Chapter 21: A Side Dish for You Tonight

"This is a red russula, and over there are milk-cap mushrooms..." Zhao Wan’s voice was gentle as she spoke, as if she were showing off her own treasures.

Lu Youyou looked in the direction she was pointing. Several clusters of mushrooms grew on the ground—some red, some yellow—looking nothing like food. Red caps and white stalks; if you eat them, you’ll end up lying on a board together. Had it not been for Zhao Wan’s assurance that they were edible, Lu Youyou would have stayed a full meter away from these little things.

Seeing Lu Youyou’s curious expression, Li Sanhua laughed and said, "Sister, if you ever run into mushrooms you don't recognize when you're alone, it’s better not to pick them. Every year, people end up in the hospital from eating poisonous ones."

Zhao Wan added, "That's right. When I first arrived, I didn't dare to pick anything either. How about this, sister? In the future, if you want to go up the mountain, just call me. After I show you a few more times, you'll know them by heart."

Lu Youyou had originally intended to ask Li Sanhua for help, but she hadn't expected Zhao Wan to offer so readily. "Then I’ll be troubling you, sister!"

Zhao Wan waved her hand dismissively. "I’m just idling at home anyway. Coming out for a walk is good exercise."

Li Sanhua couldn't help but chime in, "You, you really should get out more. Staying cooped up in the house all day is no way to live..."

The two didn't continue that line of conversation, and Lu Youyou naturally didn't pry; she had no interest in digging into other people's private matters. Ever since she realized she could forage on the mountain, she had been considering one thing: the diet here was far too simple. She didn't know exactly what Gu Qingye did, but for a man who could be deployed to the front lines at any moment, simple greens and tofu were definitely not enough. If conditions were truly desperate, there would be no choice, but now, with a massive mountain sitting right here, her skills finally had a place to shine.

Although she wasn't a professional cook, she was an expert at stewing medicinal meals. The canteen food was too monotonous? No matter; she had her "Ten-Perfect Vitality Soup." She didn't know how to repay the debt of saving her life, but that was fine—she would start with nutritional therapy.

Lu Youyou channeled ten times her usual energy, noting down everything the two women said. Walking and stopping, an hour passed, and her bamboo basket was already half full. It didn't seem like much, but when combined with their half-filled baskets, it was quite a bountiful harvest.

"We’re so lucky today! Just picking a little here and there and we already have this much!" Li Sanhua wiped the sweat from her brow, exclaiming.

Zhao Wan seemed a bit tired, gasping for air as she smiled, "Back in my hometown, there’s a saying: beginners have the best luck. We’re probably benefiting from our younger sister’s fortune!"

Li Sanhua teased, "Is that so? Then I’ll have to stick close to her. This one trip today equals two of my previous ones!"

Lu Youyou wasn't sure if there was a "beginner’s luck" buff, but it was true that her senses were sharp. As long as she remembered what something looked like, it couldn't hide from her eyes, even beneath piles of withered leaves and branches.

Moreover, Lu Youyou was pleasantly surprised to discover a treasure: purple-skinned dendrobium. While she didn't know much about wild vegetables, she had been looking at medicinal herbs since she was a child, and those that could be used in cooking were all etched into her memory.

Li Sanhua returned with a handful of bracken, only to find Lu Youyou enthusiastically cutting at "tree branches." She circled the tree, looking confused. "Sister, what are you doing?"

Zhao Wan seemed thoughtful, asking hesitantly, "Is this... dendrobium?"

Lu Youyou looked at her in surprise and nodded. "Yes, it’s purple-skinned dendrobium."

Li Sanhua was shocked, touching the trunk. "Isn't this a banyan tree?"

Lu Youyou explained, "Dendrobium is an epiphyte; it grows on trees or in rock crevices. Banyan trees, camphor trees—they all work."

Zhao Wan reached out to touch it as well, equally curious. "I’ve only ever seen it dried. I had no idea it grew right here on the mountain."

Lu Youyou smiled. It was only because of the current era that it could still be found in the wild. If she wanted to pick it, she could; in the future, this little plant would be a nationally protected species, and picking it would be a criminal offense.

Li Sanhua looked at Lu Youyou with pure admiration. "Sister, how is your brain wired? You know everything! Did your grandfather teach you this too?"

Comparing people is enough to infuriate one! Li Sanhua sighed to herself; if her own little rascals had such a sharp mind, she wouldn't have to worry for the rest of her life.

Lu Youyou nodded along; this was a great teammate—she had already thought up a perfect excuse for her. Because Li Sanhua was curious, Lu Youyou briefly explained the benefits of dendrobium, such as nourishing the stomach, promoting fluid production, and clearing heat.

Li Sanhua listened, dazed, and asked, "So, in short, it’s just good for the body, right?"

Seeing Lu Youyou nod, she learned how to snip a few stalks as well, planning to crush them and soak them in water once she got home, just as Lu Youyou had said.

Zhao Wan, however, didn't seem very enthusiastic, and her complexion looked even worse than before. Li Sanhua wanted to help her snip some too, but was politely declined. She paused, then let out a long sigh. "True, it is a medicinal herb after all. Best not to let it clash with whatever else you might be taking."

Lu Youyou couldn't help but look up. Her knowledge of pulse-taking and diagnosis was only rudimentary, but Zhao Wan’s complexion was clearly unhealthy, and her spirit seemed low. Even as a housewife, her husband held the same rank as Gu Qingye; her allowance shouldn't be small. A description like "gaunt and sallow" shouldn't apply to her.

Zhao Wan brushed away the damp hair sticking to her forehead and offered a bitter smile. Her eyes seemed to hold endless sorrow, which eventually settled into resignation. Lu Youyou was struck by the numbness in her gaze. Concerned for her health, Lu Youyou said, "Sister, it's getting late. Shall we head back?"

Zhao Wan smiled at her. "I'm fine. I’m just a little physically weak. I come up the mountain often; if you don't believe me, ask Sister Li."

Li Sanhua nodded, but seeing Zhao Wan in this state, she didn't dare let her continue climbing up and down. They had been out for nearly two hours; it was time to return.

On the way back, Li Sanhua continued to ask about how to consume dendrobium. Lu Youyou stopped mid-sentence and reached out to block them. Li Sanhua and Zhao Wan were startled by her sudden movement. "What is it?"

Lu Youyou shushed them and listened intently.

*Hiss—hiss-hiss—*

Zhao Wan seemed to hear it too, asking fearfully, "Is... is it something?" Her voice trembled as she spoke.

Li Sanhua, being the bolder of the two, shielded them behind her. "Don't be afraid. I’m pretty good at catching snakes. We’ll add a dish to dinner tonight!" She tried her best to remain calm, even attempting a joke to lighten the mood.

Lu Youyou chuckled, realizing they had misunderstood. "Don't worry, it's not a snake. It should be a Eurasian eagle-owl."

"What—what kind of thing?"

"It's a type of owl. The chicks make a sound like a cat. This one probably hurt itself, and its voice is hoarse."

Seeing Lu Youyou start to walk over, Li Sanhua hurriedly pulled her back. "Don't! What if it really is a snake? Someone got bitten by a green pit viper last year. It’s lucky we’re on an army base and the clinic keeps antivenom in stock, otherwise, that life would have been gone just like that."

Lu Youyou smiled to reassure her. "Sister, don't worry, it's not a snake." She pointed to the area under a tree ten meters away. "It's right there. I can already see it; it really is an eagle-owl chick."

Li Sanhua stood on her tiptoes, peering over. Apart from rocks, tree trunks, and wild grass, she couldn't see a thing. Half-doubting, she followed Lu Youyou, picking up a forked branch and holding her breath, ready to deliver a fatal blow to any poisonous snake.