Cao nudged her second son, "What are you standing there for! Someone must have sent another meat rabbit."

Zhang Man stood up and pulled Zhang Qiu up, saying, "Third brother, go get the account books. Let's go out together."

"Second Brother, go see how many rabbits Second Sister brought over. I'll go get the account books now," Zhang Qiu said, heading towards the house.

Zhang Man left quickly.

"Third brother, wait a minute." Cao hurriedly called out to Zhang Qiu.

"Mother, is there anything else you need?"

Cao gestured towards the outside with her chin, "How do you know the girl outside is Erniu? Is she close to your second brother?"

“Mother, you’ve misunderstood. Erniu’s mother is busy cutting grass and raising rabbits, her older brothers are busy going up the mountain to cut bamboo and make bamboo skewers, and her father slaughters rabbits for meat in our village. She is in charge of selling rabbits in her family.”

Zhang Qiu felt that her mother had become a bit obsessed lately; whenever a girl came to the estate, her eyes would be fixed on her.

He busied himself setting out benches and tea, his face beaming with joy, as if a distant relative had come to visit.

Cao waved her hand impatiently, "Go do your own thing. Don't be like your second brother. When the girls come, don't just stare at the rabbits in other people's baskets. Be more attentive to the girls."

Zhang Qiu said embarrassedly, "Mother! I'm only fifteen years old. I'm not in a hurry to get married. In the future, I want to be like my older brother, learn to do accounting and writing well, and go to the capital to serve Miss."

Watching her third son flee as if running away, Madam Cao shook her head and sighed, "Once a son grows up, he's no longer under his mother's control!"

Seeing her father-in-law and husband talking, Jin Hua got up and followed Cao Shi to the side room.

"Mother, your daughter-in-law will be gone for ten days or half a month and won't be able to come home. Please take good care of yourselves."

"Go ahead, go ahead. It's a good thing that Miss wants you to come to the city with her. Mother is in good health, and your third brother and I will take care of all the chores in the inner courtyard. We'll make sure the inner courtyard is spotless whenever Miss comes."

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law exchanged a few heartwarming words, and at Cao's urging, Jinhua went inside to pack the clothes and bedding she was going to take to the city.

Outside the gate.

A girl wearing a blue floral jacket stood in the cold wind, carrying a covered basket on her back, looking out into the courtyard.

The girl appeared to be about fifteen years old, with delicate features and bright, sparkling eyes that immediately revealed her to be a person with her own ideas.

Zhang Man opened the half-closed door and looked past the girl to the basket on her back.

"Erniu, don't you keep any breeding rabbits? You've already sold more than twenty in just a few days."

Erniu raised her chin. "Who said I was selling meat rabbits today?"

"I've come to ask you, is Sister Jinhua going to the city with Brother Zhang? Aunt Cao must be too busy with all those rabbits you raise. Could you sell me one of your little rabbits?"

Perhaps she had been standing in the cold wind for too long and felt a little cold, so Erniu raised her sleeve and rubbed her nose.

Without hesitation, Zhang Man replied, "No, go back now, or you'll freeze and blame me."

"When did I ever owe you anything? Don't judge me by my own standards."

Erniu tiptoed to look behind Zhang Man and said, "It's not up to you. We have to ask Aunt Cao about this."

A few days ago, the meat rabbits raised in several nearby villages multiplied so much that they almost became an infestation.

If it weren't for everyone's trust in the village head, several households would have given up.

Especially after a heavy snowfall, many families' thatched huts for raising rabbits collapsed under the weight of the snow, and everyone's confidence began to crumble.

Just as everyone was hesitating about whether to continue raising them, the farm started buying meat rabbits.

In just three days, people living nearby sold dozens of meat rabbits.

The villagers couldn't believe their eyes when they saw the cash in their hands.

The news spread far and wide, and the villages around Yanhuishan were in an uproar. Everyone was excited to hear that raising meat rabbits could make money.

After hearing the news, villagers who lived far away all came to ask them to buy breeding rabbits.

In fact, Erniu's family has more than 100 meat rabbits, most of which are still young.

Erniu's father felt sorry for his sisters' difficult life, so yesterday when he got home, he sent several meat rabbits to his sister's house, which was more than ten miles away.

When Erniu's mother saw how prolific the rabbits were, she sent some back to her parents' home with her son.

Last night, Erniu overheard the neighbors gossiping that Sister-in-law Jinhua and Brother Zhang were going to Beijing.

The quick-thinking Erniu decided to keep the rabbits at home and not sell them for the time being.

He turned his head and set his sights on the little rabbit in the village head's yard.

Zhang Man said, "Everyone in my family speaks the same way. If we say we won't sell, we won't sell. If you want to raise more meat rabbits, then raise your own female rabbits well."

"You're lying. I don't believe you can make that decision. If you don't believe me, let me in to see Aunt Cao."

As Erniu spoke, she took a step towards the courtyard, but Zhang Man spread his arms to block her way.

The two stared at each other, neither willing to give in.

Zhang Qiu rushed out with the account books and saw this scene.

Remembering her mother's words, Zhang Qiu became more friendly towards the girl.

He stepped forward with a grin, "Sister Erniu, you're here early today!"

"Second Brother, it's windy outside. Please invite Sister Erniu inside to warm herself by the fire."

Zhang Qiu gently poked her second brother on the back, hinting that he should be more enthusiastic towards the girl.

Zhang Man turned his head, his arms still blocking the doorway, "Why is she warming herself by the fire? She won't be cold if she walks home faster."

Zhang Qiu: "..."

This is exactly what the book describes as being clueless about romance.

Seeing Zhang Man's stubborn look, Erniu barely suppressed the urge to kick him.

"Zhang Qiu, your second brother said he can take charge of the household now, is that true?" Er Niu smiled at Zhang Qiu, glancing at Zhang Man out of the corner of her eye.

Zhang Qiu and Zhang Man exchanged a glance. Zhang Qiu couldn't understand his second brother's expression, so he grinned and said, "That depends on what the situation is."

"It's about the rabbit."

Zhang Qiu pulled her second brother's arm aside and looked into Er Niu's basket. Through the gap, it seemed there was nothing inside.

"Second Sister, you didn't come here to sell meat rabbits today, did Second Brother make a mistake in the accounts for you yesterday?"

Erniu put her hands in her sleeves and shook her head, saying, "No, I wanted to ask Auntie, since Sister Jinhua went to the capital, are you selling your little rabbit?"

"Sell! Of course, sell."

"you……"

Having received Zhang Qiu's approval, Erniu took advantage of Zhang Man glaring at her younger brother and strode into the courtyard.

Zhang Man stomped his foot as he watched the figure dash off towards the woodshed. "Er Niu is a shrewd one. She's keeping her rabbits to breed, and she's even eyeing our rabbits."

Zhang Qiu released his grip on his second brother's arm and said, "With two fewer people working at home all of a sudden, are you trying to kill our parents with exhaustion, second brother?"

"I...I didn't think that much. Aren't we brothers still here? At worst, I'll get up a little earlier in the morning, go up the mountain to cut grass, and then go home for breakfast."

Zhang Man blushed; his brother's words struck him deeply.

He's so unfilial; the older brother isn't as thoughtful as the younger brother.

"Second brother, you get up early enough every day. You're a human, not made of iron. If you work yourself to death, our parents will be heartbroken."

Zhang Qiu paused and gazed at the distant, layered mountain range.

With a serious expression, he said, "The morning fog on the mountain is thick. If you accidentally slip and fall into the ravine, hurting your arms or legs, Erniu won't bother with you anymore."