"Do you want to see maple leaves?"
Madam Xiao was very surprised.
"Yeah."
Juzi smiled wryly.
Madam Xiao fell silent.
About this...
There was nothing she could do to help.
Aside from the gods...
Who else could do it?
Madam Xiao froze.
Wait...
She thought of a possibility.
There were plum blossoms in her home that bloomed all year round...
If plum blossoms could...
Then could a maple tree...?
It was only a guess.
Until she was sure, Madam Xiao wouldn't say anything.
"What do you think we should do?"
Juzi rubbed her brow, looking exhausted.
She really wanted to make the child's wish come true.
But she truly didn't have the ability to do so.
The helplessness made her feel drained.
"Juzi..."
Madam Xiao pressed her lips together slightly.
She understood how Juzi felt.
"I'm sorry."
Juzi smiled wryly.
"I'm always telling you such unhappy things..."
"It's all right."
Madam Xiao shook her head.
"I'm glad you can tell me these things."
"I'm even gladder that the child's condition is stable."
The child hadn't gotten better.
But the child hadn't gotten worse, either.
Juzi froze slightly.
Then she smiled.
That was right.
Although the child was still in critical condition, the child was alive.
As long as the child was alive, there was hope.
As long as the child stayed alive...
The child would get to see the maple leaves she longed for.
"...Sis."
Juzi suddenly smiled. "We've all been wondering whether we should have someone make fake maple leaves for the child to see..."
"Fake ones?"
Madam Xiao was a little surprised.
"Yeah."
Juzi nodded slightly.
"But we'd only do that if we were truly out of options..."
"Otherwise, we still don't want to do it."