Ever since that day, Child's Mom had refused to let him go looking for Zhuzhu again.
No matter how often he asked her, confused, why.
No matter how much he cried and fussed.
She wouldn't give in.
She told him kindergarten would start soon, and good children should get ready for the new school year.
She gave him tasks to do every day and wouldn't let him play in the neighborhood. Instead, she took him to a nearby park.
But after she heard him mention Zhuzhu yet again, she stopped taking him to the park, too.
Child's Dad couldn't bear to see how miserable the child was. He wanted to plead on the child's behalf, but one question from Child's Mom changed his mind: "Do you want Linlin to be looked at strangely by other people?"
The child was too young to understand, but he did.
He knew how frightening those strange looks from people around them could be.
They could cast a shadow that followed the child for the rest of his life.
They couldn't let anyone get the impression that something was wrong with him.
Otherwise, even a thousand or ten thousand times the effort might not be enough to change that impression. And the results would be incredibly fragile.
The slightest sign that the child was different would undo all their previous efforts.
"But you can't keep him cooped up all the time."
Child's Dad glanced toward the child's room, remembering how red his eyes had been just moments ago. He couldn't help feeling sorry for him.
Their child wasn't the sort who could quietly stay inside all day.
"I'm not keeping him cooped up all the time."
Child's Mom shook her head. How could she bear to?
"I take him outside."
"Besides, kindergarten will start