Chapter 107
Chapter 107
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: What? The Calf Collapsed?
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“What? The calf collapsed?”
Lee Jun shouted in shock, just as startled as the dogs.
Lee Jun’s shocked expression.
The dogs’ frantic movements.
The pastoral atmosphere, where he’d been chuckling at the cats perched on the cows’ backs swatting away bugs, vanished in an instant.
“The calf collapsed, huh? Big Brother, what’s that mean?”
But Go Gi-jin couldn’t get an answer.
Lee Jun was already chasing after the dogs.
“Big Brother, wait up~!”
Thud thud thud thud.
Go Gi-jin ran after Lee Jun, followed by Gray and Shadow.
A moment later, the dogs stopped.
Lee Jun, who had stopped with them, was panting.
Huff huff huff huff!
“Man, I’m dying here.”
The words slipped naturally from Lee Jun’s gasping mouth.
But his eyes gleamed sharply.
[Here! Right here!]
[Over here!]
The dogs barked as they plunged into the herd of cows, and soon they spotted the fallen calf.
The calf lay on its side, its belly massively swollen.
Its four legs flailed weakly.
Lee Jun, who knew that gesture all too well as a cry of pain, felt pity well up in his eyes.
“Looks like severe abdominal pain. Bloat?”
Bloat—gastric dilatation—was a condition where gas filled the stomach.
Dogs could get it too, but it was most common in ruminants. It occurred when gas from fermented feed in the rumen caused the first and second stomachs to swell rapidly, leading to digestive dysfunction—a metabolic disease.
“It sure looks like it... Hmm.”
Go Gi-jin, who had caught up, let out a shallow sigh and added,
“But it’s too young to be eating feed yet.”
“Then could it be a hairball? A calf hairball, I mean.”
When Lee Jun asked about calf hairball blockage, Go Gi-jin nodded as he crouched down to examine the calf.
“Yeah, looks like it. Probably licked its mom’s fur or chewed on grass. Or maybe ate some plastic?”
As he answered, Go Gi-jin pulled out his phone.
“Gotta call Dad first.”
“It needs surgery, right? For a calf not even two months old with a hairball, surgery’s the only option.”
“If it’s a hairball blockage, yeah, that’s it.”
Go Gi-jin’s face darkened as he spoke of surgery being the only way.
“Poor thing might not make it.”
***
“Hairball blockage.”
Veterinarian Go Pan-seok, Go Gi-jin’s father, examined the calf with a grim expression.
Go Gi-jin, Go Pan-seok, and the junior vets they’d brought along all wore the same look.
Lee Jun felt the same mix of frustration.
‘I wonder if this little one has the strength to survive surgery.’
As Lee Jun thought that,
Moooo!
A nearby cow let out a mournful bellow.
Lee Jun knew right away when he saw it.
‘That’s the mom.’
Tears welled in her large eyes as she gazed down at the calf.
[My baby...]
Lee Jun was speechless at the sight of the mother cow staring at her offspring, tears streaming down.
But he couldn’t just stand there.
He locked eyes with the cow and said,
“Don’t worry. The director here will save your baby.”
Despite Lee Jun’s reassurance, the mother cow kept shedding tears.
Then, whether he’d heard Lee Jun or the cow’s cries, Go Pan-seok approached the bawling cow while checking the calf.
He stroked her back gently, his voice as warm as his touch.
“There, there, no need to worry~. We’ll save your little one for sure.”
Moooo!
The cow bellowed long, as if responding.
Pat pat.
Go Pan-seok patted her back a couple times and called out.
Even without Go Pan-seok’s special ability like Lee Jun’s, the mother cow seemed to understand, starting to calm down.
“You there, start the IV~.”
“Got it.”
Though his response was slow, Go Gi-jin and the junior were already prepped with the IV by the calf.
Seeing that, Go Pan-seok added,
“Be careful. It’s badly dehydrated—might be tough to get it in!”
Lee Jun crouched down by the calf too.
“Anything I can do to help?”
“You’re good.”
With that, Go Gi-jin aimed the needle at the end of the IV line straight for the neck.
“Jugular vein for the fluids... Huh? No catheter?”
Lee Jun stared in surprise as Go Gi-jin jabbed the jugular with a regular syringe needle instead of a catheter.
“That’s how we do it here. This is just one, but usually we’re hooking up 10 or 20 at a time, so this is easier.”
Go Gi-jin explained, then told the junior,
“Keep count proper.”
“Yep!”
The junior was already staring at his phone.
“Counting drops per minute, huh.”
“That’s right. No infusion pump to do it for us, so this is how it’s done.”
‘Field work really is tough.’
As Lee Jun thought that, the junior vet shaved the calf’s fur.
“Surgery right here?”
“Yeah. It’s big, y’know. And better for it to wake up next to its mom.”
“Like a zoo.”
Lee Jun had done surgeries at zoos a few times. What had amazed him was field surgery.
He figured it made sense for huge animals like elephants, but the one he’d operated on was a monkey.
Why not do it in the zoo’s animal hospital OR? he’d wondered.
Later, he was even more shocked.
They’d moved it back to the enclosure before the anesthesia had fully worn off.
‘Was wild.’
For social animals, hospital stays could lead to rejection when they returned to the group.
That’s why they sent them right back post-surgery.
‘Probably the same here.’
Lee Jun helped prep while thinking that.
Once the fur was shaved and the surgical site disinfected with povidone, Go Gi-jin called out,
“Placing the surgical drape~.”
“Alright!”
Go Pan-seok replied to his son, then continued right away.
“This surgical film’s real good. Thought ‘what’s the difference’ before tryin’ it.”
Go Pan-seok pointed to the surgical film Go Gi-jin was applying over the site.
“We couldn’t even dream of this back in our day. Operating under a blue cloth drape was top-notch.”
“Hey Dad, those old pics show you using vinyl too.”
“Even without that, we just went for it.”
As they traded stories that would shock new grads, Go Pan-seok incised the calf’s flank with the scalpel.
In the blink of an eye, the fourth of the cow’s four stomachs, the abomasum, popped out.
‘Fast.’
Lee Jun marveled at Go Pan-seok’s hands.
“Whew, it’s packed full.”
Go Pan-seok clucked his tongue at the abomasum, then sliced it open.
It was crammed with brown cMongchis and pale masses.
“Man, it ate a ton.”
“I get the brown stuff is rice straw, but what’s this?”
Lee Jun pointed to a large pale cMongchi.
“Undigested milk curd.”
“Oh...”
“Stuff like this is cheesy, sticky, and hard—won’t digest.”
“That’s why surgery’s the only fix. But Dad, what about this side?”
Go Gi-jin pointed where Go Pan-seok was looking.
“Yeah.”
The calf’s rumen was swollen too, not just the abomasum.
“Can’t we just incise and remove it?”
Lee Jun asked, puzzled by the father-son exchange.
“But the rumen wall’s real thin!”
It’s only two months old, so of course it is, Lee Jun thought.
“Hey Dad, if you say that, what’ll Big Brother think? ‘It’s a baby, so it’s weak’—that’s obvious, right?”
Go Gi-jin read Lee Jun’s mind and explained,
“That’s why with little ones like this, the rumen wall’s super fragile. It can rupture even after surgery.”
“Ah.”
Now Lee Jun understood the worry shared by the two—no, all three, including the junior.
“Couldn’t we suture it extra strong?”
Lee Jun asked, drawing from his experience with puppies and kittens.
Even if calves were delicate, were they worse than tiny kittens and pups?
“I haven’t done calves, but I’ve sutured a baby goat once.”
“A goat?”
“Yeah, that’s right. Big Brother did surgery on a vinyl-eater at the zoo back then.”
“Really?”
Go Pan-seok turned to Lee Jun.
“Yeah.”
“Wanna give it a go?”
“You sure that’s okay?”
“What’s not okay? Just save the thing.”
“Alright, I’ll do it.”
Lee Jun swapped gloves and started on the rumen.
“Man, what’s with that speed?”
“Told ya, Dad. Big Brother’s surgery skills are top-notch.”
“Heard that. Didn’t hear he had a motor in his hands, though~.”
“Didn’t I say that?”
“Yeah. This one’ll live. Gonna make it. Heh heh heh.”
Go Pan-seok laughed for the first time since arriving at the ranch.
“Want me to close up too?”
“Hm?”
“I’ll handle the closure.”
At Go Pan-seok’s words, Lee Jun finished up to the skin sutures.
“Perfect. How’s it so seamless?”
“Right? He’s always this good.”
Go Gi-jin beamed like it was his own praise, and Go Pan-seok nodded.
“Yeah. Real skilled. Good job!”
Go Pan-seok looked at Lee Jun with warm eyes.
Surgery done, Lee Jun went to the cow.
She lay gazing worriedly at her still-prone calf.
“Your baby’ll wake up soon. No worries.”
Moo~.
The mom cow seemed to smile happily.
“Whew, she’s glad the calf’s safe.”
Lee Jun smiled, knowing she’d really said that.
Soon, the calf’s eyes fluttered open, and the cow approached to lick its face.
Lee Jun cautioned her.
“Don’t lick here.”
His hand pointed to the surgical site.
The cow bellowed as if saying she understood, then licked Lee Jun’s face just like the calf’s.
Slurp.
Drip drip.
One lick, and saliva dripped from his face.
“Haha haha.”
Knowing it was thanks, Lee Jun grinned at the cow.
“Heh heh, that one. Knows gratitude.”
Go Pan-seok chuckled too.
***
“Thanks a ton.”
“What thanks? I didn’t do much!”
As the ranch owner nodded gratefully, Go Pan-seok clapped Lee Jun’s shoulder with a laugh.
“This teacher saved it today.”
The ranch owner, who’d watched from the side, kept nodding and chimed in.
“Thanks to you too, Teacher Lee.”
“What’d I do? Just lent a hand next to Director Ko.”
“That hand ain’t ordinary. Anyway, thanks. Thought you only handled cats and dogs, but cows too? Didn’t know.”
“Haha, no. Cows are outside my wheelhouse.”
“Nah. Been ranchin’ for years— I know.”
The ranch owner grinned at Go Pan-seok and continued,
“Thought our Director Ko was the best till now...”
“Hey, you!”
“What’d I say? With Teacher Lee above, Teacher Ko’ll be amazing soon.”
“Hahaha. Yeah, Teacher Ko’s got real talent.”
Lee Jun laughed and praised Go Gi-jin.
“Heh heh, be nice if so.”
“Anyway, you saved our calf, and with a special guest, I’ll come visit soon to say hi proper.”
“No need. Just raise those cows right. Nearly lost this one. Anyway, we’re off.”
“Safe travels.”
Then, woof woof!
Taesan barked loudly by the ranch owner.
Saying goodbye and come again to Sapsari, the cats, Lee Jun, and Go Gi-jin.
“Be back tomorrow. Gotta check the calf.”
“Gi-jin, you really get what animals say.”
“Hey, that one barks every time we leave—easy to know. Not like Big Brother.”
Lee Jun smiled at Go Gi-jin’s words.
“Alright, let’s go.”
Thirty minutes later, Lee Jun’s car pulled up at Go Pan-seok Animal Hospital.
As he got out, he asked,
“You cover far places too.”
“That’s close.”
“Even farther ranches?”
“Yeah.”
“Impressive.”
“Heh, for surgery, no one in the area beats Dad.”
Go Gi-jin answered proudly.
Lee Jun looked at him enviously.
Then, Go Pan-seok, who’d arrived first, approached and said,
“Came to rest, but put you to work right away—sorry.”
“No, sir. Great experience thanks to you.”
“Heh, good if you see it that way. Anyway, rest easy~.”
“Thank you. I’ll be in your care for a bit.”
“Yeah, yeah. Rest well. But hey...”
“Call anytime.”
Lee Jun answered, recalling the earlier events.
“Hey Dad, Big Brother’s here to rest.”
“Who don’t know that?”
“That’s why I’m sayin’.”
“Enough. The cats...”
“Oh yeah. How’re the cats?”
“Good. Your juniors are feedin’ ’em well.”
Go Pan-seok glanced at the car and added,
“So let’s take a pic.”
“A photo?”
“Saw the ranch folks snappin’ pics with Gray, Shadow, and Sapsari like crazy.”
While the ranch owner and Go Pan-seok talked post-surgery, the workers had been thrilled snapping photos with Gray, Shadow, and Sapsari.
“Hey, shoulda said earlier. Better light at the ranch.”
“I gotta say it outright?”
As Go Pan-seok raised his voice, Lee Jun called to the car,
“Guys, Strong Brother’s dad likes you.”
Meow!
Nyao!
Woof!
No sooner said, the three dashed out and lined up by Go Pan-seok.
“Dad, pick ’em up.”
“Y-yeah.”
Go Pan-seok beamed, scooping up Gray and Shadow,
“Sapsari, you stand here.”
Sapsari stood right beside Go Pan-seok.
“Snappin’ it.”
Click! Click!
Go Pan-seok grinned while photographing.
“Heh, thanks to my boy, I get pics with the Haenguni charms. Yeah.”
That evening, Go Gi-jin’s mother welcomed Gray, Shadow, and Sapsari too.
She especially fawned over Lee Jun—so much Go Gi-jin complained.
“Hey, more excited for Big Brother than your son after months?”
“Haha, she’s just being polite.”
“Mom ain’t like that. It’s ’cause you’re handsome. Watch— all the meat dishes’ll pile up in front of you.”
“Hahaha, no way.”
Lee Jun laughed heartily.
And Go Gi-jin was right.
That night, braised ribs, bulgogi, japchae—all the tasty meat sides piled before Lee Jun.
“See?”
Lee Jun burst out laughing again at Go Gi-jin’s words.
Seeing Lee Jun’s bright smile, Go Gi-jin chuckled too.
Lee Jun’s heart warmed as much as his smile.
A warm family table after so long.
Sure, since living with Go Gi-jin at Alley House, he’d rarely eaten alone.
But this felt different.
Lee Jun’s brief rural life amid kind folks began.