This rabbit has become a spirit.

After nearly half an hour, both of them were growing impatient when, at last, a small white head peeked out. The white rabbit was exceedingly wary. Though it caught the tempting scent of fresh grass, it vigilantly held its ground, refusing to be blinded by the feast before it.

Its nose twitched energetically up and down, as if trying to sniff out any lurking danger in the air. Only after a long while did it inch its way out of the burrow, step by cautious step.

Eating gingerly at the grass by the entrance, it gradually drew closer and closer to the animal trap—ten yards, five, three, one, then just three feet away.

Just as it was about to reach the trap, it suddenly halted, sniffed twice, then abruptly turned left and hopped away.

Seeing the rabbit about to bolt, Bai Ling was about to act when she caught Zhao Liang’s hand gesture, signaling her to stay put. She held her breath, intent on seeing what the rabbit was up to.

Before long, the rabbit hopped back, this time with a twig clamped in its mouth. Zhao Liang and Bai Ling exchanged baffled glances, utterly at a loss.

The rabbit hopped slowly to the trap, poked the twig into it, and with a sharp snap, the jaws of the trap sprang shut—only on the twig.

Satisfied that the trap was now harmless, the rabbit turned toward Zhao Liang and Bai Ling, and—astonishingly—grinned like a little person.

Both Zhao Liang and Bai Ling were dumbstruck. Was this even a rabbit? It seemed more like a rabbit spirit.

At that moment, Xiao Bai suddenly lunged forward. The rabbit, recognizing its arch-nemesis, whirled and darted back into its burrow, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Xiao Bai was just a fraction too slow, failing to catch its quarry. It stood at the mouth of the burrow, baring its teeth in frustration, growling furiously inside.

From within came the faint, mocking squeaks of the rabbit, as if taunting Xiao Bai.

Unable to bear the insult any longer, Xiao Bai thrust its head into the burrow. But the entrance was too small; its head squeezed in, but its body was far too large to follow.

With a yelp of pain, Xiao Bai jerked back as if stung by a needle. Zhao Liang and Bai Ling hurried over to find a fresh scratch on Xiao Bai’s nose—so it was the rabbit’s doing after all! They had thought the earlier wound had come from a wayward branch.

Xiao Bai pawed at its nose, eyes brimming with tears, whimpering in grievance.

Bai Ling soothed Xiao Bai, then turned to Zhao Liang. “Is that really a rabbit? I think it’s even craftier than a fox. Xiao Bai’s no match for it at all.”

Xiao Bai whimpered on the side, as if blaming Zhao Liang—not only had he failed to avenge it, but now it had suffered another scratch.

Zhao Liang could only smile wryly. “Year after year, we hunt wild geese, but this year the goose pecked our eye. There's no way that rabbit will come out again anytime soon. We’ll have to think of something else.”

He stood by the burrow, head tilted in thought.

“I’ve got it—smoke it out. Xiao Bai, you guard the entrance. Ling’er, let’s gather some dry branches and grass. We’ll force that sly rabbit out with smoke.”

So Xiao Bai stood unmoving guard by the entrance to prevent the rabbit’s escape, while Zhao Liang and Bai Ling gathered a great heap of twigs and grass nearby.

Zhao Liang had Bai Ling and Xiao Bai step back, then sparked a fire. Soon, hungry flames leapt up. He piled on damp branches and leaves to make thick smoke.

Lifting the front of his robe, Zhao Liang fanned the smoke vigorously into the burrow.

The choking smoke brought tears to his eyes. Bai Ling, covering her mouth and nose, stared intently at the entrance, waiting to see when the rabbit would finally bolt.

But no matter how long they waited, there was no sign of the rabbit.

Just as they wondered what could have happened, Xiao Bai let out a mournful howl. The pair followed its gaze.

There, five yards away, sat the white rabbit, serenely watching them, its eyes gleaming with mischief and disdain—as if to say, “What foolishness are you two up to? Here I am, Grandfather Rabbit, right out in the open.”

Zhao Liang and Bai Ling were beside themselves with frustration. They were just about to give chase when, with a flick of its tail, the rabbit vanished without a trace.

The two of them—and one fox—had been thoroughly outwitted by a single rabbit.

Bai Ling fumed, “This is outrageous! We must catch that rabbit and teach it a lesson.”

Xiao Bai chirped in eager agreement.

Zhao Liang scratched his head, thoughtful. “There’s still one trick left, but I didn’t bring the right tools today, and it will take some effort.”

“What trick? Tell us.”

Zhao Liang explained, “They say a cunning rabbit has three burrows—this one probably has more than that. If smoke won’t work, we’ll flood it out. But we haven’t brought buckets, and the water source is too far from here.”

Bai Ling replied, “Then we’ll flood it. Leave the water-fetching to me. Tomorrow at dawn, we’ll come back and deal with that rabbit. For now, let it go.”

With that, Bai Ling led Xiao Bai away, soaring into the sky, while Zhao Liang headed back to the Refuge House.