It was simply driving the old man crazy.
Had he been having a run of bad luck lately?
But he had clearly gone to the temple to pray...
So...
It hadn't helped?
The old man wasn't especially superstitious.
For him, praying at the temple was mostly a way to put his mind at ease.
"Why do I hate the pipa so much..."
The old man murmured.
"Mm."
Xiao Xiao nodded slightly.
"It's fine if you don't like the pipa."
Everyone had their own preferred instrument.
But...
"The way you react to the pipa goes beyond ordinary dislike."
"So you think there must be some hidden reason I hate the pipa, is that it?"
The old man finished for him.
Xiao Xiao smiled faintly.
"Yes."
"He thinks there must be some hidden reason."
"Otherwise, you wouldn't hate the pipa this much."
"Pfft~"
Even though he was so conflicted, the old man couldn't help laughing.
That was quite a thing to say...
"Just how much does your friend love the pipa..."
So he couldn't accept anyone disliking the pipa for no reason.
So he had to prove that their dislike had a genuine cause.
And that they didn't hate the pipa itself.
"Mm."
Xiao Xiao nodded.
"He loves the pipa very, very much."
The smile slowly faded from the old man's face.
"But what the pipa brings back for me..."
"Aren't good memories..."
"Ahem~"
The old man cleared his throat.
A dazed look came over his face as he sank into his memories.
"Your friend is right."
"I do hate the pipa..."
"And there is a reason."
The old man had finally relented.
Xiao Xiao's expression eased.
If the old man had continued to keep his lips sealed, he would have planned to