My Sweet And Submissive Bunny Won't Stop Being Clingy - Chapter 21

Wen Shuyao pulled out her phone and glanced at the caller ID: Tu Shanxiu.

She walked a bit further away before picking up. As soon as the call connected, she heard Tu Shanxiu speaking at a breakneck speed: “Listen, Shuyao, I’m preparing to make a run for it for a while.”

Wen Shuyao was still out of the loop: “Huh?”

The voice on the other end dropped even lower, laced with caution. “Recently, a high-ranking demon from the Bureau has been passing through Jianglou. Watch your back.”

The Bureau. Wen Shuyao caught the keyword.

Though she was just an ordinary demon, she was well aware of the covenant struck between the demon race and humanity a century ago. Borders were drawn, non-aggression was promised, and any demons living in human society were subject to the Bureau’s regulations.

Wen Shuyao whispered back, “Sister Xiu, did you get into some kind of trouble?”

“No, how is that possible? I have a clear conscience. I’m not afraid of a knock at the door.” After making this grand claim, Tu Shanxiu added, “I’m packing my things tonight to head to the neighboring city to lie low.”

Wen Shuyao: “…”

“Since the founding of the Republic, spirits aren’t allowed to manifest! You have to remember you’re a demon without an ID. Stay close to Meng Hemian and don’t cause trouble!” Tu Shanxiu had zero psychological burden when it came to scaring a rabbit. “I heard the high-ranking demon sent down has a terrible temper. If you get caught, she might just eat you.”

The sound of a suitcase sliding followed, along with a hurried urge: “Hurry up, meow!”

Before Wen Shuyao could respond, Tu Shanxiu abruptly hung up. She was left standing there dazed, holding her phone, unsure of what to do.

Seeing that something was wrong, Meng Hemian walked over to check on her. “What happened?”

“Nothing.” Wen Shuyao shook her head.

“Then, what you were going to say earlier…?”

The expression Wen Shuyao had worn earlier had been weighing on Meng Hemian’s mind. Her intuition told her that whatever Wen Shuyao wanted to say was linked to the anomalies she had noticed lately.

But Wen Shuyao hesitated for a long time before shaking her head again. The courage she had managed to gather was shattered by that single phone call, it was too difficult to continue her confession now.

Seeing that she truly didn’t want to talk, Meng Hemian suppressed her curiosity and didn’t press further.

Wan Xianyu had been tidying up for ages without anyone coming to help. Looking up from the middle of a pile of cluttered junk, she saw the two of them still standing close together. She had no idea what they were whispering about, but she didn’t mind playing the “spoilsport.”

“Hey, hey! Come help! You’re not really going to make me do this all by myself, are you?” she shouted unceremoniously.

Wen Shuyao, being soft-hearted, naturally didn’t refuse and scurried over to help Wan Xianyu move things.

Meng Hemian stood in place, silent for a moment, and let out a very faint sigh. Yet, after that sigh, she felt a sense of relief and hurried to catch up. It was as if a long-standing pressure had been lifted, she no longer had to worry about the “what ifs” of the future, and even her footsteps felt lighter.

The shimmering light on the river surface cast a golden edge on everything, like a richly colored oil painting. This wasn’t the first time she had seen the sunset in Jianglou, but it was the first time she felt it was so real. So within reach.

Given Meng Hemian’s level of initiative, once she decided to do something, it usually went on the agenda immediately. However, for the past two days, she had been idle, as if her previous words had been mere passing comments.

She spent her time eating slowly, taking walks, and watching the little rabbit in the yard.

And watching Wen Shuyao.

While Wen Shuyao was watering the flowers, Meng Hemian suddenly appeared. “You haven’t gone to work lately.”

Wen Shuyao jumped in fright, the fur at the base of her tail bristling. Her tail wouldn’t change back; it was sweltering to tuck into her clothes during the summer, and uncomfortable no matter what she wore. Yet, she had to endure it.

Wen Shuyao gritted her teeth. She wasn’t sure if it was an illusion, but she felt Meng Hemian had become much lazier. She had never wished more for Meng Hemian to find something, anything…to do!

Wen Shuyao maintained a sweet smile. “Because the boss went to the neighboring city for a vacation, so I was given some time off.”

“So sudden.” Meng Hemian recalled the charming boss she had seen a few days ago, then shifted the topic. “And what about my ‘Little Bread’?”

Wen Shuyao’s smile remained polite. “I brought her back this morning, but she might have run off to play. If you’re lucky, you’ll run into her in the garden.” She even emphasized, “Yes, if you’re lucky.”

She just needed to wait for the right moment to tell Meng Hemian the truth.

“Fair enough.”

Meng Hemian didn’t seem anxious. She spread some sun warmed dry grass in Little Bread’s hutch, changed the water, and placed a few sweet grapes in the feeder. Then she crouched there, as if preparing to “wait for the rabbit to hit the tree.”

Wen Shuyao couldn’t stand it or rather, the feeling of being “hunted” at the stake made her panic. She tried to persuade her: “Aren’t you tired? Go back inside. Maybe the little rabbit will come out on her own in a bit.”

Hurry back inside, she thought, so I can turn back into a rabbit.

“I’m fine.” Meng Hemian stared at the lawn, commenting casually, “The hutch is very clean. There are no tracks at all; no need to tidy up.”

Wen Shuyao nearly broke into a cold sweat. For a moment, she couldn’t tell if Meng Hemian was just talking or dropping hints intentionally or unintentionally.

Then she heard Meng Hemian continue, “Do rabbits know their way home? I’m worried she won’t find her way back to the hutch.”

Wen Shuyao’s heart, which had been in her throat, settled back down. She felt a bit speechless, helplessly humoring the human: “Of course she knows her way back.”

Seriously, I’m not a stupid little rabbit, of course I know where home is. What had been on Meng Hemian’s mind lately?

Meng Hemian stood up and brushed the bits of dry grass off her hands. “I’m going to look at some storefronts today. Do you want to come with me?”

A golden opportunity! Wen Shuyao cheered internally. She could finally let her tail out to catch the breeze!

She said obediently, “No thanks, I’m going out to buy groceries in a bit.”

“Alright.” Meng Hemian didn’t say much else, grabbed her keys, and headed out.

The moment she left, Wen Shuyao dropped the hose. Freedom!

She tied her short-sleeved top into a bow, exposing her slender waist and fluffy tail. She took a big stretch and even felt like running a few laps around the garden. Picking a rose petal, she popped it in her mouth to chew as she strolled over to the hutches to change the grass and water for the other rabbits.

When she reached the empty hutch, her movements faltered. An indescribable feeling washed over her, so much so that she couldn’t even taste the sweetness of the petal in her mouth.

Meng Hemian really had found something to do.

Wen Shuyao stared blankly at the nest Meng Hemian had prepared for her, the fruit added especially for her… and suddenly felt that sunning her tail was boring. She found herself wishing Meng Hemian were there to pet her instead.

Meanwhile, Meng Hemian was reflecting on herself.

Excessive focus on someone else wasn’t a great habit, but she couldn’t help it, focusing on Wen Shuyao. For instance, she’d deliberately say something just to observe Wen Shuyao’s reaction.

Mentioning “Little Bread” made her look awkward, biting her lip until a faint mark appeared. Mentioning the clean hutch made her panic, making her afraid to look her in the eye.

But why? Did something happen to Little Bread? Or was there another possibility?

Meng Hemian recalled Wen Shuyao’s unfinished question: “Do you believe there are unscientific species in this world?”

She actually gave serious thought to the possibility that Little Bread might be a “magic rabbit.”

No, that felt too absurd. She couldn’t even imagine it.

Large patches of blinding sunlight filtered through the sycamore leaves. Meng Hemian walked half a block and stopped in front of a rolling shutter door.

The location here actually wasn’t great, there were no other shops nearby, and the storefront didn’t even have a sign.

However, there was an overhanging eave and a bench for people to rest, along with several pots of roses that, surprisingly, had not yet withered. The entrance was clean and tidy, looking as if the shop owner had simply stepped out for a short vacation and would return soon.

Despite being back in Jianglou for so long, Meng Hemian hadn’t visited this place once, even though it was only half a block away. This was her grandmother’s pastry shop, a place that held a deeper impression on her than even the old house. Most of her few memorable childhood moments had been spent here.

Meng Hemian took out her keys and opened the door.

As the rolling shutter rose, sunlight illuminated the interior. The lemon-yellow walls, the three or four pastoral-style booths, and the counter for displaying pastries were all exactly as she remembered. A calendar still hung on the wall, frozen at a date from several months ago. Meng Hemian glanced at it, took it down, and placed it face down.

Walking into the back kitchen, she found the various utensils sorted and categorized, even the stovetop was scrubbed so clean it reflected light. Her grandmother, like her, had a touch of OCD and was a neat freak; things were always perfectly organized.

This was the final legacy her grandmother had left her. Everything was in good shape, she wouldn’t have to worry. Once the paperwork was finished, she could open the shop immediately.

Meng Hemian picked a spot and sat down, not caring if it was dusty. She couldn’t help but mock herself internally: I’ve only been looking for a few moments, and already my throat is so tight I can’t speak.

She steadied her emotions and shifted her thoughts to the upcoming preparations as she headed back out. However, just as she rounded the corner from the kitchen, Meng Hemian froze.

At some point, someone had appeared at the shop entrance. She was tall and elegant, with hair as black as ink. Her features were like a landscape painting, as exquisite as a figure stepping out of an ancient scroll.

But that wasn’t the strange part.

The absurd part was the small red bird perched on her shoulder. It was sleek and shiny, with a tail that wasn’t just long but emitted a seven colored prismatic glow, topped with upright crest feathers. Just based on the color scheme alone, one could report it for illegal smuggling.

Even more absurdly, Meng Hemian heard a pleasant female voice: “Senior Sister has already had three cups of iced cocoa today.”

The woman holding a cup spoke calmly: “This cup is hot.”

The prismatic bird clicked its beak: “Right, this is the second cup of hot cocoa. If Senior Sister drinks any more, she’ll turn into a cocoa tree.”

The woman lowered her gaze. A tiny mole at the corner of her eye sparkled like a tear, adding a touch of loneliness and grievance to her face. She said, “It’s delicious. I specifically bought it for you to taste.”

The prismatic bird tilted its head, its voice sounding surprised: “Really?”

“Really. I’ll hold it for you first.” After saying this, the woman took another sip.

Meng Hemian couldn’t help but bite her tongue. It hurt. This wasn’t a dream.

I must have gotten up too fast, she thought. I think I just heard a bird talk!

Before she could react to the absurdity, the woman stepped into the shop and asked politely: “Hello, has this pastry shop closed down? I read in a travel guide that they have very delicious shortbread here.”

Meng Hemian moved her stiff fingers, her voice barely squeezing out of her throat: “I’m sorry, my grandmother has passed away.”

“Is that so? What a pity.” The woman sighed softly and seemed ready to leave.

Everything before her eyes was perfectly normal, just a beautiful person who had come seeking her grandmother’s famous pastries. It would have been even more normal if the bird on the woman’s shoulder hadn’t spoken.

“There’s demonic energy on her,” the prismatic bird said, stretching its neck as if to get a closer look. “And she’s been fed some strange medicinal herbs.”

The woman didn’t answer.

Meng Hemian was almost certain that the “her” the bird referred to was herself.

What demonic energy? What strange herbs? Wasn’t she supposed to start her quiet, stable life as a pastry shop owner today?

Just then, the woman raised a hand to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear, revealing a Bluetooth earphone clipped to her auricle. Meng Hemian’s thoughts became completely jumbled. Between an impossible species and a plausible reality, which one should she believe?

Reason told her to stop right there, treat everything today as a hallucination, and continue her ordinary, peaceful life. But her instincts screamed in her mind: Don’t miss this! You clearly want to find the whole truth!

Meng Hemian frowned, her heart beating faster and faster, nearly pounding out of her chest. Perhaps it was an impulse, but finally, at the moment the woman turned to leave, she spoke.

“If you don’t mind… would you like to try some of the wisteria cakes I made?”

Meng Hemian learned from the woman that her name was Qing Qian, and she had come to Jianglou for a vacation. After chatting for a short while, Meng Hemian actually felt less nervous.

“It might take a moment,” she said, opening the gate to the courtyard. “The blooming season for wisteria has passed. I didn’t preserve many, so the fragrance might not be that strong.”

Qing Qian nodded. “It’s fine. I’m the one intruding.”

Everything in the garden was normal, but as soon as Meng Hemian finished her introduction and turned around, she saw the pale yellow rabbit crouching right in her path. It was crouched in a perfect circle, eyes unblinking, looking very much like a plush toy.

“Little Bread?” Meng Hemian hadn’t expected to run into her now.

However, the rabbit’s ears flickered, and it suddenly bolted, rushing into the house at incredible speed as if it had been scared half to death.

Meng Hemian frowned slightly. “I’m sorry, the rabbit at home is shy around strangers.”

The prismatic bird made a few ambiguous “gaga” sounds. Qing Qian shot a sidelong glance, and the bird immediately shut its beak.

She said warmly, “It’s quite alright. Go ahead with what you need to do, I’ll wait here.”

Worried that the rabbit was stressed, Meng Hemian didn’t care about anything else and hurried into the house. “Little Bread?”

There was an out of place “throw pillow” on the sofa in the shape of a rabbit. If one looked closely, the ears were twitching.

Wen Shuyao had buried her head into the crevice of the sofa, muttering what she thought was a quiet whisper: “What kind of strange demon did Meng Hemian bring back?”

Meng Hemian, who had already noticed her: “…”

If she hadn’t misheard, that sounded exactly like Wen Shuyao’s voice. She cautiously sat on the edge of the sofa, not daring to make a sudden move.

Sensing the movement, Wen Shuyao stomped her foot petulantly: “Meng Hemian is so stupid at times like this. One day she’s going to get tricked and eaten by a demon.”

Meng Hemian’s worldview was on the brink of collapse. She opened her mouth to speak several times but couldn’t find the words. What is this? Not sure. Let’s look again.

Wen Shuyao waited for a moment, but still didn’t receive any comfort from Meng Hemian. That’s weird; usually, Meng Hemian would pet me first.

She was a rabbit right now, she could use Meng Hemian’s favoritism to act as spoiled as she wanted. She took the initiative to hop over to Meng Hemian’s side and pressed a paw against her hand.

“Pet me~”

It was Wen Shuyao’s sweet, coquettish voice.

Meng Hemian’s heart skipped a beat, and she reflexively pulled her hand away. This was too strange, it felt as if Wen Shuyao herself was acting spoiled and asking for a head pat.

The little rabbit didn’t take Meng Hemian’s odd behavior to heart. She didn’t mind and persistently stood on her tiptoes: “Just one pet, okay? Please, please~”

Meng Hemian looked at the woman sitting in the courtyard drinking hot cocoa like she was tasting fine tea, and the shimmering seven colored bird on her shoulder. Then she looked at “Little Bread,” who was straining to stand up and rub her head against her hand.

She still found it utterly inconceivable.

Had she finally… after that moment of sudden enlightenment the other day… gone crazy?