Chapter 73: The Injured Horse

Liu Heming woke up very early the next morning. Then he quietly sneaked into his daughter’s room. On the small bed, the three little ones slept in increasingly unrestrained postures; his own daughter had thrown her little legs onto Xiong Da’s belly.

He glanced at the dolls and books placed next to his daughter’s small bed. Liu Heming shook his head helplessly. People often said raising children wasn’t cheap, but looking at his daughter, he felt that if he didn’t work desperately to earn money, it really would be hard to raise her properly.

That large collection of dolls was called “Barbie.” Whenever Sasha saw them, she would buy them for her. The fairy tale books on the small bookshelf nearby weren’t cheap either. And last night, when coaxing the little one to sleep, she had said these were only her favorite “few” books.

The Bear Kids were quite alert and noticed Liu Heming’s arrival. They opened their little bear eyes, looked around, and then tried to climb down from the bed. With them stirring about, Alex also rubbed her eyes and sat up. Still with sleepy eyes, she stretched out her little hands, just like the Little Bears, asking for a hug.

Although Liu Heming usually had trouble making choices, this time the choice was very simple. He completely ignored the Bear Kids and directly picked up his sleepy daughter.

He happily helped his daughter wash up and eat breakfast. Then he asked Sasha for permission and finally got approval to take his daughter out to play.

Today’s destination was another town next to Xiangshui Town, called Glent Town. The development of this area in recent years could partly be credited to the decline of Xiangshui Town. Moreover, this town focused on agriculture and animal husbandry, and it was the high-end kind. The “USDA” labels on the vegetables and fruits displayed on both sides indicated their status.

Along with this status came slightly higher prices.

But what could he do for his daughter? One word: buy. If his daughter showed interest in any fruit, he bought it. Even if just a little, he still bought it. If there was any vegetable they didn’t have at home, he also bought it. He had to let his daughter absorb all kinds of nutrients.

The little one was extremely happy. Riding on Liu Heming’s neck, she insisted on helping him share the load. So, she ended up holding a small bag of cherries, eating them as they walked.

After arriving here, Liu Heming really broadened his horizons. This trip wasn’t just about buying delicious treats for his daughter; he also planned to buy some pigs, chickens, ducks, and geese. He genuinely wanted to buy some Calves and lambs too; that would make him a real Ranch Owner. Without cattle and sheep, it just wouldn’t feel complete.

However, he could only think about it. Raising one or two cattle wasn’t cost-effective, and he really didn’t understand how to handle more. Those Beef Cattle calves cost several hundred US Dollars each, and breeding bulls were beyond his imagination. They were usually sold through auctions, with prices astronomically high.

Moreover, his Pasture Grass was currently very barren; he didn’t even have standard pasture grass for cattle and sheep. If he bought them, he would also have to prepare Feed for them, which would be another large expense. Right now, he truly couldn’t manage it. He could only see if his small food business could earn a little money.

Alex liked these little chicks and ducklings very much. After getting into the car, she pitifully begged Liu Heming and ended up playing with one of the chicks.

“Dad, look quickly, that horse over there looks so pitiful.” Just as Liu Heming started the engine, Alex tugged at his arm from the back seat.

Liu Heming followed his daughter’s pointing finger and saw a chestnut horse being brought back on a trailer. This horse’s right front leg was broken, with a small section of white bone exposed.

On the trailer, there was also a young man sitting. He was dirty, and his left arm was in a splint, slung around his neck. With a little guesswork, it was clear this young man had likely had an accident while riding this horse.

“Dad, can we go take a look?” Seeing that Liu Heming hadn’t responded to her, Alex continued pitifully. This time, her eyes sparkled even more, almost as if she would cry if he didn’t agree.

“Alright, let’s go take a look.” Liu Heming felt very helpless. He could only shake his head at George and get out of the car again.

“Dammit, check Snow White carefully for me. See if she’s injured anywhere.” Just as Liu Heming approached, he heard the young man cursing and shouting.

“William, Snow White is fine. But Charming Girl probably won’t make it. We don’t know about the foal in her belly either.” A middle-aged man came up to the young man called William and said.

“It’s fine. Snow White is a gift from my father. She’s supposed to compete for the Triple Crown next year. As for Charming Girl, handle her as you see fit. Just don’t let me see it.” William waved his hand.

“Ah, this Quarter Horse probably won’t live much longer.” George sighed beside them.

“Why?” Liu Heming asked curiously.

“Its leg is broken now. Usually, they’ll euthanize it. Otherwise, the medical costs would be very high, and it likely won’t be able to run normally again in the future.” George said.

“Dad, can we save this horse? It’s really so pitiful.” Hearing this, Alex beside them shook Liu Heming’s arm. Tears rolled down from her eyes, one after another.

Liu Heming picked up his daughter, wiped her tears, and nodded.

Earlier, when she saw the Calves, his daughter had wanted to buy them, but his finances couldn’t support it. Although he didn’t have much money now, he didn’t want to leave any bad memories in his daughter’s heart.

“Excuse me, is this horse for sale? If the price is right, I’d like to buy it. My daughter saw it injured and feels sorry for it.” Holding his daughter, Liu Heming squeezed forward and said.

William lifted his eyes and looked at Liu Heming. “Who are you? Why should I sell it to you?”

His words were very rude. Combined with his scornful look, Liu Heming felt very annoyed. He really wanted to turn and leave. But if he left just like that, his daughter would surely be sad for a long time.

After calming himself a little, Liu Heming said, “Actually, I just thought even though your family is wealthy, there’s no need to waste like this.”

“OK, two thousand US Dollars. You should know even though this horse’s leg is broken and it was hit by Snow White, it has a foal in its belly.” William took a Cigar out of his pocket and looked at Liu Heming with a smile.

“Deal.” Liu Heming nodded. He put his daughter down, took out his Checkbook, wrote a Check for two thousand US Dollars, and handed it over.

William was startled; he hadn’t expected Liu Heming to actually buy it. But he didn’t mind money coming his way. He took it with a smile, then left with his people.