Reborn in 1977

Chen Fan and Jiang Lili exchanged a glance, then looked ahead, only to see a large crowd of people gathered not far away, packed in layers, unsure of what had happened.

When he walked over, he discovered that there were several acquaintances among the crowd.

Secretary Yang, Team Leader Zhang, Team Leader Xiao, and Team Leader Ye of the brigade headquarters were all here, as were Team Leader Yang and storekeeper Huang from the 6th team, along with several commune members from Lujiawan.

Chen Fan immediately called out, "Team Leader, what's going on here?"

Hearing the voice, someone turned around and saw that it was Chen Fan, and immediately made way for him, "Master Chen is here too, there's a foal here."

Chen Fan thanked them as he walked in, his mind filled with question marks, a foal?

Jiang Lili hadn't intended to go in, but seeing the commune members waiting for her to pass, she also ducked her head and followed Chen Fan in.

After a few steps, they reached the innermost part, and Chen Fan finally saw what was happening.

A man sat on a stool, his face full of sorrow, with a foal in front of him.

Possibly worried that the foal would be cold, he had also laid three layers of straw mats on the ground.

However, the foal was listless, curled up on the straw mat, its eyes half-open, and it showed no interest in the pile of fodder beside its mouth.

While looking at the foal, Chen Fan approached Team Leader Yang from his team and asked in a low voice, "Is this foal for sale?"

Before Yang Chuanfu could speak, Master Liu, who was standing next to him, said, "This horse is sick, and the owner wants to sell it."

Only then did Chen Fan notice him, tilting his head to look at Master Liu, and asking curiously, "Who would buy a sick horse?"

If it were a healthy foal, people would be willing to pay 50 or 60 yuan for it, but a sick horse, if it couldn't be cured after buying it, wouldn't that be a dead loss?

Master Liu clicked his tongue and sighed, "This foal has an upset stomach from eating something bad, but it doesn't have any other problems. The foal's meat is tender, and some gluttonous people will buy it to slaughter for meat."

Hearing his words, the horse owner's already sorrowful face became even more bitter, "This foal was originally reserved by our team, with an agreed price of 60 yuan, and the horse herder would come to take it away after three months of weaning.

But now, just a month after its birth, it's become ill. I've already spent three or four yuan, hiring three veterinarians to see it, but none of them have been effective.

I have no choice. You all know the situation in Ganjia Village this year. Many fields have been flooded, and a work point is only worth a little over two mao. I was originally counting on this foal to sell for some money so that next year would be better, but now it's all gone to waste."

As he spoke, he reached out and touched the foal's head, sighing deeply, "Horse, oh horse, don't blame me, I have no choice. I can't bear to eat you myself, so I can only sell you."

The foal seemed to understand his meaning, raised its head and shook it, but then lay down again, its eyes even dimmer.

Seeing this scene, the voices Chen Fan had heard earlier echoed in his ears.

"What a pity."

Master Liu also shook his head repeatedly, his eyes full of pity, "I just took a look, and this horse is really a good horse. If I'm not mistaken, it should be a Dongyang horse that hasn't been crossbred."

The horse owner immediately raised his head, saying with a face full of regret, "Master Liu has a good eye. I specifically went to the Qingshan Commune next door to find a purebred Dongyang horse for mating, and it cost me three yuan for the mating at that time. The Japanese devils have been driven away for over 30 years, and every Dongyang horse that dies is one less. It will be difficult to find them in the future."

Hearing their words, Chen Fan couldn't help but ask curiously, "Are Dongyang horses the warhorses of the Japanese devils?"

Master Liu nodded, explaining in a low voice, "The Dongyang horse is what the Japanese devils spent nearly forty years and a great price to breed, finding the best warhorses in the world and mating them with local ponies, cultivating them generation after generation. They are fast, have good endurance, and are much taller than our local horses, making them one of the best warhorses.

When our main force came over, they seized a batch of warhorses. The good ones were taken away, and the old, weak, and disabled were left behind to be used as draft horses for plowing. Some of us old guys were recruited to be responsible for raising horses back then, and we had the intention of keeping a batch of horses as breeding stock.

As a result, some were killed during the famine, and others were abandoned during these ten years of not allowing east or west. This horse owner is right, it will be difficult to find purebred Dongyang horses again."

Saying that, he sighed deeply, looking at the foal and saying, "I just looked at this horse, and it's a genuine good horse, capable of being a warhorse if trained well, but with this illness, after seeing three veterinarians and still not getting better, I'm afraid it won't make it through this hurdle."

Chen Fan looked at him, then looked at the foal, "You know how to raise horses, can't you do anything?"

Master Liu scoffed, "You really think too highly of me. If it were a common ailment, I could cure it with a few handfuls of grass, but for this kind of major illness, even the veterinarians can't cure it, what can I do?"

Chen Fan looked at the foal's dull eyes and couldn't help but take a step forward, only to realize that he was still holding the milk can.

He looked around, then walked directly to Zhang Wenliang, "Third Brother Hu, hold this for me."

Zhang Wenliang glanced at the can, "This looks like milk?"

Chen Fan smiled, "There's someone selling buffalo milk over there, I thought it looked fresh, so I bought some."

Zhang Wenliang nodded in understanding, but didn't say anything.

Chen Fan handed the can to him, turned around, walked to the foal, and squatted down to take a look.

Master Liu said from the side, "What, Little Chen, do you know how to make horse meat?"

Hearing this, the horse owner's heart suddenly clenched, but thinking about the situation at home, he simply covered his face and didn't look.

Chen Fan turned his head and smiled, "No, I'm just looking at the horse."

Then, touching the horse's head, he neighed a few times, "Where do you feel uncomfortable?"

The foal suddenly froze, tilted its head to look at Chen Fan, and neighed twice as well, "My tummy hurts."

After it neighed, its eyes, which had been as dark as ashes, suddenly brightened up, filled with grievance, and tears instantly filled its eyes.

The people around were amazed by this scene.

Master Liu said loudly, "Oh dear, this foal is destined for you."

Hearing the commotion around him, the horse owner instantly raised his head, and when he saw the scene in front of him, he couldn't help but be stunned.

Chen Fan touched the horse's head, looking at the foal that was snuggling against him with a wronged expression, made a decision in his heart, turned to look at the horse owner, "How much are you selling this horse for?"

The surroundings suddenly quieted down. Secretary Yang and the others wanted to persuade Chen Fan, after all, this horse looked like it was already dying, and buying it back would probably not survive, and would only be slaughtered for meat.

But horse meat has no fat at all, and it's not worth much money at all, so why waste money to buy a horse?

But seeing the horse's appearance again, everyone held their breath in their throats, unable to speak.

Rural people who raise livestock naturally know that some livestock are spiritual. If they don't show it, that's fine, but since they do show it, unless there is really no other way, they will not kill them if they can avoid it, and they will not sell them if they can avoid it.

This horse was clinging to Chen Fan tightly, clearly taking him as a savior, which was completely different from its previous behavior. Perhaps they were really destined for each other?

The horse owner was stunned for several seconds before muttering, "3...30."

Master Liu immediately said, "This horse is almost dead, and you're still selling it for 30?"

The horse owner said with a tearful face, biting his teeth tightly, "25 yuan, that's really the lowest I can go. I spent 3 yuan on mating, 3 or 4 yuan on treating its illness, and there's also the mare's feed for a year..."

Chen Fan waved his hand to interrupt him, "Okay, 25 yuan, deal."