Mushroom Circle (continued)

Wu Jiong nodded and started the fire in the stove to blaze.

Jian Mo put a piece of butter into the pan, sprinkled some peppercorns, and sautéed it until fragrant before adding the mushrooms.

Metal pots conduct heat very quickly, and the mushrooms soften immediately in the pot, releasing moisture.

Jian Mo quickly stir-fried the peppers and mushrooms, releasing a rich aroma.

Seeing that the mushrooms were almost cooked, he added half a bowl of the Pack-Pack Beast's milk and reduced the sauce over high heat.

Besides mushrooms, he also fried meat patties, boiled game meat, and added a bone broth.

The meal consisted of three dishes and a soup, all of which, except for the mushrooms, were dishes that both of them enjoyed.

Jian Mo placed the dishes on the table and called to Wu Jiong, "Try the mushrooms first and see if you like this cooking method."

Wu Jiong picked up a small piece and put it in his mouth.

Jian Mo observed his expression. "How is it?"

Wu Jiong looked surprised. "It's actually quite delicious."

Jian Mo laughed, "Right? This is considered a pretty classic recipe where we're from."

Jian Mo said she would try a piece too.

After adding butter and milk, the slightly bland astringent taste of the mushrooms was completely removed. The milky flavor and the peppercorn flavor gave them a wonderful richness, making the taste very layered and perfectly bringing out the umami of the mushrooms.

It is indeed a very delicious mushroom dish.

After they finished eating, they took the dishes they had specially saved for Jiujiu and also brought it a large basket of hay.

Jiujiu smelled the delicious aroma and excitedly jumped around nearby.

Jian Mo patted its neck lightly. "Don't rush, no one's going to take it from you."

Jiujiu, nuzzling Jian Mo: "Jiujiu chirp chirp!"

Chirping, Jiujiu looked up at the sky, as if it had decided to do something.

Jian Mo didn't notice this small detail.

Unexpectedly, the next day after Jian Mo fed Jiujiu suddenly nibbled at his collar with its mouth, Jiujiu.

Jian Mo quickly reached for her collar, trying to snatch it from Jiujiu's mouth. "Jiujiu, your drool--"

Not only did Jiujiu cling to his collar and refuse to let go, but it also dragged him to the side.

Jian Mo, who knew it very well, immediately understood. "You want to take me somewhere, don't you?"

Jiujiu loudly, "Jiujiu!"

Jian Mo: "Wait a minute, I'll go call Wu Jiong over, we'll go together."

Jiujiu released his collar and nudged him with its big head. "Chirp."

Jian Mo left Jiujiu's nest and called back home, "Wu Jiong —come quick, Jiujiu is taking us somewhere."

Wu Jiong came out. "Where are you going?"

Jian Mo: "I really can't guess that. We'll find out once we go."

Wu Jiong: "I'll inform the tribe first."

After telling the tribe, they climbed onto Jiujiu's back.

Jiujiu took two steps forward, flapped its wings, and flew away.

They flew southwest.

The southwest is all snow-capped mountains, which are quite high. Jian Mo rarely goes there to collect materials, Wu Jiong and the others go there quite often to hunt.

Jiujiu carried them forward, and once they reached the sky above the mountain, they hovered there.

Jian Mo gripped the reins tightly around Jiujiu and peered down to see a high-altitude meadow.

The meadow stretched out, and the grass had already grown; it looked quite beautiful. I just wondered why Jiujiu had brought them here?

After circling for a while, Jiujiu seemed to have finally found its way. It swooped down with them and landed in a grassy area, where it nestled down.

Jian Mo and Wu Jiong climbed off it.

Jian Mo rubbed her calves, which were a little numb from sitting cross-legged, and looked around.

The grass here is still short, just covering their ankles. It looks like there's nothing there. I wonder why Jiujiu brought them here?

Just as Jian Mo was wondering, Wu Jiong looked ahead and said, "It looks like there are mushrooms."

Jian Mo's eyes widened. "Where is it? I don't think I see it."

Before Wu Jiong could answer, Jiujiu happily skipped and hopped ahead, glancing back at Jian Mo and Wu Jiong: "Chirp!"

Jian Mo: "You want us to come forward?"

Jiujiu chirped happily again, "Chirp--"

After walking more than ten meters, to Jian Mo's surprise, Jiujiu nudged aside the newly grown grass with its big head, picked up a mushroom, and showed it to them. "Jiujiu!"

Jian Mo then noticed the scattered white dots in the grass. Upon parting them, she was astonished to find plump mushrooms!

Jiujiu chirped again, then picked up the mushroom and chewed on it.

Jian Mo pushed aside the grass and found that it was full of mushrooms underneath.

This place is practically a mushroom paradise; you can dig right up and find them, far more than they usually find in the forest.

Jian Mo stood up straight and looked around.

Moreover, this was a patch of mushrooms that no one else knew about, and that they had it all to themselves.

Jian Mo searched for a long time and exclaimed, "There are so many mushrooms, and they're even the tastiest white umbrella mushrooms! How did Jiujiu find so many?"

Wu Jiong: "It might be its secret mushroom grove. Perhaps it would come here to gather mushrooms when it lived alone in the wild."

Jian Mo paused for a moment, then turned to look at Jiujiu.

Jiujiu blinked its big eyes, met his gaze, and then flapped its wings triumphantly. "Jiujiu!"

Jian Mo sniffed and said to Jiujiu, "You're sharing your secret mushroom patch with us so quickly?"

In the wild, hunting grounds and gathering grounds are extremely important, and most animals would never share them with their companions. The fact that Jiujiu was willing to share with them shows that it truly loves them.

Jian Mo couldn't help but rush over and hug Jiujiu: "Thank you, Jiujiu."

Jiujiu understood the word, its eyes lit up, and it jumped up and down. "Jiujiu!"

There are so many mushrooms here, scattered in circles, it looks like someone has planted them here.

Jian Mo parted the grass, picking mushrooms carefully while patting their caps.