"Since you've already seen Xue Xue up close, let's leave it at that."
The girl stroked Little Fox's head, one pat at a time.
They said animals were very sensitive.
In Xue Xue's eyes, was this man frightening?
"Give it to me."
The man persisted.
"..."
The girl frowned deeply.
Why was she starting to feel that this man didn't just want Xue Xue so he could take a look?
Was there some other... purpose?
She couldn't be bothered to guess.
She asked him outright, "Why do you insist on having Xue Xue?"
"Didn't you say you could solve my problem when you came here?"
"What does that have to do with Xue Xue?"
"It has noth—"
"It does."
The man's words made the girl's voice catch in her throat.
"...Huh?"
It had something to do with Xue Xue?
The girl thought she must have misheard.
She instinctively looked toward the boy in the hospital bed.
He looked just as astonished.
Xue Xue had something to do with his condition?
How was that possible?!
The girl took another small step back, still holding Little Fox.
"What are you talking about?"
The girl found it absurd.
She looked utterly incredulous.
"You're saying A Nan is like this now because of Xue Xue?"
"How is that possible?!"
"Even if you need to come up with an explanation, you can't just spout nonsense like that."
"Just say you don't know how to solve A Nan's problem. There's no need to make up such a flimsy excuse."
It was far too flimsy.
So flimsy she almost wanted to laugh.
Did she look like an idiot?
Was she that easy to fool?
Had bringing him so readily to A Nan's hospital room given him the wrong idea?
"I never make excuses."