[Happy Spring Festival, everyone! Wishing you all the best in the new year o(〃＾▽＾〃)o]
Although Zhang Jun had spent New Year's Eve and the Spring Festival with the foals, just a few days later, he went to the ranch again.
After parking at the ranch entrance, Zhang Jun carried a bag of treats toward Pasture No. 3.
From afar, he saw Shadow Hunter and Jianzhou Warrior running across the grass.
The two horses chased each other, their manes flying through the air like flowing flames and lightning.
"Shadow Hunter!"
Zhang Jun called out. The chestnut foal's ears twitched (*°ω°*ฅ)*, and he immediately stopped, turning toward Zhang Jun.
The next moment, he spread all four hooves and came trotting over, clip-clop ε≡ﾍ(´∀`)ﾉ.
Jianzhou Warrior stopped and watched Shadow Hunter abandon him and run toward the pasture fence, letting out a snort.
Tilting his head as he watched Shadow Hunter charge toward Zhang Jun, Jianzhou Warrior nonchalantly lowered his head to graze, looking as though he did not care in the slightest.
Shadow Hunter did not care about any of that. He shoved his head into Zhang Jun's arms and expertly nudged at Zhang Jun's pockets.
Chuckling, Zhang Jun took out a treat. "All right, all right. I saved some for you."
Shadow Hunter snorted, rubbed against Zhang Jun's hand, and ate the treat.
After finishing it, Shadow Hunter gave a satisfied snort and called out toward Jianzhou Warrior.
Jianzhou Warrior raised his head and slowly ambled over.
Zhang Jun pulled out another treat and offered it to him. "Keep it up this year too, Warrior."
Only after Jianzhou Warrior had eaten it with reserved dignity did he rub his head against Zhang Jun's hand with a satisfied expression—the kid was actually a tsundere.
After playing with the two foals for a while, Zhang Jun went to Pasture No. 5, where Flying Cloud Colt, River Moon, Forest Hero, and Mountain Patrol Leopard were grazing.
Zhang Jun clapped his hands and called out. All four foals came trotting over, clip-clop ﾚ(ﾟ∀ﾟ;)ﾍﾍ(ﾟ∀ﾟ;)ﾉ, gathering in front of him.
Four little heads stretched out over the fence together. Smiling, Zhang Jun stroked each in turn and took out horse treats.
After spending some time together, the four foals had already established their hierarchy. Flying Cloud Colt was the first to stretch his head over Zhang Jun's palm and eat a treat.
River Moon was the second to eat, followed by Mountain Patrol Leopard and Forest Hero, who shared two horse treats together.
After taking out the ball kept in the pasture and playing head-ball with the four foals for a while, Zhang Jun headed toward the broodmare stables.
Luo Heng was already there checking on things, while Yang Fan was leading Du Chun and the others in teaching them how to care for the foals.
"Jun, you're here." Luo Heng waved. "Look, River Snow's coat has gotten another shade whiter than before."
Zhang Jun walked over and took a look. Sure enough, River Snow's coat had grown lighter than before, with faint hints of white already showing through. She looked gray and white, like a cloud with legs.
"By the year after next, she'll probably be completely white," Luo Heng said.
When River Snow saw Zhang Jun arrive, she excitedly ran to the stable's wooden door and rubbed against the railing (੭ु´ᐜ`)੭ु⁾⁾.
"All right, all right."
Zhang Jun smiled and stroked her neck, offering her a specially made watermelon-flavored treat. "I know you missed me."
After playing with River Snow for a while, Zhang Jun went to see the other mares.
Quiet Night Thoughts still looked as aloof as ever, but the instant Zhang Jun took out treats, she came right to the door without wasting a moment and finished them in a few bites—a seemingly cool but massive foodie (σ′▽‵)′▽‵)σ.
Drunken Flower Shade fell somewhere between River Snow and Quiet Night Thoughts. She did not excitedly rub against the railing like River Snow, nor did she only come over after treats were brought out like Quiet Night Thoughts.
She would quietly wait by the door. When Zhang Jun approached, she would take the initiative to stretch out her head for him to pet and feed her.
Shangcheng Heroine was even less proactive than Drunken Flower Shade. Though she waited by the door, she would only lower her head after Zhang Jun held out his hand.
Gentle Breeze Arrives had now become a social butterfly. No matter who passed by her door, she had to rub against them, leaving Luo Heng's entire face covered in saliva.
Zhang Jun laughed so hard he clutched his stomach. "O(∩_∩)O Hahaha~, Gentle Breeze Arrives, are you trying to lick him bald?"
Because of her temperament, Stormcloud Lightning lived in the innermost stall among the six mares.
When Zhang Jun walked over, she was standing in the center of her stall, her ears slightly pinned back.
At the sight of Zhang Jun, Stormcloud Lightning's ears twitched. She slowly pricked them up and walked to the stable door.
Zhang Jun took out a grape-flavored treat prepared especially for her—whenever Stormcloud Lightning smelled grape flavor, she always moved a little faster.
She lowered her head and gently touched Zhang Jun's palm with her pink nose before opening her mouth to eat the treat.
Afterward, Stormcloud Lightning did not leave. She simply stood at the door, quietly watching Zhang Jun.
Zhang Jun understood what she meant. He stretched out his hand and gently stroked her forehead. Stormcloud Lightning lowered her head slightly, accommodating his movements.
After visiting all six broodmares one by one, Zhang Jun asked the four stablehands, "How are they doing?"
Because Qi Fei had the best talent, he had now become the leader among the four and answered Zhang Jun on their behalf.
"Other than Stormcloud Lightning, who still only lets you get close to her, none of the six horses have any physical or psychological issues.
"The physical conditioning of Gentle Breeze Arrives and the other five mares has been completed, and they can be bred at any time. Stormcloud Lightning still needs a little longer. She will have to wait until March."
Zhang Jun understood. After praising the four of them, he headed to the ranch's young horse area.
The new year had passed, and both Wind-Chasing Hound and Lightning Chaser were now two years old.
Although Wind-Chasing Hound was still shy by nature, she had improved significantly. She no longer hid when she saw Zhang Jun. Instead, she stood where she was, a little nervous ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡, with her ears pricked forward. She slowly approached, taking a minute or two before reaching him.
Zhang Jun took out a treat. Wind-Chasing Hound carefully ate it, then raised her head and looked at Zhang Jun with her large eyes.
Zhang Jun reached out and gently stroked her neck. "Good girl. You're not scared anymore, right?"
Wind-Chasing Hound snorted, and her ears relaxed.
Lightning Chaser, on the other hand, was completely different from Wind-Chasing Hound.
The little girl became wildly excited the moment she saw Zhang Jun. She ran to the stable door and tried to squeeze through it, making little "yip yip yip" noises like a puppy begging for affection.
＼(●´ϖ`●)／
"All right, all right. Be good."
Zhang Jun smiled as he stroked her head. He played with her for a while using the toys in the stable, fed her a few treats, then asked the trainers about their plans for the two young mares.
Although Lightning Chaser was more frightened by unfamiliar environments, she adapted more quickly, and her pre-race development phase was nearly complete.
The development trainer planned to have the girl enter the training center in the first week of May to familiarize herself with the environment. After one or two months of adjustment, she would begin race training.
Although Wind-Chasing Hound was not as timid as Lightning Chaser, she was more wary of unfamiliar environments and people, and her development phase still needed more work.
The ranch's trainers believed the girl would need to wait until September to enter the training center, and her debut might have to wait until she was three.