PCJ – Chapter 111 Looking for the Cow

“Injection your head. Doctor Liu is looking for you.” Liu Qiaoye felt conflicted about her son acting like a proper meishan master. She was also worried that people would say her family was using a child to make money. But it seemed that her son’s path was already set, and there was no stopping it. Losing a cow was a significant event for any farming household, so Liu Qiaoye hoped her son could help.

“Master Zhang, I’m here to ask for your help.” Liu Zongtai, sitting on a long bench, stood up and forced a smile at Zhang Jiaohua.

“Master, Master Zhang? Are you calling me?” Zhang Jiaohua was startled. He enjoyed being taken seriously, but being elevated to such a high status made him uneasy.

Liu Zongtai also smiled. Calling such a young kid “master” felt strange, but he didn’t know what else to call Zhang Jiaohua. Since he needed help, calling him “Jiaohua” didn’t seem appropriate.

Liu Zongtai decided not to fuss over names and got straight to the point. “Our cow is missing. We’ve been searching for one or two days but couldn’t find any trace of it. In Meizi’ao Village, we haven’t lost a cow in decades. If our cow is really gone, it’ll be the first time in history.”

“One or two days? When did it go missing?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

“The night before last. This is somewhat related to Meizi’ao Elementary School. Liu Guocai and the others were on night watch at the construction site that night and saw our cow. But they were focused on catching the culprit who knocked down the wall, so they didn’t pay much attention. We searched all day yesterday and almost all day today. We’ve looked everywhere possible, and I suspect our cow was either stolen or locked up somewhere. Otherwise, so many people searching couldn’t have missed it.” After the cow went missing, Liu Zongtai’s family searched every corner of Meizi’ao Village for one or two days, even conducting a thorough search of the forest where they usually grazed the cow. They still couldn’t find any trace of it.

“If it was stolen, there’s nothing I can do. I’m not the police,” Zhang Jiaohua scratched his head. He often lost things himself, so he couldn’t understand why anyone would ask him to find something.

Liu Zongtai chuckled. “Reporting it to the police won’t be as useful as you. Please help us. The cow is our lifeline. Without it, we can’t farm, and without farming, we have no food.”

“Your family won’t go hungry. The first TV in Meizi’ao Village was yours. While others bought 14-inch TVs, your family bought a 17-inch one.” Zhang Jiaohua wasn’t easily fooled by Liu Zongtai. Other families might rely on farming to make a living, but Liu Zongtai’s family didn’t need to farm at all.

“Although I’m a barefoot doctor, I don’t make much money. Our family motto has always been ‘Education and farming to pass on, thrift and diligence to prosper.’ As farmers, we feel uneasy if we don’t farm.” Liu Zongtai straightened his expression.

Zhang Jiaohua scratched his head. Since they came to him, he couldn’t just send them away without trying.

“I’ll give it a try. If it doesn’t work, you can’t blame me. You still need to keep looking,” Zhang Jiaohua said bluntly.

“Understood. I know that.” Liu Zongtai immediately offered to take Zhang Jiaohua to his home by bicycle.

“No rush. I need to bring the Zuan Shanbao.” Zhang Jiaohua went out to fetch the Zuan Shanbao.

Liu Zongtai thought Zhang Jiaohua wanted to use the dog to find the cow and quickly said, “It’s been two days. The scent has probably dissipated. I doubt the dog can find it.”

“My dog is different from others. It’s a genuine Mountain Leopard. Can other dogs be called Mountain Leopard?” Zhang Jiaohua was slightly displeased that Liu Zongtai underestimated his dog.

“Of course not. But how can my bicycle carry it?” Liu Zongtai didn’t want to offend Zhang Jiaohua at this moment. Although he didn’t expect Zhang Jiaohua to find the lost cow, it was their last hope. If Zhang Jiaohua couldn’t find it, their only option would be to rely on the police, who might not put much effort into finding a cow.

“Don’t worry, the Zuan Shanbao won’t be slower than you,” Zhang Jiaohua said.

Being compared to a dog left Liu Zongtai speechless, but he didn’t want to delay further. He rode his Phoenix heavy-duty bicycle, carrying Zhang Jiaohua to his home.

Zhang Jiaohua hadn’t learned any specific spells for finding lost items, but he used Mei Shan hunting techniques to search for the lost cow, treating it like hunting prey.

Upon arriving at Liu Zongtai’s house, Zhang Jiaohua refused tea or food and said directly, “Where’s the cowshed? Let’s go there first. We can eat after finding your cow.”

People knew Liu Zongtai had sought help from a Mei Shan master and gathered to watch. The elderly believed Zhang Jiaohua’s youth meant he couldn’t handle serious matters. Boasting on arrival, they thought he had little chance of finding the cow.

“This kid’s too young, not steady. Boasting right away—if he can’t find the cow, he won’t have the face to eat here.”

“Exactly, who can guarantee finding the cow? It’s been two days. The thief probably took it to another place to sell.”

“Yeah, if it’s gone to another area, can the water master fly out to find it? Even if he finds it, the thief won’t admit it, and he can only stare helplessly.”

“It’s difficult. Zongtai is just hoping for a miracle.”

Even Liu’s family members shook their heads, thinking it unlikely.

“Sigh! We probably won’t find the cow and might end up giving a red envelope.”

“That’s the only way. Whether we find it depends on luck.”

Most people were just there for the spectacle. The name of a Mei Shan master was both respected and feared by the villagers, and they were curious about the process.

“Is this really Zhang Jiaohua from Meizi’ao Village? So young! Still in elementary school?”

“He’s only in the first grade. But he has skills. Last time, his talisman saved someone bitten by a snake. The school wall fell twice, but after he performed a ritual, it was fine. He might really find Zongtai’s cow.”

“Hard to believe such a young kid has such abilities. Imagine how he’ll be when he grows up!”

“Look, he’s starting the ritual.”

Zhang Jiaohua walked to the cowshed, patted the Zuan Shanbao, and said, “Shanbao! Go.”