My 1995 Small Farm.

"Golden monkey???"

Upon hearing what Chen Ling said, everyone came over to see.

"Wow, what a beautiful little monkey! Do you dare to come down?"

"Little monkey, come here quickly, I'll give you some dumplings!"

While the adults were still in surprise, the children were already excited, putting their hands to their mouths and shouting.

The little monkey, who had been boldly squatting on the wall, was suddenly startled and turned around to look at the big monkey in the tree with a blank expression.

"Ah Ling, are these the same golden monkeys we encountered before?"

Wang Susu looked around, her face filled with surprise and joy, finding it unbelievable.

"I think it's very likely. You can tell from Heiwa and Xiaojin's behavior. They were already yelling very fiercely when they saw the wild monkeys and rushed out to drive them away."

The reaction is quite calm now.

Chen Ling pointed to his two overlords.

All you could see was Heiwa, that silly boy, tilting his head back, sticking out his tongue, and grinning.

"Huh? Heiwa knows him?"

"It must be. Back then, all the little monkeys were playing with its tail around it. I remember there was even a little monkey that had been bitten by the leopard, but after it recovered, it started playing with it too."

Chen Ling knew his dog's temperament.

Let's not even talk about Xiao Jin; he's rather indifferent to everyone except his own family.

Heiwa, on the other hand, can play with anyone as long as they have a gentle temperament.

"Dogs have better memories. If it were a cat, it definitely wouldn't remember."

Liang Yuemin said with emotion, "My little white dog can recognize my parents even after not seeing them for more than half a year, and it will whine and beg them to hold it."

"That's for sure, dogs and cows are known for their loyalty and honesty."

Liang Hongyu and the other person then spoke.

"Little monkey, come down quickly!"

Wang Susu also joined the children in calling for the little monkey.

Liu Yinhuan and her friend went to the kitchen and found some carrots, which they then distributed to everyone.

The golden monkeys were somewhat tempted upon seeing it, but ultimately stopped in their tracks.

"If they don't want to come down, that's fine. They weren't this shy before. Maybe it's because the kids in the house are noisy and there are a lot of dogs around."

Chen Ling shook his head, not forcing the monkeys to come down.

"Keep making dumplings. They'll come down when they want to."

"Xiaoming, you don't need to stay there anymore. Come on, Uncle will cook some dumplings for you first. We have things to do on the mountain this afternoon."

Chen Ling called the children to her side.

The cabbage and garlic filling cooks the fastest.

Next is chives, and last is meat.

Chen Ling served them some in small bowls, divided them into several portions, and ate them with bamboo forks.

"Uncle, the cabbage filling is so delicious! Why is the cabbage filling I've had before never tasted this good?"

Little Chestnut tends to become coquettish when she eats something delicious.

But she is very sensible at home, feeding Rui Rui and Ya Ya in turn.

"Is it delicious? Uncle will make you chicken soup with cabbage for Chinese New Year, that's even better."

Chen Ling tried a few herself and thought this year's dumplings were even tastier than in previous years.

Especially the cabbage and garlic flavor; although it doesn't taste like it did in my childhood, it's brighter and has a more lingering aftertaste.

Actually, there's nothing special about these cabbage and garlic dumplings.

It's not much different from stir-fried cabbage, where you add a handful of minced garlic to enhance the flavor at the end.

This practice originated in the countryside, where it was initially used to make large steamed buns due to limited ingredients.

Cabbage, garlic, radish, and vermicelli in a big steamed bun.

Later, it was changed to dumplings. This kind of vegetarian filling costs less. With just a little bit of meat or two eggs, ordinary families can also eat dumplings during the Chinese New Year.

On Lunar New Year's Eve this year, every household in Chenwangzhuang was making dumplings.

This is really nothing to outsiders.

But everyone in their family felt a great sense of accomplishment.

Before noon, the village was already filled with the sounds of firecrackers going off.

The air was filled with the strong smell of firecrackers.

The aroma brought a joyful smile to everyone's face.

The Chen family is also living in harmony.

The children still maintain a strong curiosity about golden monkeys.

Chen Ling and Wang Susu, the young couple, were preparing to go to the mountains to pay respects at their ancestors' graves that afternoon.

We visited the grave of our father, Chen Juncai, according to the anniversary of his death, which is the first day of the tenth lunar month.

But if we go by the anniversary of the death, hardly anyone comes.

My aunt won't be coming, and there's no one else here.

So we had to move it to the end of the year.

After lunch, Liang Hongyu saw that Wang Susu still wanted to wash the dishes, so she quickly stopped her: "You and Fugui should go up the mountain early. We can do the washing and cleaning."

This year was the first time I brought my child along when I went to the grave.

The three children were taken to the grave.

It's a way of announcing good news, and according to old customs, it's also a way of inviting deceased relatives home for the New Year.

After the New Year, on the first day of the Lunar New Year, around two or three in the morning, Chen Ling will carry a basket with cigarettes, alcohol, and food to the grave to set off a few firecrackers and send his relatives back.

Actually, visiting graves can be done from the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month to before dark on New Year's Eve.

There aren't many customs or traditions in the area.

As for Chen Ling, his aunt wasn't coming, and he didn't have any other relatives, so he could do as he pleased.

But we definitely have to go to the graves, since there's a new addition to the family.

Wang Susu said, "It's okay, Auntie, no need to rush. A-Ling has already prepared everything. We can just pick it up and leave."

Liang Hongyu pushed Wang Susu out of the kitchen: "Now fewer people go up the mountain. Look, even the golden monkeys are jumping around today. You should go earlier and come back earlier."

"To avoid the wild animals running around as it gets late, especially since it's the New Year and we brought a young child up the mountain, it's best to keep things quiet."

Since Liang Hongyu had said so, Wang Susu naturally didn't insist anymore. She shook the water off her hands, wiped them on her apron, took off her apron and hung it on the rope outside the door, saying, "Okay, then Auntie, you can keep busy at home. We're going."

"Go ahead, go ahead, isn't that why we're celebrating the New Year together this year?"

As Liang Hongyu spoke, she and her daughter and daughter-in-law busied themselves in the kitchen.

When Wang Susu arrived at the wooden building in front, Chen Ling had already brought out his second and third children.

The two little ones have been much better behaved lately.

Because the weather was warm, the house was also warm, so the two of them ate and slept, slept and ate, and did nothing else.

Now, wrapped in swaddling clothes, they look like two chubby little worms.

Chen Ling held them in his arms, one in each hand.

The two toddlers, being held by their father, didn't even ask to go find their mother, Wang Susu, when she arrived.

She lay lazily in Chen Ling's arms, dozing off in a daze.

Wang Susu laughed when she saw this: "Oh dear, these two little ones, they've become more and more well-behaved as they grow up, unlike when Rui Rui was so noisy."

Today, when we go to the grave, Wang Susu doesn't actually need to go. During the year-end grave-sweeping season, neither the daughter-in-law nor the daughter goes.

But this year it's not a new addition to the family; it's more like an announcement of good news at a grave.

Wang Susu, as the daughter-in-law, absolutely had to be there.

Chen Ling chose to visit the graves at this time not only for his father, Chen Juncai, but also for his grandparents and other ancestors whose graves were located there.

“Call Rui Rui over, then we’ll go. All he does is play.”

"I know, he's outside. We'll just take him with us when we go out."

Wang Susu slung her basket over her shoulder, checked the contents of the bags and packages, and only after confirming that everything was in order did she follow Chen Ling outside.

Once outside, because I had brought a lot of things...

Chen Ling led out the packhorse and hung the things on it. "Dad, Mom..."

When Rui Rui saw the two of them leading their horses out, she ran over without being told.

"Come on, get on the horse and follow your father, mother, younger brother and sister, let's go up the mountain together."

Wang Susu reached out and picked him up, then said to the three children who ran up behind her, "Little Chestnut, you, Xiaoming, and Yaya, you three play at home for a while, we'll be back soon!"

"Auntie, are you going to the grave?"

Little Chestnut looked scared, and Little Fatty shrank back, not daring to say he wanted to go with them.

Ya Ya was a little confused, but being introverted by nature, she naturally shrank back as well.

"Okay, you guys stay home and play. The muntjac is out, and the weasel is here too..."

Wang Susu patted their heads, and the family of five, leading their packhorses and two dogs, went up the mountain.

To visit the graves, you need to go up from here on the west hill.

That means you have to go up the mountain from the threshing ground at the village entrance, along the road leading to the land temple.

The black packhorse was docile and honest, but strong and powerful. It trotted along quickly and steadily uphill and downhill.

When we arrived at the village entrance, we happened to run into a few other people who were also going up the mountain.

There are Chen Yongsheng and Chen Yonggang, whose mother, whom Chen Ling called Fourth Grandmother, just passed away last year.

There was also Chen Sangui and his son Chen Baoshuan.

There are also Wang Laifu's two sons.

They were all carrying baskets, offerings, incense, and candles, walking in twos and threes along the road.

They saw Chen Ling and his family approaching with packhorses and dogs.

They all greeted him with smiles, saying, "I knew it! Fugui will definitely bring his two little kids with him when he goes to the graves this year."

"You don't need to tell me. He has both a son and a daughter, and the kids are raised so well. Of course, we should go to his grave to tell Juncai the good news."

"..."

Chen Ling smiled and agreed, telling them to put the things on his own packhorse.

Pack horses can carry a lot of weight.

The gentle slopes of Xishan make it as easy for them to walk on flat ground.

"No need, no need, there's not much."

"Juying, Jujie, come here, let your brother Fugui tell you why it's so hard for you two to find wives."

Wang Laiyun beckoned to his two nephews and began a long, sighing rant.

This year, other families are seeing sons-in-law getting married and daughters getting married.

After Wang Laifu died, his two sons couldn't find suitable partners no matter what they tried.

The matchmakers who tried to arrange marriages would avoid them whenever they saw them.

Chen Ling knew that these two children did not have the same learning ability as their father, Wang Laifu.

They also lack the good personalities and social skills of Wang Wenchao and others.

My family is still so poor.

Which girl would be interested in them?

People want to marry into Chenwangzhuang because the village made a lot of money last year, and they come here hoping to live a better life.

We didn't come here to suffer.

"Fugui, these two kids have met countless girls all winter, but not one of them has worked out. It's really worrying!"

"Let me tell you the truth, if it weren't for their uncle Lai Shun, no one would have come to see them at all."

Wang Laiyun was indeed worried, but there was nothing he could do; after all, he had a conscience.

Although his two nephews were not very bright, they were very filial to him.

Wang Laifu's personality is such that he always feels that he is a waste of his talents and that the times have ruined him, so he locks himself in his house every day and can't get out of it.

He has been taking care of his two nephews for many years.

He was the one who stood up for his two nephews when they were bullied as children, because his house was closer to Wang Laifu's house than Wang Laishun's.

Those few steps away, they were practically neighbors, with no difference between them.

His two nephews treated him like their father, doing all the heavy lifting so he wouldn't have to worry about anything.

If he doesn't care about getting married, who will?

Their mother is stupid too.

"Both Juying and Jujie are capable and hardworking young men. If they are in a hurry to get married, they can try marrying into the family."

Chen Ling had no good way to deal with this kind of stupid and stubborn young man.

He's willing to help and give advice to people like Wang Wenchao.

I really can't be bothered with this kind of thing, and these two brothers are genuinely overly kind-hearted.

This kind of person is suitable to be a live-in son-in-law.

"Hey? That's a pretty good idea!"

Wang Laiyun immediately perked up: "Let one of them go out and the other stay behind. With them helping each other out, this matter should be resolved."

Anyway, of the two men, one goes out and the other stays.

This made things much easier.

"Wealth and status still require wisdom..."

Chen Yongsheng and the others laughed.

Chen Yongsheng said, "After the New Year, my son Xiao He will also be looking for a wife. When he is called Uncle Fugui, I think we won't need to find a matchmaker. The girl will ask someone to propose marriage on her own."

"Alright, alright, the title of 'wealthy' is a good thing, but you should at least see what your little He looks like. You're already daydreaming..."

Chen Yonggang continued.

The two brothers have never gotten along and are like enemies.

Unlike the Wang brothers, their elders were not so biased.

However, with so many brothers, the accumulated disputes, coupled with Chen Yonggang's wife being petty and prone to stirring up trouble, all contributed to the situation.

If someone is a troublemaker who always creates conflict, then there's nothing more to say; if you don't go looking for trouble, everything will come back to haunt you.

The two brothers have had a terrible few years.

It's the Lunar New Year, and they're going to visit graves again, so Chen Ling didn't want to listen to their commotion.

I'll take Susu and the child and leave first.

He knew in his heart that these two brothers would eventually have a big fight like the Wang Jusheng brothers.

……

"Ah Ling, when I was in the city, I heard people say that if a family becomes too wealthy, they should move their graves to a better location, a place with good feng shui, in order to keep the wealth. Is that true?"

Upon reaching the mountain, Wang Susu said this.

Chen Ling knew that this wasn't his wife being superstitious.

These are things she has experienced in the past two years, such as turtles, water monsters, things she has come into contact with while studying traditional Chinese medicine, some magical places in her hometown, and the influence of the rural cultural environment.

It's inevitable that such thoughts will arise.

"I don't know about that. I just know that if we have good intentions and don't do evil, we'll find good fortune wherever we go."

Chen Ling said to her, "That's what the medical book we read together said before, and there are similar sayings. It says that if a mother is free from distractions and maintains a righteous character during pregnancy, the child born from such a mother is the most precious."

Chen Ling himself possesses a blessed land, and no amount of auspicious land can compare to his.

Naturally, they wouldn't care about this.

“I know the logic, but I just hope that all my children can go to university in the future, and that each of them can be a college student.”

Wang Susu took Lele from Chen Ling's arms and held her in her own, her face showing anticipation.

Chen Ling knew that her biggest regret was not being able to finish high school.

"Absolutely, we must have faith in the children..."

Chen Ling spoke calmly; he knew better than anyone what the future held for college students.

Besides, even if they didn't care about the future, there was nothing wrong with him and Wang Susu going to school now.

She thought to herself, "Let's wait until the child is a little older, then Susu and I will both choose a major we like to study." (End of Chapter)