Chapter 39: Termite Mushrooms

Chapter 39 Termite Mushrooms

Lin Xiaopu was thrilled when she heard Lin Shu say that.

More delicious food!

And something others had never tasted before!

"Sis, let's hurry then!"

"Alright, let's go, let's go."

Once they entered the mountains, Lin Shu wanted to roll up her pants legs even higher for easier movement. Zhou Ye glanced over, then quickly looked away, reminding her, "The mountain vegetation is dense, and there are many insects and snakes. It's better to keep your pants legs down."

After thinking for a moment, Lin Shu decided to leave them down.

Although there were few poisonous insects or snakes on this back mountain, it would still be unpleasant if a non-venomous one crawled onto her leg.

Besides, her pants legs were already dirty and would need washing later anyway.

"Sis, Brother A Ye, look, look—there are so many mushrooms here!" Lin Xiaopu suddenly cheered, skipping excitedly a few steps ahead.

Amid a patch of thick grass were clusters of round, adorable field mushrooms.

The grayish-white mushrooms grew in groups, and when they brushed aside the nearby grass, even more were revealed.

Some clusters had mushrooms of varying sizes, with the smallest being no larger than a fingernail.

Lin Xiaopu chuckled, picked up a nearby stick, and used it to carefully dig out the mushrooms cluster by cluster.

She lined her bamboo basket with a layer of wild leaves before gently placing the mushrooms inside.

"See? Just as I said, there are plenty of field mushrooms in the mountains—more than we could ever pick. And it's not just the mountains; they grow in fields and grassy areas too. There's no need to come all the way up here just for these," Lin Shu said with a laugh.

The three of them continued walking while gathering mushrooms. Before long, Lin Xiaopu's bamboo basket was filled with field mushrooms, and Zhou Ye's back basket also held a layer of them.

Lin Shu, however, ignored the field mushrooms and scanned the surroundings instead. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and a wide smile spread across her face. "Found it!"

The first time she had gone up the mountain with Xiao Pu, she had spotted the termite mushrooms. Back then, they were just sprouting and hidden among the dead leaves and decaying wood, barely noticeable. After last night's rain, just as she had expected, the termite mushrooms had grown significantly, each taking on the shape of an open cap. The largest one had even split open, resembling chicken feathers.

These termite mushrooms could be found throughout the summer and autumn, especially abundant in the fall. There would be no shortage of them to eat!

"Sis, these are chicken feather mushrooms. When they grow big, they split open like chicken feathers or a flower—they're really pretty! They grow in many places on the mountain. Are they edible?" Lin Xiaopu asked, her eyes fixed intently on the mushrooms.

"Of course, they're edible! These are termite mushrooms! Does nobody in Sweetwater Village eat these?" Lin Shu was surprised. Hadn’t the village elders ever tried them during lean years? Surely, it was better to risk eating them than to starve to death?

But then again, Sweetwater Village was surrounded by mountains and abundant vegetation. Even in a famine, people could rely on wild vegetables and roots, so there was no need to take risks by eating unfamiliar mushrooms.

"Termite mushrooms are a real treat! They have a scent reminiscent of chicken when cooked, and the broth they make is just like chicken soup—incredibly delicious! The bamboo fungus we saw last time is known as the 'Queen of Mushrooms,' but termite mushrooms are even more exceptional—they’re called the 'King of Mushrooms'!"

Lin Xiaopu exclaimed in wonder. "Wow! I never thought these chicken feather mushrooms would look like feathers but taste like chicken! And they’re the king of mushrooms! Sis, let’s hurry and pick them! There are so many in the mountains. After we finish here, let’s go look for more elsewhere! Once we’ve gathered these mushroom kings, we’ll head to the bamboo forest to pick the queen of mushrooms!"

Lin Shu laughed at her enthusiasm and found a thick stick to help dig up the mushrooms alongside her.

When gathering mushrooms, it was best to dig up the whole cluster. The two of them carefully cleared away the surrounding decaying leaves and damp soil, gently excavating the termite mushrooms.

Zhou Ye stood nearby, watching. He initially thought about offering to help, but seeing how happily the two were engrossed in their task, he wisely refrained. Instead, he asked Lin Shu curiously, "How do you know about these? Do you recognize all the mushrooms on this mountain? Can you tell which are poisonous and which are edible?"

Eating the wrong mushroom was no trivial matter. During the famine, a villager had once mistakenly eaten a poisonous mushroom and didn’t survive the day. So even at his hungriest, Zhou Ye had never dared to casually try wild mushrooms.

Lin Shu, busy gathering the termite mushrooms, glanced at him distractedly and replied with a smile, "Want to know? If you do, you’ll have to address me properly first. How can you speak without addressing someone properly? If you don’t, how would anyone know who you’re talking to?"

Lin Xiaopu immediately chimed in, "That’s right, that’s right! If Brother A Ye doesn’t address anyone, how would we know if he’s asking me or Sis?"

Zhou Ye: …

"Sister A Shu."

Zhou Ye called her that again, still somewhat awkwardly. His cheeks grew warm after speaking. "I was asking you just now."

Lin Shu chuckled. "Calling someone’s name shouldn’t be this hard—it’s like it costs you half your life! I call you 'Brother A Ye' every day. If I were as hesitant as you, I’d be miserable!"

After teasing him, she answered his question. "I know these mushrooms because I’ve seen and eaten them before. I’ve always had a love for learning about plants and flowers, especially the edible ones."

Lin Shu made up the explanation effortlessly, her expression completely natural.

"However, there are countless types of mushrooms in the world, and I don’t know every single one. But if you ask me which are poisonous and which are edible, I can tell you clearly."

Zhou Ye nodded. "This back mountain isn’t very large. The termite mushrooms you mentioned are more abundant deeper in the mountains. Another day, I’ll pick some to bring back."

When he used to go into the mountains to search for shiitake mushrooms, he had seen all kinds of fungi. The termite mushrooms, with their distinctive feather-like split caps, were easy to recognize, and he was familiar with them.

Hearing this, Lin Shu had a sudden idea. "Brother A Ye, take me along sometime! There are so many edible mushrooms in the mountains, not just termite mushrooms. I won’t go deep into the wilderness—just around the outskirts. Does that sound good?"

Zhou Ye murmured in agreement.

Lin Shu immediately beamed. "So you agree? Xiao Pu, be my witness, in case he denies it later."

Lin Xiaopu giggled. "Alright, alright! I, Lin Xiaopu, heard it clearly. Brother A Ye, you better not go back on your word later!"

Zhou Ye looked at the two of them without speaking, a quick smile flickering briefly at the corners of his lips.

Since he had agreed, he wouldn’t go back on his promise.

The deep mountains were humid, and mushrooms of all kinds could be found even without waiting for rain. Lin Shu left the young, newly sprouted mushrooms to grow larger, planning to return for them later. After gathering from that spot, the group continued searching for termite mushrooms. Along the way, Lin Shu spotted several types of poisonous mushrooms and thought to herself, "No wonder the villagers of Sweetwater Village don’t dare to eat wild mushrooms casually—there are quite a few poisonous varieties here."

She pointed out each poisonous mushroom to Lin Xiaopu and Zhou Ye, naming some while admitting she didn’t know the names of others.

"So you see, some poisonous mushrooms are vividly colored and obviously toxic, while others look harmless. Take this white parasol mushroom, for example—does it look poisonous to you?"

Lin Xiaopu blinked and replied, "Yes, it does. It’s pure white—it must be poisonous."

Lin Shu was momentarily speechless. Well, Xiao Pu was someone who even found the termite mushrooms pretty but inedible. Perhaps such caution was for the best.

"This white parasol mushroom is deadly poisonous and can be fatal. Always steer clear of it. On the other hand, some brightly colored mushrooms are actually edible."

Zhou Ye thought of the colorful mushrooms he had seen deep in the mountains and asked, "Which colorful mushrooms are edible?"

After a slight pause, he moved his lips and added softly, "Sister A Shu."

Lin Shu tilted her head, looking at him. Noticing that his earlobes were indeed tinged with redness, as Xiao Pu had said, she suddenly found it amusing to tease him.

"Brother A Ye, even if I tell you now, will you remember? How about I show them to you one by one when you take me along later? What do you think?"