Trading Rabbit for Rabbit

By the time Ye Qiu returned to his wooden cabin.

Xiao Wu, freshly bathed, was already sitting at the table in the hall.

With slender dark brows, big sparkling eyes, and damp long hair draped over her shoulders, she looked like a doll. Resting her chin in her hands, she stared at the doorway, waiting for Ye Qiu to return.

Hearing movement outside, Xiao Wu immediately stood up. Just as she was about to step out, she paused, pouted at the doorway, and said, "Ye Qiu, why did you take so long? My stomach's practically flat from hunger."

Ye Qiu rolled his eyes. Looking at the little rabbit who had returned to normal after a bath, he said irritably, "I went to Village Entrance to bring Tang San some food."

Thud! Ye Qiu set two lunch boxes on the table and pushed one toward Xiao Wu.

"Here, dig in."

"Thank you, Ye Qiu!"

Xiao Wu thanked him in a soft, gentle voice and impatiently opened the food box.

The instant she saw what was inside, her expression changed drastically, and she could not help letting out a cry.

"Ah—! Ye Qiu! How, how could this be?!"

"Ow~"

"You're so noisy! Do you need to warm up your mouth before eating?" Ye Qiu frowned and raised a hand to knock Xiao Wu on the head before finally looking into the food box.

Inside lay a plump rabbit leg.

"Ye Qiu~ Why is there a bunny...?"

Xiao Wu held her head in both hands, her face filled with heartache and grievance.

"Isn't it just a rabbit leg? You see plenty of them all over the streets. Do you need to make such a fuss?" Ye Qiu shot Xiao Wu an annoyed look and pushed his own portion toward her. "Eat mine instead."

As he spoke, Ye Qiu opened his own lunch box.

Xiao Wu only took one glance, and the grievance in her eyes deepened. She was practically about to squeeze out little pearls of tears as she wailed, "Ah! Sister Xiao Wu doesn't want to eat these."

"Hm?"

Ye Qiu frowned and looked into the box, understanding dawning in his eyes. Aside from the rabbit leg, there was also a spicy rabbit head inside.

He shook his head helplessly. "Forget it. You shouldn't eat anything either. Just make do with a couple of carrots."

Xiao Wu braced herself against the table and leaned her little face toward Ye Qiu. Looking at him pitifully, she pleaded, "Ye Qiu, how about we throw this food away?"

"Throw it away? Wouldn't that be a waste? Wouldn't that mean the rabbit died for nothing?" Ye Qiu, possessed of the virtue of thrift, immediately frowned.

"But, but..."

Xiao Wu stammered, then hurried over to Ye Qiu's side and grabbed his arm. "I-I'll compensate you."

Ye Qiu glanced sideways at Xiao Wu, completely unmoved by her act. "Compensate me? You still owe me quite a bit of money. What are you going to use to compensate me?"

"I, I can..."

Xiao Wu lightly bit her rosy lower lip. Looking at Ye Qiu's boyish face, she hesitated.

"Alright, alright."

Ye Qiu did not want to say any more. Filling his stomach came first. Without even raising his head, he used his chopsticks to pick all the rabbit meat aside. "We can't throw the food away. I just won't eat the rabbit meat."

"Ah..."

Xiao Wu's round, large crimson eyes widened in surprise, and intense delight flashed through them.

Ye Qiu turned to look at Xiao Wu.

"Is that alright now?"

"Yes, yes!"

Xiao Wu nodded happily. Pressing her red lips together, she said in a charming, bashful manner, "I'll compensate you right now."

"Compensate me? With what?"

Ye Qiu lifted his head and looked curiously at this somewhat abnormal rabbit.

"Hm?!"

The moment he looked up, Ye Qiu's black-pearl-like eyes trembled. A soft, warm pinkness pressed against his lips, seeming to carry a hint of sweetness.

The little rabbit before him was already flushed red. Her clear crimson eyes shimmered, her long lashes fluttered gently, and her pink-and-white rabbit ears swayed. Her lips moved faintly, while her earlobes and neck turned rosy and alluring.

Slap!

Ye Qiu came back to his senses and raised his hand, smacking Xiao Wu across the face before standing up and pushing her away.

"Ah!"

Xiao Wu cried out as she stumbled backward, nearly falling onto the floor.

"Stupid rabbit, what, what are you doing?!"

Heat rose to Ye Qiu's young boyish face. Taking the initiative and being taken by surprise were completely different feelings. He had never expected Xiao Wu to compensate him by trading rabbit for rabbit!

"I-I thought you liked this..."

Xiao Wu tilted up her neck, her eyes holding a trace of confusion but even more shyness. She pressed her red lips together, lowered her eyes obediently, and twisted the corner of her clothes in her fingers.

"Who said that? I think you're the one who likes it! Otherwise, why would you do this for no reason at all?"

Ye Qiu wiped the corner of his mouth and looked at Xiao Wu with a strange expression. Even if he liked that sort of thing, this was hardly the time for it. It was far too childish—far too ridiculous!

"Y-You're talking nonsense! I don't!" Hearing Ye Qiu's words, Xiao Wu immediately became flustered, as though he had hit the mark. Her face reddened so much that she could barely speak. Gritting her teeth, she said in shame and anger, "You bullied me before, too. Hmph! Stupid Ye Qiu! Fine if you don't like me. I've already made it up to you anyway!"

As soon as she finished speaking.

Xiao Wu stormed into the bedroom, separated from the main room by only a wall.

The room looked rather empty. Ye Qiu had already carried the bedboard she had gotten wet outside to dry, so she could only casually find a stool and sit down.

Holding her burning cheeks, she felt utterly aggrieved. With her lips pursed and brows furrowed, she kept muttering curses at Ye Qiu under her breath. She had gathered so much courage for this.

Thinking of Ye Qiu, Xiao Wu's pink eyes dimmed slightly. Her red lips moved faintly, though no one knew what she was thinking. There was a trace of worry in her eyes.

Did he find me disgusting?

Ye Qiu wiped his lips and watched Xiao Wu enter the room. He sat down again, a faintly smug smile appearing on his face for some reason.

After quite some time.

Ye Qiu's lunchtime was nearing its end.

Only then did Xiao Wu, sitting in the bedroom, touch her stomach. She was already uncomfortably hungry.

She looked around, stood up, and walked to the doorway.

Blushing, she said, "Ye Qiu, where did you put the carrots you brought back? I'm hungry."

Ye Qiu raised a hand and pointed at the wall separating the main room from the bedroom. "They're hanging there. Go get them yourself."

Xiao Wu looked at the cloth bag hanging on the wall and quickly took it down. She pulled out a carrot, scooped some water from the water vat to wash it, then returned inside. As she passed by, her eyes flicked toward Ye Qiu. Seeing that he was almost done eating, she went back to the table and sat down again.

Just as Xiao Wu sat down, Ye Qiu stood up and headed outside with two lunch boxes in his hands. He needed to wash them before returning them.

Xiao Wu frowned slightly, pursed her red lips, and looked at Ye Qiu in confusion.

Once Ye Qiu left, she withdrew her gaze. Holding the carrot with both hands, she parted her Sandalwood Mouth slightly and slowly brought the pointed end to her lips. It crunched loudly when she bit into it.

As she kept chewing, her gaze unconsciously drifted toward the doorway.

When Ye Qiu returned after washing the lunch boxes, he noticed the moment he entered that Xiao Wu was avoiding his eyes, her face slightly flushed.

"?" Ye Qiu looked at her oddly, then sat down at the table again. "Why do you keep looking at me? Is there something you want to say?"

"When did I keep looking at you? Stop being so full of yourself." Xiao Wu took small bites of her carrot without raising her head, giving a soft huff.

Ye Qiu raised an eyebrow.

"Then you do have something to say to me?!"

After waiting for a while, all he heard was the crisp sound of Xiao Wu chewing her carrot. Ye Qiu rolled his eyes and impatiently tapped the table.

Tap tap!

He said impatiently, "Do you have something to say or not? If not, I'm leaving."

"Ye Qiu... would you ever abandon me?" Xiao Wu lowered her head, nibbling on her carrot, her voice very soft.

Wishing everyone a happy life!