On the way to the museum, Han Qiwu, riding his pony, was feeling completely refreshed.
Seeing a swallow fly across the sky, he even imagined the scene of a horse stepping on a bird in flight.
Getting carried away again.
"Clop clop clop."
The pony, as if understanding his thoughts, occasionally leaped onto nearby dirt mounds and sped up for a few hundred ters at a ti.
It couldn’t be more exhilarating!
Just as the man-and-horse duo passed through the northwest corner of the small town, the roar of motorcycles sounded nearby.
"Vroom vroom vroom."
Han Qiwu wondered which kid was making such a racket riding a motorcycle.
Turning his head to look.
Oh, he was wrong.
The motorcyclist was Aunt Hong i.
Spotting Han Qiwu turning back, Aunt Hong i cranked the throttle and caught up with him, hollering cheerfully, "Xiao Han, where’d you get that little pony? It’s so striking!"
"A friend gave it to , it’s an overseas breed," Han Qiwu replied with a grin.
After all, he had plenty of friends!
Everything seed to be a gift from friends.
Aunt Hong i chuckled, "Pull over up ahead, let take a closer look at your horse. Ever since the commune disbanded, I haven’t touched a horse in ages."
"Got it." Han Qiwu gently nudged the pony’s belly, signaling it to slow down and stop.
The difference between motorcycles and horses during deceleration was evident too.
Under the force of inertia, the motorcycle rushed forward over ten ters before coming to a complete stop.
anwhile, the pony simply counteracted inertia with a few nimble steps and stopped gracefully.
Seeing the pony stable, Han Qiwu swung off with ease, in high spirits.
Riding a horse was far more fun than riding a bike!
The scenery from horseback was incomparable!
Aunt Hong i walked over, petting the pony’s head and murmuring a few words to it. She carefully examined its bone structure and revealed a look of astonishnt.
Seeing this, Han Qiwu asked curiously, "Aunt Hong i, what’s up? Don’t tell you know this pony personally? Having a private chat, huh?"
Aunt Hong i laughed and playfully scolded, "What nonsense. I’m just communicating with it. Xiao Han, do you know what breed this horse is?"
Han Qiwu nodded upon hearing her question.
Aunt Hong i ran her hand over the pony’s shoulder and, with a look of realization and slight wondernt, nodded thoughtfully, "It really is a Dawan horse. Judging by its coat color, it should be purebred. Your friend really went all out."
"What sharp eyes, Aunt Hong i." Han Qiwu quickly gave her a thumbs-up and asked, "Aunt Hong i, how can you tell just by touch?"
At his question, a trace of pride flashed across Aunt Hong i’s face. "Ten years ago, when I traveled abroad with friends, I learned a bit about Dawan horses. They seem to call them ’golden horses’ overseas."
"Aunt Hong i, you’re so knowledgeable." Han Qiwu imdiately offered another complint before asking eagerly, "Do you know how to take care of it best? What kind of feed does it like most?"
With a thoughtful look, Aunt Hong i tilted her head upward and slowly said, "I rember the horse farm owner didn’t tell us much, but I saw them feeding a mix with plenty of oats and so other grains in it. I don’t know the exact proportions, though."
"Oats?" Han Qiwu nodded and made a ntal note, "Thank you, Aunt Hong i."
The downside of not getting the pony from a breeding facility was not knowing its preferences. He’d have to figure it out bit by bit.
Earlier, Han Qiwu had glanced at the pony’s fullness level. After just half an hour of running, it had dropped to around 60%.
Barely enough for the ride ho.
He’d definitely have to feed the pony more treats.
After exchanging a few more words, Aunt Hong i circled the pony several tis, then let it run around on its own for a while to observe it.
After a full twenty minutes, she finally patted the pony’s back with satisfaction and turned to Han Qiwu, saying, "Horses don’t have strong digestive systems, so don’t feed them random things. Stuff like eggs is a big no-no. A single egg only provides a dozen grams of protein—not worth it. It’s better for them to get nutrients from hay. If oats aren’t available, alfalfa works too. Besides, I’ve heard of people overseas using fishal to boost the nutrition of foals. You can look into it. Anyway, I’ve got so errands to run at ho, so I’ll be heading off now."
Han Qiwu made careful notes, thanking her, "Thank you, Aunt Hong i. Next ti, I’ll bring you so eggs as a treat."
"No need for that. You should eat them yourself, grow stronger, and bring Xiao Tang ho soon." Aunt Hong i teased him intentionally, laughing as she rode off when she saw him blush.
"Bring ho? You an marry her, don’t you?" Han Qiwu muttered helplessly, noticing as he glanced up that the pony was lowering its head to nibble at so grass nearby.
"Don’t eat that, don’t eat that—the stuff outside might not be clean, could be tainted with pesticides. I’ll give you sothing tasty when we get ho." Han Qiwu quickly pulled the pony back, mounted it, and headed straight for the seed shop to check if any new seeds had arrived.
Unfortunately, he didn’t find any new seeds at the shop.
"Probably not until April."
Leaving the seed shop, Han Qiwu continued riding his pony toward the museum.
"For speeding up growth, there’s dragon whisker grass. For now, I just need to focus on boosting the pony’s nutrition. I already have alfalfa and plenty of fish at ho. Next step is finding a way to plant oats and make fishal," Han Qiwu thought.
At the museum’s entrance, Han Qiwu dismounted, tied the pony to a pillar outside, and carried a copy of *The Circus Without Horses* along with the ancient artifact he had acquired—the Iron-Headed Doll—before pushing open the museum doors.
As soon as he stepped inside, Zack burst out dramatically from behind the counter, shouting, "Oh, my dear friend! It’s been too long since I’ve seen you. How have you been lately?"
"Speak normally. I’m here to return a book." Han Qiwu gestured for Zack to calm down.
Zack let out a huff, reaching to take the book and flipping through it.
An extraordinary scene unfolded.
As Zack flipped through the first few pages, a hologram floated up from the book, vivid and lifelike, startling Han Qiwu.
Han Qiwu: "....."
What kind of ridiculous book is this!
"Hahahahahahahaha!"
Zack burst into hearty laughter at Han Qiwu’s expression, his laughter echoing through the room for a full three minutes. He was laughing so hard that tears nearly rolled down his face.
Han Qiwu clenched his fists and relaxed them again.
Don’t act rashly.
He really couldn’t win in a fight.
After finally calming down, Zack clutched his waist and explained, "Don’t be mad, my friend. This book only records the monts it startled soone. It doesn’t invade your privacy, I promise!"
"This counts as my privacy too," Han Qiwu replied blankly, pretending to walk off.
"No, no, don’t leave, my friend," Zack spun to block Han Qiwu’s path, earnest as he said, "I admit it’s my fault. As compensation, after you donate the artifact, I’ll give you a special, incredibly useful magical item imdiately!"
"Really?" Han Qiwu waved the Iron-Headed Doll in his hand.
"Really, I swear on my honor!" Zack nodded sincerely.
"Then forget it." Han Qiwu turned and walked out.
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