Chapter 237 Building a Place for Outdoor Challenges
Su Yingxue's eyes lit up as she looked at Wu Xiaobei's parents following behind her. Her eyebrows curved into crescent moons as she smiled and went to greet them: "You've come at the perfect time! I just got some fresh yellow beef from down the mountain, but I was thinking of cooking you a bowl of spicy beef noodles to try first. I guarantee you'll love it!"
Wu Xiaobei immediately beamed and swayed her arm around her mother's: "I knew it! We got to eat early. Everything Sister Su makes is delicious!"
"Sister Su, this beef noodle soup looks so delicious! I love it!"
Upon hearing this, Wu Yong looked around the log shop with great interest. The chive embroidery on the cotton and linen curtains was fresh and unique, and the copper bells jingled in the wind. This old gourmand didn't say much, but his eyes already showed a hint of approval.
Su Yingxue first brought over three bowls of warm stone-ground corn porridge, the sweet aroma of which relieved the fatigue of the three people climbing the mountain. Then she turned around and went into the stove to prepare beef noodles.
The glistening, braised beef was slow-cooked by her starting in the early hours of the morning; when it was taken out, the meat still had a slight springiness.
Finally, she took out a small dish of pickled vegetables from the porcelain jar. They had been pickled with spring water a few days ago during her free time. They were sour, crisp, and refreshing, which was just right to cut through the greasiness of the beef noodles.
Su Yingxue deftly scooped up the glistening braised beef, gently tapped it with the back of her knife to reveal the distinct marbling, and then sliced it into thin slices along the grain, so thin that the bamboo strips underneath could be faintly seen.
She poured boiling beef bone broth into a rough porcelain bowl, scalding the rice noodles until they curled slightly. She then added slices of beef, sprinkled on some bright green scallions and glistening chili oil, and finally drizzled on a spoonful of thick, simmering gravy. The aroma burst forth instantly.
Wu Xiaobei had already been standing on tiptoe by the stove, her nose almost touching the rim of the bowl. Smelling the aroma, she couldn't help but sniff: "Sister Su, this smells so good! I feel like the bugs in my stomach are about to crawl out!"
Wu Yong also came over, looking at the beef in the bowl with great interest. He picked up a piece and tasted it, his eyebrows instantly rising: "Mmm! It's braised to perfection, the meat is tender, not dry or stringy, this cooking is amazing!"
He Ying patted his arm with a smile: "Look at you, just like Xiao Bei, you have no manners of an elder." As she spoke, her eyes were also shining as she stared at the bowl of noodles.
Su Yingxue placed the beef noodles on the bamboo table, along with a small dish of crisp pickled vegetables. The pickled vegetables were made with spring water from Wushan Mountain, and were sweet and sour, crisp and refreshing.
Wu Xiaobei couldn't wait to pick up her chopsticks, slurped up a big mouthful of noodles, panting as it was scalding hot, but still couldn't bear to let go: "Delicious! The rice noodles are so smooth, the beef is incredibly flavorful, and the kimchi is amazing!"
Wu Yong also ate slowly and deliberately, taking a sip of hot soup, the warmth flowing from his throat all the way to his stomach.
Gazing at the surging sea of clouds in the distance, he couldn't help but exclaim, "Eating a bowl of hot beef noodles on this mountaintop, with such a beautiful view, is truly a heavenly experience!"
Seeing the family enjoying their meal, Su Yingxue's smile deepened.
The wind rustled through the cotton and linen curtains of the stalls, causing the copper bells to jingle. Together with the laughter of tourists and the sizzling of oil in the wok, they created the most moving fireworks symphony atop the misty mountain.
After resting for a while, Wu Yong took his wife and daughter to find a place to stay. Although the mountaintop wasn't very large, there were several guesthouses scattered around. By the time the three of them had chosen a room and settled in, the sun was already setting. The bowl of beef noodles they had eaten at noon was really hearty, and their stomachs were still warm by now.
With nothing else to do, the three strolled back to the Cloud Sea Fireworks Shop. Su Yingxue was tidying up the stove when she saw them coming. She smiled and pointed towards the back mountain: "The mountain road over there looks a bit dangerous, but when I was strolling around a few days ago, I saw several viewing platforms hidden halfway up the mountain. The view is incredibly expansive. If you're interested, climb up and take some pictures. It'll definitely be a beautiful sight."
These words instantly struck a nerve with Wu Yong. He immediately pulled his wife and daughter toward the side of the mountain, and looking up, he saw exactly what Su Yingxue had said—clouds and mist swirled around the mountainside, several platforms were hidden among the green pines and cypresses, and the sea of clouds surged in the distance. A mountain breeze blew, and even his heart felt more open.
"Interesting, very interesting." Wu Yong stroked his chin, his eyes shining even brighter.
Seeing his expression, Wu Xiaobei couldn't help but tug at his arm: "Dad, what are you thinking about now?"
He Ying patted her daughter's hand with a smile and continued for Wu Yong: "Your dad's old habit has relapsed. He's probably seen a good place and wants to come up with some new challenge."
Wu Yong then came to his senses, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He slapped his thigh and laughed loudly, "In my opinion, building an outdoor exploration ladder halfway up this mountain would be a guaranteed hit!"
"The Heavenly Ladder?" Wu Xiaobei was taken aback and blinked as she looked at her father.
"Dad, we're just here to climb a mountain and have a hot meal. Why are you still thinking about investing and starting projects?"
Wu Yong just smiled and didn't respond, but the light in his eyes grew brighter and brighter. He couldn't hide the excitement of a businessman who had seen a good business opportunity.
He quickly considered the options in his mind and felt that the outdoor exploration ladder project was reliable. The only thing to finalize was the cooperation with the scenic area.
Without hesitation, he turned around and headed towards the direction of Yunhai Fireworks Shop.
Sure enough, Old Wang was sitting on a bamboo stool, slurping up a bowl of beef noodles, completely absorbed in the flavor, not even bothering to wipe the sweat from his brow.
Wu Yong strode over, patted Old Wang on the shoulder, and got straight to the point, explaining his idea of building a sky ladder.
Old Wang, with rice noodles still in his mouth, suddenly brightened up upon hearing this, and slammed his chopsticks on the rim of his bowl: "President Wu, your idea is exactly what I was thinking!"
One was an investor with resources, and the other was a person in charge who was familiar with the scenic area. The two hit it off as they chatted, and in the time it takes to eat a bowl of noodles, they finalized the initial cooperation intention for the Sky Ladder project. Even the tourists who came over to listen couldn't help but clap and cheer.
Su Yingxue was still cooking, preparing dinner. She genuinely hadn't expected that a casual remark would actually help Wushan secure a project.
"Is this reliable?" she wondered.
Wu Xiaobei, holding a bowl of corn porridge, watched as the two men, who seemed to have known each other for ages, began calling each other brothers.
"I don't know. My dad just likes outdoor challenges."
"Whether it works or not, this corn porridge tastes really good. Xiao Su, can you teach me how to make it too? I don't think it's this thick and sweet when I make it at home."
He Ying also held a bowl of corn porridge, ready to ask Su Yingxue for advice.
Su Yingxue smiled and agreed. She then taught her the recipe step by step.
He Ying's eyes lit up. She felt much more confident.
"This? I just took my dad hiking. And we ended up making a business deal."
Wu Xiaobei's hair rustled in the wind. She was still a little confused. But that didn't matter. She was more concerned about what to eat for dinner.
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