Xiao Xiao took the child to a nearby police station.
As he had expected, the child's parents had already reported him missing.
Knowing his parents would soon arrive at the police station, the child sat on a chair with his head lowered, swinging his little legs. His mood was hard to read.
Xiao Xiao crouched down.
He could see the expression on the child's face.
There was happiness, but also unhappiness.
His whole face was scrunched up.
Xiao Xiao smiled. "Are you still mad at Mom?"
"...Mom was wrong."
The child's voice was low, and even carried a hint of tears.
Knowing he would see his mother soon, the child's mood, which had just recovered, began to waver again.
"When you see Mom, why don't you tell her what she did wrong, Xiao Yi?"
Xiao Xiao gently patted the child's soft hair.
The slightly cool strands made him furrow his brow.
As expected, a towel alone wasn't enough to dry the child's hair completely.
"If you don't tell her, how will Mom know why you're upset?"
"Maybe she didn't mean to."
The child shook his head. Before he could say anything, a sharp female voice rang out.
"Xiao Yi!"
A flurry of hurried footsteps followed.
A few breaths later, the woman had the child in her arms.
"Xiao Yi..."
The child jumped, looking startled and uncertain. "...M-Mom?"
"Okay, you're scaring him."
The man who came up behind them gently patted the woman's shoulder.
"Mom, it hurts."
"I can't breathe."
The child struggled with all his might.
"Ah, oh."
The woman hurriedly let him go. "Xiao Yi, I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"
Then she anxiously looked the child up and down. "Xiao Yi, are you okay?"
"Are you hurt?"
"You shouldn't have run off by yourself!"
"You scared me to