The Delicate Darling with Her Rough Man-Chapter 58: Returning from the Hunt

Wu Cuizhi and the others weren’t as fast, but they weren’t in a hurry. They looked down on Gu Jiaojiao for "taking shortcuts."

’It’s not like *we* can’t do it too,’ they thought. ’We can carry this stuff down the mountain without using any contraptions.’

Just as they were thinking this, a clap of thunder echoed across the sky, and the rain started pouring down. They hadn’t even made it down the mountain yet!

Now, they couldn’t worry about anything else and hastily grabbed their baskets to head down the mountain.

The rain was heavy and the path was slippery. It took the group over an hour of struggling before they finally made it down.

It was a good thing they hadn’t gone far, otherwise they might not have made it back at all.

By the time they got back, every single one of them was soaked to the bone.

The moment Wu Cuizhi got home, she kicked off her shoes. When she picked one up and turned it over, a shoe-full of water poured out with a SPLASH.

The more she thought about it, the more furious she became. ’That Gu Jiaojiao is a real jinx.’

’Nothing good ever happens whenever I run into her.’

’The first time, I lost a yuan. The second time, I got soaked to the bone.’

’From now on, I’d better stay far away from Gu Jiaojiao!’

In truth, not many people had gone up the mountain—just a few of the more diligent older women. Everyone else had worked all night and wanted nothing more than to collapse at home and rest, so they hadn’t gone out.

Gu Jiaojiao was oblivious to the others’ plight. She was busy washing the mushrooms she had picked.

These mushrooms were also delicious when pickled.

Gu Jiaojiao had once gone somewhere to study cooking, a place famous for its mushrooms. There, they would pickle the mushrooms so they could be preserved for the entire winter.

Gu Jiaojiao planned to make that same kind of pickled dish.

However, the recipe required a specific type of mushroom.

One had to use thick-fleshed button mushrooms.

Shiitake mushrooms would also work.

First, the mushrooms had to be washed clean and cut in half.

Then, a mix of spices was prepared, added to water, brought to a boil, and then the seasonings were added.

Once the seasonings dissolved, the mixture was set aside to cool.

The mushrooms were then added.

Minced garlic and other seasonings were added to taste.

You could add pickled peppers, or even Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers to create different flavors.

However, Gu Jiaojiao didn’t have any pickled peppers or Sichuan peppercorns, so she settled for a simpler flavor.

Finally, she put everything into a jar and sealed it tightly. All that was left was to have Leng Yuan put it in the cellar when he got back.

She had found the jar in the storage room. It was empty, so she had taken it for her own use.

Gu Jiaojiao knew food would be scarce in the winter, so she planned to take advantage of the current season to make a few more trips up the mountain and stock up.

This would require quite a few jars; she would have to go to the County Town to buy more soon.

The pickles needed to be stored somewhere cool, or they would spoil easily.

Just as she sealed the lid on the jar, she heard a noise from the courtyard.

Gu Jiaojiao quickly opened the door and peered outside.

She saw a tall figure, soaked to the skin, walking in. Despite the heavy downpour, the man’s back was ramrod straight, and his movements were crisp, completely unaffected by the weather.

Gu Jiaojiao’s eyes lit up at the sight.

She saw the two rabbits and three pheasants hanging from Leng Yuan’s carrying pole.

’Meat!’

’Ever since I came here, I’ve been eating nothing but dry flatbread and sweet potato porridge. My stomach feels completely deprived of anything rich.’

Now, seeing so much meat, her mind was already flooded with all sorts of delicious recipes.

’Spicy diced rabbit, Beggar’s Chicken, braised chicken, Big Plate Chicken...’

Gu Jiaojiao had to force herself to tear her eyes away from the meat.

But her reluctant expression directly amused Leng Yuan.

He placed the rabbits and pheasants under the shed, then picked up a bucket of cold water to go wash up.

Seeing this, Gu Jiaojiao quickly called out, "I’ve prepared some hot water. You should use that to wash up."

Leng Yuan was a little surprised.

He was already surprised that Gu Jiaojiao could cook and was willing to go to work, but he never expected she would heat water for him.

Gu Jiaojiao fetched the hot water and handed the bucket to Leng Yuan.

She didn’t notice the complex, unreadable look in Leng Yuan’s eyes, only seeing his back as he carried the wooden bucket toward the woodshed.