Chapter 1: The Second Generation of Shepherds

The eyes cannot adapt to the light either, and even squinting slightly is uncomfortable; I can only pretend to be blind and keep them closed all day.

Grandmother took the baby from her daughter-in-law's hands, her face beaming with joy

In the yard enclosed by a fence, the grass extends from the entrance outward, where a solitary Angus cow swishes its tail while grazing, displaying a very robust physique

After speaking, he waved his hand and gently touched the child's smooth little face. Grandfather Han Qi did the same, and casually pinched it as well, probably because it felt so good that he didn't let go for quite a while

If one can take a moment to reflect, the time has returned to 1983, and perhaps my father is still in the corner wearing split-crotch pants and playing in the mud! Thinking this way brings a sense of comfort to the heart

The time is approaching noon

Now she is embracing her life, her mother named Guo Feng, and her father Han Qianshan, who drives cattle with a group of cowboys, are both Chinese Americans, having come to the United States from their grandfather's generation

The older generation is able to endure hardships, and through the efforts of two generations, they have accumulated a considerable fortune

More than a month is sufficient for Han Xuan to gain clarity on many matters

Han Xuan bit her lip, tears streaming down her face

Newborn babies have limited cognitive capacity, and thinking about things can be exhausting for them

Han Xuan, in a daze, was lifted up before he could think carefully. He only heard a woman softly saying: "Good baby, it's time to drink milk, you must grow up quickly"

Chinese people have a strong inclination to purchase land, which has become an instinctive desire ingrained in our very genes

What humiliation, what indignation, when will these days come to an end

Of course, Han Xuan was meeting them for the first time. When he first saw the elderly couple, his mother was holding him and walking towards the gate of the courtyard, smiling and saying loudly: "Dad, Mom, you are here! I received a call yesterday saying you were in Utah, I didn't expect you to arrive so soon"

Next to the Flathead National Forest, one can indeed see a stretch of continuous snow-capped mountains in the distance from behind the house. The elders feel that this name is fitting, and the couple also likes it very much, so they simply decided to keep this original name

The sunlight filters through the birch forest, where a thick layer of yellowed leaves has fallen at the roots of the trees, creating a beautiful scene from a distance

Han Xuan always felt that something was amiss, but he could not pinpoint where the mistake lay

After more than ten days, the new mother was able to get out of bed and walk. Nurse Bella returned, and Han Qianshan personally drove her to Big Falls City

Han! Bao! Bao!

The calves leisurely stroll, led by the head cow, heading towards the last wave of fresh pasture before the arrival of winter

Usually, the baby does not cry or fuss. Apart from sleeping, most of the time the baby lies down playing with their fingers or contemplating life, appearing very serious, which, combined with that little face, is indescribably amusing

In harmony, the large and small ones interacted very well, while Guo's mother smiled nearby, observing the serious expression of the baby

At that moment, a pair of grateful, watery eyes suddenly turned towards me

The calendar on the pine wall clearly marked 1983, and the "high-end" 19-inch black-and-white television in the house also attested to this fact

He is truly adorable, I am completely in love with him! Old Patton turned to Guo Feng, who had just stood in front of him, and laughed loudly: Haha, you two continue your conversation, I need to go finish fixing the fence, remember to bring some good wine in a few days!

Korean Hyun can understand English, as he learned it when he was young after being beaten with a stick by his father

Two years ago, this couple got married; one could say they were childhood sweethearts. Considering this, they arranged to acquire this Snow Mountain Ranch, which spans over 20,000 acres, abbreviated as S.M.R. Ranch, meaning "Snow Mountain Ranch" in Chinese

Before long, a bright red Ferrari 250GT convertible drove over, and from a distance, an old man wearing sunglasses waved and called out: "Hey! Grandson!"

There is no need for further care, as the couple finds taking care of their son exceptionally easy, completely contrary to what others have said about it being difficult, such as bedwetting and crying at night

The sound of a car engine roared along the path in the woods, as a vintage Cadillac drove up to the front of the courtyard.

Grandmother was carrying a large bag filled with various items, most of which appeared to be clothing and supplies for children. She lightly kicked the unscrupulous old man and scolded, "You should be more careful, what if you hurt your eldest grandson"

The couple, unable to find a solution, pondered back and forth and decided to give Han Xuan a nickname

What is pudding, and what is a son?

Recalling Bella's astonished expression as she left, Mother Gu felt a sense of smug satisfaction

Because the son wants to urinate, or is hungry, he will cry out a couple of times, always squatting nearby. The beige Labrador, responsible for watching over him, will immediately go to find the female or male owner to resolve the situation.

Baby, um, can you understand this sentence, milk... milk!

At this time, the US dollar had not yet depreciated as it would in later years. The onset of the economic crisis has led to widespread unemployment among Americans. Of course, in an era without advanced machinery, relying solely on manual milking represented a significant daily expense.

The snow mountain ranch has more than 300 Holstein dairy cows in total, with each cow producing between 7,000 and 8,000 kilograms of milk annually. Calculating based on one gallon being approximately 3.78 liters, the income from selling milk alone amounts to over 100,000 U.S. dollars each year

The cold air from northern Canada is about to move southward, and the purple alfalfa flowers have been harvested, leaving behind short roots, which will be stored as winter feed for cattle and sheep.

Old cowboy Barton is repairing the fence. A couple of days ago, a temperamental cow kicked it down. He clearly recognized the car, put down his work, looked up, and shouted cheerfully to Fang at the door: "Hey! Han, it's great to see you, my friend. Let's go fishing by the lake when I have some free time! There are quite a few big ones in the lake right now"

There are the bleating sounds of sheep outside, huh, what is that noise? A Labrador dog licks his face with a big tongue, leaving it covered in saliva. Immediately, a woman's teasing voice can be heard beside him, as she takes a towel to wipe his face.

The Cadillac Eldorado, showing signs of age, slowly opened its doors. A Chinese man in his fifties stepped out from the driver's seat; he was Han Qi, the grandfather of Han Baobao in this lifetime. Meanwhile, his grandmother was descending from the passenger seat.

The woman only saw her son clenching his fists, kicking his legs, his little face scrunched up, and he kept humming. She thought he was uncomfortable being held, so she changed her position and tried again

Has turned into a child

Han Xuan helplessly rolled his eyes, raised his hand to interrupt his actions, but unfortunately, the clothes were too thick, so he could only stretch his face forward and resign himself to fate

In their generation, apart from being able to read and write in Chinese, their lifestyle habits are quite similar to those of Americans

Lazily yawning in her mother's arms, she shifted positions and continued to blow bubbles from her mouth. With a sidelong glance at the fence outside, a group of mythical creatures, the alpacas, galloped by, their unruly, tousled hair styled in a 3:7 parting flowing in the wind, presenting a strikingly handsome appearance

My ancestors were all from Jiangsu. During the years of war and turmoil, our family struggled to have enough to eat. By chance, the United States needed workers to build railroads, so we set out together across the ocean, bringing our families with us to America. Over time, we ended up staying here.

The remaining people carry clean iron buckets, and later someone will come to purchase fresh milk, which will be loaded onto trucks and transported to processing plants in big cities for packaging and sale. Recently, due to the economic downturn, they occasionally also make some cheese, as this has a longer shelf life than fresh milk

Old man Han reluctantly released his grip, and the family hierarchy was clearly visible

The accent is a very authentic American one, and this woman said: "Go out and play, Pudding, don't come and bully my son"

It is said that the elderly folks far away in California, namely Han Xuan's grandparents and grandfather, are hurrying to Montana. They were delayed a few days ago and missed seeing their eldest grandson, which is why they are rushing over now

"Not yet your mother, urging me to hit the road at four or five o'clock." Smiling and embracing while patting Old Patton on the back, Han Qi, the old man, excitedly said: "Hey Patton, of course! But we should wait a few days to talk about it; I need to take a good look at my grandson!"

Before he could think it through, the feeling of drowsiness struck him again

For example, if someone around is speaking English for a while, and suddenly a man and a woman start speaking Chinese. Moreover, the sound seems strange, unlike any local dialect, and somewhat resembles a foreign accent

Han Xuan turned his head to look and immediately widened his eyes

Occasionally, Han Xuan also feels a sense of sorrow, wondering if his father in the previous life would be heartbroken.

Under the eaves of the cabin, Han Xuan was held by his mother, his small eyes darting around in curiosity. This was a scene he had never encountered in his previous life in the city

Two days have passed again. This morning, the weather is clear, and the cowboys have just driven a herd of Angus cattle to the pasture to graze

The new seeds have already been sown, and next spring will once again be a sight of lush greenery

Whenever family history education took place, Han Xuan would listen with wide eyes and great interest. The father, in just a few words, never expected to have his secrets revealed by his inexpensive son. Even though he knew the baby could not yet understand, he still talked to himself during idle moments

Not long after, Han Xuan succumbed. As a newborn, even though he was a large baby, his strength was still too small to resist this act of violence

Father Han Qianshan and Mother Guo Feng have not yet named their one-month-old child Han Xuan, not because they do not want to, but because a month ago the elders had issued a strict order to wait for their arrival before making a decision.