Mountain Looting: Targeted by a Leopard at the Start
Chapter 228 - 227: Delicious Chicken Stew with Mushrooms, Little Black Wants to Travel Together!

Chapter 228: Chapter 227: Delicious Chicken Stew with Mushrooms, Little Black Wants to Travel Together!

Xu Yang’s chicken stewed with mushrooms had an unexpectedly fragrant taste.

The chicken and mushrooms stewed together didn’t look particularly appealing, but a few scallions and chili peppers for garnish lent it a touch of finesse.

It was a home-style dish. Although it couldn’t compare in appearance to those from state banquets, its flavor was just as good, if not better.

As soon as Xu Yang lifted the lid off the pot, the aroma burst forth and made a beeline for the nostrils.

Xu Yang liked his chicken stewed with mushrooms with a bit of spice.

When mixed with rice, the slightly spicy broth stimulated the taste buds.

It was similar to Huang Men chicken rice.

But chicken stewed with mushrooms was even more delectable than Huang Men chicken rice.

The chicken had been freshly bought from the town, and the mushrooms were just-picked sika mushrooms, yielding a taste that was simply unbeatable.

The employees caught wind of the aroma too.

Everyone had already eaten, but the smell was so tempting that they couldn’t help but crave it.

"What is the Farmer cooking? It smells amazing."

"I don’t know what he’s experimenting with this time, but the Farmer’s skills are really something—every dish is delicious."

"Actually, the food at our farm is quite good already. Aunt Zhang’s culinary skills are great, but the Farmer goes above and beyond in this regard."

"Ah, I just ate, but now I’m hungry again."

Everyone commented one after the other.

At this moment, Xu Yang was savoring the deliciousness.

He filled a large bowl with rice, scooped a large spoonful from the pot with chicken, mushrooms, and potatoes.

The mushrooms were indeed the freshly picked sika mushrooms.

The mushrooms had been prepped, with only the tastiest parts preserved.

They had been absorbing the meat juices and stewing in the pot for a long time.

Biting into a piece of sika mushroom, you could feel the smoothness and the rich flavor.

With just a gentle bite, the chicken broth oozed from the inside of the mushroom.

The texture of the sika mushroom was perfect, tender yet slightly chewy.

This was a wild mushroom from the unpolluted mountains, impossible to cultivate artificially.

Such mushrooms were hard to come by.

With each bite, Xu Yang felt as if all his pores had opened up, offering an exceptionally refreshing sensation.

"Ah, mushrooms really have to be fresh to taste good. It wasn’t for nothing that I went into the mountains today."

"After all these years of mountain trekking, can’t I enjoy the fruits of my labor?"

Xu Yang took another piece of chicken and placed it on top of his rice.

The chicken had been stewed to the point of falling off the bone, simply needing a gentle bite and pull for the meat to come away cleanly.

It was equally tender.

Steam rose from his mouth with each bite, and after just a few chews, his stomach felt warm.

"Nothing beats the flavor of a local free-range chicken—tender meat and plenty of juice. It’s delicious no matter how it’s cooked."

"If it were one of those hormone-fed chickens from the market, it’d probably be too tough."

"Good mushrooms deserve to be paired with good chicken," Xu Yang mused.

And so, he continued to enjoy the delicious chicken stewed with mushrooms, bite by bite.

As he ate, the contents of the pot dwindled.

Xu Yang was hungry, after all, since he’d expended much energy in the mountains that afternoon, and he was at an age where he could eat a lot. He finished the last of the chicken and mushrooms in the pot.

Little Black and Yuanbao were at the side; Xu Yang fed them a few pieces of meat along the way, and the two little guys were also eating happily.

This meal was truly satisfying.

Indeed, fresh mountain produce was always best.

Feasting was also one of Xu Yang’s hobbies.

Afterwards, having eaten his fill, Xu Yang cleaned up the dishes and went back to his room to edit videos.

He was the slowest at editing videos.

Without any assistant, he relied entirely on himself.

At the moment, he was a bit overwhelmed.

But this issue would soon be resolved, as some marketing accounts specialized in editing his videos. Xu Yang would see how they edited, then make his own version.

Posted on his own account, they attracted even more viewers.

Afterwards, he’d play some games, then wash up and go to bed.

The next day, the sun rose as usual, and life on the farm continued as before.

With no pressing matters to attend to, everyone kept busy for a while, chatted, and then it was time to eat.

The days passed by quickly.

Xu Yang checked on the crops in the field. Some had already sprouted little green shoots that lifted the spirits just by looking at them.

These crops represented the hope of the farm.

The farm employees were all decent people too, with no issues regarding character or attitude.

That made life together comfortable.

And many of the small matters weren’t too heavily scrutinized.

Xu Yang was checking on the potatoes and the grass, planning to fertilize. He needed to gauge the right amount of fertilizer to use.

The grass was a co-branded product with the Agricultural University. Having been improved this year, it was sure to sell well once harvested.

The potatoes were part of a project with the Kyoto Resort, with a signed contract, so they needed careful cultivation as well.

He was very attentive to the crops he grew.

Ma Wen, Li Shan, and Wang Wu approached and joined him.

"Farmer, this grass is growing fast. It hasn’t even been a month and it’s already like a lawn. In another two months, it should start to shoot up," Ma Wen said cheerfully.

Hearing this, Xu Yang nodded and replied,

"Yeah, we’ve had more rain recently, so the grass is growing quickly."

"This is all quality grass, a mixture of varieties that’s good for fattening animals."

"However, during the summer the grasslands don’t lack for grass, and neither do the farmers, so we’ll have to think about how to sell it then."

Xu Yang hadn’t expanded the grass planting area, considering that grass sells well in winter but not as much in summer.

So growing enough to play with for the farm’s small animals was good enough, as well as to feed the horses, sika deer, and geese.

It wasn’t a loss.

"Indeed, we don’t run out of grass in summer, so no one buys it."

Ma Wen nodded in agreement.

"That’s also fine. If worse comes to worst, we find a dry place, lay down a waterproof cloth, and store it until we can sell it in the winter."

"As long as the grass is dried, it won’t lose much of its nutritional content."

Xu Yang already had a plan, so he wasn’t in a hurry.

Speaking of which, Xu Yang added:

"In a couple of days, I’ll be taking a long trip, probably for three to five days. Take good care of the farm, and call me immediately if anything comes up."

Upon hearing Xu Yang’s words, Wang Wu immediately asked:

"Farmer, where are you heading? Is it business or just for travel?"

Xu Yang replied with a smile:

"I plan to go to the Gobi desert in Xinjiang. I’ve always wanted to see the Great Gobi, so I’m taking the chance to go now while it’s not busy."

At this, the employees nodded in understanding.

With Xu Yang away, there was no need to worry about slacking off; everyone was quite conscientious.

Moreover, Xu Hongshan also came to the farm often, so if Xu Yang were away, Xu Hongshan would be there to keep an eye on things.

These matters still had to be handled by one’s own family.

Xu Yang was indeed heading to the Great Gobi.

That place was an endless expanse of mountains, but with very little vegetation.

There wasn’t much grass, let alone trees.

Just countless pebbles and sand.

Yet, such a place was sacred ground for jade hunters.

Every year, many people go there to pick up stones.

All in the hope of striking it rich overnight.

It’s somewhat like going into the mountains here to dig for ginseng.

Earning money indeed has the greatest attraction.

If you could find a piece of exceptional jade, you could indeed become rich overnight.

But there are no pies falling from the sky; money isn’t that easy to come by.

Oftentimes, you might wander the Gobi for a month and still not find a stone worth any value.

It’s all about luck.

However, for Xu Yang, he didn’t need to rely on luck.

His Treasure Compass could help him find jade.

Xu Yang had never been to the Great Gobi before; he learned about the many people picking jade there through Internet research and wanted to see for himself.

And he didn’t plan to live stream it.

Finding jade wasn’t visually interesting; the scenery was desolate with almost no wildlife.

It was simply about picking up stones.

Moreover, if he found something, it would easily arouse others’ envy.

The place was quite remote, and when interests were involved, it could become dangerous.

Better to keep a low profile.

In recent years, there have been many internet celebrities who met with misfortune.

Luckily, Xu Yang was stable and had a sharp mind; he knew what to chase after and what to avoid.

He always managed to stick to his bottom line.

Once decided, he acted.

Xu Yang started packing his luggage.

As soon as he began doing so, Little Black and Yuanbao sensed that Xu Yang would be traveling far.

Usually, these two critters wouldn’t come into the house, but seeing Xu Yang packing, they would enter and watch by his side.

They seemed to want Xu Yang to take them along.

However, Xu Yang had to fly, which certainly precluded bringing dogs.

Little Black wagged its tail, watching as Xu Yang placed clothes into the suitcase.

It kept fawning over him to attract Xu Yang’s attention.

Xu Yang, of course, understood their thoughts.

"I’m going to the Gobi desert; I can’t take you with me."

"It’s not a fun place."

"Just wait for me at home; I’ll be back in a few days."

Xu Yang patted Little Black’s head.

Understanding the message, Little Black promptly ran outside to play.

Yuanbao followed suit.

Before leaving, Xu Yang took another tour around the farm.

The farm didn’t look luxurious, but its structure and the crops it cultivated were rather impressive.

Xu Yang hoped to brighten up his farm, at least modernize the architectural style of the residential area a bit, rather than stick to the style of red brick from the 90s.

That would require earning more money.

A substantial amount of capital was needed.

"Farmer, are you leaving tomorrow?"

Upon seeing Xu Yang, Ma Wen inquired.

"Yes, I’ll leave tomorrow for a stroll around," Xu Yang replied slowly.

"Farmer, is there some business opportunity there? Everyone knows you’ve always been working hard for the farm. If there’s anything to be done on the farm, just instruct us," Ma Wen expressed his readiness.

These words were part of the pleasantries, but they were soothing to the employer.

"No, there’s nothing special; just do your jobs well and call me if there’s any trouble," Xu Yang just smiled.

Everything on the farm was in order.

Early the next morning, Xu Yang boarded a plane and headed straight for the mountainous region of Xinjiang.