The Domineering Cultivator Farmer

Chapter 21: The Elders’ Surprise

As a veteran who has spent his entire life in military service, I have countless scars on my body. Now that I’m getting older, all sorts of ailments have started to plague me, and whenever the weather turns gloomy and rainy, I suffer from unbearable pain all over my body. I’ve consulted countless renowned medical experts and professors both at home and abroad, but to no avail. They simply told me that my body had been severely depleted over the years and that I could only rely on gradual rest and recuperation—there was no effective treatment. Old Li had been tough all his life, but in the end, he was brought down by his physical pain—a fact that left him feeling deeply frustrated. “A soldier is meant to die on the battlefield, wrapped in a horsehide shroud—how could he possibly lie in a hospital bed waiting to die?” This was a phrase Old Li often repeated. This time, Old Li came to this small mountain village largely with a “nothing to lose” attitude, hoping to see if the “miracle healer” Long Fei had any secret remedies—even if it was just to ease his pain a little, it would be worth it. When he saw Fang Yun, Old Li was deeply disappointed. It was hard to associate this young man in his twenties with the so-called “miraculous healer.” But since he’d come all this way, he didn’t want the trip to be in vain. So Old Li immediately declined Fang Yun’s invitation to dinner and asked to try the miraculous herbal bath that Long Fei had raved about. When Fang Yun led them up the mountain to take the herbal bath, Old Li was immediately stunned. The moment he stepped into the spring pool, he felt a warm glow spread throughout his body; waves of heat coursed through him, making him so comfortable he almost moaned with pleasure. After the bath, he found that the pain in his body had significantly eased, and he felt much more energetic. This delighted the elderly men, who had long suffered from various ailments, and they decided on the spot to stay in the village for long-term recuperation. As for Long Fei, he returned that very day to report back. However, Old Li and the others didn’t notice anything unusual about Fang Yun; it was the chubby little girl from Fang Yun’s family who really took them by surprise. The first time they saw Niuniu, the little girl was being spanked by Feng Xiu’er because she had come home covered in mud once again. When the little girl saw the elderly men smiling as they watched her mother spank her, she grew a bit angry and embarrassed, and her little white eyes darted sharply at them. Her adorable reaction immediately amused the elderly men. “Niuniu, you mustn’t be rude,” said Fang Yun, who had noticed her daughter’s little gesture. She smiled sheepishly at the group. “This little girl has been spoiled rotten by her family.” “Kids are kids—it’s fun when they’re a little mischievous,” the elderly men replied, completely unfazed. “Come inside and let’s eat. There isn’t much to eat out here in the countryside—I just hope you won’t find it too strange.” Fang Changsheng had started preparing the meal long before the group went up the mountain to bathe, and he’d just finished stir-frying the last dish when he came out to invite everyone to eat. “Then we’ll be intruding.” Having just finished their bath, the group was indeed hungry. The meal was quite lavish. Fang Changsheng had gone out of his way to buy two jin of braised beef from a shop in town, sliced some pig’s ears, caught a large grass carp from his own pond, and stir-fried a few green vegetables—filling the table to the brim. “I’d like to raise a toast to you gentlemen and welcome you all to Qiaotou Village,” Fang Yun said, raising his glass to the elderly men. “We should be the ones toasting you—we really are imposing on you this time,” Old Li and the others replied, lifting their glasses as well. “Come on, come on, let’s eat!” After downing a glass of wine, Fang Changsheng hurriedly urged everyone to dig in. “Mmm.” As soon as Old Li and the others took a bite of the greens, their eyes lit up, and they immediately began devouring the dish with flying chopsticks—leaving the meat on the side untouched for the time being. “Don’t just focus on the greens, everyone—try some of this fish.” The braised meat bought in town was just so-so, but this fish was caught from his own pond. Fang Yun filled it with spring water every day, so it tasted absolutely delicious. “Is it good?” Old Li asked, watching Niuniu, who was sitting next to Fang Yun and munching on the fish with a slurping sound. “It’s just so-so. I don’t even care for it,” said the chubby girl, still holding a grudge against the old men for making fun of her. Lao Li looked at the little girl, her face smeared with oil, and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “If you don’t care for it, why are you eating it so heartily?” After popping a piece of fish into his mouth, Old Li couldn’t help but exclaim, “This is amazing! The fish is so succulent.” After the meal, everyone was stuffed to the brim. Old Li patted his belly and said with emotion, “I’ve never had such a delicious meal in my life. Even the food at state banquets pales in comparison. If I go back and can’t eat food like this anymore, I really don’t know how I’ll survive.” “You flatter me, old man. It’s mainly because the vegetables grown in this village are so good. When you go back, you can have someone come here to pick up some vegetables to cook at home.” Fang Yun believed these elders still had that much privilege. “We know a little about your background. With your skills, it’s a bit of a waste to be stuck in this tiny mountain village,” Old Li said to Fang Yun as they strolled along a tree-lined country path. “I’m a laid-back sort of guy—I don’t have any grand ambitions. I’m just content to watch my hometown gradually prosper, see my fellow villagers’ wallets get fuller, and the smiles on their faces grow more frequent.” Watching the tourists strolling in small groups throughout the village, just like himself and his companions, Fang Yun’s face lit up with a smile. “Besides, I promised Old Master Long that if he ever needs my help, I’ll never hesitate to lend a hand.” “Daddy, can we go play with the water birds?” Niuniu tugged at Fang Yun’s hand, shaking it vigorously. “Niuniu, Daddy still needs to keep these elderly gentlemen company. Let’s go another time, okay?” With guests present, Fang Yun couldn’t very well leave with Niuniu. “Play with the water birds? Are water birds fun?” Old Li and the others were quite puzzled; Niuniu must have meant going to see the water birds. Niuniu’s big eyes twinkled as she tugged at Old Li’s hand and pleaded, “Grandpa Li, can we go play with the water birds? They’re so much fun.” “How about it, Fang Yun? We’ve got nothing better to do anyway—let’s go check them out together?” Old Li was starting to get tempted, mainly because he couldn’t resist the little stars shining in Niuniu’s big eyes. No one could resist the little girl’s gaze anymore; even Fang Yun always fell for Niuniu’s big, watery eyes. Last time, a tourist, tired from sightseeing, sat down on a stone bench in the village. Just as he took a big red apple—which he’d brought from the city—out of his backpack and was about to take a bite, he suddenly sensed something was off beside him. Turning his head, he saw a delicate, porcelain-skinned little girl sitting right next to him, staring at him with her big, watery eyes without blinking once—her eyes even sparkled with little stars. When she saw him look her way, her big eyes darted toward the red apple in his hand. In that moment, the tourist felt as if the hand holding the apple weighed a thousand catties—she was just too adorable to resist. In the end, all the apples from his backpack found their way into Niuniu’s little bag. Later, when the tourist accompanied Niuniu back home, he grabbed Fang Yun’s hand and said, “Bro, I bet these past few years haven’t been easy for you. With a daughter like this, I’d give her my life—she’s so adorable, it’s impossible to refuse any of her requests.” But this made Fang Yun proud for days on end—what parent wouldn’t be happy to have such an adorable daughter? “Guys, I can’t help but feel like every blade of grass and every tree here seems to be full of spirit. It makes you get lost in it without even realizing it.” When they first arrived in the village, the elderly men had been too eager to try the medicinal bath to pay much attention to the surrounding scenery. Now that they had hope, they were naturally more relaxed, and the picturesque scenery along the way left them in awe. “Of course. Otherwise, why would so many tourists come here? They’re here precisely because they love the scenery.” Fang Yun felt a touch of pride; the village’s scenery had become so beautiful, and his spring water had played an indispensable role in that. When they reached the reservoir, Niuniu cupped her hands around her mouth and called out loudly, “Birds, birds! Niuniu’s here to see you!” Suddenly, a scene unfolded that left the group in awe. Wave after wave of water birds flew toward them from the grasslands, the forests, and the depths of the reservoir. In no time, everyone was surrounded by a dense throng of all kinds of water birds, chirping and frolicking. In the very center, a chubby little girl reached out to pet one bird after another, her eyes crinkled with laughter as her “giggle, giggle, giggle” echoed along the reservoir’s shore. After the waterbirds next to Niuniu circled and played around the little girl for a while, they flew out to the outer perimeter at a wave of her chubby little hand, and the birds circling the outer ring filled the gaps they left behind. This was a trick Niuniu had come up with after watching the waterfowl fight over positions near her—a way to ensure every bird could get up close to her. The little girl had spent quite a few days training them for this. Old Li and the others standing nearby were completely dumbfounded. They’d never heard of wild birds that weren’t afraid of humans, let alone ones that obeyed human commands. The way the waterfowl moved forward and backward showed no sign of disorder—it was almost like watching a military formation. The way they looked at Niuniu had changed completely. They never would have imagined that this adorable little girl could get the waterfowl to obey her so well—she truly was a remarkable person. “General! Hahaha.” Old Li’s booming voice rang out from among the group of elderly men gathered under a large tree, playing chess. After a few days of recuperation, the elderly men—who had looked rather frail upon their arrival—now had rosy complexions; if an acquaintance saw them now, they wouldn’t even recognize them. Every day, the elderly men would get up early to take a walk, breathe in the fresh air, and get some exercise. During the day, they would either accompany Fang Yun’s family to the fields to water the crops and pick vegetables, or wander around the village chatting with villagers about everyday life, or gather under the large trees in the center of the village to play chess. Over the course of a few days, the villagers went from being nervous and reserved at first to taking them in stride. Now they treat the group as ordinary elders, chatting animatedly with them about the ins and outs of village life. By evening, the elderly men had become Niu Niu’s loyal companions. Every day, they accompanied her to watch the water birds and donated their entire afternoon’s catch from fishing at the reservoir so Niu Niu could feed the birds. Now the elderly men are completely content here; even if someone were to bring a palanquin to carry them back, none of them would want to leave.