Taking a deep breath, Xie Pan’Er couldn’t help but look up ahead. As expected, a snow-white rabbit was hopping back and forth on the preserved fruit shelf in Zhiwei Restaurant, chewing on something non-stop.
Xie Pan’Er raised an eyebrow slightly as she watched. It seems this rabbit is about to make a name for itself!
"Quick, kill it! Whoever kills this rabbit for me will get a reward of ten taels of silver."
The old shopkeeper of Zhiwei Restaurant was sweating, cursing inwardly. This damn rabbit had dared to sneak onto their Zhiwei Restaurant’s preserved fruit shelf and steal food. Stealing was one thing, but if it hadn’t been seen by the customers, they could have just chased it away and been done with it. However, it was brazenly stealing food right here, and the long line of customers had all witnessed it. If it weren’t for a customer’s warning, the Xiao Er in the shop wouldn’t have even noticed!
Zhiwei Restaurant had been an established name for many years. Even people from the Palace occasionally came out to purchase preserved fruit as gifts for the young masters and mistresses. If word of this incident got out today, it would certainly tarnish Zhiwei Restaurant’s reputation. When the owner found out, the shopkeeper could kiss his job goodbye. The more the shopkeeper thought about it, the angrier he became, so he vented all his anger on the rabbit, ordering it to be beaten to death!
For some reason, upon hearing the reward of ten taels of silver, Xie Pan’Er was inexplicably reminded of the money Xie Yingying had once promised the Lu Family’s servant.
She had a hunch that if the shopkeeper really did something to the rabbit today, his fate would probably be...
Never mind. In the past, whenever Xie Yingying pestered her into coming here to queue for preserved fruit, this shopkeeper had actually treated her quite well. I should go up and give him a heads-up!
Thinking this, Xie Pan’Er pushed her way through the crowd and stepped forward to speak to the shopkeeper. She walked into the shop and whispered to him, "Shopkeeper, this rabbit must not be hurt."
The shopkeeper turned his head, glanced at her, and said, "Oh, it’s Miss Xie! What makes you say this? Do you know who owns this rabbit?"
"I don’t know who owns this rabbit," Xie Pan’Er replied, "but I suspect its owner is a noble from some prominent mansion, someone with significant influence. If you trust me, you could have your men catch it and hand it over to me. I’ll find its owner and return it.
"If you don’t trust me, then just have them chase it away. That way, even if the rabbit’s owner comes looking, you won’t have offended anyone, nor will you have made a mistake, right?"
Upon hearing Xie Pan’Er’s words, the shopkeeper felt she had a point. "Thank you for the reminder, Miss," he said. "I’ll have them catch it right away. Please, I must ask for your help in returning this rabbit to its owner!"
No sooner had the shopkeeper spoken than an angry young girl’s voice cut in.
"Stop! What are you doing to my Xiaobai?"
When Xie Pan’Er heard this voice, her head felt like it was about to explode, her ears ringing. Why did this little troublemaker have to show up now, of all times?
She was about to speak when she heard a Xiao Er angrily retort, "Can’t you see what we’re doing to it? Are your eyes full of shit?"
Honestly! This damn rabbit is ruining our business! The shopkeeper said there’d be a ten-tael silver reward for killing it, but we actually have to kill the rabbit to get it, don’t we?
Just as it seemed they were about to strike the rabbit, its owner suddenly appeared. And just like that, the reward that had been within their grasp was gone. Consequently, the Xiao Er had no patience left for this little girl who appeared to be the rabbit’s owner.