Chapter 99

Xiao Rizi's life was very leisurely and fulfilling. For Qiping, every day now was a good day to enjoy life, and this was truly the most important thing.

Although Heitan seemed a bit unwilling, it did indeed accept the situation. It was just a short ride, and Heitan had no reason to refuse. Although he made many mistakes while practicing riding, he had indeed learned and could now follow Qiping's commands.

The sunshine in California was very comfortable. After stretching, Qiping went out for a stroll. There was no need to worry too much; Heitan ran steadily and smoothly, with little jostling. Wukong was happily eating an apple while sitting on the saddle, while Winnie was rather sad, as it could only stay in the small bag, poking out its fluffy little head.

Comfortable times always seemed to be interrupted by something annoying, like Liangshanbo and Zhu Yingtai. These two could actually fly for a short distance. These two colorful macaws preferred to perch on Qiping's shoulders rather than on the horse's back as their leader required.

They went to see Muses Lake, where the spirit array had stabilized. Although the spiritual energy was still increasing slowly, it was basically at a saturated state.

"This place looks so beautiful, really beautiful!" Qiping held Winnie, not letting it down because it was winter. Although the weather in Ramona was still comfortable, it was winter, and they couldn't spend too much time in the water. "Next year, I'll catch a few ducks and maybe a couple of swans to release here. Then this place will be even more beautiful, a paradise on earth!"

Feeling the comfort brought by the abundant spiritual energy and watching the clean, clear lake surface where fish occasionally leaped, Qiping felt very content. Rowing a small boat and taking a group of noisy and mischievous little brothers was actually quite fun. Especially when a group of fish would swim by the boat, not only Qiping but also Wukong and the others were very happy.

Except for the greedy Winnie, who hugged Qiping's thigh and growled at the lake, everything here seemed harmonious and beautiful.

"I'm fishing now, if you keep making noise, there won't be any fish to eat!" Qiping was a bit frustrated. Winnie was a black bear, and bears really liked to eat fish. The clear water often revealed schools of fish, which made Winnie very hungry. So the original harmony was now disrupted by the desire to fill its stomach.

Although Winnie was very hungry and eager, it knew it couldn't cause trouble. Unfortunately, its usually capable big brother didn't seem to know how to catch fish. The fish he caught were all pitifully small, which made the initially calm Winnie somewhat dissatisfied. It wanted big fish!

Qiping was a bit helpless. He wasn't an expert at fishing; he could only say he knew how to do it and hoped for some luck. Although he had released many bass and salmon into Muses Lake, these fish had only been there for about a month. Even with the abundant spiritual energy, they couldn't grow much in such a short time.

As for the native fish, they hadn't been caught yet, so they could only keep waiting, hoping to catch some big fish to have a feast and satisfy Winnie's appetite. They would need to wait, as the released fish would take at least half a year to fully grow, and even half-grown fish would need two to three months to be ready to eat.

Finally, he managed to catch two fish: a palm-sized salmon and a one-pound American redfish. Everyone was happy with this result, and Qiping had no reason to be dissatisfied. Winnie was also very happy.

The redfish had excellent meat, white and sweet, suitable for steaming, smoking, grilling, or frying. This fish could be farmed in both fresh and saltwater, and the American redfish grew quickly and was easy to raise. Winnie was in luck, as this fish was very delicious and perfect for grilling, which was very popular in the United States.

The salmon naturally belonged to Qiping. Although the redfish was tasty and reasonably priced, it clearly couldn't compare to the world-renowned salmon. This fish had small scales and few bones, with orange-red flesh that was tender and delicious, with a smooth texture, making it one of the most common fish in Western cuisine.

The clean-loving Winnie wouldn't eat unprocessed fish, even though it really liked fish. So Qiping started scaling and gutting the fish. Winnie was pacing around Qiping's feet, looking very eager.

"You like to eat fish but won't do it yourself. I've completely spoiled you, leaving you with no wildness, only mischievousness and cuteness. You should follow me; if you go back to the mountains, you probably won't be able to eat anything, and it's uncertain whether you can find food at all." Watching Winnie happily eating the sliced fish, Qiping laughed.

"You've not only spoiled Winnie, but also Wukong and the others. I can guarantee that they are only happy living in the forest. Here, they have no worries, can play around every day, and you even play games and enjoy good food with them." Kate, who had just come home from work, changed into the slippers Wukong handed her, praised the thoughtful Wukong, and teased Qiping.

"Of course, my little brothers are all very smart." Qiping was indeed proud. Although Wukong and the others now seemed to lack the ability to live independently in the wild, it also meant that Qiping had taken very good care of them. "I used to not understand why some rich people would spend more on their pets than on a person, but now I understand. These guys cost me hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month, but I'm willing to spend it, afraid of making them unhappy."

"Mom told me many times that if a chimpanzee could be half as smart as Wukong, she would be willing to take good care of it." Kate still felt very proud and happy. Wukong and the others were indeed mischievous, but they made life more interesting.

Back home, Wukong would run to get the slippers, even though the shoe cabinet was right by the door. Liangshanbo and Zhu Yingtai would shout a welcome, though it seemed a bit perfunctory. Dongnanxibei would run over wagging their tails. The least enthusiastic was actually Winnie, as it often played its own games and only came to welcome them when in a good mood.

"I also know that Eric often says I don't make money. If Winnie and the others were to do commercials and endorsements, they might earn more in a year than the forest farm produces." Qiping smiled. After the forest farm's vegetable commercial aired, Winnie and the others became very popular, emerging as new advertising stars.

"But Dad said he likes you the most when you're genuine and don't neglect your family for money. Indeed, he has complained many times, and he was very tempted by those offer sheets. Unfortunately, those offers didn't come to him, and he couldn't direct Wukong and the others. So now I have a tough task: to trick Winnie and Wukong out for a day to shoot a commercial, which could earn hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars." Kate kissed Qiping passionately, but the mood was ruined again by Wukong, who shouted and covered his eyes.

"Do you understand my feelings now? Sometimes I really want to drive them away, but I just can't bear to!" Qiping picked up Wukong, who seemed to instantly lose all energy and spirit, becoming limp and letting Qiping shake him. Qiping really couldn't argue with these rascals.

"I understood your feelings a long time ago, ever since they ran into the bedroom and tried to pull the covers off!" Watching Wukong jump and dance triumphantly, Kate suddenly realized that many people only saw their cuteness and intelligence, not their mischievousness.

The two of them chatted and laughed, preparing dinner happily. Although Winnie and the others had become stars after the commercial aired, and Kate had received two invitations, it didn't matter. Life went on; those were just small episodes, and they continued to live their comfortable and happy lives, which were truly beautiful.

"I plan to follow Eric's advice and buy a sports car that suits my status. The SUV is great, but it was initially for its convenience. Now that I have money, I can consider a sports car. A beautiful car and a beautiful woman, that's a man's dream. I've already achieved half of my dream with you, so now I need a sports car." During dinner, Qiping and Kate naturally talked about family matters. People in love always have endless things to talk about.

"OK, I'll be your advisor. Give me two days, and we'll visit all the car dealerships this weekend!" Kate was spirited. Her boyfriend was buying a sports car, and she was of course supportive!