Chapter 74

Qin Yi took the prey to the stream to clean it, and Susa followed to help, otherwise it would take a lot of time for one person. At this moment, McGee was already catching fish in the stream, and Teddy was swimming around, playing happily.

"McGee is so sensible, he even knows how to catch fish. Otherwise, with eleven dogs and a big brown bear, the prey wouldn't be enough for them to eat!"

Susa smiled, "Actually, we brought a bit less vegetables. McGee loves vegetables the most."

"There's nothing we can do!" Qin Yi was also helpless; McGee's appetite was too big.

"If we had come in a pickup truck, we could have brought a whole load. Riding horses, we can't carry much. The ranch's horses aren't enough, so this time we included Susie and Rachelle's horses, just enough for everyone to ride."

"Then this time, when the small farm buys cattle and horses, the ranch should buy some too."

Qin Yi nodded, suddenly noticing that Susa had thrown away the innards of the wild chicken. He quickly stopped her and kept the chicken liver. "Don't throw away the chicken liver. It's very nutritious, good for the eyes, enhances immunity, has antioxidant properties, prevents aging, and maintains healthy skin. There are many benefits!"

Susa had never known that chicken liver had so many benefits. Americans generally don't eat animal innards except for foie gras. "Is it tasty?"

Although she asked, she didn't throw it away. She followed Qin Yi's example, removing the gallbladder and tendons. She trusted Qin Yi's cooking skills. Recently, besides Chinese soups, noodles, and pancakes, she was also learning other dishes, like yesterday's cold mixed beef and various stir-fries. Although they were complex, learning to cook for everyone should be a happy thing.

"It should be quite good. One of my favorite dishes is stir-fried chicken liver."

"Wow!"

McGee bit into a foot-long fish and emerged from the water, shaking his head to throw it onto the shore, then continued catching fish. The two of them looked at the shore, where there were already five or six fish. Teddy was playing, pressing down on any fish that jumped with his paws, enjoying himself. As for the smaller fish, McGee had already eaten them.

After cleaning the prey, they returned. Everyone was entertaining Angel, and Ryan had already started cooking beef and potatoes. Qin Yi made two more fires, keeping half of the wild chickens and rabbits, wrapped in cling film and stored away. This was for dinner, as they would reach the Rocky Mountain campsite in the evening, where hunting was illegal outside the hunting season.

The other half was processed, some made into Beggar's Chicken, and the rest into grilled meat. Ryan and Susa helped with the grilling, as there were so many mouths to feed, and Qin Yi alone couldn't manage.

As the meat was almost done, the aroma spread everywhere. The dogs lay around, tongues hanging out, drooling. Remembering the fish McGee had caught, Qin Yi asked Trevor and Colin to clean them. After the meat was grilled, they set up a rack to hang and grill the fish, which would be lunch for McGee and the dogs.

Soon, the grilled meat was ready, and everyone ate while it was hot. It wasn't the most exquisite delicacy, but everyone was very satisfied. The dogs licked their mouths, still a bit unsatisfied. There wasn't much to feel from the bones, but fortunately, the fish were half-grilled, which was enough. They were animals, after all, and it was good to keep a bit of their wild nature.

When the Beggar's Chicken was ready, the rich aroma made Ryan, Collo, and the others take deep breaths. The scene reminded Susa and Liu Qimeng of their recent camping trip.

Angel looked at the Beggar's Chicken on the ground, tightly gripping her small chopsticks, eagerly waiting for Qin Yi to announce the start of the meal. Qin Yi smiled, opened the clay balls, and took a bite, signaling everyone to start eating. At this point, everyone, attracted by the aroma, forgot about their manners, surrounding the chicken, chopsticks and forks flying. One bite, and their eyes lit up, exclaiming in delight, praising Qin Yi's skills and Chinese cuisine!

Seeing that everyone was almost done, Susa made two salads, one of vegetables and one of fruits, which everyone found very satisfying.

After a satisfying lunch, Qin Yi took Angel's hand and led the group for a walk around the campsite. The men were in front, occasionally teasing Angel and discussing fishing and horseback riding.

The women were behind, and Collo and Christine deliberately steered the conversation to skincare and cosmetics. Susa and Liu Qimeng exchanged glances, understanding their intentions. Although they didn't plan to hide anything, they didn't want to cause trouble for Qin Yi. It would be annoying to use others' things as favors!

In the end, Susa still agreed to ask Qin Yi.

There was no way around it. If Collo and Christine tried to persuade Susa with sweet talk, she wouldn't have listened. Over the years, she had seen many ups and downs and coldness in human relationships. These things didn't affect her.

But Collo and Christine didn't use flattery. They sincerely talked about their real situations, like makeup for filming and irregular rest, which made the kind-hearted Susa unable to refuse. Therefore, she agreed to ask for help, but also said she couldn't guarantee anything.

Even so, Collo and Christine were very grateful. They had seen the effects of the skincare products Susa used. Dull, lifeless skin became white and smooth overnight. Such a unique and excellent product couldn't be given away casually to friends they had only known for a few days. This time, they would ask through Susa, and if it didn't work out, it was fine. They were already friends with Qin Yi and could visit more often to build a better relationship, and he would naturally give them the products.

They had also considered buying the products, but this idea, which would likely damage their friendship, was quickly dismissed.

Over the past few days, they had realized that Qin Yi, a billionaire, valued feelings more than money. How much could you offer to buy something from a billionaire who didn't care about money?

Their salaries, in good years, could reach tens of millions of dollars, especially Christine's, which could be over thirty million. But their agents took a cut, and they had to pay for assistants, makeup artists, drivers, bodyguards, and maintain a star's lifestyle and social obligations. So, despite earning a lot, they didn't save much.

Therefore, it was better to wait a few months rather than risk spending money.

After discussing the matter that had been on their minds all morning, Collo and Christine visibly relaxed and joined Susa and Liu Qimeng in enjoying the scenery.

The group, along with the animals, strolled for about half an hour, finishing their post-meal walk, and set off again towards the base of the Rocky Mountains.

By 5 PM, they had left the ranch area and officially entered the Rocky Mountains. From there, they began riding up the mountain path, the pace slowing down. Riding up a mountain required great caution; a small pit or pebble could cause a horse to stumble, and any injury would be too costly.

As they climbed, they enjoyed the evening scenery of the Rocky Mountains.

It was summer, and the mountains were filled with hyacinths and broom trees, with wild strawberries and blueberries dotting the meadows. A gentle breeze made the mountain flowers sway, creating a charming and beautiful scene. There were also many streams, with clear, cold water flowing and the sound of birds singing, composing a symphony of nature.

Qin Yi led the group, stopping at a height of a few dozen meters. At this low altitude, the surrounding area was mostly poplars and firs. Higher up, the vegetation changed to coniferous forests like pines and spruces.

Standing there and looking down, although it wasn't very high, several small lakes were visible, their clear waters reflecting the majestic snow-capped mountains, cold and deep. In the distance, towering peaks rose into the clouds, forming a sea of peaks, like the legendary fairy mountains, perhaps with sword immortals living among them.

Although these were American mountains, who knew about the world of sword immortals!

It was already 6 PM, and they chose a slightly flat and wide spot near a stream to set up camp. Although the sun hadn't set, it was getting dark in the forest, so they needed to set up the tents before it was completely dark. Even with camping lights, it would be troublesome.

They unloaded everything and let Little Black lead the horses to graze. As usual, they patrolled the area. They encountered a few squirrels and rabbits, but there were no problems. However, when they passed the stream, Ryan noticed some hoof prints in the wet ground. He said the shape indicated that they were left by a deer or similar animal drinking water. Combined with the obvious trampling marks on the surrounding grass, it seemed a small herd of deer had just passed through, drinking water and moving upstream.