The Siheyuan of the Young Educated Youth

It rained lightly all night, and the sky cleared up early the next morning. There was fog in the mountains, which was the perfect time to grow mushrooms.

Qi Feifei quickly hung the willow branches up and went to find Aunt Liu with the basket on his shoulder.

The old lady was also planning to go up the mountain to take a look, and the two of them seemed to have a "mutual understanding".

Aunt Liu found her a pair of boots. Although they were leaky, they were better than wearing shoes as they did not expose the instep and ankle, and could prevent insect and snake bites, as well as pulls from tree branches and leaves.

Aunt Liu was considerate enough to find two pieces of cloth to tie up her trouser legs, and she smeared some garlic juice on her shoes and trouser legs.

Aunt Liu was planning to give the scarf to Qi Feifei and wear a towel herself, but Qi Feifei said she already had it.

Aunt Liu had experience and knew what kind of mushrooms grew there. She didn't hide anything and took her straight to the destination.

On the way, Aunt Liu told her about her previous experience of mountain running. Qi Feifei listened with great interest, and Aunt Liu was very enthusiastic in her story. It was a very harmonious scene.

Both of them were good at mountain running, so they walked very fast and arrived at the destination in more than half an hour.

I saw several tree stumps covered with hazel mushrooms under the shade of bushes and weeds.

The two of them were so delighted that their mouths almost stretched to their ears.

While picking, Aunt Liu also told Qi Feifei what kind of mushrooms these were, how to pick them, why not pick all of them, leave the small ones to grow bigger, if they grow this year, they will grow again next year, how to eat them deliciously, how to cook them... The two of them got along very well.

Qi Feifei knew that Aunt Liu wanted to have a good relationship with her and keep her as her daughter-in-law. In her previous life, she was bewitched by Aunt Liu's warmth and sincerity.

In this life, she will repay her in another way and will never get herself involved again.

Both of them were very fast, and soon, after picking all the mushrooms, they had already filled half a basket.

It was still early, so the two continued to search forward.

We found some scattered mushrooms of other varieties, but neither of us picked them. Aunt Liu also introduced what kind of mushrooms they were and whether they tasted good... But then she said there were too few of them so we wouldn't pick them and would leave them to mature, and next time there might be a field of mushrooms.

The two walked for more than an hour and found a large patch of hazel mushrooms in a oak forest. Qi Feifei said that they would give all the hazel mushrooms to Aunt Liu. First, hazel mushrooms were picked from the old place where Aunt Liu usually went, and people usually wouldn't tell others about them. Second, hazel mushrooms were delicious and easy to sell, so Aunt Liu could dry them and sell them. Third, she only needed enough for everyone to have a meal. Fourth, they were all the same, so it was easy to cook.

Aunt Liu didn't hesitate and poured the mushrooms from both of them into one basket.

There were so many mushrooms that the last two people took off their headscarves and coats to wrap the mushrooms.

Fortunately, both of them were quite strong, so they found a small path to go down the mountain and go home with their bags.

The two men were walking and sweating profusely when a pheasant-necked snake more than one meter long appeared on the road ahead. The two men stopped in their tracks and became extremely alert.

When Qi Feifei was hesitating whether to expose her snake-killing skills, Aunt Liu pulled her back and hit the snake three inches away with a stick. Then she hit it a few more times and the snake stopped moving.

In fact, the snake did not move at all. It is said that snakes are also very scared when they meet people who are good at beating snakes, and they dare not act rashly. Aunt Liu is that ruthless person who beats snakes all year round.

She didn't kill the snake on purpose, but she had been hiking in the mountains for many years and was very brave. When she saw a snake, she didn't run away, but liked to kill it. This made her a deterrent to snakes.

She struck quickly and fiercely. To prevent the snake from waking up before it died, she crushed its head before stopping.

Most mountain people are still afraid of snakes, so they focus on defense, such as bringing garlic, wearing boots, smearing garlic juice on boots, and beating the grass with sticks...

It's rare to find a ruthless person like Aunt Liu.

Qi Feifei's snake-beating skills were taught to him by Aunt Liu in his previous life.

But Aunt Liu always threw away the snakes after killing them. Later, she learned from TV that snakes are delicious and that their gallbladders and sloughs can be used as medicine, so she would take the snakes home after killing them.

Just now, Aunt Liu did the same thing. She wanted to leave after beating the snake. Qi Feifei shyly stopped her and asked if she could have the snake if Aunt Liu didn't want it.

Aunt Liu was surprised: "You are not afraid of snakes? And you still want it? Do you dare to take it?"

Qi Feifei said: "It is said that snake meat is delicious. I can try it..." She didn't dare to say that she had already mastered it. That would be too suspicious and too conspicuous.

Aunt Liu looked at her suspiciously: "Then~you try it?" She was not sure if the girl really dared to take it.

Qi Feifei seemed to be gathering his courage. He stood for a while, thinking, and then picked up a few small willow branches by the roadside, twisted them into a rope, and then passed them under the snake's body. He used a stick to pull it, letting the snake circle around it, and then tied the willow branches into a knot, tied them tightly, and hung them on the edge of the basket. Then he went back leisurely.

Aunt Liu was stunned when she saw it.

You say she is not afraid, but she didn't get involved at all. You say she is afraid, but she just walked back with a swagger, carefree attitude and no scruples.

As soon as I entered the village, many people gathered around to watch and ask questions.

"Young educated youth Qi is trying to beat a snake? This city girl is so brave!" Qi Feifei's bravery is deeply rooted in people's hearts.

Qi Feifei: "I didn't make this, Aunt Liu made it and gave it to me."

Aunt Wang: "What do you want it for, kid? People use intact snakes to make medicinal wine, but yours is all rotten and useless."

Aunt Liu: "What? Why would a little girl like her make medicinal wine? She heard that snake meat is delicious, so she wanted to try it."

Aunt Wang: "Oh my God! Girl, how dare you eat this?" She frowned and pouted, looking very disgusted.

Qi Feifei smiled and said, "I'll give it a try."

She didn't want to chat with them.

"I'm going to go back first. I still have to pick mushrooms and cook. You guys can chat slowly." After saying that, he strode away.

The aunties and sisters hadn't talked enough, so they pulled Aunt Liu aside to continue.

"Where did you pick those mushrooms? You picked a lot!"

We all know that we won’t tell anyone about the good places we frequent unless they are close to us. But we still have to ask.

Aunt Liu: "We walked a long way. We left early in the morning. Didn't you go mushroom picking?"

Aunt Wang: "Xiao Liu's wife and her friends went there. It rained yesterday, so many people went up the mountain, but none of them picked up as much as you did."

Mrs. Yu: "That's right. Over the years, who can pick up more than her? There's no comparison. Her legs are so fast. If you walk up a hill, she can run three times. Before you get there, she has picked up all the things." After saying that, she smacked her lips and said, "I'm so envious!"

Aunt Liu: "Aunt Yu, you are exaggerating. I like to go up the mountain, but I don't look carefully. I just walk fast and far. It's tiring to walk far. I have been going up and down the mountain all day, and my legs are very sore."

Mrs. Yu: "You are right. They didn't pick so many fruits, and they didn't suffer so much from you. They all came back early. They are probably just wandering around."

Aunt Wang: "When Xiaoliu's wife came up the mountain, I told her that we only need enough for one meal. We don't need to pick too much. If we want to eat more, we can go back in a few days. Fresh mushrooms are still the best."

Mrs. Yu curled her lips but didn't say anything. She thought to herself, a young daughter-in-law didn't pick as much as an old lady, and she came back soon, envious of others who picked more, and even gave her daughter-in-law more.

Aunt Liu: "That's right, that's right. This is a rare mushroom for me. If I don't go up the mountain, I'll feel itchy sitting at home. It's a life of hard work."

Wang Er's wife, who was standing by, was holding her child and said, "Auntie, can you take me with you next time you go up the mountain? My mother loves to eat mushrooms, but I don't know much about them. Can you take me with you?" She was married from outside the mountain, and her mother was referring to her mother from her natal family.

Aunt Liu agreed immediately: "Okay. Come over in a few days. I can't go tomorrow because I need to rest my old arms and legs. Wait a few days. You have chickens, ducks, geese, dogs, and children, so you have to make arrangements in advance. I go into the mountains early in the morning, walk far, and come back late. Don't delay your work."

Wang Er's wife: "Okay, thank you, Auntie. I'll come find you when the time comes."

Aunt Liu: "Okay, you guys chat, I'll go back to work."

With that, Aunt Liu also left.

Mrs. Yu: "Shuxian (Auntie Liu) is the best person. She is willing to take anyone who wants to go with her. I went with her when I was still able to go up the mountain. I picked up a lot that time. I blanched it and pickled it in a large jar with salt. It was eaten in winter when there were no vegetables. It was also a dish. But it was really tiring. She had to wait for me to walk around. I was exhausted but couldn't catch up with her. I went with her once, and I won't go with her again. It would bother her."

Wang Er's wife: "It's just a companion, how can it interfere with her work?"

Mrs. Yu: "Your daughter-in-law, she is a widow with only one son, it's not that easy, why does she work so hard up the mountain? She picks so many mushrooms to dry them and sell them for money to marry her son. How can I be so ignorant and follow her? Just go once or twice. She walks fast by herself, her hands are fast, and she can pick a lot of mushrooms in a day. Sometimes she takes two baskets and bags."

Wang Er's wife was getting more and more itchy. She was so envious that she wanted to go there right away.

Aunt Wang: "She has no choice. No one is like her. The mushrooms look good, but it's hot and stuffy in the mountains, with lots of mosquitoes and snakes. Anyone with a decent family will suffer." She pouted, "I don't want my daughter and daughter-in-law to suffer that. If they like to eat mushrooms, just pick less nearby. It's not worth it to sell them for a few dollars and get bit by snakes."

Mrs. Yu: "Indeed, snakes are not easy to kill. Don't take risks just for some mushrooms."

……