Lu Qingshan leaned closer and carefully examined the mushrooms. “The caps are brown, and the gills underneath are white?”
“Yes, and the stem is fairly thick, with a bit of brown scale-like pattern on it,” Ye Mengyi said as she crouched down, carefully picking one up. “When harvesting, you should pull it out by the root, but don’t bring too much soil with it, or it might not grow again here next year.”
As she spoke, she demonstrated. Everyone followed along. Their movements were clumsy but serious.
They walked a bit further, and under an elm grove, Ye Mengyi found another target. Clusters of golden mushrooms hung on the tree trunks like small yellow flowers.
“This light-yellow one is called elm oyster mushroom. It’s very delicious—more flavorful than what we ate yesterday,” Ye Mengyi explained, pointing at them. “They usually grow on elm trees or other decaying hardwood. The color is bright and easy to recognize, but if the color turns dull or there’s a strange smell, don’t pick it.”
Xu Ru reached out and touched one. The texture was soft, and the edges of the cap were slightly curled. “This looks really appealing. So bright—it doesn’t seem poisonous.”
“But you can’t judge by color alone,” Ye Mengyi shook her head. “Some poisonous mushrooms are also very colorful. The ones we recognize have been verified. As long as you identify them correctly, there won’t be a problem.”
She went on to point out several other edible mushrooms.
One was a grass-growing species called green-headed fungus, with a greenish cap and a white stem.
Another was called chanterelle, yellow like chicken fat, shaped somewhat like a trumpet.
For each type, she carefully explained their growing conditions, appearance, and cooking methods. Lu Qingshan listened intently, occasionally nodding and memorizing the key points.
Before they knew it, the baskets were already half full. Sun Yanfeng looked at the variety of mushrooms with curiosity. “We only knew wild vegetables could be eaten in the mountains. I didn’t expect so many edible mushrooms. This could last us several days.”
“More than that,” Ye Mengyi smiled. “When the rainy season comes, there will be even more mushrooms in the mountains. If we pick too many to finish, like I said yesterday, we can dry them. They’ll last through winter, and we can even take them to town to trade for grain or cloth.”
Lu Qingshan stopped walking and looked at her, a hint of gratitude in his eyes. “Mengyi, thank you. Without you, we wouldn’t know any of this.”
Ye Mengyi felt a little shy under his gaze and avoided his eyes. “We’re family. No need to say that. If it helps make life better, I’m happy.”
By noon, the group headed home carrying heavy baskets.
The baskets were filled to the brim—gray-brown oyster mushrooms, bright yellow elm mushrooms, and reddish-brown pine mushrooms mixed together, releasing a fresh forest scent after the rain.
Lu Qingsong’s face was flushed red, but he still held tightly onto the basket rope, afraid of dropping a single mushroom.
When they returned home and unloaded everything, small “mountains” of mushrooms quickly piled up in the courtyard.
Granny Lu had already prepared the stove. Xu Ru and Sun Yanfeng quickly selected fresh mushrooms, washed them, and added them into a pot with coarse rice, cooking it into a thick porridge.
Soon, bowls of mushroom porridge were served. Though there was no oil or salt, the natural wild fragrance was irresistible.
“Eat up, then get back to work,” Granny Lu said, scooping a spoonful for the youngest, Lu Qinglian. Watching the children eat hungrily, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes softened.
After the meal, Ye Mengyi directed everyone to lay clean reed mats in the courtyard.
“First, we sort them,” she said, holding up a mushroom. “These with intact caps and no insect holes go into a separate pile. These are the ones we’ll take to town to sell.”
She demonstrated how to trim them. “Use scissors to cut off the dirt and rotten leaves at the base. Don’t pull them by hand—you’ll damage the cap.”
Lu Qingyu and Lu Qingshuang carefully followed her instructions, crouching and sorting one by one. If they found worms, they frowned and tossed them into a broken basket nearby.
“Sister-in-law, is this one good?” Lu Qingshuang asked, holding a slightly deformed elm mushroom.
“This one is a bit crooked. We’ll keep it for ourselves,” Ye Mengyi said with a smile. “For selling, choose the ones that look neat and bright—the buyers like those.”
Xu Ru and Sun Yanfeng handled the lower-quality mushrooms. They spread them thinly on another mat.
“These will be dried,” Sun Yanfeng said while working. “In winter, just soak them in warm water—they’re great for stews and stir-fries.”
For the best mushrooms, Ye Mengyi had another plan.
She brought two deep baskets, lined the bottom with soft poplar leaves, then carefully placed the mushrooms inside, layering leaves between each layer.
“This keeps them moist and prevents crushing. They’ll stay fresh by the time we reach town.”
Lu Qingshan helped her pass the baskets. Watching how organized she was, he couldn’t help but smile slightly. “When are we heading to town?”
“Right now. While the sun isn’t too harsh,” Ye Mengyi replied, tying the baskets tightly. “Let’s walk faster and try to sell everything before the market ends.”
Granny Lu brought out a cloth bag and handed it to Lu Qingshan. “Take some water. Drink if you get thirsty. Don’t worry about how much you earn—just come back early, don’t travel at night.”
Lu Qingshan bent down and lifted the heaviest basket onto his back. The straps dug into his strong shoulders, leaving two faint red marks.
Lu Qinghai followed closely behind, carrying the lighter basket. Being young and strong, he walked briskly and turned back with a grin. “Sister-in-law, don’t worry. My brother and I can get these to town in no time!”
Ye Mengyi didn’t answer. She simply adjusted the rope on Lu Qingshan’s back, tightening it slightly. “Don’t rush. Watch your step for stones on the road.”
She had already asked about the town market layout and peak hours yesterday. Walking empty-handed in the middle, she could watch both baskets and guide them if needed.
The village road was a winding dirt path lined with waist-high wild grass.
“We should find a visible spot to set up,” Lu Qingshan said in a low voice, scanning the fork ahead. “The right path is shorter, but steeper. We can save about fifteen minutes.”
Ye Mengyi nodded. “Let’s take the shortcut. The earlier we arrive, the better spot we can get.” She remembered Granny Lu saying that good market spots were always taken early—especially since this was their first time selling mushrooms, they needed visibility.
Lu Qinghai immediately became energetic, walking ahead to clear the path, using a stick to push away blocking branches.