A smile spread across Xiao Xiao's face. "Frog God, Bo Bo, Happy New Year."
"Croak croak~ Croak~ Croak croak croak~ Croak croak~"
"Master Xiao, do you have time now?"
Frog God looked at Xiao Xiao with a hopeful expression.
Although puzzled, Xiao Xiao quickly gave a definite answer. "I do."
"Croak~ Croak croak croak~ Croak croak~"
"Then..."
"Let's play chess!"
Frog God's enormous eyes were clearly unfocused, yet at this moment, they seemed to gleam with concentrated attention.
Xiao Xiao was taken aback, then the corners of his lips lifted slightly as he smiled and agreed.
"All right."
He had not expected this monster to be so fond of chess.
Xiao Xiao followed the two monsters to the stone table beside the White Plum Blossom tree.
"Croak croak~ Croak~"
The chessboard had been put away.
Frog God's voice held a hint of disappointment.
"I'll go get it."
Xiao Xiao smiled.
Before returning to school, considering Frog God's love of chess, he had spoken to his family and asked them not to put away the chessboard on the stone table.
When Xiao Xiao returned to the White Plum Blossom tree with the chessboard, he found that the stone table, which had originally been covered in a layer of soft snow, had been cleaned spotless.
The corners of his lips lifted slightly. He placed the chessboard and the jars containing the chess pieces on the stone table.
"Frog God."
Xiao Xiao sat down on the stone stool. "Let's play chess."
"Croak croak~"
Frog God jumped from Bo Bo's head onto the stone table, then sat upright across from Xiao Xiao. Its excitement gradually settled, and its expression became solemn and serious.
At some point, Plum Blossom Woman appeared, sitting upright on a plum branch above the stone table.