Luckily, it was only a doll.
If it had been a real kitten or puppy...
Wouldn't the poor thing have been heartbroken?
A kitten or puppy could get hurt, too.
The woman didn't want to keep wasting time with the child.
Whenever the little bear doll came up, she and the child just went around in circles, repeating the same few lines.
Over and over.
It was suffocating.
"Come home with me."
The woman grabbed the child's wrist.
The door at home was still open.
She was getting worried.
What if an unwelcome visitor had gone inside?
But the child didn't understand why she was worried.
She struggled desperately, pulling backward.
She tried with all her might to pry open her mother's fingers around her wrist.
"Let go!"
"I'm going to find Little Bear!"
"Little Bear is waiting for me!"
"I'm bringing Little Bear home!"
The woman tugged the child forward with all her strength.
"Stop this nonsense!"
The woman snapped under her breath.
"You're never going to stop..."
She pressed her lips together.
Her expression was grim.
"Mom, I—"
"Shut up!"
The woman suddenly whipped around.
The child's voice cut off.
She was frightened into silence.
She even forgot to struggle.
The woman practically dragged the child home.
"..."
Hua Ziyun slowly closed his open mouth.
He looked down at the Little Bear Doll in his hand.
A wry smile spread across his face.
What should he do?
After all that...
The Little Bear Doll had ended up back in his hands again...
What a strange bond he had with this Little Bear Doll...
But after what had just happened...
An enraged mother and a daughter struggling against her...
Hua Ziyun simply hadn't found the right moment to speak up.