“Is it really not poisonous?” Lu Qingshan still felt a bit uneasy.
“It really isn’t poisonous,” Ye Mengyi said firmly. “I’ve eaten this kind of mushroom before. It’s very delicious.”
Seeing Ye Mengyi’s determined expression, Lu Qingshan finally believed her.
“Then should we pick more to take back?” Lu Qingshan asked.
“Sure!” Ye Mengyi replied happily.
The two of them worked together and soon filled an entire basket with oyster mushrooms.
Lu Qingshan learned very seriously and quickly mastered how to identify mushrooms.
They wandered around the foot of the mountain and not only filled a basket with mushrooms but also dug up quite a few wild vegetables.
When they returned home, Granny Lu and Lu’s father were shocked when they saw the mushrooms in the basket.
Lu Qingshan walked in front carrying a bamboo basket, while Ye Mengyi followed behind, still holding two freshly picked oyster mushrooms.
As soon as they stepped into the courtyard, they were immediately surrounded.
“What is this?” Granny Lu was sharp-eyed and noticed the contents of the basket first. Her expression changed instantly. “Qingshan, why did you and Yiyi bring this back? You can’t eat these—they’re poisonous!”
Xu Ru also came over, waving her hand at the grayish mushrooms. “Exactly! Old Wang’s son in the next village ate this by mistake last year and almost didn’t make it. Yiyi, do you not recognize these?”
Sun Yanfeng also nodded. “Wild mushrooms in the mountains can’t be touched. The brighter the color, the more poisonous they are. Even these dull-looking ones might still be toxic.”
Lu Dahé squatted down to inspect the basket, his brows tightly furrowed. “Just throw them away. Don’t take risks.”
Lu Erhe and Lu Sanhe also tried to persuade them, speaking over one another, all worried someone might get hurt.
But Ye Mengyi just smiled. She took out a mushroom from the basket and held it up. “Grandma, Second Aunt, Third Aunt, Father, don’t worry. These are really edible, and they taste very fresh too.”
She pointed at the mushrooms and explained, “Mushrooms come in many types. Some brightly colored ones are indeed poisonous, but these gray ones are called oyster mushrooms, and those with patterned caps are called pine mushrooms. Both are non-toxic.”
She continued listing their uses: “Oyster mushrooms can be stir-fried or made into soup; they’re smooth and tender. Pine mushrooms taste best when stir-fried with meat, and they can also be dried and stored for winter—they’re still very fragrant when rehydrated…”
After talking for a long while and seeing that everyone still looked doubtful, Ye Mengyi suddenly ran into the house and came back shortly after with a yellowed thread-bound book.
“Look,” she said, flipping it open and pointing at the illustrations. “This book shows it. This is oyster mushroom—it says edible here. And this one is pine mushroom—it also says it can be eaten.”
The Lu family looked at each other. None of them could read, but the pictures matched the mushrooms in the basket exactly, which made them hesitate.
Granny Lu leaned in, squinting for a long time, then touched the pages. “Does it really say that?”
“Yes,” Ye Mengyi nodded firmly. “Someone in my family taught me how to recognize these before and even copied this book for me to remember. It can’t be wrong.”
Lu Qingshan, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke. “I think Yiyi recognizes them clearly. How about… we try them?”
Lu Dahé hesitated for a long time before finally nodding. “Then cook a small amount first and taste it.”
Xu Ru and Sun Yanfeng quickly said, “We’ll cook it. Wash it thoroughly and cook it longer. If there’s any poison, maybe high heat will remove it.”
The stove in the kitchen still had glowing embers. Ye Mengyi washed her hands and looked at the fresh mushrooms from the mountain, smiling.
Using the remaining heat, she placed a wok on the stove and added a little pork lard—something usually used sparingly.
When the oil began to sizzle, she tossed in the shredded mushrooms and stir-fried them quickly.
Soon, a rich, fresh aroma filled the kitchen, making the children peeking outside swallow their saliva.
“Done,” Ye Mengyi said with a smile, serving the fried mushrooms onto a coarse ceramic plate. She then used the remaining mushrooms to make a soup, sprinkling scallions on top. The white and green colors looked very refreshing.
At dinner, everyone still had their usual bowl of wild vegetable porridge, but there was now a plate of stir-fried mushrooms and a pot of mushroom soup in the center of the table.
The Lu family looked at the unfamiliar dishes, exchanging glances, but no one dared to eat first.
People in the mountains were always cautious with unknown foods—especially mushrooms. One wrong bite could be fatal.
Granny Lu frowned and tapped the ground lightly with her cane. “Mengyi, can this really be eaten?”
“Grandma, don’t worry. These mushrooms are edible—I’ve seen them in books before,” Ye Mengyi replied calmly. She wasn’t anxious. She picked up a spoon, scooped a small bowl of soup, blew on it, and slowly took a sip.
The fresh, savory broth slid down her throat with a hint of wild sweetness. She narrowed her eyes in satisfaction, then picked up a piece of mushroom and chewed it slowly. “See? It’s fine.”
The family watched closely. After a moment, seeing that she showed no discomfort, they relaxed slightly.
Lu Qinghai, young and curious, couldn’t resist the smell. He cautiously picked up his chopsticks and tried a piece.
“Wow!” His eyes lit up. “It’s delicious! Even better than wild vegetables!”
Lu Qingshan also tried a bite. The mushrooms were tender and flavorful, with a slight richness from the oil—much better than the bland vegetable porridge. He nodded. “Not bad.”
Seeing them eat safely, Lu Qingsong and Lu Qingshen couldn’t hold back either. The two children eagerly ate, their mouths greasy, faces full of surprise. “So good! Sister’s cooking is amazing!” Lu Qingshen said indistinctly.
Seeing the children enjoying it, Granny Lu also picked up her chopsticks and tried a little. The moment she tasted it, the fresh flavor surprised her, and she smiled. “This really is good.”
Lu Dahé, Lu Erhe, Xu Ru, and Sun Yanfeng also began eating, praising it repeatedly. “This soup is so fresh—better than chicken soup!”
Soon, the dinner table became lively. What had been a dull meal turned delicious thanks to the mushrooms.
The children ate happily, the adults were satisfied, and even the plain wild vegetable porridge seemed tastier with the mushrooms.
Watching everyone enjoy the meal, Ye Mengyi felt extremely happy.
Suddenly, she thought: since people in the village don’t know these mushrooms are edible, maybe she could sell them to a restaurant in town. If she also taught the chefs how to cook them, she might even earn some money.
The more she thought about it, the brighter her eyes became.
This was a perfect business opportunity.
“There should still be more of these mushrooms on the mountain. I’ll go pick more tomorrow,” Ye Mengyi said.