Lu Fan responded with a smile, his voice steady and powerful, giving people a great sense of security: "It's okay, I'm here, you won't fall. Even if you do fall, I'll be your cushion."

But as soon as he finished speaking, he slipped.

"Sea Bull~"

He instantly lost his balance, his hands flailing wildly in the air, and he almost fell flat on his face.

An Lan couldn't help but burst out laughing, her eyes full of amusement: "Hahaha, I think you're in deep trouble yourself!"

The crisp laughter echoed through the silent forest, adding a touch of ease to the arduous journey home.

Once they reached level ground, Lu Fan picked An Lan up on his back again without saying a word.

An Lan couldn't resist him, so she could only obediently lie on his back and gently wrap her arms around his neck.

As she watched as a layer of snow accumulated on Lu Fan's hair, resembling a sprinkle of white sugar, a warm feeling welled up in An Lan's heart. She gently brushed it away with her hand, her movements soft and careful.

Lu Fan felt her movement, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly, as if the cold of the icy world had been dispelled without a trace by this small gesture.

When they finally returned to the sanctuary, the monkeys were already gathered around the fire to keep warm.

The firelight danced merrily, illuminating their furry faces and outlining the contours of each monkey with warmth and softness.

The Monkey King squatted beside the fire, his eyes fixed on the flickering flames, filled with curiosity and longing.

It tilted its head, stretched out its paw, and slowly approached the flame. But just as it was about to touch it, it quickly withdrew as if it had been electrocuted, clearly showing both awe and longing for the fire.

Lu Fan saw through the Monkey King's thoughts, and with a gentle smile on his face, he quickly walked into the house and took out a flint and a stone.

He squatted down next to the monkey king and began to skillfully demonstrate how to start a fire with flint.

He held the stone in both hands and rhythmically struck the flint. With a few "tap-tap" sounds, sparks flew everywhere, like fireworks blooming in the night sky.

The dry grass in the fire was instantly ignited, and the flames shot up with a "whoosh," illuminating everything around them.

The Monkey King's eyes widened, his mouth gaped open, and his face was filled with shock and excitement, as if he had witnessed some incredible magic.

"Look, this is the secret of fire."

Lu Fan handed the flint to the Monkey King, his tone earnest and patient, "However, you must be careful when using fire, and not act recklessly, otherwise it will cause a fire. Fire can be used to keep warm, and it can also be used to roast meat, but you must be careful."

As he spoke, he pointed to the roaring fire, his eyes revealing concern and admonition.

The Monkey King took the flint and held it carefully in his hands, as if he were holding a rare treasure.

It imitated Lu Fan, striking flint with a stone. At first, there was only a dull thud, without a single spark.

But the Monkey King did not give up. After several attempts, he finally managed to get a few sparks out. Although they were faint, they made the Monkey King so excited that he danced with joy.

Its tail was held high as it hopped and jumped around, squeaking incessantly.

The other monkeys were also drawn over, surrounding the monkey king with curious eyes, chattering amongst themselves.

Looking at this amusing scene, An Lan couldn't help but laugh and said, "I'm reminded of the story of Prometheus stealing fire from my elementary school Chinese textbook. He stole fire to benefit his people, but he himself was tied to a cliff by Zeus and suffered."

Her eyes held a hint of emotion, as if she had traveled through time and space to see the hero who stole fire for mankind.

Lu Fan smiled, a sly glint in his eyes: "I'm also reminded of a saying, 'The early bird catches the worm, but the early bird catches Prometheus.'"

"You're a devil."

An Lan couldn't help but roll her eyes at him, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up.

As night fell and darkness descended, the atmosphere around the fire grew even warmer. The monkeys huddled together, enjoying the warmth of the flames.

The monkey king would occasionally strike the flint, sending up a few sparks, which drew cheers from the other monkeys.

Finally, it successfully lit a small clump of grass, and the flames burned merrily, illuminating its excited face.

The Monkey King was so excited that he spun around on the spot, waving his hands as if celebrating a great victory.

Then the monkey king led the troop back to their nest, their shadows stretched long in the firelight.

The Monkey King walked at the front, glancing back at his companions from time to time, his eyes filled with pride and a sense of responsibility.

As it was leaving, the Monkey King turned around and waved goodbye to Lu Fan and An Lan happily. Its paws waved in the air, and it squeaked as if to say, "Thank you, I had a really fun day!"

Lu Fan waved goodbye to the monkeys, then sat with An Lan around the fire. The blazing flames made their faces glow red, and the warmth spread around them, dispelling the fatigue of the day.

Lu Fan and An Lan sat casually on the ground by the warm campfire. The leaping flames crackled and popped from time to time, adding a lively touch to the quiet night.

The two shadows were stretched long by the firelight, intertwining on the ground.

As we chatted, the topic naturally shifted to dreams.

Lu Fan poked at the fire with a stick with great interest, and sparks flew everywhere, like tiny fireworks blooming in the night sky.

He turned his head, a gentle smile on his face, and looked at An Lan, his eyes full of curiosity and expectation: "An Lan, did you have any special dreams when you were a child?"

Upon hearing this, An Lan was slightly taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in her bright eyes. Then, as if she had thought of something particularly funny, she covered her mouth and burst out laughing.

His shoulders trembled slightly as he laughed so hard he almost fell over, completely immersed in the joyful mood.

"You can't laugh at me when I tell you,"

She finally regained her composure and, forcing back a laugh, said, "When I was little, I really wanted to be an adventurer, to travel the world and face all sorts of challenges!"

After saying that, she laughed even harder, her eyes narrowing into crescent moons, her cheeks flushing slightly from laughing, like peach blossoms blooming in spring.

As An Lan's laughter subsided, she gently wiped away the tears of laughter with the back of her hand, composed herself, and asked in return, "And you, Lu Fan, what was your dream when you were a child?"

Lu Fan's gaze slowly drifted into the distance, his deep eyes seeming to travel through time, returning to that carefree childhood.

A nostalgic expression unconsciously appeared on his face, a deep longing for the innocent days of the past.

He was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "When I was little, I always told others that I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up."

He paused, a slight smile playing on his lips, as if recalling a little-known secret.

"But in reality, what I truly yearn to be is a chivalrous knight-errant."

"A chivalrous knight-errant?"