RTAMEIN70s Chapter 37

Pine Flower Cake

Shen Liqing expressed her intention to befriend Zhan Aiping and chatted with her for a while. “Comrade Zhan, since you’ve just arrived here, is there anything you find difficult to adapt to?”

“The scenery here is so beautiful, like a fairyland. Could you take me around to see the sights in the future?”

“I don’t find anything difficult to adapt to.” Zhan Aiping shook her head. With her rich experiences, she naturally didn’t have any trouble adapting. However, she reminded Shen Liqing, “As the weather gets hotter day by day, when you come here, you should be mindful of mosquitoes, insects, and snakes, especially mosquitoes. The mosquitoes here are very poisonous, so make sure to use mosquito nets properly. It’s also a good idea to put an extra layer of gauze on the windows at home and plant some mosquito-repellent plants in the yard.”

The variety of mosquitoes here is extensive. Being bitten by them is uncomfortable, but more importantly, they can transmit malaria. Common malaria, also known as “shaking fever,” can be treated, but if you accidentally contract cerebral malaria, the risk is very high.

“Don’t go up the mountain alone, don’t enter the forest alone, and when you see beautiful streams and rivers, don’t touch the water casually, as there are leeches in it that suck blood.”

“Oh, and watch out for ants too. The ants here are also poisonous. Don’t stand randomly under big trees, or you might end up with bugs and ants crawling all over you…”

“Oh oh oh.” Shen Liqing nodded repeatedly. “I’ll jot it all down in my notebook.”

She was quite earnest.

She and Wang Youli had a bit of a couple’s resemblance. In certain aspects, they were very serious and meticulous, never sloppy when it came to taking notes.

After chatting with Shen Liqing for a while, Zhan Aiping found her to be a somewhat naive and cute literary girl.

“I have homemade mosquito repellent and itch relief lotion at home. I’ll bring them over to you when I have the chance.”

“Alright, thank you, Comrade Zhan.”

“You don’t have to call me Comrade Zhan, just call me Xiao Zhan.”

“Okay.” Shen Liqing made a bunch of notes, feeling satisfied. She thought to herself that indeed, the most beautiful places in the world are often the most dangerous. Danger and beauty coexist.

Thanks to Comrade Zhan’s reminders and preparations, Shen Liqing felt more confident about her future life.

Zhan Aiping also shared with her Gu Sheng’s “foodie map” — who has what supplies and what can be exchanged with others.

“Really? I love eating soybean paste too.”

“The sweet peas here are delicious. You should definitely plant some in your vegetable garden. Apart from your own yard, you can have another small plot for vegetables.”

“Okay.” The things Zhan Aiping told her completely solved Shen Liqing’s urgent needs. She had just moved here and lacked everything. The little Zhan in front of her was like a walking encyclopaedia.

Shen Liqing thanked her and admired her, “Xiao Zhan, you know so much.”

“It’s all thanks to our old Gu telling me.” Comrade Gu was the real foodie comrade, a living map.

“Really?” Shen Liqing glanced at Gu Sheng and Wang Youli, thinking that Comrade Gu seemed reliable. Wang Youli didn’t know any of these things.

The more she knew, the more confident she felt. Hearing about having a vegetable garden made Shen Liqing look forward to it. Previously, she lived in Shanghai, where the family conditions were average. They squeezed into a small apartment, with narrow and crowded corridors, and there was no space of their own.

She could only set up a table on the bed and read or write letters.

Now that she was here, although she couldn’t see the tall buildings of the big city, there was greenery all around. These few rooms, though simple, had their own space and a yard, even a vegetable garden.

Shen Liqing looked forward to the pastoral life described in ancient poetry, where one could leisurely pick chrysanthemums by the eastern fence and see the Southern Mountain.

After finishing the family dinner, Gu Sheng and his wife went back home. Before leaving, he said to Wang Youli, “Lao Wang, come over to my place for dinner sometime.”

“Okay.” Wang Youli agreed readily, thinking he would also like to taste their cooking.

After Gu Sheng and his wife left, along with the others, only Wang Youli and Shen Liqing remained in the house. They had some unpleasantness earlier in the morning. Wang Youli had some alcohol but wasn’t drunk. He noticed that Shen Liqing seemed to be in a good mood now.

“That’s what I told you about Comrade Gu. He’s quite unreliable, just a swindler.”

“I think Comrade Gu seems reliable. You should learn more from him,” Shen Liqing replied.

Wang Youli sighed, “You don’t know how he deceived me before.”

“Well, that’s understandable,” Shen Liqing said. “I’ve heard he’s a lovesick man.”

Wang Youli: “…”

A lovesick man who copied someone else’s wedding announcement?

“He didn’t copy your wedding announcement. I heard he wrote it earnestly all night long.”

Wang Youli had nothing to say. All he could do was curse Gu secretly.

He thought to himself: Gu, oh Gu, you might as well be a beast, stop pretending to be human!

“It’s only right for him to treat his wife well. If I married such a beautiful and smart wife, I’d definitely pamper her every day too. He’s just a normal man. I really like Dr. Zhan. She knows a lot, she’s a college graduate, highly educated, and she’s from Shanghai like me. She doesn’t have any airs…” Shen Liqing’s heart that had been hanging in the air finally settled down.

Earlier on the road, Shen Liqing did regret it. She felt a bit lonely and scared, having come all this way alone for her dream and love. Now that she had met Zhan Aiping, who was so approachable, they came from the same place, they would surely have a lot to talk about in the future.

Wang Youli said, “Although Gu Sheng is a bit… although Gu Sheng isn’t great, his wife is really good. You should spend more time with his wife and interact more with Dr. Zhan. It can’t go wrong.”

“Okay.” Shen Liqing nodded. “Once I’ve settled down, I’ll call Chen Yuan.”

She wanted to tell Chen Yuan that the days after coming here were indeed promising.

The next day, Shen Liqing contacted Chen Yuan. Chen Yuan was eagerly asking over the phone, “Xiao Shen, you’re here. How do you feel?”

Chen Yuan sounded very excited. She really didn’t expect Shen Liqing, this big fool, to leave the big city of Shanghai and come all the way to this middle of nowhere.

The young intellectuals from Shanghai all wanted to return to the city desperately. Shen Liqing was deceived by her.

Chen Yuan felt quite smug. With hidden anticipation, why did she have to be forced to go to the countryside while Shen Liqing could stay in Shanghai? Shen Liqing even envied her for being able to see beautiful scenery in her letters.

Ah bah, to think she actually likes this beautiful scenery, then she should come and see it for herself.

Knowing that Shen Liqing is dating a military officer here, Chen Yuan encouraged them to be together, even urging Shen Liqing to follow the military and pushing her to make her future husband write a guarantee.

Shen Liqing is truly too naive and foolish.

Chen Yuan understands men very well; she thinks that guarantee is all nonsense, and only someone like Shen Liqing, a big fool, would believe it.

She’s just waiting for Shen Liqing to regret and feel miserable. In the future, Shen Liqing will come crying to her, saying how miserable and regretful she is.

Unfortunately, what’s done is done, and military marriages are not easy to end.

Now that Shen Liqing has arrived here, she should start regretting, right?

“Chen Yuan, I’m here! I’m so happy!! Really, it’s so beautiful here! The women in the camp are all so nice, especially taking care of me. Old Wang’s comrades are all good comrades, especially doting on their wives.”

Chen Yuan was stunned, “Wha-what?”

Chen Yuan never expected Shen Liqing to say this over the phone. Is she really happy?

“You’re feeling good?”

“Yes, very much so. It’s much more comfortable than when I was in Shanghai.” Shen Liqing breathed out a sigh, feeling that the air here is fresh, free, and comfortable. “It’s really beautiful here. You don’t know, one of Old Wang’s comrades also has a wife from Shanghai, and she’s a college student, very beautiful.”

Chen Yuan: “…. You’ve just arrived; don’t think everything is so good.”

Is this Shen Liqing a fool?

Does she really think it’s good here?

She really thinks she’s married a good man? Chen Yuan knows that some men, especially those in free relationships, are particularly good at deceiving women. They write all sorts of guarantees before marriage, but once married, you become nothing but a nagging wife, and who cares about you then?

Shen Liqing’s tough days are still ahead of her.

“You, you need to be careful of the snakes, insects, rats, and ants here.” Wait until Shen Liqing sees the abundance of bugs and venomous snakes here, she’ll be scared to death. If she goes up the mountain, she might encounter wild boars and pythons.

And there are the bug feasts, centipedes, scorpions…

Shen Liqing laughed on the phone, “I know, I know, Dr. Zhan has already told me.”

Chen Yuan: “…”

“Chen Yuan, wish me luck. I’m about to start living the life you described in your letters, our pastoral idyll.” Shen Liqing’s voice was full of anticipation.

Chen Yuan thought to herself, pastoral my ass.

“You, I hope you can still say such things after a month.”

“Well, I’m busy now. I’m going to learn from Dr. Zhan, tidy up the yard, plant vegetables and flowers, and raise chickens and ducks. Tomorrow, I’m going to pick up some chicks. Oh, and I’ve also got a piece of land to cultivate vegetables…”

Chen Yuan chuckled inwardly, “You go for it.”

The day you regret will come.

“In a month or two, Shen Liqing, I’ll come to visit you.”

“Okay, Chen Yuan, I look forward to having you visit my home. By then, I’ll let you see my tidy yard and taste my cooking.”

“Alright, it’s a deal,” Chen Yuan thought to herself. When the time comes, I’ll watch you cry in front of me.

After hanging up the phone, Shen Liqing was filled with determination from head to toe, looking forward to the enriching days ahead.

Zhan Aiping called her younger brother, Zhan Mingzhao. It was quite a task to get in touch with him. Zhan Mingzhao lazily answered the phone, “Sis, my dear sister, please don’t rush me. I’m practicing, I really am. I’m working hard to audition for the Cultural Troupe. I want to become a literary soldier!”

“You, you must pass the audition for the literary soldier this time and set an example for your future nephews.”

“Nephews?” Zhan Mingzhao was stunned.

“Yes, you’re going to be an uncle.”

“I’m going to be an uncle!” Zhan Mingzhao blinked his eyes, very excited. “Am I really going to be an uncle? So soon!”

“Yes,” Zhan Aiping smiled gently. “You’re going to have two nephews.”

“Two, two of them!” Zhan Mingzhao nearly bit his tongue off. He choked on his own saliva for a moment. “Where’s my brother-in-law? Let me talk to him.”

“Your brother-in-law isn’t here.”

“I’ll call him separately next time. I’ll make sure he takes good care of you. Carrying twins, it’s so hard. Sis, you need to rest well. If you need anything from Gu Sheng, make sure to ask him, don’t be polite.”

“No, sis, you wait. I’ll have someone send you some things in a couple of days. You must take good care of yourself and get plenty of nutrition.”

Zhan Mingzhao was going to be an uncle, and he was extremely excited. He wandered around the yard like a headless fly. Several women surrounded him, asking what was wrong.

“My older sister is pregnant, I’m going to be an uncle. I’m thinking about what gifts to send her.”

“Wow, you’re going to be an uncle! Congratulations! You should definitely send her something nice.”

Zhan Mingzhao traded with people for quite a few good things and kept asking others to send wild honey, beef jerky, and rapeseed oil to his older sister.

When Zhan Aiping told her brother about her pregnancy, she didn’t forget to call Zhan Bo. When Zhan Bo received her call, he was still nervous, fearing that his eldest daughter and son-in-law were having issues again.

“Pingping, did something happen between you and Xiao Gu?”

“Nothing, I just wanted to tell you that you’re going to be a grandfather.”

“Really, really!”

Zhan Bo was overwhelmed with joy. His daughter was pregnant with a Gu family child, the first grandchild of the Gu family and his first grandchild.

Zhan Bo was extremely excited, pacing around the room several times. He decided to send all the fabric coupons for this year, including his own, his wife’s, and his daughter’s, to his eldest daughter, Pingping.

Zhu Jiaorong was not pleased when she heard this: “This, this isn’t right.”

Typically, daughters would support their natal family, not the other way around where a father continuously supports his daughter.

“Jiajia also needs to make some new clothes.”

“She’s grown up now, and she has enough clothes. But this is for her nephew, and it’s twins! We need to make more new clothes for the little ones.”

Zhu Jiaorong said, “Little kids can wear hand-me-downs.”

“How can that be? When you had Xiaokang, didn’t you want to make new clothes? My grandchildren must have new clothes!” Zhan Bo insisted. He wanted to give his grandchildren the best, especially since they were Gu Sheng’s children, his cherished son-in-law, even more so than his own sons.

Zhan Mingzhao was unreliable, and his younger son was spoiled by his mother and didn’t do well in school. Zhan Bo felt that he had to rely on his eldest daughter and son-in-law to bring honour to the family now.

“My dad has lost his mind!” Zhan Aijia exclaimed when she heard she wouldn’t get new clothes. “How can he be so biased? He’s so unfair!”

“Zhan Aiping is pregnant already? How did she get pregnant so quickly? Is she really pregnant with Gu Sheng’s child? Could she be faking it?”

Zhan Aiping and Gu Sheng had only been married for a few months. Zhan Aijia thought their marriage was fake, but now they even had a child on the way. She was envious to the point of being furious.

“It’s probably not fake. It’s unlikely she could produce children out of thin air in a few months,” Zhu Jiaorong was also displeased. “Ever since Zhan Aiping got married and gained a good son-in-law, your dad has turned into a stepfather.”

“Exactly, a stepfather!” In fact, Zhan Bo was indeed Zhan Aijia’s stepfather.

“How can my dad be like this? He’s so biased, so unfair!”

People say with a stepmother comes a stepfather, but with Zhan Bo, it was having a son-in-law that turned him into a stepfather.

“Mom, you need to talk some sense into him!”

“How can I talk sense into him? Your dad is completely taken with this idea. If you have the ability, you should go find a general’s youngest son to be your husband.”

Zhan Aijia was stumped. “But you don’t introduce me to any good prospects.”

“Good prospects wouldn’t even look your way.” If there were truly a golden opportunity, everyone would be scrambling for it. In ancient times, people used to line up to marry the top candidates.

“Among the mediocre ones, just pick someone with a good family background. I think Li Xing is a decent choice.”

“But his family doesn’t have any high-ranking officials. I don’t want that.”

Where could she find someone with a better family background than Gu Sheng? Not just his father, even his four older brothers had unmatched credentials.

Deep down, Zhan Aijia still hoped that Zhan Aiping would get a divorce. If Zhan Aiping divorced Gu Sheng, she could marry him instead. It’s not unheard of for a younger sister-in-law to take over in such cases.

Given Zhan Aiping’s terrible temper, she and Gu Sheng would never get along. If they had children, things would only get messier. If they divorced, she could win over Aiping’s children. As long as Gu Sheng’s heart turned towards her, Zhan Aiping wouldn’t stand a chance.

Zhan Aijia looked at Zhu Jiaorong and said, “Mom, I want to learn how to cook. This time, I really want to become a virtuous woman.”

The next time she visits her sister and brother-in-law, she wants to show her good brother-in-law how virtuous she is, how good her cooking is, and how considerate she can be.

When they were young, Zhan Aiping once cooked and ended up sending Gu Sheng to the hospital. Zhan Aijia didn’t believe her brother-in-law could still eat her sister’s cooking; they must be eating at the mess hall in the barracks.

They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. If Gu Sheng is her brother-in-law, she would have a chance to get close to him. Gu Sheng, with his bad temper, was bound to clash with Zhan Aiping. Such a man needed a gentle and attentive woman by his side.

….

The hospital staff also knew that Zhan Aiping was pregnant. Qin Yanfang, hearing that she was expecting twins, was especially happy. “Congratulations, congratulations!”

It was around Qingming Festival, and Qin Yanfang said, “I originally wanted to ask you to go gather pine pollen with me to make pine pollen cakes.”

This was the season when pine flowers were in full bloom, but they didn’t bloom for long, so time was of the essence. Qin Yanfang had already scouted a few trees and was waiting for the flowers to bloom.

“Let’s go. Why not?” Zhan Aiping thought it wasn’t strenuous work. “I’ll bring a friend along.”

She considered asking Shen Liqing, though she wasn’t sure if she would be willing to go.

Zhan Aiping had noticed that Shen Liqing was a literary young woman who loved beautiful scenery but seemed to be a homebody. Shen Liqing still hadn’t been assigned a job and stayed home most days, rarely going out, just tidying up the yard and sporadically planting seeds in the vegetable patch, living a laid-back lifestyle.

At home, she didn’t do much else, just read books, especially novels. She had occasional bursts of activity followed by bouts of laziness. Wang Youli, busy with work, was rarely home, and when he wasn’t around, Shen Liqing would make do with whatever was available. Sometimes she’d cook for herself; other times, she’d ask someone to bring food from the cafeteria.

This stay-at-home lifestyle, with its simple routines, was probably not much different for Shen Liqing compared to living in Shanghai. In fact, it was even more comfortable because she had more space, and stepping outside meant being greeted by lush green scenery.

The biggest difference was that after finishing a novel, she would take the camp’s car to the city library to borrow more books. When she was in a good mood, she would clean the house.

She and Wang Youli truly embodied the saying, “Birds of a feather flock together.” Both were somewhat idealistic and intellectual giants in thought, but when it came to action…

Zhan Aiping invited Shen Liqing, “Would you like to go pick pine flowers together?”

“Sure!” Shen Liqing agreed immediately. Although she had been here for several days, she hadn’t explored much. Before coming, she had envisioned doing many things, but when it came to actually doing them, she felt too lazy.

Wang Youli was busy with work during the day and left her to her own devices. Shen Liqing spent her days reading novels, stories, and comic books. The house also had a radio, so she listened to music and sang along.

She had no anxiety or pressure. Wang Youli, as a soldier, had minimal expenses beyond buying cigarettes. Shen Liqing’s love for reading and comics didn’t cost much either. They grew vegetables at home and had started raising chickens and ducks. Wang Youli’s salary was more than enough for the two of them.

Shen Liqing was very comfortable with this lifestyle. She enjoyed the solitude during the day, and in the evenings, she would talk to Wang Youli about the books and comics she had read, sharing interesting passages. This was how their days passed.

Wang Youli was also pleased with his wife. She was easy-going, and their evenings were spent discussing literature, gazing at the moon, and counting stars.

Only Li Yuxia found this situation perplexing.

Li Yuxia said to her husband, Commissar Zhang, “Are all wives from Shanghai this good? I see they adapt so quickly, and they don’t even argue.”

It made her feel quite inadequate as the women’s committee director.

Li Yuxia had expected some friction between Wang Youli and Shen Liqing, at least some minor disagreements. But to her surprise, they lived peacefully.

She rarely even saw Shen Liqing around, and she never troubled the women’s committee.

Commissar Zhang was also puzzled, “These young male officers really know how to pick their partners. All of them have harmonious households.”

Li Yuxia rolled her eyes, “What do you mean? Are you saying old officers like you don’t know how to pick partners?”

Commissar Zhang: “…”

The three of them planned a day to go pick pine flowers. They set off in the morning and would make pine pollen cakes at the hospital afterwards. Zhan Aiping and Shen Liqing left together, meeting Qin Yanfang, who was waving at them from the roadside.

“The scenery is lovely now, with vast fields of rapeseed flowers. Let’s enjoy the view while we walk. Dr. Zhan, take it easy, we won’t take any mountain paths. We’ll stick to the main road and pick flowers from the trees I’ve been eyeing,” said Qin Yanfang, who was familiar with the area.

Shen Liqing, filled with anticipation, asked, “A sea of rapeseed flowers, how beautiful! Qin, is there a lake nearby? We should go fishing together when we have the time!”

Shen Liqing was very excited about the idea of outdoor fishing.

Qin Yanfang looked at Zhan Aiping in confusion, “Is Xiao Shen also from Shanghai?”

Zhan Aiping nodded, “Yes, she’s really looking forward to this pastoral life.”

Qin Yanfang: “…” How naive.

“Xiao Shen, you’ve been here for a while now. Are you getting used to it?” Qin Yanfang asked, thinking that the poetic idea of farming was quite different from the tiring reality.

“I’m getting used to it,” Shen Liqing replied. “My favourite poet is Tao Yuanming, ‘Picking chrysanthemums by the eastern fence, leisurely seeing the southern mountains.’”

**Nomad: Tao Yuanming (365–427 AD) was a renowned Chinese poet known for his pastoral poetry that celebrated rural life and expressed a longing for simplicity and harmony with nature. His works, reflecting his disillusionment with political life and his retreat to the countryside, have had a lasting influence on Chinese literature.**

Qin Yanfang responded, “Really?”

“Yes,” Zhan Aiping laughed. “Of course, she’s used to it. She hardly leaves the house, and the vegetables she plants are just like in her favourite poet’s lines.”

Shen Liqing widened her eyes, “What?”

Zhan Aiping continued, “Overgrown with weeds, the beans are sparse.”

The three of them burst into laughter, and Shen Liqing laughed so hard her stomach hurt. “My old man, Wang, will help me weed when he gets back.”

That was because Wang Youli couldn’t stand the sight of it.

Shen Liqing remarked, “Pingping, you have a way with words.”

Qin Yanfang said, “I’m quite envious of you two, true love and all.”

She had a boyfriend from her school days, but after several years and being posted in different places after graduation, they still hadn’t married.

“True love?”

Qin Yanfang explained, “Isn’t it? Xiao Shen, you’re really brave. Pingping grew up with Xiao Gu, childhood sweethearts, and she followed him all the way here. And you, you only knew him for a short time as pen pals, yet you—”

“Oh,” Shen Liqing waved her hand dismissively. “I just thought it was a good match. To each their own.”

“All those educated youths from Shanghai, they can’t wait to go back to the city. They dream of returning.”

Shen Liqing contentedly said, “I find it quite nice here. No one to boss me around, so much freedom.”

From these few days, it seemed that Shen Liqing was quite content with her current life. She wasn’t very happy in Shanghai, with its cramped living conditions, family crowded together, noisy neighbours, crying children, and fighting couples driving her crazy.

What made her most uncomfortable was her mother. Every day, her mother would cook tasteless salted vegetables with watery porridge and radish, insisting that Shen Liqing eat it. She would get up early for breakfast and be scolded if she didn’t. Reading too much or listening to the radio for too long also earned her scolding.

Now that she was married, life with Wang Youli was much more comfortable. He would leave early in the morning, and she could sleep as long as she wanted without anyone calling her lazy. She could do whatever she liked, read as much as she wanted.

Even the bugle call didn’t bother her; she would just go back to sleep. This carefree life was very enjoyable.

Shen Liqing hinted, “You could also find a husband who’s busy with work.”

Zhan Aiping was speechless, thinking they really were a perfect match.

Qin Yanfang laughed, “Haha.”

“What a beautiful scenery, it’s truly mesmerizing.” Shen Liqing took a deep breath. Since arriving in Yunnan Province, she had discovered the wonders of nature.

Every day she could see colourful clouds, and the distant view of continuous peaks and valleys. The trees stood tall and majestic, during the day, she watched the flowing clouds stretch across the sky, and at night, the starry sky and the stunning moonlight took her breath away.

Especially being away from the gossiping “aunties” and “uncles,” her ears finally found some peace.

Qin Yanfang still couldn’t quite understand her mindset. “But you go out every day to see the scenery. Even though it’s beautiful, you’d get tired of it after a while.”

No matter how beautiful the scenery was, it couldn’t keep those who were desperate to move to the city. Qin Yanfang’s boyfriend also wanted to move to the city.

“Going out once a month is just fine,” Shen Liqing replied cheerfully. She was different from those who couldn’t sit still; she could enjoy herself with just a cup of tea, a piece of cake, and a good book all day long.

By going out once a month, she never got tired of the scenery.

“Pingping and Captain Gu, that’s true love,” Shen Liqing admitted she had her own motives too. While Chen Yuan’s persuasion played a part, she also wanted to find a quiet place, and Wang Youli seemed like a good person.

Zhan Aiping said, “Forget about love; let’s focus on picking pine flowers.”

She was different from these literary young women; she was more practical and loved eating.

As they talked, they reached their destination. Several large pine trees stood there, with mature yellow flower spikes that looked a bit like wheat ears, but much fuller.

The three of them busily worked with scissors and soon filled a large basket.

“Done so quickly.” Shen Liqing felt unfulfilled and didn’t have a sense of accomplishment.

Zhan Aiping said, “If you’re not satisfied, we can go to the mountains to pick mushrooms next time.”

Qin Yanfang added, “In a few days, it will be the Water Splashing Festival. Xiao Shen, you can come out and join the fun.”

Shen Liqing shook her head; she wasn’t interested in getting drenched during the Water Splashing Festival. She was more interested in picking mushrooms. “Picking mushrooms, do we go up the mountains to find them?”

“Pretty much, there are many mushrooms in these mountains.”

“That’s great! Are there any techniques?”

Qin Yanfang explained, “Chicken fungus grows near termite mounds. Remember the location of the termite mounds and check if any mushrooms have sprouted. Chicken fungus patches produce several times a year, and places that have been dug up before will form obvious pits, which are easy to find.”

Chicken fungus grows by absorbing nutrients from termite nests; they coexist.

“Really?”

Zhan Aiping warned, “Be careful not to pick poisonous mushrooms.”

Even non-poisonous mushrooms like “Jian Shou Qing,” also known as “Jian Xiaoren” mushrooms, can easily cause poisoning. The problem with Jian Shou Qing is that it must be thoroughly cooked; raw, it is toxic, cooked, it is safe, but half-cooked can cause poisoning.

Wild mushrooms are indeed delicious. Many people are willing to risk poisoning to eat them. There’s a joke about Jian Shou Qing: a family ate them and got poisoned. After coming back from the hospital, they reheated the leftovers and got poisoned again.

At this time, the mountains were full of wild mushrooms, not particularly valuable. Later, these spots could become exclusive picking grounds passed down through generations, leaving no chance for outsiders.

The three of them returned with the pine flowers and made pine flower cakes in the hospital. Dr. Zhou generously contributed some honey, “The rapeseed flowers are blooming recently, and I got some rapeseed honey. Try it; it’s quite good.”

“Great, thank you, Dr. Zhou.”

The small pieces of pine flower cake were yellow on top and red below. The top layer was pine pollen, and the bottom was red bean paste. The pine flowers on top looked like they were covered with a layer of egg skin, emitting a faint pine fragrance.

The pine pollen was slightly bitter, while the red bean paste was rich and smooth, complementing each other perfectly, neither too greasy nor too bland.

Dr. Zhou tasted it and criticized, “Your skills are lacking. The red beans stick to the teeth.”

Qin Yanfang replied, “I like sticky red beans.”

Zhan Aiping, always the foodie, happily ate, “I’ll take some back for my Lao Gu to try.”

Shen Liqing added, “I’ll take some for Lao Wang to try too. This hospital is really interesting. Maybe I should come here to raise pigs.”

“Don’t you dare.”

“I noticed some people take pigs up the mountains here.”

Zhan Aiping warned, “You want to take pigs up the mountains? Be careful not to get attacked by wild boars.”

“I’m just talking,” Shen Liqing admitted. She was an intellectual giant in her thoughts, indulging in fantasies. After fantasizing, she felt satisfied.

She didn’t really want to work.

— The more days she could relax, the better.

Zhan Aiping and Shen Liqing each brought a basket of pine flower cakes home. At the family compound, they ran into He Lingling, who was just off work. He Lingling, a teacher, had few vacations, while Zhan Aiping worked one day and rested the next, and Shen Liqing had no job at all, making them relatively free.

“Teacher He, would you like to try some pine flower cake?”

“No, thank you.”

Seeing them, He Lingling thought of them as the foolish sister and her equally foolish sibling.

These two had left the comfort of Shanghai to come here. It was strange enough that Gu Sheng and Zhan Aiping, childhood sweethearts who used to fight all the time, didn’t argue anymore.

As for Wang Youli and Shen Liqing, they were pen pals who turned into a couple without much interaction, yet they too didn’t quarrel.

It was bizarre. Shen Liqing seemed happy every day.

—

Shen Liqing deeply inhaled the fresh air and admired the beautiful scenery. “This beautiful scenery is so mesmerizing,” she said. Since moving to Yunnan, she had discovered the true charm of nature. The daily sight of colourful clouds, the distant peaks, and valleys, the towering trees, the flowing clouds by day, and the starry skies by night with the stunning moonlight were truly captivating.

Especially being away from the gossipy “aunties” and “uncles,” her ears finally found some peace.