My 1995 Small Farm.

The two tigers seemed to truly understand Chen Ling's words.

At the same time, it lowered its head and gently, with a hint of coquetry, rubbed its large, mottled head against Chen Ling's hand and chest.

A loud yet gentle "snoring" sound came from its throat, like a huge rumble of thunder, or perhaps it was telling of its grievances and the joy of finally returning home.

"Haha, alright, alright, I know you've been wronged. From now on, you can stay at home, we won't see you off!"

Chen Ling laughed and vigorously rubbed their fluffy heads; the texture was rough yet warm.

"You can have as much meat as you want, and you can patrol the mountains if you want. From now on, we'll be relying on the two of you to keep things in order here!"

At this moment, a childish yet curious voice broke the scene of "deep affection between humans and tigers".

"father!"

Rui Rui broke free from her mother's hand, her eyes wide open, her little face flushed with excitement.

Pointing at Afu and Ashou, but hesitant to approach, he said, "Big Tiger... can Rui Rui go and touch it?"

Rui Rui is such a brave little guy.

He tilted his little head back, looking at the two furry "mountains" in front of him, his eyes full of curiosity and excitement.

They showed no fear whatsoever.

He tilted his head, looked at his father, then at the tiger, pointed his little finger at Afu's paw, which was bigger than his head, and asked in a childish voice:
"Dad, do they still recognize me? They...they seem to have gotten so much bigger! Can I still touch them now that they're so big?!"

The little guy's memory is still that of the tiger when it left home last year, looking like a teenager.

Now we face these two truly adult behemoths.

Although I wasn't afraid, I keenly sensed the difference.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling laughed heartily, squatted down, and pulled her son to her side: "Yes! Of course you can touch him! This is our 'big cat' that we've raised since he was a kitten. He's the most sensible and has a great memory!"

"You used to roll around on their bellies a lot when you were little, so they recognize your scent!"

As he spoke, he gently patted Afu's sturdy front legs, gesturing, "Afu, lower your head and let Rui Rui touch them, see if you still remember this little master?"

A magical scene happened.

Afu, who had been lying lazily with a disdainful look in his eyes, actually softened his huge amber eyes when he heard Chen Ling's words.

It obediently lowered its majestic head, and even brought the soft fur on one side of its cheek closer to Rui Rui's little hand.

It made a low, gentle purring sound from its throat, just like a big cat that was being stroked and felt extremely comfortable.

Seeing this, Ah Shou was not to be outdone. He brought his big head over from the other side and gently sniffed Rui Rui's scent.

It seems they are also confirming the identity of this "little one".

Rui Rui exclaimed "Wow!" in surprise.

Reaching out its chubby little hand, it first cautiously touched the fur on Afu's cheek.

Seeing that the tiger remained motionless and even comfortably squinted its eyes, he immediately grew bolder and began to stroke it boldly, muttering to himself:

"Big Tiger, your fur is so thick and plentiful! Do you remember Rui Rui? Rui Rui gave you rice noodles!"

As she spoke, Rui Rui giggled and shuffled around the two big tigers with her short little legs.

Finally, she lay down directly on Afu's big head, reached out her little hand, and touched the rough fur on Afu's nose.

Wow! The fur here is so prickly!

Rui exclaimed in surprise.

Afu seemed to feel itchy, and its huge head shook slightly.

It even stretched out its rough, barbed pink tongue and gently licked Rui Rui's little palm, making Rui Rui giggle even more.

"Ouch, lick me! Daddy, big tiger, lick me! It tickles!"

A chorus of exclamations of amazement immediately arose among the villagers, and the tense atmosphere was completely replaced by astonishment and joy.

The scene amazed everyone around, and the last trace of fear in their hearts vanished.

"Incredible! Really incredible!"

Zhao Yubao adjusted his glasses and exclaimed repeatedly, "This isn't just a tiger, it's clearly a spirit! Fugui's animal taming skills are truly amazing!"

Professor Zhong nodded in agreement: "Yes, look at how they look at Fugui and Ruirui. It's no different from how Heiwa and Xiaojin look at their family members. They are very docile and you can't see any wildness in them."

"He completely lost that mountain king-like aura he had in the cage just now."

Holding Lele, Wang Susu couldn't help but take a few steps forward. Kang Kang, nestled in Liang Hongyu's arms, stared curiously at the two enormous "yellow cats" with his big, dark eyes.

Wang Susu whispered to Chen Ling, "They really don't seem to have changed much; they're still so affectionate."

Chen Ling laughed and said, "That's right. No matter how big our things get, they always have the taste of home in our hearts."

The escorts, sent by the former zookeeper who had previously witnessed two tigers roaring and crashing into their cages at the zoo, were now completely dumbfounded, muttering to themselves:

"What a strange story, truly a strange story... If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it no matter who told me..."

The villagers of Chenwangzhuang were overjoyed and couldn't be more at ease.

"Look! Look! The tiger we raised is really something else! It understands human nature!"

"That's great! With these two big guys keeping the village in check, let's see which ignorant wild beast dares to cause trouble!"

"Oh my, I thought they were scary enough when they were little, but now look at their size... my goodness, they're almost as tall as my kang (heated brick bed) when they're lying down! What would happen if they stood up?"

"What's there to be afraid of? No matter how big it is, it's still our village's 'mountain god.' Look how gentle it is with Rui Rui!"

"That's right, I feel much more at ease now! I'll move back tomorrow! The wheat in the fields needs watering, we can't afford to miss the planting season!"

This year, there was a heavy snowfall, but spring was not dry.

Whether it's a drought or not, going home a day earlier is definitely the best option.

With the two tigers back, they felt more confident and couldn't wait to return to the village.

The elderly people of Chenwangzhuang were filled with emotion, for they had seen what Afu and Ashou looked like as children.

Seeing it again now, I am not only amazed by its imposing size, but also astonished that it has not lost its spirit, but is even more so than before.

Jackson and his fellow foreigners stared wide-eyed, muttering things like "My God," "Incredible," and "Eastern magic."

The way they looked at Chen Ling was as if they were looking at a god of beast taming, and the flames of hope in their hearts burned even more fiercely.

Chen Ling watched his son interact with the tiger, his face full of smiles.

He patted Afu and Ashou on the back and said loudly to everyone, "Alright, everyone has seen it, can you all relax now? Let them go and get familiar with the place and catch their breath."

He paused, then raised his voice slightly: "Tomorrow, I'll take them, along with Heiwa and Xiaojin, into the mountains for a stroll!"

"Let those blind fools learn their place and know whose territory Chenwangzhuang is from now on!"

Those words were spoken with absolute conviction.

This drew cheers from the villagers, and their last bit of unease completely vanished.

"Fu Gui is right! With these two big guys around, what are we afraid of!"

"Exactly! We're going back to the village tomorrow! My old house is going to leak if we don't fix it soon!"

"It's time to weed the wheat fields. The spring was warm this year, and the weeds are growing like crazy!"

"Let's go, let's hurry back and pack our things! We're going back first thing tomorrow morning!"

The villagers' faces were filled with a long-lost sense of ease and eager smiles. They turned around and called to their friends as they hurried toward their temporary residence in the county town, their steps much lighter.

Some impatient families, such as Wang Laishun and Chen Sangui, hitched up donkey carts and pulled handcarts that afternoon, carrying their belongings and bedding, and headed in a grand procession towards Chenwangzhuang.

They thought they could tidy up a bit before it got dark and settle in if it was habitable, which would be better than squeezing into a relative's house in the city.

"Fugui, let's go back and tidy up first, and sweep the yard for you too!" Wang Laishun shouted to Chen Ling as he drove the cart.

"Alright! Thanks for your hard work, Uncle Wu!" Chen Ling waved with a smile.

Seeing the villagers' enthusiastic expressions, he felt much more at ease.

That's more like it. There's no place like home. What's the point of staying cooped up in the city all the time?

He himself felt awkward, not as spacious as the village.

……

"Let's go home."

Chen Ling gave a shout and mounted his horse.

Afu and Ashou immediately stood up and followed the little blue horse side by side, like the most loyal guards.

Their steps are steady, and their massive bodies exude an invisible sense of oppression as they move.

Wherever he went, the local residents who had gathered around him respectfully made way for him, their eyes filled with amazement and disbelief.

Back in the small courtyard in the south of the city, Wang Susu and the old lady Liang Hongyu settled the two children in, then packed their things and prepared to go home.

Kang Kang and Lele were placed in the bamboo rocking chair in the yard, their big, dark eyes looking around curiously.

Rui Rui continued to play with the two big tigers, still caught up in the novelty.

"Oh, I'm finally back. This big guy is really intimidating, but also really considerate."

After packing her things, Grandma Liang Hongyu watched the interaction between Tiger and Rui Rui, patted her chest and smiled, her tension turning into relief.

"Grandma, don't be afraid, my little tiger is so good!" Rui Rui puffed out his little chest, looking like a little master.

"Fugui, they must be tired from their journey. Let them rest first?"

Wang Susu walked over, looked at the two dusty tigers, and asked softly.

"Yes, we need to let them rest, and while we're at it... take care of some important business."

Chen Ling smiled, found two of the largest wooden basins in the house, washed them clean, then scooped two basins full of water from the water vat and secretly added some of the grotto spirit water.

"A-Fu, A-Shou, come and drink some water."

The two tigers seemed to smell the pleasant aroma in the water, and immediately came over, sticking out their huge tongues and drinking heartily, quickly emptying the two large basins of water.

After drinking their fill of water, they seemed even more energetic, and their eyes appeared brighter.

"Come on, let me show you around the new territory."

Chen Ling patted their backs and led them outside.

Heiwa and Xiaojin immediately followed, forming a peculiar "team".

Chen Ling rode his horse, accompanied by two tigers and two giant dogs, and first arrived at the perimeter of several newly built breeding farms in the forest.

Deer farms, cattle farms, sheep pens, stables... Although a large number of livestock have not yet moved in, the strong smell of livestock can already be smelled.

Afu and Ashou looked around curiously, their nostrils flaring as they surveyed this future "territory".

"Come on, leave a mark here."

Chen Ling pointed to the corner of the fence surrounding the deer farm.

Afu seemed to understand what he meant. He stepped forward, raised his hind leg, and sprayed a large puddle of pungent tiger urine onto the wooden stake and the ground.

The smell was extremely fishy, ​​pungent, and irritating, carrying a strong warning connotation.

Ah Shou followed the same method in another direction.

Next came the cattle farm, the sheepfold...

Like mountain kings patrolling their territory, the two tigers, guided by Chen Ling, left their scent marks at key locations in several breeding farms.

"Wow, this smell... is really strong!"

When Lynx and Zhao Dahai arrived after hearing the news, they witnessed the scene and couldn't help but pinch their noses, but their faces were full of joy.

"That's great! With this smell around, no wolf cubs, jackals, or leopards will dare to come near us!"

Zhao Dahai said with a smile.

Lynx's eyes lit up as he moved closer to Chen Ling, rubbing his hands together and chuckling, "Fugui, want to talk to you about something?"

"Huh? What's the matter?"

"Um...we dare not take the tiger urine, but could we...pluck a few tiger hairs? Just a few!"

Lynx said somewhat embarrassedly, "Now that your Uncle Zhong and Aunt Zhong have recovered, Dujuan has started having trouble sleeping at night again. She's taking care of the baby, and when the baby wakes up, she has to wake up too. No medicine seems to work for her."

"I'm exhausted now. I wake up at the slightest noise. I'll put a few tiger hairs under my pillow. I guess it will ward off evil spirits and calm my mind, just for psychological comfort."

There is indeed a folk belief that tigers can ward off evil spirits and protect the home, and tiger fur is also considered to have similar effects.

Chen Ling smiled upon hearing this: "Sure, that's easy."

He walked over to Afu, who had just marked its territory and was lying down to rest. He reached out and gently combed through its thick neck fur, easily finding a few naturally shed hairs, which he carefully plucked out.

They also took a few more from Ah Shou.

Here, is that enough? If not, take more.

Chen Ling handed a soft yet tough tiger fur to the lynx.

"Enough! Enough is enough!"

The lynx was overjoyed; it carefully wrapped the package in a handkerchief and tucked it into its bosom.

"I want it too, I want it too."

Zhao Dahai quickly asked for a few as well, and put them away like treasures.

……

As the sun sets, it bathes the forest in a warm golden hue.

Chen Ling temporarily settled Afu and Ashou in a spacious, well-ventilated, and dry empty room next to the stable, and laid out a thick layer of hay.

The two tigers were very satisfied with the place. They lay down, their huge bodies almost filling most of the room.

They lick their paws and groom their fur, appearing quiet and content.

After several days of travel, I've finally returned home in the truest sense.

When Rui Rui saw his father cleaning up the tiger's den, he quickly grabbed his little pillow and ran over, insisting on sleeping with the "big tiger." Wang Susu, both amused and exasperated, took him away.

After shooing his son away, Chen Ling looked at the two enormous "cats" in the room, but was pondering something else.

"These two big guys have quite the appetite..."

He was secretly making plans.

Zoos' feeding methods are clearly inadequate; they need large quantities of fresh meat.

Buying meat alone would be a huge expense, and there might not even be enough meat in the market to feed them.

"Looks like when we go into the mountains tomorrow, we'll not only have to 'show off,' but we'll also have to get them some food."

"If there's not enough food in the mountains, then I'll catch some sows in the cave, let the wild boar king breed with them, and start a large-scale pig-raising business in the cave..."

"Well, actually it doesn't have to be a wild boar. Any sow will do, and domestic pigs, especially those that can be fattened, are even better."

"The smell is too strong, so we'll have to divide up the land and isolate the desert area as a pig-raising zone." (End of Chapter)