Chapter 19: Silver Tongue

Yan Red Hero nearly burst out laughing when he heard this. Before Bai Xiaoyue could speak, he couldn't help but say, "Little Bunny Meng, who would have thought that you, such a mischievous little thing, are actually so popular!"

"Hee hee hee…" Bunny Meng immediately grinned at him, "Big brother, thank you for liking me! But let me correct you, I'm not a little thing—I'm a Little Bunny Meng who is about to take human form through cultivation! You should call me 'Bun-ny-Meng!'"

Both Yan Red Hero and Bai Xiaoyue were charmed by Bunny Meng's lively cuteness and couldn't help but laugh.

Yan Red Hero laughed and said, "All right, all right, then I'll call you 'Bunny Meng.'"

"Bunny Meng, where do you live? Why have I never seen you before?" Bai Xiaoyue asked.

At the question, Bunny Meng sighed, "Oh, don't mention it. It's a long story… Originally, I was cultivating in a cave far, far away from here. But just a couple of days ago, a huge centipede barged into my cave. It looked like it was cultivating too, and quite advanced at that. The aura it gave off sent chills through me, so cold I shivered! From the look of it, that creature came with ill intent, wanting to seize my home. I knew this was bad, so I hurriedly escaped… For the past two days, I've been running all over Mount Zhongnan, searching for a new home, nearly to the point of exhaustion. In the end, I wound up here. Hee hee, elder, I think your place is wonderful, and since we're of the same kind, why not take me in? Let me be your disciple, what do you say?"

"Of course!" Bai Xiaoyue replied joyfully, "I've felt so lonely living here by myself… Bunny Meng, since you like it here, stay and keep me company."

"Really?" Bunny Meng was overjoyed. "That's wonderful! Master, with me by your side, you'll never be lonely again! Hee hee, Master, I'll perform the disciple's salute right now!"

With that, Bunny Meng sprang from Bai Xiaoyue's arms to the ground, about to kneel in the formal salute, but Bai Xiaoyue stopped her. "Bunny Meng, you don't need to do that. I don't want to be your master. My name is Bai Xiaoyue, just call me Sister Bai from now on."

"All right!" Bunny Meng clapped her paws with delight. "Sister Bai, we're both girls, so from now on, you're my big sister and I'm your little sister!" With that, she turned her gaze to Yan Red Hero. "Big brother, what's your name?"

"I'm Yan Red Hero," he replied with a smile. "Bunny Meng, I like you very much and would like to be your big brother. Would you like that?"

"Of course, of course, I'd love that!" Bunny Meng answered enthusiastically. "Brother Yan, you're so handsome—having you as my brother makes me so happy! Who would've thought, just a moment ago I was all alone, and now I have a brother and a sister… Wow, today I am truly the happiest little bunny alive!"

So delighted, she rolled around on the grass several times.

Seeing this, Yan Red Hero found her irresistibly adorable and reached out to pick her up. But Bunny Meng squirmed bashfully, "Brother Yan, don't hold me like that! I'm a girl, and being held like this makes me so shy!"

Yan Red Hero and Bai Xiaoyue both burst out laughing.

Bai Xiaoyue said, "Little Meng, you must be exhausted after running around these past days. Come, let's go inside and have a chat."

Bunny Meng agreed and hopped after Bai Xiaoyue and Yan Red Hero into the cave, her eyes darting about with curiosity. "Wow, Sister Bai, this stone cave is huge! And there's a bed? Hee hee, this is perfect—now I can sleep on the same bed as Sister Bai and have nothing to worry about!" With that, she leapt onto the stone bed. Suddenly, she caught sight of several paintings and was astonished. Standing on her hind legs beside them, she exclaimed, "Oh? Are these portraits of Brother Yan and Sister Bai? Wow, Sister Bai is so beautiful, and Brother Yan is so handsome! Tell me, who painted these?"

"I did," Bai Xiaoyue replied with a smile. "Little Meng, what do you think of my work?"

"Amazing! Sister Bai, you're incredible!" Bunny Meng clapped her paws repeatedly. "You're a true genius to be able to paint so well! Hee hee, I wish I had a portrait too… Sister Bai, would you paint one for me?"

"Of course!" Bai Xiaoyue agreed readily. "Little Meng, I'll paint one for you right now."

She took a blank scroll from beneath the stone bed, and once Yan Red Hero had rolled up the other three paintings, she spread the blank scroll out on the bed. After a moment's reflection, she dipped her brush in ink and began to paint.

Yan Red Hero and Bunny Meng watched eagerly as Bai Xiaoyue's brush danced across the paper. In no time at all, a lively and adorable white rabbit nibbling a carrot in a field of grass came vividly to life on the scroll.

When Bai Xiaoyue finished, she smiled at Bunny Meng. "Little Meng, since fate brought us together today, consider this painting your first gift from me. Do you like it?"

"I love it! I absolutely love it!" Bunny Meng laughed as she admired the painting. "Sister Bai, you're so talented! Hee hee, I love carrots most of all!"

"Is that so?" Bai Xiaoyue laughed. "Then I suppose I'll have to find you more carrots from now on."

"Hee hee, Sister Bai, you're the best!" Bunny Meng said, turning her bright eyes toward Yan Red Hero. "Brother Yan, just now Sister Bai said she feels lonely living here by herself. So you don't live here? Where do you live, Brother Yan?"

"I live at Pure Tranquility Monastery," Yan Red Hero replied. "It's about seventy or eighty li from here…"

"Oh," Bunny Meng interrupted, suddenly understanding. "No wonder you looked so familiar when I first saw you! I remember now—you’re the one who cultivates beneath the big pine in front of Pure Tranquility Monastery!"

"Oh?" Yan Red Hero asked quickly. "Little Meng, have you been to Pure Tranquility Monastery?"

"Hee hee… I passed by," Bunny Meng answered a bit sheepishly. "Brother Yan, a few days ago I went to a farmer’s vegetable garden at the foot of the mountain to look for carrots. On my way past Pure Tranquility Monastery, I saw you there cultivating. Please, Brother Yan, Sister Bai, don’t look down on me! I know stealing food without working for it is shameful, but I can’t help it. Even though I’m about to take human form, I’m still just a little bunny—I can’t grow my own carrots yet. When I've cultivated enough to take human form and work for myself, I won’t sneak down to steal carrots anymore!"

Yan Red Hero and Bai Xiaoyue both laughed.

Bai Xiaoyue said, "Little Meng, I never expected your little mouth to be so clever and sweet—your words are truly delightful. Well, enough chatting for now. I have some proper business to attend to." Then she turned to Yan Red Hero. "Brother, first I'll teach you the essentials of painting, and then you can teach me the method of creating 'Paper Painting Talismans.' What do you say?"