Chapter 100: Fruit Bar - Read Before Bed (Caution)

The sky outside the window had darkened at some point, and the wind howled incessantly, making the windows rattle loudly.

In the small kitchen, the yellow light came on, warmly shining on each tiny little person.

They had finished picking corn kernels and were sitting around a plate made of plastic wrap, staring wide-eyed at the new snacks laid out on it, discussing them with curiosity.

"This snack... doesn't it still look like rice?"

"I think it's different, this is fried rice!"

"Ning Jia just said that it's called rice crust, not fried rice!"

"This... this fruit cake, there's nothing in it, it's just rice, how can it taste good?"

"It's rice crackers!!"

While correcting her, He Meng proudly picked up a golden rice crust the size of a coin and said, "Let me taste it!"

Huh, why has this rice become so hard...?

He Meng hesitated for a moment, then took a small bite of the rice crust.

Hmm...it's alright, not as hard as I imagined. Hmm...it's crunchy, salty, and has a hint of scallion flavor. Hmm...let her take another bite, to really taste what it's like...

The other little people watched helplessly as He Meng ate the crispy rice crust with gusto, completely oblivious to sharing her thoughts. They all understood immediately and rushed over, each grabbing a small piece and starting to eat.

Hmm, it's a bit hard at first bite, but then it becomes quite fragrant when you chew it? It's salty and savory, and actually quite delicious?

And, for some reason, this thing seems to have a magical power; the more you chew it, the more fragrant it becomes, the more fragrant it becomes, the more fragrant it becomes...

Once they finished a piece of crispy rice, the little ones were instantly hooked!

They were so engrossed in eating the crispy rice crusts that they had completely forgotten about eating popcorn.

At this moment, the mountain of corn on the cooking counter had disappeared, and Ning Jia was carrying a large basket, pouring the corn kernels from the basket into the iron pot.

A tantalizing aroma quickly filled the entire kitchen, and the little ones were enveloped in the fragrance of popping corn.

He Meng hesitated for a moment, then stood up with the rice crust in her arms. Just as she was about to run towards the stove, Ning Jia had already brought the pot over.

Holding the spatula, she placed a few kernels of popcorn in the plastic wrap plate according to the number of people, said "Be careful, it's hot," and then carried the pot back.

The children looked at the crispy rice crust in their hands, then at the popcorn in their bowls, and were unsure which to eat.

Finally, everyone simply stopped choosing. Holding a piece of crispy rice crust in their left hand and a piece of popcorn in their right, they would take a bite of the crispy and salty rice crust, crunch crunch, and then take a bite of the sweet and crispy popcorn, sizzle sizzle... For a moment, they just couldn't stop!

Ning Jia was putting a pot of popcorn that had cooled down into a large food resealable bag, and took a quick look at the little people's immersive mukbang.

Seeing them with their cheeks puffed out, constantly chewing, eating sweet and then salty, trapped in an endless cycle of sweet and salty, I couldn't help but remind them:

"Don't eat too much, or you'll get indigestion and won't be able to poop tomorrow."

The words "can't poop" were like a heavy hammer blow, waking up the little ones who had been eating voraciously.

They reluctantly finished their snacks, and just as they licked the crumbs off their lips, Ning Jia quickly took away the remaining rice crackers.

ah--

A series of disappointed gasps rang out, while Ning Jia smiled and said:

"Alright, stop wailing. It's not like we won't be able to eat it again. I'll make you some crispy rice crust with vegetables when I have time!"

Soon, the little ones in the living room also got to enjoy the fragrant and crispy rice crust.

Just as they were getting really into chewing, they suddenly realized that there wasn't a single piece of crispy rice left!

Why--

I've only just begun to taste it; I haven't had enough yet...

For a moment, sighs of regret echoed throughout the living room.

When Ning Jia carried the freshly made egg rolls and popcorn, bag after bag, into the living room, everyone's sighs turned into delighted laughter.

Little Lolo, sucking her fingers and drooling, said to Tuantuan:

"Typhoon days aren't scary at all, and there's so much delicious food! I'm so happy!"

Tuantuan savored the deliciousness of the crispy rice crust and nodded vigorously:

"I also think it's really fun during typhoon days!"

These little ones are still young and don't have any deep memories of the disasters that happened in the forest.

Perhaps, when they grow up, their impression of typhoon days will no longer be fear and sadness, but rather... a warm home filled with the sweet scent of happiness.

...

Unlike the carefree little ones, their elders, even those who are only slightly older than them like Guoguo and Xingxing, vividly remember the scenes of strong winds raging in the forest.

Listening to the increasingly loud wind and rain outside the house, everyone suddenly fell silent.

The wind seemed to be just as strong then, blowing all those big trees down...

The once lively living room gradually fell silent.

Even the little ones who were playing around were affected by the solemn atmosphere, blinking their big eyes and sitting obediently next to the adults.

In the kitchen, Ning Jia was still busy finishing up the last bit of work.

She gathered up everything that was exposed, unplugged the appliances, turned off the gas valve, and checked if the windows were leaking air.

After doing all this, she closed and locked the glass sliding door, and then stuck a cross-shaped strip of tape on it, officially "sealing" the entire kitchen.

She quickly took a shower, dried her hair, washed her dirty clothes and hung them in the bathroom, then checked each room for anything unusual. Only after feeling that everything was ready did she walk into the living room, pick up the remote control, and turn off the living room air conditioner.

"It seems to have cooled down; it's not too hot even without the air conditioning on."

She unplugged the air conditioner, checked the latest weather forecast on her phone, and sure enough, the temperature had dropped several degrees due to the wind and rain.

It's evening now, and there's even a slight chill in the air.

"Although the air conditioning is off, the temperature has dropped, so remember to cover yourself well with a blanket tonight."

Ning Jia looked at her phone and spoke to the little figures in the living room, only to find that no one responded.

At this moment, the little people were all sitting around the coffee table, chanting something in a low voice.

The chanting sounded gentle yet melancholic. Ning Jia's gaze swept over the familiar little faces, and she couldn't help but pause in surprise:

Why do everyone's faces look so sad?

The melodious chanting soon ended, and Canglan slowly stood in the center of the crowd, speaking softly:

"Those things we can't forget, we don't need to deliberately forget them. Only by remembering the sacrifices made by our people can we truly cherish the good days we have now..."

A look of realization flashed across Ning Jia's eyes.

It turns out they were commemorating their deceased clansmen.

She stood silently to the side, not disturbing their solemn atmosphere.

Ning Jia had never asked the dwarfs why they had traveled thousands of miles from the forest to the city.

At that moment, standing not far away, looking at so many little faces filled with sadness, she suddenly understood everything.

The mother of winter melon, the parents of He Meng, and the father of snow grass and licorice...

Those tribespeople who were never mentioned by them were probably all sleeping in the distant forests.

Seeing the little people clasp their hands together and whisper prayers to the tree spirit, Ning Jia also silently prayed in her heart...

...

After the dwarfs finished their memorial ceremony and dispersed, the heavy atmosphere gradually dissipated, and the expressions on everyone's faces softened considerably.

But compared to their usual lively and cheerful demeanor, the little people were too quiet tonight, like a sky covered by dark clouds, no longer as clear and bright as before.

Seeing the little ones listlessly huddled on the sofa, Ning Jia quickly sat down as well. After observing their expressions while drinking water, she suddenly cleared her throat and broke the silence:

"Since it's still early before bed, how about some pre-sleep entertainment?"

The little people all shook their heads with little interest:

"I don't want to play soccer today." "I don't want to sing either." "I don't want to play musical chairs either..."

Guoguo eagerly raised her little hand, "Can I watch Tom and Jerry?"

Ning Jia shook her head regretfully, "No, we can't turn on the TV tonight."

Guoguo lowered her hand in disappointment, then raised it again, "Can I have another popcorn?"

"...That's not possible either."

"All right."

Guoguo sighed softly, then crawled back under the handkerchief blanket she shared with Xingxing, and remained silent.

Seeing everyone sprawled on the sofa, looking completely uninterested, Ning Jia thought that playing games at this time might not be a good idea. So what else could they do?

A scene from her late-night dorm room chats in college suddenly flashed through her mind. Her eyes darted around, and she abruptly said:

"How about we tell ghost stories?"

On a dark and windy night, it's the perfect time to talk about ghosts.

Back in school, Ning Jia and her roommates often held "ghost story competitions" after lights out to increase the excitement of their dorm life. She had collected a whole bunch of interesting little stories.

Ning Jia was pondering which ghost story to begin with when Xue Cao suddenly raised her head and asked loudly:

"Ning Jia, what is a ghost?"

The others were also intrigued and asked in quick succession:

"Are ghosts delicious?" "Are they fruit?" "I think they're probably desserts."

The little ones started discussing it seriously, as if they had just forgotten the delicious snacks they had just eaten. The more they talked, the more outrageous it became, and some of them were so hungry that their mouths were practically watering.

Ning Jia, standing to the side: ...

I almost forgot, the Lilliputians' beliefs are different from ours; they don't have the concept of "ghosts" at all...

She gave a brief explanation of what a "ghost" actually was, and then casually told a few short anecdotes about ghosts as examples. As expected, the children were completely confused and started chattering with all sorts of questions:

"If red clothes can attract ghosts, then the female lead can just wear other colors. Why does she have to wear red? Is she stupid?"

"That's strange. Ghosts can't be seen or touched, so they're completely harmless. What's there to be afraid of?"

Other little people said:

"I think ghosts are so pitiful. Not only can they not be seen by people, but they also can't eat delicious food! They are so pitiful!"

"Because they can't get any good food, the ghosts are angry, so they go and scare people..."

"In short, ghosts are just pitiful!"

Seeing that the topic had completely veered off course, Ning Jia reluctantly abandoned her carefully prepared captivating little story and instead said:

"Forget it, ghost stories that happen in the city might be hard for you to understand. How about I tell you one from ancient times?"

After thinking for a moment, she naturally thought of the very famous story of the scholar and the female ghost.

"Long, long ago, on a pitch-black night, a sudden downpour began in the desolate wilderness..."

Ning Jia thought she had told the story vividly and engagingly, but to her surprise, even as the story was almost over, the children showed little reaction and instead started pointing out various common-sense errors Ning Jia had made:

"The forest at night isn't like that at all! You're completely wrong!"

"Our clan has lived in the forest for a very, very long time, and we've never encountered this Xiaoqian you're talking about..."

"That's right!"

"And what about that tree spirit? How could a tree be a bad person? You're talking nonsense!"

"By the Tree God, Ning Jia was just talking nonsense, please don't take it seriously~"

Ning Jia's face flashed with helplessness, and she couldn't continue speaking at all:

Why do the little people have so many questions? It's making her lose focus!

"No, aren't you scared at all?"

The little ones were already yawning. "Why are we scared?"

"Because telling these stories is to increase the mystery of the night and create a more exciting atmosphere, that's what makes it fun."

What happened?

Why isn't anyone scared at all? What happened to the exciting, stormy night we were promised?

The little people then realized:

So that's why Ning Jia told ghost stories.

But the stories she just told weren't scary at all.

The petty people, who were feeling utterly bored, were also quite disappointed and said to Ning Jia:

"Think quickly, are there any even scarier stories?"

Ning Jia perked up and shared a few more treasured little stories. However, her mouth was almost dry from talking, and the little people's only reaction was to yawn more and more.

If this continues, ghost stories will turn into hypnosis stories!

A hint of frustration flashed in Ning Jia's eyes as she frantically searched her mind for any stories that could frighten the little people...

She refused to believe that she couldn't scare the little people tonight.

The wind howled outside, rattling against the window. Ning Jia's eyes darted around, and she suddenly said:

Do you know the Black Mountain Demon in the forest?

...

"Aaaaaaah!" "Aaaaaah!" "Aaaaaah!"

The quiet living room suddenly became noisy, with the little ones screaming incessantly, their little bodies trembling with fear, and they huddled tightly together with their relatives and friends.

The older children, with their rich experience, weren't frightened, while the very young ones didn't understand at all. Only the middle-aged children were completely terrified.

Bai Su, Xue Cao, Ju Ye, Dao Ya, and a few other girls huddled together in a corner of the sofa, with Ju Ye muttering to herself:

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, it's all fake, there's no Black Mountain Demon in the world... Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, it's all fake..."

Just then, a series of loud knocking sounds came from outside the window. Ju Ye was so frightened that she cried out, "The old demon is coming!" and quickly covered her head with her handkerchief.

Shi Ying sat alone to the side, watching Gan Cao, Dong Kui, and Su Mu huddle together, her little face tense, trying hard to appear calm.

But listening to the whistling wind, he felt uneasy, and his fear grew stronger and stronger... He broke down in a few seconds and quickly sat down next to the licorice.

It feels safer when everyone is close together!

Even He Meng, the boldest of the younger generation, was terrified. Trembling, she wrapped herself in a small handkerchief, turning herself into a long, thin dumpling, and clung tightly to Zhe Lan's hand.

"Mom, Mom, I'm scared!"

Zelan offered a few words of soft comfort, then turned and smiled helplessly at Canglan, who was trying to soothe the other tribespeople.

Young people are easily swayed by beliefs; what kind of Black Mountain Demon is this?

What's truly terrifying isn't these non-existent demons and monsters, but rather the natural and man-made disasters that strike from the sky...

...

Ning Jia never expected that a mere "Black Mountain Demon" would cause such a commotion.

Seeing the group of little people who were terrified, she regretted it and quickly tried to make amends by telling a series of funny jokes and listing a bunch of dishes she promised to make for the little people in the future, finally calming them down.

The once lively living room fell silent again.

On the sofa covered with a soft blanket, the little ones were fast asleep, sprawled out in various places, while others lay in twos and threes under the coffee table, wrapped in their little blankets and snoring away...

This time, it really is time to go to bed.

"Phew, I'm exhausted..."

After a long day, Ning Jia felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. She lay down on the sofa, wrapped herself in a blanket, and quickly fell asleep with her head tilted to the side.

In the still of the night, only the howling wind could be heard outside the window.

Ning Jia was lying on the sofa wrapped in a blanket, just about to drift off to sleep, when she felt an itch on her hand, which startled her so much that she immediately opened her eyes!

She slowly sat up, and in the dim light of the nightlight, took a closer look—

What? It was He Meng!

The little boy, with his messy, light-colored hair from sleeping, looked anxiously at Ning Jia's hand and bounced around like a big spring.

"...He Meng, what's wrong?"

Ning Jia leaned closer to the little figure and asked in a low voice.

He Meng eagerly clenched her little bottom:

"Ning Jia, I... I need to pee!"

Ning Jia: "Then let's go to the restroom."

"But, but I'm scared!"

He Meng was both anxious and scared, and kept jumping around:

"I'm so scared! Didn't you say that the Black Mountain Demon only comes out at night?!"

Ning Jia: ? ? ?

He Meng suddenly stopped jumping, grabbed Ning Jia's finger, and her little face was full of pleading:

"Please come with me, please."

"Okay, I'll go with you."

Seeing He Meng looking so pitiful, Ning Jia was both amused and exasperated. She picked her up and carried her to the bathroom quietly.

Deng Hemeng jumped into the Lilliputian-specific toilet like a little cannonball, while Ning Jia stood at the door like a door god, acting as a mascot.

"Thank you, Ning Jia~"

He Meng successfully resolved her physiological needs, and her mood improved. She wrapped herself in a small handkerchief and fell asleep sweetly.

Not long after, she suddenly wrinkled her little nose, feeling an itch on her face.

Ahhh, it's the Black Mountain Demon!!!

She trembled with fright, clutching the blanket tightly in her little hands, closing her eyes close, pretending to be fast asleep, and silently repeating to herself:

I can't see me, ......

But this trick didn't work at all!

Amidst the mournful sound of the wind, a woman's voice drifted out softly:

"He Meng?...He Meng?"

"He Meng, are you asleep?"

He Meng was so frightened that her heart pounded so hard she almost couldn't breathe.

Oh my god, how does the Black Mountain Demon even know her name?!

Oh no, I'm really going to be eaten!

"Oh, so she was asleep?"

The woman's voice seemed somewhat disappointed and gradually faded away.

Hmm, He Meng twitched her little ears, feeling that the voice sounded strangely familiar. She couldn't help but peek through her eyelids, squeezing one eye to look over—

A huge figure was seen hunched over beside the sofa, looking somewhat anxious.

What the heck!

He Meng suddenly opened her eyes, somewhat speechless, and crawled out of the blanket. She jumped onto the figure's arm and gave it a gentle pinch.

"Ning Jia, what are you doing? You suddenly scared me!"

Aaaaaah!

The unusual thing on her arm startled Ning Jia so much that she almost screamed on the spot, but after discovering that it was He Meng, her surprise turned to joy:

"He Meng, so you weren't asleep?"

He Meng said irritably, "I was just about to fall asleep when you woke me up."

"Sorry, sorry," Ning Jia said, somewhat embarrassed but also very anxiously.

"Um, He Meng..."

"What's the matter?"

"...Could you come with me to the restroom?"

...