Chapter 5
Chapter 5 — The House of Animals
I remember, after graduating from university, I immediately rushed to the big city to start a career. At that time, there was only one thought in my mind: "We must earn a lot of money, buy a house, and bring my grandfather to live with us." Therefore, every year I only return home during Tet, and each time I return I only stay for a few days and then leave again. I still remember him saying: "I once saved a wild chicken, now it lives nearby..." But at that time, I just thought he was talking nonsense for fun, in my mind I was only thinking about how to work overtime, get more jobs, and increase my income. Early the next morning, the Ve family's elder Tam led a group of people to rush in, threatening to destroy the garden and destroy my entire zoo. 【Everybody! Break all the barns for me! This is the village's land - why let him get rich alone?!】】 I was afraid they would harm the children, so I immediately called the police. Not long after, the police arrived, accompanied by the village chief. 【You guys are breaking the law, you know? Apologize to her quickly!】 As soon as they arrived, the village chief pushed down the heads of the unruly young men and forced them to apologize. 【Sorry for what?! Village Chief, what did you get from that girl?!】 Lao Tam asked dissatisfiedly. The village chief was angry, pulled out a stack of documents from his pocket, and threw it straight at him: 【This entire land has been legally leased to her grandfather - for a period of 30 years! Everything you see: houses, ponds, fields, trees, belongs to their homes. So you ask me: does she have the right?!】 Then he pulled out an old envelope and gently handed it to me: 【Son, this is the letter your grandfather asked me to keep for you. If you don't come back, this land is really about to be confiscated...】 Out of respect for the village chief, I chose to resolve the matter peacefully. It's better to endure a little, than to make deep enemies. For the children's safety, I can't make a big deal out of it. After the group of people left, I quietly sat on the stone steps in front of the door, opened my grandfather's envelope... 15 【Sweetheart, I knew you would come back anyway. The city is so tiring, it's still best to return to the countryside.】 【Don't worry about money, these past few years he has planted trees every day. Any tree you see around here was planted by me. If you're short on money, just sell one plant and live peacefully for a few months.】 【Oh right, if you see an extremely beautiful wild chicken, remember to feed it lots of white rice. This chicken is a picky eater, only loves white rice.】 【You can rest assured that you live in your old house, I will take care of everything for you, no one dares to bully you.】 Before I finished reading the letter, my tears fell drop by drop like a broken string of pearls. 【Mom, it's so salty…】 Little Yellow Cat licked my cheek gently. 【Mom… what's wrong with you…? Did we eat too much, so mom has no more money...?】 Black Dog looked up at me, his eyes full of worry. His question made me laugh through tears: 【It's okay. Mom still has money - her grandfather left a lot, a lot of money for her.】 That afternoon, I specially went to the village committee, because there were many things that needed to be found out clearly. I sat there all afternoon, and by the time I went out, it was already dark. The village chief told me: 【Ten years ago, your grandfather signed a lease contract for more than half of the village land, for a period of 30 years. Every day he plants 10 trees, and now the birch forest in the village is so dense, it's all his effort.】 【There are still 20 years left before the lease expires – Now I leave it to you to take over.】 【Over the years, I've been waiting for you to return...】 Sunset cast a shadow on the village road. I suddenly remembered the first years of working, full of difficulties: 【Grandpa, working is so hard, working overtime every day, I wish I didn't have to work anymore...】 【If you don't want to work, then quit. Coming home and farming with grandpa is fine.】 【How much money do you make from farming... I have to earn money, buy a house, bring grandpa to the city to live, so that he can enjoy happiness.】 【As long as he can be with me, he can be anywhere. If farming doesn't make money, I will plant a lot of trees to feed my grandchildren.】 Many years have passed, I haven't been able to fulfill my old promises, but my grandfather's love for me - three years after his death, still remains here. 【Mom, why are you home so late…?】 In the dim twilight, Black Dog walked from afar, on its back was Beaver Mouse - a relative of the capybara family. The mouse didn't say a word, just bared his golden teeth and smiled at me. 16 I used the money to make a large sign at the beginning of the street, officially opening the "10 Yuan Zoo". In addition to allowing tourists to interact with animals, I also built a dozen wooden houses in the mountains, like tree houses in the Amazon forest, so that anyone who is stressed, depressed, or tired can come to stay, calm down, and heal. Even though there are occasional disturbances from cats, the tree house is still very popular. The experts are the ones who come most diligently, using the excuse of research to stay for a whole week every time they come. Then the village elders also returned from the town and district one by one to open restaurants and rural motels. 【I find that staying in the countryside is still the most comfortable, the city is not suitable for me.】 【That's right, if my children didn't take care of me back then, I would have returned to the village early.】 【I can't believe it, since the zoo was built, my grandchild comes back every week, but before I invited him, he still wouldn't come back!】 The elders smiled brightly, telling stories with overwhelming joy. To thank me for helping the village develop, the government also built a separate side road connecting the main road to my door. From there, it is more convenient for anyone who comes to visit, whether by car or motorbike, they can easily find the entrance to the "animal house". 17 Thanks to the growing red-bellied pheasant family, their descendants are distributed to zoos across the country, officially "settling" and "taking root". The field I initially used to raise them has now become the nationwide "Special Research Center for Red-bellied Pheasants". The story of me being able to talk to animals was rumored everywhere, like a myth, so I conveniently... opened a "free psychological consultation center for pets". 【Sister, please help me... my cat has been eating very little lately. When I went to the doctor, the doctor said it was okay, but it still feels sad...】 A guy was holding a round British shorthair cat, his face full of worry. I looked closely at the fat cat, tilted my head and asked: 【Can you talk?】 【What? Can you really understand the cat's voice?! I thought I was so hungry that I was hallucinating...】 【Actually, I... just wanted to lose weight, crawled out the window to find my mother... I haven't seen my mother in a long time... I miss her so much...】 The little cat's voice was as weak as a breeze. I turned to the young man: 【Did you just break up with your girlfriend? Kitten misses her so much... Can I call her to visit once?】 From then on, I had a new title: "Pet psychologist." Pet parents from all over the world flocked to me. There were so many people, I had no choice but to open a livestream and chat while... guessing the cat's mood. 18 Yellow Dogs and Black Dogs officially "debuted" in showbiz. Otherwise, act in movies, otherwise act in sitcoms, webdramas - busy schedule! 【Mom, last month I received the Best Dog Rookie award! 8,000 yuan bonus, did you get it yet~】 Black Dog is a workaholic dog, only half a year after debut, he has already swept the entire dog actor industry. Yellow Dog is calm, meticulous, only accepts high quality movies, and has currently been awarded the title "Dog Photo Emperor". Old Bach was invited to play the villain peacock in "Kungfu Panda 16". The day filming ended, he excitedly invited me to watch - I... gently refused. “Sorry, I'm still… a little afraid of peacocks…” Beaver mouse – a capybara relative became the face of a clinic chain… making dentures for pets. Who said its golden teeth are so dazzling? Each person – no, each pet – has his or her own bright future. As for me... I'm getting busier and busier. There is no more "laying still and making money" like in the past. Even lying in bed, he was busy livestreaming, which is completely contrary to the doctor's advice. "Tell me to relax, rest..." But up to now my hallucinations still haven't cured, and I don't know... when it will be cured. 19 But... Maybe it's not important anymore. To be that person, the most important thing is: LIVING HAPPY. But I am now... Very happy. The kids are the same~ Hi hi hi~
— Full text —