After Transmigrating into a Book, I Had a Flash Marriage with the Beautiful Crazy Villain - Chapter 40.1

The group spent the entire morning at the horse ranch. Thanks to the patient guidance of the staff, even Fang Manwen, who had been the slowest learner, could now ride a horse for a couple of laps.

Of course, Qiu Shuang teased her, saying her speed was as slow as a turtle’s crawl she might as well have walked on her own two feet.

Fang Manwen didn’t mind. Everyone had things they weren’t good at, and horseback riding just happened to be one of hers. It wasn’t a big deal.

But someone as mischievous as Qiu Shuang deserved to be taught a lesson.

Chu Ling didn’t know what had happened between the two of them. She only noticed that after lunch, the pair disappeared for a while.

When they returned, Qiu Shuang’s cheeks were flushed, and Fang Manwen wore a faint smile at the corners of her lips. The atmosphere between them was unmistakably… improper.

It was obvious what they had been up to!

Chu Ling really didn’t want to understand. She turned her head away, pretending not to see.

After the meal, everyone rested for a while longer.

Around two in the afternoon, Meiduo gathered the group and announced, “I think everyone’s gotten the hang of riding by now, right? This afternoon’s plan is to ride across the grasslands. You’ll even get to see herds of sheep and cattle up close.

And if you’re interested, you can even try your hand at herding them. Just a friendly reminder even though the sun isn’t too strong these days, don’t forget sun protection. Wearing a face scarf is best for physical sunblock.”

Hearing the afternoon’s itinerary, everyone’s excitement soared.

Half of them had only ever seen lamb and beef on their dining tables, none had ever tried herding before. The idea of riding horses to drive sheep and cattle filled them with anticipation.

So they all got up and picked out face scarves to wear.

No one wanted to get tanned. Even though the sun wasn’t blazing, UV rays were always present.

Once everything was ready, they mounted their horses and followed Meiduo into the grasslands.

Chu Ling had initially assumed the entire grassland would be lush green. But as they rode further, the vibrant green abruptly shifted into a golden hue, creating a breathtaking sight.

Noticing their amazement, Meiduo explained, “Our grasslands are quite unique, aren’t they? Visitors are always surprised when they see this. But in a few days, the other side will turn golden too.”

Chu Ling snapped a few photos of the golden fields, then, struck by inspiration, also captured the striking contrast at the boundary.

The visual impact was intense, and she thought it would make a great post online.

Come to think of it, she hadn’t updated her spur-of-the-moment social media account in a while. Now that she had fresh material, she could use it for her next video.

Maybe she could turn it into a travel diary.

The idea took root in her mind, and the more she thought about it, the more appealing it became. She decided to refine the concept after returning.

For now, they leisurely followed Meiduo deeper into the grasslands.

Along the way, some chatted while others took photos, the atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant.

Until the sheep appeared.

“Wow! So many sheep!”

Ning Hongmian was the first to spot them. The child gasped in amazement at the sudden appearance of a vast flock in the distance. “Look over there! Did we just stumble upon a whole herd?”

Chu Ling turned to look and immediately understood why Ning Hongmian was so shocked.

It was indeed a massive flock, sheep packed tightly together, stretching endlessly across the land.

The sheer scale of the herd was astonishing. Chu Ling craned her neck, trying to see where it ended, but the sea of sheep seemed boundless.

Meiduo couldn’t possibly mean herding such a large flock of sheep, could she? Since this was just an experience, surely they wouldn’t have to manage all of them alone?

Clearly, the others were also surprised. For a moment, the only sound was the distant bleating of the sheep.

Meiduo glanced over and explained with a smile, “That’s just one section of the flock. This area isn’t too big usually, two people and two sheepdogs handle it together.”

The children’s eyes lit up at the mention of sheepdogs.

“Where? Where are the sheepdogs?”

Meiduo laughed heartily. “Seems like everyone’s quite interested! Let’s head over then. We can even try herding the sheep ourselves.”

For the staff, herding sheep wasn’t anything particularly exciting, just part of the job. But for those who had never experienced it before, it was something entirely new and fascinating.

So the group cheerfully made their way toward the flock.

While still some distance away, Chu Ling noticed a black-and-white dog darting out from the dense cluster of sheep.

“A Border Collie!”

A little girl exclaimed in delight. She loved dogs, so her eyes sparkled the moment she spotted the Border Collie.

“It’s so handsome!”

“Wow! It’s really good at herding.”

“No wonder they say Border Collies are smart, it’s a professional!”

They chatted in hushed voices.

Hearing this, Meiduo nodded. “Yes, Border Collies are very intelligent. They’re perfectly suited for herding. Don’t underestimate them sometimes they’re even better at it than humans.”

As if aware it was being discussed, the Border Collie suddenly showed off its skills, gradually shaping the flock into a formation.

“Wow! Is that a heart? This dog is way too smart!”

“Goodness, send it to school already, don’t hold the kid back.”

Chu Ling nearly laughed out loud at the children’s remarks. She first snapped a few photos of the Border Collie’s impressive herding, then switched to recording a video, capturing the moment the dog arranged the sheep into a heart shape.

This was too good not to share.

Lost in thought, Chu Ling focused entirely on the star of the video, not even noticing when Song Qingyi wandered into the frame.

She didn’t bother editing the amusing little clip, posting the entire video as it was, even leaving in the voices of Ning Hongmian and the others.

Authenticity was the goal.

After uploading the video, Chu Ling closed the app and turned her attention back to the handsome Border Collie’s live herding performance.

Somehow, watching a dog herd sheep was endlessly entertaining.

Only when the dog finished its display did Chu Ling reluctantly snap out of her trance, suddenly realizing something. “Are we really going to try this? I feel like we won’t even compare to the dog.”

She muttered under her breath.

Song Qingyi chuckled. “Let’s give it a shot. It’s just for the experience.”

After a moment’s thought, Chu Ling agreed and eagerly waited for Meiduo’s instructions.

Meanwhile, the Border Collie, having finished its work, bounded toward the group with a cheerful bark, circling excitedly beneath Meiduo’s horse.

Meiduo tossed it a strip of dried meat, which the dog caught mid-air with a stylish leap, wagging its tail furiously.

Rewarded with its treat, the Border Collie happily settled down to gnaw on it.

The children gazed at the dog, then turned pleading eyes to Meiduo. “Meiduo, can we pet it?”

Being called “sister” by the little girls, even Meiduo couldn’t suppress the joy in her heart. “Of course, go ahead and pet it. It’s very well-behaved and won’t bite.”

The Border Collie was indeed gentle. As the children tentatively approached, the dog merely glanced at them curiously before resuming its snack of dried meat.

When the three girls finally stroked its head, the Collie even nuzzled against their palms.

Chu Ling watched with eager eyes, dismounted, and joined the children in petting the dog.

The soft, fluffy fur under her palm, coupled with the dog’s warmth, felt incredibly soothing.

“So adorable!”

Song Qingyi remained on her horse, simply observing the scene.

Perhaps she could get a dog in the future? Chu Ling seemed to really like them.

As pleasant images formed in her mind, a faint smile gradually appeared in Song Qingyi’s eyes.

Chu Ling didn’t notice, but the other two couples did.

Qiu Shuang and Fang Manwen accidentally caught sight of it, exchanged a glance, and then both turned their gaze toward Song Qingyi.

That’s when they noticed another pair of eyes, Ye Zhiyin and Qin Xinyi were also watching.

The two groups locked eyes.

Confirmed everyone had noticed.

Meaningful glances began silently crisscrossing through the air.

Chu Ling, completely oblivious to the silent exchanges, remained engrossed in petting the dog.

Dogs truly are the cutest creatures in the world. Without them, how would the world even keep turning?

Chu Ling sighed inwardly with this heartfelt sentiment.

The three children also happily petted the dog for quite a while.

When the time was right, Meiduo spoke up to move things along.

“Alright, alright, Xiaoguai isn’t going anywhere. I’ll bring it out to play with everyone this evening. Now, little shepherds, are you ready to herd the sheep?”

Meiduo was excellent at rallying enthusiasm. At her words, the dog-petting quartet looked up at her.

The children excitedly chimed in, “We’re ready!”

Meiduo then turned to the adults.

The adults were more reserved, simply nodding in response.

Unfazed, Meiduo smiled and said, “Split into groups freely, each team will handle one side. Don’t worry, with so many of you, it won’t be hard.”

No one was particularly concerned about the difficulty. A quick glance among them was all it took to settle the groupings.

Chu Ling looked around and sighed quietly.

For group activities like this, it went without saying that the established couples and the almost-couple would pair up. The kids would likely form their own group, leaving her with Song Qingyi once again.

Sure enough, the groupings unfolded exactly as Chu Ling had anticipated.

Her expression serene, Chu Ling felt she had been thoroughly tempered by now. Such trivial matters couldn’t shake her composure anymore.

Herding sheep was indeed a novel experience, and Chu Ling listened attentively throughout. After Meiduo explained some details, everyone was free to give it a try.

Chu Ling steeled herself, growing nervous upon receiving their assigned task. “Quick, Song Qingyi, we need to hurry over.”

Song Qingyi, guiding her horse at a leisurely pace, replied, “No need to rush. The others haven’t even reached halfway yet.”

Chu Ling glanced back and realized they were temporarily ahead of the others, finally easing her urgency.

Mostly, she was worried about making mistakes. Though this was just for fun, if anything went wrong, Meiduo would have to step in to fix it.

Causing trouble for others is never a good thing, no matter how you look at it.

Because of this, Chu Ling couldn’t help but feel nervous.

Fortunately, the sheep-herding went smoothly overall. Though it was their first time working together, and there was inevitably some flustered scrambling, they managed to drive the flock quite a distance without major issues.

Nothing went seriously wrong, but there were minor hiccups, sheep refusing to move, wandering off to graze, getting tired and stopping, or cutting in line while trotting along.

Thankfully, with the help of Xiao Guai, the seasoned sheepdog, it earned another strip of meat from Meiduo as a reward.

After the experience concluded without mishap, Chu Ling let out a deep sigh of relief. “Thank goodness nothing went wrong.”

Song Qingyi, noticing her relieved expression, remarked, “Even if something had gone wrong, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. You should trust Meiduo’s professionalism. Since she dared to let us try, she must have accounted for the risks. So… you don’t need to carry such a heavy mental burden.”

Chu Ling froze for a moment, her gaze unconsciously shifting to Song Qingyi.

The other woman probably didn’t realize that what she’d said so casually had sent ripples through Chu Ling’s heart.

Chu Ling knew her own flaw, she was always afraid of inconveniencing others, of causing problems because of herself.

Whenever she felt she’d troubled someone, whether they were acquaintances or strangers, she couldn’t help but feel guilty.

Perhaps this was tied to her personality. After all, she’d had to mature early and learn independence.

But not everyone appreciated this about her. Some thought she was too guarded, making it hard to get close.

Chu Ling didn’t care much about others’ opinions in the end, they didn’t affect her.

As long as she didn’t cause trouble for others because of herself, she considered it fine.

But Song Qingyi had just told her that in situations like this, even if she did cause trouble, it was normal so she didn’t need to worry so much.

She’d already noticed before that Song Qingyi was really kind. Now, she realized Song Qingyi could be even kinder!

Indeed, Song Qingyi was quite different from how she was portrayed in the books.

Reading about her had only provided a one-sided understanding. Only after experiencing things firsthand and interacting with her did Chu Ling realize that the Song Qingyi described in words wasn’t the same as the one she knew.

Song Qingyi was a real person, she had her own endearing side, not just some two-dimensional villain defined by the label “antagonist.”

But meeting her gaze still made Chu Ling feel overwhelmed, so she quickly looked away.

Song Qingyi didn’t say anything more either.

For the rest of the trip, the group traversed most of the grassland. After herding sheep, they tried their hand at herding cows and milking them.

Herding cows wasn’t as fun as herding sheep, but milking was quite interesting.

They filled two small buckets with milk, though their lack of experience meant they got splashed in the face a few times.

Unfortunately, Song Qingyi and Qin Xinfan didn’t give it a try.

Well, Chu Ling couldn’t even imagine the two of them milking cows, it just didn’t fit their personas at all.

Still, there was no denying that the entire day’s grassland experience was absolutely perfect.

By evening, Meiduo led them to a bonfire, where a whole lamb was roasting, its skin sizzling and glistening with oil.

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