Chapter 75

Discovering a herd of deer but not being able to hunt them, both felt a bit regretful. However, there was nothing they could do; it wasn't hunting season. Even if the deer were to provocatively wag their tails right in front of you, you'd have to hold your temper and walk away. This wasn't a ranch!

"By mid-September, it will be hunting season. Then we can apply for a few hunting permits and come camping again!" Qin Yi saw that Ryan was still somewhat nostalgic and chuckled, trying to console him. At his age, he still acted like a child who couldn't let go.

"Ah, I love hunting season! Yi, you might not understand, but nowadays, young people don't like hunting. They find it boring and would rather sit in bars drinking beer! But we old cowboys have deep feelings for hunting. When we were young, hunting wasn't just a form of entertainment; it was a means of survival. If you had good luck and hunted a moose, you wouldn't need to buy meat for the whole winter. Back then, if you couldn't hunt, well, you probably wouldn't even get a girl to look at you!"

Qin Yi listened quietly to Ryan, feeling a bit nostalgic. With the development of society and the widespread use of machinery, young people had moved to bustling big cities to pursue their dreams, and true cowboys were becoming fewer. Of course, there was no right or wrong in this; times were changing, and each era had its own mindset.

Back at the campsite, Qin Yi started organizing tasks. Trevor and Colin set up the tents, Liu Qimeng led Kolo and Christine to gather dry wood, Susa took care of Angel and sprinkled insect repellent, and everyone had their roles. Qin Yi and Ryan were responsible for cooking.

For dinner, Qin Yi had a plan. There were still 7 or 8 wild chickens left from the morning, so he decided to make chicken and potato stew, which should be quite good. Roasting meat all the time wasn't ideal, and it was time to change the menu.

"Qin Yi, Qin Yi, we found something good!"

Qin Yi had just chopped the chicken into large pieces when Liu Qimeng and the others, carrying a pile of dry wood, shouted from a distance. They ran up to him, threw down the wood, and held up mushroom-like things to his face, showing off, "Look, mushrooms! How about it, we're pretty good, right!"

Qin Yi also liked mushrooms, but he couldn't be careless with wild mushrooms. If he encountered poisonous ones, it could be dangerous. He examined them carefully. There were two types of mushrooms, with relatively flat caps and smooth surfaces, and they didn't have any strange smell, so they should be edible.

"This one is a milk cap mushroom. It's quite common, and I remember it grows in subtropical regions. I saw it often when I was a kid." This mushroom, with a color similar to shrimp and a thin cap and straight stem, was familiar to Qin Yi. It was edible and tasted good, but he didn't recognize the other one. He handed both types to Ryan, who had lived here all his life, to identify.

"Yi is right, this is a milk cap mushroom." Ryan then carefully examined the other mushroom, which had a slightly yellow, thick cap and a sturdy, white stem. "This is a boletus edulis. It's common in the southwestern United States, and you can occasionally find it here. It's edible and tastes great."

Confirming that both mushrooms were edible, Liu Qimeng and the others were very excited, as if they had accomplished something significant.

"Let's gather more and have mushroom soup for dinner!" They were about to run off.

"It's getting dark. Take the camping lights and be careful." Watching them take the lights and small backpacks and enthusiastically gather mushrooms, Qin Yi shook his head and smiled, sending Hei Mi and Xiao Mai to follow them, then continued cooking.

After about ten minutes, the chicken was simmering with spices, and the girls who had gone to gather mushrooms returned with a backpack full of mushrooms, which surprised Qin Yi. They must have found a mushroom patch!

Praising them to satisfy their sense of achievement, Qin Yi carefully sorted the mushrooms. Ryan was washing the potatoes, and Susa, having nothing to do, came to help with the cooking. Angel, the little foodie, was the most well-behaved when it was time to eat. She squatted next to Qin Yi, pouting and staring at the pot with big eyes, her cute appearance making anyone want to give her a kiss. Kolo and the others, having nothing to do, gathered around her, teasing her and discussing who was prettier between themselves and Susa, and which dish Yi Uncle made was their favorite.

As time passed, the stew pot bubbled, and Qin Yi added ingredients from time to time, such as potatoes, chicken livers, and mushrooms. The campsite was filled with the rich aroma of meat.

With Ryan's help, Trevor and Colin had set up the tents and were now sitting around the stew pot with everyone else. The sky was dotted with stars, and a gentle breeze blew through the forest. The smell of meat and grass filled the air, and everyone laughed and played, momentarily forgetting their worldly worries, feeling peaceful and content.

As the aroma grew stronger, everyone's attention shifted to the pot. Qin Yi checked and saw that the chicken was tender and the potatoes were soft. It was ready!

It was time to eat. They had been running around all afternoon and were hungry.

Qin Yi asked Susa to serve everyone a large bowl while the food was hot. He then set up the fish that Magi had caught earlier to roast, which would be the dinner for the brown bear and the dogs. He patted Magi's big head and praised him. This big guy had been catching fish all day, and without him, the dogs wouldn't have such good meals.

When the chicken stew was ready, everyone dug in without hesitation. Angel saw that her Uncle Yi was still busy putting a kettle on the fire, so she picked up a large piece of chicken leg and ran over, holding it high to feed him.

Qin Yi looked at the little girl's expectant eyes, smiled, and took a bite, then kissed Angel, making her pout. "Uncle Yi is so greasy, he got Angel's face all dirty!" She pulled out a small towel from her pocket to wipe her face.

"Okay, Uncle is wrong!" Qin Yi, seeing her cute expression, apologized with a smile. "Angel, forgive Uncle once more!"

"Alright, I'll forgive Uncle Yi this time!" Angel nodded, looking very generous, which made Susa and everyone else laugh. Having this little one around made life much more interesting!

The chicken was tender, the potatoes soft, and the mushrooms smooth, and the soup was rich and fragrant. Everyone's mouths were full of oil!

Each bowl had a tender, yellow chicken liver. Except for Qin Yi and Liu Qimeng, everyone else was trying it for the first time. Without hesitation, they picked it up and tasted it. The smooth, tender texture and unique aroma immediately attracted many, though not everyone liked it. Ryan, Trevor, and Colin found it okay but not particularly fond of it.

However, Kolo and Liu Qimeng loved it, especially Angel, who ate it with big bites, making Susa very happy. Qin Yi had mentioned earlier that chicken livers were very nutritious, and it was great that Angel liked them, as it would help her grow up healthy!

Seeing that everyone was almost done eating, Qin Yi remembered the bottle of fruit wine in his bag. It was the perfect time to have a glass. He also brought other fruits, and this time, he had brought more small fruits like dates and plums, which were great to snack on while chatting.

"Oh, my God, you even brought this!" Christine saw Qin Yi get up to fetch a bottle of wine and immediately recognized the delicious fruit wine, feeling pleasantly surprised!

"Wow!" Kolo quickly jumped up, took the paper cups, and distributed them to everyone. Having a glass of delicious fruit wine at this moment was truly a joy.

"Ah, I have to say, Yi really knows how to enjoy life!"

"Colin, it's a good thing Yi knows how to enjoy life. We should have a glass too! God, I was just thinking that in this peaceful night, if we could have a glass of Yi's fruit wine, it would be the most wonderful thing!"

Trevor's initial surprise turned into a look of longing and nostalgia.

Qin Yi shook his head and smiled, pouring him half a cup. "It seems God heard your heart's desire!"

"Yes, I have to thank God! Yi, it's great to know you!"

Trevor smiled, his voice steady and sincere, raising his glass to Qin Yi from a distance.

Kolo and the others, hearing this, also put aside their playful attitudes and raised their glasses. Reflecting on the past few days, Qin Yi was generous, kind, and friendly, with impeccable character. He treated everyone to delicious fruit wine, coffee, and fruits, and even took them on a trip. As a wealthy man, he personally cooked for his newly acquainted friends, making him a great person.

Others also had their own reflections. Susa thought about how Angel had become a normal child after meeting Qin Yi, and her life had become more colorful. Liu Qimeng thought about the night at the hotel and her current job. Ryan thought about the changes on the ranch and the generous treatment of the cowboys...

For a moment, everyone silently looked at Qin Yi, raising their glasses, feeling grateful, happy, or relieved, all complex emotions, and they all thought: It's great to know you!

"Oh, God! I think I should remind you, Trevor, I like beautiful women like Kolo. Don't be so emotional, or the ladies might misunderstand and I'll have to punch you in the nose!"

Seeing that the happy camping picnic was about to turn into a sappy gratitude session, Qin Yi quickly made a joke to defuse the situation!