My 1995 Small Farm.

Since I also need to take my parents back, I definitely won't be able to get back that day.

In addition, Chen Ling needed to pack some things, so he decided to take Rui Rui to stay overnight.

They sat around in the spacious main room, the flames crackling in the charcoal brazier casting a soft glow on everyone's faces.

Wang Cunye poured his son-in-law a cup of his homemade medicinal wine: "This wine will dispel the cold; a little will help you sleep better."

Gao Xiulan had already washed Rui Rui's feet and was drying his cloth shoes by the brazier: "This little rascal, he followed Zhenzhen all over the mountain this afternoon, and his shoes are all soaked."

Rui Rui wasn't sleepy at all. He was squatting in the corner, teasing the little yellow dog that Wang Zhenzhen kept, which he had named Dou Dou.

DouDou has grown into a two-and-a-half-year-old dog with glossy yellow fur and pointed, upright ears, making her look clever and lively.

"DouDou, sit down!"

Rui Rui was holding a piece of dried sweet potato and training the little yellow dog in a very professional manner.

DouDou had clearly been trained by Wang Zhenzhen. It sat down obediently, its tail sweeping back and forth on the ground, its eyes fixed on the dried sweet potato in RuiRui's hand.

"Be a good girl, DouDou! Here, have some!"

Rui Rui happily tossed the dried sweet potato to Dou Dou, then turned and ran to Chen Ling's legs, "Daddy, Dou Dou is better behaved than Hei Wa! Let Dou Dou come home with us, okay?"

Chen Ling smiled and rubbed her son's head: "Heiwa will be sad to hear this. Doudou is raised by his maternal grandfather and will be going on a long trip to the mountains with your second uncle to do business. We can't take away what belongs to someone else."

Wang Zhenzhen immediately hugged Dou Dou like a protective mother: "That's right! Dou Dou is ours! Rui Rui, you're not allowed to take her!"

As he spoke, he made a face at Rui Rui.

Rui Rui wasn't going to back down either, sticking out her tongue in response.

The two, one big and one small, were making a ruckus, with DouDou wagging its tail happily in the middle, filling the room with laughter.

Looking at the scene, Gao Xiulan's eyes were full of affection: "Look at these two children, they start making a ruckus as soon as they meet."

Wang Cunye took a sip of wine and said to Chen Ling, "I'll go down the mountain with you tomorrow. Afu and Ashou have just returned to the village, so they need someone they know to keep them in line. Your mother and I will go and look after them for a few days, and we'll talk again when you get back from Hong Kong."

Chen Ling felt a warmth in her heart: "That's great. With my parents here, I can rest assured."

This was his original intention.

Night had fallen, and the village was quiet except for the occasional bark of a dog.

Chen Ling lay on the wooden bed in the east room, listening to the rustling of the mountain wind through the pine forest outside the window, and soon fell asleep.

Rui Rui, however, was too excited to sleep and squeezed into Wang Zhenzhen's room. The two little ones whispered to each other under the covers until Gao Xiulan came to check on them, at which point they pretended to be asleep.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the village came alive with activity.

Rui Rui jumped out of bed and ran outside without even putting on her shoes properly: "Auntie! Dou Dou!"

Wang Zhenzhen had gotten up early and was feeding the chickens in the yard.

Seeing Rui Rui running over, she beckoned mysteriously, "Come on, I'll take you to a great place!"

The two children crouched down and led Dou Dou out of the courtyard, climbing up the path behind the village.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and dewdrops clung to the blades of grass, wetting their trouser legs.

"Where are we going, Auntie?" Rui Rui asked, panting.

"Let me show you squirrels! There's a big pine tree up ahead, and a squirrel's nest on it!"

Wang Zhenzhen skillfully led the way.

DouDou ran ahead excitedly, occasionally turning back to wait for them.

Startled, the birds in the mountains flapped their wings and flew away.

Sure enough, there was a nest made of branches on a huge old pine tree.

A gray squirrel was perched on a branch, happily munching on a pine cone.

"Wow!"

Rui Rui opened her eyes wide and gasped softly.

The squirrel pricked up its ears warily, its dark eyes fixed on the uninvited guest below.

DouDou lowered her body, making a whimpering sound in her throat, as if she was about to pounce.

"DouDou, don't scare it!" Wang Zhenzhen quickly pulled on the dog leash.

The squirrel seemed to feel safe and continued to nibble on its pine cone, its tail swishing back and forth.

Rui Rui was so engrossed in watching that she even held her breath.

Just then, Gao Xiulan's voice came from down the mountain: "Zhenzhen! Ruirui! Come back for dinner!"

The two children then reluctantly walked back.

Rui Rui kept looking back, almost tripping over a tree root, but luckily Wang Zhenzhen caught him in time.

"Silly Rui Rui, watch where you're going!" Wang Zhenzhen teased him.

Rui Rui hummed: "Squirrels are fun, let Daddy catch them..."

Back in the courtyard, breakfast was already laid out on the table.

Steaming hot corn porridge, fragrant pancakes, and fresh eggs that Wang Cunye caught early in the morning from the henhouse.

"Where did you go again?"

While serving Rui Rui porridge, Gao Xiulan asked, "Your trouser legs are all wet."

Wang Zhenzhen eagerly answered, "I took Rui Rui to see the squirrels! They've grown so much over the winter!"

Chen Ling put a pancake on her son's plate: "Eat quickly, we have to leave after you finish."

After dinner, the family began packing their belongings.

Wang Cunye and Gao Xiulan were clearly prepared, having already packed several bundles containing changes of clothes and some local mountain products.

When the villagers heard that they were going down the mountain, they all came to see them off.

"Brother Cunye, are we going down the mountain already?"

An old man with a goatee came over, leaning on a cane.

Wang Cunye chuckled and replied, "Yes, I'm going down the mountain to help my daughter and son-in-law look after the house for a few days."

Several elderly women surrounded Gao Xiulan to say goodbye, and gave her a bag of dried mushrooms and wild vegetables: "Take this to Susu to try, it's the taste of our mountains."

Rui Rui became the center of attention.

The old women from several villages took turns patting his head and stuffing peanuts and melon seeds into his pockets.

"This child is really handsome, just like his father!"

"Her eyes are so clear and bright!"

Rui Rui was embarrassed by the praise and hid behind Chen Ling's legs, only peeking out with half of her head.

Wang Zhenzhen was surrounded by her friends, who all asked her when she would be back.

"Zhenzhen, is Hong Kong Island far away?"

"I heard the buildings over there are really tall, even taller than our mountain!"

"Zhenzhen, come back and bring us something delicious!"

Wang Zhenzhen puffed out her chest, looking like she'd seen it all: "Don't worry, I'll definitely bring you some rare and interesting things!"

DouDou seemed to know that its little owner was going on a long journey, and it paced anxiously around her feet, whimpering softly.

Just then, a commotion came from the east end of the village.

Eva and Sofia walked over quickly, their faces showing urgency.

"Chen, please wait a moment!" Eva hurriedly waved and called out, her breathing a little unsteady.

Chen Ling frowned slightly, but still stopped.

Eva ran up to him, took a deep breath, and tried to keep her voice calm: "Chen, we know you're leaving. William's condition... isn't good. The village doctor said he needs better medical care. We really need your help..."

Sofia stepped forward, her eyes reddening, and said in broken Chinese, "Mr. Chen, we can pay more if you can lead us out of here, or... or help us contact rescue efforts outside."

Chen Ling glanced at Wang Cunye beside him, and the old man gently shook his head.

“Eva, Ms. Sophia,” Chen Ling said calmly but firmly, “I understand your situation, but I do have urgent business to attend to. However, I can point you in the right direction…”

He pointed southeast: "Go down three miles from the village, there's a fork in the road. Turn right and you'll see a pack animal trail. Follow it and you'll reach Qingshiya Township in half a day. There's a clinic there, and it's easier to contact the outside world than here."

Eva said urgently, "But we don't know anyone here, and William's leg..."

“Some people from the village often go to the market at Qingshiya,” Wang Cunye added. “I can help you find a guide; it'll only cost a little money.” Chen Ling nodded: “As for the search in the mountains you mentioned, I really can't spare the time right now. However…”

He paused for a moment, then said, "I promised Mr. Jackson I would help you find a good breed of dog. I will do my best to find one for you regarding the Purple Kirin. When I return from Hong Kong Island, I may be able to offer you some assistance in this regard."

Eva and Sofia exchanged a glance, their faces showing complex emotions.

They were clearly not satisfied with the answer, but they also understood that they couldn't force it.

Eva is the guide, that's no big deal, the key is Sofia.

They sacrificed so much for the Purple Kirin.

“Thank you, Mr. Chen,” Sophia said softly. “We will consider your suggestion.”

Eva wanted to say something more, but in the end she just sighed and said, "Have a safe journey."

Chen Ling nodded and turned to continue packing his belongings.

Wang Cunye then beckoned to a young man in the village and whispered a few words to him. The young man nodded and walked towards Eva and the others.

They were obviously going to discuss the guide.

As the sun rose higher, the group finally came to a stop.

Chen Ling helped Rui Rui onto the horse, while Wang Zhenzhen sat behind him.

Wang Qingwen then led the packhorse and let the two elders sit on it.

"Hold on tight!" Chen Ling pulled on the reins and shouted.

DouDou chased after Wang Zhenzhen for quite a distance until she disappeared from sight, then squatted down and let out a mournful whimper.

A mountain breeze caresses the face, bringing the fragrance of spring flowers and grasses, which is refreshing and delightful.

Rui Rui nestled in her father's warm embrace, watching the mountain scenery recede on both sides, and suddenly asked softly, "Dad, will Dou Dou miss me and Auntie?"

Chen Ling gently hugged her son: "Yes, just like we think about it."

Rui Rui nodded as if she understood, then suddenly said, "Then next time we come to Grandma's house, I'll bring meat for Dou Dou to eat, but Grandpa won't let Dou Dou eat meat!"

Chen Ling laughed and said loudly into the mountain breeze, "Great! We'll bring it wild boar meat next time!"

The horses' hooves clattered as the group descended the mountain path.

The walkway down the mountain was much easier than the way up.

It had rained lightly in Fenglei Town a couple of days ago, and now that the sun is shining, everything looks fresh and dewy.

Everything is new in spring.

The leaves are a glossy green, and when the wind blows, the air is filled with the refreshing fragrance of grass and trees and the aroma of earth.

Rui Rui had eaten and drunk his fill and slept very well last night. Now he was full of energy, sitting in front of the saddle, turning his little head back and forth, finding everything new and exciting.

"Dad! Look! The river! There's so much water!"

He pointed to the winding, shimmering river below the mountain and shouted.

Looking towards Fenglei Town, Chen Ling saw the river's water level; the current was always swift, and the rushing sound echoed through the valley, creating a powerful atmosphere.

In the wider parts of the river, you can even see some withered branches and leaves washed down from upstream swirling and drifting downstream.

"Yes, this spring there was plenty of rain, the snow melted thoroughly, and the river rose quickly, which is a good thing, so we don't have to worry about irrigating the land."

Wang Cunye nodded, but he had a vague feeling that the water level seemed to be rising more rapidly than in previous years.

Wang Qingwen, leading the packhorse beside him, chimed in, "Yes, these spring rains came at just the right time, and the water rose quickly."

"This year isn't a drought year, it's just that far fewer people are going out to work this year."

He paused, then lowered his voice: "Several teachers at our school have family members who work in factories in the city. They've been coming to the school a lot lately, sighing and complaining that the factories aren't doing well and they might... be laid off."

"Laid off?"

Sitting on the back of the bicycle, Wang Zhenzhen blinked her big eyes and asked curiously, "Brother, what's 'laid off'? Does it mean you get a holiday?"

Wang Qingwen gave a wry smile and patted his sister's head: "Having a holiday is a happy thing, but being laid off... sigh, it means there's no work to do. The factory doesn't want us anymore, so we have to go home and find food on our own."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling naturally knew what was going on.

Ultimately, it all boils down to the wave of layoffs in 1998.

He knew this was an unavoidable phenomenon during the painful period of economic transformation, and that a large number of state-owned enterprise employees would lose their secure jobs and feel lost about the future.

But for the vast majority of people in this era, this is undoubtedly a devastating event.

"That serious?" Chen Ling feigned a grave expression. "Which factories in the city are affected?"

"I've heard that several large factories are in trouble."

Wang Qingwen sighed: "The textile factory, the machinery factory, and that pretty big hardware factory are all rumored to be laying off people."

“There’s a teacher named Zhang at our school. His sister married a man in the city, which should have been a great thing. She’s been working in a textile factory for over ten years. But these past few days, he’s been so worried that he can’t sleep, fearing that her name will be on the list.”

He looked at Chen Ling with a mix of relief and emotion: "It's still better in our mountains, at least we have land to farm, so we won't go hungry. Lingzi, I'm just a little worried about whether your instant noodle factory will be affected."

"It doesn't matter, they are two different things."

"That's good. I was just worried that if you invested too much, you would lose money."

Chen Ling nodded without saying anything more.

He knew in his heart that this was just the beginning.

In the next decade or so, the gap between urban and rural areas will widen further, and the wave of migrant workers moving to cities will become increasingly intense.

However, there's no need to talk about these things now; it would only increase anxiety.

He has his own plans and arrangements; he just needs to do his own thing and live his own life well.

There's no need to tell anyone.

"If we stay in our own little plot of land and work hard, we can always make a living."

Chen Ling gave a vague reply and changed the subject: "Brother, are your teachers still getting their salaries paid on time?"

"They can pay it, but I heard that teacher subsidies might be in jeopardy in the future."

Wang Qingwen shook his head: "But it's not the best, but it's better than nothing either. I'm content."

Just then, a "plop" sound came from the stream by the roadside, and a plump frog jumped into the water, splashing a small spray.

Wow! A giant toad!

Rui Rui's attention was immediately drawn to it, and she pointed at the stream and shouted excitedly.

Wang Zhenzhen followed the gaze and saw the stream flowing from the mountain into the river, its water abundant and crystal clear.

You can see many small fish and shrimp swimming nimbly among the aquatic plants.

The stones along the stream were washed clean, and several brown mountain frogs were basking in the sun on them.

"The water is good this year, and there are more things in the mountains."

Looking at the stream, Chen Ling said, "Along the way, I've seen several streams and ditches where the water is higher than in previous years, and there seem to be more fish and frogs."

"No."

Wang Cunye had noticed it long ago: "The heavy snow in early spring had accumulated enough, and these few rains have followed suit."

"Look at that hillside over there, the goat's beard grass and wild alfalfa are growing very fast, a lush green expanse. There must be plenty of pheasants and rabbits too."

As if to confirm his words, several pheasants with gorgeous plumage suddenly took flight from the bushes not far ahead, squawking in alarm, and landed on the more distant hillside.

"Haha, after a while I bring Afu and Ashou over for a visit, these guys won't have such an easy time."

Chen Ling smiled.

When predators return to the mountains, the food chain in the forests will naturally be rebalanced, and these smaller prey will become more alert.

It's time to teach them a lesson.

Upon hearing the mention of tigers, Wang Zhenzhen immediately perked up, swinging her legs as she asked, "Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, are the tigers behaving well at home? Do they miss me? Do they still recognize me?"

"Yes, we definitely know each other!"

Rui Rui eagerly answered, his little face full of pride: "Big Tiger! Let Rui Rui touch you! And...and help Daddy fight the bad guys!"

He tried hard to recall Chen Ling's heroic figure when he subdued the ram that day. Although his memory was a bit hazy, it didn't stop him from bragging about the tiger.

Chen Ling was amused by her son: "Yes, they miss you so much, they're just waiting for you to come back and take them running all over the mountain." (End of Chapter)