BXBX NOVEL Chapter 37 - 37 Picking Mushrooms_1
“Yunhan, we’re going to the mountain to pick mushrooms tomorrow. Do you want to go?” Zhang Cuihua went to her mother-in-law’s side to invite Meng Yunhan and also planned to pick some fresh wild vegetables on the way.
They had been eating potatoes, sweet potatoes, and radishes all winter, or frozen cabbage. They hadn’t had any fresh vegetables. Since Yunhan was the tutor of Zhang Cuihua’s children, there was no need to make the relationship awkward.
Moreover, if Yunhan went, there would be no need for her to deliver food to her mother-in-law’s.
“Sure, I appreciate the invitation, sister-in-law.”
“We’ll be starting early.”
“Okay.”
Zhang Cuihua didn’t linger for long. With pigs to feed, chickens to care for, and the head of the household coming home from work soon, she needed to go home to cook. She saw her youngest son returning home and knew Yunhan was back from class as well.
“Mom, I’m going with sister-in-law to pick wild vegetables and mushrooms tomorrow.” In her previous life, Meng Yunhan never did such a thing. The wild vegetables and mushrooms were always brought to her by her sister-in-laws.
“Be careful,” Yun Hao’s mother already started to care for her daughter-in-law. The two had gotten along well in just over a month’s time.
“Okay.” The mother and daughter-in-law continued cooking.
For her first time going up the mountain, Meng Yunhan prepared a bit.
She carried a small basket on her back, held a sickle in her hand, and wore a pair of rubber shoes.
When she first came to the country, she brought two pairs of leather shoes. When they got married, Yun Hao had bought her another pair of leather shoes. However, for work, she bought rubber shoes because she couldn’t make cloth shoes.
“Cuihua, is this your sister-in-law?” Even though Meng Yunhan had been in Qingzhao Village for three years, she spent most of her time at the Youth House other than when she was working.
“Yes, this is my sister-in-law.” Zhang Cuihua introduced her.
“Sister-in-law, this is Mrs. Zhang, this is Mrs. Yu, and this is Qing Mei.”
Meng Yunhan greeted them one by one.
The five of them then started to climb the mountain to pick mushrooms, probably because it rained yesterday.
Although Meng Yunhan had lived for several decades in her previous life, she didn’t know which mushrooms were edible and which weren’t.
However, she did know about some prized fungi.
The group not only picked fungi but also some wild vegetables.
Meng Yunhan, while they were not looking, carefully dug the places where fungi grew into her space, along with some wild vegetables.
It was getting late and they had picked enough, so they returned home together.
After the spring rain, mushrooms and wild vegetables had started to sprout in some places, attracting more than just their group to the mountain.
After returning home, Meng Yunhan began to clean up what they had gathered.
“Hanhan, why did you pick so much? With the current weather, we can’t dry it all out at once.”
Meng Yunhan didn’t respond: If her mother-in-law knew about her space and the soil, she wondered if she would have a fit.
Despite her complaints, Yun Hao’s mother helped sort out the harvest.
“Hanhan, the busy farming season will start in a few days. You should stay home, take care of the kids, and cook.” Reflecting on the coming rice planting season, Yun Hao’s mother felt her petite and delicate daughter-in-law was better off cooking at home.
“Mom, let me work,” counter-proposed Yunhan, who did not want her mother-in-law to work in the fields while she stayed home. Despite the kindness her mother-in-law had shown her recently, cooking her eggs every day, she couldn’t agree to it.
Looking at her daughter-in-law’s smooth, delicate hands, Yun Hao’s mother couldn’t bear the thought of her working in the fields. “Just cook at home. You’re skilled in the kitchen.”