains, it's pointless for anyone to go in."

"You should go to the county guesthouse and stay there quietly. Don't wander off."

"Once the snow has completely melted and the mountain roads are easier to travel, I'll take you to Fenglei Town when I have some free time. There's no use rushing things now."

He said this not only to the foreigners, but also to the villagers around him, conveying an undeniable air of authority.

The foreigners looked at each other, anxious but knowing they couldn't force Chen Ling's attitude, they could only nod dejectedly and be taken away by the police officers who had rushed over.

Before leaving, the elderly Chinese man turned back several times to bow to Chen Ling.

Seeing that there was no more excitement to watch, the crowd, after discussing the foreigners' unfortunate appearance and the increasingly eerie spirits in the mountains, gradually dispersed.

The light of red lanterns illuminated the snow, and the sound of gongs and drums rang out again. However, it was late, and after this commotion, the streets were less crowded, and people had lost much of their festive spirit.

Only Zhao Dahai and Shanmao's families, along with Liang Hongyu's family, went home with Chen Ling and talked about these things for a while.

Actually, such mysterious things happen every year.

Strange things happen every year, like bus drivers, strange things in mines, and strange things in the mountains.

In those days, many things were considered taboo by the mountain people.

Let's talk about the prey in these mountains.

The animal most prone to strange occurrences is actually not the rabbit, as these foreigners claim.

Rather, they were the pregnant female animals.

From small animals like rabbits and pheasants to larger ones like deer and wild boars.

Pregnant women and those with babies should not be killed in the first place.

However, if they were surrounded and killed, these pregnant female animals would have no chance of escape, yet they would not be hit by the hunter's gun at close range.

So after three shots, you can't fire anymore.

Even if we manage to kill him in another fight, something bad is bound to happen.

"Such a thing is really creepy. No wonder those foreigners were so scared."

"We all felt a chill run down our spines when we heard that."

Zhao Dahai wiped away his cold sweat, still shuddering at the thought.

Lynx also said, "Teacher Han and I have seen quite a few strange things all over the country, but none as many as in the Qinling Mountains."

Only Zhao Yubao laughed: "Don't be afraid, we have Fugui here. He can kill that wolf, kill the wild boar demon, and make tigers obedient. He has a fierce aura that can suppress any demon or monster. And his dog Heiwa is all black, even blacker than the black dogs of Lingnan. Such dogs are the best at warding off evil."

He chuckled and patted Professor Zhong's thin shoulder, saying, "But Old Zhong, you still need to be careful. You're physically weak, and according to the local saying, people with weak constitutions are easily possessed by ghosts."

Professor Zhong angrily shrugged his shoulder, shook off his hand, and cursed, "Get the hell out of here! You call yourself a writer? You're just a big hooligan!"

"Hahaha, I'm just a refugee, what can you do about it?" Zhao Yubao laughed even harder.

Everyone laughed along.

The somewhat eerie atmosphere gradually dissipated.

Everyone knows it's not a good time to talk about these things during the Lunar New Year, but it's really scary that we happened to encounter this situation.

Even Chen Ling decided to call the Fenglei Town government first thing tomorrow morning to ask his brother-in-law if anything was wrong on the mountain.

Or ask again what exactly happened.

Isn't it similar to what those foreign devils say?

……

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

Once the Lantern Festival is over, the festive atmosphere fades like melting snow, growing weaker day by day.

The snowdrifts along the streets of the county town were gleaming black from the sun, and the melting snow water flowed gurglingly along the drainage ditches.

The gunpowder smell of firecrackers and the aroma of stewed meat in the air were gradually overshadowed by the earthy scent of early spring.

Chen Ling's life returned to its familiar routine. In the past two days, he had already inquired about the situation in Fenglei Town, and what he heard was pretty much the same as what the foreigners had said.

But the locals were fine; it was only these foreigners who suffered.

Wang Qingwen told him not to worry and not to concern himself with it.

Anyway, the foreigners are paying for it, so whoever is willing to take in the wounded can take them in; it doesn't matter.

With the weather so unpredictable these days, the snow hasn't melted completely; it melts during the day but freezes again at night, making the mountain roads even more difficult to traverse.

In a short time, there was no need for him to make a special trip to Fenglei Town.

Chen Ling agreed, and then felt relieved.

That day, just as dawn was breaking, the sounds of Heiwa and Xiaojin scratching at the door could be heard in the yard, along with Ruirui's childish voice calling out, "Jinjin, bite him!"

Wearing an apron, Wang Susu was busy in the kitchen. A large pot of sweet potato porridge was simmering on the wood-fired stove, and next to it, a small pot was stewing the leftover fresh pork ribs from last night. The ribs were bubbling and glistening with oil, and the aroma was so enticing that it filled the nostrils.

Last night, Kang Kang and Lele, the two little ones, kept bothering Chen Ling and making a fuss for most of the night.

He slept in this morning, which was unusual for him.

I told Wang Susu to get up and make breakfast.

He didn't stay idle after getting up; he cleaned up the diapers for the two babies.

"You're up? There's hot water in the thermos."

Wang Susu heard footsteps but didn't turn her head.

She was deftly slicing pickled vegetables, the knife landing on the cutting board with a steady, rapid thud.

Chen Ling hummed in agreement and slipped on her cotton shoes as she walked into the yard.

The snow began to melt, and the morning chill made him shiver. He took a deep breath of the crisp air before he felt his mind fully clear.

He grabbed a ladle, scooped up the cold water from the vat, and splashed it onto his face.

In the past two years, he has become increasingly rough around the edges and has always been too lazy to use hot water.

Under the eaves, Rui Rui, wrapped up like a round ball, was squatting on the ground, patting Hei Wa's big head with her little hands, and commanding in her clear, childish voice, "Hei Wai, sit! Sit properly!"

Heiwa, that big guy, actually sat obediently, sticking out his tongue and looking at his little master with a silly expression. Occasionally, he would stick out his big tongue and lick Rui Rui's little face, which was red from the cold, making the little guy giggle.

Xiao Jin crouched warily a little further away, ears perked up, constantly watching for any movement at the gate.

Seeing this scene, Chen Ling's restless desire caused by "Guoshanhuang" and the foreign devils dissipated considerably.

He wiped his face haphazardly, walked over, picked up Rui Rui, and rubbed his newly sprouted stubble against Rui Rui's neck: "You brat, you've been bothering Heiwa again! Come on, let's go inside and eat!"

Breakfast was simple yet delicious.

Thick sweet potato porridge, fragrant and glistening braised pork ribs, a plate of finely chopped pickled mustard greens, and homemade steamed white buns.

The family sat around a small square table by the stove, eating until their noses were sweating.

Rui Rui grabbed the little spoon and clumsily tried to put the porridge into his mouth, making a mess of it.

"Eat slowly, no one will compete with you."

Wang Susu smiled, took a towel to wipe her son's face, and then put a piece of stewed pork ribs into Chen Ling's bowl.

"Ah Ling, you've worked very hard these past two days, so don't think about things in the mountains anymore. Stay home and write some articles, and submit your manuscripts to the authorities."

“I’ll take care of the baby and cook for you every day. You just need to work harder and stop making people rush you. That editor is so pitiful.”

"Okay, then I'll listen to my wife."

Chen Ling chewed his food in large bites and mumbled a reply, "The manuscript is actually a minor matter. The problems in the mountains can't be solved by one or two people. Whether I go or not, it's the same. I can only wait until later, and it will definitely take a long time."

"Now the main focus is on the breeding farms east of our county town, which should also be under construction."

“Now that the villagers can’t go back, they’re afraid that things from the mountains will come down into the village. So it’s good that we start working right away, so that everyone can have something to eat, instead of eating and drinking at relatives’ homes every day. I guess they’re not comfortable with that.”

"That's okay too."

Wang Susu laughed upon hearing this, saying that as long as Chen Ling didn't go into the mountains, anything was fine.

She knew that her husband was kind and righteous, and that most of the villagers were good people, so he was willing to take care of them.

"Hey."

Chen Ling had already finished breakfast quickly and patted his belly with a comfortable sigh.

"Kang Kang and Le Le grew even faster after the New Year."

"If it weren't for this farm, I really wouldn't want to leave my two little ones."

"My plan is to take them out to play every day after the weather gets warmer."

The baby is five or six months old. After the weather warms up, the baby will be around eight months old, which is just the right time to take the baby out to play.

"With Rui Rui, three dolls, a pack of dogs, and a flock of eagles, it sounds like fun."

"Tch, you're not taking care of a child, you're just taking the child for a walk..."

Wang Susu couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Oh, they're all the same. It's all about having fun, so what's the difference?"

As Chen Ling spoke, he gave Wang Susu a kiss on the cheek. "Oh, of course, I'll also take my wife out with me, hehehe."

"Go away, look at you. Rui Rui is all grown up and knows more and more. Aren't you ashamed? I am ashamed."

Wang Susu's face immediately felt hot from his words.

Rui Rui held the small bowl, turning his eyes to look at his father, then at his mother, and chuckled along. (End of Chapter)