Chapter 25: Braised Chicken with Noodles – This wasn't practice; it was my first time making it…
The military green jeep wound its way through the endless spruce forests and entered the secluded shores of Swan Lake. The morning mist had not yet dissipated, enveloping the clear lake like silk.
A pure white swan spread its wings and glided gracefully across the lake, startling a chorus of calls from juvenile swans behind it.
As soon as Ji Yu parked the car, Chen Mianmian eagerly pushed open the car door and got out.
"This place is so beautiful!"
Chen Mian and Li Cuiping strolled hand in hand on the grassy lakeside. Having grown up in the Northwest, they had never seen such a vast lake before, only streams flowing through the valleys.
Chen Mian was already unconsciously immersed in the beautiful scenery. She took a deep breath and savored the oxygen deep in the jungle.
Although the car window was slightly open the whole way, the air was still filled with a chilly autumn wind. Unlike here, not only was there no cold air at all, but there also seemed to be a faint warmth.
She loved this place and even wanted to lie down on the lawn and take a nap. Ji Yu, as if she had already guessed what she was thinking, came over with both hands full of things.
He put what he was holding on the grass, took out a red plaid blanket and spread it on the ground, indicating that the other person could sit on it.
Chen Mian slowly sat down and reached out to touch the blanket. It was surprisingly thick. She wondered how much stuff he had prepared in the trunk.
Ji Yu continued to arrange the items in her hands one by one, including a teapot and cups, dried fruit and sponge cake. Then she saw him turn back and bring back several plates of cold dishes.
Ji Yu smiled a little embarrassedly: "My mom was worried that I wouldn't cook well, so she prepared a few cold dishes in advance. If you're hungry, you can have some first. I should be able to cook them pretty quickly."
Chen Mian was somewhat surprised that the other party had actually gone to learn to cook. Looking at Ji Yu's tall figure, she couldn't help but wonder if Ji Yu had someone he liked.
That's why she's so proactive in finding out how to be likable, and despite being so busy with work, she still makes time to learn how to cook.
Is it the elegant Miss Qin I met at the farm, or the intellectual and bookish Miss Lin I encountered at the library...?
Ji Yu had no idea what Chen Mian was thinking at that moment. He was already preparing cooking utensils, taking a small folding table out of the car and pulling out an iron rack, ready to start a fire.
Seeing his impressive setup and complete set of tools, Chen Mian smiled and asked, "Brother Ji, what kind of meal are you preparing for us? You've put in so much work."
Ji Yu, however, was unwilling to reveal the truth too soon. Instead, she kept the other person in suspense, suggesting that she and her friend go play by the lake for a while. She also unusually went on and on, reminding her not to get too close to the lake or she might fall in.
Ji Yu added, "There are hot springs at the bottom of the lake here, and it doesn't freeze even in winter. You can go and play there. Or you can take a walk in the woods; there are lots of wild fruits in the forest in autumn."
"But as before, you can't go too far, or you'll get lost. You can pick the fruit for fun, but I'll have to check it before you can eat it."
Chen Mian was both curious and annoyed by the other person's nagging. They were children who grew up in the mountains, and they knew in their hearts which fruits were edible and which were not to be picked.
They're not like those pampered young ladies who grew up in the city and have never been to the mountains except for spring outings, so of course they're prone to getting lost after just a few steps.
She still remembers going to the mountains with Cuiping to pick wild walnuts when she was a child. Cuiping picked up a long stick and knocked all the walnuts off the tree. She picked up a whole basketful on the ground and took it home. The whole family ate it for a long time.
Thinking of this, she looked up at Li Cuiping, who immediately guessed what she was thinking. The two of them picked up a small bamboo basket each and walked hand in hand into the woods.
Ji Yu watched the girl's charming figure disappear from sight before withdrawing his lingering gaze and focusing on preparing lunch.
To ensure the meal would go perfectly, he got up before dawn, pulled his mother to prepare the dough in advance, stir-fried the chicken, and cut the potatoes into chunks.
So theoretically, he just needs to knead the dough a few more times, make it into noodles, cook them, and then stew the potatoes in the broth. That should prevent any further accidents, right?
He rolled up his sleeves, deftly set up the pot, poured water, and started a fire. He knew how to start a fire; when he was training in the wild, there wasn't much to eat, so he would make his own roasted chicken or fish. As for the taste, it was all up to fate, but as long as it didn't kill anyone, it was fine.
However, Chen Mian is not as physically resilient as him. What if she gets sick from eating undercooked food? He had gone to great lengths to coax the girl out, so he had to seize the opportunity to make a good impression.
Ji Yu touched the wooden carving in his pocket through his coat, a gentle smile appearing on his usually cold and resolute face. He glanced at his watch and quickened his pace.
The fog in the forest was quite thick, so Chen Mian and her friend didn't dare to go too far. They just wandered around the edge and didn't see any walnut trees, but they did find a clump of wild strawberries.
The two walked over with delight. Chen Mian squatted down and picked a strawberry, which was only the size of a thumb, but was unexpectedly sweet.
She picked several in a row and popped them into her mouth at once, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons with a smile, and the dimples on the sides of her face appearing and disappearing.
She turned around and called her friend to come along. After they finished eating, they remembered to pick some more to take back. While they were picking, they discovered wild onions and mushrooms under the bushes next to them.
Chen Mian exclaimed with delight, "We can dig up some wild onions to stir-fry with cured meat! And mushrooms, perfect for grilling!"
She gets a little hungry just thinking about the taste of wild onions stir-fried with cured pork. The fresh aroma of wild onions paired with the salty aroma of cured pork makes her want to eat a whole bowl of rice with it.
There are also roasted mushrooms. When they were little, they often went to the mountains after the rain to pick wild vegetables and roast them. Sometimes they would also steal a few eggplants and cucumbers from their family's vegetable garden to roast together.
Apples can also be baked. After baking, the apple skin turns yellowish-brown with some spots and emits a sweet aroma. When you bite into the skin, the inside is golden yellow, sweet, soft, and leaves a lingering fragrance on your lips and teeth.
Chen Mian and Li Cuiping discussed picking these and then wandering a little deeper into the orchard to see if they could find wild apples. She was starting to miss the apple orchards back home...
On the other side, Ji Yu had already prepared the meal. He held a bowl, gently picked up a piece of potato, and took a bite. The saltiness was just right, and the potato was soaked with broth. It would taste even better when mixed with noodles later.
He set out the tableware, but after waiting and waiting, the two still hadn't returned. He became a little anxious, fearing they might have encountered some danger, so he quickly got up and walked into the woods.
Ji Yu hurried along, calling out Chen Mian's name as he went. He blamed himself for being too careless, letting the two girls go to play in the woods by themselves. This was deep in the mountains; what if something really happened?
Ji Yu: I should have gone with them. What does it matter if I lose face a little?
"Chen Mian, where are you?"
"Chen Mian! Answer me if you hear me!"
Ji Yu followed the footprints and finally heard voices in front of a bush. She quickly pushed aside the branches and leaves blocking her view and strode over. "Chen Mian!"
Chen Mian was picking apples when she was startled by the sudden appearance of a man's voice. She turned around, slightly annoyed, "You scared me! What happened?"
Ji Yu's face flushed red, and her hands, hanging by her sides, clenched into fists. Fortunately, she was alright. She took a deep breath before replying, "It's nothing. I just came to tell you that the food is ready and you can go back and eat."
Chen Mian held up the apples in her hand to indicate that she hadn't finished picking them yet. Ji Yu walked to the tree, picked one, wiped it on her clothes, took a bite, looked at the two full baskets of her harvest with a puzzled expression, and then looked up at Chen Mian. "There's no room left to put them all in. Are you still going to pick more?"
Chen Mian succinctly replied: "Pick."
Since it's a rare opportunity to go into the mountains, they naturally want to return with a full load. Besides, apples won't spoil even after a month, so they picked a lot to take home and eat.
Even if you can't finish them, you can dry them into apple slices, or add a couple of apple slices to stews to add a unique fragrance.
Seeing this, Ji Yu had no choice but to silently take off her coat and spread it on the ground to hold the apples, then turned around and helped pick them.
The man was tall, so he could reach higher places. He quickly rolled up his shirt sleeves and deftly picked the apple.
Chen Mian noticed that he seemed to have a small injury on his left hand, and couldn't help but think to herself, "Just how much does he like that person? He's going to such lengths to cook a meal for him."
Then I thought to myself, why am I paying so much attention to other people's business? It has nothing to do with me.
With the three of them working together, the picking progress increased significantly, and they finished picking in no time. Chen Mian squatted down, gathered the apples on her denim jacket, and prepared to tie a knot when she felt something under her hand.
She felt it carefully; it was roughly cylindrical, but she couldn't quite place what it was. She didn't think much of it, but simply reminded Ji Yu, "Brother Ji, there seems to be something in your pocket. Be careful it doesn't fall out."
Ji Yu then remembered that he still had the wood carving he made for Chen Mian in his coat, and he quickly came over and discreetly put it into his pants pocket.
Li Cuiping walked in front carrying two baskets, while Chen Mianmian, holding a few apples, walked alongside Ji Yu behind her.
Ji Yu carried the coat full of apples in one hand, and touched the wooden carving in the pocket with the other. After thinking for a moment, she took it out and handed it to Chen Mian.
Chen Mian looked at the wood carving in front of her with a puzzled expression. What was this? Did he want her to help him take a look at the gift he had prepared for someone else?
She looked away, her eyes lowered, and replied softly, "It's quite beautiful."
Ji Yu: "This is for you. I spent several nights carving it."
Chen Mianmian was still feeling awkward: "Why did you give me this out of the blue? I don't want something for you to practice with."
Ji Yu: "It wasn't practice, it was my first time doing it, and it didn't turn out very well..."
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Author's Note: Mini-Theater:
Ji Yu said smugly: I was indeed very clever to prepare the dishes in advance.
Little Cotton (feeling a little sore, just a tiny bit): I wonder who Ji Yu is learning to cook for.
Random thoughts:
Work has been so busy lately, all I want to do when I get home is lie down and rest. Hang in there!
I never thought I could stick to something for so long. Thinking about it, I'm pretty amazing, hehe.
I feel that my writing skills are still limited, and I can't write the stories that I want to express. However, I will continue to work hard. I am already learning the writing techniques of other authors and I hope to make progress!
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