Daily life of farming and supporting a family on the ancient Loess Plateau

After Grandpa Ji patted the cow's rump, the cow became even more agitated. It suddenly turned its head, glared with its copper bell-like eyes, opened its nostrils, and forcefully puffed air at Grandpa Ji, making incessant "moo" sounds, as if it were about to charge at any moment.

Grandpa Ji was so frightened that he took two steps back.

Fearing being gored by the raging bull, some of the onlookers shook their heads and left.

Soon, the cow seemed to have exhausted too much energy from her earlier outburst; her legs seemed a little weak, and her body swayed a couple of times, as if she might collapse at any moment.

"Second Brother—" Ji Laoliu called out, "The blood in the water gate is getting more and more plentiful."

Grandpa Ji frowned, his voice filled with anxiety: "Even just showing one foot would be fine, but in the current state, there's nowhere to even begin to act."

People around sighed and left, all prepared for the possibility that the baby wouldn't be born and both mother and child would die.

Only Grandpa Ji and Niu Gensheng remained in the cowshed.

Niu Gensheng looked at the cow, clenched his fists, tears welling in his eyes, and sighed deeply, his sorrowful voice trembling slightly as he said, "Brother, well, it's fate. Just accept it! It's just a pity for my old buddy; I don't know how many more hours he'll have to suffer—"

Grandpa Ji also looked sad: "Let's wait a little longer. It's heartbreaking to raise such a big cow."

Everything has a spirit, and the cow seemed to sense its owner's sadness, its big eyes beginning to moisten.

Ji Yongling knew how valuable cattle were to farmers. When she came along, she thought she could help, but now that the moment had come, she hesitated.

She had seen patients with brucellosis in the hospital, and even when she was studying, researchers in the research team at the neighboring agricultural research institute tested positive for brucellosis serologically.

After infection with Brucella, the bacteria can attack various parts of the body except for teeth, hair, and nails, with the waist, legs, and joints being the most vulnerable.

She remembers that the brucellosis patient she treated was only 25 years old. He said that he used to be able to carry a 50-pound bag of flour up to the sixth floor in one go, but now every time he climbs a step, his knee joints and skin make a "hissing" sound. He can't straighten his back, his body is completely powerless, and his finger joints hurt so much that he can't sleep every day. Sometimes, the pain in other parts of his body is so bad that he can't move.

Further questioning revealed that the young man had contracted brucellosis after being splashed with amniotic fluid while assisting with calving.

Therefore, it is absolutely unacceptable for Ji Yongling, a medical student who graduated with a medical degree, to go and help a cow give birth with her bare hands without any protective equipment.

After a moment of hesitation, Ji Yongling finally made up her mind. She took a deep breath, looked up at Grandpa Ji, and said, "Grandpa, Xiao Niuwazi might still be alive."

After saying that, she walked to the cow, tapped it all over, listened to it, and then touched it.

Grandpa Ji looked at the rope tethering the cow and said to Ji Laoliu, "Laoliu, tighten the rope, don't let the cow kick Ling'er."

Ji Laoliu walked over and tightened the ox's reins.

"Dad, come help me hold the cow's tail," Ji Yongling beckoned to Ji Manchuan.

Ji Manchuan nodded and came over, pulling the cow's tail high to one side.

With a "swoosh," Ji Yongling's hand darted into the cow's rear end.

Before Old Master Ji could react, he saw Ji Yongling's hand already inside the cow's rear end. His face turned ashen. Although it was too dark to see clearly, his furrowed brows and the light in his eyes clearly showed his disapproval and anger.

However, he quickly moved to the side of Ji Yongling, blocking Niu Gensheng's view.

Ji Manchuan, who was holding the cow's tail, stared in shock. He opened his mouth to scold his daughter, but when he looked up and saw that Grandpa Ji was silent, he closed his mouth.

Ji Yongling knew that her actions were somewhat rash, but if she delayed any longer, it would really result in the deaths of both mother and child.

So she had just put on disposable transparent rubber gloves that she had taken from the storage warehouse. Fortunately, it was dark and the torchlight was limited, so Grandpa Ji and Ji Manchuan next to her couldn't see whether she had anything on her hands.

Ji Yongling continued to reach into the cow's rear end until his entire forearm was inside.

She tried to insert her hand into the birth canal, but the immense pressure constricted her arm, so she could only adjust her position, turn to the side, and continue to reach her hand into the birth canal.

Ji Yongling kept adjusting her posture, and soon she touched the calf; it was soft and warm.

Her eyes lit up as she said to Grandpa Ji, "Grandpa, Little Niuwazi is still alive!"

Grandpa Ji relaxed his brow slightly and asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Ji Yongling nodded.

Ji Manchuan also straightened his gaze, staring intently at Ji Yongling's hand that was sticking into the cow's rear end.

Ji Laoliu was holding the reins in front, unable to see what the people behind were doing, but he heard the words "the little calf is still alive." His body tensed up as he held the reins, as if the little calf was about to emerge at any moment.

Ji Yongling touched the calf carefully, constantly probing its position inside the uterus.

Soon, she forcefully pulled out a long, thin cow leg.

When Grandpa Ji saw the cow's leg being pulled out, he immediately grabbed it.

"A rope, bring me a long rope." Ji Yongling turned to Ji Manqing outside and called out as he saw Old Master Ji take the cow leg.

Ji Manqing thought they had to tie up the cow and try again, so he sighed sadly as he went to find a rope.

Niu Gensheng also hurriedly approached and stood next to Grandpa Ji. When he saw that the cow's leg was already exposed, he was overjoyed and didn't know what to do. His hands trembled and he muttered, "Yes, the rope, the rope."

"Is Dad long enough?" Ji Manqing, a tall and imposing man, squeezed into the cowshed and handed a bundle of hemp rope to Old Master Ji.

Grandpa Ji didn't say anything, took the rope, and began to tie up the calf's exposed legs.

Ji Yongling quietly took off her gloves and put them into the storage compartment, intending to deal with them later when she had time.

Ji Yongling observed the cow and saw that its body was convulsing and twisting, as if all its strength had been drained and it was about to collapse at any moment.

"Sir, tie the rope properly and let the cow lie down."

After tying the knot and testing it to make sure it was secure, Grandpa Ji nodded and said to Ji Laoliu in front of him and Niu Gensheng beside him, "Let the cow lie on its side, the mother cow won't be able to hold on."

When Wu Qiaoxia, who had just come out of the kitchen to boil water, heard that the cow was about to collapse, she thought the cow was going to die. Unable to bear the sight, she put down the basin of water for everyone to wash their hands, wiped away her tears, and went back into the kitchen.

After the cow lay down, Ji Yongling checked the cow's condition again, then stretched his neck and shouted to Ji Laoliu in front of him, "Sixth Master, be sure to hold the cow tight."

Turning to Grandpa Ji beside him, he lowered his voice and said, "Grandpa, I've checked, the calf isn't stuck. You can call some people to help pull it out from behind."

Grandpa Ji nodded, then turned to the people behind him and said, "Manqing, call a few people at the door and come over to pull the rope together."