Chapter 4

Picking Mushrooms

Jian Qingqing found it funny. “You don’t want that wild vegetable?”

“Yes!” Jian Rong said as he immediately pulled out the cluster of wild vegetables and divided half into the basket that Xiao Ye was holding. “Let’s go, Sister Qingqing, we’ll go over there to pick mushrooms!”

“Wait, the matter hasn’t been settled yet. What if I bring you over and you guys still fight?”

Jian Rong rolled his eyes and very tactfully apologized, “I’m sorry, Xiao Hu. I shouldn’t have snatched your wild vegetables.”

Xiao Hu was a person who would give in to politeness. He took a glance at the wild vegetables that were allocated to the basket and was very embarrassed. “I was not good either. It always belonged to the one who snatched it. I wasn’t fast enough for you, and it’s my fault for hitting you.”

Jian Qingqing looked at the two children who shook hands and made peace. She was finally satisfied, so she picked up Xiao Hu who was playing with the grass. “Let’s go. We’ll go over now. Xiao Hu, hold Xiao Ye’s hand well. Don’t let him fall.”

After crossing the ravine, Jian Qingqing picked up the long stick and beat the weeds. This move was called alerting the snake by beating the grass.

Soon, she found a bunch of edible mushrooms under the roots of a tree. Xiao Hu and Jian Rong quickly went up to pick them up.

After a few days of continuous rain, the mushrooms on the mountain all appeared. However, there were only a few types that they knew could be eaten, so they specifically picked up the ones that they knew.

Jian Qingqing carried Xiao Hu, so it was inconvenient for her to do so. Therefore, it was Xiao Hu and Jian Rong who picked them up. Xiao Ye followed behind them with a basket. Soon, they picked up a big basket full of mushrooms. They also found a lot of wild vegetables that were growing well, so they picked them all up, they used a bundle of hay and held it in their hands.

Jian Qingqing looked at the sky. She had not eaten breakfast, and her stomach was already starting to throb. The four little ones were not in good condition either.

“Let’s go. It’s time to go home and make lunch. We’ll pick them again in the afternoon.”

When they returned home, the adults had not returned yet. Jian Qingqing instructed Xiao Hu and Xiao Ye to wash the vegetables and start a fire.

There were only two broken clay pots at home. Although they were broken, they were all washed clean.

While the three little ones were washing vegetables outside, Jian Qingqing secretly poured the soup from the Spatial Kitchen into the pots, preparing to use the soup to cook wild vegetables and mushrooms.

It was difficult to take out the things in the Spatial Kitchen. She could not explain the source, so she could only take the soup out to stew.

Jian Qingqing did not know how to make such a fire, and neither did her original body. She was weak, and her family did not let her do much work. Xiao Hu was very skilled at doing these things.

Jian Qingqing added one-third of the soup and one-third of the water to each of the two pots to dilute the taste of the soup. There were no condiments in the house.

After Xiao Hu finished washing the vegetables, Jian Qingqing broke all the vegetables and threw them into the pot, instructing Xiao Hu to start the fire.

When the pots started to rumble, the adults came back.

Jian Qingqing shouted outside, “Grandpa, Dad, Mom, it’s time to eat!”

“Aiyo, Big Sister knows how to cook!” Mother Jian’s face was full of pride.

Father Jian also revealed a silly smile. “Big Sister, are you hungry? Next time, daddy will come back earlier.”

Jian Qingqing hurriedly waved her hand. “No, no. I just feel sorry for the hard work of grandfather and you two. I’ve seen you guys cook before, so I tried it.”

Fater Jian and Mother Jian were moved. “Good girl!”

Old Man Jian had already lifted the lid, and the hot air with a fragrance spread out. Old Man Jian could not help but salivate when he smelled it. “Big Sister, what are you cooking? It smells so good!”

He looked closely, it was wild vegetables and mushrooms. “Where did you pick the mushroom?”

Jian Qingqing knew that she could not hide it, so she said honestly, “We went over the ditch to pick it.”

“What!” Father Jian and Mother Jian were shocked. “Didn’t I tell you guys not to go over there?”

It was not good for Father Jian to be angry at his daughter, so he shouted at Xiao Hu, “Jian Xiao Hu, come over here! I’ll beat you to death! How can you bring big sister over to the ditch! It’s so dangerous over there!”

In Father Jian’s opinion, his daughter was too soft and timid. She would not dare to go over on her own, so it was only Xiao Hu, that naughty child, who could bring her there.

Jian Qingqing knew that he had misunderstood, she quickly explained, “Xiao Hu didn’t bring me there. I wanted to bring Xiao Hu there. There aren’t many wild vegetables left on the slope. Not many people have picked them from the ditch. Moreover, we only circled around outside and did not go inside.”

Mother Jian still had a disapproving look on her face. “Even so, we can’t let you kids go there. What if you encounter danger? If there aren’t any wild vegetables outside, mother and father can leave work and go into the mountain to pick them. In short, you can’t go in.”

“But my brothers and I also feel sorry for Father and Mother. You guys work so hard. How can you go into the mountain after a whole day’s work? Isn’t it more dangerous than us going in? Moreover, I swear that we won’t go into the deep mountains. We’ll just go in the circle outside and pick them!”

“That’s enough,” Old Man Jian finally spoke, “If Big Sis wants to go, then let her go. Mushrooms are better than wild vegetables, it’s better to nourish the body. Big Sister has just recovered, it’s better to eat mushrooms. As long as you’re careful, there won’t be any danger wandering outside. But in the afternoon, don’t bring Xiao Ye and Xiao Hu. They’re too young, they won’t be able to escape if they encounter danger. In the afternoon, I’ll bring them to the fields. Xiao Hu, you must protect your sister well!” The last sentence was directed at Xiao Hu.

Xiao Hu received the order. “Yes!”

Jian Qingqing was very touched. “Thank you, Grandfather!”

Although Father Jian did not agree, his father had already spoken, so he could only agree.

“Alright, let’s eat. Let’s have a taste of big sister’s cooking!”

There were only three pottery bowls at home, and the rest were all bamboo bowls. Bamboo bowls were easily moldy and easily cracked.

Old Man Jian put a bowl full of mushrooms into Jian Qingqing’s hands. The other brothers had half of the mushrooms and half of the wild vegetables in their bowls, while the adults’ bowls were full of wild vegetables. Jian Qingqing looked at the mushrooms in the bowl, feeling touched. It was hard for her not to love such a family.

“Come, Grandpa, Mom, and Dad also eat mushrooms. You work hard and need to replenish your body.” Jian Qingqing took a few chopsticks from the bowl and put some wild vegetables into the adults’ bowls.

“Big Sister, you can eat it yourself. Why are you giving it to us? We are in good health. You, on the other hand, can get better by eating more.” As she spoke, she was about to give the mushrooms back to Jian Qingqing.

“Enough. You should eat it. The child is doing it out of filial piety.” After saying that, Old Man Jian drank a mouthful of soup, paused for a moment, and then picked up some wild vegetables to eat.

“Why does Big Sister’s cooking taste like meat?”

Jian Qingqing was stunned. She did not expect that she had skimmed the oil off the soup and added a lot of water. They could all taste the meat.

“What is the meat flavor?” The five-year-old Xiao Ye asked in confusion.

“I know, I know! The meat flavor is fragrant!” Xiao Hu took a sniff of the soup in intoxication, “Big sister’s cooking is also fragrant!”

He was already eight years old, and he already had a memory. Before the drought, he would always cut a piece of meat at home every new year to eat, so he remembered the taste of meat.

“This means that big sister has talent in cooking. She can even make vegetables with the taste of meat!” Old Man Jian said.

Jian Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief. Talent was talent, otherwise, it would be difficult for her to explain how she could make the same dish with the taste of meat.

Everyone ate this meal happily, and there was not even any soup left.