For the following days, Chen Lan continued to lead her classmates up the mountain every day, gathering supplies for the winter. Besides a large quantity of mushrooms, they also picked various wild fruits, and Chen Lan hunted quite a few animals.
After breakfast this morning, Chen Lan decided to take the students to another patch of forest, the same one where they had found so many *yuhuang mo* (elm-blaze mushrooms) last year.
Just like the previous days, each student carried two small baskets, one in front and one in back, a water canteen slung across their shoulders, and two scallion oil pancakes wrapped in oil paper. They set off.
Chen Lan led the way. Having been here last year and collected a good amount of *yuhuang mo*, she navigated the familiar path, crossing mountains and traversing valleys, until they reached a mixed forest. This area was rich with broadleaf species like birch, elm, and oak. On dead, fallen branches, many *yuhuang mo* were growing.
Upon seeing the *yuhuang mo*, Ming Wei's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "Elm-blaze mushrooms! So many! This is great! Classmates, let's pick a lot today and have the kitchen aunties make us *yuhuang mo* stuffed dumplings!"
The students, hearing the word "dumplings," immediately became excited, regardless of the filling! They were ready to rush forward and start picking.
Chen Lan quickly raised her voice to provide pre-work training: "Classmates, please wait a moment. Listen to my precautions."
She then bent down, picked a *yuhuang mo*, and held it up. "Classmates, *yuhuang mo* are truly a treasure. You might say, 'Little Lan Auntie, you say everything is good every day. Everything is good.' That's true. Everything wild and grown in our Changbai Mountain is good. But this *yuhuang mo* we're picking today not only has a delicious flavor, rich aroma, and abundant nutrition, but some say that dumplings made with it are so delicious they'll make your teeth fall out! What do you say, will it be good as a filling?"
At this point, some students whispered amongst themselves, "Really? Is it that delicious?"
Another student replied, "Real or fake, I know dumplings are just delicious. Back home, we only had dumplings during festivals. Each of us boys only got two to satisfy our cravings, and the girls didn't even get that."
Chen Lan smiled and replied, "Whether it's delicious or not, you can ask your teacher Xu. She ate *yuhuang mo* dumplings this time last year."
Hearing Chen Lan's words, the students' eyes all turned to Ming Wei, seeking an answer. Ming Wei smiled and nodded, "That's right, Teacher has indeed eaten them. *Yuhuang mo* dumplings are truly delicious. Be careful when you eat them; don't swallow your own tongues!"
The students burst into laughter.
Chen Lan continued her explanation, "When you're picking mushrooms, classmates, pay close attention. This one in my hand is a genuine *yuhuang mo*. Look closely at its cap. It's bright yellow and has a sheen. The easiest way to identify it is to look at its stem; it grows at an angle."
With the prospect of dumplings as a carrot dangled before them, the students displayed unprecedented enthusiasm, dedicating themselves wholeheartedly to picking *yuhuang mo*. Before long, their small baskets were full.
Following the usual routine, Chen Lan collected all their mushrooms into her oversized basket, which was actually her system's storage, and urged them to continue picking.
Once the mushroom picking was mostly done, they found a relatively open spot to drink water and eat. After a short rest, Chen Lan led the students back into the forest. Today was a lucky day; not far away, in another mixed forest, they discovered a large patch of wild *zhen mo* (hazel mushrooms).
Wild *zhen mo* are shaped like small umbrellas. When mature, their surface is a light earthy yellow. The students had picked them a few times before, so they recognized them at a glance. Without Chen Lan needing to explain any precautions, they each began carefully picking them.
At this moment, Xu Xiaowei, the elder son of Qian Yingzi, tugged hard at Li Xiaochui, the son of Zhang Dani. The two boys lagged behind, whispering and glancing around. Chen Lan, fearing these two mischievous boys might recklessly venture deep into the mountains alone, shouted loudly, "Gangdan, Xiaochui, why aren't you picking mushrooms? What are you two up to?"
Gangdan, dragging Li Xiaochui, trotted over to Chen Lan and grinned, pointing a finger to a spot not far away. "Auntie, look over there! Lots of *yangnaizi* are growing. We two want to go pick those."
Chen Lan peered in the direction Gangdan pointed. Indeed, the patch of forest was laden with many bluish-purple fruits.
Chen Lan then asked, "Gangdan, are these fruits tasty?"
Gangdan immediately replied, "Much tastier than the blueberries we picked a few days ago."
Chen Lan waved her hand decisively. "Go ahead. You can go, but I'm telling you! If you go, you go together, but you must not go far, understand? If you accidentally get lost in these mountains and can't find your way home, you'll just become food for the wolves and tigers. Do you two hear me clearly?"
The two boys repeatedly assured Chen Lan they would not wander far and then happily scampered off. Chen Lan remained uneasy. She mentally activated the system's search function, constantly monitoring their activity.
Not too long after, perhaps around half an hour, the two boys returned, each carrying a basket of wild fruits. There were the *yangnaizi* they had mentioned, *tuoba guo* (a type of berry), and a type of black fruit, slightly larger than blueberries, whose name they didn't know.
Gangdan cheerfully held out a handful of red, strawberry-like fruits to Chen Lan, recommending, "Auntie, try these *gaoliang guo*. They're ten thousand times tastier than wild strawberries."
Chen Lan took them, looking at the *gaoliang guo*. They indeed resembled strawberries. She popped one into her mouth. To her surprise, it was much tastier than a strawberry, a perfect blend of sour and sweet with a rich fruity aroma.
Chen Lan mused, this must be the ancestor of strawberries.