Free Web NovelChapter 638: The Injured Little Fox
Xu Mumu’s lips twitched. What’s up with kids these days? What’s with their aesthetics?
Looking at the confident faces of the kids, Xu Mumu’s lips twitched again.
After breakfast, Xu Mumu helped clean up the dishes. Doudou really liked this village, so after some discussion, they decided to head back in the afternoon.
After eating, Fengfeng led the kids out to play, while Xu Mumu planned to take a stroll up the mountain.
It had been a long time since she visited the mountain, and she missed the wild game from there.
Yin Yang understood his little wife’s thoughts very clearly and, of course, indulged her.
A wide road had been built up the mountain leading to the burial grounds, and the large animals had retreated deeper into the mountains.
In the outer areas, only some small animals remained.
"Hubby, look, is that a wild duck?" Xu Mumu looked eagerly at the nearby dark wild duck, noting it was much smaller than a domestic duck.
"It should be. Do you want to shoot it?" The wild duck seemed to be laying eggs, Yin Yang asked with a smile.
"Yes, let’s take it home for soup tonight," Xu Mumu said with a smile on her face.
Xu Mumu weighed the small stone in her hand, aimed it at the wild duck’s head, and threw it accurately at the target.
The duck was knocked out but not killed, as Xu Mumu didn’t use too much force.
It’s quite amazing to still see wild ducks at this time of year; perhaps because it’s not too cold around here.
Yin Yang went to pick up the duck and put it into the basket on his back, knowing well enough that his little wife couldn’t stay idle, so he brought the basket in anticipation of today’s haul.
Having a harvest so early in their walk lifted Xu Mumu’s spirits considerably.
After walking a bit further, the two, being quick on their feet, soon reached an area where no other people ventured. Xu Mumu’s gaze fell upon the ground ahead, where a snow-white cub was crying and licking a wound, with a pool of blood on the ground. It was an injured white fox.
"Should we take it back and save it?" Xu Mumu asked Yin Yang, looking at the small fox covered in blood and worried that its leg might be broken.
"If you want to save it, then save it," Yin Yang replied casually.
"Let’s save it then, it can be a playmate for Doudou later," Xu Mumu said and walked towards the little fox.
The little fox was very weak, baring its teeth at Xu Mumu in a warning to stay away.
Xu Mumu picked up the little fox, unfazed by its feeble threat.
It was then that Xu Mumu clearly saw its injuries: one leg seemed bitten through and there was a long cut on its belly.
She carefully placed it in Yin Yang’s basket. "Let’s get down the mountain quickly, or there’ll be no saving this little fox."
Yin Yang nodded and, without further ado, carried the little fox as they hurried downhill.
Their swift pace brought them back to the village in half an hour, and the little fox had already fainted by then.
In the village clinic, Chu Jin had just treated an elderly person with a cold.
"Doctor Chu, please save this little fox," the couple urgently brought the fox to Chu Jin.
Chu Jin carefully took the little fox out and examined it closely. The fox’s main injuries were on its front legs, both of which were fractured, while the abdominal wound was a mere surface injury that could heal quickly with some medication.
Chu Jin, more skilled in traditional medicine, set the little fox’s bones and then fixed them in place. The fur around the belly wound was shaved clean, and medication applied near the wound.
The little fox remained unconscious, but its vitality was gradually strengthening.
"Where did you find such a small fox? If you’d arrived any later, it might not have survived," Chu Jin wiped his hands and asked the couple. These two were well-known figures in the Red River Team, and Chu Jin had a good impression of them despite their few interactions.
"We found it on the West Mountain while we were strolling. So, the fox will be okay?" Xu Mumu asked, still a bit uneasy.
"It’s safe for now; no need to worry. As long as its paws heal, it’ll be fine," Chu Jin said with a smile. He too collected medicinal herbs from the mountain, which had become less dangerous now, liking to wander there often.
This snow-white little fox is quite rare.
"We’ll surely take good care of it," Xu Mumu said earnestly. They had enough food at home, so nursing the fox back to health would be easy.
With the fox being so young, it shouldn’t be difficult to domesticate it.
They took the bandaged little fox back to Xu Family’s place, where Xu Jiaojiao and the others were in the orchard helping to trim the branches, leaving only Old Xu at home.
Old Xu was using a saw to cut wood, preparing to make a bigger table.
Xu Mumu and Yin Yang returned earlier than expected. Seeing the fox being carried, Old Xu was a bit surprised.
"Why’d you bring back a fox?" Old Xu didn’t mind keeping small animals.
"Found it injured on the mountain," Xu Mumu replied with a smile, placing the fox on a small blanket belonging to the little ones. They had several small blankets, one of which was perfect for the fox.
The little fox had woken up, and, sensing no hostility from Xu Mumu and the others, it didn’t resist anymore.
Xu Mumu searched the kitchen but found no leftovers. Instead, she cracked two eggs and put them in a pot to steam.
The little fox was still young, with its teeth not fully grown, making it hard to eat other foods. Without any milk around, the eggs would have to suffice, hopefully providing enough nutrition for its little paws to grow.
Anaesthetized and unable to move its body, the little fox felt no pain and obediently lay still.
Seeing Xu Mumu bringing out the steamed eggs and letting them cool before feeding, Old Xu widened his eyes. The creature was being fed extravagantly, he thought, not approving of his granddaughter’s actions.
"Mumu, don’t feed it eggs again next time. Leftover rice is enough," Old Xu said, frugal as he had been all his life and unable to see such waste.
"Got it, Grandpa," Xu Mumu nodded, not arguing over this. She planned to secretly feed the fox milk when they were not around.
The little ones already drank milk daily, so adding a little more for the fox was no problem, as long as it helped the animal recover.
The fragrant egg custard delighted the little fox, whose eyes brightened. Xu Mumu brought it to the fox’s mouth, and it eagerly gobbled it up.
