Chapter 77 Eggplant and Vegetable Pancakes
The campsite was set up on a flat area not far from the water. Lu An and Yao Yuan used machetes to cut down the surrounding weeds to prevent snakes or small wild animals from scurrying out of the bushes. Zhao Xuan and Zhang Xiaohe had already started setting up their tents.
After patrolling the area around the camp, Lu An took 460 to collect firewood, while Yao Yuan carried a bucket and filter to the stream to fetch water.
Zhang Xiaohe and Zhao Xuan, drenched in sweat, set up the tent and packed everything up when Yao Yuan returned with filtered water, just in time to wash their hands and faces.
Both families brought their own drinking water. They didn't drink the water they fetched from the stream; after simple filtration, they would usually use it to wash vegetables and take baths.
Yao Yuan chose a good spot; the dense shade of the trees blocked out all the sunlight, providing shade while still allowing for good ventilation. Whenever there was a breeze, the treetops would rustle, and the cool, moist air would rush straight to your face, giving you goosebumps.
Lu An gathered firewood and broke it into pieces, placing them aside. At this moment, Yao Yuan picked up an axe and called Lu An to go for a walk with him nearby to familiarize themselves with the environment and prepare for catching frogs late at night.
Zhao Xuan took out the sweet potatoes and potatoes she had brought from home, preparing to wash them and bury them under the campfire as a staple food. Zhang Xiaohe, who was setting up the stove, saw this and called out to her. Zhang Xiaohe said that she would make pancakes for everyone at noon, and would stew sweet potatoes and potatoes tomorrow. As she spoke, she showed off the frying pan next to her.
Zhao Xuan agreed and helped Zhang Xiaohe wash a few handfuls of vegetables. With nothing else to do, he slung his basket over his shoulder and prepared to go look around for wild vegetables or fruits. He had only walked a short distance from the campsite when he saw the dog sitting on a large rock, taller than a person, by the stream. The dog was still wearing a large taro leaf hat and was carefully baiting his fishing rod. 460 was standing close to him, its black bean-like eyes fixed on the dog.
Over the past two years, both the dog and 460 have grown quite a bit. The dog has become noticeably taller and more agile, looking like a teenager, although he still speaks very little. 460 has also grown into a large dog.
The human cub and the puppy have grown up, and after two years together, they have become good friends.
Now 460 really likes to stick close to the dog, letting the dog pinch its ears.
460 saw Zhao Xuan passing by, looked up and called out to her a few times, as if to say, "Going to work? Take care! I want to watch this kid fishing, so I won't go with you."
Zhao Xuan wandered around the mountains and forests for more than half an hour with a basket on her back, picking some fresh and edible wild vegetables. When she returned, she saw that the dog and 460 were still squatting on the big rock. Curious, she climbed up the big rock and saw that the bucket next to the dog was already filled with many small fish and shrimp. She looked back at the simple homemade fishing rod in the dog's hand and looked incredulous.
This kid's newbie protection level is way too high.
To everyone's surprise, the dog caught another river fish.
The fish and shrimp in these shallow streams are very small, only the size of a finger. They usually hide in places where the current is relatively calm. Catching these small fish requires patience. Zhao Xuan noticed that the bait on the dog was not an earthworm, but small pieces of chicken with sesame oil. This kind of bait has a fatal attraction for small fish and shrimp. Soon, the dog had caught almost all the fish and shrimp in this still water. He picked up his fishing rod, carried his small bucket, and jumped between several large rocks, looking for a new fishing spot.
Back at the camp, Zhao Xuan saw Zhang Xiaohe making pancakes. She had brought her own small frying pan, which was heating up over a fire. She had already prepared the batter, adding a variety of vegetables, including eggplant, edamame, and green and red peppers. These were vegetables that wouldn't taste very good after late autumn, and she was picking them to eat while they were still quite tasty. Later, she would have to pull them out and plant vegetables that could be eaten in autumn and winter.
The Yao family had a good wheat harvest this year, but the yield was still not enough to make a staple food all year round. Therefore, they mostly ate it on important holidays or birthdays, just like Zhao Xuan ate glutinous rice on holidays.
After the oil in the pan was hot, Zhang Xiaohe scooped up a lump of batter with her hand and spread it into the pan. At this time, the dough was not hot yet. She pressed the dough into the shape of a pancake with her bare hands and pressed a groove in the middle. The dough was fermented and puffed up after being heated. It looked like a fluffy cloud lying in the pan.
When the eggplant pancakes are half-cooked, Zhang Xiaohe will crack an egg into the vegetable pancake, with the yolk falling right into the groove in the middle. Once the egg has solidified slightly, she will shake the pan, and the eggplant and vegetable pancakes will fly up, flip over in mid-air, and then land steadily back in the pan.
Zhang Xiaohe completed the entire process with one hand. When she saw Zhao Xuan return, she said to her, "Xuanxuan, go and see how many fish the dog caught. If it's enough, bring it over. We'll make spicy fish soup later."
Zhao Xuan returned carrying a heavy little bucket of fish.
Zhang Xiaohe was making pancakes on the side, while Zhao Xuan was killing fish by the stream. Killing small fish was not difficult; all you had to do was make a small incision in their bellies and squeeze out the internal organs. After cleaning the small fish, they were first fried in lard until fragrant, then simmered in water. Once the fish soup turned milky white, some garlic leaves and chili powder were added for seasoning.
The northern part of the province is humid with cool, clear water, resembling a basin. Therefore, the people living here tend to eat spicy food, and Zhao Xuan also enjoys it, especially hot and sour soup and spicy pickled vegetables. Tonight, they will be wading through the water to catch Shi Run. The water deep in the mountains is cool and shady, so they need to eat some spicy food to ward off the chill.
When the meal was halfway through, the two men who had gone to scout the way returned and came over to help.
Although they set off early, they walked slowly along the way. With the added tasks of finding a campsite, setting up tents, and cooking, it was already late afternoon when the meal was ready.
The dog led 460 far away, leaving no fish behind. He wasn't worried when he saw that everyone couldn't finish the fish he caught in one meal. He planned to clean the small fish himself in the afternoon and then dry them into dried fish on the spot.
Five people and a dog sat around a table deep in the woods, ready to eat.
The pancake placed in front of 460 was an unsalted eggplant pancake specially made for it by Zhang Xiaohe, paired with dried meat that Zhao Xuan had specially dried for it.
Today's meal looked beautiful. The milky white fish soup was garnished with red and green peppers, and the wheat-yellow pancakes contained purple eggplants and orange-red radishes, with a golden egg in the center. The pancakes were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and only salt was added to them, so the taste was very light. But it was precisely this light taste that highlighted the unique flavor of the vegetables. After eating two pancakes and drinking a bowl of hot and spicy fish soup, my whole soul was satisfied.
Zhao Xuan ate two rolls of pancakes and then gulped down a bowl of soup. After eating her fill, she lay down and leaned against a clean, large rock. Lu An turned to look at her and asked, "Tired?"
Zhao Xuan nodded; he had gotten up rather early today.
Yao Yuan said, "Everyone should go get some sleep later, we'll all be staying up late tonight."
The group washed their dishes in the stream, then washed their hands and faces before crawling into their tents to sleep. Only Dog was left with 460 and the dog. Dog carried the fishing rod, while 460 held the bucket. The two children continued walking upstream, their momentum seemingly determined to catch all the carbon-based life in the stream.
The dog was still young and full of energy, so it didn't need a nap. 460 was happy to run around with it. The two figures disappeared into the depths of the stream in no time.
When Zhao Xuan woke up again, it was already half dark. Lu An wasn't there. Zhao Xuan crawled out of the tent and, by the dim light, saw Gougou standing on the opposite bank not far away. He had tied a rope to two tree trunks, and a string of small, already cleaned fish was strung on it—the ones Gougou and 460 had caught at noon. Gougou handled the fish with ease, needing no help from his parents. He cleaned the fish himself and then hung them to dry.
Another campfire was lit in the center of the camp, and a little to the side, Lu An was standing on tiptoe to hang a flashlight on a tree branch to supplement the camp's lighting.
Yao Yuan and his wife were preparing the tools they needed to catch frogs. After hanging the fish, Gougou returned and sat by the campfire—he had selected a few larger fish, skewered them with a fork, and roasted them by the fire. 460 lay down beside Gougou, half-asleep.
Everyone waited for it to get completely dark.
The dog had been playing all day and was now incredibly sleepy, its eyelids drooping. But it instinctively flipped the fish while grilling. Zhao Xuan sat down next to it, waved for the dog to go to the tent for a nap, and started grilling the fish himself.
Zhao Xuan had eaten grilled fish many times. When she and Lu An were wandering, they caught larger fish and grilled them to reduce the fishy smell. Grilled fish shouldn't be in direct contact with the fire; it's best to place it near the fire source so the heat radiates and cooks it. This way, the skin won't be burnt but will be crispy. No extra seasoning is needed; just rub some fine salt on it after grilling and it's ready to eat.
It just takes a little patience.
As night deepened, the birdsong around them was replaced by the chirping of unknown insects. The mountains, completely devoid of light, were a deep black. In the darkness, the sound of water became even clearer. Without the evaporation of sunlight, the water mist gradually rose up. By the light of the starlight from the campsite, Zhao Xuan could see the enchanting white mist rising from the stream, like wisps of souls.
Yao Yuan and Lu An had already set off with baskets and powerful flashlights. Wearing work gloves and rain boots, they slowly walked deeper into the mountains. They had originally wanted to bring the dog, but the child had played too much during the day and hadn't woken up despite being called several times, so they had to let him continue sleeping.
460 and Zhao Xuan wanted to go too, but were refused. The mountain road was muddy, and 460 might break his feet if he followed them. Also, there were snakes in the mountains, and Lu An didn't want Zhao Xuan to be in danger.
Catching stone frogs isn't really a necessary survival skill; it's just to enrich their food options, so it's fine if only Lu An learns it.
So the rest of the people stayed in the camp. Zhao Xuan and Zhang Xiaohe didn't sleep. The two of them sat around the campfire, eating grilled fish and chatting.
Even the biggest fish in the stream are no bigger than a woman's palm. Their flesh is tender and has little fishy smell, but they have a lot of bones, making them time-consuming and tedious to eat. This is why Zhao Xuan didn't like eating fish before, as the energy required to eat fish is sometimes more than the energy consumed.
But eating fish is a good choice at this time. The two of them huddle around the campfire, eating fish and chatting. Because they have to pick out the small bones, it also helps them stay awake, just like how people on night watch like to eat some sunflower seeds.
The two chatted about all sorts of things, and Zhang Xiaohe finally asked about Lao Dao. She asked if Lao Dao would come back. Zhao Xuan shook his head and said he didn't know.
She didn't tell the Yao family about Lao Dao's affair, so until now, the Yao family has simply believed that Lao Dao really went out to find a girl—it's true that he went out to find a girl, but the Yao family also knows in their hearts that Lao Dao's girl is most likely no longer alive.
Zhang Xiaohe didn't say it explicitly, but her words seemed to suggest that Lao Dao wouldn't come back.
Zhao Xuan didn't think so. She said that her family had planted several acres of rice for Lao Dao, and he would come back for the sake of the rice.
The conversation then shifted to what crops needed to be planted after winter. Before they knew it, it was three in the morning. The fish was long gone, and the temperature was a bit low, so they put on long-sleeved shirts and moved closer to the campfire.
The campfire wasn't burning very well, and Zhao Xuan's throat hurt after a while, so the two of them kept the fire at a small flame just enough to keep warm.
The flashlight hanging on the tree branch eventually ran out of power, and the light became increasingly dim. Zhao Xuan used a branch to fork the flashlight down, connected it to a high-capacity power bank, and started charging it.
There were no mosquitoes in the campsite because some mugwort sticks were lit all around.
Zhang Xiaohe yawned, and since yawns are contagious, Zhao Xuan unconsciously yawned as well.
Just then, the rustling sound of grass and trees being crushed came from afar.
The 460, which was right next to the two, suddenly opened its eyes, barked a few times toward the source of the sound, and then bared its teeth and was about to rush over, but then a familiar voice came from the source of the sound.
They've returned.
Yao Yuan and Lu An are back.
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