CHAPTER 452: CHAPTER 440: OATMEAL AND FISH MEAL

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 meters at a time.

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 Mei.

Spotting Han Qiwu turning back, Aunt Hong Mei 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 me, it’s an overseas breed," Han Qiwu replied with a grin.

After all, he had plenty of friends!

Everything seemed to be a gift from friends.

Aunt Hong Mei chuckled, "Pull over up ahead, let me 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 meters before coming to a complete stop.

Meanwhile, 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 Mei 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 astonishment.

Seeing this, Han Qiwu asked curiously, "Aunt Hong Mei, what’s up? Don’t tell me you know this pony personally? Having a private chat, huh?"

Aunt Hong Mei 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 Mei ran her hand over the pony’s shoulder and, with a look of realization and slight wonderment, 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 Mei." Han Qiwu quickly gave her a thumbs-up and asked, "Aunt Hong Mei, how can you tell just by touch?"

At his question, a trace of pride flashed across Aunt Hong Mei’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 Mei, you’re so knowledgeable." Han Qiwu immediately offered another compliment 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 Mei tilted her head upward and slowly said, "I remember the horse farm owner didn’t tell us much, but I saw them feeding a mix with plenty of oats and some other grains in it. I don’t know the exact proportions, though."

"Oats?" Han Qiwu nodded and made a mental note, "Thank you, Aunt Hong Mei."

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 home.

He’d definitely have to feed the pony more treats.

After exchanging a few more words, Aunt Hong Mei circled the pony several times, 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 fishmeal to boost the nutrition of foals. You can look into it. Anyway, I’ve got some errands to run at home, so I’ll be heading off now."

Han Qiwu made careful notes, thanking her, "Thank you, Aunt Hong Mei. Next time, I’ll bring you some eggs as a treat."

"No need for that. You should eat them yourself, grow stronger, and bring Xiao Tang home soon." Aunt Hong Mei teased him intentionally, laughing as she rode off when she saw him blush.

"Bring home? You mean marry her, don’t you?" Han Qiwu muttered helplessly, noticing as he glanced up that the pony was lowering its head to nibble at some 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 something tasty when we get home." 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 home. Next step is finding a way to plant oats and make fishmeal," 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 moments it startled someone. 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 immediately!"

"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.