Xiao Xiao quietly held the child.
The sea of blue flowers shimmered beneath the sunlight.
"Ah, a butterfly!"
The child suddenly pointed in one direction. "Teacher, a butterfly!"
"That's right."
Xiao Xiao's eyes curved into a smile. "Maybe this is the little butterfly's answer to Linlin."
"An answer?"
The child looked confused.
"Mm."
Xiao Xiao lowered his gaze to the child's bewildered eyes. "The little butterfly wants to tell Linlin that it heard what you said."
"It's doing very well in heaven."
"And it'll always watch over Little Blue."
"Really?"
The child smiled delightedly.
"Really."
Xiao Xiao held out his hand.
The fluttering butterfly settled on his fingertip.
"Look."
It was the first time the child had seen a butterfly from so close.
His big, dark eyes widened as far as they could.
Even his breathing grew careful and timid.
"Ah, a butterfly!"
A little girl cried out nearby.
"Mommy, a butterfly landed on Big Brother's hand!"
Xiao Xiao's hand moved slightly.
The butterfly flew into the flowers.
"Aw~"
Linlin cried out in disappointment.
He turned to look in the direction the voice had come from, a little unhappy.
"Niu Niu!"
The young mother took the little girl's hand.
She smiled apologetically at Linlin.
"Look what you did. You scared the butterfly away."
The woman patted the little girl on the head, chiding her.
She was disappointed, too.
She'd thought a scene like that could only happen in a TV drama.
She hadn't expected to see it in real life.
She hadn't even gotten a good look before her daughter's shout shattered such a rare sight.
"Mommy!"
The little girl shook her head, her face alight with excitement and urgency. "I want a butterfly to land on my hand, too!"
"Mommy, I want one, too~"