Chapter 185 Life is getting better
[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7? 6? ——]
The little sand cat scratched its head frantically. It could only remember five numbers at most.
The black serval shook its whiskers, glanced into the shelter, and licked its paws. "A few eggs is fine, Station Master Xu has no shortage of eggs."
[Don't count, kid. I'm afraid you'll faint.]
The little sand cat had no choice but to give up.
The culprits had already rolled into a ball of orange fur in the rescue station in order to fight for the biggest meatball.
In the following days, nothing unexpected happened and Xu Ying lived a fulfilling life.
Now the Qiao family's construction team has arrived in the desert. In addition to the construction of the pet hospital, Qiao Yanli also arranged a construction team for Xu Ying. With a wave of his hand, he let Xu Ying build whatever he wanted.
Xu Ying rubbed his hands and began to plan accommodation for the friends, both young and old, in his shelter.
More than half a month passed.
On the six newly built camel sheds, Xu Ying wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked at his masterpiece with satisfaction.
She used sturdy poplar wood as support columns and erected a semi-open shed in the shelter's leeward side. The roof was covered with a double layer of sun-proof netting, which filtered out the scorching sun while allowing for ventilation.
Each shed is three meters square and covered with soft sand dug from the dry riverbed. Six Bactrian camels are kneeling leisurely in it, their thick paws comfortably sinking into the sand.
The most attentive area is the feeding area - Xu Ying used discarded oil drums to transform them into six automatic drinking troughs, which are connected to a newly drilled deep well.
As long as the camel pushes the lever with its nose, cool well water will gurgle out. At this moment, the "big guy" Shanfeng in the camel group is demonstrating this new device. The other camels stare at it intently, and occasionally make "huhuhu" exclamations.
Behind the rest area, Xu Ying used used tires to enclose a sand bathing area filled with sifted fine sand mixed with herbal powder to repel insects.
The naughty "Little White Nose" couldn't wait to roll around in it, raising clouds of sand mist with a medicinal scent, which prompted his companions to follow suit.
The most special thing is the row of "itching piles" - Xu Ying fixed several dead Haloxylon ammodendron tree trunks in the sand, and tied bristle brushes of different hardness to the trunks.
Camels can scratch their itch as they please, and the cockleburs and camel thorns stuck in their manes can be easily scraped off.
The older camel was squinting his eyes, rubbing his chin back and forth on the softest brush, and foaming at the corners of his mouth with joy.
"Scratching" is a special little habit of camels. The thick fur of camels is prone to parasites, and the smell left by scratching is their way of communicating. Rubbing each other can also enhance the relationship between camels.
Even if you make new friends, you should not forget your old friends.
The Gobi bear has been making do in the desert and often helps out at Xu Ying's rescue station.
Xu Ying squatted on the sand next to the rescue station, his fingertips gently running across the newly drawn design. The edges of the wooden boards still had the scent of freshly sawn wood.
The bear house she designed is not big, but it is strong enough - four thick poplar trees are deeply embedded in the sand, supporting a semi-open awning that can block wind and sand without making the Gobi bears feel enclosed.
There is a thick mat of hay under the shed, which is soft and dry, and is its favorite touch.
In the corner, she built a shallow trough with stones, connected to a thin water pipe brought from the rescue station. Clean water flowed slowly, creating tiny ripples at the bottom of the trough.
"That way you don't have to go far to find water."
She whispered, patting the edge of the sink.
The Gobi bear slowly came over, touched the water surface with its wet nose, and looked up at her again, with light reflected in its dark eyes.
Xu Ying smiled and pointed to the other side of the shed - there was a low wooden box there, padded with an old blanket she had found from the rescue station's warehouse, with a circle of soft cloth sewn around the edge to prevent the wood splinters from scratching its fur.
"It's windy at night, you can sleep here."
The Gobi bear smiled, revealing its two rows of large teeth. It climbed clumsily into the wooden box, its huge body sank into the blanket, rubbing itself comfortably against the blanket, and a low snoring sound came from its throat.
Xu Ying squatted beside it, gently combing the tangled hair on the side of its neck with a special comb. The afterglow of the setting sun fell on the two of them, casting long shadows on the sand.
The modern small farm sponsored by Feng Yun and his wife has also been put into use.
The morning light of the Gobi Desert had just risen above the horizon, and the silver-gray farmhouses had already begun operation.
The solar panels glowed a pale blue, absorbing the desert sunlight.
Xu Ying pushed open the door, and the smell of moist earth hit him in the face.
The temperature control system makes a clicking sound, giving people the feeling of being in a factory. The fill light strips on the three-dimensional cultivation rack gradually light up, coating each seedling with soft warm light.
The drip irrigation system starts gently, and fine water mist is sprinkled down. The water droplets condensed on the leaves reflect the morning light, and the lush green makes people feel comfortable just by looking at it.
The vines of the sand meatballs climb up the supports and stretch out, the unripe fruits are hidden among the dense leaves, and in a few days they will be dyed with a festive red glow.
Xu Ying gently stroked the hairy stems and leaves with her fingers, and could already imagine how plump and juicy they would look when they were ripe.
Make it into sweet and sour meatball egg drop soup, or mix it with a spoonful of Gobi wild honey sent by the villagers of Dongqing Village, and it will be the most delicious meatballs in the desert!
The drought-resistant cucumber vines next to it are growing wildly, with tender green tendrils wrapped around the support and small goose yellow flowers dotted around them.
The first cucumbers to emerge are only about the thickness of a finger, their skin still covered in fine hairs. Ten days later, the freshest and tenderest ones can be picked, chilled in well water, crushed, and drizzled with balsamic vinegar and minced garlic. The refreshing, crisp taste will dispel the day's heat.
The desert asparagus at the bottom of the cultivation rack has just broken through the soil, and the pale purple shoots are timidly poking their heads out.
These delicate sprouts require careful care, but the first harvest can be obtained after twenty days.
Xu Ying squatted down and touched the tender tips of the buds with her fingertips. She had already planned to use them to make a stir-fried asparagus dish. Just a little salt and olive oil would highlight its sweetness.
What surprised her most was the cactus plant. The sharp spines on the edges of the thick leaves had long since faded, and the dark green flesh looked particularly plump in the morning light.
In another two weeks, these tender slices rich in gelatin will be ready for picking. She is thinking about trying to make a cold cactus dish. Cut it into strips, chill it, and mix it with lemon juice and cilantro. It should be the most appetizing side dish in the hot summer.
The temperature control panel emits a gentle prompt sound, displaying the most suitable environmental parameters for plant growth. It is worthy of being a biotechnology company opened by a professor, the technological content is amazing!
Xu Ying adjusted the rhythm of the drip irrigation system and watched the clear water slowly seep into the cultivation medium.
Looking at her modern farm, Xu Ying put her hands on her hips, feeling very satisfied. When she turned around, she was startled by the "savage" standing outside the glass house.
She looked closely and found that it was not a wild man, but Liu Kai who came to her rescue station to carry out a tree planting mission.
At this time, he was so unkempt from planting trees that his hair was messy, his face was tired, and his body was dirty.
Liu Kai smiled bitterly. Whenever he thought of the bet he made with Xu Ying, he couldn't help but slap himself a few times.
It’s all my fault that I was dazzled by Xu Ying’s luxury car.
At this time, Liu Kai knocked on the door weakly: "Stationmaster Xu, Director Yi asked me to bring you an important message."
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