"I want to thank the maple tree spirit,"
"Thank it for giving me..."
The child raised the maple leaves in her hands.
"Thank it for giving me all these maple leaves."
"They're so pretty."
"I love them so much."
Xiao Xiao smiled.
He bent down and picked the child up.
Then he carried her back to the window.
"You can thank the maple tree."
"It'll hear you."
"Really?"
The child's eyes widened in surprise.
"Which maple tree?"
"Any of them."
Xiao Xiao's eyes curved slightly.
"The maple tree spirit can hear you."
Oh.
The child nodded.
Though she was still a little unsure...
But...
She soon let go of her uncertainty.
She believed her big brother.
Her big brother was so amazing.
Of course he was right.
The child opened her mouth.
"..."
"What's wrong?"
Xiao Xiao looked down.
The child puffed out her cheeks.
Her fingers fidgeted.
"I'm a little..."
"Embarrassed."
Xiao Xiao smiled.
"You don't have to be loud."
"Even if you whisper..."
"The maple tree spirit will hear you."
"It's a powerful maple tree spirit, after all."
The child's eyes lit up.
"Really?"
"Really."
Xiao Xiao nodded.
The child gazed at the maple grove, her eyes sparkling.
The scarlet leaves were dazzlingly beautiful.
She couldn't help smiling.
The child opened her mouth.
"Th-thank you."
After struggling for a while, the child finally managed to speak.
"Thank you."
The second time, the words came out much more smoothly.
The child lowered her eyes to look at her maple leaves.
She carefully placed them on the windowsill, then rested her hand over them without quite pressing down.
The child looked up again.
Her big eyes curved into crescent moons.
"Thank you, maple tree spirit."
"Thank you