My 1995 Small Farm.

Even before late autumn, the reeds by the water had already turned yellow, and now, at this time of year, there's hardly any green left.

When the autumn wind blows, the snow-white reeds sway in the air.

High and low, near and far, they are everywhere on the riverbank, creating a truly beautiful scene.

In the afternoon, Chen Ling put the bear paws in a pot to cook, then led the children and three old men to the riverbank to fish and herd cattle.

Chen Ling originally thought that since everyone in the village was busy picking wild fruits and gathering mountain products this year, not many people would come to the riverbank to cut reeds.

Unexpectedly, as soon as I got near the riverbank, I saw Wang Laishun crouching down, holding a sickle, busy at work.

"Oh, you guys are here too."

When Wang Laishun heard the commotion of the children, he turned around and saw that it was an acquaintance. He then stopped cutting the reeds.

It's a good time to stop and rest for a while.

On the other hand.

Ever since his wife and second son, Wang Juxiang, had a falling out with Chen Ling.

Chen Ling and he are not as close as they used to be.

If we don't become more enthusiastic, given this kid's temper, it would be strange if he even paid any attention to us in the future.

He clenched his fist and pounded his aching back, then waved with a smile: "Rui Rui, why are you riding on the cow's head? Come down, come down, Grandpa will take you to catch sparrows."

The little boy was riding on the head of the white calf.

The little white calf has grown tall and strong, and the space between its two horns is just right for Rui Rui to sit on.

There is plenty of space.

And it's very stable.

At the same time, it also allows the brat to grab onto the two horns.

Chen Ling stretched out his hand, "Come on, come down, follow Fifth Grandfather to catch sparrows, and let Little White and the others eat grass."

Rui Rui was quite well-behaved at this moment, obediently rushing into his arms.

But after Chen Ling put him down, he didn't go to Wang Laishun's side. Instead, he took the small shovel from Zhao Yubao's hand and started digging randomly in the sand on the riverbank.

Clearly, he wasn't very interested in sparrows at this point.

"Uncle, you've got plenty of firewood, so why are you cutting reeds?" Chen Ling asked, somewhat puzzled.

Being right next to the mountains and forests, no one would truly lack firewood.

Wang Laishun was also a diligent man; his woodpile was always neatly stacked, and he never lacked firewood.

"Sigh, I'm not a firewood maker. This summer, the heavy rains ruined our vegetable cellar, and it's been leaking ever since... Things have been a bit quieter lately, so I was thinking of cutting some reeds to make a mat to repair the cellar roof. Otherwise, we won't be able to use the cellar in winter, and we won't have any winter vegetables to eat."

"Oh? You used reed mats to top your vegetable cellar?"

Zhao Yubao was a little surprised to hear this. He thought that since the cellar was underground, using reed mats would be a bit too soft.

The so-called foil is also called a curtain or fence.

They are usually made of reed stalks and sorghum stalks.

A foil made of reeds is also called a reed foil.

It can be used for proper house construction, and also for livestock sheds and the like.

It involves breaking reed stalks or sorghum stalks into sheets, spreading them on the roof, mixing them with mud, pouring it on, and then laying tiles on top.

Indeed, that's how it is with building a house; there's absolutely no problem.

However, the top of the cellar is usually made of wooden planks, covered with foil, and then covered with soil, so people walk on it on a daily basis.

It's easy to damage or collapse if stepped on.

"Haha, Teacher Zhao, you don't know this... My family's cellar is different from others. It's similar to the dug pits from the past. Big people can live in it, and livestock can live in it too. You can even lead a donkey in. It's no different from a house."

Wang Laishun gestured as he explained to Zhao Yubao and the other man.

The two old men were completely confused.

Chen Ling said, "It means it's similar to a basement, used for sheltering from disasters in the past. The one at Uncle Wu's house was dug very deep and has been there for many years. It usually doesn't need to be repaired."

Now the two old men understood what it meant.

Many thoughts immediately came to mind.

He quickly asked if they had ever hosted guerrillas.

Wang Laishun shook his head and said that he didn't have that kind of luck. It was just that in the past, when there were bandits and swordsmen running rampant, this vegetable cellar was used to hide from disasters.

The two old men then lost interest.

The father-in-law remained smiling throughout, showing no curiosity whatsoever; in their Fenglei Town, there were plenty of places like this to take refuge from disaster.

The place Wang Qingzhong used to store grain was just that; it's not worth mentioning.

After chatting for a while, Zhao Yubao and Chen Ling followed behind each other and found their own spots to start fishing.

As soon as he started fishing, Zhao Yubao's nicotine craving kicked in.

He then took out his cigarette case and offered cigarettes to the group.

Chen Ling quickly reached out to stop him, pointing to the withered reeds in front of them.

Zhao Yubao immediately understood, smiled sheepishly, and quickly said that he had forgotten about it.

After living in the village for about half a year, he figured out many things.

The withered reeds and the reed flowers swaying wildly in the wind... just like willow catkins in spring and dry wheat straw in summer, they are very easy to cause fires.

The autumn wind is blowing hard; even a single spark could set the entire hilltop ablaze.

“Fugui, why haven’t I seen you herding horses these past few days? You’ve been out fishing and herding cattle all day. Why don’t you take your little blue horse out for a spin too?”

Wang Laishun wasn't just making conversation for the sake of it.

This old man loved horses when he was young. The big white horse that Wang Jukun's family owned was raised by both his and his uncle's families.

Back then, livestock were considered more precious than people. They were fed and cared for so well that sometimes a single family couldn't afford it.

"Don't even mention it. I chained him up, but he keeps sneaking out at night. That won't do."

These days, it's pitch black at night, and you can't see anything clearly.

If a horse runs wild at night, it might not only end up in the mountains, but it could also wander into another village or into someone's house, startling them and causing them to be shot dead.

"Don't say that again. Your horse is a good horse, but every good horse has its own temperament. You can't keep suppressing it, or a good horse will turn into a bad horse."

Seemingly afraid that Chen Ling would spoil the good horse, Wang Laishun used much more force when cutting the reeds.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling laughed and could only nod and say yes, yes, yes.

My own little blue horse isn't a good horse in the traditional sense.

It is a good horse that is intelligent, has independent thoughts, and is very shrewd.

In fact, when Chen Ling first bought it, this blue horse was not a good horse at all; at most, it was a wild horse.

But thanks to Chen Ling's careful feeding and the nurturing of spiritual treasures from the cave, the little green horse underwent a second development...

In every aspect, whether it is physical condition, physical fitness, or appearance and quality.

The young blue horse has become an excellent horse.

……

After Wang Laishun and Chen Ling said that, Zhao Yubao turned his head and said, "Your little Qing is a real rascal, don't let him sneak out again in a little while."

Chen Ling smiled confidently: "It's alright, it can't escape. I chained it up... If it still manages to escape, I'll change my name..."

But before he could finish saying that sentence...

Rui Rui picked up his little shovel and started shouting, "Little horse, little horse!"

In the distance, amidst the lush green wheat fields, a tall, blue horse leisurely strolled along, swishing its tail, occasionally lowering its head to nibble on a few wheat seedlings.

At this moment, the little blue horse seemed to have heard the child's shouts, and raised its huge head in confusion, looking towards the old river bend.

Upon seeing it, he was so frightened that he shuddered and ran away as fast as he could, his eyes wide with terror.

"You dare to run?! Stop right there!"

Chen Ling was furious. He threw down his fishing rod and chased after the pursuer.

The old men were astonished at the sight.

After regaining his senses, Zhao Yubao immediately joked, "Great! Great! This time, 'wealth' isn't called 'wealth' anymore, it's called 'noble wealth'!"

As soon as he said this, even his father-in-law, Wang Cunye, chuckled.

Only Wang Laishun kept saying, "See? I told you this is a good horse; it can't be caged."

Actually, Chen Ling is quite strange.

If this chain were tied to a horse's bit, it might break free.

But he had chained the little green horse's ankles.

That thick iron chain, thicker than Rui Rui's fist, was taken from the little sheep's freight station.

It can tow vehicles weighing several tons.

How could we let the little blue horse run away?

"Fine, I won't chase you anymore. I'll let you off the hook today. We'll settle the score when you come back."

Watching the little blue horse gallop away towards the western mountains, Chen Ling couldn't catch up and could only watch helplessly, so he simply gave up.

After all that, he lost interest in fishing. But Rui Rui kept pestering him, so he had no choice but to accompany him to the reed marshes to look for turtle and bird nests.

After playing around for a while and having enough fun, she went home with him.

When I got home and went to the livestock pen in the orchard, I realized that it wasn't that the chains were weak, but that the little blue horse was too smart.

The chain was sturdy, so it didn't bother with the chain itself, but instead broke the anklet that Chen Ling had locked on its ankle.

"Damn it, he can even break iron rings, his strength is getting stronger and stronger..."

Chen Ling thought dejectedly, "If it keeps running around and disobeying, I'll just build a basement and lock it up in a dark room."

"Ah Ling, you're back just in time! Look at Er Tu Zi, picking up random things again!"

As soon as I stepped into the house, Wang Susu's voice rang in my ears.

Looking up, I saw that Er Tu Zi was like a silly big parrot, shaking his neck and turning a silver 'collar'.

There was a large pile of shiny glass bottles at my feet.

Chen Lingdun's face darkened.

Damn it, none of these guys are easy to deal with.

……

Er Tu Zi was given a good talking-to, and the two bear paws were just cooked.

Of course.

"Cooked" doesn't mean "stewed" or "ready to eat."

Cooking this is only the first step.

It's rare to find someone who eats wild delicacies without carrying any unpleasant odor.

Bear paws are listed among the eight delicacies, which sounds like they must be very delicious, but in reality, they have a rather strong fishy and pungent smell.

That's why the bear paw is boiled for two hours.

It can remove the unpleasant odor from bear paws.

Another reason is to make it easier to remove the skin and hair from the bear paws.

This thing not only has thick, hard skin, but its black hair is also long and strong, making it very difficult to remove unless it is boiled in boiling water for two hours.

Of course.

To remove the odor, the water is definitely not just plain water; it also contains various seasonings such as scallions, ginger, and garlic.

Remove the bear paws from the water and let them cool down for a while.

Chen Ling then began to remove the fur and skin from the bear paws.

Since it was his first time making this, Chen Ling didn't make all four bear paws.

I only made two, and kept two for later.

Today I had one forefoot and one heel done.

The remaining pair of forefoot and hindfoot are stored in the water tower, if we can make them today.

When we hold a banquet for the second and third sons later, I can also take it out and cook a dish for myself.

It must be said that things done at the stove should not be underestimated.

Sometimes, being a chef requires not only talent but also a lot of experience.

The recipe for bear paw that Zhao Yubao asked someone for was absolutely correct.

It can be said that he helped Chen Ling a lot.

Otherwise, Chen Ling would have really treated the bear paw as if it were a pig's trotter or a sheep's trotter.

He only found out now.

Boiling bear paws in water not only completely removes the outer fur layer but also preserves the integrity of the entire paw.

If you treat it the same way you would treat pig's trotters or sheep's trotters, then buying this bear paw will be a complete waste.

Preparing bear paws is a task that requires a great deal of patience and skill.

The knife used must also be the right size.

It was roughly the same as the small castration knife that Wang Lixian used to castrate sheep... The entire blade and handle together were probably less than a hand span long.

After all the fur on the bear paw has been removed, it doesn't look very appealing.

The paw of a bear is quite plump, and after cleaning the fur, it is quite white and tender.

The back of the hand doesn't look very good; it's pitted and uneven.

But that's not the end of it.

You also have to use a knife to pick off all the excess fascia from the bear paws and remove it.

Otherwise, this thing is hard to chew.

"Oh, Master, why are the bear paw claws doubled?" Shen Jiayi was playing with a turtle at the kitchen door when she saw Chen Ling pulling off the black fingernails one by one from the bear paw's large claws.

The fingernails looked like curved black iron hooks.

But after pulling it off, there was still a short, pinkish section of the little fingernail inside, just like a newly grown fingernail.

"What, can't a black bear get a manicure?"

Chen Ling said with a smile.

"Oh, Master, you actually know about nail art?" Shen Jiayi was very surprised.

"Of course, I was a fan of Joey Wong, but do you expect me to tell you that too?"

"Wow, Joey Wong! I saw her once in Hong Kong Island. I'll try to get her autograph and photos next time I have the chance."

"Hahaha, good, you truly are my good apprentice."

While chatting and laughing, Chen Ling finished treating both front and back heels.

The bear's forepaws are quite thick, so just follow the traditional method of braised bear paws.

The hind paws look more like human feet, especially after the fur has been removed.

So, to avoid making it look unappetizing when eating, let's try a different cooking method.

Chen Ling decided to cut it into small pieces and make steamed bear paw.

I also want to try which cooking method tastes better.

Although there are two different approaches.

But when 'seasoning' the bear paws, both bear paws are still stewed together.

Bear paws are a relatively well-known food.

Everyone knows this stuff is good.

However, the actual taste of the meat is very mild after the strong odor is removed.

Therefore, after removing the odor, the bear paws need to be 'flavored' by simmering them in broth to allow the flavors to penetrate.

This is another time to test one's knowledge and experience.

The two bear paws were boiled for two hours before the fur was removed.

Now it takes time to stew the bear paw to infuse it with flavor, and the bear paw itself is quite soft, so if you just throw it directly into the soup pot to stew...

That guy can boil a bear paw until it flies away, falls apart, or disintegrates.

Therefore, it needs to be wrapped in gauze.

Only then can it be put into the pot.

Old hen, old duck, chopped into large pieces with skin on.

Mixed with various wild mushrooms, dried scallops, bamboo shoots, and large pork bones...

Then, after all that preparation, I ended up making a huge pot of side dishes.

It was a really big pot.

The large iron pots on the stove were almost full.

The two bear paws don't take up much space inside at all.

"Good heavens, why did you cook such a big pot of food just to make bear paw? Is it really necessary?"

Chen Xiaoer and Wu Fei arrived upon hearing the news, and their eyes widened in disbelief when they saw Chen Ling cleaning up such a pot of food.

Wu Fei couldn't help but gasp: "Goodness, this is so exaggerated! It's like that cabbage or eggplant thing in Dream of the Red Chamber, how many old hens would you need to make soup with that?"

Chen Ling laughed and said, "Hey, good ingredients need good seasonings, otherwise, wouldn't it be a waste to buy this bear paw?"

If you don't want it to taste as bad as the Russian version.

Or it might not even taste as good as pig's trotters...

What a waste of such a good bear paw!

"Alright, it's only just started cooking, it'll need to simmer for a while. Come on, let's go watch TV in the front yard. I heard there's a preview for our family's cartoon tonight."

Chen Ling put the two bear paws into the pot, put the lid on, and was about to take the two people to the living room.

Chen Xiao'er grabbed him: "Wait, don't rush to watch your cartoons. We were moving a telephone pole and found a nest of little creatures living inside. Why don't you go help catch them?" (End of Chapter)