The children gazed with delight at the wild rabbit in the bag.

After a busy morning, and with time running out, Lin Yinan wanted to make something delicious for the children.

"Qianwu, let's make lunch."

"Sis, look, I've even brought the pot."

Lin Yi'an cleverly took out a pot from the bamboo basket, which also contained more than a dozen bowls. He looked up at everyone with a smug smile on his face.

"Yi'an, you're really amazing, you even thought of that." Yun Junpeng praised sincerely.

They were only thinking about getting out and didn't even consider bringing anything with them.

Qianwu took out a potato, her eyes crinkling with laughter, "Then let's make a potato stew with rabbit."

Upon hearing that she had brought potatoes, everyone unconsciously swallowed hard.

Two crops of potatoes were planted, and each household in the county government received a considerable amount. However, no one was willing to eat them. Many people only cooked a little to taste, and kept the rest as seeds to be planted in large quantities starting next year.

"We have potatoes, but wild rabbits alone won't do. I'll go hunt a few pheasants." Seeing everyone's enthusiasm, Lin Yinan wanted to improve their meals.

Fang He hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and said, "We brought some dry rations, so we can just eat those."

"I'm going hunting. You're the eldest here, so I'll have to trouble you to look after all these children."

"Okay." Fang He agreed without hesitation.

Yun Shijiu wanted to go with them, but Qianwu took her to see the rabbits instead, successfully diverting her attention.

Lu Changqing and Lin Yi'an, each carrying their own bows and arrows, plunged into the dense forest with Lin Yinan.

The three searched in the woods for a quarter of an hour, and Lu Changqing was the first to find chicken droppings on the fallen leaves.

Pheasants have been spotted in the vicinity.

So the three of them shuffled down and carefully observed their surroundings.

Before long, Lin Yinan spotted a pheasant foraging in the woods.

This pheasant has a bright red comb on its head, and its neck and back are metallic green.

Lin Yinan silently gestured to the two of them, picked up a bow and arrow, nocked it, aimed, locked his gaze on the pheasant in front of him, and the arrow swiftly pierced the pheasant's head.

The sound of the pheasant falling to the ground startled another pheasant in a thicket of thorns.

Lin Yinan reacted quickly and grabbed Lin Yi'an, who was about to walk out, signaling him to be quiet.

Three startled pheasants clucked and poked their heads out, looking around.

Lin Yinan and the other two held their breath, their eyes fixed on the three pheasants.

These three pheasants are clearly not the same species as the one from before.

They were slightly smaller than the previous one, with long tails barred with horizontal stripes, white collars around their necks, red skin around their eyes, and shimmering feathers all over their bodies, making them quite beautiful.

After a while, the pheasants, having found nothing amiss, finally lowered their guard.

Lin Yinan seized the opportunity and drew his bow again.

Lu Changqing and Lin Yi'an also quietly aimed at the pheasants in front of them. Seeing that they were ready, Lin Yi'nan gestured for each of them to aim at a leaf.

With a series of "whoosh" sounds, three arrows were fired simultaneously, instantly killing the three pheasants in the thorn bushes.

Lin Yi'an and Lu Changqing put away their bows and arrows and got up to pick up the pheasants they had shot.

"Changqing, you're amazing!"

Lu Changqing's arrow, like Lin Yinan's, pierced the pheasant's head.

Lin Yi'an stared intently at his good brother who had grown up with him. The arrow he shot only stuck in the pheasant. Changqing was far more outstanding than him.

"Changqing is truly remarkable!"

Lin Yinan originally wanted to pat his head, but then remembered that in ancient times, children under seven years old were not allowed to sit together. Changqing would be eleven years old next year, so she patted his shoulder instead, a gratified smile on her face.

Lu Changqing was a little disappointed. He quickly dropped the pheasant in his hand and took her hand, placing it on his fluffy head.

Lin Yinan chuckled and ruffled his hair a few times.

"Sister, look at these three pheasants, they're so beautiful." Lin Yi'an squeezed over with a hint of jealousy, holding up the pheasants in her hand.

Lin Yinan pinched his still chubby cheeks and said, "We've been out for a while, let's go back."

Four pheasants were enough for so many people to eat, and the three of them carried the pheasants back home.

When Lin Yinan and the others returned, Fang and the others had already processed the two rabbits. Seeing the pheasants that Lu Changqing and the others were carrying, the children gathered around and chattered incessantly.

"This pheasant's feathers are so beautiful!" Lin Zhiyan reached out to touch the pheasant's long tail.

Luo Shouxin's seven-year-old son, Luo Xuyang, exclaimed, "This looks just like the rooster my grandma raised!"

Yun Fangyi: "It would be great if we could make a hat out of these feathers."

Yun Shijiu held Lin Zhiyan's hand, her eyes sparkling, and pointed to her head.

Lin Zhiyan tapped her nose. "Okay, okay, I'll make you a hat later."

"Lord, shall we cook two?" Fang He picked up two pheasants and asked Lin Yinan.

Lin Yinan glanced at the large pot that Lin Yi'an had brought, and seeing that he had only killed two rabbits, said, "Cook all four of them, and keep the shed feathers."

Fang He nodded, and he and his companion picked up the pheasant and went to the side to process it.

Chimae had already peeled and chopped the potatoes and placed them on clean leaves.

Yun Junpeng started a fire, and Lin Yinan took out the seasonings she had brought. She first poured the rabbit meat into the pot to stir-fry, and while everyone was not paying attention, she took out a few seasonings from her space and threw them in.

"Third Aunt, what did you put in there?" Yun Junpeng, with his sharp eyes, noticed.

"Oh, these are spices I just found in the woods. They make stewed meat very fragrant." Lin Yinan lied without batting an eye.

A sharp glint flashed in Lu Changqing's eyes. He paused in wiping the arrows, slung the bow and arrows over his back, and put on a docile smile.

"Brother Peng, take a break, let me start the fire."

Before Yun Junpeng could speak, Lu Changqing took the hay from his hand and squatted down.

Yun Junpeng quickly stepped aside, seeing that he was indeed doing a better job than himself, and bent down to pick up the machete from the basket to chop firewood around him.

Lin Yinan watched silently without stopping him. She had no idea when Lu Changqing had become so cunning, like a beehive.

Seeing her looking at him, Lu Changqing raised his face and showed a well-behaved and ingratiating smile.

"Should we make the fire bigger, Sister Anan?"

"That's good." Lin Yinan smiled and said nothing more.

As long as his intentions don't harm anyone, let him be.

Wild rabbits and pheasants live in the wild, and their meat contains high levels of protein and relatively low levels of fat and carbohydrates, resulting in a tougher texture. Therefore, they need to be stewed for a longer time.

A large pot of rabbit and pheasant was stewed for almost an hour. When the water was almost gone, potatoes were added and simmered over charcoal to allow the potatoes to absorb all the broth.

When the pot lid was lifted, an irresistible delicious aroma filled the entire mountain forest.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on the pot bubbling with delicious aromas, their noses twitching slightly, and their mouths unconsciously swallowing saliva.

The children's faces beamed with eager joy; they all wanted to taste this delicious treat as soon as possible.