You Scumbag Bird (continued)

"Heavy..." the Second Cub muttered.

Third Cub translates. "Chirp, chirp."

--My sister said you're heavy and you're pressing down on her.

"Hiss..."

--Okay, then I won't climb anymore.

The Eldest Cub took the bamboo tube containing the fruit and pushed it in front of the Little Snake.

The Third Cub chirped excitedly as they introduced themselves to the Little Snake.

--This is a new fruit called strawberry. It's especially delicious; it's my favorite. You should try some.

The Little Snake had already smelled the fragrance; she liked the red fruit, and when the Xiao Xue snowbird invited her, she immediately ate a piece.

And as expected, Strawberry gained another loyal fan.

On the parents' side, Tao Qiu also treated Green Python to strawberries.

The Green Python was so big that a bamboo tube of strawberries wouldn't even be enough to fill her teeth. If she really wanted to eat her fill, Tao Qiu would have to pick all the strawberries from an entire acre of land. So she just symbolically tasted two and then refused to eat any more.

The Green Python looked at its Second Cub Eldest Cub, dressed in shorts and skirts, on the grass and asked Tao Qiu, "Hiss..."

--Me? If I remember correctly, the things on the Xiao Xue snowbird are things only humans have, right?

The Green Python didn't know? It didn't know the specific terms of Tao Qiu's exchange with the Fox Clan, nor what his relationship was with humans.

Tao Qiu immediately started making up nonsense. "Chirp chirp, chirp chirp."

--Didn't humans always come to my territory and bother me? I stole it from them.

A few months ago, those people from Yong'an Base came to Tao Qiu's place to imitate Lou Yu's act of pretending to faint and beg for pity. It caused quite a stir; almost all the mutated monsters in the vicinity knew about it.

Although the humans' intentions are unclear, it is a fact that they have entered the Snow Bird's territory.

The Green Python almost burst out laughing when it imagined the Snow Bird snatching fabric from a human's hands.

"Hiss..."

--It's you again? Impressive.

Tao Qiu showed the same expression as the Second Cub Eldest Cub from before. "Chirp, chirp."

--Thank you for the compliment. I really am that good.

The Green Python was already used to his occasional erratic behavior, and then brought up another matter with him.

"Hiss..."

--The rabbit next door, I saw it wandering near your territory when I came over today. You should be careful.

Black Rabbit didn't enter Snow Bird's territory, nor did it do anything to harm Snow Bird. Even though Green Python was Snow Bird's ally, it couldn't do anything to Black Rabbit.

Tao Qiu recalled Black Rabbit's strange behavior when they last met, and thought, "I'll find time to talk to him and clear things up."

"Chirp chirp."

--I'll be careful.

After taking this matter to heart, Tao Qiu would always make a point of looking for the Black Rabbit whenever he went out on patrol or hunting.

However, whether it was because their hunting times hadn't coincided, or because the Black Rabbit hadn't been out recently, Tao Qiu waited for a full seven days before finding him again on the edge of the territory.

The same familiar gaze, the same familiar actions— Tao Qiu would run away the moment she got close.

However, Tao Qiu chased after him directly this time, landing in front of Black Rabbit and blocking his path.

Tao Qiu opened the door and saw Shan Di asking questions.

--Hey bro, what's up? Can you just tell me directly? Stop secretly watching me, it's scary, okay?

He should have kept quiet. But the moment he asked, the previously quiet and gloomy Black Rabbit suddenly howled, its hind legs slamming into the ground, creating a crater. It panted heavily like an ox, glaring at Tao Qiu with its red eyes.

"Roar--"

--You? You have the nerve to ask? Don't you know what you did? I thought I treated you pretty well, right? You said you wanted to find plants, so I let you roam freely in my territory. The Green Python wanted to cause you trouble, and I warned you. And what happened? You turned around and went off to be all lovey-dovey with her!

--That's one thing, but those treacherous Fox Clan members, you've also befriended them, and even the humans they eat, you've secretly associated with them. Don't think I don't know, I saw it all!

--You have a secret, a very important secret. I can understand why you didn't tell me, but now everyone in the world knows your secret, yet you're keeping it from me!

Snow Bird! How could you possibly do this to me?!

Black Rabbit wasn't actually that angry at first.

Although his relationship with Snow Bird was good, it wasn't close enough for them to confide in each other, so Snow Bird kept everything from him? Did he have no objections?

But he watched as Green Python, Fox Clan, and humans openly entered the Snow Bird's territory and took away things whose contents he didn't know.

Black Rabbit gradually became resentful.

But he really had no reason to question Snow Bird, so he could only sulk. What was wrong? He could glare at Snow Bird again, trying to vent his anger through this behavior. But unexpectedly, the more he looked at Snow Bird, the angrier he became.

If Snow Bird hadn't come to ask him, he could have just let it go and been angry. But as soon as Snow Bird said those words, the resentment that Black Rabbit had been holding in was immediately detonated like a bomb.

Tao Qiu was so startled by Black Rabbit's roar that he fell backward. As Black Rabbit recounted these incidents, Tao Qiu gradually felt a pang of guilt.

He really does seem a bit of a jerk...

After venting his pent-up grievances in one breath, Black Rabbit was panting, but when he met Snow Bird's innocent eyes, he suddenly felt ashamed.

Why tell Snow Bird everything on my mind? What if he laughs at me?

The Black Rabbit avoided the Snow Bird's gaze and panicked, trying to escape.

Tao Qiu stopped him again and said, "Chirp chirp?"

--You? You just left like that?

Black Rabbit awkwardly asked, "Roar?"

--What else?

Tao Qiu: "Chirp chirp?"

--You want to know my secret?

Black Rabbit raised its head in surprise. "Roar?"

--Are you willing to tell me?

Tao Qiu nodded.

Since things have come to this point, it seems that having one more Black Rabbit who knows the truth makes little difference.

Moreover, Black Rabbit's words made some sense. He had found carrots and black pears in Black Rabbit's territory, and Black Rabbit had even reminded him to be careful of the Green Python. He did owe Black Rabbit a favor.

Moreover, even though Black Rabbit resented him so much, she didn't venture into his valley or sneak into his territory to spy on him. His character was still trustworthy.

It shouldn't be a problem for him to know about the fruit.

"Chirp, chirp."

--Wait here for me? I'll be right back.

As the Black Rabbit watched the Snow Bird fly away, for a fleeting moment, it considered turning back and running home.

But he thought to himself, "I haven't done anything wrong, why should I be such a coward?" So he stubbornly stood there and waited.

Tao Qiu returned quickly, carrying a large white radish in her paws.

He placed the carrot in front of the Black Rabbit and said to it, "Chirp chirp."

--This is my secret.

When Black Rabbit saw the carrot, he instinctively took a step back, but the expected stench didn't appear. Instead, he smelled a unique fragrance.

Black Rabbit stared incredulously at Snow Bird: "Roar?"

--Isn't this the Stinky Ground Fruit you took from my territory? What kind of secret is that?

Tao Qiu said, "Chirp chirp?"

--Then, can you smell the stench?

"Roar..."

--No.

Black Rabbit's eyes widened. "Roar?"

--Wait, wait, your secret is that you can make Stinky Ground Fruit not stinky?

"Chirp," Tao Qiu explained patiently, "Chirp chirp, chirp chirp, chirp chirp, chirp chirp."

--Not only did it turn from smelly to fragrant, it also grew bigger and more delicious. Don't believe me? Try it!

Black Rabbit asked skeptically, "Roar?"

--You can really eat a lot!

Tao Qiu immediately bent down and took a bite of the radish. He had washed it before he came, so it was clean.

After a radish was pecked open, its aroma became even stronger.

Black Rabbit swallowed hard, both craving and curious to know if the truth was as Snow Bird had said. So, despite rarely eating vegetables, he lowered his head and took a big bite of radish, stuffing it into his mouth.

The sound of crunching came from the Black Rabbit's mouth. Tao Qiu was taken aback at first, then quickened his chewing speed, swallowed it, and then took another bite.

After two bites, the radish was reduced to just its head.

After finishing this bite, the Black Rabbit's eyes were already frighteningly bright.

"Roar?"

--Is this your seed?

Tao Qiu nodded, and asked him expectantly, "Chirp chirp?"

--How did you feel after eating it?

Black Rabbit roared.

--The taste? Very good, I'd like another one.

"Chirp chirp?"

--that's all?

Black Rabbit: "Roar?"

--What else?

Tao Qiu sighed. Another case of someone consuming crops without any effect?

Seeing this, Black Rabbit sensed something was wrong and quickly asked, "Roar?"

--What do you mean?

Tao Qiu didn't hide anything, explaining why the Green Python and the Red Fox wanted to exchange fruit with him, and how the fruit was effective against some mutated monsters but not others.

However, the conditions for the exchange with the Red Fox involved humans, and he did not reveal any details.

Black Rabbit was struck dumb. "Roar?"

--You mean, I'm one of the unlucky ones, and the fruit didn't work for me?

"Chirp..."

--Yes...

Black Rabbit really wanted to close his eyes and faint.

Fate was truly unfair to him. Before, he resented the Snow Bird for keeping it from him, but now that he knew the truth, he found that he couldn't even enjoy the special effects of the crops.

Black Rabbit is feeling resentful again.

"Roar!"

Enraged, the Black Rabbit stomped its foot hard, creating a crater in the ground, then turned and ran away, huffing and puffing, its retreating figure radiating an aura of resentment.

Tao Qiu: "..."

Will he go home and secretly cry in his bed?

Having said what needed to be said, Tao Qiu didn't chase after the Black Rabbit anymore. He picked up the last bit of carrot and slowly flew home.