31. Horse riding
"Welcome everyone to Tata Village, a settlement of the Kazakh people. For the next two days, we will live with the local herders and experience the charm of the snow-capped mountains and grasslands!"
This small village called Tata is located on the Ale Grassland, near the famous Ale Snow Peak, which is covered with snow all year round and glitters silver under the sun.
It was nearly noon, and their first task, with the help of the villagers, was to prepare lunch for the day.
The male guests were led by an old man to prepare meat dishes.
The female guests and children, led by a middle-aged woman named Mayila, picked up several milk buckets and followed her to several large cows.
Mayila had a bright smile on her face, and her cheeks had a healthy tan from the sun.
She picked up a small stool from the side and then demonstrated and explained to them in accented Mandarin how to milk the cow that was taller than a person.
She first wiped the cow's swollen breasts with a towel, then began skillfully and rhythmically milking it with her fingers. "...Don't use too much force, relax after squeezing, and milk rhythmically..."
Everyone present was a bit dumbfounded. They often drank milk, but this was the first time they had ever seen a cow. They looked at the tall cow with curiosity and awe, and some dared not touch it.
“I’ll try first!” Zhang Siqing stepped forward. She washed her hands with water from a basin, pulled up a stool and sat on the other side of the cow. She squeezed the cow a couple of times, just like Mayila did, and the white milk condensed into thin streams that fell into the milk bucket on the ground.
"Wow, Mom is amazing!!"
"Auntie is amazing!"
The children nearby applauded and praised the performance, and curiously bent down to take a closer look.
"It's very simple, come on, let me teach you!" Zhang Siqing squeezed in for a while, her movements becoming more and more skilled, and she got up to invite the others to sit down and try.
As everyone gradually got the hang of it, Mayila led Wang Liqing and Lanno, who had learned how to do it, to another cow.
Ye Zhenzhen sat down somewhat nervously, followed Zhang Siqing's instructions, made the hand gestures, and tried squeezing a few times, but only a few drops came out.
"Put some effort into it, Zhenzhen, like this." Zhang Siqing squatted down next to her, held her hand and demonstrated a few times, and the milk flowed out smoothly.
"Hehe, I was afraid of hurting it by squeezing it." Ye Zhenzhen smiled shyly, then tried it again, and it was a little better than before.
"Don't worry, you're strong enough to squeeze without it hurting!" Seeing that she had basically mastered the technique, Zhang Siqing also found a cow and took the twins to milk it.
"Just like that, you try it..." Ye Zhenzhen squeezed for a while, then taught Gu Sinan, who was looking forward to it. The child had a good understanding and quickly grasped the key points, and started squeezing quickly.
"Mom, is this the milk we drink this morning?"
"Yes, but the milk we drink is probably all machine-made. After milking, it needs to be sterilized, bottled, and finally delivered to the supermarket."
"After we finish milking, will the calves have no more milk to drink?" Gu Sinan asked hesitantly, looking at the small bucket of milk in the bucket.
“Yes, let’s leave some for the calf.” So the two stood up.
Gu Sinan volunteered to pick up the milk bucket and followed Ye Zhenzhen to watch the others milking the cows.
"It smells so good, Zhenzhen! This milk tea is the best I've ever had!" Lanno took a sip of the milk tea in the bowl and was amazed by its taste.
"The milk is just so fresh," Ye Zhenzhen said, her face beaming as she drank.
Under Mayila's guidance, she brewed a pot of salty milk tea, then found a small pot, stir-fried brick tea and sugar, and made caramel milk candy, which received unanimous praise.
The camp was filled with the aroma of milk and tea. The group washed the fruit they had brought, cut it into easy-to-handle shapes, and sat chatting with Mayila and her children.
When the men returned, they carried a table to the open space in the middle of the camp, where a large pot had already been set up. The fire underneath was burning brightly, and the pot was filled with milky white broth, with large chunks of mutton floating in it.
Yan Feng learned to make belt noodles from Mayila, Liu Wei kneaded the dough with brute strength, and Zhou Haitao was responsible for adding fuel to the makeshift stove.
Gu Tingshen was chopping vegetables on the cutting board next to him. His hands were full of chopped potatoes, carrots, onions, and some ribs.
Mayila's husband, Hanati, is a Kazakh man with a resolute face and a somewhat shy smile. He tested the temperature of the stone slab on the charcoal fire with his hand, spread mutton fat on it, placed the cut mutton ribs on it, and then pressed another flat stone slab on top.
"This is our Kazakh-style stone slab grilled meat. It will be ready to eat in about half an hour."
With chef Yan Feng on the show's side, the production team had no worries about where lunch would be served.
Finally, everyone enjoyed the delicious mutton belt noodles. The mutton was tender, the potatoes were soaked in the broth, and the carrots and onions added a touch of sweetness to the mutton. It was so delicious that it made your tongue tingle.
The stone-grilled ribs are made from 6-month-old lambs. The outside is golden brown, while the inside is tender and juicy. They are simply sprinkled with a little salt, making them an unparalleled delicacy.
Everyone ate until they were stuffed again, then left the campsite and took a walk on the grass outside.
The children ran and chased each other playfully with their new friends.
"I think I've gained a little weight these past few days," Lanno said, sounding a bit worried.
"What do you mean you're fat? You only eat a little bit at each meal." Zhang Siqing burped and patted her stomach. "I'm going to gain ten pounds when I get back!"
"I ate too much. I need to exercise more when I get back." Ye Zhenzhen secretly pinched her stomach through her sports top, feeling that her belly had gotten thicker.
"You young people are lucky, your metabolism is good. My pants are getting a bit tight, I definitely can't eat like this again next time." Wang Liqing shook her head and smiled wryly.
After lunch, each family returned to their tent. Once the quiet afternoon rest was over, the production team announced the afternoon's activities: horseback riding.
There was a horse farm on the grassland not far from Tata Village. After Ye Zhenzhen led Gu Sinan in, she immediately fell in love with a black horse.
This is a mare; she is not very robust, but the lines of her muscles reveal an extremely smooth beauty.
Its glossy black fur shimmered like brocade in the sunlight, except for its four snow-white hooves, resembling the legendary "Snow-Treading Black Steed" from ancient books.
"Her name is Ta Xue, and she's a proud little girl." Alipu, the son of the horse farm owner, who looks about 7 or 8 years old, proudly introduced her, puffing out his little chest as he watched Ye Zhenzhen's infatuation.
"It's so pretty, can I touch it?"
"That depends on whether Ta Xue is willing to let you touch it," the child stroked Ta Xue's mane. "It doesn't like strangers very much, and it has a rather bad temper."
"What does it like to eat?" Gu Sinan was also envious and really wanted to touch its fur.
“It loves grapes the most!” After Alipu finished speaking, Ye Zhenzhen took out a bunch of emerald-like grapes from the bag she was carrying, picked a few, held them in her palm, and brought them to Taxue’s lips.
“It doesn’t recognize you, it won’t eat…” Alip hadn’t finished speaking when his eyes widened in disbelief. “Impossible! Snowwalker never eats food from strangers! And it certainly wouldn’t let anyone touch it so quickly!”
"Um, maybe these grapes are sweeter?" Ye Zhenzhen tentatively reached out at first, but Ta Xue sniffed the grapes, ate them without hesitation, and even touched her arm with its nose.
Its big, blinking eyes had thick eyelashes that looked like little fans. Ye Zhenzhen's heart melted at its cuteness, and she stroked its shiny black mane with affection.
Seeing that she had made her choice, the staff at the horse farm brought over a saddle, placed it on Ta Xue's back, adjusted it, and prepared to instruct Ye Zhenzhen on how to ride a horse.
"Want to go up and give it a try?" Gu Tingshen, who had been following behind them, stepped forward and asked.
"Is it okay? Can it carry me?" Ye Zhenzhen was eager to try, while Gu Sinan beside her stared at Taxue with longing in her eyes.
To Alip's dismay, he discovered that Snowwalker not only didn't reject the saddle on his back, but also kept rubbing his head against the stranger in front of him.
Gu Tingshen lifted Gu Sinan onto the horse, then supported Ye Zhenzhen's waist and placed her on the horse's back, sitting behind Gu Sinan.
"Relax your body, don't squeeze the horse's belly with your legs, it will make it nervous." He adjusted their somewhat stiff movements, and then led Ta Xue away.
Upon arriving at the horse farm, everyone changed into riding attire provided by the production team: white cotton casual shirts, black riding breeches, and leather riding boots covering their calves. The production team's attention to detail was evident in both the materials and the workmanship.
The male guests present were all in good shape, and their outfits made them look even more energetic and upright. However, as the camera panned across the entire venue, the photographer couldn't help but marvel at how much the Creator favored Gu Tingshen.
Riding breeches and boots that tightly wrap around the legs are a disaster on people with poor body proportions.
But on Gu Tingshen, his exceptionally good physique was even more prominent. He had broad shoulders, and his well-proportioned muscles filled out his shirt perfectly; his long legs were firm and slender, exuding a strong masculine presence.
The photographer gave Gu Tingshen a long close-up shot, then turned to Ye Zhenzhen on horseback. Her thick, long hair was draped behind her, her waist was so slender it could be encircled by one hand, and her hips were round and full.
This couple is so cute that even just seeing their backs makes the audience scream.
"Hey, how's it going? Isn't Daddy handsome?" Liu Wei rode past them on horseback, asking Liu Kangkang in his arms.
Ye Zhenzhen looked around and saw that the other groups were slowly starting to jog under the guidance of the staff.
"Old Gu, why don't you go ride for a while? Nan Nan and I will practice slowly on our own." Ye Zhenzhen said to Gu Tingshen, knowing that he could ride a horse and that she couldn't let him lead the horse for them the whole time.
Gu Tingshen handed her the reins, seeing that she was able to control the horse's speed and that the staff were watching over her the whole time. He nodded, turned around and went back to the stable, where he chose a tall and strong chestnut horse.
He flipped over and mounted her, trotting along before arriving beside Ye Zhenzhen. The chestnut horse beneath him was much taller and more robust than Taxue.
Its four hooves moved nimbly across the grass, its big eyes were bright and piercing, and it looked strong and majestic.
Gu Tingshen rode it, gradually increasing its speed, from a leisurely stroll to a trot, and finally a rapid gallop. Its hooves created a whirlwind, its mane danced wildly in the wind, and its agile figure raced across the grass under the blue sky, like a free and unrestrained red cloud.
"Wow, Uncle Gu is so handsome!" Zhou Jingyi exclaimed, sitting in Lan Nuo's lap and pointing at the man and horse in the distance.
Zhou Haitao, who was leading the horse, looked in the direction his daughter was pointing. He felt a pang of jealousy, but he had to admit that the man was indeed very handsome. His professional instincts kicked in, and he even wanted to take a picture of him.
“That’s my dad’s favorite horse, named Red Cloud.” Alipu rode up on a pony, side by side with Ye Zhenzhen, looking longingly at Red Hare in the distance. He patted the neck of his pony, “My Black Wind will be as tall and strong as Red Cloud someday!”
"So handsome!" Ye Zhenzhen exclaimed, her eyes fixed on the man galloping away on horseback in the distance. "Heifeng and Taxue are also very handsome and beautiful!"
Sitting in front of her, Gu Sinan nodded vigorously. "Ma Shuai, Dad is even more handsome!"
When Gu Tingshen returned from his run, he saw the two of them staring at him with starry eyes, and his own rosy cheeks.
He dismounted with a swift and clean motion, his long legs drawing a stylish arc in the air.
Then, leading the horse up to them, he extended his hand in invitation, "Want to try Hongyun's speed?"
"Yes!" Gu Sinan was so excited that she almost jumped off her horse, but was caught by Gu Tingshen.
"Watch out!" Ye Zhenzhen was startled, but seeing that he was being held firmly by the man, she patted her chest.
"Don't worry, I'll ride him around a few laps." Gu Tingshen placed Gu Sinan on Hongyun's back, mounted his horse, and shouted, "Giddy up!"
Liu Wei, Yan Feng, Lan Nuo, Wang Liqing, and Zhang Siqing, who could ride horses, also led several children to gallop across the grass. The six horses ran in a staggered pattern, and Ye Zhenzhen could hear the children's excited screams from afar.
When Gu Tingshen brought her back, glistening sweat dampened her bangs, and her eyes were filled with joy and excitement. "Mom, Hongyun runs incredibly fast! We just had a race, and Dad and I came in first place!"
"Yes, they look really handsome. I took so many pictures of them!" Ye Zhenzhen held up her phone and waved it. She had taken many close-up shots of the two of them and picked out the most handsome one to post on her WeChat Moments.
In the photo, Gu Tingshen's lips curled into a distinct smile, and Gu Sinan's face lacked its usual composure and maturity. Indeed, no man can resist the charm of a fine horse.
"You rest for a while, I'll run a couple of laps with Mom." Gu Tingshen picked up the child and handed him over to the staff.
Ye Zhenzhen had been standing next to Hongyun, eager to try. Finally, it was her turn. Watch her perform a cool mounting move!
"Do you need any help?" Gu Tingshen asked.
"No need! I just tried, I can go up by myself," Ye Zhenzhen replied confidently.
Gu Tingshen glanced at the tall and strong Hongyun, then at Taxue, who was much shorter than him, raised an eyebrow, and silently stood a little closer to her.
Ten minutes later
"Um?"
"Oh my god, I don't believe it!"
"Impossible! I was able to get up there just now!"
This is Ye Zhenzhen, who becomes stronger with each setback.
"Mom, you can do it! You're almost there!"
This is Gu Sinan, a child who unconditionally cheers on her mother.
"Hongyun has suffered. We need to bring it more carrots tonight."
This is little Alipu, who is heartbroken for his beloved horse and can hardly bear to watch it anymore.
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