The quiet forest was occasionally pierced by the crisp sound of breaking bamboo stalks. As each bamboo fell, many animals scattered away. Yan Qing was startled—could those be the legendary bamboo rats?
She didn’t bother cleaning up the branches and leaves but stored them directly in her space, planning to deal with them back in the valley.
After collecting the bamboo, she noticed some white mushrooms peeking out, surrounded by a fibrous network.
“This must be bamboo fungus,” she thought.
Although Yan Qing lived in the north, she had always dreamed of foraging mushrooms. Watching videos of bloggers collecting mushrooms had long fascinated her. Snapping the fungi apart was oddly satisfying and stress-relieving.
After a long search, she managed to gather twenty to thirty pieces. She guessed that after rainfall, more would appear—after all, that’s when the bloggers she followed collected them.
Glancing at her watch, she realized it was already past four o’clock. She hurried back home—her two cubs were hungry and waiting.
On the way back, she collected dead branches on the path she had previously cleared. Since she had already marked the trail, she only occasionally had to chop a few thorns or vines. Returning was much faster than going out; it took her two hours to reach the cave.
Checking the vines on the cliffside, she also picked a few freshly grown cucumbers, hanging several vine strands above the cave entrance. As long as one didn’t get too close, the hidden entrance was virtually invisible.
Crossing the passage and small creek, she arrived at the cave to the sound of the cubs’ cries. They hadn’t eaten all day and were ravenous.
One bowl of milk per cub, and they devoured it immediately, licking the bowls clean. Still unsatisfied, they whimpered again. Yan Qing quickly held them, wiping their mouths.
“Don’t worry, dinner’s almost ready. You can eat in a little while,” she coaxed. Amazingly, the cubs quieted down as if they understood her.
She carried the day’s gathered deadwood and bamboo near the cave, then went to the creek to wash the bamboo fungus. Pulling out half a hen, she chopped it into pieces and fetched a bucket of water back to the cave.
She heated oil in a pot, added the chicken pieces, and stir-fried until golden. Pouring in hot water, she brought it to a boil, then reduced to medium heat to simmer.
After an hour, she added six bamboo fungus mushrooms and some soaked dried shiitake mushrooms, simmering for another twenty minutes. During the wait, she spread out the remaining bamboo fungus to dry.
Before serving, she seasoned the soup with salt and garnished it with cilantro.
The steaming bamboo fungus chicken soup was ready. She soaked a steamed bun in the broth and shared it with Bear One and Bear Two.
The trio’s dinner was complete.
Next, she heated a large pot of water, took her clothes and toiletries, and went to the creek to wash.
Standing in the water, she cut her long hair—waist-length for five to six years—down to shoulder length. She had been reluctant to part with it, but in this survival world, nothing was more important than staying alive. Long hair was impractical in the forest; washing and maintaining it every day would be impossible before her house was built.
She carefully combed and stored her hair in the space, then bathed the two cubs.
After drying them by the fire, it was already 10 PM. She added a thick log to the fire, carried Bear One and Bear Two into the cave, and settled in for the night.
A peaceful, dreamless sleep followed.