Leisurely Life: I Have Ten Thousand Acres of Grassland

Chapter 275 - 272: The Ranch Owner’s Winter Plan!

The days are getting increasingly leisurely.

Jiang Feng feels bored and plans to find something to do.

He considers his abilities; some skills have been acquired but not yet used.

For example, swimming specialization, skydiving specialization, short knife and dagger skills, fishing master skills.

He also hasn’t experienced feline affinity yet.

But farming, veterinary, horse training, cooking, weather skills are frequently used.

It’s mid-October now, and the temperature on the grassland is already very low. It’s not advisable to stay outside for long at night, so staying in a warm room is a must.

Especially when it rains, the weather is even more chilly.

Thankfully, the ranch has early installed heating.

During this period, Jiang Feng took the staff to check the warmth and ventilation of the cattle pens, horse paddocks, sheep pens, deer shed, and pig pens, as well as the sanitation conditions.

There’s no problem with safely getting through the winter.

This year has been favorable, with over 4,500 sheep and 500 cattle being raised well.

A portion was sold in the autumn, and counting the milk, camel milk, wool, and sold forage, the annual income is about 12 million.

Now the number of cattle and sheep is reduced, with only over 2,000 sheep remaining, but the herd will surge again next spring.

After a busy year, Jiang Feng plans to take a rest.

So, he discussed with Liu Yiyi to go on vacation to Hainan this winter.

Not only Northeast people fear the cold and like to go to Hainan, but actually, people from Inner Mongolia are also pretty afraid of the cold, considering the similar latitudes.

But herders have cattle and sheep to watch over in the winter, so they can’t just leave. Land in the Northeast doesn’t need to be farmed during winter, hence they are relatively freer.

Jiang Feng has arrangements for the ranch.

He calls his dad.

"Hey, Dad, what are you busy with these days?"

"Get to the point."

"Can you help me look after the ranch later? I want to go on a trip for a few days."

"How many days? You need me to look after it for just a few days?" Jiang Shan usually appears unassuming but is very shrewd and quick to react.

"More than a month, winter doesn’t have much going on, just adding forage. You and Old Yang can get together."

"Okay, I’ll look after the ranch."

Jiang Shan agrees to take care of the ranch.

As the head, if Jiang Feng leaves for a long time, having family watch over the ranch is necessary; entrusting it entirely to the staff won’t work.

Coincidentally, Jiang Shan has been idle for over a year since retiring.

Helping Jiang Feng check on the ranch and the cattle and sheep and taking Border Collies on the pasture stroll would be nice too.

Anyway, the ranch is quite suitable for retirement.

In the yard, the livestream is on; the dogs are resting, and two grown little foxes are running around.

Jiang Feng teases the little guys and says to the viewers:

"It’s winter again."

"The ranch doesn’t have much livestream content in winter, the pasture is deserted, and cattle and sheep are in the pens with many animals disappearing."

"So we’re planning to have a winter vacation by the sea this year."

"It’s the perfect time to take a vacation after a busy half year."

"There are lots of livestream content by the sea."

Hearing Jiang Feng’s words, the fans in the livestream room naturally get excited.

[Manager, you’ve been busy for half a year? Are you serious?]

[My dad retired and isn’t as idle as you!]

[Going to the beach? The manager is going for big action!]

[Awesome, love watching the manager’s stream, got a bit tired of watching grassland life, a change of scenery would be more fun!]

Last winter’s streaming was very short because there wasn’t much content to stream.

Outside, there’s only the howling wind and the snow-covered landscape.

The animals mostly stay indoors without moving.

Going to the beach for two months, seeing the scenery, is just right.

He can also accumulate some popularity value for a lottery, swim, fish, surf, and more.

Having a beautiful and well-shaped girlfriend accompany him.

Just the thought feels nice.

Jiang Feng looks at the animals in the yard, contemplating who to bring along.

Cat Boss definitely won’t go; other stray cats like to wander around, not suitable for vacation.

White Wolf can’t be taken due to being a protected animal; Mongolian Mastiff is too fierce, no need to bring Lucky and Wealthy; otherwise, there’d be too many Border Collies.

After considering, he decides only Xiaojin Hua and the gray parrot can go along.

On the second day, Jiang Shan arrives at the ranch.

Jiang Feng briefs him on the ranch matters, like how to feed White Wolf, how to feed the deer, and so forth.

Jiang Shan looks at White Wolf, becomes increasingly fond of it, and asks:

"This wolf doesn’t bite, right?"

Jiang Feng replies:

"It was raised by Wealthy since young, grew up with Xiaojin Hua, has more of a Border Collie’s temperament, but sometimes it will howl like a wolf."

After hearing Jiang Feng’s words, Jiang Shan immediately goes to the kitchen, finds some cooked tripe meat, and returns to the yard to feed White Wolf.

Jiang Shan also likes dogs, especially wolfdogs, hence he’s been keeping Old Hei.

Old Hei is also in the yard, resting in a cozy corner.

Therefore, Jiang Shan particularly likes White Wolf.

He squats in front of White Wolf to feed it, and White Wolf glances at Jiang Feng, seemingly trying to gauge his intention.

"Eat up, eat up; my dad will be taking care of you all."

Jiang Feng said to White Wolf.

Only then did White Wolf eat the stuffed pork belly.

Jiang Shan grew fonder of White Wolf, patting its head, feeling majestic, as if rekindling his wild nature.

Which man living on the grassland doesn’t want a commanding White Wolf as a pet!

Then, Jiang Shan noticed a rabbit cage on a nearby vacant lot, filled with vegetable leaves.

So he asked:

"Are these rabbits White Wolf’s food?"

Upon hearing Jiang Shan’s words, Jiang Feng said:

"Raised them for fun, but they really aren’t easy to keep."

Rabbits are indeed not suitable as pets, they are active, make a mess, have low intelligence, and smell bad.

Raising them isn’t all that enjoyable.

Of course, this refers to ordinary rabbits.

If they’re expensive, specifically bred pet rabbits, they can be good pets too.

Ordinary rabbits are raised to be food, just like pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks, and geese.

Jiang Shan said again: "Then I’ll find some time to roast them, these rabbits look pretty fat."

Hearing this, Jiang Feng pondered for a moment and replied:

"Let’s raise them for another month, wait till I get back to roast, save one for me."

Rabbits are very cute, but there’s nothing to be done, domesticated rabbits are for eating.

Especially in the Sichuan-Chongqing Region, the number of rabbits that die each year could loop around the earth several times.

In the following days, Jiang Shan got familiar with the ranch’s situation.

He now acted as the general manager hired by Jiang Feng, in charge of the ranch’s daily operations.

Jiang Shan is a shrewd person, more meticulous in managing staff than Jiang Feng, so the ranch’s development is certainly not an issue.

Jiang Feng contacted Liu Yiyi again.

Liu Yiyi had already spoken to the school, arranging to take the winter vacation a month earlier. With her aunt there, there was no issue.

Moreover, to be fair, having a diploma or not makes no difference to her.

After all... she isn’t looking for a job.

The two agreed on the time, and Jiang Feng was busy finding a seaside villa for rent in Hainan, one with a small yard.

Renting a small villa for a month isn’t expensive, but during holidays, the price certainly rises, especially the month around the Spring Festival when rent is particularly high.

However, regular monthly rents are quite cheap, with slightly out-of-the-way seaside cottages costing just three thousand a month.

A bit better ones in more popular areas usually range from five thousand to ten thousand.

For instance, in Haikou, a small villa valued at six million, ten minutes’ walk from the beach, has a monthly rent of six thousand.

The closer to popular areas, the more expensive; seaside villas in Sanya are definitely the priciest.

Yet in November and December, the prices aren’t too high.

For twenty thousand a month, one can rent a standalone five-bedroom villa in Yalong Bay, covering 1,100 sqm, with a swimming pool.

But with just Jiang Feng and Liu Yiyi, renting such a large villa feels lonely.

A two-story European-style small villa with a small yard is best, there’s no need for a swimming pool; otherwise, you’d have to change the water yourself, or it’ll be full of leaves, quite a hassle.

So, Jiang Feng directly contacted a friend in Hainan, renting a villa by the seaside in Yalong Bay, Sanya, for a month, with the rent being fifteen thousand.

Fifteen thousand for rent is already quite high.

Compared to monthly mortgage payments, this price is in the range of wealthy people’s travel budgets.

That night, Jiang Feng packed his luggage, reminding his father not to forget to tally up the monthly accounts, keeping the account book and receipts together securely.

The next morning, Jiang Feng was ready to depart.

"Xiaojin Hua, go say goodbye to them."

Jiang Feng called out to Xiaojin Hua.

Xiaojin Hua immediately dashed over, hugged White Wolf, rubbed against the Mongolian Mastiff, then bounced a few times by its parents.

The dog is very smart, knowing it’s going far away.

Moreover, Xiaojin Hua knew it would see its wife again.

The weather was a bit chilly, the animals could also have a good rest.

Jiang Feng petted Lucky and Wealthy, smiling: "You two worked the hardest this year, have a good rest at home."

Then he said to the Mongolian Mastiff and White Wolf: "You two stay home and relax too, we can’t take you with us."

Next, he went to the stables to check on Red Hare and the donkey family, as well as the poor Little July and Little September.

Honestly, leaving for a month or two, Jiang Feng did feel quite reluctant about these animals.

But it’s only a month or two.

During winter, the animals rested comfortably in warm shelters.

Except for the camel, which was outdoors, but its pen was wrapped in felt, keeping the wind out.

Without the cold wind blowing, it wasn’t cold at all for the camel.

The cold of the grassland is mostly due to strong winds.

Jiang Feng got into the car, with Hadan acting as the driver.

Other staff members also came to see him off.

Bugude laughed: "Director, take a good rest, remember to bring back some specialties."

Zhu Huo also said: "We will definitely work well, rest assured, Director."

Jiang Feng waved to everyone, then left the ranch, taking Xiaojin Hua and his two house-demolishing rascals, along with a sly grey parrot.

The winter grassland was cold, the life of herders slightly difficult, and the ranch seemed to enter hibernation.

Taking advantage of this time, Jiang Feng went out to relax, feeling comfortable.

There had been no livestreaming for several days, the fans all knew he was heading to the sea, looking forward to his early start.

The Grassland King is coming to the seaside for a holiday!