My 1995 Small Farm.

With Heiwa and Xiaojin as two "furry living walls" guarding the "crawling area".

Wang Susu and Chen Ling immediately felt a significant weight lifted off their shoulders.

Wang Susu quickly and efficiently cleared the dishes and chopsticks into the kitchen, while Chen Ling strolled around, taking a satisfied look at the living room that had been transformed with moisture-proof felt.

Sunlight streamed through the window, warmly illuminating the felt mat where Kang Kang and Le Le were happily climbing.

Every now and then, it would look up at the busy swallows, or reach out to touch the glossy fur of the black baby next to it, babbling happily to itself.

"Hey, that's perfect!"

Chen Ling grinned and waved to Wang Susu: "Come on, wife, while these two little devils are quiet, let's tidy up the weeds in the yard and plant some flowers!"

Wang Susu dried her hands and came out. Looking at the peaceful scene before her, a relaxed smile spread across her face: "Great! Spring is here, and the yard looks bare. Plant some flowers and grass, and the kids will be happy to see it."

Just do it.

Chen Ling took out two light hoes and a bamboo basket from the tool shed and handed one to Wang Susu.

The couple walked out of the house side by side and came to the open space in front of the farm.

After a winter of silence, many tenacious wild grasses have sprouted from the cracks in the bricks, the corners of the walls, and even the edges of the stone paths, forming a lush green patch.

Although it was messy, it was full of vitality.

"These shepherd's purse leaves are so plump! They smell wonderful after blanching and tossing them!"

Wang Susu, with her sharp eyes, pointed to a clump of thick-leaved wild grass and said.

"We can make dumplings now. And over here, there's this lamb's quarters, it's so tender!"

Chen Ling bent down and picked up a handful: "I'll make an egg pancake for lunch later, Rui Rui will definitely love it."

As they chatted and laughed, the two skillfully distinguished which wild vegetables were edible and which were simply weeds that needed to be cleared away.

If it's edible, carefully pull it off, shake off the soil from the roots, and put it in a bamboo basket to prepare for lunch.

Anything that can't be eaten is simply thrown into another basket. These won't go to waste; they'll be collected later and taken to the East Forest Farm to feed the sheep.

Rui Rui wandered around the yard with Afu and Ashou for a while, and when he saw his parents pulling weeds, he curiously came over.

"Dad, Mom, Rui Rui, please help!"

The little guy squatted down, imitating the adults, grabbed a handful of grass leaves with his little hands, and pulled them up with great effort, making a "heave-ho" sound.

As a result, he failed to pull up the grass and ended up sitting on the ground with a thud, which made Chen Ling and Wang Susu burst into laughter.

"You brat, go play somewhere else, don't make things worse!"

Chen Ling laughed as he picked up his son and patted the dirt off his bottom: "Go, go play with your 'Big Tiger.' Didn't you say you were going to dig for turtles yesterday?"

Upon hearing "digging for turtles," Rui Rui's eyes lit up immediately, and he instantly forgot all about "helping out."

"Yes! Digging for turtles! Big tigers! Come quick!"

He yelled and turned to run towards the backyard.

Afu and Ashou, who were dozing under the jujube tree, heard their young master's call, lazily stood up, stretched out a huge yawn, and their bones made a soft "crackling" sound.

Then, with steady steps, he slowly followed.

Chen Ling watched his son and the two giant tigers' retreating figures, shook his head and chuckled, then continued with his work.

The sun was shining brightly, a gentle breeze was blowing, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and earth.

The couple worked together seamlessly, one pulling weeds and the other clearing the land. Occasionally, they would whisper to each other, chatting about everyday matters and planning what flowers to plant in the cleared space.

“This corner gets some sun, let’s plant a few rose bushes. I heard from Sister Yinhuan that there are now those in the city that bloom as big as a bowl, they’re beautiful and fragrant.”

Wang Susu pointed to the base of the south wall and made a suggestion.

"Sure, roses are easy to grow."

“I think we can move a few orchids over there under the shade of the trees. The wild orchids we dug up from the mountains are growing quite well.”

Chen Ling nodded in agreement: "I'll go check over at the greenhouse later; the chrysanthemum seedlings we propagated last year should be moved out by now."

Just as they were making plans with great enthusiasm, they could faintly hear Rui Rui's excited shouts and A Fu's deep "whoosh" coming from the backyard, along with the occasional "rustling" sound of soil being dug up.

"Hey, this kid actually managed to get those two big guys to dig a hole?"

Chen Ling straightened up, listened intently, and was surprised.

Wang Susu was also curious: "Go and check quickly, lest Afu and the others are too careless and collapse the hole again."

The two put down their tools and went around to the backyard.

Rui Rui was standing next to the burial hole where the turtle had been buried last winter, her little face flushed with excitement. Pointing at the entrance of the hole, she confidently directed Afu:
"Big tiger! Here! Dig gently! Don't touch the little turtle!"

Afu's huge front paws were carefully digging at the loose soil at the entrance of the hole, and the movements were surprisingly gentle. Each time, he only dug up a small clump of soil, as if he was afraid of hurting what was inside.

Ah Shou squatted to one side, his huge tail sweeping the ground idly, like a supervisor.

Occasionally, it would lower its head and sniff the soil it had dug out, as if checking the "construction progress".

The scene was both breathtaking and filled with a strange sense of harmony.

"Wang Wang!"

Just then, two short barks came from the front yard, a signal that "everything is normal and the little master is safe."

Chen Ling and Wang Susu exchanged a smile, completely relieved, and simply stood not far away and watched.

Soon, with Afu's careful operation, the hole was dug open.

Rui Rui eagerly peered over, his little head almost sticking into the hole: "Wow! Daddy! Mommy! So many little turtles! They're awake! They're moving!"

At the bottom of the cave, seven or eight field turtles of varying sizes and several grass turtles with beautifully patterned carapaces, separated from the aquarium, were slowly moving their bodies.

After a winter of hibernation, they seem to have just awakened, and their movements are still somewhat sluggish.

Sensing the light and movement, they all retracted their heads and limbs into their shells, leaving only a bunch of round, hard shells.

"She really woke up!"

Chen Ling smiled and walked over, bending down to pick up a palm-sized grass turtle: "It's fine, it hasn't lost weight, and it looks quite energetic."

Rui Rui cautiously poked another turtle shell with his finger. The cold, hard touch made him giggle: "Little turtle, wake up! The sun's shining on your butt!"

Afu seemed quite satisfied with his "work," gently rubbing his big head against Rui Rui and making a contented "purring" sound in his throat.

Chen Ling checked the turtles, and they were all in good condition.

"Alright, it's good that you're awake."

"Rui Rui, let's put them over by the ditch and let them get used to it and find some water plants to eat."

"it is good!"

Rui Rui responded loudly, excitedly picked up the smallest grass turtle, and carefully walked towards the ditch.

Afu and Ashou also stood up and followed slowly behind, as if they were escorting some important supplies.

Just then, a loud cry of an eagle came from the sky.

Everyone looked up and saw Er Tuzi leading two eagles that were circling above the farm.

Their harvest today seems exceptionally bountiful, with each eagle clutching more than one prey under its talons.

Beneath Er Tuzi's paws were a plump gray hare and a brightly colored pheasant.

The other two eagles each had a fluttering mountain dove in their grasp and a squeaking field mouse in their hands.

They circled twice above the farm, seemingly searching for something.

Suddenly, Er Tu Zi swooped down and flew towards A Fu and A Shou, who were slowly walking towards the irrigation ditch!
Two or three meters above the ground, it suddenly released its grip, and the plump rabbit and the fluttering pheasant fell straight down with two "plop" sounds, landing right in front of Afu.

The other two eagles followed suit, dropping the doves and field mice they had caught, which landed right at Ah Shou's feet.

Having done all this, the three falcons did not linger, but flapped their wings and soared into the sky, quickly disappearing into the azure horizon, leaving only a few clear cries echoing in the air.

Afu and Ashou were stunned by this unexpected windfall. They looked down to sniff the prey that was still twitching slightly at their feet, and then looked up in the direction where the flock of eagles had disappeared.

In his amber eyes, a strangely human-like... look of bewilderment and confusion appeared.

That expression seemed to say: What do you mean? Do we look like we need to be fed?
"Pfft-"

Wang Susu couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Oh my, this bald guy... he's really family-oriented! Is he paying Ah Fu and Ah Shou for finishing their work?"

Chen Ling was both amused and exasperated, shaking his head and laughing, "This bald guy! He's getting smarter and smarter! He even knows to catch prey to offer to these two 'mountain kings'? Do you think you can feed them? You can keep them for yourself!"

Rui Rui's eyes lit up as she looked at the rabbit and pheasant on the ground. She looked up at Afu and said, "Big tiger! Er Tu Zi gave it to me! Eat! It's delicious!"

Afu looked down at its young master, then at the prey on the ground. It seemed to disdainfully nudge the field mouse with its paw, then picked up the fattest hare and slowly walked to a nearby tree to enjoy its "windfall."

Ashou, however, was more interested in the spotted dove. He pinned it down with one claw and began to tear at it as well.

Well, these two big guys really have been "taken care of" by an eagle.

Chen Ling smiled and shook his head, ignoring them, and turned to Wang Susu, saying, "Let's go, let them play by themselves."

“Let’s go and open the vegetable garden. I’ve already soaked the seeds.”

The vegetable garden in the backyard had been abandoned all winter; the soil was compacted, and the roots of weeds were tangled, making it much more difficult to cultivate than weeding in the front yard.

Chen Ling swung his hoe and turned over the soil, while Wang Susu followed behind, picking up the grass roots and stones that were turned over and throwing them aside.

The sun was so hot that Chen Ling's back was burning, and soon fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Wang Susu handed him the water bottle with concern, saying, "Take a break, there's no rush." ​​Chen Ling took the bottle, gulped down a few mouthfuls, wiped his mouth, and laughed, "It's alright, just stretching my muscles feels good!"

"Once these plots of land are tilled, we can start planting."

"Spinach, bok choy, cilantro... we need to plant them quickly so we can harvest several crops before summer gets hot!"

"But spinach ages quickly, so I estimate I'll only be able to eat one batch of tender ones."

After settling the little turtle in, Rui Rui ran back.

They hopped and skipped on the newly turned soil, leaving little footprints.

Wang Susu brought over a basket of vegetable seeds: "A-Ling, let's plant more cucumbers and tomatoes this year, Rui Rui loves them."

"Plant some green beans and eggplants too, there will be plenty of vegetables in the summer."

"No problem! Plant cucumbers and tomatoes here, green beans and eggplants there, and some fennel and coriander on the ridges. We'll also plant two rows of sweet corn and small cantaloupes next to them!"

Chen Ling made the plan while his hands worked tirelessly.

Rui Rui quickly ran over and, imitating him, picked up a small hoe and started making random gestures in the shallow ditch he had drawn.

He was muttering to himself, "Plant melons, grow big melons!"

……

After a busy morning, lunch was a bit simpler.

Chen Ling made some pancakes and boiled some egg drop soup.

After a satisfying meal, Chen Ling, basking in the afternoon sun, dozed off in a recliner, eyes half-closed, holding a book.

When Rui Rui got tired of playing, Wang Susu carried him to the kang (a heated brick bed), hugged his "little" cloth tiger, and soon fell asleep with his little belly bobbing up and down.

Kang Kang and Lele were also yawning in their cradles, about to drift off to sleep.

In the courtyard, Afu and Ashou, having eaten and drunk their fill, found a sheltered corner and snuggled together like two fuzzy little hills, basking in the sun and dozing off, making contented, locomotive-like "snoring" sounds in their throats.

Chen Ling had only been dozing off for a short while when Zhao Yubao's familiar, husky voice came from outside the courtyard gate. It was urgent, yet he kept his voice down, afraid of waking the children.

"Wealth and honor! Is wealth and honor at home?"

"Yes, Uncle Zhao, come in!" Chen Ling quickly replied and got up to greet him.

Zhao Yubao lifted the curtain and came in, his face flushed from exercise and his forehead damp with sweat.

He first peeked into the room, and seeing that the children were all asleep, he breathed a sigh of relief and lowered his voice to say to Chen Ling:

"Good heavens, you're living the life of an immortal! The baby sleeps soundly, the two big guys guard the house, and the yard is filled with the aroma of food!"

Chen Ling smiled and pulled up a chair for him, then poured him a cup of tea: "We just finished eating, you've come at the perfect time. Have some tea and rest. Why are you here at this hour? Is something the matter?"

Zhao Yubao took the teacup, but didn't drink it right away. He leaned forward and showed a look of reluctance but also reluctance on his face: "It's like this... Fugui, your Uncle Zhao has to shamelessly come to beg you again."

"What are you saying? Don't be so formal. Just tell me what you need, and I'll definitely do what I can."

Chen Ling had a rough idea of ​​what was going on. The person who could put the old man in such a difficult position was probably someone sent by his friends from all over the country.

The vast majority of them are related to instant noodles.

Zhao Yubao rubbed his hands together and lowered his voice: "I wrote a short article a while ago, which was published in the supplement of the provincial newspaper. It was about how you used... used those maggots to clean and treat the wounds of the golden monkey last year."

"It's written in great detail, praising your method as if it were miraculous."

He paused, looking a little embarrassed: "It was just a curious story, but I didn't expect that an old friend of mine from the south would see it and call me in the county early this morning."

“His son is a cook. Before the Lunar New Year, he accidentally got hot oil splashed on half of his arm in the kitchen, and it burned him badly.”

"The person was saved, but the wound... sigh, it's large, second-degree, and it's not healing well, with repeated infections."

"The new flesh grew slowly and formed severe hypertrophic scars, which looked like centipedes crawling on my arm. They were so contracted that I couldn't straighten my arm."

"The young man is only in his early twenties and hasn't even found a girlfriend yet. Because of this scar, he's so self-conscious that he can barely keep up with his work and stays at home every day."

Zhao Yubao sighed, his eyes pleading: "My old friend was desperate and grasping at straws. After reading my article, he kept asking me if the methods described in it were true?"

"Are those 'sterile maggots' really that miraculous, able to eat away rotten flesh without harming healthy flesh, and even promote growth and smooth out scars?"

"He was thinking...could you...please help him and let his son try it?"

After listening, Chen Ling pondered for a moment.

He was well aware of the effects of the special maggots cultivated in the cave; they were more potent and gentler than any known maggot therapy in the world.

Not only can it clean wounds, but a certain substance it secretes can indeed greatly improve scar tissue.

But this thing is too shocking, and he rarely uses it. The last time he saved the golden monkey was because of an emergency and animals are not like humans.

Seeing Chen Ling hesitate, Zhao Yubao quickly added, "Fugui, I know this is putting you in a difficult position."

"This thing, after all... it's not a pleasant thing to say, and it's also very risky to use it on people."

"But my old friend said that they are willing to try as long as there is a glimmer of hope!"

"Money is no problem! As long as you're willing to make the purchase, name your terms!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling's mind began to race.

He recalled later reports about "medical maggots," which were priced per maggot, were quite expensive, and were considered a high-end medical procedure.

My own, having been optimized by the spiritual water of the cave, is even more effective, so I naturally can't give it away for free.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, looked at Zhao Yubao, and said seriously, "Uncle Zhao, let's not mince words."

“My ‘maggots’ are no ordinary things. They are extremely troublesome to cultivate, and the effort and medicines required are beyond what money can measure.”

"As for the results, you've seen them. They are indeed remarkably effective. They may be more suitable for his condition than the Western medicine approach of debridement and skin grafting. There is a high chance that the scars will soften and flatten."

He paused, then held up two fingers: "But there are two conditions."

"First, this matter can no longer be publicized. My little gadgets are too difficult to train. If you recruit too many people, I won't be able to manage them."

"Secondly, the cost is not low. The cost of just the 'maggots' for one treatment is this much, five hundred yuan, five hundred yuan for each maggot."

"And it may be effective more than once."

"Will they be able to accept it?"

Upon hearing that there was a chance, Zhao Yubao's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh: "Yes! Absolutely! As long as you're willing to treat me, spending money to buy an arm and a young man's future is totally worth it!"

"I'll call him back right now!"

"Don't worry, my old friend is very tight-lipped and will never cause you any trouble!"

The old man was so excited that he stood up and was about to leave, as if afraid that Chen Ling would change his mind.

"Hey, Uncle Zhao, wait a minute."

Chen Ling stopped him: "Have him mail over the detailed medical records and photos of the wound so I can take a look."

"I need to make sure my method works first; I can't just mess around with it."

"Of course, of course! I'll go tell them right away!"

Zhao Yubao nodded repeatedly and hurriedly walked out.

As he reached the door, he seemed to remember something, turned back, and put on a wry smile.

"By the way, there's one more thing."

"I showed your outline and opening of 'The Legend of Sword and Fairy' to an old friend of mine who's an editor at a publishing house, and he was absolutely blown away!"

"They wrote back to me several times, saying that the story's framework was excellent, it was captivating from the very beginning, grand yet tragic, and a million times better than those romance novels currently on the market!"

"He's urging you to finish writing quickly!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling felt a bit overwhelmed. He scratched his head and chuckled, "Uncle Zhao, you know, I was just writing this for fun."

"I've been busy with family matters lately, the kids are being noisy, and there's a lot of work to do in the fields, so I haven't been able to calm down and think about such a long story."

"That stuff is mentally taxing; you have to work on it slowly."

Zhao Yubao pointed at him, exasperated: "You! You have so much skill, but your laziness is the only thing holding you back!"

"What a great script! If you really don't have time, how about... I find you a reliable young person. You provide the outline and core ideas, and he can fill in and polish it for you?"

Chen Ling quickly waved his hand: "No, no, no, Uncle Zhao. This thing is like your own child; it just doesn't feel right to let someone else raise it."

"Besides, I'm not cut out to write novels properly. I'm more comfortable with farming, raising livestock, and playing with my kids."

"I'm quite good at writing children's stories, like Heiwa and Xiaojin outsmarting a chicken thief, haha."

"You!"

Zhao Yubao had no choice but to smile helplessly and point at him, "What a waste! Fine, whatever. Anyway, I've given him the outline, let him be itching to try it! I'm going to make a call to discuss important matters!"

After Zhao Yubao left, the courtyard became quiet again.

The sun was shining brightly, and a gentle breeze carried the fresh scent of the distant wheat fields.

Chen Ling sipped his tea, looking at the tiger sleeping soundly in the corner and the child sleeping peacefully inside the house, feeling a sense of peace and tranquility in his heart.

As for the story of the Legend of Sword and Fairy... perhaps one night after putting the baby to sleep, I'll feel like writing a few more lines.

Right now, it's more practical to think about watering the vegetable garden this afternoon and checking on how the goose eggs are hatching at the lynx's place. (End of Chapter)