[Tree age: 45-50 years]
[Status: Dormant, with abundant sap reserves]
[Value Assessment: High-quality hardwood; the sap has an extremely high sugar content in spring, making it suitable for producing top-grade birch syrup.]
"Birch syrup..."
This is liquid gold, which is several times more expensive than maple syrup.
The forty acres of mature birch forest generate a considerable income just from collecting sap and boiling it into sugar each spring, not to mention that the hardwood itself is a high-quality material for furniture and building.
Old Sam, that gambling addict, is begging for food even though he has a golden rice bowl.
The snowmobile continued forward.
After passing through the woodland, the terrain drops sharply.
Amidst the roaring sound and the surging of the water, the Pilan Creek came into view.
Su Wei stopped the car and turned off the engine.
The world fell silent instantly, leaving only the gentle sound of flowing water.
Due to geothermal activity and flow rate, the main channel of the Pilan Creek has not completely frozen over.
The dark black river water surged beneath the ice, crashing against the rocks on both banks and creating white foam.
This is a crucial route for sockeye salmon during their migration.
Su Wei walked to the riverbank, his boots making a crisp, cracking sound as they stepped on the frozen pebbles.
He crouched down, picked up a stone, and threw it into the water.
Thump.
Water splashed up.
This body of water will become his private fishing ground.
Fish here, fish however you like.
He stood up and looked upstream.
That's the entrance to the U-Shaped Valley, with two majestic snow-capped mountains standing on either side, and a narrow passage in the middle leading to the undeveloped depths of Kodiak Island.
That was true wilderness, teeming with brown bears, moose, and large herds of deer.
His territory happens to guard this entrance.
This is a natural barrier.
Su Wei could even imagine building a panoramic glass observation station here in the future, where he could sit in front of a warm fireplace, sipping coffee, and watch herds of wild animals pass by his door.
Just thinking about that feeling sends chills down my spine.
"A bridge is needed here."
Su Wei pointed to the section of river beneath his feet and muttered to himself.
"We can build a shooting range on that high ground over there. With the mountain behind us, we won't have to worry about ricochets."
"A clearing can be made at the edge of the birch forest to build a few guest cabins, specifically for wealthy individuals who want to experience high-end hunting."
" Emerald Lake is big enough to build a water-based helipad. No, I can even build a land-based helipad. Besides, I need to prepare to get a pilot's license."
Ideas began to surface in his mind, and the blueprint for the future became increasingly clear.
The cold wind rushed into my collar, taking away the warmth from my skin, but it couldn't extinguish the fire in my heart.
Su Wei stood by the river for a full ten minutes, until his hands and feet began to stiffen, before he finally got back on the snowmobile.
"Go home."
This is a real home.
Back in the cabin.
Su Wei parked the snowmobile back in the garage, covered it with a dust cover, and patted the cold seat.
Pushing open the front door and stepping into the living room, the room remained dry and cold.
Before he could even turn on the heater, a white figure darted out from under the sofa.
"Eek."
Because the floor was slippery, the Cotton Candy couldn't stop and crashed into his calf with a thud.
The little guy was starving, and another little fox had been in the cabin for too long, so he was very excited to see Su Wei.
It clung to Su Wei's overalls with its two front paws, rubbed its nose against his boots, and made a pitiful whimpering sound.
"Okay, okay, I know. I won't leave you home alone anymore."
Su Wei bent down and scooped up the small fox, which weighed a few pounds. It felt very light and its fur was fluffy.
He skillfully scratched its chin, his fingertips running through the thick winter fur to touch its warm skin.
The Cotton Candy immediately stopped whimpering, comfortably squinted its eyes, its ears curled back, and its fluffy tail wrapped around his wrist.
After placing the clingy little guy on the sofa, Su Wei took off his heavy polar suit and went to the backyard to fetch a bundle of wood.
After the kindling was lit, the birch wood in the fireplace crackled slightly, and orange-red flames quickly leaped up, the heat dispelling the chill in the room.
Su Wei washed his hands and went into the kitchen.
Today is a day to remember, even if you're alone, you should still celebrate.
He opened the large double-door refrigerator.
The refrigerator was crammed with vacuum-packed meat. Besides what I bought from the supermarket, there was also some venison that Black had given me before. There was so much that we hadn't finished it yet.
Su Wei ignored the venison and beef; his eyes were fixed on a bone-in steak in the bottom crisper drawer.
The piece of meat was red and white, and nearly four centimeters thick.
That was an Angus M5 tomahawk steak I bought at the supermarket in town last time; it weighed 1.2 kilograms.
Clear marble patterns are distributed between the muscle fibers.
We originally planned to eat it later, since this level of beef is rare in town.
But it would be unreasonable to take over a hundred acres of land from Old Sam today without celebrating a holiday.
He planned to treat himself to a good meal!
Chapter 135 Deliciousness and Old Hope's Test (Please Subscribe)
"Sizzle"
The cast-iron pot was scorching hot, and the olive oil was just beginning to smoke when Su Wei tossed in the large steak, which had already warmed up and was sprinkled with sea salt and black pepper.
The crackling sound of grease popping echoed in the quiet kitchen.
The high temperature quickly caramelizes the surface of the steak, filling the entire room with a rich aroma of meat and charred fat.
The Cotton Candy in the living room couldn't sit still any longer.
It jumped off the sofa, followed the aroma into the kitchen, and squatted down at Su Wei's feet.
It tilted its head back, its dark eyes fixed on the sizzling meat in the pot, its pink little tongue constantly licking its nose, drool almost dripping onto the floor.
"Eek."
It cried out and tried to stand on its two legs to get closer to the stove.
"There's none for you. There's a lot of black pepper here; eating it will make you lose your hair."
Su Wei gently pushed it away with his toes, not giving the little thing a chance.
He threw a large chunk of butter into the pan, along with crushed garlic and a sprig of rosemary.
The butter melts quickly, mixing with the gravy and releasing an enticing nutty aroma.
Su Wei tilted the pan and used a spoon to continuously drizzle the hot, spiced butter over the steak.
As the spoon scraped the bottom of the pan, oil splattered everywhere.
This focused movement allowed him to relax his nerves, which had been tense all day.
With his Cooking LV3 skills, he could feel the heat penetrating layer by layer into the core of the steak.
Five minutes later, the meat resting process is complete.
A tomahawk steak sits on a thick wooden tray, its exterior crispy and its interior perfectly pink.
It was served alongside asparagus and cherry tomatoes sautéed in the remaining oil.
Su Wei carried the plate to the coffee table in the living room and sat cross-legged on the warm wool carpet.
Of course, he didn't forget the little guy who was drooling with greed.
Take a fresh chicken breast from the refrigerator, cut it into small pieces, blanch it in boiling water for ten seconds, mix it with a little cooked egg yolk, and put it in the Cotton Candy's special little metal bowl.
"Eat it, this is healthier."
"Awoo."
Although Cotton Candy was reluctant to give up the steak, she still chose her favorite food, burying her head in the rice bowl and eating without looking up, making grunting noises like a little pig, while her tail wagged proudly back and forth.