Chapter Summaries

Shi Wen showed Ge Yue and Lin Chengqian the first eggs from his Bresse chickens and tested the pasture grass, whose quality had improved. After the rain cleared, they began harvesting the potatoes, starting with the red-skinned variety.

• Shi Wen gave eggs from the Bresse chickens to Ge Yue and Lin Chengqian and discussed raising more chickens to control bugs in the pasture.
• Shi Wen tested a batch of dried pasture grass and noted that its quality had improved, then planned to harvest more grass for silage later.
• Ge Yue and Lin Chengqian urged Shi Wen to dig up the potatoes, and he agreed, letting Lin Chengqian help as a reward.
• After the rain and cloudy weather passed, Shi Wen borrowed hoes from Fu Meng and led everyone to dig up the red-skinned potatoes.
• Ge Yue pulled potatoes from the plants and remarked that they looked like beans.

Shi Wen, Yan Kexing, and the others harvested an enormous crop of red- and purple-skinned potatoes with help from their animals. They began storing the harvest, and Yan Kexing made Shi Wen sauced mashed potatoes while lunch was still cooking.

• Shi Wen and the others dug up red-skinned potatoes with help from the dogs and other animals, while Shi Wen stopped the horses from eating poisonous potato plants.
• They moved on to the purple-skinned potatoes, which grew as large as watermelons, and Yan Kexing dug up the biggest one, which was as large as a millstone.
• The group finished digging the patch after ten in the morning and carried the potatoes toward the storeroom, using a three-wheeler to transport the huge harvest.
• Shi Wen called Ge Yue and the others back for lunch, and Yan Kexing offered him a taste of sauced mashed potatoes while preparing the meal.

Shi Wen and his family enjoyed several potato dishes made by Yan Kexing, while the household’s little animals got their own portions. After Shi Wen shared the family’s well-liked potatoes with friends, he asked Yan Kexing whether they should send potatoes to the members as August’s monthly gift.

• Yan Kexing prepared loaded mashed potatoes, and Shi Wen, Lin Chengqian, and the others eagerly ate them.
• Shi Wen brought mashed potatoes outside and served the dogs and other little animals according to what each could eat.
• Yan Kexing served dry-pot baby potatoes, potato-stewed beef brisket, vinegar-fried shredded potatoes, and crucian carp and tofu soup, which Shi Wen enjoyed.
• Shi Wen gave friends some of the family’s red-skinned and purple-skinned potatoes, and Fu Meng and others asked for potatoes to plant.
• Shi Wen discussed sending potatoes as the members’ August monthly gift with Yan Kexing.

Shi Wen sent members a gift box of farm products, and their praise prompted Zhu Ji to arrange a visit for eggs and Yan Kexing’s mashed potatoes. While checking how his calves adjusted to urea-enriched feed, Shi Wen welcomed Zhu Ji and sent him to see the sleeping little fox and Cong Zai.

• Shi Wen decided to send members potatoes, cheese, ketchup, and Bresse chicken eggs in gift boxes, and members praised the food after it arrived.
• Zhu Ji asked to buy eggs and visit for mashed potatoes, and Shi Wen agreed to host him.
• Shi Wen monitored his calves as they tried urea-enriched hay to supplement their protein safely.
• Zhu Ji praised Shi Wen’s progress managing the ranch, and Shi Wen told him the little fox was sleeping with Cong Zai.
• Zhu Ji went to check the little fox’s height and weight, and Shi Wen reminded him to give Cong Zai treats too.

Shi Wen and Yan Kexing found a snow leopard cub that Wolf King had carried onto the ranch. They went to find the cub’s father, but the male snow leopard fled as soon as he saw Shi Wen.

• Shi Wen told Zhu Ji to seek a friend’s opinion and share more with Cong Zai, and Zhu Ji promised to be more careful.
• Yan Kexing and Zhu Ji prepared mashed potatoes with gravy, adding cured pork for flavor.
• Shi Wen found Wolf King carrying a newborn snow leopard cub and took it from him.
• Shi Wen asked Wolf King to lead them to the male snow leopard, and Wolf King reluctantly obeyed.
• The male snow leopard saw Shi Wen at the ranch fence and ran away before Shi Wen could speak to him.
• Zhu Ji joked that the male snow leopard feared being sent to the zoo to mate with a female leopard.

Shi Wen cared for a snow leopard cub stolen by a male snow leopard and arranged to return it to its mother. He and Yan Kexing found the mother in the mountains, and Shi Wen presented the crying cub to her.

• The male snow leopard fled, leaving Shi Wen with a hungry cub that clung to him.
• Shi Wen borrowed goat's milk from a herder, fed the cub, and arranged to get more the next day.
• Zhou Hongzhong examined and registered the cub, then told Shi Wen the male snow leopard had been roaming around Yuantai Mountain.
• Shi Wen decided to return the cub, and he and Yan Kexing followed the snow leopard's tracks into the mountains.
• Shi Wen and Yan Kexing found the mother snow leopard, and Shi Wen held up the crying cub for her to see.

Shi Wen and Yan Kexing rescued a weak snow leopard cub after his mother tried to bite him, and Shi Wen agreed to raise him. The cub settled in with Shi Wen and Cong Zai, though he and the little fox fought, and Shi Wen resolved to treat the male snow leopard hospitably if they met again.

• Shi Wen brought the small cub to his mother, but she bit him, so Shi Wen pulled him away and Yan Kexing suggested she had rejected him because he was weak.
• Shi Wen and Yan Kexing took the cub home, and Zhou Hongzhong later arranged for Shi Wen to raise him with a monthly subsidy of three thousand.
• The cub grew attached to Shi Wen and Cong Zai, while the jealous little fox fought him several times when they were out of sight.
• Shi Wen discovered the fights on surveillance footage and scolded the cub and the little fox, who sulked beside Cong Zai.
• Yan Kexing observed that the fierce cub might manage well in the wild, and Shi Wen decided to invite the male snow leopard for a meal when they met again.

Shi Wen agreed to send the snow leopard cub to Sanjiangyuan National Park after it was raised and trained for life in the wild, while the cub settled into his home. He and Yan Kexing missed the male snow leopard as Shi Wen began harvesting his ripe soybeans.

• A Sanjiangyuan National Park official asked Shi Wen to send the cub to the park after its training, and Shi Wen agreed.
• The cub ate eagerly, and Shi Wen and Yan Kexing watched it and the other animals at dinner while Shi Wen regretted possibly scaring off the male snow leopard.
• The next day, Shi Wen hired a local operator to harvest his dried soybeans with a combine harvester.
• The operator praised the plump soybean pods and predicted a bumper harvest.

After harvesting the soybean field, Shi Wen discovered that Cong Zai had not returned home and began searching for him. Heiwa and the Wolf King suggested the snow leopard cub was involved and led Shi Wen toward the outside.

• Shi Wen and the operator harvested the soybean field, then spread the beans out to dry while Shi Suo and Yan Shi guarded them.
• Shi Wen realized Cong Zai was missing, but Yan Kexing suggested he might have gone out to play, so they waited until morning.
• Shi Wen found Cong Zai's bowl of meat untouched and worried that something had happened to him.
• Shi Wen and Yan Kexing called Heiwa and the Wolf King to ask whether they had seen Cong Zai.
• Heiwa pawed at the snow leopard cub, while the Wolf King led Shi Wen toward the outside to search.

Cong Zai returned with the male snow leopard, and Shi Wen welcomed him home before deciding to get trackers for the animals. The dogs managed their herding groups while Shi Wen handled the farm and arranged for manure fertilizer testing and a soybean sample for Zhu Ji.

• Shi Wen and Yan Kexing followed the Wolf King and found Cong Zai returning with the male snow leopard.
• Shi Wen hugged Cong Zai and welcomed the male snow leopard, then brought them home with the little ones.
• Shi Wen and Yan Kexing agreed to order custom collars with trackers after Cong Zai's disappearance worried them.
• The dogs divided themselves into three groups and herded the farm animals to separate pastures while Shi Wen did his daily work.
• Shi Wen arranged with Zhu Ji to test the fermented manure fertilizer and offered to send him soybeans for research.

Shi Wen’s soybean crop tested far above ordinary soybeans, prompting Zhu Ji to bring expert Yu Lilan to inspect it. Yu Lilan praised the beans and Shi Wen’s wish to contribute to the country’s food security.

• Shi Wen told Zhu Ji that his soybeans might yield six hundred jin per mu, and Zhu Ji consulted an expert about whether the crop was worth studying.
• Zhu Ji arranged for Shi Wen to send manure fertilizer and soybeans for testing; the fertilizer’s ability value rose by about 0.8 percent, and the soybeans scored 63, above ordinary soybeans but below the Variant Ingredients standard.
• Shi Wen agreed to host Zhu Ji and an expert, then asked the little fox to take the little snow leopard out while he prepared for their visit.
• Yu Lilan visited Shi Wen’s ranch and examined the fifty-meter spread of drying soybeans, praising their even size and high nutrient content.
• Shi Wen told Yu Lilan that he hoped his crop could help reduce reliance on soybean imports, and she encouraged his effort to support the country’s food security.

Shi Wen’s unusually high-yield soybeans impressed Yu Lilan, who suggested experts study them for signs of mutation. He and Yan Kexing made soy milk from the beans, discovering its remarkably smooth, rich flavor, and prepared to sweeten it with sugar.

• Yu Lilan confirmed Shi Wen’s soybeans yielded over seven hundred jin per mu and asked to take samples and photos.
• Yu Lilan suggested Zhu Ji organize experts to study the beans, which she suspected had mutated.
• Shi Wen brought the remaining soybeans to the warehouse and gave the horses and cow an extra meal.
• Shi Wen and Yan Kexing soaked beans to make soy milk and tofu, and Shi Wen prepared the beans for their blender the next morning.
• The household’s little ones gathered to watch the soy milk being made, and Shi Wen played with them while it blended.
• Shi Wen and Yan Kexing tasted the fragrant, exceptionally smooth soy milk, and Shi Wen fetched sugar to add to it.

Shi Wen harvested a bumper crop of honey and discussed with Yan Kexing how to use it. They decided to reserve half for soaking lingzhi and planned a weekend trip to find more in the woods.

• Shi Wen sweetened the soy milk, shared some with the little ones, and told Yan Kexing he would check the hives for honey.
• Shi Wen harvested a record amount of mature honey from the hives, giving pieces of honeycomb to the herding dogs on his way back.
• Shi Wen filtered and jarred the honey while the little ones gathered around to catch honeycomb pieces.
• Yan Kexing said the honey tasted especially good, and Shi Wen estimated the harvest at fifty or sixty jin.
• Shi Wen proposed soaking half the honey with lingzhi and saving the rest to sell in winter, and Yan Kexing agreed.
• Shi Wen suggested searching the woods for more lingzhi, and Yan Kexing proposed a two-day camping trip that weekend.

Shi Wen and Yan Kexing prepared a mountain outing to gather medicinal herbs and let the little ones play. After bringing the reluctant little fox and little snow leopard along in their jackets, they reached the foot of the mountain with the rest of the group.

• Shi Wen and Yan Kexing planned to gather medicinal herbs and mountain fruit, and decided to take the little ones along for a picnic and possible overnight camp.
• Shi Wen arranged for Fu Meng to help look after the ranch while they were away.
• Shi Wen and Yan Kexing set out on motorcycles with Heiwa, the Wolf King, Shi Suo, Yan Shi, and the other little ones.
• Shi Wen tried to send the little fox and little snow leopard home, but Yan Kexing persuaded him to carry them in their jackets.
• The group crossed the grassland by smaller paths and reached the foot of the mountain shortly after eight in the morning.

Shi Wen and Yan Kexing took their little ones into the mountains to search for lingzhi and gathered mushrooms and Chinese skullcap along the way. The dogs and horses found something on a hillside, but Shi Wen and Yan Kexing had not yet discovered what it was.

• Shi Wen and Yan Kexing sprayed insect repellent on themselves and the little ones, then sent the animals ahead to search for lingzhi.
• The two climbed through the woods, collected edible mushrooms, and dug up a small amount of Chinese skullcap root.
• Hearing excited barks and whinnies, Shi Wen and Yan Kexing hurried to a hillside where the animals had gathered around needlegrass.
• Langwa tugged at Shi Wen's trouser leg, but when Shi Wen parted the grass, he found nothing and looked around for whatever the animals had spotted.

Shi Wen and Yan Kexing discovered a wild cistanche plant, a protected species, and Yan Kexing documented it while collecting soil for testing. Zhou Hongzhong and his assistant arrived to inspect the find, while the group discussed cistanche cultivation.

• Yan Kexing identified the plant the little ones found as wild cistanche, and Shi Wen agreed not to dig it up because it was protected.
• Yan Kexing documented the unusual plant, while Shi Wen sent Zhou Hongzhong a photo and its location.
• Shi Wen returned to searching for lingzhi with Heiwa and the other little ones as Yan Kexing contacted someone about the cistanche.
• Zhou Hongzhong arrived with a young assistant, and Yan Kexing collected soil beneath the plant for testing.
• Shi Wen, Yan Kexing, and Zhou Hongzhong discussed the possibility that the plant was unusual and the suitability of cistanche cultivation for the region.

Shi Wen and Yan Kexing discovered a large patch of cistanche, then searched another mountain and brought home six lingzhi. After preparing the lingzhi and receiving cistanche seeds from Zhou Hongzhong’s team, Shi Wen learned more about how the parasitic herb grew as they planned to cultivate it.

• Shi Wen found three more cistanche plants, and Zhou Hongzhong called in reinforcements to search the area.
• Zhou Hongzhong’s team and the others found fifty-eight cistanche plants, the largest patch in their records.
• Yan Kexing handed the earlier research results to the expert team and took Shi Wen and the little ones to another mountain to look for lingzhi.
• Shi Wen and Yan Kexing spent two days in the mountains and returned home with six lingzhi, which Shi Wen dried, sliced, and preserved in honey.
• Zhou Hongzhong’s team sent Shi Wen and Yan Kexing cistanche seeds, and Shi Wen explained that cistanche parasitized the roots of saxaul trees.

Shi Wen checked the desert cistanche seeds he had planted beside the saxaul trees, then joined Sikewell and Tang Duohai to castrate his large flock of Bresse roosters. The work lasted until after dark, and Shi Wen ended the day by checking the chickens’ leg bands on the app.

• Shi Wen left his inspection of the desert cistanche seeds unfinished when Sikewell called and went home to meet Sikewell and Tang Duohai.
• Shi Wen, Sikewell, and Tang Duohai began sorting the Bresse chickens and castrating the roosters in a chicken house.
• Shi Wen watched the procedure, checked that the castrated roosters seemed well, and helped Sikewell and Tang Duohai with the work that afternoon.
• Yan Kexing returned and prepared a Bresse hen while the others continued castrating chickens.
• Shi Wen, Sikewell, and Tang Duohai finished the castrations after seven in the evening, and Shi Wen checked the leg bands on the app.

Shi Wen, Sikewell, and Tang Duohai finished processing the chickens and discussed the costly feed used to raise them. They joined Yan Kexing for a meal featuring Bresse chicken, whose rich soup impressed everyone.

• Shi Wen, Sikewell, and Tang Duohai settled the chickens into their compartments and discussed mixing milk and grains into their feed.
• Shi Wen, Sikewell, and Tang Duohai headed to the courtyard, where the little ones scattered when they saw Sikewell.
• Yan Kexing finished preparing four dishes and chicken soup, while Shi Wen, Sikewell, and Tang Duohai helped set the meal out.
• Shi Wen served the chicken soup after Yan Kexing confirmed the little ones had received their portions.
• Shi Wen and the others tasted the savory Bresse chicken soup, and Sikewell praised Shi Wen's chicken-raising skills.

After the group enjoyed Yan Kexing’s tender clay pot chicken, Shi Wen continued breeding and recording the ranch’s livestock. As cold rain arrived at the end of August, he checked that the young animals were warm before settling in for the night.

• Yan Kexing served clay pot chicken, and Shi Wen, Sikewell, and Tang Duohai praised its tender, flavorful meat.
• Shi Wen arranged breeding for the ranch’s nine cows using frozen semen and recorded the cows’ and ewes’ pregnancies in the app.
• Shi Wen tracked the ewes’ lineages because he planned to breed sheep for stock and wanted to identify those likely to bear twins.
• At the end of August, Shi Wen and the others harvested their forage and helped the villagers bring theirs in before rain began.
• Shi Wen checked the young animals in the livestock shed and poultry house, and the little snow leopard warmed his hand before he returned for dinner.