My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 999 The Little Leopard Returns

at the same time.

The entire Lingyun area, especially the flood prevention work led by Chenwangzhuang.

Because of its effective organization and timely early warning, it quickly became a model for other regions to learn from.

Although the continuous rainfall still caused some property damage.

However, thanks to thorough prior preparations and effective responses during the process, casualties were minimized.

This is undoubtedly a huge success.

Awards and commendations from the county, city, and even province followed one after another.

The names of Chen Ling and Chen Wangzhuang were once again widely known.

But for Chen Ling, seeing his fellow villagers safe and sound and the grain safely stored away was far more tangible.

He was a human being with flesh and blood, and ultimately couldn't bear to see familiar people swallowed up by a merciless natural disaster.

Of course.

This flood did not bring only crisis and disaster.

After continuous rainfall, the earth was thoroughly moistened.

In the mountains and forests surrounding Chenwangzhuang, all kinds of mushrooms sprouted up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.

Chanterelles, matsutake mushrooms, porcini mushrooms... a dazzling array of colors.

As soon as the rain stopped, adults and children in the village would carry baskets and go into the mountains to pick mushrooms, which became a rare pleasure under the continuous gloom.

On the dining table, the delicious mushroom soup and stir-fried mushrooms took center stage, and each one was incredibly flavorful.

Water celery, arrowhead, and other aquatic vegetables in the ponds and puddles are growing exceptionally plump and tender, enriching everyone's vegetable baskets.

……

"Why are there so many mushrooms these days?" Zhao Dahai asked as he returned from the forest farm.

Zhao Yubao laughed and said, "You don't know, after this rain, the mushrooms in the mountains and forests have been sprouting up like crazy. They're everywhere—in the back mountains, orchards, and even in the woods by the riverbank. The villagers can't stay idle; they go up the mountain to pick them every day. If they can't finish them, they dry them and say they'll make soup for winter."

Professor Zhong perked up as he spoke: "Fugui told me that this explosive growth after continuous rain is called 'stress-induced reproduction' in ecology. The mycelium matures rapidly under suitable conditions, and a large number of fruiting bodies are formed. Moreover, this year's climate is abnormal, with suitable temperature and humidity, so there are many varieties, more than a dozen of which are edible."

Just then, Sister-in-law Xiufen came over carrying a basket full of mushrooms. When she saw Chen Ling, her eyes lit up: "Fugui! You're home! Come and see, I just picked some chanterelle mushrooms, they're so golden yellow. Share some with you, we'll make soup tonight!"

The basket was filled with golden mushrooms, which looked like little umbrellas and smelled of fresh earth.

"Thank you, sister-in-law," Chen Ling said with a smile. "There's so much, can we finish it all?"

"Dry any leftovers!"

Sister-in-law Xiufen said happily, "Not only mushrooms, but water celery and arrowhead are also growing well over the riverbank. Lao Ni and his family rowed out to pick them, and they filled a boat with them in no time. Although there was flooding this year, these things have had a bumper harvest!"

Chen Ling smiled upon hearing this.

Yes, floods are certainly a disaster, but the silt brought by the river is rich in nutrients, and wild vegetables grow wildly on the mudflats after the water recedes, which is also a kind of compensation from nature.

"you do not say!"

Gao Xiulan said, "In the area behind the mountain, mushrooms sprout up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, one crop after another. There's also water celery, so tender; blanched and tossed in a salad, it's so refreshing!"

Wang Cunye came over from the backyard, puffing on his pipe, and chimed in, "This rain was annoying, but things in the mountains are really growing well. Besides mushrooms and wild vegetables, there are more fish in the river, probably washed down from upstream. Yesterday, Lixian and the others cast a net and caught more than ten catties of whitebait."

In the evening, Wang Susu prepared a table of dishes.

Stir-fried chicken oil mushrooms, water celery with tofu, braised pork with arrowhead, chicken soup with mushrooms, and homemade salted duck eggs.

Simple home-style dishes taste especially delicious because the ingredients are fresh.

Zhao Yubao and Professor Zhong praised it highly, especially the mushroom soup. The soup was milky white and had a rich mushroom aroma. They drank three bowls and still couldn't get enough.

At the dinner table, the two professors spoke with pride about promoting their flood prevention experience.

Chen Ling listened quietly, occasionally interjecting with a word or two.

He knew that if this experience could be shared, it would save countless lives and fortunes, which was more important than any wealth.

After the meal, Chen Ling took a walk around the reservoir dam.

The water level has indeed dropped significantly, the dam is sturdy, and the flood discharge channel is unobstructed. Workers have begun the final reinforcement and reinforcement work.

While Engineer Zhou and Teacher Wu were still measuring data on the dam, they met Chen Ling and spent a long time explaining the technical terms to him. In the end, they concluded with one sentence: "This dam is stable."

At night, Chen Ling lay in bed, and Wang Susu nestled in his arms, softly telling him about the trivial matters that had happened in the village these past few days.

Chen Ling listened and gradually fell asleep.

The next morning, Chen Ling was awakened by a strange cry.

It wasn't a rooster crowing or a dog barking, but a low, anxious "howling" sound.

He opened his eyes; it was just getting light outside the window, and Wang Susu was still asleep.

The sound was coming from the backyard.

Chen Ling quietly got up, put on her clothes, and walked out of the bedroom.

As they passed the living room, Heiwa and Xiaojin had already pricked up their ears alertly, but they didn't bark; they just whimpered and looked towards the backyard.

The cry rang out again... This time Chen Ling heard it clearly; it was the voice of Afu and Ashou.

The two large cats rarely meow, and when they do, it's a majestic growl.

But at this moment, there was a hint of... urgency in the cry?

Chen Ling walked quickly to the backyard and pushed open the wooden door.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and the courtyard was damp.

Afu and Ashou were pacing anxiously at the entrance of the orchard. When they saw him come out, they immediately pounced on him, nudging his legs with their huge heads and making rapid gurgling sounds in their throats.

"What's wrong?" Chen Ling squatted down and stroked Afu's neck.

Afu gently bit his sleeve and pulled him toward the orchard.

Ah Shou also came over and nudged his back with his head.

This was an indication that he was being asked to follow along.

Chen Ling's heart skipped a beat.

Ah Fu and Ah Shou are intelligent and perceptive; their unusual behavior must mean they've discovered something.

Could it be... that the herb *Gynostemma pentaphyllum* has reappeared?

He immediately went back into the house and took down a flashlight and a shotgun from the wall.

Although he knew that a flashlight might not be useful against something like the wild boar, he still wanted to bring it because wild animals are afraid of light.

After thinking for a moment, he stuffed another packet of anesthetic powder into his pocket, which he had prepared for self-defense.

"Ah Ling?" Wang Susu woke up, rubbing her eyes as she came out of the bedroom. "What's wrong?"

“A-Fu and A-Shou are acting a bit strange. I’ll go into the orchard to check on them,” Chen Ling said in a low voice. “You stay inside and lock the door.”

Wang Susu instantly snapped out of her daze, her face turning pale: "Is it... that thing that's here?"

"I'm not sure yet, I'll go check." Chen Ling patted her hand. "Don't worry, with Afu and Ashou here, everything will be fine."

As soon as Chen Ling stepped out of the house, the two large cats, who had been waiting impatiently, turned around and walked deeper into the orchard.

Chen Ling followed closely behind, his flashlight beam piercing the morning mist.

The orchard was quiet, with only the sound of dew dripping from the leaves.

Apple, pear, and peach trees loomed in the mist, and the ground was covered with fruit that had been knocked down by the wind and rain, emitting a sweet, fermented aroma.

Afu and Ashou walked quickly, but they kept looking back to make sure Chen Ling kept up.

Instead of heading towards the deeper mountains, they turned towards a mixed forest on the west side of the orchard... It connected to the back mountain, but was still within the farm's boundaries.

The deeper you go, the thicker the fog becomes.

Chen Ling gripped his hunting rifle tightly, fully alert.

If it really is a case of "over-mountain yellowing" (a type of yellowing vegetation), this kind of environment is detrimental to him...

Just then, Afu suddenly stopped, his ears perked up, and he let out a very soft whimper.

Ah Shou also lowered his body, his tail held straight. Chen Ling turned off his flashlight and held his breath.

A rustling sound came from the bushes ten meters ahead.

It wasn't the heavy footsteps of a large animal, but rather... a light, cautious movement.

Then, a pair of emerald green eyes lit up in the mist.

Chen Ling's heart tightened... The position of these eyes is wrong.

The giant yellow catfish is enormous, and its eyes should be high up, but these eyes are only half a meter off the ground...

The bushes rustled, and a figure emerged.

That was a clouded leopard.

It is smaller than a normal clouded leopard, with grayish-yellow fur covered with dark cloud-like spots.

Positive indicates that it is female.

The female clouded leopard is relatively small in size.

It stood in the fog, looking at Chen Ling warily, but instead of running away, it let out a low cry.

Chen Ling was stunned.

He had seen clouded leopards before, and occasionally encountered them in the mountains, but this was the first time he had seen one so close.

And this clouded leopard doesn't seem to be in a good state...

It was very thin, with its ribs faintly visible, covered in mud, and its eyes held no wildness, but rather a sense of... pleading.

To his surprise, Afu and Ashou did not show any hostility when they saw the clouded leopard.

Afu even took two steps forward and let out a low growl, as if in communication.

The clouded leopard responded with a call, then turned and whispered towards the bushes.

The bushes rustled again, and two small, furry heads peeked out.

They are two clouded leopard cubs.

It looks like it's only two or three months old. It should be a round and chubby age, but it's pitifully thin right now.

Its beautiful cloud-patterned fur was plastered with mud, making it wobble as it followed closely behind its mother, emitting weak cries.

The mother clouded leopard gently nudged her cub with her head, then looked at Chen Ling, and then at Afu and Ashou, her eyes revealing a pure, animalistic plea.

Chen Ling suddenly understood.

This clouded leopard mother has come seeking help.

After days of torrential rain, the deep mountains became uninhabitable. Unable to find food and driven to desperation by hunger, it followed its memory or some instinct and found its way here…

Perhaps it's because of Afu and Aju's aura, or perhaps it's because of what it once was...

A thought flashed through Chen Ling's mind.

He recalled that two years ago, Wang Susu had raised a small clouded leopard.

That little clouded leopard only clung to Wang Susu.

Chen Ling wouldn't let anyone touch her, but unfortunately, she left on her own when she grew up.

That's how wild animals are.

The mountain donkeys, foxes, and civets that Chen Ling rescued before were all like this.

Many people can't forget their wildness.

However, this clouded leopard is behaving strangely.

Could it be... really that one?
Chen Ling looked closely at the female clouded leopard. Although she was extremely thin, the outline of her eyebrows and eyes did look somewhat familiar.

"Susu!" Chen Ling turned around and called out towards the farm, "Susu! Come quick!"

Wang Susu had been anxiously waiting at the door. When she heard the shouts, she didn't care about her fear and grabbed her coat to run outside.

Gao Xiulan and Wang Cunye also woke up and came out: "What's wrong? What happened?"

"It's a clouded leopard!" Chen Ling's voice was filled with rare excitement. "It's the one Su Su rescued back then! It's a mother now and has returned with its cubs!"

When Wang Susu ran closer and saw the three clouded leopards in the mist, she immediately covered her mouth and tears welled up in her eyes.

“It’s it…it really is it…” she choked back tears, slowly walking forward, “The ear hairs on its ears, I remember…”

When the female clouded leopard saw Wang Susu, she took a half-step back warily, but her nose twitched slightly, as if she was identifying the scent.

A few seconds later, it let out a soft purr and its tail wagged gently... This is a friendly gesture from a feline.

"Don't be afraid..." Wang Susu squatted down, reached out her hand, and said gently, "It's me. Do you remember? When you were little, I used to groom you..."

The mother clouded leopard hesitated before slowly approaching.

Two clouded leopard cubs peeked out timidly from behind their mother.

Ah Fu and Ah Shou squatted quietly to the side, as if guarding or witnessing.

Finally, the mother clouded leopard walked up to Wang Susu, lowered her head, and gently rubbed her hand.

This action is exactly the same as when it used to act cute.

Tears streamed down Wang Susu's face as she trembled, stroking Yunbao's thin back: "How did you get so thin... and the baby too..."

Seeing that their mother wasn't afraid, the two clouded leopard cubs mustered their courage and came out, curiously sniffing Wang Susu's hands.

They were so hungry that they could barely stand, and one of them even stumbled.

Chen Ling made a quick decision: "Su Su, take them to the woodshed in the backyard... it's dry and quiet there. I'll go get some food."

He ran back to the farm, took out a few pieces of chicken that he had cooked that morning from the kitchen, and made a bowl of goat milk powder.

Gao Xiulan and Wang Cunye also sprang into action; one went to boil water, and the other went to find clean old blankets.

The woodshed in the backyard is usually used to store miscellaneous items, but it is kept very clean.

Wang Susu laid out a thick layer of hay and an old blanket. The mother clouded leopard led her cubs inside and immediately collapsed... It had been holding on for so long, and finally it could relax.

Chen Ling tore the chicken into small pieces and placed them on a plate.

The female clouded leopard smelled the aroma of food and struggled to get up, but she didn't have the strength.

Wang Susu pushed the plate in front of it, and only then did it wolf down the food.

Two clouded leopard cubs also came over, but they were too small to eat meat.

Wang Susu poured the goat milk powder into a shallow dish, and the little ones immediately buried their heads in it, licking it until their faces were covered in milk stains.

Seeing the three clouded leopards starving and eating indiscriminately, the whole family felt heartbroken.

"With this rain... it must be unbearable in the mountains," Wang Cunye sighed.

Gao Xiulan wiped away her tears: "Being a mother is not easy. You go hungry yourself, and you still have to find a way to survive with your child. If you weren't desperate, why would you come to ask for help?"

Chen Ling squatted at the door of the woodshed, watching the mother clouded leopard finish eating the meat, and then carefully gathered her cubs to her side, licking the mud off their bodies.

Its movements were light and gentle, just like any mother's.

Ah Fu and Ah Shou had arrived at some point and were lying on the open ground outside the woodshed, guarding the family.

Heiwa and Xiaojin also came, but they were very well-behaved and didn't bark; they just watched quietly.

As the morning mist gradually dissipated, sunlight shone through the clouds and onto the farmyard.

Wang Susu brought warm water and gently washed the two clouded leopard cubs with a soft cloth.

The mud was washed away, revealing their beautiful fur... The grayish-yellow base color and dark cloud-like spots resembled the morning mist in the mountains.

The mother clouded leopard watched vigilantly the whole time, but did not stop it.

The human it trusts most is Wang Susu. If Wang Susu were to harm its child, it wouldn't know what to do.

Perhaps they will run away.

The cleaned clouded leopard cubs regained their energy, playfully pouncing and biting each other on the haystack. Although thin, their eyes were bright.

The mother clouded leopard looked at her cubs, then at Wang Susu, and let out a satisfied purring sound.

They've become increasingly affectionate.