Chapter 85

Qing Mengzhu patted her stomach. "My stomach is full, but my heart isn't."

Ming Chunxi's eyes deepened. "Back to the room?"

Qing Mengzhu took a moment to feel her stomach and said regretfully, "My stomach is too full; I'll probably throw up if I move around too much."

Ming Chunxi amused and exasperated, and ruffled his hair again. "Are you still flirting with me?"

Qing Mengzhu shrugged. "When you're well-fed and warm, you start thinking about other things."

The two didn't go back to their room; instead, they sat facing each other and chatted.

As they chatted, Qing Mengzhu pondered how to sell this batch of tender bamboo shoots—tender bamboo shoots are delicious, but they are also more difficult to store.

If you leave them at home for half a day, the jade-white color of the tender bamboo shoots will probably turn yellow, and their delicate fragrance may dissipate.

If left out for a little longer, it might rot.

To sell tender bamboo shoots, they might need to be soaked in preservatives, vacuum-packed, and then shipped out.

Ming Chunxi said, "If transporting fresh, tender bamboo shoots is too troublesome, then how about making them into dried bamboo shoots? I remember there are many good quality dried bamboo shoots on the market, and they are also expensive."

Qing Mengzhu's eyes lit up. "That makes sense! We happen to have a dryer, so we can just cut it a little and put it in the dryer. It's not much trouble."

Ming Chunxi: "I think it's feasible."

Qing Mengzhu: "Okay, I'll try it tomorrow!"

The next day, Ming Chunxi had to go to work, Qing Mengzhu went up the mountain alone and cut down a large pile of tender bamboo shoots.

Only the tenderest parts of these bamboo shoots were used, and they were carried down with their husks still attached, making them very fresh.

After finishing the breakfast that Ming Chunxi had left for her in the kitchen, Qing Mengzhu immediately began to prepare the tender bamboo shoots.

He cut the tender bamboo shoot tips in half, peeled off the outer skin, and put them into a clean, oil-free pot to cook.

Boiling bamboo shoots in a large pot removes most of the oxalic acid and astringent taste, making them safer and tastier to eat.

At the same time, boiling the bamboo shoots helps them remain crisp and tender, preventing them from becoming tough during the drying process.

It was still raining outside, Qing Mengzhu was cooking bamboo shoots inside. The warm, humid steam drifted out, making his house look like it had an extra hot spring.

As soon as Zhao Hexi entered the courtyard, feeling the warm steam, she said, "It's so warm. What are you cooking?"

Qing Mengzhu: "I plan to dry the tender bamboo shoot tips to make dried bamboo shoots."

Zhao Hexi ran over to look. "Why did you suddenly want to make dried bamboo shoots?"

Qing Mengzhu: "Because this batch of bamboo shoots is of good quality."

Zhao Hexi sniffed. "It smells quite nice."

Qing Mengzhu was full of anticipation for her family's tender bamboo shoots. "They'll taste even better."

Their dryer worked diligently, drying the tender bamboo shoots by around 4 PM.

This batch of dried bamboo shoots has a moisture content of only 10%, and it feels hard in your hand, like a flat piece of hard candy.

Qing Mengzhu grabbed a small handful of dried bamboo shoots, took them to the kitchen to soak in warm water, and planned to stir-fry them with ham for dinner.

Their family has black pork ham given to them by Qing Guozhi. The fat and lean meat are just right, and it should taste good stir-fried with dried bamboo shoots.

Upon seeing the delicious food planned for dinner, Zhao Hexi immediately decided to stay and freeload.

Qing Mengzhu didn't mind either. "Let's catch a hazel grouse and make chicken soup. It's so cold, we need to nourish ourselves."

Zhao Hexi readily agreed, "I'll go catch them! I can tell the male from the female. Let's cook them in a clay pot; I feel like the hazelnut soup cooked in your clay pot is especially delicious."

Qing Mengzhu: "Then catch two, pick the big ones. Later, prepare chicken soup with rice for the Dharma Protector Guard, and leave some for the red fox and the otter as well."

Their hazel grouse is only slightly larger than a pigeon, and one is simply not enough to feed so many people and animals.

We should catch another one, add some mushrooms we picked on the mountain before, cook a lot, and share it with everyone.

Soon, Zhao Hexi caught the hazel grouse and processed it.

Qing Mengzhu started simmering the chicken soup and then worked with Zhao Hexi to prepare the other side dishes.

When Ming Chunxi returned, the house, which had been steaming all day, was filled with the aroma of food. The aroma was so real, warm and cozy, that it made Qing Mengzhu's house look like a fairytale cottage.

Even before eating, Ming Chunxi felt a warm feeling in her heart.

Hearing Ming Chunxi enter the house, Qing Mengzhu poked her head out of the kitchen and called out to him, "Just stir-fry one more vegetable dish and we can eat. Go wash your hands quickly."

Hearing the familiar words, Ming Chunxi gave the same familiar reply, "Okay."

The animals had already started eating, and soon the three of them sat down at the table to eat as well.

The hazelnut chicken soup was golden and filled with various wild mushrooms; it looked delicious.

Stir-fried dried bamboo shoots with ham: the jade-white bamboo shoot tips and reddish-brown ham are stir-fried together, perfectly garnished with green and red bell pepper rings. It's steaming hot right now and would be absolutely delicious with rice.

The braised chicken wings, stir-fried sauerkraut, and garlic-flavored greens on the side also smelled delicious.

Looking at the dishes on the table, Ming Chunxi felt both physically and mentally satisfied. She looked up and met Qing Mengzhu's gaze, their eyes filled with gentle smiles.

Zhao Hexi, standing nearby, completely ignored their flirtatious glances and focused solely on eating.

After taking a sip of soup and then a large mouthful of rice and vegetables, Zhao Hexi held the bowl, sniffed happily, and exclaimed, "Today is truly a feast of delicacies! It's so delicious!"

Chapter 85

After Qing Mengzhu and his team dried the bamboo shoots, they sent a portion to their relatives and friends, who warmly welcomed it.

Everyone praised how delicious it was, especially in cold weather. Adding bamboo shoots to stews makes them fresh, fragrant, and refreshing, and they are incredibly appetizing.

Ming Lexin called Qing Mengzhu specifically to praise her, "Mengzhu, you're amazing! I used to buy the dried bamboo shoots recommended by CCTV, but they tasted nowhere near as good as yours. Yesterday, I ate two bowls of rice with them!"

Qing Mengzhu: "Auntie, I'm glad you like it."

Ming Lexin: "I love it! The pickled bamboo shoots you gave me are also delicious. They're amazing when stir-fried with duck or goose. The cook said they're the best quality bamboo shoots she's ever eaten."

Qing Mengzhu: "Auntie, if you've finished eating, I'll bring you some more."

Ming Lexin: "Okay, when you come back for dinner, I'll cook for you. I recently learned a couple of dishes from my older sister, and she said my cooking skills are pretty good now."

Qing Mengzhu: "I'll ask Chunxi, and we can make an appointment again after he's finished with this busy period."

Ming Lexin: "Anything is fine. If it's inconvenient for you guys to come over, I can come over for a meal, or we can eat out together. I miss you guys a bit."

Qing Mengzhu talked to Ming Lexin on the phone for more than twenty minutes. By the time he hung up, his phone was already getting hot.

Ming Chunxi casually strolled over, pretending nothing was wrong. "How come you and Ms. Ming have so much to talk about?"

Qing Mengzhu: "Auntie is so lovely! She knows a little bit about everything, and it's so easy to chat with her. I've always wondered why you rarely talk to her?"

Ming Chunxi: "I didn't get much information from the chat, it was a bit of a waste of time. Ms. Ming felt I was being perfunctory and didn't like chatting with me."

A smile appeared in Qing Mengzhu's eyes. She jumped to the side, put her arm around his shoulder, and half-hung herself over him. "Don't you think chatting with me is a waste of time? You even come with me to dig bamboo shoots in the mountains and do farm work in the fields."

Ming Chunxi: "I feel content doing anything with you. When I'm in a good mood, I can accomplish twice the results with half the effort, so it's not a waste."

Qing Mengzhu: "Are you charging your phone here?"

"No." Ming Chunxi thought for a moment, then organized her thoughts, "Being with you is life itself, going to work is work, and you and work together constitute the essence of my existence."

Ming Chunxi spoke in a slightly roundabout way, Qing Mengzhu still understood. "We really are a match made in heaven."

Not only Ming Lexin called specifically to say that the dried bamboo shoots were delicious, but Zhou Yan also called to express his gratitude.

Qing Mengzhu said with some pride, "How about it? Isn't our dried bamboo shoots of good quality?"

Zhou Yan: "Fantastic! It blows away even the top-quality dried bamboo shoots in China. Do you dry your own bamboo shoots? Didn't you use a processing plant?"

Qing Mengzhu: "No, there aren't many to begin with, and we're too lazy to bother. We can just dry them a little with a small dryer."