Chapter 48: Feeding, It Turned Out to Be the Pesticide's Fault

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Lin Junsheng sat helplessly on the slightly worn rear seat of Ke Ling’er’s old bicycle. With every bump along the road, his backside felt as if it had endured countless miniature earthquakes, aching so much that he nearly questioned his own existence. This several-hour round trip ride was, to him, an extreme test of the endurance of his rear.

Ke Ling’er, however, seemed powered by a perpetual motion machine. For the sake of the treasured rabbits at home, she pedaled swiftly, the pedals almost smoking from the relentless force. Lin Junsheng quietly marveled at the young woman’s stamina and determination. He doubted even the strong young men of the village could match her.

“Hey, hey, aren’t you exhausted?” Lin Junsheng tried to break the torment with a light tone. But the words scattered into the wind as soon as they left his mouth, and he felt a bit embarrassed by his own feeble attempt.

Unexpectedly, Ke Ling’er heard him. Without turning her head, she replied, “Not tired. Unlike you, with your soft, delicate skin.” Lin Junsheng was at a loss—had this whole family taken some strange medicine?

Though her words carried a teasing tone, they also betrayed the hardships of her life, perhaps something she had long since grown accustomed to. In the village, if the mother and daughter didn’t have fierce personalities, they would surely have been bullied to death. Probably for that reason, both Wang Guifen and Ke Ling’er remained wary of outsiders.

At last, the outline of the village entrance gradually came into view before them. But what greeted them was not peaceful pastoral scenery, but a noisy crowd gathered in a circle, punctuated by intermittent quarrels.

Ke Ling’er’s heart tightened abruptly. That familiar voice instantly made her nervous, and her bike seemed to sense her anxiety, “uncontrollably” speeding up beneath her.

“What’s wrong, Mom?” Her voice shook slightly as she shouted and recklessly pedaled into the crowd. Lin Junsheng clung tightly to the bike frame behind her, silently praying nothing would go wrong.

Wang Guifen was engaged in a heated argument when she suddenly heard her daughter’s call. Turning around, she saw a bicycle charging toward her like a runaway horse. Startled, she quickly stepped back but lost her balance and fell hard onto the dusty ground, wincing in pain.

“Can you ride a bike or not!” Wang Guifen’s voice held some reproach but was mostly the lingering shock of the scare. Seeing it was Ke Ling’er, she swallowed the curse she was about to utter. One can’t curse one’s own daughter.

Ke Ling’er hastily jumped off the bike, guilt written all over her face as she helped her mother up. “Mom, I just couldn’t stop! I’m sorry!” She brushed the dust off her mother’s clothes, her eyes full of concern.

Seeing this, Lin Junsheng swiftly steadied the wobbling bike with a toe, preventing another potential disaster. Ke Ling’er was truly a careless girl, and he was still perched on the back seat.

The crowd had formed a circle, erupting into bursts of laughter and whispers, as if watching an impromptu street drama.

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Intermittent bursts of sarcastic and disdainful laughter floated through the air like summer mosquitoes—annoying, though not deadly.

“Haha, Wang Guifen again. What drama is she putting on today?” A sharp, cutting voice rose from the crowd, accompanied by reckless laughter. Wang Guifen’s mishap had become their favorite gossip.

“Oh, Guifen, your temper’s really something. Careful you don’t scare all the long-haired rabbits in the village to death!” Another villager teased, his tone a mix of mockery and the delight of a spectator, prompting another round of laughter.

“Hmph, I bet she’s gone crazy longing for a man if she can’t even take care of her own long-haired rabbits!” A woman shouted with a shrill voice, full of contempt and scorn.

Faced with the ridicule, Wang Guifen’s face flushed pale and red in turn. She clenched her teeth, suppressing the anger inside.

But then Ke Ling’er stepped forward, scanning the crowd. “What are you laughing at? If your long-haired rabbits got poisoned too, let’s see if you could still laugh!”

The villagers exchanged glances, their expressions varied, but the volume of their voices noticeably dropped.

“What are you staring at? Haven’t you ever seen a woman before?” Wang Guifen’s voice thundered through the crowd. Hands on her hips, brows furrowed, she looked fierce and unyielding.

Lin Junsheng quickly set the bike down firmly, his mind already working out a plan. The long-haired rabbits were the pride and livelihood of Wang Guifen’s family, as well as many others in the village.

Now that the rabbits were poisoned, time was of the essence; he had to act fast.

“Let’s hurry to save the long-haired rabbits.” Lin Junsheng’s words were clear and resolute as he turned and strode toward Wang Guifen’s home. Then he added, “Stop the fuss. The rabbits are waiting for us to help.”

Ke Ling’er said, “Mom, let’s go back first and save the rabbits.”

The three of them quickly walked home under the watchful eyes of the villagers. Seeing Lin Junsheng’s slow pace, Wang Guifen muttered but noticeably slowed down as well.

Behind them, driven by curiosity, groups of villagers followed, talking in whispers. Some frowned in worry, fearing their own rabbits might suffer the same fate. Others were simply curious to see if the sudden poisoning could be cured.

“I heard the poison is pretty potent. I wonder if anyone else’s rabbits got poisoned?” “Hey, Lin Junsheng is usually capable. Maybe this time he can save the rabbits, and we can learn something too.”

Back at Wang Guifen’s house, Lin Junsheng immediately began examining the listless long-haired rabbits. From his medical kit, he took out several medicines and, relying on years of veterinary experience, carefully mixed an antidote in precise proportions.

“Come, hold it down for me,” Lin Junsheng said to Ke Ling’er.

Ke Ling’er quickly stepped forward, gently restraining a rabbit’s body while Lin Junsheng swiftly and accurately injected the needle into its skin.

As the medicine slowly entered, the once limp rabbit began to react. It trembled faintly at first, then gradually regained strength, attempting to stand and even nibbling on the nearby hay.

This scene made everyone present breathe a sigh of relief. Wang Guifen’s eyes reddened with emotion as she held Lin Junsheng’s hand tightly, repeatedly thanking him. “Junsheng, thank goodness for you. These rabbits are our lifeblood!”

Lin Junsheng smiled and shook his head, signaling no thanks necessary.

Soon, Lin Junsheng had injected the antidote into all the long-haired rabbits, each one regaining vigor. The villagers watching from outside applauded.

“Didn’t expect this lame guy to have some skill.”

“What lame guy? You speak so badly of him. My old yellow ox nearly died this year if it weren’t for Lin the vet.”

“Exactly, he also taught me how to raise my pigs.”

“Ah, what a pity good people get no reward. A good man, and yet he broke his leg.”

Lin Junsheng finished cleaning up the medicines and glanced at Wang Guifen. “Auntie, what have you been feeding these rabbits lately?”

Wang Guifen looked toward her daughter. Usually, Ke Ling’er was the one feeding them.

Ke Ling’er thought for a moment. “Just Sudan grass, same as usual.”

Suddenly, a villager from the crowd spoke up. “Wait, isn’t there a patch of fruit trees near that Sudan grass field? I saw someone spraying chemicals there yesterday. Could it be related to that?”

Ke Ling’er’s eyes brightened. “Right! I went to cut grass in that field yesterday!”

Lin Junsheng had already reached a conclusion.

He explained, “That makes sense. It’s likely the pesticide residue from the fruit trees contaminated the grass. The rabbits ate the grass and got poisoned. This wasn’t deliberate poisoning, just a misunderstanding.”

Hearing this, Wang Guifen and Ke Ling’er both exhaled in relief, though concern quickly returned. “What do we do now? Can the rabbits still be eaten?”

Lin Junsheng smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry. I’ve given them the antidote. They’ll recover quickly. Just be careful when cutting grass in the future—avoid areas recently sprayed.”

After speaking, he checked each rabbit’s condition again, confirming they were gradually improving.

...

Lin Junsheng had now returned home.

Lin Junwan sat by his bedside and asked, “Brother, who was that girl who gave you a ride? She’s quite lively.”

“You, stop worrying unnecessarily. That’s Wang Guifen’s daughter.”

“Ah? Her daughter? Looks like I don’t stand a chance then.”