After everyone had eaten their fill and taken a short nap, they felt especially energized when they resumed their journey in the afternoon. The three men originally planned to return to the capital ahead of Shopkeeper Lin’s group by overtaking the five carriages in front, but remembering the saying, ‘the mouth that eats the food of others is softened; the hand that takes the possessions of others is shortened^[1]one is partial to those from whom presents have been accepted’, they decided it was only right to escort the convoy a bit further. They resolved to part ways at the next fork in the road, so they continued to follow behind.

Shopkeeper Lin seemed to still be ill and was occasionally coughing, which drew the handsome man’s frequent glances toward the carriage. However, because of the bamboo curtain separating them, he could see nothing. After about an hour, one of his subordinates, named Luo Tietou, belched as he approached the man and whispered, “Leader, when are we stopping to camp? I’m hungry.”

The man merely gave him a faint glance without responding, while another subordinate, Zhao Liu, teased, “We just had lunch not long ago and you’re hungry again?”

“My burp smells too good. The more I smell it, the hungrier I get. I still want to eat.” As soon as Luo Tietou finished speaking, he burped again and the smell of cured meat filled his mouth. It was often said that food starts to spoil in the stomach within a quarter of an hour, making burps smell bad, but the dish Shopkeeper Lin had prepared was different. Even after two hours, the rich aroma lingered in his mouth and stomach, and even his hair and clothes were saturated with the scent, making it unbearable.

Actually, Zhao Liu was also hungry and couldn’t help but glance at the handsome man.

“Keep moving, no more talking.” The man said expressionlessly.

The two exchanged a glance and sighed in unison. After another hour, when the sun was about to set, they finally rushed to the front of the convoy and loudly suggested, “There’s an open mountain hollow here where we can set up camp and rest. We should stop here. If we go further, we’ll enter a dense forest, which is full of wild beasts and quite dangerous.”

“Then let’s rest here for the night.” Said the young servant named Xiao Zhu, who knew better than to be ungrateful. He quickly instructed the driver to stop the carriage.

“What’s for dinner?” Luo Tietou impatiently asked before the carriage had even come to a complete stop.

“What we eat is none of your business.” Xiao Zhu retorted, his cheeks puffing out.

“No, no.” Zhao Liu came around from behind, laughing, “We could’ve left ahead of you, but instead, we escorted you all the way here. It’s not too much to ask to share your dinner, is it?”

Xiao Zhu was about to mock them in return to settle an earlier grudge when a hoarse yet gentle voice came from the carriage, “Thank you, Big Brothers, for protecting us along the way. It’s only right to treat you to a meal. How could it be too much?” With that, Shopkeeper Lin jumped down from the carriage and carefully wrapped a headscarf to keep her hair from blowing freely.

“Thank you, Shopkeeper Lin.” Zhao Liu and Luo Tietou immediately burst into hearty laughter. This Shopkeeper Lin was so polite in dealing with people that it made everyone feel at ease.

The handsome man also cupped his hands and sincerely said, “Thank you, Shopkeeper Lin.”

“No need to be so polite.” Lin Dan replied with a faint smile. “It’s not good to eat too much for dinner, nor should the flavors be too heavy, or it might upset the stomach. How about we have some wrap^[2]a culinary dish made with a soft flatbread rolled around a filling?”

“That’s fine, thank you, Shopkeeper Lin.” The handsome man had no objections, though his two subordinates looked a bit disappointed. They had been eating bread for many days and were already tired of it, so they would have preferred to continue eating cured meat. Their stomachs were strong and they wouldn’t have any issues. But thinking was one thing, and seeing their leader agree, they naturally didn’t dare voice any objections.

Lin Dan nodded slightly to the group and led the two young girls into the forest to pick wild vegetables. It had rained recently and the soil was still wet, with various green shoots of wild vegetables sprouting everywhere. Three servants stayed behind to fetch water, chop firewood, and make fire. The two men had intended to lie down and rest, avoiding any work, but a glare from their leader forced them to get up and help.

A few minutes later, Lin Dan and the two young girls returned, each carrying a basket filled with wild vegetables like bamboo shoots, mustard greens, mushrooms, toon leaves, and so on.

The three servants had made two campfires, each with a large pot of water already boiling, bubbling away. Lin Dan instructed the young girls to wash the vegetables while she took out a bag of brown cubes from the carriage.

“What are those?” Luo Tietou asked curiously as he leaned in to look.

“These are smoked bean curd, a specialty of Bashu, made using the same smoking process as cured meat. They’re savory and aromatic.” Lin Dan explained slowly.

Luo Tietou picked up a small square and sniffed it. It indeed had the aroma of smoked meat, mixed with a unique bean fragrance.

“You’ve been to Bashu?” The usually silent and reserved handsome man unexpectedly spoke, “The roads there are hard to travel.”

“The road to Shu is as hard as climbing to the sky.” Lin Dan laughed softly. “But once you’ve crossed those difficult roads, you’ll find that Bashu is a wonderful place, with beautiful mountains, rivers, people, and even better food.” To her, a place with good food was heaven, so Bashu was truly a land of abundance.

The handsome man nodded, a faint smile appearing in his cold eyes. “Bashu’s food is indeed delicious.”

“It seems you’re a food lover too.” Lin Dan rolled up her sleeves and began preparing the ingredients. She chopped the cooked bamboo shoots, blanched mustard greens, mushrooms, and smoked bean curd into small cubes, setting them aside. The two young girls kneaded the dough, occasionally asking Lin Dan if the water was enough.

“Add a bit more. If the batter is too thick, the pancake won’t be thin enough and it will affect the texture.” Lin Dan directed the two young girls to mix the batter properly, then took out some lard that had been stored all winter to fry the diced vegetables. As the lard melted in the pan, it sizzled, releasing a rich aroma that made everyone repeatedly swallow their saliva.

“Damn, why does that lard smell so good?” Luo Tietou sniffed the air, intrigued.

“If you render it correctly, lard naturally smells good. When I render lard, I add some water to prevent the fat from scorching and turning bitter. It also makes the lard whiter, brighter, and thicker. When storing it in a jar, I add a spoonful of sugar and a few Sichuan peppercorns per pound of lard to prevent it from going rancid. It can last four or five months without any problem.” Lin Dan explained as she stirred the slowly melting lard with a spatula.

As she spoke, the oil was ready, and Lin Dan added the diced bamboo shoots, smoked bean curd, mushrooms, and mustard greens, stirring them evenly and sprinkling in some sesame seeds and salt.

“We had strong flavors at lunch, so let’s have something lighter tonight.” She said slowly, “There are three types of fresh ingredients: those from the land, those from the water, and those from trees. This dish is a spring trio. Bamboo shoots, mustard greens, and mushrooms are all top-quality fresh ingredients, and just frying them with a bit of lard and salt is enough to make them delicious. Do you know what’s the best food to eat in spring?” She turned to look at the two young girls, Shaoyao^[3]Peony and Dujuan^[4]Azalea.

The two scratched their heads and grinned foolishly. They were too busy drooling to think about anything else.

Lin Dan gently stirred the diced vegetables and softly said, “Spring is all about ‘freshness’. This is the season when everything comes back to life, everything is new, and everything is fresh. Smell the air filled with the fragrance of flowers. Doesn’t it also feel fresh?”

“Fresh!” The two young girls nodded with bright smiles and then asked, “Then what do we eat in the summer?”

“In summer, it’s all about ‘coolness’. The hotter the weather, the lighter and cooler the food needs to be, so that the stomach feels comfortable. In the morning, a bowl of sweet mung bean porridge with a few pieces of mint-flavored cold cake^[5]cake made of glutinous rice served cold in summer. At noon, mix cold noodles with vibrant red chili oil, shredded cucumber, and scallions. In the evening, enjoy a pot of chilled wine with a few cold dishes, and at night, sip on a bowl of sour plum drink. That’s how you spend a refreshing day, doesn’t it sound comfortable?”

The two young girls licked their lips and eagerly asked, “What about autumn?”

Lin Dan placed the cooked diced vegetables into a clay pot and continued, “In autumn, it’s all about ‘nourishment’. Start the day with a bowl of peanut and pearl barley porridge, which replenishes blood and boosts energy. At noon, simmer a pot of old hen with dried chestnuts until tender. The sweet and sticky chestnuts will blend into the savory chicken, leaving a lingering taste in your mouth. In the evening, slice up an old pumpkin, steam it with fermented black beans, and let the sweet aroma follow you into your dreams. In autumn, you eat sweet and nourishing food to recover the energy lost during summer’s hard work, preparing yourself well for the winter.”

“Is that what ‘putting on weight in autumn’ means?” The two young girls suddenly understood, then asked again, “Then what about in winter?”

“In winter, it’s all about ‘warmth’.” Lin Dan placed five palm-sized flat pans over the fire, rubbed the bottom of each with chunks of lard, and slowly poured in the batter. With a slight twist of her wrist, she had a flatbread ready in just a few seconds. She then flipped the pan over onto a clean clay pot, and the tender, white flatbread fell out on its own, stacking one after another.

Lin Dan’s wrist moved swiftly, oiling the pans and making flatbreads in succession. In no time, she had made dozens, all nearly identical in size and thickness. While she worked, she continued speaking, “Winter is harshly cold, so the food you eat must be warm to feel comfortable. During the Spring Festival, the whole family gathers to make dumplings, chatting and laughing together. As soon as the dumplings are pulled out of the boiling water, you eat them while they’re hot. Your stomach warms up, and so does your heart. Deep-fried meatballs, braised pig’s trotters, and steamed shad all steaming hot and fragrant……”

Lin Dan couldn’t help but smile at the thought of the scene.

The two young girls had already covered their mouths and ran off, afraid their drool might drip into the pot.

At some point, the three men had gathered around, listening to Lin Dan while watching her cook. Not only was Lin Dan an excellent cook, but her way of speaking was also delightful. Every word she said was like a feast, leaving them feeling especially satisfied, and naturally, even hungrier.

The handsome man stared at Lin Dan for a long time, his eyes flickering with complex emotions. When Lin Dan looked over, he quickly lowered his head as if nothing had happened.

Soon, the flatbreads were done. Lin Dan washed and chopped wild scallions, took out her homemade sweet and spicy sauce, garlic sauce, and other condiments, and arranged them in small dishes. She then called out, “Alright, time to eat.”

Everyone cheered as they rushed to the clay pot to grab food. The palm-sized flatbreads were white and tender. Wrapped around the diced vegetables and popped into the mouth, the rich flavors burst on the taste buds. The bamboo shoots were crisp and refreshing, the smoked bean curd was soft, sticky, and savory, and the juices of the mustard greens and mushrooms seeped into the sweet flatbread, creating a strong sense of freshness. If the taste was too mild, one could add some wild scallions and sauce. Salty, fresh, sweet, and spicy, it all melts on the tongue as if savoring the entire essence of spring.

The three men were stunned after just one bite, then quickly stuffed the rest of the flatbreads into their mouths before immediately reaching for another, and then another…… The ladle used to scoop the diced vegetables never stayed idle and the scene resembled a fierce wind sweeping away clouds.