Wendy Lynch looked at her cousin’s pained expression and shook her head helplessly. "Relax, it’s just a thousand bucks. I can afford it."
She leisurely poured herself a cup of tea.
Charlotte Lynch felt a bit depressed. A thousand bucks was equivalent to more than half a month’s living expenses for her. Even though Wendy was treating, she still thought it was way too expensive.
At this moment, Charlotte had already put a huge red cross over this restaurant in her mind. She decided that she would definitely take a picture of the receipt later and post it on Instagram to thoroughly expose this rip-off joint.
Before long, the waiter came over carrying a bubbling clay pot. The moment the lid was lifted, an indescribably rich aroma exploded, instantly filling the entire small shop. It wasn’t just the scent of chicken soup. It was a blend of the chicken fat’s mellowness, the fresh umami of the mushrooms, and an inexplicable, primitive fragrance from the wilderness.
Just smelling it made Charlotte subconsciously gulp.
Immediately after, the waiter brought over four plates of thoroughly cleaned wild mushrooms. The honeycomb-like bamboo fungus was pure white and lovely. The dark brown porcini mushrooms were sliced thick and plump. The golden termite mushrooms were torn into thin strips. There was also the pale, chubby old man’s head mushroom; each variety looked incredibly fresh and succulent.
The waiter deftly added all the mushrooms into the boiling chicken broth in a specific sequence, then handed them a small hourglass.
"Ladies, the mushrooms must be cooked for a full fifteen minutes before you can eat them, otherwise they can be toxic. You can dig in once the sand in the hourglass runs out."
Those fifteen minutes were absolute torture for Charlotte.
As the pot simmered, the overpowering aroma grew even richer. Charlotte had no idea how many times she had stealthily swallowed her saliva. She stared eagerly at the tiny hourglass, feeling as though time had never passed so slowly.
"Wendy, do you think the owner put some kind of artificial flavoring in the soup? How can it smell this good?"
Hearing Charlotte’s words, Wendy burst out laughing. The contrast in this girl’s attitude was way too drastic, wasn’t it? Just a moment ago, she had been complaining about the high prices and calling it a rip-off joint.
Finally, the last grain of sand in the hourglass fell. Charlotte snatched up her spoon almost instantly. She deftly scooped a large bowl for Wendy first, then filled another bowl to the brim for herself.
The chicken soup was a beautiful color; the clear, golden broth had a few red goji berries and mushroom slices floating on top. She carefully blew on it, then took a gentle sip.
The next second, Charlotte froze completely.
The richness of the chicken broth, the refreshing sweetness of the mushrooms, and the complex wilderness fragrances all blended together perfectly. It formed a gentle yet overpowering torrent that washed over her entire palate. This wasn’t the industrial savoriness that MSG or chicken bouillon could replicate; it was a transcendent, layered delicacy born of nature—mellow, elegant, and absolutely supreme.
GULP.
Charlotte took another huge swallow, an intoxicated expression washing over her face.
"Oh my god..." She set down the bowl and looked at Wendy, her voice floating a bit. "Wendy... this soup is way too delicious!"
The little penny-pincher who had been wincing at the cost just a second ago was now completely captivated. Her previous grievances had long been thrown out the window.
Wendy picked up a thick slice of porcini mushroom and took a bite. The texture was smooth and delightfully chewy; the mushroom flesh, having soaked up the savory broth, burst with flavor between her teeth. That unique earthy aroma mixed with the rich chicken soup made her narrow her eyes in bliss.
The price was a little steep, but the taste was truly excellent. Wendy had bought porcini mushrooms at the supermarket before, but those had all been artificially cultivated. Neither the taste nor the texture could even begin to compare with these wild ones.
Fully satiated, the two walked out of the small restaurant in complete satisfaction. Charlotte rubbed her rounded belly, sighing with a blissful face. "Wendy, this is absolutely the best mushroom hotpot I’ve ever had in my entire life!"
"Let’s take a walk to digest," Wendy suggested.
The ancient town at night held a bit more tranquility and mystery than during the day. October in Yunaris was already quite cool. As the mountain breeze blew through the tips of her hair, Wendy felt exceptionally refreshed. The smooth flagstone roads reflected the lights of the houses on both sides as the two took a leisurely stroll through the ancient town.
Suddenly, a hoarse yet gentle singing voice drifted faintly from an alleyway. Following the song, the two arrived at the entrance of a lounge bar.
The lighting inside was dim, and there weren’t many customers; they were scattered about the bar in twos and threes. In the center of the stage, an androgynous female singer wearing a simple white shirt, exuding a ruggedly handsome vibe, was cradling a guitar. She had her head bowed, strumming and singing an unknown folk song.
Her voice was a very unique raspy tone. Wendy guessed the singer probably smoked at least several packs of cigarettes a day; she sang the folk song as if it were brimming with stories.
The pair found a seat in the corner and ordered two specialty fruit wines.
"Wendy, coming on this trip was definitely the right choice!" Charlotte swirled the pale liquid in her glass, her face full of contentment. "The scenery is beautiful, the food is delicious, and we even get to listen to such great music."
She turned her head, observing Wendy curiously. "But seriously, why do I feel like your luck has been exceptionally good lately? First you won that huge prize at the company annual party, and now we randomly pick a restaurant on vacation and it turns out to be this amazing."
Wendy took a sip of her fruit wine, letting the rich lemon flavor melt on her tongue. She smiled, brushing it off lightly with a joking tone, "Maybe it’s because I’m pretty, so I have good luck."
Charlotte made a face at her, clearly not believing the excuse, but she didn’t press the matter any further.
The two listened to the music, drank their wine, and chatted idly until they returned to the bed-and-breakfast just after eleven o’clock. Having played all day, Charlotte was exhausted; she collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep right after taking a shower.
Wendy, however, did not go to sleep right away. She turned off the main lights in the room, leaving only a dim, yellow bedside lamp on, and then took out her phone.
Before she knew it, the time had reached midnight. A new email appeared in her inbox right on time.
[You have a letter from October 4, 2025.]
[Jade gambling really isn’t suited for amateurs.]
[No wonder they say: One cut to rags, one cut to riches!]
[If only I had stopped after seeing the Imperial Green on the first cut!]
[I didn’t grasp the luck that was handed right to me!]
[The next few pieces I cut open were nothing but marble. My luck is just too terrible!]
...
Wendy closed the mailbox. The room was left with nothing but the dim halo of the bedside lamp and her cousin Charlotte’s steady breathing. Yet Wendy’s heart felt as though a massive boulder had been dropped into it, stirring up stormy seas.
Her future self had indeed successfully purchased that raw jade stone originally worth 300,000. But for some unknown reason, after cutting out the Imperial Green, her future self hadn’t stopped. Instead, she chose to keep cutting! As a result, the rest of the stone turned out to be complete waste material.
Wendy immediately recalled the famous saying she had seen countless times while researching jade gambling yesterday: One cut leads to heaven, the next leads to hell. A raw jade stone that might be worth millions on the first cut could become entirely worthless after the second.
Wendy took a deep breath, feeling a layer of cold sweat seep from her back.
This time was different from any previous occasion. Whether it was the lottery tickets or the gold bars, the results had been set in stone. All she had to do was follow the steps to collect them. But this time, not only did she have to find that stone, but she also had to resist temptation and hold her ground at the most critical moment.
She warned herself that this time, she absolutely could not be greedy!
[Author’s Note: Please vote with your monthly tickets, and please keep reading!]
[Author’s Note 2: Thank you to ’A Snowy Drizzle,’ ’Just Started Playing Don’t Really Understand,’ and ’Mist and Starlight’ for the tips. Thank you for your support!]