Chapter Summaries

Shi Wen accepted a mint from Yan Kexing after the blood smell unsettled him, then learned that the goitered gazelle was recovering and agreed to join Gong Jiang and the others on a mushroom-picking trip. The group set off for Pear County, leaving Shi Wen chatting with them in the car beside Yan Kexing.

• Yan Kexing gave Shi Wen a mint, and Shi Wen headed back to the ranch after saying good night.
• Shi Wen messaged Gong Jiang, who reported that the goitered gazelle had stabilized and would likely be ready for release after more treatment.
• Gong Jiang invited Shi Wen to pick Bachu Mushrooms in Pear County, and Shi Wen eagerly accepted.
• Shi Wen finished his morning ranch chores and waited at the gate for the group the next day.
• Yan Kexing, Gong Jiang, Lin Chengqian, and Ge Yue picked Shi Wen up, and the passengers chatted during the drive.

Shi Wen and Yan Kexing searched an Euphrates Poplar forest for Bachu Mushrooms, and Shi Wen noticed inconspicuous branch markers. Following them led the group to a peach tree, where Yan Kexing suggested the markers might have been arranged by Small Forest Mice.

• Shi Wen joined Yan Kexing in searching the woods, and Yan Kexing quickly found several Bachu Mushrooms.
• Yan Kexing guided Shi Wen to another mushroom and promised to take him to a restaurant if they gathered enough.
• Shi Wen noticed that several branches seemed deliberately placed as markers and pointed them out to Yan Kexing and the others.
• Shi Wen led the group along the markers to a peach tree, where they found no Bachu Mushrooms.
• Yan Kexing suggested that Small Forest Mice had arranged the markers to guide themselves to food.

Shi Wen and the others found a Small Forest Mouse and followed its trails to a patch of Bachu Mushrooms. After harvesting the mushrooms and leaving sunflower seeds for the mouse, they continued searching the forest, learning to choose fresher trails.

• Shi Wen led the group along the mouse markers to a burrow, where they spotted a frightened Small Forest Mouse and Yan Kexing warned him not to approach it.
• Lin Chengqian suggested following the mice’s paths to find Bachu Mushrooms, and Shi Wen guided the group along a trail.
• Shi Wen found and harvested nine Bachu Mushrooms, then left boiled sunflower seeds as food for the mouse.
• Yan Kexing praised Shi Wen’s respect for nature and balanced Lin Chengqian’s comments with a gentle reminder to keep an active mind.
• Shi Wen led the group along more mouse trails, found only an unripe patch of wild strawberries, and learned that fresh, frequently used trails were more promising.

Shi Wen and his companions gathered a plentiful haul of Bachu Mushrooms by following the Small Forest Mouse’s trails, then went to Yan Kexing’s recommended restaurant to have them cooked. The group began a mushroom feast, and Shi Wen eagerly enjoyed the chicken stew and stir-fried beef as the meal continued.

• Shi Wen guided Gong Jiang, Ge Yue, Yan Kexing, and Lin Chengqian along mouse trails, finding enough Bachu Mushrooms to fill their baskets.
• Shi Wen and the others used up their sunflower seeds while rewarding the Small Forest Mouse, then stopped searching and headed to a restaurant with their harvest.
• Yan Kexing asked the restaurant to cook all three jin and six liang of Bachu Mushrooms into several dishes.
• The group waited as the aunties prepared the mushroom feast, and Shi Wen tasted the Bachu Mushroom chicken stew.
• Shi Wen enjoyed the mushroom’s crisp texture and rich flavor, and Yan Kexing had a basin of rice brought over.
• Shi Wen began eating Bachu Mushroom stir-fried beef as the next dish arrived.

After a filling meal of Bachu Mushroom dishes, Shi Wen agreed to pick mushrooms with Gong Jiang and the others again next year. Back at the ranch, Fu Meng helped Shi Wen shear the sheep and showed him how to do it himself.

• Shi Wen, Gong Jiang, Lin Chengqian, Ge Yue, and Yan Kexing ate several Bachu Mushroom dishes, and Shi Wen said he would go mushroom-picking with them again next year.
• Shi Wen let his two cows graze after the weather improved, while keeping the sheep penned because they were difficult to herd.
• Fu Meng arrived at the ranch, and Shi Wen showed him Black Kid's hand signals and led him to the sheep shed.
• Fu Meng and Shi Wen tied up a sheep and began shearing it, with Shi Wen learning the technique.
• Fu Meng finished shearing the first sheep and noted its weight, while Black Kid came to investigate the noisy second sheep being shorn.

Shi Wen sold his first batch of wool to Zhang Deyuan and noticed signs of illness among the trader’s sheep. Fu Meng later confirmed that the sheep had Bluetongue Disease, which Skewell treated before it could spread further.

• Black Kid calmed Shi Wen’s sheep, allowing Shi Wen and Fu Meng to finish shearing them and pack seventy-three jin and six liang of wool.
• Fu Meng took Shi Wen to Zhang Deyuan’s ranch, where Zhang judged the wool first-grade and paid Shi Wen 4,785 yuan.
• Shi Wen noticed that several sheep near a brown-faced, bearded-looking sheep appeared sick and warned Zhang Deyuan that the illness might be contagious.
• Fu Meng later messaged Shi Wen that Skewell had confirmed Bluetongue Disease and arranged isolation, treatment, and disinfection.
• Fu Meng told Shi Wen that his warning had prevented the disease from spreading after the incubation period and causing more serious losses.

Shi Wen received Zhang Deyuan’s thanks for warning him about Bluetongue Disease and discussed buying sheep with him. Zhang Deyuan offered to let Shi Wen select half-grown ewes from his own flock at wholesale prices.

• Shi Wen hauled manure to a fermentation pit and heard Black Kid bark as visitors arrived.
• Zhang Deyuan and Fu Meng visited, and Zhang Deyuan gave Shi Wen a gift and thanked him for spotting signs of Bluetongue Disease in his sheep.
• Shi Wen explained that he had noticed the sheep looked listless and swollen, then hosted Zhang Deyuan and Fu Meng for tea.
• Shi Wen told Zhang Deyuan he wanted affordable half-grown ewes, preferably suitable for breeding.
• Zhang Deyuan offered to let Shi Wen choose from the local half-grown ewes he bought and sell them at wholesale price.

Shi Wen bought seventy-eight promising ewes from Zhang Deyuan at a discounted price and quarantined them at his ranch. He also asked Fu Meng and Zhang Deyuan to help find local sheepdogs, and Fu Meng soon sent him details about two dogs available for adoption.

• Zhang Deyuan offered Shi Wen a chance to choose breeding ewes from his flock, and Shi Wen agreed to pay more than Zhang's usual purchase price.
• Shi Wen inspected Zhang Deyuan's sheep and selected seventy-eight of the best ewes from a flock of more than ten thousand.
• Shi Wen and Zhang Deyuan settled on a price of nineteen eighty per jin, weighed the sheep, and completed the purchase with Fu Meng as witness.
• Zhang Deyuan asked Shi Wen to keep the Bluetongue Disease outbreak confidential, and Shi Wen agreed.
• Zhang Deyuan delivered the sheep to Shi Wen's ranch, where Shi Wen quarantined them and asked Fu Meng and Zhang Deyuan to look for affordable local sheepdogs.
• Fu Meng sent Shi Wen a video and pet hospital contact information for two sheepdogs available for adoption.

Shi Wen adopted two shepherd puppies from Starlight Pet Hospital after discovering that both were unusually affectionate with him. Yan Kexing then asked him to help rescue a Tibetan wild ass trapped in a swamp, and Shi Wen agreed to go.

• Shi Wen visited Starlight Pet Hospital to meet two shepherd puppies and found that both warmed to him.
• The young woman explained that the puppies acted wary around other adopters, and Shi Wen decided to adopt them.
• Shi Wen registered the adoption and bought supplies for the puppies and Black Kid.
• Yan Kexing called Shi Wen to ask for help calming a stressed Tibetan wild ass trapped in a swamp near the Agouna Mountains.
• Shi Wen agreed to go, and Yan Kexing offered to pick him up after Shi Wen sent his address.

Shi Wen joined Yan Kexing at a marsh to help rescue a Tibetan Wild Ass that had become trapped while racing a car. After approaching the animal and calming it, Shi Wen began rigging a rope around it, leaving the rescue underway.

• Shi Wen left two adopted sheepdogs at the pet hospital and rode with Yan Kexing to the marsh.
• Shi Wen and Yan Kexing found rescuers struggling to free a weak Tibetan Wild Ass while the rest of its herd watched from across the marsh.
• Shi Wen learned that the animal had run into the marsh while racing a car.
• Shi Wen approached the trapped animal, calmed it by stroking its neck, and accepted a rope from Yan Kexing.
• Shi Wen struggled to pass the rope beneath the Tibetan Wild Ass's belly so he could secure it for the rescue.

Shi Wen and Yan Kexing helped rescue a Tibetan Wild Ass from a swamp, and the exhausted animal was found to be otherwise unharmed. As Yan Kexing drove Shi Wen back to N City to collect his puppy, he suggested Shi Wen get his eyesight checked.

• Yan Kexing tied a secure knot for the rescue rope while Shi Wen soothed the trapped Tibetan Wild Ass.
• Yan Kexing directed the rescue team to use a vehicle, and Shi Wen and the volunteers dug and pulled until the animal was freed.
• The rescuers cheered as the Tibetan Wild Ass was pulled from the swamp after more than two hours of work.
• A veterinarian examined the exhausted animal and found no serious injuries.
• Yan Kexing drove Shi Wen toward N City and suggested he have his vision checked at the city hospital.

Shi Wen accompanied Yan Kexing to the hospital and learned that his eyesight had become exceptionally good, possibly because of his Qilin Bloodline. Yan Kexing admitted that he was not human, then took Shi Wen to collect two puppies before returning to the ranch.

• Yan Kexing accompanied Shi Wen to N City People's Hospital, where tests showed Shi Wen had 5.3 vision in both eyes and no eye problems.
• Shi Wen asked whether Yan Kexing had a nonhuman bloodline, and Yan Kexing admitted that he did but said its high-level classification meant he could not reveal more yet.
• Yan Kexing drove Shi Wen to pick up two puppies and then took him back to the ranch.
• Shi Wen carried the puppies into the livestock shed, where Black Kid barked at them and the puppies cowered in a corner.

Shi Wen soothed Black Kid, tended the ranch, and discovered his ability test scores had risen sharply. Zhu Ji arrived at the ranch to learn more about Shi Wen, and the chapter ended as Shi Wen welcomed him inside.

• Shi Wen comforted jealous Black Kid, cut grass for the quarantined sheep, and tested his Divinity and Abilities.
• Zhu Ji saw Shi Wen's new scores and compared them with his much lower May 6 results, then called Yan Kexing to discuss Shi Wen's rapid growth.
• Shi Wen released the new sheep into a distant pasture and herded them by motorcycle while Zhu Ji waited at the ranch entrance.
• Zhu Ji called Shi Wen, who said he was available and rode to the entrance within five minutes.
• Shi Wen opened the gate and welcomed Zhu Ji and his assistant into the ranch.

Zhu Ji and Duan Kuo visited Shi Wen’s ranch, assessed his circumstances, and rated him as an Intermediate Ability User. Shi Wen applied for a 300,000 subsidy and received the first 50,000 installment a week later.

• Shi Wen showed Zhu Ji and Duan Kuo his ranch, including its livestock and vegetable garden.
• Zhu Ji rated Shi Wen as an Intermediate Ability User and told him he could apply for special funding.
• Shi Wen told Yan Kexing about the visit, and Yan Kexing encouraged him to apply for as much funding as he could.
• Shi Wen applied online for a 300,000 subsidy to improve the ranch and buy farm machinery.
• A week later, Shi Wen received the first 50,000 installment in his account.

Shi Wen considered buying sick cattle cheaply, despite Zhang Deyuan, Fu Meng, and Skewell warning him about the risks. While assisting Skewell with veterinary visits, he saw a neighboring herder bring a dead cow back to the ranch.

• Shi Wen asked Zhang Deyuan about buying dairy cows and learned that illnesses had been spreading among local livestock.
• Shi Wen proposed buying sick cattle, but Zhang Deyuan and Fu Meng warned him that disease could devastate his ranch.
• Skewell advised Shi Wen to gain experience as a veterinary assistant, and Shi Wen began accompanying him on visits to treat livestock.
• Shi Wen and Skewell arrived at a neighboring herder's ranch to treat a cow with Mucosal Disease.
• Shi Wen saw a three-wheeled truck carrying a dead cow, with an elderly woman sitting beside the carcass.

Shi Wen examined a dead cow and three seriously ill cows with Skewell, then decided to buy the sick animals and try to save them. The owners warned him the cattle were unlikely to survive, but Shi Wen remained determined.

• Skewell and Shi Wen inspected a cow that had died from Mucosal Disease and recorded evidence of its symptoms.
• Skewell treated three sick cows in an abandoned cowshed, but their condition appeared to be worsening and their family was devastated.
• Skewell warned Shi Wen against buying sick cattle, but Shi Wen said he wanted to try nursing them back to health.
• Shi Wen explained that he could keep the cows near his warehouse and isolate them from his vaccinated livestock.
• The owners cautioned Shi Wen that the three cows might die and said they did not want to take advantage of his kindness, but he insisted they might still have a chance at his place.

Shi Wen cared for the three sick cows he had bought, but one died despite his efforts. Skewell and Tang Duohai handled its disposal and disinfected the warehouse, while the two remaining cows showed signs of recovery but still had symptoms.

• Shi Wen bought three seriously ill cows for three thousand each and had Skewell help transport them to his warehouse under strict isolation.
• After more than a week, two cows had improved enough to stand, while the third had worsened and appeared beyond saving.
• Shi Wen fed and cleaned the cows, then watched the most seriously ill cow die.
• Shi Wen notified Skewell, who arrived with his assistant Tang Duohai to inspect the carcass and arrange its government-funded disposal.
• Skewell, Tang Duohai, and Shi Wen removed the contaminated waste and disinfected the warehouse, then Shi Wen reported that the two surviving cows remained agitated and were still bleeding.

Shi Wen learned that his two surviving dairy cows had recovered enough to enter heat, then arranged for Skewell to artificially inseminate them during their next cycle. He planned to keep them in the warehouse until their condition stabilized and prepare to make silage soon.

• Skewell explained that the two cows were in heat and that their normal cycle showed they were recovering.
• Skewell advised Shi Wen on caring for the cows and planning their breeding, while Tang Duohai disposed of the dead cow and contaminated materials.
• Tang Duohai told his friends that Shi Wen’s two remaining cows were nearly recovered and had gone into heat, prompting them to discuss Shi Wen’s luck and ability.
• When the cows entered their next heat cycle, Shi Wen invited Skewell to artificially inseminate them.
• Shi Wen told Skewell he would keep the cows in the warehouse until they stabilized and planned to make silage after they became pregnant.

Shi Wen had Skewell inseminate his two recovered brown cattle, then herded the ranch livestock with his three dogs. The cattle settled into the herd, while Shi Wen stopped Le Wa from chasing the geese and rewarded Black Kid for helping.

• Skewell examined Shi Wen’s brown cattle, confirmed they were healthy enough to breed, and artificially inseminated them with Local Brown Cattle semen.
• Skewell gave both cattle vitamin injections, and Shi Wen hoped they would safely give birth to calves next year.
• Shi Wen herded the cattle and sheep with Black Kid, Le Wa, and An Wa as the newly bought brown cattle moved comfortably with the herd.
• When the geese followed the livestock, Le Wa chased them despite Shi Wen’s calls to stop.
• Le Wa stumbled and fell before Shi Wen and Black Kid could catch him, and Shi Wen checked him, scolded him, and warned he would lose his snacks if he chased the geese again.
• Shi Wen rewarded Black Kid for helping while An Wa watched enviously.

Shi Wen planned to reclaim fifty mu of abandoned cornfields to grow silage corn and arranged to buy manure and hire workers through Fu Meng. The chapter ended with Yan Kexing calling to ask about Shi Wen’s planting plans, and Shi Wen explaining that he was leaning toward Liaoyang White corn.

• Shi Wen inspected the abandoned cornfields and found their black soil suitable for planting after tilling and fertilizing.
• Shi Wen visited Fu Meng, discussed his plans for breeding sheep, and bought five thousand kilograms of fermented manure for the fields.
• Shi Wen asked Fu Meng to recommend workers to reclaim and sow fifty mu of land, but learned he would have to wait several days during the busy planting season.
• Shi Wen accidentally video-called Yan Kexing while trying to return his call and found him wearing glasses in his study.
• Yan Kexing asked Shi Wen about the silage corn planting, and Shi Wen said he was considering Liaoyang White, Yu Silage, and Gonghe Silage, with Liaoyang White as his leading choice.