146: Bathing the animals

An Lan looked at the Honeycomb Briquettes and couldn't help but marvel, "How do you even know how to make Honeycomb Briquettes?!"

The corners of Lu Fan's mouth curled up, and he smiled like a cat that had just caught a fish. "My family's last three generations were glorious; my grandfather used to be a great coal miner."

The livestream room instantly became lively.

"Haha, my family is also three generations of glory; my grandfather was a textile mill worker."

"Haha, not only were my ancestors glorious, but by my generation, it's 'supreme glory'—truly proletariat, with absolutely nothing."

"Sigh, am I the only one whose great-grandfather went to prison back in those years?"

"On what charges?"

"Colluding with the Communists."

"6"

The next morning, the warm sunlight was like a golden veil, gently passing through the gaps in the Shelter and softly falling on Lu Fan and An Lan's faces.

An Lan was the first to wake up slowly from her slumber. She took a long stretch and walked toward the corner where the yogurt was stored with sleepy eyes.

"Wow, Lu Fan, come look!" An Lan's surprised voice instantly broke the morning silence.

Lu Fan sat up from the bed in a daze, his hair looking like a messy bird's nest. He mumbled with bleary eyes, "What's wrong? An earthquake?"

"Look at the yogurt we made; it's fermented!" An Lan pointed excitedly at the earthenware jar, her eyes sparkling like stars.

Lu Fan snapped awake and jumped off the bed like an agile monkey, leaning in close. "Really! Quick, let me taste it."

Saying that, he couldn't wait to pick up a spoon and take a big mouthful.

The yogurt was delicate and silky, the sweet and sour taste spreading happily on the tip of his tongue. His eyes lit up, and he said indistinctly, "This taste is amazing! We could practically open a dessert shop!"

An Lan smiled and took a taste as well, then turned to start getting busy in the kitchen.

After a while, she brought out a plate of brightly colored fruit salad. Every piece of fruit was coated in thick yogurt, emitting an inviting aroma as if summoning them to hurry and taste it.

"Come, try my fruit yogurt salad. I guarantee you won't be able to stop once you start!" An Lan said with confidence.

The two sat at the dining table, enjoying the delicious breakfast and chatting happily.

The sunlight fell on them, outlining a warm and beautiful scene, as if time had frozen at this moment.

After finishing the meal, An Lan looked at Lu Fan's lush stubble and couldn't help but tease, "Your beard is growing too crazily, like a primitive man's. Let me shave it for you today, or I'll soon stop recognizing you."

Lu Fan touched his beard and chuckled, "Sure, I also feel like this beard is quite prickly. Every day it feels like there are little brushes brushing against my face."

An Lan found a razor and hot water, had Lu Fan sit on a chair, and then skillfully helped him apply the foam.

Holding the razor, she moved it carefully across Lu Fan's face, as if carving an incredibly precious work of art.

Lu Fan kept his eyes tightly shut, muttering, "Be gentle, my handsome face depends entirely on your mercy. If you leave a scar, I won't be able to carry my idol baggage anymore."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I'll protect your handsomeness," An Lan replied with a smile.

Just then, An Lan accidentally touched Lu Fan's chin with the razor. He hissed and cried out exaggeratedly, "What happened? Is it bleeding? My face, beautiful as flowers and jade!"

"Don't move! If you move again, I'll really cut you. Don't blame me then," An Lan said, feigning anger.

After finally finishing the shave, Lu Fan looked into the water basin and his eyes immediately lit up. "Wow, how am I still so handsome? I'm practically the wilderness version of Leonardo DiCaprio. This look is incredible!"

An Lan was amused by his words and laughed heartily. "You're so glib. But you do look much more energetic after shaving."

After shaving, Lu Fan looked at the filthy Big Black and had a sudden idea. "Say, they haven't had a bath in a long time. How about we give them a bath today too? Let them freshen up."

An Lan nodded in agreement. "Sure, it's a good time to give them a thorough cleaning. They've been so dirty lately, they're almost turning into little mud monkeys."

So, the two took buckets and honey locust to a wider pool.

Big Horn, Big Black, and the others seemed to know they were getting a bath, running around the water's edge excitedly and letting out happy cries from time to time.

An Lan first led Big Horn into the water. Big Horn stood obediently in the water, letting An Lan pour water over it with the bucket.

It wagged its tail occasionally, as if saying, "So comfortable, more please."

Lu Fan took a bunch of dried grass and carefully brushed Big Horn's coat.

He didn't miss a single corner, muttering, "This is really black, so filthy. What kind of mischief did you get into?"

Big Horn flicked its tail as if responding to his words, "Think about who helped you pull the coal; these are the marks of hard work."

After bathing Big Horn, they bathed Lightning and Baa Baa.

Big Black waited eagerly on the side, occasionally coming over to sniff and nudge them.

"Big Black, come here." Lu Fan massaged his aching lower back.

As soon as Big Black heard its name, it jumped excitedly into the water, splashing a huge amount of water and getting both Lu Fan and An Lan wet.

"You silly dog, can't you be a bit more behaved? Now we're both like drowned rats," Lu Fan scolded with a laugh.

Big Black swam around happily in the water like a naughty child, splashing water with its paws from time to time, having a great time.

After finally catching Big Black, Lu Fan and An Lan started to help it bathe.

While enjoying the fun of bathing, Big Black would occasionally shake its body, splashing water everywhere as if playing a splashing game with them.

The washed animals looked brand new, their fur becoming fluffy and soft, emitting a fresh scent.

They ran happily on the grass as if celebrating their "rebirth," chasing each other in a lively scene.

Watching their happy state, Lu Fan suddenly remembered the experience of his thighs being rubbed raw the last few times he rode the horse.

He frowned and said to An Lan, "I need to make a saddle. Every time I ride, my thighs get rubbed until I can't take it. This won't do; if it continues, my thighs are going to protest."

An Lan expressed her support. "Sure, if you can make one, riding will be much more comfortable in the future, and you won't have to suffer with your thighs anymore."

Lu Fan began searching everywhere for suitable materials.

He found some thick leather, along with some wood and rope.

He first used the wood to make the frame of the saddle, then carefully fixed the leather onto the frame.

As he worked, he muttered, "This is my lifesaver; I absolutely can't mess it up, or my horse-riding career will be ruined."

During the production process, he encountered many difficulties.

For example, the leather cutting was never quite right, and the rope wouldn't stay tight.

But Lu Fan didn't give up. He constantly adjusted and improved, mumbling, "I don't believe I can't handle you. Just watch how I turn you into a perfect saddle."