His mother kept asking her child what on earth he had gone there for in such heavy rain.
But he could barely hear what his mother was saying, let alone answer her.
He had cried too hard.
His head was spinning.
He was leaving, yet he hadn't seen his friend one last time.
He was sad and felt so wronged.
His mother hugged her child, and her eyes reddened too.
"What a fool."
He heard those words.
He said to himself, too: Big Ox really was a fool!
Why did he have to be gone right then...
He was about to leave.
Although he'd been angry at the time, after leaving, he had never forgotten Big Ox.
So now he had come back.
He hoped he might see Big Ox again, but he knew the chances were slim.
Still, he thought, he really was lucky after all.
He had found Big Ox!
"Big Brother, when will Big Ox come back here?"
The boy took a deep breath, calming his overly excited emotions.
"I don't know."
Xiao Xiao shook his head. "Come back and check in a few days."
"I'll come every day from now on."
The boy blurted out.
Even though he knew Big Ox would come back here, he was still worried, anxious, and uncertain until he actually saw him.
He was afraid he would miss Big Ox again.
"Do you live close by?"
Xiao Xiao raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Not very close."
The boy answered honestly. "It takes almost an hour by bus."
"It takes more than ten minutes to walk here from the bus stop, too."
Xiao Xiao wasn't surprised.
After what had happened back then, and having left, the boy's mother would surely have chosen to move as far from this place as possible.