Chapter 154: Dog Sledding, Mengmeng Has a Blast

The seller’s smooth talk, combined with his eagerness to land a deal and enter a new field, made him quote a slightly higher price. But later, as he slowly sorted through the goods, he realized the price he’d quoted was still too high. Most of the scrap he’d bought turned out to be “gold on the outside, rotten on the inside.”

In the end, he suffered a huge loss. Even though he knew the other party had tricked him, he couldn’t go back for a reckoning later.

After all, the goods were sold by the pile, and he’d bought them by the pile. At the time, a contract was signed—it was a willing transaction between both parties.

Unless he wanted to quit the business, he had no choice but to swallow his losses.

That day, his father, Cao Jianlin, called the two brothers together to discuss sending their grandfather back to Cao Family Village. Their two families would also go back together to take a look.

According to their father’s plan, counting it all up, there was only one month left until the Spring Festival. Since they didn’t plan to return during the holiday itself, they could only make a trip back ahead of time.

“I still can’t figure it out. Shujie was doing perfectly fine in Beijing, making a good amount of money every year. Why did he suddenly quit his job and go back to his hometown to plant an orchard?” The eldest brother, Cao Shubin, was utterly perplexed.

The last time he had a video chat with his cousin, they were too busy catching up, and he didn’t get a chance to ask about this.

Cao Shuxin understood even less. Anyway, he had no interest in going back to the countryside to farm—no matter how much money he could make.

But speaking objectively, he said, “The kiwi fruit Shujie planted is really delicious. I don’t know what variety it is, but the flavor is so fragrant and sweet. I’ve certainly never bought anything like it on the market.”

Hearing Cao Shuxin say this, Cao Shubin, as the eldest brother, also nodded in agreement. “That’s true. Those two boxes were finished off by your sister-in-law and nephew in just a few days.”

The implication was that he himself hadn’t gotten to eat much, which left him feeling a bit regretful!

Cao Shuxin followed up, “Brother, it was pretty much the same for me. After they all ripened, my wife and kid polished them off in less than a week.”

At this point, Cao Shuxin pondered, “I wonder if Shujie still has any stock left. If he does, I’ll bring some back with me.”

He was thinking that if his cousin had a lot of stock, he’d get more to bring back, so he wouldn’t run out again from taking too little.

Cao Jianlin heard his eldest and second sons starting to discuss eating again and said, “You two really don’t get it. Just think about it—with your younger brother’s few acres of land, there’s no doubt he sold out long ago.”

Hearing their father say this, the two brothers didn’t argue about the matter further. They settled on going back next Saturday.

“Brother, let’s leave early on Saturday. At Second Uncle’s place at noon, let’s not drink. We’ll eat and come back early in the afternoon. It gets dark early these days, and the roads aren’t easy to drive on,” the second son, Cao Shuxin, specifically said.

The eldest brother, Cao Shubin, nodded in agreement. That was his thinking too.

This time, they were taking their wives and children back with them. Second Uncle’s house couldn’t accommodate so many people.

They did have an old house back in their hometown, but since they rarely returned and no one lived there, the house had deteriorated badly over the years. The wooden roof beams had snapped in two, and there was a hole in the roof.

Hearing the two brothers start discussing the accommodation problem again, Cao Jianlin cut them off directly. He said, “You two don’t need to discuss it. Your Second Uncle called me and said your younger brother Shujie built a two-story house at home. It’s enough for all of you to stay.”

Hearing their father say this, the two brothers were stunned for a moment. They truly hadn’t known about this.

“Dad, when did this happen?” Cao Shubin asked.

Cao Jianlin said, “From what your Second Uncle said, Shujie built it right after he returned. He originally didn’t plan to move in before the New Year, but when he heard you were all coming back, he moved in at the end of last month. You’ll stay at his place then.”

“Then we’ll have to stay overnight,” Cao Shubin said.

“We don’t see each other often. When we do meet, we really should have a proper drink.”

Cao Shuxin thought about it and also said, “Driving while fatigued is irresponsible.”

“Dad, then we’ll come over in a couple of days to help you pack Grandfather’s things,” the eldest brother, Cao Shubin, said.

Grandfather Cao Zhenghu lived with their father, Cao Jianlin, in a separate house. It was an old residential area, and the house price wasn’t expensive. Their father contributed some money, and the two brothers paid the larger share.

Both of them lived in other residential areas. Usually, they came over once a week or once every two weeks to spend time with their old father and grandfather.

As men with wives and children, they were usually very busy and genuinely didn’t have that much time to come and stay with them.

Thinking that their grandfather was about to leave, and recalling how little time they had actually spent with him over the past year, they felt a vague sense of guilt in their hearts.

But there was nothing to be done. Although they were doing fairly well, each had their own difficulties. They hadn’t reached the level where they could come and go as they pleased!

All they could hope for was to work harder now, earn more money, so they could retire earlier.

…

“Daddy, is it ready yet?”

“Daddy, hurry up!”

“Oh, Daddy, can’t you hurry up a bit? I want to ride the sled.”

Mengmeng stood to the side watching, shouting incessantly. Cao Shujie didn’t find it annoying at all. He chuckled and said to Mengmeng, “It’s almost done. Just wait a little longer.”

“Daddy, can Daha and Erha really pull me?” Mengmeng was very doubtful.

“They can, they definitely can!” Cao Shujie nodded with conviction.

Cheng Xiaolin watched from the side as her husband pieced together several wooden boards, then secured them with a long, flat board. Afraid it would fall apart while running, he bound it again with wire.

He fixed thin sheet metal to the bottom, and a simple sled was basically finished.

After finishing the work, he felt warm all over, and sweat even broke out on his forehead.

“Feels good!” Cao Shujie stood up, shaking his arms and kicking his legs.

He had been squatting for too long, and the soles of his feet were a bit numb, with a prickling pain.

“Daddy, is it ready yet?” Mengmeng looked up at her daddy, then grinned as she looked at the incredibly ugly ‘sled’ on the ground. She didn’t know what a sled was supposed to look like, but this thing in front of her was a first. Whether it looked good or not didn’t matter; she was fascinated by it.

Cao Shujie nodded. “Almost done. Wait a little longer. I’m going to find some rope to tie it up, so Daha and Erha can take the two of us for a run down the street.”

“Okay, okay, Daddy, go quickly!” Mengmeng shouted, hopping up and down.

Cheng Xiaolin watched from the side, very worried. She asked him, “Shujie, is this sled you made going to work? I have a feeling it’s not reliable. You might as well just pull a big board and run.”

“It’s fine. Let’s try it first,” Cao Shujie said enthusiastically as he went inside to find rope.

Twenty minutes later, at the entrance to their home, Cao Shujie tied four ropes to the front section of the ‘sled,’ and finally attached them to Daha and Erha’s harnesses.

Under Cheng Xiaolin’s watchful gaze, Cao Shujie first sat down on the velvet cushion of the ‘sled.’ He waved to Mengmeng beside him. “Mengmeng, come on up quickly. Let’s go for a ride.”

“Daddy, wait for me.” Hearing her daddy say they were leaving, Mengmeng got anxious and stepped right on.

Cheng Xiaolin watched as the sled compressed the snow in that area by about 3 centimeters. She was very concerned. “Shujie, you weigh over 170 pounds, and Mengmeng is over 30 pounds. With both of you sitting on it, can Daha and Erha really pull it?”

“How will we know if we don’t try?” Cao Shujie shouted. He placed Mengmeng in front of him, holding her, then draped the small quilt he’d prepared earlier over Mengmeng, also covering his own legs. The primitive version of a windshield was in place.

After completing these protective measures, Cao Shujie finally asked his wife, “Honey, are you coming up?”

“I’ll pass. I just have a feeling this thing won’t even be able to move.” Cheng Xiaolin took another look at the ‘sled,’ and the more she looked, the less reliable it seemed.

Hearing that his wife still didn’t trust his skills, Cao Shujie couldn’t be bothered to argue with her. Gripping the leashes of Daha and Erha, he gave them a vigorous shake, adopting a posture reminiscent of riding a horse: “Daha, Erha, giddy up!”

Mengmeng followed suit, imitating him and shouting, “Daha, Erha, giddy up!”

The childish voice echoed at the northern end of Cao Family Village. Daha and Erha both lifted their heads and let out a howl, as if gathering their strength.

In the next moment, Daha and Erha almost simultaneously exerted force, their bodies lunging forward abruptly. The scene didn’t come to an abrupt halt.

These two Huskies, less than two months away from adulthood, had their latent genes unlocked when the sled-pulling harness was put on them. They suddenly erupted with astonishing power. Additionally, Cao Shujie had treated the bottom and added two upward-curving iron plates, reducing the friction between the wood and the snow and making it easier to slide on the snowy ground.

Once they really got running, the two dogs’ endurance and strength were astonishing. Cao Shujie sitting on top didn’t seem to add any noticeable weight.

This shoddy ‘sled’ he had made himself was being pulled by Daha and Erha. It wasn’t exactly flying, but it was running incredibly fast.

Snowflakes on the ground were kicked up and blown backward by the two running dogs. A lot of snow landed on the sled, but it was perfectly blocked by the ‘windshield’ Cao Shujie had prepared in advance.

“Wow, Daddy, it’s fun, so fast!” Mengmeng whooped and hollered on the sled. She thought this was absolutely amazing.

Cao Shujie was happy seeing his daughter having fun.

And he was also sitting on the sled enjoying himself. Watching Daha and Erha running hard up ahead, he felt content.

“Daha, Erha, a little faster!” Cao Shujie shouted loudly.

The snow had just fallen, and the main street hadn’t been cleared yet. At this time, no one in Cao Family Village was foolish enough to drive out, so this snowy road still maintained its pristine state.

This actually worked out perfectly for Cao Shujie. The two dogs ran west for a stretch, then, under Cao Shujie’s direction, turned south.

They ran from the northern end of Cao Family Village all the way down the main road to the southern end in one go. Then, finding a spacious spot, they turned around and headed back.

Daha and Erha didn’t feel tired at all. Cao Shujie was still thinking, “You two are really dogs!”

“My babies, run!”

Cao Shujie sounded like he was reciting a magic incantation.

Some villagers in Cao Family Village had just come out to clear the snow in front of their doors for easier access.

While they were working, they suddenly saw the scene of dogs pulling a wooden plank. Watching Cao Shujie and Mengmeng, father and daughter, sitting happily on the plank playing, and listening to Mengmeng’s excited shouts, those who saw them all burst into kind-hearted laughter.

“That’s Shujie, right? He really knows how to have fun.”

“Exactly.” Gao Long watched Cao Shujie’s receding figure and said, “You still have to make money. Otherwise, you can’t even afford to raise dogs.”

“Oh, Gao Long hit the nail on the head. Look at the four big dogs at Shujie’s house. They’re all so huge. They probably eat no less than four adults.”

“He’s raising five. I saw his daughter walking a small white pug the other day. Not big.” Sun Caifeng, who had just come out her door, chimed in.

Gao Long saw her come out and immediately called out, ‘Sister-in-law.’

“Sister-in-law, isn’t Brother Qiang at home?” Gao Long asked.

Mentioning her husband Gao Qiang, Sun Caifeng’s anger flared up: “That lazy bear, after lunch he went back to bed to read novels again. I really feel like hitting him with a shovel.”

“Sister-in-law, you mustn’t! With the snow, there’s nothing to do. What else can you do besides rest more?” Hearing this, Gao Long quickly explained.

They were neighbors, front and back. He often heard Gao Qiang and Sun Caifeng arguing at home, and sometimes the couple really got physical.

Sun Caifeng wore a look of utter annoyance: “I must have been blind to marry this lazy bear.”

“Sister-in-law, you can’t say that. When the weather’s good, my Brother Qiang goes out and makes plenty of money, right?” Gao Long, having finished sweeping the snow at his gate, kept chatting.

…

Some children in Cao Family Village also saw the sled whooshing past. When they saw Mengmeng sitting on the sled, their eyes turned green with envy.

But they also knew that even if they went home crying to their parents, it would be useless. Their families didn’t have dogs.

Some families had dogs, but most of them were small breeds. Even the occasional few with large dogs couldn’t play like this.

“Daddy, hurry, go pick up Mommy.” Mengmeng shouted.

She was a filial daughter. Halfway through the ride, she suddenly remembered that her mom hadn’t ridden the sled yet, so she urged her dad to go back and pick up her mom so they could all ride together.

As for the other kids… well, Mengmeng didn’t think of them.

Cao Shujie nodded: “Okay, Mengmeng, sit tight.”

After saying that, Cao Shujie flicked the dog leashes, and the two dogs accelerated forward again.

“Good grief, this isn’t even your top speed?” Cao Shujie was greatly surprised. He never expected these two Huskies’ pulling power to be so astonishing.

Just how heavy a load could they pull?

This was obscure knowledge. Cao Shujie really didn’t know. He thought he’d look it up when he got home.

A few minutes later, they reached their doorstep. Cao Shujie saw his wife sweeping snow at the entrance. Mengmeng shouted loudly, “Mommy, Mommy, come quick, it’s so much fun!”

“You guys play. I have work to do.” Cheng Xiaolin waved the broom in her hand, intent on clearing the entrance first.

“Daha, Erha, stop, stop, stop!” Cao Shujie called out several times in a row. Only then did the two dogs stop. The ‘sled’ still slid forward another two meters due to inertia.

The two dogs nimbly dodged to the side, completely unfazed.

“Mommy, come up quick.” Mengmeng called out twice more.

Cao Shujie got off the sled and said to his wife, “Look, I’ve tested it. This sled’s quality is rock-solid, no problems at all. You take Mengmeng for a ride, experience it a bit.”

“Forget it. I can’t control those two.” Cheng Xiaolin didn’t dare to play like that.

To be honest, she still didn’t trust these two Huskies. They simply didn’t listen to her.

Ungrateful mutts!

Moreover, she wouldn’t know how to operate it herself.

Cao Shujie could tell from his wife’s eyes that she did want to try, but was genuinely a bit worried. He smiled and said, “You get on. I’ll lead the dogs and take you two for a lap on the dam.”

“Can that work? Can the two of them pull the sled up onto the dam?” Cheng Xiailin was very skeptical.

But Cao Shujie said with conviction, “No problem at all. Why do you always doubt me, woman? Just get on.”

(End of Chapter)