"Really?!"
The old woman looked closely and only then noticed the jagged scar over the kitten's other eye.
Since the boy was holding the kitten in his arms, its injured eye was the one facing inward, so she hadn't noticed it right away.
"Th-this..."
The old woman's mouth fell slightly open.
So it was a one-eyed cat?
"Isn't he handsome?"
The boy hurriedly said.
He was worried that his grandparents would dislike Xiao Hei because he only had one eye.
Whenever Xiao Hei had "met" him after school or walked him there in the morning, plenty of students had seen him.
But most people thought a cat like Xiao Hei wasn't very nice.
Even if they wanted a cat, they would rather have a healthy, pretty kitten.
At least, not a disabled cat like Xiao Hei.
But he thought Xiao Hei was wonderful just the way he was.
"Like a pirate."
"Wearing an eye patch."
In his rush, the boy started rambling again. "Don't pirates all wear black eye patches?"
"Xiao Hei is as formidable as a pirate."
"No, Xiao Hei is a hero."
"Pirates are bad guys."
"But the pirates in the posters look really cool, too."
"Xiao Hua."
The old woman smiled and gently interrupted the boy's muddled explanation.
"...Grandma."
A trace of frustration crossed the boy's face at his own clumsy words.
"You really like Xiao Hei?"
"Mm-hm."
The boy nodded vigorously. "I do."
"I like him a lot."
"Don't nod so much."
The old woman steadied the boy's head. "You'll make yourself dizzy."
"Xiao Hua."
The old woman let go. "You have to understand, taking care of a kitten isn't easy."
"Playing with a kitten outside and keeping one at home are two very different things."
"Can you really take good care of him?"