The gray rabbit actually dropped to its knees before Li Ping'an.
Li Ping'an paused slightly, then smiled with interest.
Kneeling before Li Ping'an, the gray rabbit produced a few more carrots.
It pointed at the white rabbit in Li Ping'an's hand.
It chattered away, unable to speak, but its meaning was clear.
It wanted to trade the carrots it held for the white rabbit in Li Ping'an's hand.
The carrots looked good. Having carrots like these at this time of year was no easy feat.
After a moment's hesitation, Li Ping'an reached out and accepted the carrots.
Delighted, the gray rabbit hurriedly kowtowed to Li Ping'an twice more.
Li Ping'an accepted the carrots and nodded in satisfaction.
Suddenly, he reached out again, his hand moving swiftly.
Before the gray rabbit could react, he grabbed it.
Li Ping'an said, "Mm, now I have two rabbits."
The gray rabbit looked terrified, on the verge of tears.
How could you go back on your word like that?
Li Ping'an smiled faintly. "How about this? Take me to find more carrots, and I'll let you go."
The gray rabbit and the white rabbit exchanged a glance.
They seemed to understand that they were fish on the chopping block, while he held the knife. They had no choice but to trust him.
And so they led Li Ping'an to their burrow.
The gray rabbit glanced back at the white rabbit clutched in Li Ping'an's hand.
Soon, it dug a small mountain of carrots out of the burrow.
This was their food for the winter, as well as the betrothal gift the gray rabbit had offered when proposing to the white rabbit.
The gray rabbit pushed the carrots forward, as though saying, "Just let my wife go, and all of these are yours."
Li Ping'an reached