Chapter 148: Cao Shujie’s New Routine

As soon as Cao Shujie stepped out of the bedroom, he saw his mother, Wang Yuelan, sitting under the eaves.

The moment she saw him, Wang Yuelan stood up instinctively and asked anxiously, “Shujie, how’s Mengmeng? Is she feeling any better?”

“Mom, she was fine in the second half of the night. The coughing’s less frequent now,” Cao Shujie replied.

Just as he finished speaking, a fit of coughing echoed from the bedroom. Wang Yuelan shot him a glare. “Didn’t you just say Mengmeng was fine? Why is she coughing again?”

Because of her granddaughter’s persistent cough, Wang Yuelan had started doubting her son’s reassurances.

Cao Shujie looked a little embarrassed. “Mom, a cough doesn’t go away that quickly. It’ll take a few days at least.”

“Was it because she wasn’t dressed properly when you got in and out of the car? Did the wind get to her?” Wang Yuelan questioned, her tone carrying a hint of blame. “Shujie, you’re not young anymore. How can you still be so careless? It’s cold now, and colds take longer to recover from.”

Cao Shujie thought to himself, Can you please not start with this again? He quickly changed the subject. “Mom, where’s Dad?”

“He got up early, had two steamed buns, and went up to the orchard. Said he’s turning the soil and pruning today,” Wang Yuelan replied.

Cao Shujie nodded. “Mom, I’ll grab a bite and then head up the mountain too.”

Wang Yuelan nodded and followed her son into the main room, muttering, “Shujie, is Mengmeng really okay like this? Maybe you should drive her to the county hospital and have a doctor take a look. Get some medicine that’ll work faster.”

“She’s suffering with that cough,” she added, wringing her hands together, clearly anxious and distressed.

“Mom, let’s try the medicine today and see how it goes. If it doesn’t help, we’ll take her in,” Cao Shujie said. “Even if we saw a specialist, there’s no miracle cure for a cough. It usually takes two or three days to see improvement.”

Though she knew her son was right, the sound of coughing from the next room kept Wang Yuelan’s heart in turmoil.

Cao Shujie hadn’t told his mother exactly how Mengmeng’s cough had started. He figured it was best to just let it go.

After washing up and having breakfast, Cao Shujie returned to the bedroom. He saw his daughter, Mengmeng, curled up in bed. Each cough made her small body tremble.

His wife, Cheng Xiaolin, was lying on her side, propped up on one elbow, gently patting Mengmeng’s back.

“Hon, how is she? Should we wake her up and give her another dose of medicine?” Cao Shujie leaned down and asked.

Cheng Xiaolin waved her hand. “No rush. Let her sleep a bit longer. She barely slept last night.”

“Alright. You get some rest too. I’ll head up the mountain for a bit,” Cao Shujie said, getting ready to leave.

Cheng Xiaolin stopped patting Mengmeng and turned to look at him. Only then did Cao Shujie notice her eyes were red, on the verge of tears.

“Hey, what’s this? You’re a grown woman. Don’t tell me you’re about to cry again,” Cao Shujie said, flustered, trying to comfort her.

Then he heard his wife speak with deep guilt. “Honey, if I hadn’t insisted on taking Mengmeng to her grandma’s yesterday, she wouldn’t have caught this cold. She wouldn’t be suffering like this now.”

“Look at her. She’s usually so lively, and now she doesn’t even have the energy to move.” The more Cheng Xiaolin spoke, the more upset she became. A tear rolled down her cheek.

“Alright, alright. It’s cold out now. Lots of people are catching colds. What, is Mengmeng supposed to stay indoors all winter?” Cao Shujie sat on the edge of the bed, pulled his wife into a hug, and used a tissue to wipe her tears, coaxing her like a child.

Once she calmed down, Cao Shujie reminded her, “Honey, when you call Mengmeng’s grandma later, don’t mention the cough. Got it?”

“Mm.” Cheng Xiaolin nodded, her voice choked with emotion.

The one suffering is the child, but the ones hurting are the parents.

Watching Mengmeng cough on and off without any way to help her, both Cao Shujie and Cheng Xiaolin were filled with helpless anxiety that no outsider could truly understand.

“Cough, cough, cough cough!”

Mengmeng had another fit of coughing. Maybe it was too intense this time, because after a few coughs, she suddenly sat up. When she saw her parents, she burst into tears with a loud “Waaah!” full of grievance.

While crying, she whimpered, “Mommy, I feel yucky. It hurts.”

That pitiful little face only deepened Cheng Xiaolin’s guilt. She quickly pulled Mengmeng into her arms and tugged the blanket over her again, afraid she might catch another chill.

But in reality, the room was warm. The heater was set to 24 degrees with electric assistance. Cao Shujie was dressed a bit heavily and was already starting to sweat.

“I’ll go make her some medicine. Let’s get that into her first,” Cao Shujie said.

Cheng Xiaolin didn’t stop him.

Not long after, Cao Shujie came back with a small bowl of medicine and a bottle of cough syrup.

When it came to taking medicine, Mengmeng was never a problem. Whether it was sweet or bitter, she took it without fuss. Sometimes, when she saw Cao Shujie or Cheng Xiaolin drinking medicine, she’d even come over, sniffing with her little nose to see what it smelled like.

Mengmeng was clearly exhausted. After taking her medicine, she lay in Cheng Xiaolin’s arms for a short while before drifting off again, eyes closed in a sleepy daze.

After laying her down, Cheng Xiaolin rubbed her sore lower back and said, “Shujie, go on and do your thing. I’ll stay here and watch her.”

“Do you want to lie down for a bit or get up and eat something? If you want to eat, I’ll heat it up for you,” Cao Shujie asked.

Cheng Xiaolin looked out the window at the bright sunshine. “I won’t lie down anymore. While the weather’s good, I’ll wash the bedsheets and hang them out to dry. If it snows again in a few days, it’ll be a hassle.”

Since she said that, Cao Shujie didn’t press further. While she got up to wash up, he reheated breakfast and served it into a bowl for her. Then he grabbed his tools and got ready to head out.

It was already past nine in the morning. Normally by this time, Cao Shujie would’ve been working in the orchard for two hours.

Before he could step out, Daha and Erha started barking anxiously. Their chains clinked loudly as they tugged and pulled.

“Mom, didn’t Dad walk the dogs this morning?” Cao Shujie asked.

Wang Yuelan replied, “Your dad ate around six and went straight up the mountain. He didn’t have time to walk them.”

That meant his dad had covered for him. Cao Shujie felt a bit guilty. “I’ll take Daha and the others up the mountain. Let them run around a bit.”

“There are a lot of people around right now, so keep an eye on them. Don’t let them bite anyone,” Wang Yuelan reminded her son.

Cheng Xiaolin added, “Shujie, you have to be careful. Don’t let your guard down.”

“Got it!” Cao Shujie replied, then took the four dogs and headed out toward the Yellow River Dam to the east.

He took the longer route, walking north along the dam before heading down at the northern intersection.

Along the way, Daha, Erha, and the other two dogs kept looking at him, clearly wanting him to let go of the leashes so they could sprint freely like a pack of wild brothers.

But it wasn’t like in the morning. The dam was now full of elderly people and children out for a stroll. Cao Shujie was worried the dogs might get too excited. Even if they didn’t bite anyone, scaring people wasn’t good either.

“Daha, Erha, Dahei, Xiaohei, no running today, alright? I’ll bring you back tomorrow morning for a proper run, okay?” Cao Shujie spoke to them like he was coaxing children.

Surprisingly, the four dogs seemed to understand. After hesitating for a moment, they nodded their heads up and down as if agreeing to his proposal.

“You’re all so good. I’ll give you extra meat in a couple of days.” Cao Shujie patted each of their heads with a smile.

After about half an hour, he led them down from the northern path. A turn brought them to the road leading up the mountain.

At the orchard, when Cao Shujie saw the wire mesh fence, he remembered the livestock area up north that had already been set up but hadn’t been put to use yet. That area was also enclosed with wire mesh. An idea popped into his head, and he laughed out loud. “Daha, I know where you guys can run now!”

Daha, Erha, and the others all turned their heads to look at him.

Daha even let out a howl, as if urging him, “Well, if you know, then hurry up. What are you waiting for?”

“Follow me.” Cao Shujie led them along the paved road on the west side of the wire mesh fence, heading north.

The four dogs were clearly even more excited now. They started pulling him along by the leashes, practically dragging him. Before long, they reached the end of the path.

Cao Shujie opened the gate in the wire mesh fence and brought them inside. One by one, he unhooked their leashes and said to the four brothers, “Go on, run as much as you want. I’ll come call you when I’m ready to leave.”

“Awoo!”

“Woof!”

“Woo woo…”

Daha, Erha, and the two German Shepherds let out howls in different pitches. Down below it wasn’t too noticeable, but up here in the open mountains, their howls echoed with even more intensity, especially given their boundless energy.

The two German Shepherds in particular let out such powerful howls that if you hadn’t seen them with your own eyes, you’d think some wild beast had broken loose.

Watching the four dogs bolt off in different directions, their bodies leaping and bounding in the sunlight, Cao Shujie was reminded of the massive, imposing German Shepherd he had seen at Cui Jingguo’s livestock farm. That dog was even bigger than a Tibetan Mastiff, easily over 80 jin. Just one look at it was enough to make your heart race—it was a beast.

“You guys better grow up fast. Try to outgrow your dog dad,” Cao Shujie thought to himself as he looked at the two black-and-tan German Shepherds.

His father was across the way in the livestock area, spreading feed for the cattle.

The dogs’ earlier howling had startled the fifty cows pretty badly. They were just now starting to calm down. Spotting his son, Cao Jianguo called out, “Shujie, come over here for a second.”

“What is it, Dad?” Cao Shujie walked over.

Once he got closer, he heard his father ask with concern, “Shujie, how’s Mengmeng doing? Has her cough gotten any better?”

“Dad, I gave her medicine this morning before I left. She’s doing much better now,” Cao Shujie replied with a smile.

Hearing that, Cao Jianguo relaxed and nodded. “That’s good. You don’t know how worried I’ve been, hearing her cough like that.”

“Don’t worry, Dad. Kids catch colds and cough all the time. It’s nothing serious,” Cao Shujie said with a grin.

There was a gate in the wire mesh fence between the two plots of land, making it easier to move back and forth. Cao Shujie walked over, opened the gate, and stepped into the other side.

The fifty cows were happily munching on their feed. Seeing how plump and healthy they looked filled Cao Shujie with joy. He turned to his father and said, “Dad, let’s have beef for New Year’s this year.”

“You really looking for a beating?” Cao Jianguo knew exactly what his son was thinking, but he couldn’t bear to slaughter the cows. Each one was worth good money.

Besides, the cattle were still young. They needed at least another year of raising. Killing one now just for a holiday meal would be a waste.

“Just buy less meat for the holiday. We eat meat every day anyway. Haven’t you had enough?” Cao Jianguo grumbled.

“Haha!” Cao Shujie laughed heartily and didn’t press the matter for now.

But it was clear that he wasn’t the type to give up easily.

Most old farmers would never dream of eating the fruits or livestock they raised themselves. But not Cao Shujie—he always thought about what he could eat first.

Cao Jianguo thought about the apples his son had sold. The leftover 400-plus jin could have brought in nearly 3,000 yuan at that price!

It had been the same with the kiwifruit. Before they even finished selling them, his son had already set aside a batch for personal consumption. That greedy mouth of his just couldn’t help it.

Cao Shujie didn’t care. “From the start, I planted all this so we could eat something clean ourselves. Otherwise, what’s the point of all this work?”

He added, “Dad, you can’t make all the money in the world. And we’ve got more than enough to spend. Don’t always think about saving. Don’t be stingy with food and clothes.”

Cao Jianguo couldn’t even be bothered to respond. His son had the nerve to say they had more than enough to spend. It was just a few hundred thousand yuan. If something serious happened, it might not even be enough.

He picked up a three-pronged fork and went off to gather more feed.

But he didn’t forget to remind his son, “Shujie, don’t forget about planting the pasture grass in the spring.”

“Don’t worry, Dad. I won’t forget,” Cao Shujie nodded.

He really couldn’t afford to forget. That was a big deal—it was what the cattle would be eating.

If he didn’t plant pasture grass, his feeding costs would skyrocket.

“Dad, I’m thinking of buying another batch of calves after spring,” Cao Shujie called out.

Cao Jianguo didn’t bother responding. Let his son do whatever he wanted.

Cao Shuchao was working not far away. Cao Shujie walked over to say hello. He gave a brief reply and kept his head down, focused on his task.

“Brother Chao, you’re sweating on your forehead. You’d better wipe it off before the wind hits you and you catch a chill,” Cao Shujie said, noticing and reminding him.

To be honest, Cao Shuchao was definitely a dependable worker. He was straightforward, diligent, and once you told him what needed to be done, there was never a need to repeat yourself. Cao Shujie never had to say anything twice.

Cao Shuchao smiled, wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, and kept working. “Shujie, I heard from Uncle Jianguo that Mengmeng’s sick?”

“She’s just got a bit of a cough, caught a chill from the wind,” Cao Shujie gave the same explanation as before.

The two of them chatted casually as they worked, shooting the breeze. With company like that, even hard labor didn’t feel tiring.

Still, Cao Shujie felt like something was missing. At one point, he said, “I’m heading into town at noon to buy a big speaker. I’ll set it up in the orchard. Working with music playing every day, now that’s the life.”

“Music while working? How does that even make sense?” Cao Shuchao couldn’t wrap his head around it.

He’d worked on construction sites, helped out on livestock farms, and been to plenty of other places. But he’d never seen, let alone heard of, anyone working to the sound of music.

Cao Shujie simply said, “If I say it works, then it works.”

Cao Jianguo had long since built up an immunity to his son’s oddball ideas. Let him do whatever he wanted.

With so little family wealth to speak of, if he had the nerve to waste it, then let him burn through it quickly and be done with it.

True to his word, Cao Shujie sprang into action. During his lunch break, he brought the four tired dogs back home. Seeing that Mengmeng looked a lot better, though still had no appetite, he felt relieved. He even said he’d buy her a fun new toy in town.

“Daddy, guess what? Mommy said I beat the virus! I’m amazing!” Mengmeng clenched her little fists excitedly, looking like she could take on the world.

But she spoke too soon. Right after she finished, she started coughing again. It came on fast and hard, and before she could react, a bit of spit flew out and landed right in front of Cao Shujie.

He didn’t mind one bit. If he could, he would’ve shared the burden with his daughter, or better yet, taken on all her pain himself.

“Shujie, if you’re going into town, bring back some more medicine,” Cheng Xiaolin told him. “Just say Mengmeng has a cough, no fever, and yellow nasal discharge.”

After thinking for a moment, she added, “She coughed worse last night and even threw up once.”

“Got it!” Cao Shujie agreed right away.

He drove out quickly and came back even faster. First, he stopped by the county-grade hospital in town to get medicine for Mengmeng. Then he went to the small appliance store and bought the big speaker he wanted, along with a USB drive the shop owner claimed held thousands of songs. With everything loaded up, he drove back home.

That afternoon, music began playing from the orchard on the northern hill of Cao Family Village.

Classical music, pop songs, internet hits, soft instrumental tunes, even English tracks—there was a bit of everything.

Curious villagers followed the mountain path to investigate and discovered that the music was coming from Cao Shujie’s orchard.

Some joked that Cao Shujie was up to his old tricks again. He was playing music for the fruit trees and the cows, letting them enjoy a relaxing and cheerful environment so they could grow better and faster next year.

No one knew who first came up with this ridiculous idea, but somehow, people actually started believing it. Some were even convinced it worked.

Cao Jianhua, meanwhile, had been so stressed about the falling prices of piglets and pork that his hair had turned half white. The price of piglets had dropped below 30 yuan per kilo across the board, and he hadn’t been sleeping well at all.

But when he heard about the music theory, his eyes lit up. He actually believed it might be true.

So he went into town and bought a speaker of his own, setting it up at his pig farm.

Whether it was just his imagination or not, he felt like the 300 pigs at the farm were eating faster with music playing. Some even seemed to be dancing to the rhythm.

As for himself, working to music every day lifted his spirits.

For now, he set aside his worries about piglet prices and pork sales. He told himself that since things had already come this far, he had no choice but to raise the pigs well. When the Spring Festival came around, he’d sell them during the holiday rush. It didn’t matter how much profit he made—breaking even would be enough.

Or even losing just a little would be fine.

(End of Chapter)