Xi still basked in the sun on the grass when the weather was nice, waiting for the day the human child would come sit beside him.
He would turn his head and see the human child staring down at the river, wearing a serious, thoughtful expression.
But day after day passed, and Xi never saw the human child again.
A gloomy air hung around Xi.
He didn't understand. Why wasn't the little human coming anymore?
He'd thought they got along well.
Besides, the little human had even given him a gift.
He'd been so happy.
Could that candy... have been a parting gift?
After another four seasons had passed, Xi left the bridge one bright spring morning. He crossed the grass where he'd spent so many hours basking in the sun and headed in the direction the human child had come from.
He wanted to find the human child.
Then he could give him the return gift he'd prepared.
But when he reached a crossroads, Xi was utterly lost.
He had no idea which way to go.
Left? Right?
Or straight ahead?
It suddenly occurred to him that the return gift he'd prepared might have to stay with him for quite some time.
Xi picked a direction at random and set off.
Not knowing where the human child was puzzled him, but it didn't make him too disappointed.
He could look for him slowly.
After all, he had plenty of time.
But he knew humans were different from him. Their lives were limited, lasting only a short hundred years or so.
So before the human child's life came to an end, he had to find him.
Xi wandered around, looking here and there.
When the weather was nice, he'd find somewhere to lie down