My 1995 Small Farm.

After midday, the sunlight became soft and warm, making people feel lazy.

After seeing Wang Qingwen off as he rushed back to school to work, Chen Ling looked around the yard and saw that everyone had eaten and drunk their fill.

A few bored dolls and the two equally lazy giant tigers suddenly had an idea pop into their minds.

"Rui Rui, Zhen Zhen, come on! I'll take you to a great place to play!" Chen Ling called out with a smile.

"Where are we going, brother-in-law?" Wang Zhenzhen immediately jumped up from the stool, her eyes shining.

"Daddy, what do we play?" Rui Rui dropped the little white elephant in his hand and rushed over to hug Chen Ling's leg.

"Go to the old river bend south of the village!"

Chen Ling waved his hand and said, "Let's go catch fish and shrimp, and gather snails and clams! We'll stir-fry snails for dinner tonight!"

Wow! Great!

Wang Zhenzhen cheered excitedly: "I'm the best at catching snails!"

Although Rui Rui didn't quite understand what they were doing, seeing how excited her aunt was, she jumped around and shouted, "Rui Rui wants to go too! Let's go scramble for fish!"

Afu and Ashou, who were dozing under the eaves, seemed to understand the meaning of "going out to play". They raised their huge heads, looked at Chen Ling with their amber eyes, and made a low, expectant "woo-woo" sound in their throats.

"Yes, I'll take you with me! The weather's warm now, so let's give Xiaoqing and Xiaobai a bath too. They haven't had a proper swim all winter."

Chen Ling smiled and went over to rub the two big tiger's furry ears.

Just do it.

Chen Ling found several bamboo baskets, wooden buckets, and nets of different sizes.

Wang Zhenzhen quickly picked up a small bamboo basket, and Rui Rui followed suit, insisting on carrying a small bucket that was not much shorter than him.

Gao Xiulan chased after them worriedly: "Lingzi, keep an eye on the child, the stones by the river are slippery!"

"I know, Mother! Don't worry!"

Chen Ling responded, took Rui Rui's hand with one hand, and followed by the bouncy Wang Zhenzhen.

The two giant tigers stood up, stretched their massive bodies, and followed behind with steady steps, like two mobile fortresses.

Chen Ling first went to the stable to lead out the little blue horse, and then went to the cow pen to lead out the little white calf.

Upon hearing that they were going into the water, the little white calf excitedly mooed twice and pawed the ground lightly with its hooves.

The group marched out of the village, and just as they reached the vicinity of the threshing ground at the village entrance, they were stopped by a chorus of chattering children.

"Uncle Fugui! Auntie! Where are you going to play?"

"Could you take one of us with you?"

All they saw was Liu Nier leading a group of about seven or eight little children, both boys and girls, who were staring longingly at this strange "group".

Adults, children, horses, cows, and two terrifying tigers...

Wang Zhenzhen immediately puffed out her little chest and said proudly, "We're going to the old river bend to catch snails and fish! My brother-in-law is taking us!"

When Liu Nier and the others heard this, their eyes lit up, but they glanced fearfully at the two tigers sitting quietly and dared not approach.

Chen Ling laughed and said, "If you want to go, then let's go together. Everyone go home and get a small bucket or basket or something. Remember to tell your family so they don't worry."

"Oh! That's great!"

The children cheered and scattered like birds, running quickly home to get their tools and inform their parents.

Before long, the team had nearly doubled in size.

A dozen or so children, each carrying various containers, excitedly surrounded Chen Ling and his companions, chattering like a flock of happy little sparrows.

Afu and Ashou seemed a little uncomfortable with so many noisy little ones.

But out of respect for Chen Ling, it only occasionally flicked its huge tail and did not show any impatience.

Rui Rui and Wang Zhenzhen became the leaders of the children, proudly walking at the front of the group.

In spring, the water level in the old river bend has risen considerably compared to winter, and the water is crystal clear, shimmering in the sunlight.

The aquatic plants on the bank are lush and green, swaying gently with the current.

The pebbles on the riverbank were washed clean, and they were a bit slippery to walk on.

Several old willow trees drooped their branches almost touching the water's surface, sprouting tender green buds.

"We're here! It's right here!"

Chen Ling chose a place with a gentle current and shallow beaches and silt on the bank, where there are usually many snails and clams.

He tied the reins of the little blue horse and the little white calf to the willow tree.

The little white calf couldn't wait any longer and was the first to jump into the water with a "plop." It soaked comfortably in the river, with only its big head and back showing. It squinted its eyes contentedly and made a satisfied "moo."

The little blue horse gracefully strolled to the shallow water and lowered its head to drink the clear river water.

"Alright, kids, play in this shallow area. Don't go into the deep water! Do you hear me?" Chen Ling shouted.

"Okay!" the children replied in unison, unable to contain themselves any longer. They took off their shoes, rolled up their trousers, and carefully stepped into the water.

"Wow! The water is so cool!" exclaimed a little girl with pigtails.

"So many little fish! Watch me catch them!" A skinny, dark-skinned boy lunged forward, splashing water everywhere, but he caught nothing, which drew a burst of laughter.

Wang Zhenzhen was an expert; she carried a bamboo basket and her sharp eyes scanned the rocks and roots of the aquatic plants at the bottom of the water.

She quickly spotted her target, reached out, and grabbed a large, dark brown snail: "Look! The first one!"

Rui Rui imitated his aunt, clumsily groping in the water. He grabbed a handful of sand with his chubby little hands, but found nothing. However, he still enjoyed it immensely.

Chen Ling smiled, took off his coat and shoes, leaving him in only a pair of shorts, revealing his muscular upper body.

He picked up the landing net and walked towards a slightly deeper body of water, where the aquatic plants were abundant, making it a good hiding place for fish and shrimp.

Ah Fu and Ah Shou seemed a little hesitant to go into the water.

They paced along the bank, their huge claws tentatively touching the river water before withdrawing.

Tigers are born swimmers, but they are clearly not as fond of water as water buffaloes.

Finally, they chose to lie down on a flat, large rock on the shore, like two overseers, lazily basking in the sun.

Watching the group of two-legged creatures and little ones bustling about in the river, a hint of curiosity shone in his amber eyes.

When Chen Ling cast his net, it pulled up to reveal several lively little whitebait and a few transparent shrimp.

"Uncle Fugui is amazing!" the children exclaimed in admiration.

Chen Ling poured the fish and shrimp into the small bucket that Rui Rui was holding. The little guy jumped up and down with joy, splashing water all over Liu Ni'er next to him.

"Rui Rui, be good, watch the fish, don't let them jump out." Chen Ling smiled and cast a few more nets, reaping a good harvest.

The main force behind catching snails was actually Wang Zhenzhen and Liu Nier, a few slightly older girls.

They were quick-witted and nimble-fingered, and in no time their bamboo baskets were filled with a dense layer of black snails.

"The clams here are huge!" A little boy stepped on something hard in the mud, dug it out with great effort, and found it to be a clam bigger than his palm, heavy with flesh.

"Let me see! Let me see!" The other children immediately crowded around. Chen Ling also became interested. He walked to the muddy area and carefully tested it with his feet.

Soon, he stepped on a big thing.

He bent down, reached his hands into the mud, groped around, and pulled hard!
With a "splash," he scooped out a huge river clam, as big as a bowl!

The brown clam shell is covered with dark patterns, heavy and wet, and looks quite old.

"My goodness! It's so big!" All the dolls were stunned, and even Wang Zhenzhen ran over, her eyes wide.

Even Afu and Ashou, who were lying on the rock, were startled and raised their huge heads to look at the giant "rock" with curiosity.

"Hehe, extra treat tonight, braised river clam meat with scallions!" Chen Ling proudly placed the large river clam into a special wooden bucket.

The sun shone warmly, the river water was cool, and the children's laughter, exclamations, and splashing sounds rose and fell.

Rui Rui was having a blast; his underwear was soaked, and his face and body were covered in mud, making him look like a happy little mud monkey.

He tried to reach out and touch the calf's head, which was submerged in the water, but he couldn't reach it.

He tried to pull Afu into the water, but the tiger gently nudged him away with its nose.

Watching the children having fun, Chen Ling felt as if he had returned to his childhood.

He not only used a landing net, but sometimes, once he spotted a fish, he would even catch it with his bare hands. He was incredibly fast and caught it every time, which drew cheers of admiration from the children.

He also taught the children how to identify the small bubbles coming out of the mussel's breathing hole and how to get shrimp out of the cracks in the rocks.

Time flew by, and the buckets and baskets they brought gradually became full.

In addition to a large number of snails, clams, and small miscellaneous fish, Chen Ling also caught several crucian carp weighing more than half a kilogram and a panicked yellow catfish.

"Alright, alright, that's enough! The sun's about to set, we should go back!" Chen Ling glanced at the sky and called the children to come ashore.

Although the children were still reluctant to leave, they obediently went ashore one after another.

Little feet stepped on the grass, leaving wet footprints.

Wang Zhenzhen and Liu Nier boasted to each other about who could collect more snails.

Rui Rui guarded his little bucket, afraid that his "spoils" would run away.

Chen Ling gathered up the last of their spoils and then focused on giving the little green horse and the little white calf a bath.

He picked up a brush, dipped it in the river water, and carefully scrubbed the little blue horse's mane and body.

The little blue horse snorted contentedly, occasionally nuzzling Chen Ling with its head.

The little white calf seemed to enjoy it even more, its whole body submerged in the water with only its head sticking out. When Chen Ling brushed its horns and back, it squinted its eyes, looking completely blissful.

Afu and Ashou seemed to find bathing the big guy very interesting. They got off the rock, strolled to the water's edge, stretched out their huge paws, and, imitating Chen Ling, curiously patted the little white calf's bottom that was submerged in the water.

The little white calf was startled and stood up from the water with a "moo," splashing water everywhere and getting the two tigers all over.

Afu and Ashou shook their fluffy heads, seemingly thinking the game was pretty good.

A mountain breeze blows, carrying the coolness of the river and the fragrance of the fields.

Chen Ling told the children to put on their shoes and pack their things.

He carried a heavy load of seafood in one hand and held Rui Rui's hand in the other.

Wang Zhenzhen and Liu Nier carried a basket of snails, while the other children helped each other by carrying tools.

Two tigers followed at the back of the group, walking slowly.

The little white calf and the little blue horse were also washed clean, their coats glossy, and they followed along easily beside the calf.

The returning team, laden with their spoils, left a trail of laughter and chatter as they made their way towards the village where smoke curled from the chimneys.

Back at the farm, Gao Xiulan and Wang Susu were pleasantly surprised to see such a bountiful harvest.

"Wow, so many! This giant clam must be a spirit!" Gao Xiulan exclaimed in amazement as she looked at the enormous clam.

"That's all for dinner!"

Chen Ling smiled and said, "Rui Rui and Zhen Zhen, take Liu Ni'er and the others to wash their hands and change their clothes, so they don't catch a cold."

The children happily went home after sharing the snails they had collected, promising to come back and play again the next day.

Chen Ling then began preparing dinner.

He poured the snails into a large basin, added a few drops of sesame oil, and let them expel the sand.

Pry open the clam, remove the thick clam meat, and clean it thoroughly.

Clean up the small fish and shrimp, and prepare to deep-fry them.

Wang Zhenzhen helped start the fire, while Wang Cunye processed the crucian carp, preparing to make soup.

Boil water in a pot, add scallions, ginger, and cooking wine, blanch the clam meat, remove and slice it.

In a separate wok, heat oil and sauté dried chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, scallions, ginger, and garlic until fragrant. Add the sliced ​​clam meat and stir-fry quickly over high heat. Add cooking wine and soy sauce, and finally sprinkle with chopped cilantro. A plate of fragrant and spicy stir-fried clam meat is ready to serve.

Cut off the snail's tail after it has expelled all the sand, and clean it thoroughly.

Heat oil in a wok, add fermented bean paste and chili sauce and stir-fry until the oil turns red. Add snails and stir-fry. Add sugar, soy sauce, cooking wine and a suitable amount of water, simmer for a while, and finally reduce the sauce over high heat. Sprinkle with chopped green onions and perilla leaves. The aroma of spicy stir-fried snails is irresistible.

Small fish and shrimp are coated with a thin layer of flour, deep-fried until golden brown and crispy, and then sprinkled with salt and pepper. This is Rui Rui and Wang Zhenzhen's favorite snack.

The kitchen was filled with enticing aromas that made one's mouth water.

Rui Rui and Wang Zhenzhen had already washed themselves clean, changed their clothes, and were sitting by the stove, watching eagerly.

Even Afu and Ashou seemed to be attracted by the rich aroma, strolling from the yard to the kitchen door, their huge heads poking in and looking around curiously.

"It's time to eat!"

When the last dish, crucian carp and tofu soup, was served, dinner officially began.

Under the dim light, the family sat together.

The table was laden with spicy stir-fried snails, stir-fried river clam meat, deep-fried small fish and shrimp, steamed salted pork, cold wild vegetables, and milky white fish soup—a hearty and down-to-earth feast.

"Come on, try this Qingming snail. Isn't it better than a fat goose?" Chen Ling picked up a snail, slurped it up, and found the snail meat firm, chewy, and flavorful with a spicy kick.

"Mmm! Delicious! So fresh!" Wang Zhenzhen's snail-slurping skills were top-notch; her mouth was greasy from all the eating.

Rui Rui, on the other hand, focused on frying small fish. He held them in his little hands and crunched them with gusto, leaving a ring of oil around his mouth.

Wang Cunye took a sip of wine, chewed on the chewy river clam meat, and nodded with satisfaction: "This clam meat is stir-fried well, cooked to perfection, tender and flavorful, a great dish to go with wine!"

Gao Xiulan served the children fish soup: "Drink more soup. You played in the water today, so this will help you warm up."

Wang Susu smiled and served food to Chen Ling, saying, "I heard from my parents that there are a lot of bear meat and bear skins being sold in Changle Township recently. When we go to Hong Kong, we can bring some of these as gifts for Brother Yuemin's partners. After all, you are the second boss."

Chen Ling nodded: "I understand. I bought it earlier. Meat is hard to come by, but bear paws, bear bile, and bear skin can be preserved. I'll ask around in the village tomorrow when I go to get vaccinated and see if anyone has any left, and I'll buy more."

Outside, the night was gentle, and the stars twinkled.

Inside, the lights were warm and inviting, the food smelled delicious, and laughter filled the air.

Ah Fu and Ah Shou lay by the door, munching on the unseasoned grilled fish and clam meat that Chen Ling had specially left for them, eating with great satisfaction. (End of Chapter)