Chapter 25

This dish went so well with rice!

Shi Wen found it hard to imagine that Bachu Mushroom stir-fried with beef could be even fresher and more delicious than chicken soup made by stewing it.

He stuffed a huge mouthful of rice into his mouth to go with the Bachu Mushroom.

It was so good!

No wonder it had been worth taking a two-and-a-half-hour ride to find these mushrooms.

This restaurant's serving pace was excellent. Before they had finished the Bachu Mushroom stir-fried with beef, the dry-fried Bachu Mushroom and garlic Bachu Mushroom were brought out one after another.

Shi Wen ate dish after dish, shoveling mouthful after mouthful of rice into his mouth, utterly unable to stop.

Shi Wen wolfed down two large bowls of rice and drank two bowls of soup, so full that he hardly dared speak.

He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, the food would come spilling back out of his throat.

Sitting in his chair, he felt the warm, blissful contentment of being full.

Gong Jiang and Lin Chengqian were still finishing up, pouring the sauces from the Bachu Mushroom beef stir-fry and the garlic Bachu Mushroom into their bowls and mixing them with rice.

Ge Yue leaned back in her chair. "This meal made my back sweat."

Shi Wen secretly nodded. He was sweating too. It was so delicious that all his worries had vanished.

Shi Wen said, "If we get the chance next year, let's come pick Bachu Mushrooms again."

The moment Gong Jiang heard that, he immediately stopped his chopsticks and mumbled to Lin Chengqian, "Record that, record that. Brother Shi said he'll take us along again next year."

Shi Wen glanced at Yan Kexing from the corner of his eye and answered candidly, "Go ahead and record it. If you don't mind, I actually quite like working with you all."

Gong Jiang said sincerely, "A big shot like you, who can find a 'rat trail' in the wilderness just by picking Bachu Mushrooms—and I'd have to be out of my mind to mind? If you didn't have a ranch, I'd invite you to join our team. Think of how much more we could discover. Right, Teacher?"

Yan Kexing shifted his gaze away from Shi Wen and nodded. "Mm."

Chapter 11

Ever since Shi Wen returned from picking Bachu Mushrooms, the weather had been poor, with several rounds of rain.

Other than the geese, all the livestock had been kept in the sheds these past few days. Shi Wen had to cut grass and clean out the cattle and sheep pens, keeping him more than busy enough.

When the weather finally cleared up a little, Shi Wen let the two cows outside to graze freely, while the sheep remained shut in their pen.

The flock seemed somewhat dissatisfied and began bleating loudly.

The noise made Shi Wen's ears ache.

A little after nine in the morning, Shi Wen heard Black Kid barking outside. He hurried out and, sure enough, saw Fu Meng parked on his motorcycle at the entrance to the ranch.

As Shi Wen strode quickly over, he called, "Brother Fu, the gate isn't locked. Just slide the bolt aside and come in."

Fu Meng raised a hand to move the bolt, pushed the gate open, and rode his motorcycle inside. "You didn't let the sheep out?"

Shi Wen said, "How would I dare? My sheep are pretty wild now. Once I let them out, they're hard to herd back in."

Fu Meng laughed heartily. "Looks like your sheep have adapted well to their current environment."

"They've adapted very well. They're still protesting in the sheep pen right now." Shi Wen walked over to Fu Meng's motorcycle and led him toward the sheep pen. "Good thing I have you, or I really wouldn't know what to do."

While they were talking, Black Kid noticed the commotion and excitedly ran over, his four short little legs moving like spinning wheels.

Shi Wen caught sight of Black Kid from the corner of his eye and raised a hand in a gesture.

Black Kid saw it, stopped where he was, lifted his head to watch for a moment, then turned and headed toward the two cows.

Fu Meng looked at his gesture. "You even taught Black Kid hand signals?"

"Calling out from far away is too tiring. With hand signals, it's easier for him to recognize them, and he won't mix up commands." Shi Wen smiled broadly. "Black Kid is pretty smart. He understands after just a little training."

Fu Meng said, "Your pup is well built too. He looks really sturdy."

As they talked, the two walked into the livestock shed.

All thirty-seven sheep were shut inside. Hearing people's footsteps, they bleated loudly.

The thunderous noise made Fu Meng's ears buzz. "Your sheep can really yell."

Shi Wen gave a wry smile.

When they went inside, every sheep was plump and fluffy, as though wrapped in cotton candy.

Fu Meng casually caught one, held its horns, felt its wool, then turned to Shi Wen. "This one probably has two or three jin of wool on it."

Shi Wen said, "I'd originally planned to shear them in another two months, but with wool this thick, they'll be roasted alive by then."

Fu Meng gripped the sheep's horns firmly. "Then let's start. Tie it up in front?"

Shi Wen hurriedly helped him pull the sheep forward by its horns. "Let's go to the empty shed next door. My sheep are a little fierce, so I'll tie up its legs too."

Together, they tied the sheep's horns to the railing to secure its head, then tied its front legs together and its hind legs together.

Shi Wen dragged over an extension socket. Fu Meng plugged the electric shears into it, switched them on, and began shearing downward from the sheep's back.

The electric shears buzzed. Shi Wen lowered his head, securing the sheep beneath his hands while learning how to shear wool.

They could shear sheep two or three times a year here. Fu Meng could help this time, but Shi Wen would definitely have to do it himself next time, so he needed to learn properly.

Fu Meng was extremely skilled. The electric shears buzzed as he swiftly shaved the wool from the sheep's back, then he shielded the ewe's teats with his hand and began shearing the wool from its belly.

The shorn wool was thick and heavy, tangled with all sorts of debris such as grass blades, seeds, and dirt. Shi Wen kicked it aside, then went to bring over the second sheep, driving the shorn one back into the pen along the way.

The shorn sheep still looked plump, with no bones visible at all. It seemed rather unaccustomed to its newly short-haired body and shook itself vigorously several times.

Fu Meng caught the sheep, lifted it, and weighed it in his arms. "It's over forty, maybe fifty jin already. It's growing fast."

Shi Wen smiled. "I'll weigh them properly one day."

They continued shearing the second sheep.

The second sheep was less cooperative, squealing like a pig being slaughtered as it was sheared.

Hearing the commotion, Black Kid ran in from outside, his tail raised as he peered inside.