"Bao Bao."
"Daddy and Mommy got it wrong."
Juzi didn't explain any further.
There was no need.
The child might not understand anyway.
"Thank you for the gift you gave us."
Juzi let go of the child.
She reached out and took the maple leaf from his hand.
Bao Bao's dad also reached out and took one of the maple leaves from the child.
"Thank you, Bao Bao."
"We really like them."
Juzi gently waved the maple leaf in her hand.
"Really?"
The child's eyes lit up.
Did Mommy and Daddy really like them?
"Of course."
Juzi chuckled.
"Look."
"It's so pretty."
She raised the maple leaf in her hand a little.
Juzi meant it.
She wasn't just saying it to make the child happy.
Anyone who saw these maple leaves would be dazzled by their vivid colors and delicate shapes.
And...
The most special thing was...
It wasn't even maple-leaf season.
Juzi studied the maple leaf in her hand.
It really was...
A maple leaf.
She'd thought...
Juzi found it incredible.
Xiao Xiao...
How on earth had he done it?
Was it...
Magic?
"It's so pretty."
Juzi sighed in admiration.
"Yeah!"
The child nodded hard.
"Right!?"
"The maple leaves the maple tree monster gave me are super pretty!"
The child was very excited.
Juzi and Bao Bao's dad froze.
A maple tree... monster?
They looked at each other.
They knew they'd heard correctly.
The child really had just said... a maple tree monster...
"Bao Bao."
Juzi rubbed the maple leaf in her hand.
"You just said..."
"These maple leaves..."
"Were..."
Juzi paused, then continued, "given to you by a maple tree monster..."
"A maple tree monster..."
Juzi's expression turned a little strange.
Then she reassured herself: he was