138: Squirrel hole discovered

The next day, sunlight, like golden gossamer curtains, spilled gently onto Lu Fan's face through the gaps in the Shelter.

Lu Fan woke up slowly, but his head felt as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer, a dull ache washing over him.

He rubbed his temples, vaguely recalling the embarrassment of passing out after just one cup of monkey wine last night. His face instantly flushed red all the way to his ears, as if it were being scorched by fire.

"It's over, it's over. I've made a complete fool of myself in front of An Lan."

Lu Fan muttered under his breath, his heart full of chagrin.

He peeked around and found that An Lan wasn't there, which let him breathe a small sigh of relief.

Not long after, An Lan walked in carrying a steaming bowl of hangover soup, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Oh, is the great hero Lu awake? Come, drink this hangover soup; it'll make you feel better."

Lu Fan took the soup and lowered his head, his voice as quiet as a mosquito's buzz. "About that... I'm really sorry about last night. I didn't expect my alcohol tolerance to have become so poor."

An Lan couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Oh, you. Yesterday you were so certain that monkey wine and pig offal soup were a match made in heaven, yet you went down after just one cup. I thought you'd been bewitched by a 'little monster' inside the monkey wine!"

Lu Fan scratched his head awkwardly and gulped down the hangover soup in one go, trying to change the subject. "This soup is delicious. My head feels much clearer after drinking it. By the way, what are we doing today?"

An Lan said with a smile, "Did you forget? Didn't we say yesterday that we were going to bring gifts to the Monkey troop? I've already prepared everything!"

Only then did Lu Fan remember, and he quickly got up to help.

They took out a portion of the wild boar meat and roasted it carefully. The aroma of the roast meat wafted everywhere, making one's mouth water.

They also brought out the salt they had stored previously—a precious resource in the wilderness—along with a jar of honey harvested from the beehive. It was a gift full of sincerity.

With everything ready, Lu Fan and An Lan, accompanied by Da Hei, set off for the Monkey troop's lair.

Along the way, the warm sunlight bathed them, and wild flowers by the roadside bloomed wantonly in a riot of colors, like a floral carpet spread across the earth.

Da Hei ran ahead joyfully, stopping occasionally to sniff the flowers, his tail wagging like a drumstick.

Soon, they reached the Monkey troop's territory.

The Monkey King spotted them from a distance and squeaked excitedly. Leading a group of Little Monkeys, he came hopping and skipping to greet them, like a group of enthusiastic little fans.

"Friend, we've come to see you! And we brought lots of delicious food," Lu Fan greeted the Monkey King with a smile, like an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time.

The monkeys stared curiously at the gifts in their hands, their eyes wide like copper bells, filled with anticipation.

Lu Fan and An Lan laid out the roast meat, salt, and honey one by one. The monkeys swarmed around them instantly, chattering away in a lively scene.

One Little Monkey was the first to grab a piece of roast meat and took a cautious bite.

Instantly, its eyes lit up. It squeaked incessantly and even did an excited somersault on the ground, as if saying, "This is too delicious!"

Seeing this, the other monkeys followed suit. For a moment, only the sound of "crunch, crunch" chewing could be heard as the aroma of roast meat filled the air.

The Monkey King also picked up a piece of roast meat and ate it with great relish, occasionally dipping it in a bit of salt with his claws, looking as if he were savoring a top-tier delicacy.

After eating, he let out a satisfied burp and gestured wildly at Lu Fan and An Lan, seemingly expressing his gratitude.

"It looks like they really enjoy roast meat. This is their first time eating cooked food; it's like opening the door to a whole new world for them," An Lan said with a smile, her eyes full of mirth.

"Yeah, look how excited they are. It's like they've found a treasure," Lu Fan said, infected by the monkeys' enthusiasm, grinning from ear to ear.

Just then, a mischievous Little Monkey discovered the honey. It curiously approached, dipped a claw in, and took a taste.

Instantly, a look of ecstasy appeared on its face. It then hugged the honey jar tightly, refusing to let go, as if it were holding a rare treasure.

Seeing this, the other monkeys swarmed forward to snatch it, and for a moment, chaos ensued.

"Haha, these little guys are almost coming to blows over the honey." Lu Fan laughed until he was doubled over at the comical sight.

An Lan quickly stepped forward and divided the honey into small portions, giving some to each monkey.

Only then did the monkeys quiet down, each eating until their mouths were covered in honey, looking incredibly adorable.

After they had their fill of food and drink, the monkeys surrounded Lu Fan and An Lan, jumping up and down. They even occasionally massaged their shoulders and thumped their legs, making the two of them burst into laughter.

Then, they started playing games with the Monkey troop.

Lu Fan and An Lan taught the monkeys how to throw pebbles and play hide-and-seek. The monkeys learned quickly and had the time of their lives.

Da Hei joined in as well, chasing and being chased by the monkeys in a very joyful scene.

Before they knew it, the sun was high in the sky. Lu Fan and An Lan knew it was time to head back; they couldn't afford to get too caught up in play.

"Friend, we have to go. We'll come to see you again next time," Lu Fan said to the Monkey King reluctantly.

The monkeys gathered around, tugging at their clothes and squeaking as if trying to get them to stay.

Lu Fan and An Lan waved goodbye, and the Monkey troop mimicked them, waving back.

Having bid farewell to the enthusiastic Monkey troop, Lu Fan and An Lan, with Da Hei, began their journey back.

Along the way, the warm sunlight continued to bathe them.

Lu Fan also took an axe out of his back basket. One of their goals for coming out this time was to gather firewood.

After all, they used it every day in the Shelter, and the consumption of firewood was quite high.

So, the two of them found some dry branches by the roadside, and Lu Fan, holding the sharp axe, began to chop firewood efficiently.

Da Hei ran around joyfully nearby, occasionally approaching Lu Fan with his tail wagging like a propeller, seemingly wanting to help.

As he chopped, Lu Fan's gaze was drawn to an exceptionally thick, dried-up pine tree.

This pine tree stood out from the rest, its branches twisted like those of an old man who had weathered many storms.

"An Lan, look at that pine tree. It's so big; if we chop it down for firewood, it'll surely last us a long time!"

Lu Fan pointed at the tree excitedly, his eyes gleaming as if he could already see the warm campfire of the future.

An Lan looked in the direction he was pointing and nodded slightly. "Indeed. But that tree looks quite old; it might be hundreds of years old. It's a pity it's dead."

Lu Fan strode up to the pine tree, raised his axe, and swung it down with confidence.

With a "thud," the axe struck the tree, but the sound was a bit off—hollow and muffled, like striking a broken drum.

"Strange, why does it sound so weird?" Lu Fan frowned and struck it a few more times.

As the bark peeled away, a startling discovery was revealed to them—the inside of the trunk was actually hollow.

[Discovered a Squirrel Hole]

"An Lan, come quickly! A Squirrel Hole!" Lu Fan couldn't help but laugh.

An Lan leaned in curiously. The moment she saw the hollow in the tree, her eyes went wide. "My goodness, there's something inside!"