She led the whole village to prosperity by raising koi fish.

Chapter 95 Drying Mushrooms

Because there were too many mushrooms at home, and they couldn't possibly eat them all in a short time, the woman decided to process some of them into dried mushrooms for easier preservation. She skillfully picked up the fresh mushrooms, casually tore them apart with her hands, and then threw them all into a pot of boiling water to blanch them.

Time passed slowly, and soon the water in the pot calmed down, while the once tender and juicy mushrooms cooled down as the water temperature decreased. Without hesitation, the woman quickly scooped out the cooled mushrooms and placed them one by one into a clean gauze bag she had prepared beforehand. Then, she squeezed the gauze bag tightly, trying to squeeze out as much water as possible.

After completing these steps, the woman carefully spread the squeezed-out mushrooms evenly on the drying rack and began to dry them with great joy, thinking that she would soon be able to harvest delicious dried mushrooms.

But then, a dramatic scene unfolded. The village chief's wife happened to come by for a visit and saw the woman busy drying mushrooms. Her expression changed, and she quickly stopped her, saying, "Oh dear, young lady, you can't do it like that! You don't need to cook mushrooms before drying them. Just slice them thinly and let them dry. You don't even need to wash them!"

Upon hearing this, the woman froze, as if struck by lightning, her expression instantly solidifying. Several seconds passed before she recovered, a hint of confusion in her eyes. Then, a faint smile curved her lips as she softly asked, "But what if the mushrooms have mud on them? We can't just dry them with the mud on, can we? Won't that affect the taste and quality?"

Just then, the village chief's wife walked briskly to the woman's side. Smiling, her eyes gleaming with gentle patience, she said slowly, "Don't rush. After these mushrooms are completely dried, we can rinse them carefully with clean water when we want to eat them. Processing them directly like you did just now won't make delicious dried mushrooms. Come, come, don't worry, let me demonstrate the correct method for you."

After hearing the village chief's wife's words, the woman nodded obediently like a child and quickly replied, "Okay, then I'll trouble you. Thank you so much! Without your guidance, I really wouldn't know what to do." After saying that, she stood quietly to the side, watching intently as the village chief's wife began to demonstrate the entire process of making dried mushrooms.

The village chief's wife sat steadily on a small, exquisite stool, her movements skillful and elegant. She first gently placed the freshly picked mushrooms on a smooth, flat cutting board, then picked up an incredibly sharp knife and carefully sliced ​​them into paper-thin slices. Each slice was precise, neither too thick to hinder drying nor too thin to prevent breakage.

After slicing the mushrooms, the village chief's wife carefully arranged them one by one, neatly, on a round bamboo mat. The mat was woven from thin bamboo strips and had a very smooth surface, ensuring the mushroom slices were heated evenly and dried quickly. Once arranged, the village chief's wife carefully stood up, holding the mat full of mushroom slices in both hands, and walked towards the roof.

Reaching a sunny and well-ventilated corner on the rooftop, the village chief's wife found a suitable spot and gently lowered the mushroom cover, allowing the mushroom slices to bask fully in the warm sunlight. The sunlight fell upon the snow-white mushroom slices, refracting mesmerizing rays of light, like shimmering pearls scattered on golden silk.

"Oh dear! What should we do with these blanched mushrooms?" The woman asked anxiously, her face full of concern, her eyes fixed on the mushrooms as if they were priceless treasures. "Why don't you take these mushrooms home and eat them? They're all fresh and good mushrooms!"

Upon hearing this, the village chief's wife immediately broke into a kind smile, then gently waved her hand and said, "No, no, no, we have plenty of mushrooms at home! You really don't need to be so polite!" She then smiled at the woman in a friendly manner.

Seeing this, the woman couldn't help but feel puzzled. She frowned slightly and asked with a puzzled look, "Since you didn't come here to get mushrooms, is there something you need help with after coming all this way today?"

The village chief's wife nodded quickly and replied, "Yes, yes, I did come here this time because I need to trouble you with something. Oh, by the way! Where is Yu Ning? She should usually be at home at this time."

The woman quickly replied truthfully, "Her? She went back to the city with Young Master Gu and Ye Beichen. But if you need to find her, you can tell me first, and I will pass it on to her as soon as she returns."

The village chief's wife looked embarrassed and stammered, "Actually, it's about work. I've discussed it carefully with my husband, and he agrees that I can go to the new factory to work and earn money to supplement the family income." After saying that, she lowered her head slightly, seemingly a little embarrassed.

Upon hearing this, the woman standing nearby was taken aback at first, then burst into hearty laughter, saying, "Oh dear, I thought it was something serious! Hahaha, this is easy! Just go to the city and report to Yu Ning. That girl is so kind and good-hearted, she'll definitely take you in!" As she spoke, the woman's face beamed with a warm smile, as if the matter was already a done deal.

However, the village chief's wife did not feel relieved. She frowned and said worriedly, "Oh, sister-in-law, you don't know, I have a terrible sense of direction. Forget about the complicated roads in the city, I sometimes even get lost on the small paths near our village. And I have no idea how to drive a carriage. What if I get lost on the road?" As she said this, a trace of helplessness and worry appeared in her eyes.

Seeing this, the woman thought for a moment, then slapped her thigh as if she had suddenly thought of a good idea, and said excitedly, "Hey! I've got it! Jun Dong's wife is also idle at home all day with no work to do, right? You can go and talk to Jun Dong and ask him to send you two to the city to work! That way, you'll have company on the way, and you can look after each other, so you won't have to worry about getting lost!"

Upon hearing this, the village chief's wife looked puzzled. She shook her head and asked, "Mrs. Su, didn't Jundong marry a rich girl from the city? How could a pampered girl like that be willing to do such tiring and hard work?" Clearly, the village chief's wife was full of doubts about the woman's suggestion.

The woman smiled slightly and patiently explained, "Oh dear, village chief's wife, you're so out of the loop! Jun Dong's city wife left him a long time ago! Later, he remarried a girl from the neighboring village, I think her name is Shuangxi. I heard that girl is very hardworking and down-to-earth, definitely a tough and resilient person! You'll see for yourself when you go over there!" After saying that, the woman smiled at the village chief's wife again, her eyes full of encouragement.

"Oh dear, you're so well-informed! I'd better hurry over and take a look," the village chief's wife said with a broad smile, already striding eagerly towards the door. The woman beside her smiled and saw her off, saying, "Village chief's wife, if you have any free time in the future, you must come visit us more often!"

"Haha, definitely!" The village chief's wife happily agreed, her voice carrying far and wide.

Meanwhile, in the bustling city, Su Yuning had planned to go to the factory as soon as possible to check on the situation. However, at that moment, the charming Mr. Gu invited her to go for a stroll at the docks with him. Faced with this sudden invitation, Su Yuning couldn't help but hesitate.

Just then, Ye Beichen, who had been standing silently to the side, suddenly stepped forward and suggested to Young Master Gu, "Young Master Gu, how about this, I'll accompany you to the dock? Yu Ning is too busy right now, she probably won't have time to pay attention to you."

Upon hearing this, Gu Wanfeng was immediately enraged. His eyes widened in anger as he retorted, "Hmph! What are you doing here? Who wants you to come along? I have no desire to share this joy with you!" With that, he turned away and ignored Ye Beichen.

"Young Master Gu, please don't be angry. Please calm down first. How about this, the two of us will accompany you to the dock?" Su Yuning smiled sweetly and responded in a coquettish voice.

Upon hearing this, Young Master Gu turned around without hesitation and refused without even thinking, saying, "No!" This decisive answer surprised everyone present.

"Hey, what's wrong with you? Are you kidding me? We're both incredibly busy, and we've put aside so many important things to come all this way to the dock with you, and you're acting like this! Who gave you the audacity to refuse our kindness?" Ye Beichen, standing to the side, was instantly furious, his face flushed with anger. He glared at Young Master Gu with wide eyes and questioned him indignantly.

Faced with Ye Beichen's questioning, Young Master Gu remained calm and composed. He slowly raised his head, his gaze as calm as still water as he looked at everyone, and said softly, "I simply wanted to take Yu Ning to enjoy the beautiful scenery." His words revealed an undeniable determination.

"What? Absolutely not! Su Yuning is my official girlfriend! What are you up to? Why should she go out with you?!" Upon hearing this, Ye Beichen stomped his feet in anger, his teeth grinding together, as if he was about to rush up and give Young Master Gu a good beating.

"You two big boys are so boring! I can't be bothered with you! Humph!" Su Yuning's pretty face flushed with anger. She stomped her foot playfully, then turned abruptly and strode away with light, quick steps. Her cascading long hair drew a beautiful arc in the air as she turned, as if expressing her dissatisfaction and anger. The two boys were left standing there dumbfounded, exchanging bewildered glances, unsure of what to do.

After a moment, it was Young Master Gu who broke the silence first: "How about... we go for a stroll at the dock? Maybe we'll see something interesting." As he spoke, he cast a slightly expectant look at Ye Beichen.

Ye Beichen thought for a moment, then readily nodded and agreed, "Alright then, we've got nothing better to do anyway, let's go!" And so, the two of them headed towards the dock together. Along the way, they chatted and laughed, but both of them were still thinking about Su Yuning, who had just left in a huff.

Before long, they arrived at the dock. When Ye Beichen saw Gu Wanfeng's properties with his own eyes, his eyes widened in disbelief. He stammered, his mouth agape, "You...you're sure all these huge cargo ships are yours? And all these shops lining the dock, are they all yours too?"

Gu Wanfeng appeared quite calm. A confident smile played on his lips as he nodded gently and said, "Of course." Upon hearing this answer, Ye Beichen couldn't help but gasp, inwardly marveling at Gu Wanfeng's formidable strength.

Immediately afterward, Ye Beichen gave a heartfelt thumbs-up, praising, "With your abilities and wealth, marrying three wives and four concubines wouldn't be difficult at all. I truly admire you!" However, faced with such praise, Gu Wanfeng simply smiled slightly, shook his head, and said, "So what? Even with all the wealth and power I possess, it's far less important than Su Yuning's place in my heart. If she were willing to marry me, I would do it without hesitation, even if it meant giving up all my current assets." As he said this, Gu Wanfeng's gaze became incredibly gentle and resolute, as if the entire world consisted only of the woman who haunted his dreams.