Chapter 44: Rabbits are Delicious

At first glance, seeing the White Snake’s massive head squeezed into the small window with blood dripping from its mouth would give anyone a case of megalophobia.

Fortunately, Zhao Mengcheng was no ordinary person. After his initial surprise, he calmed down and asked, “What are you doing here?”

Looking closer, he realized it wasn’t the White Snake opening its bloody maw to attack. Instead, the creature was holding a fat rabbit in its mouth. The rabbit’s hind legs were still twitching, and the dripping blood was making a mess all over the windowsill.

“You, back up. Don’t get my house dirty.” Zhao Mengcheng’s face darkened as he took a ladle and tapped the White Snake directly on the forehead.

A look of grievance appeared in the White Snake’s cold, fierce vertical pupils. With a wet thud, it spat the rabbit into the room.

It backed away slightly and rested its head on the windowsill, its eyes fixed intently on Zhao Mengcheng.

Zhao Mengcheng rubbed his forehead, detecting a hint of obedience and flattery from the White Snake’s massive head. “Is this a gift for me?”

The White Snake shook its head.

The fat rabbit was now completely dead. Judging by the way the wound was bleeding, it didn’t look like it had been poisoned.

Zhao Mengcheng picked up the rabbit to inspect it. He thought to himself that it was perfect timing since they were out of meat at home. This would add another dish to their dinner.

“Thank you.”

The White Snake flicked its tongue but remained perched at the window with no intention of leaving.

Zhao Mengcheng raised an eyebrow, understanding its intent. This wasn’t a gift, it was a bribe.

“One last bit, and that’s it.” Zhao Mengcheng accepted the rabbit, tapped the White Snake’s head, and released a wisp of Mental Power.

The White Snake’s entire body seemed to ripple with pleasure, its scales opening slightly. After a long moment, it shook its head again.

Zhao Mengcheng knew exactly what kind of bliss that was, which was why he never used it on humans. It would bring about irreversible consequences.

Seeing that the White Snake still refused to leave despite being shooed away, even trying to squeeze through the small window to nuzzle him affectionately, Zhao Mengcheng felt quite helpless.

“I said that’s all.” Zhao Mengcheng tapped its forehead. “Go now, or I won’t be so polite.”

Unexpectedly, the White Snake misunderstood him. It raised its head, and in the next moment, it let out a retching sound.

Zhao Mengcheng quickly backed away, shouting to stop it, “Don’t you dare!”

But it was too late.

With a loud retch, the White Snake vomited up the undigested rabbits, rats, and even small snakes from its stomach.

It was clear it had a preference for rats, as there were over a dozen indistinct, fat rodents in the puddle of slime on the floor.

Zhao Mengcheng’s expression looked as if he had eaten something foul. He took a deep breath only to find the room filled with a sour, rotten stench, nearly making him vomit as well.

He barely managed to restrain himself, squeezing the words out through gritted teeth, “Swallow it back down!”

The White Snake was stunned. Its large eyes seemed to say: What, you’re still not satisfied?

Zhao Mengcheng reached his limit and pushed its head down. “Swallow it back. Don’t leave a single one.”

The White Snake didn’t find itself disgusting. Realizing his anger, it obediently eliminated the evidence and then looked up at him innocently.

The mess was gone, but a strange smell lingered in the room. Zhao Mengcheng, still holding the fat rabbit, felt like stuffing it back into the snake as well.

Sensing the fury in his eyes, the White Snake finally realized something was wrong. Its massive head retreated from the window, leaving only its eyes to watch him.

“Get lost, before I decide to beat you.” If not for the fact that it had saved his life, Zhao Mengcheng would have shown it just how sinister humans could be and how the natural order could collapse.

Sensing danger, the White Snake slithered away in a flash.

Holding his breath, Zhao Mengcheng quickly opened every door and window in the kitchen. As the cold wind blew in, the foul odor finally began to dissipate.

In the middle of winter, he had to fetch water to scrub the floor. Otherwise, the large area covered in slime would make anyone feel like retching just looking at it.

It took quite a while to get it clean. Zhao Mengcheng was exhausted and covered in sweat, having experienced what it felt like to have a troublesome child. He had a premonition that this wouldn’t be the end of it.

His Mental Power sensed his annoyance and emerged to gently stroke his cheek in comfort.

Zhao Mengcheng chuckled. “It’s been peaceful for too long. I almost forgot how tempting you are.”

Fortunately, it was just a snake.

The White Snake had been very sincere. The fat rabbit it brought weighed at least twelve pounds. Zhao Mengcheng suspected it had brought the fattest one on the mountain.

He quickly skinned and chopped it before putting it in the pot. He didn’t throw away the Rabbit Fur either. Once it was processed, he could make a Rabbit Fur hat for the children.

The three little ones had originally only intended to lie down for a bit, but all three had fallen asleep. They were finally awakened by the enticing aroma.

Zhao Chun was the first to wake up. He crawled out in a daze, walking into the kitchen shirtless and barefoot. “Dad, what delicious food are you making?”

“Spicy stir-fried diced rabbit,” Zhao Mengcheng replied.

Seeing the boy like this, he scolded, “Go back and put some clothes on. Wake up your brother and sister too. Dinner is almost ready.”

“I’m going right now.” Wiping away his drool, Zhao Chun was now fully awake.

“Get up, it’s time to eat.” While pulling on his clothes, Zhao Chun ruthlessly woke his younger siblings.

Zhao Mao was a light sleeper and woke up quickly. Sniffing the air, he said, “It smells like meat. Didn’t we run out of meat?”

“Dad said it’s rabbit meat.” Zhao Chun finished dressing and saw that Zhao Xin was still sleeping soundly, with no intention of waking up.

He gave a mischievous laugh and pinched Zhao Xin’s nose. “Xin’er, wake up. If you don’t wake up, you’ll turn into a little pig.”

Zhao Xin whimpered and finally woke up, her face set as if she were about to cry.

Zhao Mao handed her new clothes. “Dad said we’re having rabbit meat tonight. Do you want some?”

“Rabbit meat?” Hearing this, Zhao Xin stopped crying and climbed down after dressing herself.

When the three children entered the kitchen, they indeed smelled a rich aroma. Zhao Mengcheng had used plenty of ingredients to make the rabbit meat. Since they didn’t have chili peppers in this region, he used spicy spices to manage a pot of “spicy” stir-fried diced rabbit.

“You’re awake. Go wash your faces. We can eat soon.” Zhao Mengcheng smiled at the sight of them. The three children still had sleep marks on their faces, showing they had slept well.

Zhao Mao sniffed the air and asked curiously, “Dad, there seems to be a strange smell in the room.”

He followed the scent to the window. “It’s coming from here. It smells like a dead rat.”

Zhao Chun came over and sniffed hard. “There really is. Did a rat get into our house?”

Zhao Mengcheng raised an eyebrow. “A big rat did get in, but I threw it out.”

“Rats are the worst. They’ll steal our grain. I need to go check the storehouse.” Zhao Chun became anxious upon hearing this.

Zhao Mengcheng quickly stopped him. “Eat first. Go after you’ve eaten.”

Once the large pot of spicy stir-fried diced rabbit was on the table, the children completely forgot about the smell in the kitchen, focused only on the deliciousness of the rabbit.

Zhao Mengcheng took a bite of the rabbit meat and was instantly captivated.

Although the White Snake didn’t act like a person, it certainly knew how to pick a rabbit. The meat of this fat rabbit was tender, juicy, and had a delicate texture, offering a unique flavor that surpassed pork.

“Is this rabbit meat? It’s so delicious!” Zhao Chun praised loudly.

While eating, Zhao Mao asked curiously, “Dad, where did our rabbit come from?”

They clearly didn’t have a rabbit before they went to sleep.

Zhao Mengcheng paused, not wanting to recall the scene from earlier. He simply said, “The White Snake sent it. Eat up. Food cools down quickly in winter, and it won’t taste as good when it’s cold.”

Zhao Chun wanted to ask more, but Zhao Mao placed another piece of meat in his bowl. “Brother, if you don’t eat, I’ll finish it all.”

Zhao Chun immediately forgot what he was going to ask and began shoveling food into his mouth.

Only then did Zhao Mao continue eating. He had noticed that his father’s expression became very strange whenever the subject was brought up, clearly not wanting to talk about it.

Feeling his son’s thoughtfulness, Zhao Mengcheng smiled and continued using the delicious food to compensate for his mental trauma.

After they had eaten their fill, the children cleared the dishes while Zhao Mengcheng brought out the Rabbit Fur he had skinned.

Previously, he had thought about buying furs, but he had ended up getting cotton by chance. Now, he had obtained a piece of Rabbit Fur for free.

“Dad, this, what is it for?” Zhao Xin asked, squatting beside him.

Zhao Mengcheng said, “Once it’s processed, I’ll make a nice hat for you.”

Zhao Xin touched the Rabbit Fur curiously. At the moment, the fur was dirty, so it didn’t feel particularly soft.

“But Dad, do you know how to make it?”

Zhao Mengcheng sighed. “Your dad really doesn’t know how.”

He wasn’t omnipotent. Even during his most destitute times in his previous life, he hadn’t needed to keep Rabbit Fur for warmth. He would have just buried or burned it after eating.

“Dad, I know who does.” Zhao Chun ran out.

“Uncle Yang to the east definitely knows. He used to be a hunter.”

Zhao Mengcheng searched through the original owner’s memories, finally digging up the memory of Uncle Yang from a corner.

Uncle Yang used to be the only hunter in Qingshan Village. There weren’t many large prey animals in this area, so going up Mount Qingshan usually only yielded wild chickens or rabbits, which was why there were so few hunters.

Like the original owner’s parents, Uncle Yang was an outsider. Without land, he had to rely on his ancestral hunting skills to survive. At first, he lived reasonably well and managed to acquire two acres of land.

Unfortunately, he later encountered a rampaging wild boar. Although he survived, he lost an eye and was left with a limp, forcing him to live off his two acres of land.

He was an old bachelor in the village. With only himself to feed, his life was manageable.

After thinking it over, Zhao Mengcheng took a few eggs and the Rabbit Fur and headed to his house.

Uncle Yang’s gate was wide open. Seeing him approach, he called out, “Mengcheng, why have you come? Quick, sit down. The children are here too; I’ll go get some candy for them.”

“Uncle, there’s no need. I’m here for something,” Zhao Mengcheng quickly stopped him.

Uncle Yang smiled happily. “I must, I must. It’s rare for the children to visit.”

He hurriedly turned to enter the house. Although he was blind in one eye and had a lame leg, he moved quite nimbly.

Uncle Yang clearly liked children. He soon came out with a bag of candy, the expensive orange-flavored kind sold in town. “Come, two pieces for each of you.”

The three children all looked toward Zhao Mengcheng.

Zhao Mengcheng nodded, and only then did the children reach out to take them, their mouths full of “Thank you, Grandpa.”

Uncle Yang’s smile grew even wider as he carefully patted their heads. “Come play at Grandpa’s place whenever you’re free. Grandpa will treat you to candy.”

“Uncle, don’t be too polite with them. These three can never get enough to eat,” Zhao Mengcheng joked.

Uncle Yang said with a laugh, “All children are like that. Being able to eat is a blessing. Only by eating a lot can they grow tall.”

After a bit of small talk, he finally asked, “What did you come to see me for?”

“I just got a piece of Rabbit Fur, but I don’t know how to handle it. Could you take a look and see if it can be processed?” Zhao Mengcheng took out the Rabbit Fur.

Uncle Yang took it and looked. His remaining eye widened in surprise as he looked at Zhao Mengcheng. “Did you skin this yourself?”

“Yes, my dad is amazing! He knows how to do everything, he just doesn’t know how to process Rabbit Fur,” Zhao Chun said, not forgetting to credit his father even with candy in his mouth.

Uncle Yang narrowed his eye. “Your skinning technique is excellent. One would think it was the work of a seasoned veteran.”

Zhao Mengcheng paused and looked up at the old man, but Uncle Yang had already lowered his head to examine the fur closely.

“This Rabbit Fur is intact and can be processed. If we’re careful, it could make a hat. Processing fur is a hassle, and doing just one piece isn’t really worth the effort. If you have more, bring them all over. I’ll do them together, which will be faster.”

The old man was clearly guessing something, but he said nothing, only asking that question.

Zhao Mengcheng then asked, “How long will it take to process?”

Uncle Yang made an estimate. “In the summer, three days would be enough. Now that the weather is cold, it will take at least four or five days.”

Hearing this, Zhao Mengcheng said, “Uncle, then please wait a bit. I’ll go back up the mountain to look for more.”

Uncle Yang was even more astonished. “You got this rabbit from the mountain?”

Thinking of something, he frowned. “Have you been going deep into the mountains? You’re the ones who found that cotton, right?”

“It’s not really the deep mountains,” Zhao Mengcheng explained.

Uncle Yang looked worried. “Cotton and rabbits are good, but if you run into a wild boar, we won’t even be able to run away.”

He subconsciously touched his eye; it had been ruined by a wild boar.

Mentioning this brought a doubt to Zhao Mengcheng’s mind, so he asked, “Uncle, you used to be the hunter in our village. Do you know why there are so few wild animals in the mountains around here?”

This was something he had discovered when his Mental Power went out of control before.

On such a large mountain, let alone wild boars, even wild rabbits and pheasants were rarely seen.

Otherwise, after seeing the children freezing, Zhao Mengcheng wouldn’t have immediately thought of going to town to buy supplies.

Uncle Yang gave him a deep look and chuckled. “When I first came to this village, I heard the elders mention it. They said a snake demon¹ that had cultivated for a thousand years lived on Mount Qingshan. Because it’s there, there aren’t many wild beasts on the mountain.”

“A snake demon!” Zhao Chun cried out in surprise, then quickly covered his mouth.

Uncle Yang smiled. “Yes, the snake demon lives in these mountains and protects the people at the foot of the mountain. That’s why Mount Qingshan stretches for thousands of miles, yet no tigers or wolves are seen. I’ve never heard of any beasts coming down the mountain to eat people.”

“They are all afraid of this thousand-year-old snake demon. The elders back then said this snake demon was about to turn into a dragon.”

“However, no one had ever seen it back then, so we all thought it was just a legend.”

His single eye fell upon Zhao Mengcheng. “In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed. When there was all that commotion recently, I knew as soon as I heard it that it had appeared.”

“Uncle, do you think it’s a snake demon or a White Dragon?” Zhao Mengcheng asked.

Uncle Yang shook his head. “How could a mortal like me know? But as long as it’s good to our village, what does it matter if it’s a dragon or a demon?”

Finally, he laughed at himself. “I’m worrying too much. You’re someone the White Dragon saved. How could you run into a wild boar? Even a wild boar would run away if it saw you.”

Zhao Mengcheng didn’t continue the topic. He stood up and said, “Then I’ll go back up the mountain to look. It would be great if I could catch a few more, but if I can’t, there’s nothing to be done.”

“Go on, I’ll be waiting for you,” Uncle Yang said with a smile.

Once they were out the door, Zhao Chun lowered his voice and asked, “Dad, is the White Snake a snake demon?”

“If it is, are you afraid?” Zhao Mengcheng asked in return.

Zhao Chun hesitated for a moment before saying, “I’m not afraid, but the plays say that snake demons eat people and Taoist priests² catch them. If it really is a snake demon, we have to help it hide so no one else finds it.”

Zhao Mengcheng smiled and patted the top of his head. “Don’t worry, they can’t catch it.”

After saying that, he walked away with long strides.

Zhao Chun’s eyes widened in surprise. “Does that mean the White Snake really is a snake demon!”

“Are you stupid? Snake demons are just legends from myths; they’re all fake. How could there be a snake demon in this world? It’s just a White Snake that’s a bit bigger than normal ones,” Zhao Mao said.

Zhao Chun countered, “How do you know there aren’t any if you’ve never seen one?”

“The fact that no one has seen one proves they don’t exist,” Zhao Mao insisted.

Zhao Chun replied, “How do you know other people haven’t seen one just because you haven’t?”

Zhao Xin waved her hand, mimicking Zhao Mengcheng’s mannerisms like a little adult. “Alright, stop arguing. Does it matter if it’s a snake demon? As long as it’s our friend, it’s a good snake.”

“I didn’t say it was bad.”

Behind him were the children’s innocent words. Zhao Mengcheng had a smile on his lips, but his eyes held a cold light.

“Those who are not of our kind must have different hearts³” was a decree humans lived by. It applied to different species, and it applied to special individuals among humans as well.

And he was an outsider.

“Dad, are we going up the mountain to catch rabbits? I want to go too. Can we go together?” Zhao Chun caught up and pulled on him, acting spoiled.

The child’s voice interrupted Zhao Mengcheng’s memories. He looked down to see Zhao Chun’s face full of reliance.

Zhao Mengcheng smiled and patted his head. “Alright, let’s go together.”

“Great! I’m going to catch two rabbits. No, three!” Zhao Chun was very ambitious.

“Big Brother is just bragging again,” Zhao Xin huffed.

Zhao Chun took out his small slingshot and aimed. “My aim is really good now. Just you wait and see.”

Being pestered by the three little ones, Zhao Mengcheng also felt a bit of interest. After all, rabbits tasted good, and the fur could be put to use.

Upon returning home, Zhao Chun couldn’t stop himself from rummaging through the baskets and hampers. “Dad, what tools are we taking up the mountain?”

“We don’t need those. A rope is enough.” Zhao Mengcheng found a hemp rope of suitable thickness.

All three children were dumbfounded. “That’s enough?”

“Of course not.”

Zhao Mengcheng went to the backyard and came back with fresh, tender green vegetables. Once the weather turned cold, everyone’s vegetable gardens became empty, but theirs was still lush and green.

“This is the important part.”

Zhao Chun asked curiously, “Can you really catch a wild rabbit with just a rope? Are rabbits that easy to catch?”

“First we find a rabbit hole, then you’ll see how powerful this rope is,” Zhao Mengcheng said with a smile.

There were indeed few rabbits on the mountain. Zhao Mengcheng suspected they had all been eaten by the White Snake. It took some effort before he finally found a rabbit hole.

“A rabbit hole!” Zhao Chun lowered his voice, his face full of excitement, looking as if he wanted to shove his head into the hole.

Zhao Mengcheng tied a slipknot in the rope, placed it at the entrance of the hole, and then set down a green vegetable.

“A wily rabbit has three burrows. You can’t just dig out a rabbit’s nest, or it will slip away through another entrance. However, you can use smoke or water, and block the other two holes so the rabbit has no way to escape.”

Zhao Mengcheng explained, then added, “Today, Dad is going to use a different method.”

The three little ones held their breath and squatted behind him with wide eyes, afraid of missing a single moment.

The charm of fresh green vegetables in this season was infinite. After a short while, there was movement from inside the hole.

A gray rabbit head popped out. Its eyes fixed on the green vegetable, and it began to pull it inward.

At that moment, Zhao Mengcheng suddenly pulled the rope. By the time the rabbit realized something was wrong, it was too late. The entire loop tightened around its body. The rabbit tried to dive back into the hole but was dragged out entirely.

Zhao Mengcheng grabbed the rabbit by its ears. “The first one.”

“Dad, you’re so amazing!” the three little ones cheered.

Zhao Mengcheng tossed the rabbit into the basket and threw the bait vegetable in as well. The silly rabbit hugged the vegetable and began munching away, completely unaware that its life was in danger.

“Dad, let me try! Let me try!” Zhao Chun kept saying.

Zhao Mengcheng naturally wouldn’t refuse and told his son the trick. “You have to be fast. Pull as soon as you see the rabbit’s head pop out. Remember to pull outward. Once you’ve caught it, reach out and grab it by the ears. Be careful not to get bitten.”

“Got it.”

Zhao Chun held his breath and stared intently at the next rabbit hole.

After waiting and waiting, a rabbit finally poked its head out. Zhao Chun nervously yanked back, but the rabbit was incredibly nimble. It vanished with a flash, leaving his snare empty and sending him tumbling backward.

“It got away!” Zhao Chun exclaimed, utterly disappointed.

Zhao Mengcheng comforted him with a smile. “It’s always like this the first time. You need patience. You’ll get the hang of it after a few more tries.”

“Mao, Xin, do you want to try?” Zhao Mengcheng pulled out more ropes.

Zhao Mao nodded and went to crouch by a different rabbit hole.

Zhao Xin didn’t want to try. Instead, she held the basket and watched a rabbit eating greens.

“Dad, the little rabbits are so cute.”

Zhao Mengcheng looked at the plump rabbit. It was devouring the greens voraciously, its large front teeth crunching away without pause. He couldn’t see what was so cute about it.

Just as he was thinking that if the children found them cute, he wouldn’t mind letting them keep some as pets, he heard Zhao Xin swallow her saliva.

“Rabbits are so cute, that’s why they must be delicious. This one is especially cute, so it’ll definitely taste great.”

Well then. He had overthought it.

“I got one!” Zhao Mao shouted in surprise. He had indeed snared a rabbit, but before he could finish his sentence, the rabbit gave a powerful kick. It broke free from the loop and began dashing around in a panic.

“Watch me!”

Zhao Chun let out a loud cry and raised his slingshot, firing instantly.

His shot was fast and accurate. A stone struck the rabbit square in the head, knocking it unconscious immediately.

Zhao Chun ran over and picked it up. “Dad, I got it.”

Zhao Mao pursed his lips and remained silent.

Zhao Mengcheng praised them. “Mao has patience and good timing, but he lacks a bit of strength. Chun lacks the patience to snare them, but his movements are powerful and steady.”

“It seems you two brothers make a good team. One snares the rabbit and the other catches it. That way, you’ll never miss.”

Both boys brightened up instantly.

Zhao Xin opened the basket. “Quick, Big Brother, put it in. Let me see if the rabbit is cute.”

Hearing this, Zhao Mengcheng felt that when the little girl said “cute,” she actually meant “tasty.”

The father and his three children busied themselves from dusk until dark, but they only caught three rabbits in total. Two of them were caught by Zhao Mengcheng.

It wasn’t that their skills were lacking, but rather that there were too few rabbit holes on the hill. Zhao Mengcheng had only managed to find three using his Golden Finger, showing just how much the White Snake had been preying on them.

Calculating that they had enough for three hats, Zhao Mengcheng didn’t want to continue. “Let’s go. Time to head home.”

The children were a bit reluctant to leave. Zhao Chun said, “I feel like I could catch two more.”

“We’ll come back next autumn. The rabbits are fat in the autumn. Right now, it’s winter and they’re all hiding,” Zhao Mengcheng persuaded them.

Only then did the three little ones follow him away, still lingering with regret.

As they left the forest, Zhao Mengcheng glanced back. He sensed the White Snake’s presence, but since the creature didn’t show itself, he ignored it.

Unbeknownst to him, behind them, the White Snake tilted its head. Its eyes clearly said: So you like rabbits? Why didn’t you say so earlier?

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Translator’s Notes

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1. snake demon: In Chinese mythology, animals can cultivate to become “yao” (often translated as demons or spirits). They are distinct from humans and gods but not necessarily inherently evil. ↩
2. Taoist priests: Practitioners of Taoism. In folklore and fiction, they are often depicted as having the ability to subdue spirits and demons. ↩
3. Those who are not of our kind must have different hearts: A translation of the ancient Chinese proverb “非我族类，其心必异” (fēi wǒ zú lèi, qí xīn bì yì), expressing deep suspicion toward those belonging to a different ethnicity, group, or species. ↩