Xiao Xiao and Chi Xiuke walked side by side.
Behind the pair of siblings up ahead.
"Master Xiao."
Chi Xiuke had nothing more to say.
She had a guess...
When she'd called earlier, Chuchu had been right there, watching her like a hawk, so she hadn't given it much thought.
Of course.
Even if she had, she wouldn't have been able to ask too much at the time.
After she hung up...
As she chatted idly with Chuchu, the guess had suddenly come to her.
After all...
It was too much of a coincidence.
This matter had been lingering in her mind these past few days.
"Master Xiao."
Chi Xiuke called to him again.
This time, she continued.
"Did Xue Jiamin see his friend?"
She vaguely heard her friend up ahead asking the child mundane questions, like whether he had much luggage in his room and whether he had his room key with him...
"Mm."
Xiao Xiao nodded.
"He saw the friend he'd been longing to see."
The friend he'd been longing to see?
Chi Xiuke turned to look at Xiao Xiao.
Was Master Xiao... trying to give her a hint?
If there was anyone Xue Jiamin had been most eager to see lately...
It could only be the human-faced leopard that had saved him when he was a child, and that he'd remembered again after all these years.
Could it be... that one?
Chi Xiuke didn't want to jump to conclusions.
Since Master Xiao had just seemed to imply something—
Surely she hadn't imagined it?
Chi Xiuke wasn't entirely sure.
After all, the words "longing to see"... really seemed unnecessary...
So...
Master Xiao probably wouldn't mind telling her a little more.
"Master Xiao, is it the friend Xue Jiamin's been thinking about