The sun had already set, leaving only a trace of afterglow lingering on the horizon.
Mother Yan carried the clothes back to her room, then began preparing dinner.
“Qingran, how should this jizong mushroom be cooked? Can I just boil it in water?” Mother Yan called out loudly from beneath the window of Yan Ziheng and Lu Qingran’s room.
Lu Qingran was inside changing clothes.
Hearing the question, she replied, “Mother, just leave it—I’ll cook it in a bit.”
“Alright, I’ll wash it and set it aside for you,” Mother Yan answered before heading to the kitchen.
Most farming families in ancient times were poor and didn’t have kerosene lamps, so they usually ate dinner early and went to bed soon after. It was already past dusk—around 6 PM by modern standards.
Yan Ziheng was outside talking with his father. Taking the opportunity, Lu Qingran quickly slipped into her space to take a shower, then changed into the light green dress Mother Yan had made for her before stepping out.
Jizong mushrooms are a type of wild edible fungus, known as the “king of mushrooms.” Their flesh is tender, their taste delicious, and they are highly nutritious—a rare delicacy.
There are many ways to cook them: stir-fried with meat, made into soup, or even fried rice. No matter the method, they taste excellent.
Lu Qingran’s favorite was soup—it was simple to make and incredibly flavorful. Since the Yan family didn’t have many seasonings, mushroom soup was the best choice.
The main ingredients were jizong mushrooms and eggs. As she washed a handful of mushrooms, Lu Qingran asked, “Mother, do we have eggs at home?”
“We do, but not many. How many do you need?” Mother Yan replied, picking through fern shoots nearby.
“One or two will do.”
Soon, Mother Yan brought over two eggs.
The method was simple: wash and slice the mushrooms, beat the eggs, heat oil in a pot, scramble the eggs, then add water and the mushrooms. Once cooked, add a bit of salt—and it was done.
After the rice was cooked and all the dishes were ready, Lu Qingran finally started making the soup. Yan Ziyue, who loved cooking, stood beside her, eager to learn.
Seeing how quickly it was done, Yan Ziyue asked in surprise, “Big sister-in-law, that’s it?”
“Yes. Jizong mushrooms are naturally flavorful. This simple method lets us taste their true flavor. You’ll see when you try it.”
..
The sky darkened, and while there was still some light, dinner was finally served. Everyone’s attention was fixed on the pot of mushroom soup.
“Give it a try—you’ll want a second bowl after the first,” Lu Qingran said.
“Big sister-in-law… this won’t cause any problems, right?” Yan Silang asked nervously.
Lu Qingran gently patted his head. “No, it won’t. Don’t you trust me?”
She served herself a bowl, took a sip, and showed a satisfied expression.
Everyone else followed.
“Delicious! Big sister-in-law, let’s go pick more tomorrow!” Yan Ziyi said.
Yan Ziheng quickly thought ahead. “Father, Mother, there’s no more work in the fields for now, and transplanting rice will take a few days. Why don’t we all go up the mountain tomorrow to gather these mushrooms and take them to a restaurant in town to see if they’ll buy them?”
“My husband is so smart—I was thinking the same thing,” Lu Qingran agreed. “We still have quite a lot left. Let’s go to a restaurant early tomorrow and ask.”
“Qingran, what if they don’t dare to buy them?” Mother Yan asked worriedly.
“If they don’t, it’s fine—we’ll just eat them ourselves. Qingran said they’re nutritious, so it’ll be good for us,” Yan Ziheng replied.
Hearing this, Mother Yan made the decision.
..
Early the next morning, just as dawn broke, Yan Ziheng woke up. Not long after, Lu Qingran was awakened by the sound of a rooster. Thinking about the day’s plan, the two quickly got up, washed, and headed out.
It was still early, and the ox cart hadn’t started running yet. Not wanting to waste time, they decided to walk to Zhushan Town.
There were two or three restaurants in town, but the largest was Futian Restaurant. That was their destination.
The restaurant wasn’t open yet—several waiters were carrying ingredients inside.
“We’re not open yet. Come back later,” one of them said.
“Is your manager here?” Yan Ziheng asked.
“He’s in the back receiving goods. Who are you, and what do you need?”
“We have something to discuss with him. Please let him know.”
“Alright, wait here.”
Soon, the manager came out—a slightly plump middle-aged man in his forties, wearing a blue-gray robe, with a round, friendly-looking face.
“You’re looking for me?”
“Manager, we gathered some jizong mushrooms in the mountains. They’re nutritious and delicious. Do you buy them?” Yan Ziheng asked.
“Jizong mushrooms? A type of mushroom? We don’t buy those,” the manager replied.
Lu Qingran stepped forward. “Sir, we guarantee they’re not poisonous. Our whole family ate them last night. If you don’t believe us, we can prove it here. These mushrooms are far superior to ordinary ones—your customers will definitely like them.”
The manager still hesitated.
“How about this—let us use your kitchen. I’ll cook some for you. If you don’t like it, we’ll leave,” Lu Qingran suggested.
After a moment’s thought, he said, “Shunzi, take them to the kitchen.”
..
As expected of a large restaurant, the kitchen was fully equipped. Lu Qingran still chose to make soup.
After about fifteen minutes, Yan Ziheng carried out a small pot of soup. He served two bowls and drank them in front of the manager.
The manager then tasted a bit. Instantly, the rich, savory flavor filled his mouth. Perhaps he was hungry—he ended up drinking two full bowls before looking at them with satisfaction.
“How do you want to sell it?”
Lu Qingran didn’t know the usual price of mushrooms in this era, so she quoted high: “50 wen per jin.”
“That’s quite a price. We only pay 10 wen per jin for regular mushrooms,” the manager said.
Smiling, she replied, “You’ve tasted it yourself—ordinary mushrooms can’t compare. They’re not easy to gather either. Besides, even a small amount can enhance the flavor of dishes.”
The manager was shrewd and didn’t waste time. “30 wen per jin. However much you have, we’ll take it.”
“Deal,” Lu Qingran agreed immediately.
Fresh mushrooms contain water and are quite heavy. Their basket weighed a little over six jin, and the manager paid them 200 wen.
..
By the time they left the restaurant, it was fully daylight, and the sun had risen high. Lu Qingran’s stomach growled with hunger.
Not far from the restaurant was a small stall selling buns and porridge.
The porridge was sweet potato and millet, costing 3 wen per bowl.
They bought two bowls, along with two vegetable buns and two meat buns. After eating their fill, they finally headed back home.