Chapter 21: Tabby Cats and Black Dogs

“Wh-what’s wrong?” Niu Aixiang didn’t know why Jiang Nian was staring at her like that.

Jiang Nian suddenly smiled, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes, “Maybe at the beginning of this whole thing, you were truly unintentional. But don’t forget, the real victim is Li Rui. He foolishly told his so-called good friend his plan, only to have his credit stolen, and he didn’t even get a chance to seek justice for himself. And his so-called good friend didn’t apologize to him, the victim, in the first place, but instead, he was scheming and hoping to get his forgiveness from somewhere else. Do you think you could be so magnanimous if you were the victim?”

Niu Aixiang stiffly tugged at the corner of her mouth, trying to smile but failing, “Jiang Nian, I just feel stifled, and I don’t even have anyone to talk to, so I came to you to chat.”

“Oh, maybe I was thinking too much.” Jiang Nian said nonchalantly.

Niu Aixiang awkwardly opened her mouth, but didn’t know how to explain. Or perhaps, no matter how she explained, it wouldn’t make up for the harm she had caused, so there was no point in explaining.

“You seem to be quite busy here. I’ll go back and have dinner and then go to work. I won’t delay you any longer. I’ll come and visit you again when I have time.”

Niu Aixiang tried to make her face look better.

But it didn’t work with Jiang Nian.

She didn’t intend to help anyone, nor did she intend to get involved in anyone’s conflicts.

She was already bothered enough by her own problems, and other people’s problems were just entertainment for her.

But Niu Aixiang’s change was really quite big.

In just over a month, her originally round face, which used to have a hint of good fortune when she smiled, had become thin and pointed. It was probably because she had lost weight too quickly, her skin was a little loose, causing the corners of her lips to drop slightly, giving her a slightly bitter look. Her skin was also sunburned and peeling, and she had sunspots on both sides of her nostrils.

A good girl had turned herself into this, and she was still paying without complaint.

It could only be said that the power of love is truly great.

Although it was already early autumn, the sun was still scorching hot.

In the middle of the day, some of the herbs were already dried and crispy.

Jiang Nian, holding back her disgust, threw the pot of chicken soup, along with the dead rat, out. A big black dog from somewhere came running over, wagging its tail.

She cleaned up and went back to the yard to turn over the herbs, and she heard the sound of cats and dogs fighting outside.

Jiang Nian looked out through the fence. A skinny tabby cat was tearing at a big black dog that was half her height, jumping up and down, luring the dog away.

At the place where there was chicken meat, two kittens were eating frantically, eating very quickly, and occasionally making low meows.

She had just witnessed the “greatness” of love, and now she was touched by a mother cat.

She was really a good person who was easily touched!

Seeing that the tabby cat was losing ground and being pinned down by the big black dog, making a shrill cry, Jiang Nian picked up a mud clod from the ground and threw it.

Her aim was good, and it hit the big black dog’s butt. The dog yelped in pain and let go of the tabby cat, barking fiercely at her.

Jiang Nian went to pick up another clod of dirt, and the big black dog, its eyes wide, turned and ran away. It ran a distance before turning back, looking at her pitifully.

They were all just trying to survive, it wasn’t easy.

Jiang Nian grabbed a wild chicken from her space and threw it to it. The big black dog, as fast as lightning, rushed over, snatched the chicken and ran away.

What a… ungrateful creature!

However, she had noticed a special pattern these past few days.

Although Poison Doctor Valley has become a small world that she carries with her, the time flow inside and outside is not the same. It’s about a 1:10 time difference. Fortunately, it doesn’t affect her personally, it just speeds up the growth of the wild chickens and rabbits she puts in.

The big black dog disappeared in a flash. The tabby cat struggled for a while before getting up. A patch of fur was bitten off its neck, and one of its four legs was lame. It limped and bared its teeth, probably in pain.

It meowed at Jiang Nian a few times, its voice was quite gentle, but unfortunately, she couldn’t understand cat language.

It limped back to its children. The two kittens were still eating. It licked their bodies before starting to eat meat.

Jiang Nian went back too.

The herbs in the yard were turned over and dried for another afternoon. They had to be cut and prepared in the evening for people to pick up the medicine tomorrow.

If any patients came now, there was nothing she could do. She couldn’t conjure up medicine, even if it wasn’t an emergency.

Li Rui came and asked her, “Jiang Nian, I’ve come up with a good idea. Help me brainstorm.”

Jiang Nian turned her head to look at him, holding a handful of herbs.

Good, a ready-made laborer has arrived.

“Tell me.”

Li Rui was very self-aware, and without waiting for her to say anything, he started helping her turn over the herbs while looking at her movements.

“It’s like this. I thought about it for a whole day and night before I came up with this good idea. The meaning of intellectuals going to the countryside is to promote local construction, to use culture and knowledge to promote rural development. If we just compare our physical labor, we intellectuals can’t compete with the rural people who have been working since they were young. So I’m going to do some animal husbandry. This is a project that requires a lot of technical expertise. It just so happens that my father is in the local agricultural bureau, and I have an advantage over others. I can seek technical support from him. And I’ve asked about the policies here. It’s a system of more work, more rewards. Individual animal husbandry only needs to hand over half of the labor results.”

He had also thought about starting a breeding farm in the village, but this was different from setting up a literacy class. A literacy class doesn’t require any investment, but breeding requires a huge investment. Without seeing any results, the village head would definitely not agree.

Besides, there are cooperatives and the town government above. Setting up a breeding farm requires approval from level to level. If you can’t pass one level, you can’t do it.

“It’s a good idea, I think you can try it.” After all, the mountains and water here are good, as long as you’re diligent, there’s always a way out. Jiang Nian reminded him of the most crucial issue, “What are you going to raise? Raising chickens and pigs is the most common, but it’s not realistic to just eat grass, especially since winter is coming soon. What will you feed them?”

Ordinary families raise a small number, so they can prepare some dry grass and mix it with sweet potatoes, cabbage, radishes, and other common vegetables to cook and feed them.

He’s just arrived and wants to do animal husbandry. Even if he only raises one or two, he won’t have anything to feed them in winter.

After all, in the current situation, they can barely even feed themselves.

“Hehe, since I dare to say it, I’ve already thought it through.” Li Rui smiled cunningly, “I can raise ducks. There are many mountains and water here, there are many fish and shrimp in the water, and there are snails, clams, and so on. I’ll just let them loose and let them forage in the river. Besides, it’s August now, and the weather here won’t freeze until December. I can buy some half-grown ducks first, so that I can sell a batch by the New Year. I’ll keep the female ducks to lay eggs, and next year I’ll use them as breeding ducks. I’ll gradually expand the scale. When the village head sees my breeding results, a breeding farm will be just around the corner, right?”

He looks silly, but he’s actually quite smart and good at thinking.

“Then you can try it. It’s free-range, so it won’t take you much time, and it won’t stop you from continuing to work and earning your own food.”

Jiang Nian hasn’t done animal husbandry before, so she doesn’t know much about it.

But animal husbandry definitely won’t see results in a month or two. You still need to eat, so you still have to work.

Li Rui, having received her approval, was obviously more confident.

“But there’s one thing I need your help with. Of course, I don’t need you to do anything for now, maybe I’ll need it later, so I’m just giving you a heads-up.” He clasped his hands together and looked at her sincerely, as if whether he could succeed or not depended entirely on Jiang Nian.

“Tell me.”

“Don’t I want to buy some half-grown ducks? That means I’m putting all my money on it. What if the ducks get sick or something…”

Good heavens, she’s now not only a doctor for people, but also a veterinarian!