Chapter 81 Butter-Fried Matsutake

Chapter 81 Butter-Fried Matsutake

Life outdoors was hectic yet peaceful. The four days flew by in a flash, and soon it was the final day of the third season of Wilderness Adventure.

When they had first stepped off the ship on day one and saw the surrounding snowy landscape and bare forests, all they wanted was to head back. Who would have thought they could actually survive five days in such conditions on their own?

And these were five days spent in a warm, storybook cabin, eating roast chicken and whole lamb, and drinking hot tea.

Now, they were actually kind of sad to leave.

The morning of the last day began with the sweet smell of flowers mixed with the aroma of tea.

During their previous foraging trip, Yu Xin had brought back a large bunch of roses. At the time, everyone was curious about what he intended to do with them, but aside from the girls taking a few to decorate the cabin, the roses had been left untouched.

Yu Xin had trimmed the stems and put the roses in water, so even after a day, they looked almost as fresh as when they were first picked, still vibrant.

He spread out the roses and began sorting them, removing the petals from the larger blooms and leaving the smaller ones intact, then washing them all clean.

Soon enough, the cabin was filled with the fragrance of flowers. The bright red petals were divided into two portions: one to make rose jam, and the other to be dried for rose tea.

They didn’t have a food dehydrator, nor did they have time to wait for the petals to air-dry, but they did have a fireplace. So they laid the petals out on trays and suspended them inside the fireplace, using the heat from the flames to dry the roses.

The rose jam was simpler. All it required was mixing the petals with a large amount of sugar and mashing them repeatedly until the rose juices thickened into a jam-like consistency. Then, it was packed into sealed jars with a thick layer of honey poured on top as a seal.

The finished rose jam couldn’t be eaten right away—it needed about a month to cure. The longer it cured, the richer and more fragrant it would become.

"Ah? So we definitely won’t get to taste it today, right…" Shen Tong’s voice was full of disappointment. She had been looking forward to trying the rose jam she helped make.

"If not today, then another day," Yu Xin said as he sealed the jar of rose jam. "I made it for you to take back with you."

"Really? That’s amazing!" Shen Tong hadn’t expected such a pleasant surprise, and her voice shot up with excitement.

She could bring it back for her mom to taste the rose jam she made herself!

After being kneaded into jam, the petals had shrunk significantly in volume, yielding very little. A large handful of petals produced only two small jars of rose jam.

Roses were known to be good for circulation and mood, moisturize the lungs, and beautify the skin—offering many benefits especially for women. The three men naturally didn’t compete with the women over it, so the two jars were given to the two female participants without any objections.

That said, Sheng Xingyao was still a little disappointed. After all, he also wanted to taste the jam he helped make.

While the two women were still happy about it, and Qin Shizhen, who was more interested in the tea than the rose jam, hadn’t noticed his slight mood, Yu Xin caught his eye and said, "We can’t have the rose jam today, but we can make something else that we can enjoy today."

Sheng Xingyao immediately looked up, his eyes lighting up. "Really? What are we making?"

"Well, there are still some berries left that Shen Tong and Qin Shizhen picked. We can use them to make some berry jam."

"Yu Xin, you're spoiling him again."

"Sheng Xingyao is like a child—he gets excited as soon as he hears there’s food involved."

"Berry jam sounds even better than rose jam… I declare Sheng Xingyao the winner."

"I’m totally shipping these two, hehehehehe."

"Aww, I want Yu Xin’s handmade jam too. Can you spoil me as well?"

Making berry jam wasn’t complicated. They found a clean small iron pot, dumped in the berries, added water and sugar, and let it simmer over low heat while stirring continuously. They cooked it until the berries burst and softened into a thick consistency.

The jam on the stove bubbled away gently, turning a rich deep red. The sweet and tangy scent of the berries gradually filled the air, making mouths water.

The finished jam could be eaten directly or used to make drinks. Since they still had tea leaves, they could mix the jam with tea to make fruit tea.

They placed a few spoonfuls of jam and some tea leaves at the bottom of a cup, poured boiling water over them, and watched as the jam and tea mixed together in the hot water. The sweet, fruity aroma blended with the light, refreshing scent of tea, creating a unique flavor quite different from plain tea.

Everyone was intrigued by this method. After taking a sip, they were immediately captivated by the distinctive mix of fruit and tea flavors and everyone liked it.

"This is really good. I thought jam and tea wouldn’t go well together, but it’s surprisingly delicious," Ruan Qing said, holding her cup and blowing on it gently before taking a small sip. The sweet and tangy taste was more appealing to young people's tastes.

"Hmm, I still prefer plain tea, but this is nice too. It’s a novel flavor," Qin Shizhen remarked after taking a sip and smacking his lips.

The jam was also delicious on its own—not overly sweet, with pieces of berry still intact. Though wild berries were small, their flavor was intense, making the jam even tastier than store-bought versions.

In the end, the jar of berry jam went to Sheng Xingyao. Qin Shizhen had no objections—he was perfectly content with just the tea leaves.

After the enjoyable tea time, it was time to decide what to have for lunch.

They checked what they had together: some leftover pieces of lamb, five or six potatoes, a dozen or so eggs, and some matsutake mushrooms that Yu Xin had specifically set aside.

"Look, we have tea leaves and eggs. Why don’t we just make some tea-infused eggs?" Sheng Xingyao suggested suddenly, inspired by the ingredients.

"Are you serious, man?"

"Ah? Is Sheng Xingyao for real? This pampered kid actually dares to suggest that?"

"He just wants to make tea eggs—what’s the big deal?"

"For those who don’t get it, using this tea to make tea eggs is like using a high-end gaming rig to play Tetris for guys, or like bathing in expensive skincare products for girls. Now do you understand?"

"That comparison is a bit stereotypical, but the point stands."

The cabin fell silent. Sheng Xingyao, confused, stammered, "Is… is there a problem?"

Why was everyone staring at him without saying a word? Why was Qin Shizhen glaring at him as if he wanted to burn a hole through him??

Help, Qin Shizhen’s expression was terrifying!

"It’s not completely impossible," Yu Xin said suddenly.

Qin Shizhen snapped his head around to look at Yu Xin, disbelief written all over his face. "Yu Xin, are you serious?"

"It’s just tea eggs—it won’t use up much tea. We still have plenty left, so don’t worry, Qin Shizhen. There’s more than enough for you," Yu Xin reassured him.

Hearing this, Qin Shizhen backed down and didn’t say anything else. Sheng Xingyao breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"Alright, alright, fine."

"You, you, you're spoiling him again!"

"Sheng Xingyao, you’re way too lucky… You found yourself a great partner. Living the good life, alright alright."

"What are you all talking about? Yu Xin is good to everyone, not just Sheng Xingyao. Tone down the shipping glasses."

Yu Xin didn’t overthink it. For those he accepted, he was habitually kind. Moreover, he often saw Sheng Xingyao as a somewhat silly son figure. If the kid wanted to eat something, why not let him?

He brushed it off casually, but Sheng Xingyao couldn’t act like nothing happened.

Why was Yu Xin being so nice to him today? No, Yu Xin had always been good to him.

Although Yu Xin took care of everyone, surely, surely Yu Xin treated him differently!

After all, Yu Xin used to... have a thing for him, didn't he?

Although he hadn’t picked up any special vibes from Yu Xin since then...

But! What if Yu Xin was keeping his feelings under wraps?

What if, just what if Yu Xin still had feelings for him...

He stood frozen, the tips of his ears beneath his dark hair turning red on the sly. Scenes of his interactions with Yu Xin flashed through his mind one after another. He tried to analyze them closely, searching for evidence that Yu Xin treated him differently, but he couldn’t be sure—was it real, or just his imagination?

He didn’t realize he had memorized all the little moments of his time with Yu Xin, just as he didn’t realize his attention toward Yu Xin had grown more and more, their roles had completely swapped.

"Sheng Xingyao, why are you zoning out?" Shen Tong passed by him and gave him a puzzled look before asking.

Sheng Xingyao jolted back to reality, a faint blush creeping up under his skin. Only then did he notice that everyone else was busy with their own tasks. He quickly said, "I’ll come help right away. Is there anything I can do?"

"Then go wash the eggs outside, since you’re so set on having tea eggs." Shen Tong handed him the eggs and remarked, "Yu Xin really spoils you, using such fine tea to make tea eggs for you."

She made an offhand remark, but Sheng Xingyao looked taken aback and pressed, "Really? You... I mean, you really think so?"

"Of course, why would I say it if it wasn't true?" Shen Tong looked at him even more strangely.

Sheng Xingyao’s eyes glazed over, lost in thought again as he carried the eggs out, walking so awkwardly that Shen Tong worried he might trip and break them.

"How strange," Shen Tong shook her head and was called away by Ruan Qing to handle other tasks.

Meanwhile, Yu Xin prepared everything needed for the tea eggs: tea leaves, scallions, ginger, salt, spices, and sugar. Once Sheng Xingyao brought in the washed eggs, Yu Xin first boiled them in a pot, then cooled them down. When the eggs were no longer too hot to handle, he gently cracked the shells until the surface was covered in hairline cracks but no pieces fell off.

This step was crucial for flavor—without cracking the shells, the eggs wouldn’t get flavorful.

Next, he placed the cracked eggs into the pot along with the remaining ingredients, added soy sauce and enough water to almost cover the eggs, and set the pot on the stove to simmer slowly.

While the tea eggs were cooking, Yu Xin took out a griddle, cleaned it, and prepared to make a quick snack.

He brought out the reserved matsutake mushrooms. Matsutake mushrooms have thick stems and relatively small caps, somewhat resembling king oyster mushrooms but smaller. Their flavor is incredibly rich and savory, making them a highly prized variety among mushrooms.

Yu Xin washed the matsutake mushrooms and sliced them into pieces about six to seven millimeters thick, setting them aside.

He heated the griddle over the fireplace for a while until the surface was hot to the touch. Then, he placed a small pat of butter on it. The hot griddle quickly melted the butter, releasing a pleasant, creamy aroma.

Once the butter had melted sufficiently, Yu Xin laid out the sliced matsutake mushrooms on the griddle. They sizzled immediately upon contact, as their juices were seared out by the heat. These juices were incredibly flavorful on their own, and when mixed with the butter and evaporated by the hot griddle, they released a rich, aromatic blend of the mushroom’s unique scent and the butter’s creaminess.

This rich and distinctive aroma quickly caught the attention of everyone else in the cabin.

"What’s that smell? It’s amazing!" Ruan Qing kept sniffing the air, following the scent over to take a deep breath.

"Pan-fried matsutake mushrooms with butter. They’re not done yet."

Yu Xin flipped the mushroom slices on the griddle. The side that had been in contact with the heat was now turned up, showing a beautiful golden-brown pattern.

The mushrooms had released a layer of savory juices, shrinking slightly in size as they sizzled in the mixture of their own liquids and melted butter.

When they were nearly done, Yu Xin took out salt and black pepper, sprinkling a thin layer over the mushrooms and flipping them to season both sides.

Everyone was distracted by the smell, setting aside their tasks to gather around, watching eagerly as Yu Xin turned the mushrooms.

Finally, when both sides had turned a beautiful color, Yu Xin said, "They’re done. Eat them straight from the griddle."

Everyone eagerly grabbed a slice, blew on it to cool it down, and then popped it into their mouths.

"Mmm..." They savored it slowly.

The pan-fried matsutake mushrooms were still tender and juicy, with the firm, meaty texture characteristic of mushrooms. With a gentle bite, an incredibly savory burst of juice flowed into their mouths. The unique flavor of the matsutake and the creamy taste of the butter played on their tongues, like a lively forest waltz.

The salt and black pepper perfectly highlighted the mushrooms’ natural sweetness. The simple seasoning brought out an ultimate flavor, complemented by a subtle charred aroma from the griddle. Their tongues experienced layer after layer of taste, creating a complex flavor profile.

"This is delicious! It feels like... like taking a walk in the forest in spring, just like we did the other day in the woods at the foot of the mountain!" Ruan Qing closed her eyes, carefully savoring the sensation, a smile unconsciously curling her lips.

"Exactly! I can taste the pine, and there’s a hint of the nutty flavor of pine nuts too," Shen Tong agreed, though she didn’t mention that she even felt as if a squirrel’s tail had darted through the trees.

"Wow, you’re even using sensory descriptions now? Your descriptive skills have improved a lot!"

"Who would’ve thought they’d go from barely being able to describe flavors to this? Before, they’d just nod and say 'delicious' before devouring everything."

"Our ability to imagine the flavors has improved along with them (crying)."

"Ruan Qing’s description sounds so mystical. Is it really that delicious?"

"Of course! Matsutake mushrooms are a delicacy—a true forest treasure, and they’re quite expensive."

The slices of matsutake on the griddle were still sizzling. There weren’t many to begin with, and everyone gathered around, eating them piece by piece until they were gone.

Sheng Xingyao, quick and nimble, snatched the last piece and placed it in front of Yu Xin, saying softly, "You have it."

"Thank you." Yu Xin accepted his gesture, picking it up and chewing it slowly.

Sheng Xingyao nodded calmly, but inwardly, his invisible tail gave a secret wag.

If Yu Xin was good to him, he would be good to Yu Xin too. Heehee.

-----------------------

Author's message: There will be another chapter later.

Thank you all for your support. I'll keep doing my best!