Chapter 66: Is That Your Rabbit to Take?

Yun Jiao successfully traded one big rabbit for two little ones, one black and one white.

The fluffy little things had just opened their eyes and were only slightly bigger than mice.

Another of the small ones was a common gray. Since it was too little to eat, she gave it to Shen Xiuyuan.

"Should we roast the rabbit meat now?"

There were too many people to split the rabbits evenly, so they decided to just roast and eat the meat on the spot.

"Hehe, I brought salt."

One of the kids took out a small pinch of salt wrapped in newspaper.

He had brought it precisely because he was hoping they’d catch something to roast on the mountain.

Yun Jiao contributed one rabbit as well. The remaining four had their feet swiftly tied and were tossed into a back basket.

And then there was the snake.

Kids in the countryside mature early. By around ten, they could already help with the cooking at home. Some girls who weren’t even as tall as the stove had to stand on stools to cook.

Everyone split up the work. They went to the stream to slaughter the rabbits, looked for some wild scallions, and plucked some green peppercorns from a wild Sichuan pepper tree.

Someone else went to their family’s cornfield and broke off a few ears of corn on the spot.

Others went to dig up some sweet potatoes.

Most of the land on this part of the mountain belonged to people from their village, and they could recognize their own family’s plots. Anyway, if they saw something edible, they picked it.

Someone even came back with chili peppers.

"Shen Xiuyuan, I... I found a beehive!"

Everyone’s eyes instantly lit up. "We were just worried we didn’t have all the seasonings! Where is it?"

Yun Jiao’s big eyes shone particularly brightly. ’A beehive! Doesn’t that mean there’s sweet, delicious honey?’

"Over there, in a crack between the rocks. I didn’t dare get too close."

"Let’s go, let’s go! Let’s go see."

A few people were left behind to stand guard while the rest went to find the bees.

Yun Jiao wanted to go too.

Shen Xiuyuan was worried.

"Jiaojiao, can you not go? Getting stung by a bee hurts a lot, and it’ll swell up."

Yun Jiao looked at him with pleading eyes. "But I want to go."

A Merfolk who ran rampant in the great seas would never be afraid of a few little bees.

Being looked at like that, who could have the heart to refuse?

"Fine. Just stay behind me later."

Led by the boy who had found the bees, they did indeed discover a beehive, and it was the kind with honey.

But they didn’t dare approach. Countless bees were flying in and out of the crack in the rocks.

"I saw my grandpa use smoke to drive bees away."

"Then let’s get it ready."

Smoking them out was simple; there was plenty of dry grass around.

They grabbed a handful, tied it together, and lit it.

The braver ones held it up and moved closer.

Yun Xiaowu and Yun Xiao Liu went too. Those two were never the type to sit still.

Before long, Yun Jiao heard a scream.

It was her Fifth Brother.

Yun Jiao got up and ran over. The smoke was so thick it stung her eyes shut.

Suddenly, she felt a sting on her hand. It hurt a little, but she could bear it!

"They’re gone! Finally gone! I got stung twice on the face."

"COUGH COUGH COUGH... I got stung on my eyelid. I think it’s swelling up."

"Forget about that for now, let’s pry the rocks apart and get the honey."

"Holy shit, this hive is huge."

Yun Jiao: "Wow."

Her voice was very distinct. Yun Xiaowu and the others, who were busy prying at the rocks, turned their heads.

"Jiaojiao, why are you here!?"

Yun Jiao crouched at the entrance to the hive, looking from one boy to the next.

"Hahahaha..."

She really couldn’t hold it in and laughed until her stomach hurt.

"Brother, you’ve turned into a big pig head."

Yun Xiaowu hissed. His face already felt swollen, and now being laughed at by his own sister made it feel even more painful.

"Hurry, hurry, before all the bees we chased away come back."

It would be even worse then.

They had to hurry.

Once the rocks at the entrance of the cavity were pried open, they reached in and broke off a large piece of honeycomb.

Even Yun Jiao was handed a piece.

BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ...

"Run, they’re back!"

Everyone panicked and bolted.

Shen Xiuyuan, holding a large piece of honeycomb in one hand and carrying Yun Jiao in the other, took off running and got to the very front of the group.

They didn’t breathe a sigh of relief until they had completely shaken off the bees.

Turning back to see the sorry state of their friends, they all burst out laughing.

It really did hurt, but that didn’t stop them from laughing at each other.

"Jiaojiao, did you get stung?"

Yun Jiao held up her small hand.

"I did."

There was a red patch on her hand, but it wasn’t swollen.

"Does it hurt? Didn’t I tell you to wait over there? Why did you follow us?"

Yun Jiao: "I heard my brother yell."

Yun Xiaowu and the others were suddenly touched. ’So she came because she was worried about us.’

They all conveniently forgot that the first thing Yun Jiao had done upon seeing them was burst out laughing.

"Let’s go, we’re heading back."

The band of kids, chattering about their great haul, marched back proudly.

But halfway there, they saw their friends who had stayed behind running toward them, crying their eyes out with bruised and swollen faces.

"What happened?"

"Waaah... Liu Tian and his gang from Big Valley stole our rabbit meat and beat us up!"

Hearing this, the expressions on Shen Xiuyuan and the others changed instantly.

Yun Jiao was even more frantic. "Where are my rabbits? My little rabbits? My snake?"

"They stole everything."

Yun Jiao stomped her little feet several times.

"How dare they!"

’To dare and steal her things.’

Shen Xiuyuan quickly asked, "Which way did they run?"

They pointed in a direction. "That way."

Everyone immediately chased after them in that direction.

Meanwhile, the group that had stolen their things was acting particularly arrogant.

"A bunch of losers, daring to compete with us. Hahaha, when we bring this meat back, my dad will definitely praise us. I can’t believe they were lucky enough to find so many rabbits."

"And such a big snake, too! Now it’s all ours for the taking."

"Brother, these two rabbits are so cute. I want to keep them."

Liu Tian’s sister, Liu Chunfeng, was happily hugging the two rabbits.

"Stop right there, you dogs!"

The furious voices of Shen Xiuyuan and his friends came from behind.

"Give us back our rabbits and snake!"

Seeing they had been caught, not only were these kids unafraid, but they even made faces and a series of provocative gestures at them.

"What do you mean ’your’ rabbits? Is your name written on them? If you’ve got the guts, call out to them and see if they answer. They’re wild animals from the mountain; whoever is skilled enough to get them owns them."

"You goddamn bastards! Stop if you have any guts!"

Before Shen Xiuyuan and the others could start fighting, Yun Jiao, who had clearly seen who was holding her prize, shoved the honeycomb she was holding into Brother Nine’s hands. Then, without a moment’s hesitation, she snatched up a thick wooden log lying nearby, hoisted it over her head, and hurled it at the person holding the snake.

"Put down my snake! And my rabbits!"

She hurled it, and two screams of pain rang out.

Another person next to him was also hit.

But that didn’t matter; he was one of their accomplices too.

Everyone was stunned into silence by this scene, their mouths agape.

That huge wooden log—even the oldest kids in their group couldn’t have lifted it, let alone thrown it that far.

After throwing it, Yun Jiao ran over and started kicking furiously with her short little legs.

"Brother! What are you doing? Let go of my brother!"

After snatching the snake back, her big, furious eyes locked onto Liu Chunfeng, who was still holding her rabbits.

’And she’s coming right to me!’

Though they were a pair of beautiful, clear eyes, Liu Chunfeng was so frightened by them that she took two steps back.

Yun Jiao lowered her head slightly and charged, using herself as a weapon to deliver a headbutt.

"AHHH!!!"

Yun Jiao’s small fists hammered on her face. She was ferocious. "Are these your rabbits for you to just take them?!"