Chapter 7: 707 Clumsy Lies

"My dear granddaughter, you have never been to the mountains; how could you know so many things? You even know that hedgehog fruit is edible?" Li Fujin wasn't doubting Li Menglan, he was just very curious and wanted to know exactly what was going on.

Li Menglan had already thought of a strategy on the way back: "Father, Mother, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, all of you come and sit down. I will only say this once; I won't say it again after this, and you are not allowed to ask again, nor are you allowed to tell anyone else." Li Menglan deliberately put on a serious expression and spoke with gravity.

"Lan-ya-tou, what is it that you're making such a big deal about?" Zhang Yuniang looked at Li Menglan with a face full of astonishment.

"Sigh... wife, why don't you stop asking and just listen to what Lan-ya-tou has to say first?" Li Dazhu was truly a good man, only one step away from being a paragon of filial piety.

"My dear granddaughter, your father, mother, and brothers are all here; can you tell us what it is now?" Li Fujin said with a chuckle.

"You must promise me that this matter cannot be leaked out." Li Menglan sought their guarantee repeatedly.

Uh... what matter? Is it really that serious? Li Fujin, Lin Sanniang, Li Dazhu, Zhang Yuniang... and even the two brothers, Li Zhiming and Li Zhihao, all looked at each other in confusion. Driven by curiosity, they each gave Li Menglan their word one by one.

Li Menglan knew that ancients were generally quite reverent toward gods and deities. On the way back, she had already prepared her script; she didn't want to have to find ways to explain things for half the day every time she did something in the future. This time... Li Menglan planned to use this method to resolve the matter once and for all.

Li Menglan weighed her words and carefully glanced at her grandfather, Li Fujin: "Grandpa, do you believe that there are immortals in this world?"

Uh... what? Immortals? From ancient times to the present, immortals have been mentioned by many people, yet no one had ever actually seen a so-called immortal.

"My dear granddaughter, you... why would you ask such a question?" Li Fujin was stunned for a moment, then asked with a face full of pleasant surprise: "My dear granddaughter, could it be that you..." Because he was too excited, Li Fujin's entire body began to tremble.

With a 'swish,' the men and women, young and old, big and small of the Li family all had eyes shining brightly, staring intently at Li Menglan without letting go.

Seeing her family's fervent gazes, Li Menglan suddenly felt a bit creeped out; uh... is this lie of mine really going to be okay? But the arrow was already on the string and had to be shot; if she died, she died!

"Grandpa, Grandma, Father, Mother, and Eldest Brother, Second Brother." Li Menglan called out the names of all her family members one by one: "I know that what I am about to say might sound a bit nonsensical, but please believe that it is all true."

"Nonsense, Lan-ya-tou, you are your father's and mother's daughter; your mother and father both believe that you would absolutely never lie to us," Zhang Yuniang said to Li Menglan with absolute certainty.

Hearing Zhang Yuniang's words, Li Menglan felt a warmth in her heart, which further strengthened her determination to let the Li family live a good life; as for that tiny bit of guilt in her heart, she simply ignored it.

"Mhm." Li Fujin and Lin Sanniang also nodded: "Grandpa naturally believes my dear granddaughter's words."

"Grandma also believes Lan-ya-tou won't lie."

As for the other two brothers, Li Zhiming and Li Zhihao, how could they possibly doubt their only younger sister?

"The matter is like this..." Immediately, Li Menglan spoke out the excuse she had prepared long ago.

There is a saying that goes quite well: whether it's a black cat or a white cat, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat. This logic worked quite well for Li Menglan; the excuse she used was very cliché... but it was very effective, especially since... Li Menglan possessed a group of family members who loved her very much; naturally, they were even less likely to doubt her story.

Li Menglan told her grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, and brothers that while she was unconscious, a white-bearded old man would enter her dreams every day; he said he was the Mountain God of this Crooked Neck Mountain and was moved by her father's filial piety; therefore, he specifically entered her dreams to tell her that there were many treasures on this Crooked Neck Mountain, so that she could gradually improve the family's life in the future.

This was why she knew that hedgehog fruit was edible. And those red things called chili peppers—they weren't some kind of wild fruit, but a type of food that could be used as a vegetable.

Li Menglan also knew that there were many loopholes in her words, and she had already mentally prepared herself to answer various questions from the Li family. It had to be said... the people of the Li family were truly kind and truly loved Li Menglan; none of them had even thought to doubt her; once Li Menglan said it, everyone believed it.

Not only did they believe her without reservation, but they were all faces full of excitement, praising Li Menglan incessantly...

"Hahaha... Grandpa knew it, my dear granddaughter is a blessed person." This voice and tone could only belong to the head of the Li family—Li Fujin.

"Sister, you are so smart!"

"Right, sister, if you see any treasures in the future, tell Second Brother; Second Brother will help you get them."

"Lan-ya-tou, Father will go catch a wild chicken first; tonight we will all have a good meal." Li Dazhu's words were the most pleasing to hear.

Li Menglan quickly ran over from Li Fujin's side: "Father, I'll go wash some chilies; later, I'll have Mother stir-fry them with the wild chicken. I guarantee you all will love it."

Kung Pao Chicken, Spicy Chicken pieces, Mouth-watering Chicken... one delicious, spicy dish after another flashed through Li Menglan's mind, and she couldn't help but smack her lips; uh... her stomach seemed to growl along with them.

"Mother, I'll go help you tend the fire." Seeing his sister's expression, Li Zhihao thought, mmm... it seemed his own stomach was growling too.

"Eldest Brother, you help peel some chestnuts; later, I'll have Mother make us something delicious." Li Menglan suddenly thought of the chestnut-braised duck she had eaten before. Since chestnuts could be used to stir-fry duck, what about wild chicken? Could it also be stir-fried with chestnuts? Li Menglan planned to try it.

Glancing at her grandfather and grandmother sitting on their stools, Li Menglan decided to take advantage of the time while her father went to catch the wild chicken to make some boiled chestnuts for Li Fujin and Lin Sanniang to taste first.

Although it was already late and the Li family had not yet eaten dinner, everyone's face was filled with happy smiles, full of anticipation for tomorrow. Tonight—in the hearts of the Li family members—was a brand new beginning, and their lives would surely get better and better.