My 1995 Small Farm.

After putting up the couplets and soothing the children,

Chen Ling returned to the farm outside the village and went into the kitchen to prepare lunch for Lunar New Year's Eve.

Liang Yuemin and Liu Yinhuan, a family of three, and Zhao Dahai and his family of three, are all temporarily staying at the farm.

Liang Yuemin's family had already returned from the countryside and were helping Chen Ling pick vegetables outside the kitchen, along with Zhao Dahai's family.

If possible, we should eat dumplings for lunch on Lunar New Year's Eve.

If there's no other option, we'll move it to the evening and have dumplings for the New Year's Eve dinner.

We won't be having such elaborate and lavish dishes for the New Year's Eve dinner.

Chen Ling's family didn't care about these things. Because there were few people in the family, when he and his father were alive, they ate whatever they wanted.

Anyway, it's just the two of them, father and son. How much more money can they spend?

We can't finish eating too much.

This year, there are more people, all close relatives and friends, and all the children are gathered together.

Overjoyed, Chen Ling was willing to put in more effort to cook.

Today's dumplings include chives, radish, and cabbage.

Both types of fillings include meat and vegetarian options.

Leeks can be leek meat or leek eggs.

Radish consists of radish flesh and radish noodles.

The cabbage version consists of cabbage and meat, and cabbage and garlic.

It's worth mentioning that many people, apart from Chen Ling and Wang Susu, have never eaten these cabbage and garlic dumplings.

This is also a local specialty of the mountains, mainly because there aren't many other vegetables available during the Spring Festival in the north.

In winter, only cabbage is plentiful.

If a poor family wants to make dumplings, they'll just use cabbage, garlic, and eggs.

"I won't pack too much cabbage and garlic, just so you can enjoy it fresh..."

Chen Ling said, "We have a lot of green vegetables in our greenhouse this year, and the chives are growing the best. We'll pack a lot of these to help Yuemin and Dahai get some extra nutrition."

"Oh dear, I give up. Here you go again. Compared to you, who wouldn't be inferior?"

Zhao Dahai retorted, saying that Chen Ling was as strong as a tiger, and that even a real man would be no match for him.

Liang Yuemin chuckled and remained silent. He had truly tasted the benefits of eating the sheep's penis and testicles yesterday.

After a while, she said, "You don't need to tell me, I also want to make more. I've loved eating chive boxes since I was a child."

Outside the kitchen, Liu Yinhuan heard this, glanced at it discreetly, lowered her head and remained silent, quickly speeding up her work.

Chen Ling noticed these details and thought to himself, "Keep being stubborn."

Don't come back begging me later.

But getting back to the main point, the chives in the greenhouse are indeed growing very well.

The freshly cut chives were bright green and fresh, with some still covered in water droplets.

"These chives are grown in a greenhouse, it's warm and cozy, so why are there still dew on them?"

After Liang Hongyu came over to help pick the vegetables, the old lady became very puzzled.

"You can't call it dew, it's just a little water vapor. It's warm in the greenhouse, but the temperature isn't constant. The temperature fluctuates from morning to night, and it's normal for the ground vapor to rise and moisten the vegetable leaves. There are still layers of water droplets on the plastic sheeting on the greenhouse roof."

When we were in the city a while ago, it was warmer, and they had to be especially careful to leave the doors open during the day to let in some fresh air.

Otherwise, it would be like raindrops falling inside, pattering and splashing, full of water droplets.

If you walk into a low-lying area, you'll get water all over your head.

Chen Ling explained.

"Oh, is that so? We've never farmed before, so we don't know anything about it."

The old lady was not only confused herself, but everyone else was also confused.

"These chives are so fresh and tender, with thin leaves, they look so appealing."

"That's right. I see that the vegetables that Fugui grows aren't all big, but they all grow well, just like some people's complexions. They look fair and rosy, which is pleasing to the eye."

The small-leaf chives used for making dumplings are only about half the height of the chives sold in the market.

It's very clean and fresh, but because it's in a greenhouse, there are also yellow and withered leaves on it.

We need everyone's help to carefully select each one.

These small-leafed chives, which are difficult to select, are actually a very good ingredient for making dumplings.

It's flavorful, tender, and refreshing.

Whether paired with eggs or meat, it's the best material for making dumplings.

Unlike the way restaurants steam buns and boil dumplings, which rely on high heat to cook them, the chives become limp and lose their flavor when you bite into them.

They're worlds apart.

"Fugui, the phone is ringing. It's for you. They've even called me."

While Liang Yuemin was busy in the kitchen, his phone suddenly rang. When he answered, it was actually a call for Chen Ling.

"Huh? Who? Director Zhao?!"

Upon hearing that it was an animation director, Chen Ling wiped his hands and took the phone.

"Mr. Chen, Happy New Year in advance! My letter was returned to me for some reason. I heard that Mr. Liang is spending the holiday with you this year, so I called him instead. I hope I didn't bother you?"

The other party spoke very politely and warmly.

It used to be because of cartoons, but later...

Knowing that Shen Jiayi is Chen Ling's apprentice, he took the initiative to help create the theme song for the animated film.

Later, it was learned that Chen Ling was related to the braised beef noodles that had recently become popular all over the country, and even the product signboard used the name of his family's farm.

What this represents is obvious without even needing to ask around.

Even a fool could tell that this company has countless connections to him.

Naturally, the level of importance attached to him gradually increased by more than one level.

"Thank you, Director Zhao. Happy New Year to you too. Please write down my phone number. If you need anything in the future, just contact me directly."

Previously, Chen Ling had communicated with them through letters because of Xiao Han.

Because of correspondence, he could slack off; otherwise, he would be constantly being urged and pressured, which would annoy him.

But now, they don't urge them as much anymore.

Moreover, Chen Ling's mindset is very stable. She has children at home, so no amount of urging will help.

"That's perfect! We can keep in touch more often now. By the way, Mr. Chen, I have a friend here who wants to meet you. He's Director Tsang, the director of the film celebrating Hong Kong's return to China that we're about to start shooting..."

"Great! I've admired Director Zeng for a long time, haha."

Zeng Nianping, the author of "Returning in Glory," naturally knew who Chen Ling was and would never treat him as an ordinary rural youth.

He spoke politely, and his words, besides New Year's greetings, implied that he would discuss the script's plot with him next year and would listen to his opinions.

Even when it comes to political tasks, they will make things easier for Chen Ling.

This is the power of an unassuming instant noodle.

After chatting with Zeng Nianping, Chen Ling saw that everyone was busy with their own things, so he simply flipped through his phone book and called all his regular friends.

Wang Susu was in the kitchen, watching over Rui Rui and the other children, chatting with the woman. "Sister-in-law Hongxia, are you sleeping well at night while staying with us?"

Women, you know, they'll care about these things; even Chen Ling wouldn't have thought of something like this.

Zhao Dahai's wife nodded and smiled, "Of course! Staying here at night is so comfortable. We forget a lot of our worries and can sleep soundly until dawn."

She was telling the truth.

Zhao Yubao wants to have two more children in the family, regardless of whether they are boys or girls, he just wants to have more children in the house to make it more lively.

This pressure to have a child made Zhao Dahai and her somewhat anxious.

Zhao Dahai has been working outside for the past six months, traveling everywhere in all kinds of weather, and now he has to worry about having a baby when he comes back.

This fat man not only lost a lot of weight, but also lost a lot of hair.

When Chen Ling said he would help him recover, he was no joke.

"We are too. Vietnamese people are sensitive and emotional. They have always had trouble sleeping. Coming here, they can finally get some rest and recuperation."

Liu Yinhuan responded with a smile.

Liang Yuemin was so worried that he couldn't sleep because his business was not doing well.

Later, when I started making braised beef noodles, I was constantly entangled in various matters, and even in my dreams at night, I was dealing with work.

There's never enough work to do, and then there are all sorts of visits from leaders.

Today, this leader comes to meet you; tomorrow, a leader from next door will come to visit and learn from their advanced experience.

This kind of thing is the most annoying; once the official jargon and platitudes start, half a day is gone.

Naturally, sleep quality will be poor.

Being able to sleep for five or six hours is considered a long time.

I also suffer from insomnia every now and then.

Although sometimes I can manage to catch a nap in the car or at the office.

But over time, you'll still feel your body going downhill.

After arriving in the village, these problems disappeared.

I can sleep soundly until dawn. As soon as I lie down in bed, it's like I've been given a sleep-inducing drug; I fall asleep the moment my head hits the pillow.

Not only do I feel incredibly energetic when I wake up in the morning, but my body also reacts very strongly.

How could Liu Yinhuan not be overjoyed?

“I just wanted him to start work a few days later after the New Year, stay here a few more days, and help Fugui with the work. His deer farm is almost finished, but the cattle and sheep farms are not yet ready.”

Liu Yinhuan said with a smile.

Although in their rural area, work doesn't officially begin until after the Lantern Festival (January 15th of the lunar calendar).

However, Chen Ling and his group visited relatives for the New Year, while Liang Yuemin and his group had nowhere else to go except for the chubby boy's maternal grandmother's house in the village.

It would be perfect if we could help Chen Ling build the cattle and sheep farms.

“That’s right, Fugui loves eating beef so much, he’s always talking about raising our local yellow cattle well,” Xiang Hongxia chimed in.

“We also want to stay a few more days, so I’ll help Susu take care of the kids a bit more… It’ll be warmer after the New Year, and Kang Kang and Le Le will be able to go out.”

"Great! It just so happens that Sister Dujuan is in her postpartum period. I'm going to hang around her every day and make her so jealous, hahaha..."

Wang Susu winked playfully and smiled.

Even though she's a mother, when she's having a good time talking with her best friends, she still reveals her girlish side.

"You haven't even died of envy for Dujuan yet, but you've already made us all green with envy."

Xiang Hongxia smiled and said, "Susu is not old, but she can give birth and raise children, which puts her ahead of most women."

"You can't say that. As for Dujuan, it was Susu who taught her how to prepare for pregnancy and take care of her pregnancy."

Liu Yinhuan said that in this era, married women talk about nothing but their husbands and children when they get together.

Talking to men about everything under the sun, sitting together and discussing astronomy, geography, international affairs, and ambitions is a completely different experience.

Chen Ling felt that listening to it for too long would get very boring.

It's much more fun to play with little kids.

So we simply lit a fire in the hearth outside the kitchen, set up a hanging pot, and used this small pot to cook dumplings that the children liked to eat.

This is quick and convenient.

Perhaps sensing the joy and happiness of people today, the animals are also quite perceptive.

The mother and daughter muntjacs cautiously peeked out of their 'doghouse' and tentatively picked up various vegetable leaves to eat near the kitchen.

The little white calf slowly walked over to the nearby sand pile where Rui Rui often played, and lay down on it to sunbathe.

Er Tuzi, on the other hand, strode around with an air of indifference, sometimes pawing at Chen Ling's trouser leg from behind.

Even the weasel, which rarely shows itself, came back from the waterway and leaped back and forth on the eaves, scaling walls and rooftops, causing Rui Rui and the others to squeal and howl.

"Ugh, that little muntjac is so annoying! It stole some raw dumplings! I wasted my time praising it for being cute!"

Little Chestnut stomped her feet in anger because Little Deer had slipped away from behind its mother and stolen two of the raw dumplings that were waiting to be cooked next to Chen Ling.

"Hit it!"

Rui Rui shouted excitedly. He was the little tyrant of the family and loved to play with the family animals with Heiwa and Xiaojin.

"Alright, it's Chinese New Year, let it eat if it wants."

Chen Ling never expected that the little thing would steal dumplings.

But since it's Zhenzhen and Ruirui's pet, let it be and stay with the family.

"Uncle, Xiaobai and Ertuzi should also be included, otherwise it's not fair."

The chubby boy spoke up, and surprisingly, he started talking about fairness.

He really liked the little white cow, and after hearing that Er Tuzi helped Xiao Lizi pull a tooth today, he also really liked Er Tuzi.

It ranks just behind Heiwa and Xiaojin.

"Okay, okay, I'll have them all. Uncle will give them extra food tonight. Let's cook yours first."

Chen Ling started putting dumplings into the pot for them, then glanced at Er Tu Zi. His two lackeys were nowhere to be seen; Er Tu Zi seemed quite content at home.

It's also popular with children, so they're sure to have plenty to eat during the Lunar New Year.

"Ah Ling, listen, the little blue horse is calling outside. It must want to come in and play too," Wang Susu said at this moment.

"Ignore it. It's not behaving properly. It's playing games with me, saying one thing to my face and another behind my back. Let's make it behave first."

Chen Ling had already heard that while his family was in the city, the little blue horse had gone wild and no one could control it.

I thought it had become well-behaved, but I never expected it to be putting on an act right in front of me.

At this moment, Ya Ya started shouting again: "Uncle, monkey! There's a monkey on the back mountain! There's a little monkey standing on our wall!"

Little Chestnut and Little Fatty also started shouting:
"Mom, come and see! There are so many beautiful monkeys! The little monkeys are so cute, even cuter than the monkeys that performed the other day."

"Ha, this is quite a lively day."

Chen Ling walked over and told Er Tu Zi to chase them away, as eagles and falcons have an absolute advantage over monkeys.

When I looked over there, I couldn't help but exclaim, "A troop of golden monkeys?"

On the walls of my house and on the trees behind the hill, hung many monkeys with pure, clear eyes and beautiful golden fur.

It was none other than the troop of golden monkeys that Chen Ling had encountered twice before. (End of Chapter)