"You all don't think we'll bring back a huge bunch like last time, do you?" Seeing everyone silent, the village chief was so angry he laughed.
"But we don't know what the people outside need, or what we can offer in exchange?"
"Everyone should think about it and try to reach a consensus so that we can negotiate prices with outsiders."
Originally, everyone wanted to exchange mushrooms, but the elders reminded them that mushrooms are now everywhere in the mountains and fields, and as long as you are diligent, you can find them anywhere.
Finally, everyone agreed that each family would carry two buckets of cooking oil. This was because everyone had stocked up on enough grain and oil beforehand, and a large amount of cooking oil had also been transported back from the county town. If this oil was not consumed before its expiration date, it would not taste very good, so taking it with them was the perfect solution.
This time, I still recommend that Si Cheng lead the team, and instruct him that if they cannot obtain fertilizer, they can also exchange for some supplies later.
This trip was much easier than the last one; all I had to do was carry oil and a few days' worth of food before I could set off.
The weather is so hot and humid that Mother Cloud doesn't dare to make too much cooked food, but if we don't bring enough, we'll really go hungry along the way.
Every household was asking around about what to bring on the road, hoping to learn from others and make adequate preparations.
"If it were like before, if all else fails, a few more instant noodles would be fine." At this moment, everyone couldn't help but think of the instant noodles they used to eat.
"Actually, I can make it myself. It's just making noodles and then frying them in oil. I can try it when I get back. If it's successful, then I just need to add some seasonings." This thought came to mind because she is usually good at cooking and likes to watch food videos online.
"Let's go and give it a try. If it works, we can at least leave it for a few more days."
Seeing that these people were about to cause trouble again, Yun Erman, who happened to walk over, stopped them: "What's the point of all this? Just have them bring a pot and spatula, and cook their own meals outside when it's time. Wouldn't that be more interesting? Firewood isn't hard to find these days, and you can set up a stove anytime, anywhere. Instead of wasting time, go back and train them. It would be more reliable to train their cooking skills."
"Yeah, this way it can also reduce the burden. I've really gotten myself into a trap."
Before long, the whole village knew about this method, and several families started sharing a set of tableware. This way, each person didn't have to carry much.
Since we might have to go into the city, in addition to bringing enough food, we also need to keep the weapons we brought back last time with us.
The group of more than 80 people set off early the next morning. This time there was no lake to skate across, so they had to carry their backpacks and walk along the lakeside. When they encountered uneven surfaces, they would also tidy them up.
"Don't overlook the mushrooms by the roadside; you can add them to your dish." Having experienced the apocalypse, Si Cheng's passion for food runs even deeper than theirs.
"Brother Cheng, haven't you gotten tired of eating all these mushrooms lately? We've been forced to eat them by our families for every meal, and now we want to run away at the sight of mushrooms." Hearing Si Cheng's instructions, some people had a bitter look on their faces, and they were all a little scared.
"We don't know how the crops in the fields will fare now, but these mushrooms can at least help with the vegetables. We should all start saving now." He said this while picking the newly sprouted mushrooms.
Seeing this, others also picked some as they walked.
At noon, everyone walked to the other side of the lake, to that deep pit. "Let's cook our meal here while there's still water before we leave."
When Sicheng said this, no one objected, because everyone knew that there wouldn't be such a good water source further ahead.
Sicheng, Yunxun, Yuntao, Yunxiang, Zhao Dongwei, and Monkey and Big Bear form a group.
Several young people conscientiously started setting up the stove and washing the vegetables, not letting Si Cheng do any of the work.
The monkey and the bear took out nets from their baskets and tried casting them in one spot. The first cast, perhaps because of the bad location, caught nothing.
The two continued walking for a while longer, heading further afield to remove the nets.
"Do you think Monkey King and his crew can catch fish?" Yun Tao asked, a little curious.
"It should be possible. There were so many fish in the lake before, there should be some." Yun Xun was also uncertain, but he didn't dare to be too sure.
"It would be great if we could catch some fish. It's been so long since we've had any fresh fish. I even brought some pickled cabbage from home to make pickled cabbage fish." Zhao Dongwei took out the pickled cabbage that had been separately packed in a plastic bag from the bag. "If we don't have any fish, I'll stir-fry it with chili peppers later. This sour smell has been making me really hungry. If I leave it any longer, I'm afraid I won't have enough food to eat."
Si Cheng searched around the mountainside and found traces of small animals in a low-lying area. He didn't know where the animals had hidden, which shows that everything has its own rules for survival.
Although the weather was warming up, the trees on the mountain that hadn't been crushed by the weight of the trees were only sprouting small buds, leaving the mountain bare. The wild grass on the ground wasn't growing lushly either; forget about finding any wild vegetables. Not wanting to go back empty-handed, I picked up some dry firewood from the ground and headed back.
"We actually caught a fish!" Yun Tao exclaimed before we even got close.
Soon a large group of people gathered together, looking at the few palm-sized fish that the monkey was carrying in his hand.
"You guys are really lucky to catch fish like this! Xiao Tao, you're in for a treat at lunchtime." An envious voice came from the side.
"Once I get out of here, I'll find a chance to get a new fishing net, so I won't have to worry about fish anymore." Seeing how many fish were caught after just a few casts into the water, some people secretly started to make plans.
"Why are you all crowding here? Have you all finished cooking?" Si Cheng asked when he saw everyone abandoning their work and crowding together.
Upon hearing Si Cheng's voice, everyone scattered, but some people still lingered there unconsciously.
The three Sun brothers were among them. Sun Zhimiao spoke first: "You have so many fish, can you share some with us to satisfy our cravings?" His eyes were still fixed on the fish in the monkey's hand.
Although the people behind them didn't say anything, they all stared at them intently.
"What a pipe dream! There are so many of us men here, and this little bit of fish isn't even enough to fill our teeth. How could we possibly share it?" Yun Tao shook his head and refused.
Sun Zhimiao pointed to the bear that was still casting its net in the distance, "Isn't it still casting its net over there? There will be more catches later. We're all from the same village, so everyone can get one net and have a taste."
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