The morning after the storm, the East Hill was alive with color.
The sun, still low on the horizon, baked the damp earth, sending wisps of steam rising from the grass. The air smelled of wet pine and sweet soil—a raw, earthy scent that Chen Yuan had never truly appreciated in his past life of air-conditioned offices.
He stood outside the makeshift shelter, stretching his stiff back. His hands were rough now, the blisters having hardened into thick calluses.
Beside him, Xu Tie was already awake. The veteran sat on a flat rock, methodically wiping down a long, curved blade he had brought with him. It wasn't a sword, but a specialized brush-clearing tool, yet in Xu Tie's hands, it looked as deadly as any weapon.
"You move like an old man," Xu Tie commented without looking up. "Your back is stiff. Your steps are heavy."
"I was digging trenches all night," Chen Yuan retorted, though he knew the man was right. His body lacked the conditioning for this life.
"Digging builds muscle, but it ruins agility," Xu Tie said. He stood up, sheathing the blade. "If a wolf comes, you can't dig a hole fast enough. You need to be light."
He tossed a sturdy wooden staff to Chen Yuan.
"Ten minutes. Do the forms I showed you."
Chen Yuan caught the staff. It was heavy, rough-hewn wood.
Since Xu Tie had unofficially joined the hill crew two days ago, he had begun imposing a strange routine on Chen Yuan. Every morning, before the sheep were let out to graze, Chen Yuan had to practice "forms"—simple, repetitive movements meant to improve balance and core strength.
Chen Yuan assumed the starting position. Feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
"Begin," Xu Tie barked.
Chen Yuan moved. Step, twist, thrust. Step, twist, thrust. It looked like a dance, but Xu Tie claimed it was a simplified spear drill used by border infantry.
"Your center is high!" Xu Tie corrected, tapping Chen Yuan's hip with his own staff. "Lower! If a horse charges you, you must be a rock, not a twig!"
Sweat quickly beaded on Chen Yuan's forehead. It was exhausting, far harder than it looked.
Little Stone, who was busy weeding the grass nursery nearby, stopped to watch. He chewed on a grass stalk, his eyes wide.
"Boss looks like a performer in the city!" Little Stone laughed.
"Focus on your work, or no dinner!" Chen Yuan grunted between thrusts, causing Little Stone to scurry back to the weeds.
After the drill, Chen Yuan was panting, his legs trembling. But his mind felt clear. The morning mist seemed to sharpen his focus.
"The sheep are grazing well," Xu Tie noted, nodding towards the small flock. They were contentedly munching on the lush Ryegrass that had sprung up seemingly overnight. "Their coats are smoother. Less dull."
"The grass is working," Chen Yuan said, wiping his face. He walked over to the fence to observe them closely.
*System, scan herd health.*
**[Scanning...]**
**[Herd Status: Improving.]**
**[Sheep 1 (Ram): Muscle density +2%.]**
**[Sheep 2 & 3 (Ewes): Digestive health optimal.]**
**[Dietary Note: Current intake of Ryegrass is boosting metabolism. Recommend mineral supplementation for further growth.]**
*Mineral supplementation,* Chen Yuan thought. *Salt. They need salt. And maybe bone meal.*
It was another expense, but a necessary one.
"I need to go to the village," Chen Yuan said. "I need to check on the family and see about buying some salt licks."
"Go," Xu Tie said, sitting back down. "I'll watch the hill. No wolf gets past me."
Chen Yuan nodded. The trust between them was growing quiet and solid, built on shared sweat and the rhythm of work.
* * *
Chen Yuan walked down the hill, enjoying the cool breeze.
The wheat fields at the base of the hill were a vibrant green, the storm having given them a much-needed drink. Farmers were already out, hoeing the furrows.
As he passed the edge of the fields, he heard arguing.
"Admit it! Your dog ruined my ridge!"
The voice was shrill and sharp. Chen Yuan recognized it instantly. It was his Second Aunt—his father's younger brother's wife. She was a woman known for her sharp tongue and petty greed.
Standing opposite her was Old Man Zhang, a neighbor. He looked flustered, holding a hoe.
"I told you, Auntie, it wasn't my dog! It was a badger!" Zhang defended.
"Badger? Do you think I'm blind? The tracks are right there!" Second Aunt pointed aggressively.
Chen Yuan sighed. He had hoped to avoid family drama this morning.
He walked over. "Second Aunt."
The woman spun around. She was middle-aged, with a round face and thin lips. When she saw Chen Yuan, her eyes lit up—calculation flickering behind her smile.
"Oh! San Lang!" She instantly switched from shrew to doting aunt. "Look at you, walking around! Your mother said you were working on the hill. Working so hard!"
"Greetings, Second Aunt," Chen Yuan said politely. "Is there a problem?"
"This old Zhang let his dog trample my bean sprouts!" she complained, pointing to a small patch of trampled seedlings. "He refuses to pay!"
Zhang looked helplessly at Chen Yuan. "San Lang, you're a reasonable man. Look at those prints. Are those dog prints?"
Chen Yuan knelt down. He looked at the mud.
In his past life, he might not have known. But living in the country, and with the System's subtle enhancement of his observation skills, he could see the details.
The prints were deep, with claw marks. But the pattern was chaotic, not the steady trot of a dog.
"Second Aunt," Chen Yuan said, standing up. "This looks like a wild boar piglet. See how the earth is rooted up here? A dog steps; a boar digs."
Second Aunt's face stiffened. "Boar? Nonsense! It was Zhang's dog!"
"Auntie," Chen Yuan said, his voice firm but respectful. "If it was a boar, Brother Zhang isn't responsible. In fact, he should be thanked for chasing it away before it ruined more."
He turned to Zhang. "Right, Brother Zhang?"
Zhang nodded vigorously. "Yes! Yes! I chased it off!"
Second Aunt glared at Chen Yuan. She realized she couldn't bully her way through with him present.
"Hmph! You always side with outsiders, San Lang!" She waved her hand dismissively. "Fine. But don't come crying to me when you need help."
She stomped off towards the village.
Zhang let out a long breath. "Thank you, San Lang. She was about to demand a quart of beans."
"Don't mention it, Uncle Zhang," Chen Yuan smiled. "Just keep an eye out. If there's a piglet around, the mother might be nearby."
"I will. Be careful."
* * *
Chen Yuan continued towards his home, but he hadn't gone far when he heard footsteps behind him.
"San Lang! Wait!"
It was his cousin, Chen Bao—the son of the Second Aunt he had just dealt with. Chen Bao was twenty years old, lazy, and prone to gambling. He was the black sheep of the extended family.
Chen Yuan stopped. "Cousin Bao."
Chen Bao jogged up, panting. He wore a flashy, though cheap, blue tunic. He had a ingratiating smile on his face.
"I heard from Mother... you made money selling grass?" Chen Bao asked, rubbing his hands together. "Forty-five coins? That's amazing!"
"It was a lucky sale," Chen Yuan said cautiously. "Just a one-time thing."
"Come on, don't be modest!" Chen Bao laughed, slapping Chen Yuan's shoulder. "We are family! I was thinking... I want to help you. You need labor on that hill, right? I can help! I'm strong!"
He flexed his arm, though his muscle was soft from lack of work.
Chen Yuan looked at him. He knew exactly what Chen Bao wanted. A salary. Free food. And he would probably do nothing but sleep under a tree.
"We don't have money for extra labor yet," Chen Yuan said. "I'm barely paying Little Stone, and he works like an ox."
"Forget money for now," Chen Bao waved his hand. "Just feed me! And maybe... lend me a hundred coins? I have a friend in town who has a 'sure thing' at the dice tables. If I win, I'll pay you back double!"
Chen Yuan's expression hardened.
"Cousin," he said, his voice dropping. "I don't have money to lend. And even if I did, I wouldn't lend it for gambling."
Chen Bao's smile vanished. His face darkened.
"What? You trust a beggar boy like Little Stone, but not your own cousin? We share the same grandfather's blood!"
"Little Stone works," Chen Yuan said simply. "If you want to help, come up the hill tomorrow. Carry rocks. Clear thorns. I'll pay you the same as him—two copper coins a day. If you work, you eat. If you don't, you leave."
Chen Bao stared at him as if Chen Yuan had insulted his ancestors.
"Carry rocks? For two coins? I'm not a beggar!" He spat on the ground. "Fine! Keep your money! But don't think you're better than us just because you sold some weeds. You're still just a farmer!"
Chen Bao stormed off, cursing under his breath.
Chen Yuan watched him go. He felt a headache coming.
*Family,* he thought. *The hardest fence to build is the one around your own kin.*
* * *
When Chen Yuan arrived home, the courtyard was quiet.
He found his father, Chen Dazhong, fixing a broken cart wheel in the shed.
"Father."
Chen Dazhong looked up. "You're back. How is the hill?"
"Dry. The sheep are good. Xu Tie is watching them."
Chen Yuan sat on a stool. "Father... I need to talk to you about the family."
Chen Dazhong stopped hammering. He sensed the seriousness in his son's tone. "Is it about the tax?"
"No. It's about Uncle and Second Aunt," Chen Yuan said. "They are jealous. Cousin Bao just tried to borrow money for gambling. When I refused, he was angry. They will cause trouble if we aren't careful."
Chen Dazhong sighed, wiping his hands on a rag. "I know. Your uncle... he was always the favorite when we were young. He got the education, I got the farm. But he failed. He couldn't pass the exams, and he couldn't keep a job. Now, he feels the world owes him."
"They will try to leech off us," Chen Yuan said. "Especially if we start making real money. We need to be firm."
"I will handle your uncle," Chen Dazhong said, though he looked tired. "You focus on the ranch. Don't let them drag you down."
He picked up his hammer again, then paused.
"San Lang."
"Yes, Father?"
"If you really start making money... don't forget your brothers. Shan and Hu work hard. They deserve a share."
"I won't, Father," Chen Yuan promised. "This isn't just for me. It's for all of us. Even Little Ming."
He stood up. "Father, I have another plan. The sheep are good, but they are slow money. To really change our fate... we need cattle."
"Cattle?" Chen Dazhong shook his head. "A good ox costs five taels of silver. A cow, maybe four. We don't have that kind of capital."
"I know," Chen Yuan said. "But I'm not looking for a plow ox. I'm looking for... a calf. A cheap, weak calf that no one wants. I can raise it."
He thought of the *Brahman* upgrade path. He needed a base stock. A local calf.
"It's a risk," Chen Dazhong frowned. "Calves die easily."
"Not with my grass," Chen Yuan said confidently. "I'll keep looking. When the time is right, I'll buy one."
Chen Dazhong looked at his son. He saw a vision that he couldn't see himself, but he trusted the eyes looking back at him.
"Alright. Save your money. When you have enough, tell me. We'll go to the market together."
"Thank you, Father."
* * *
That evening, Chen Yuan sat by the oil lamp in his room.
He counted his money.
Twelve copper coins from his savings (after paying Little Stone).
Forty-five coins from the grass sale.
Total: Fifty-seven coins.
He needed three thousand to five hundred coins for a calf (roughly 3-5 taels of silver). He was barely 1% of the way there.
He looked at the system interface.
**[Current Funds: 57 Copper.]**
**[Target: Purchase Local Calf.]**
**[Fund Gap: Critical.]**
He needed a breakthrough. The grass was good, but it was volume work. He needed a product with higher margin.
He looked at the sheep dung bucket in the corner.
*System, can we use this?*
**[Waste Analysis: Sheep manure + Ryegrass stalks + Soil.]**
**[Potential: Organic Fertilizer (High Grade).]**
**[Note: Fermentation required.]**
Chen Yuan's eyes lit up.
Farmers in this world used manure, but they usually just threw raw dung on the fields. It burned the crops and smelled terrible. If he could produce fermented, high-quality fertilizer pellets...
*The farmers need fertilizer. The town gardens need fertilizer.*
"Little Ming," Chen Yuan whispered.
The boy looked up from his book, rubbing his eyes. "Yes, Third Brother?"
"Do we have any old broken jars? The big ones for pickling?"
"I think Mother has some in the storage room. Why?"
"I'm going to start a new project," Chen Yuan smiled. "One that doesn't require lifting rocks."
He would turn waste into gold. The ranch wasn't just about meat. It was an ecosystem.
And Chen Yuan was starting to see how the pieces fit together.