"Okay, you can make the arrangements." Jiang Ruyu smiled as she looked at her younger brother, who had grown up. She never expected that Da Linzi would be so thoughtful. The army really is a good training ground.

Jiang Ruyu and Zheng Yang returned to the guesthouse, while Jiang Lin went back to his dormitory. His brothers were all giving him advice: "Go find Lao Hao tomorrow. That guy's barbecue is amazing. He has pre-packaged seasoning packets, so whatever you grill will taste delicious."

"Old Jia from the cookhouse has a grill plate. Ask him to borrow it. It'll be more convenient for a picnic."

"There's a wild cherry tree on the Longxi Cave where we trained before, and if you're lucky, you might even get to eat some."

"Well, you sparrow, you're hoarding food without telling us. Guys, let's beat him up."

Several young men, all under twenty, were playing around and making a ruckus. The next morning, Jiang Lin got up early and gathered all the things his brothers had mentioned the day before. He carried a large basket on his back and a few meat buns in his hand and went to the guesthouse. Jiang Ruyu and the others had already gotten up and were waiting for Jiang Lin.

"Come on, quick, have some meat buns to fill your stomach first. The old squad leader knew my sister was coming and specially saved these for me. Sis, Yang-ge, try them. The old squad leader's cooking is really good."

Jiang Ruyu and Zheng Yang took the steamed buns and started eating: "Don't take things from others for nothing. You should remember to give back what you're owed. If you run out, I'll send you more."

Jiang Ruyu was afraid that her younger brother would be talked about behind his back for taking things from others for free, so she couldn't help but remind him of the principles of conduct in life.

"Sis, don't worry. We men don't have that many petty concerns. We share good food and don't fuss over things." Jiang Lin understood his sister's worries.

After breakfast, Jiang Ruyu and Zheng Yang followed Jiang Lin up the mountain behind the mountain. This kid was clearly a soldier; he was incredibly good at climbing mountains. "Da Linzi, slow down. Can you be more considerate of us ordinary people? Can we be like you, someone who trains every day?"

"Hehe, I forgot, I habitually speed up as soon as I start going up the mountain."

After walking for more than half an hour, Jiang Lin brought his sister to a rocky outcrop where they could go beachcombing: "Hey sis, now we can go beachcombing. There are sea snails and stuff. There's a bamboo forest not far up there. It's the season for bamboo shoots. I'll cut down a couple of bamboos and we'll cook some bamboo shoot rice. I learned how to make it from someone else, and it's pretty good."

"Okay, you can leave your stuff here. Weren't you two going to catch pheasants or rabbits? Go ahead, don't worry about me, I'll just stay here and enjoy the beach."

Jiang Lin and Zheng Yang left with their tools. Jiang Ruyu looked down at the waves rolling with the sea breeze. In the distance, the sky was clear and blue, the sea was azure, and seabirds flew by from time to time. It was so beautiful.

Jiang Ruyu couldn't help but stretch her arms and yawn: "Oh, this is so comfortable! This place is so beautiful. When I get old, I will definitely find a paradise like this to retire in."

Retirement is still a long way off. Young people should strive and work hard, otherwise they'll be left with nothing but the northwest wind when they get old.

Jiang Ruyu looked at the contents of the basket and said, "Hey, this guy is really well-prepared."

She took out a small hoe and went into the bamboo forest on the mountain. It was the time when bamboo shoots were sprouting. She walked into the bamboo forest and searched carefully. Before long, she saw a bamboo shoot tip that had just emerged.

Having never dug bamboo shoots before, she broke several tender, crisp shoots before finally managing to dig up a few more intact ones. Just as she was about to leave, Jiang Ruyu's eyes were drawn to something white.

"What is this thing? It looks so strange and beautiful." She saw a plant with a black shell on top and a white lace-like skirt that had burst open at the bottom. It looked a bit like a mushroom, but it was strange. She had never seen it before and had never eaten it.

She thought they looked pretty, so she picked some, and then couldn't resist looking for more. This whole area was a bamboo forest, and it must have rained a little last night, because the leaves on the ground were damp. In no time, she had picked more than a dozen. Some of them had something like a skirt, and some were just white stems with black tips, just like mushrooms.

"I'll ask Da Linzi later, he should be able to eat it."

She wanted to go beachcombing, so she didn't linger there. Carrying a few bamboo shoots and some tender, unidentifiable things, she returned to where she had put her basket. After putting the things down and emptying the basket, she took the basket and a small rake and went down to the rocks below to prepare for beachcombing.

The rocky outcrops were also dangerous; a slip and fall could result in cuts and bleeding, so Jiang Ruyu went down very carefully.

There's a small beach below, and the tide is receding, slowly revealing a rocky cliff not far away. It's uneven and covered with seafood left behind by the receding tide.

Jiang Ruyu took her basket and went to the stone wall. Sure enough, there were many sea snails lying in some nooks and crannies. She recognized them; her second sister-in-law had told her they were called "spicy snails."

"Hey, what luck! The snails here are much bigger than the ones I found in the small fishing village last time. It must be because there aren't many people here."

Jiang Ruyu was overjoyed, like a bee entering a garden. There were so many large snails, and she even started picking and choosing. She didn't want the small ones, only the big ones. In just twenty minutes, she had picked up three or four pounds of large snails, each one a little bigger than a quail egg.

Feeling that the three of them had already eaten, she then set her sights on the layers of oysters clinging to the rock face. Last time in Liaoning Province, she and her second sister-in-law hadn't brought any tools, so they just picked up a few large ones to take back and eat. This time, Jiang Lin had just prepared a rake, and she recalled how her aunt had used it before. After trying it a few times, she figured out how to use it.

The oysters on the rock face didn't look very big, but the meat inside was quite substantial. She used a rake to pry open the shells, and the plump, tender white oyster meat inside looked incredibly tempting. If her hands weren't dirty, she would have tried some.

After digging out enough oyster meat to fill a large soup bowl, Jiang Ruyu reluctantly left the rock face. Sigh, one can't keep taking all the bait; she decided to go check out the rocky area for something better.

Carrying a heavy basket, Jiang Ruyu began to scour the rocky area again. The resources here are really abundant. As soon as she looked down, she saw a crab, and next to the crab, on a rock, there was a large conch, the kind that is as big as a child's fist.

"Wow, I'm really rich, I'm really rich!" Jiang Ruyu muttered to herself like a fool as she picked up seafood.

When Zheng Yang came down, he heard his wife saying repeatedly, "Wow, a big crab! Another one! It's so fat, it looks delicious."

"Oh my, another giant conch shell! How lucky I am!"

"Hahaha, what's this? A giant abalone! I can't believe I stumbled upon this. I didn't even step in dog poop today. My luck is off the charts!"