Juzi almost thought she had said her thoughts aloud.
After a few seconds of stunned silence, Juzi realized it had actually been Child's Dad who spoke.
His question had happened to match hers.
Of course.
It was probably a question everyone who knew about the child had wondered about...
Xiao Xiao smiled.
He raised a finger to his lips.
Then he gave a slight shake of his head.
"This is..."
"A secret."
"...Huh?"
After several seconds of stunned silence, Juzi and Child's Dad both gaped.
A s-secret?
"Mm."
Xiao Xiao's lips curved.
Juzi's lips moved.
She looked at Madam Xiao.
Did Madam Xiao know?
Madam Xiao smiled and shook her head.
"I don't know the children's secrets either."
R-really?
Even Madam Xiao didn't know?
"...It's a secret..."
Child's Dad smiled.
"Then never mind."
The child had already left.
It didn't really matter what the secret was.
He had just asked because the thought had occurred to him.
He hadn't expected to get such an unexpected answer.
Juzi wanted to say something, but in the end, she only nodded.
Xiao Xiao's reaction had actually turned her curiosity from a one into a three, maybe even a five.
But Child's Dad had already made his position clear.
And when she thought about it carefully, he was right.
The child had said it was a secret.
If she kept asking...
Wouldn't that put him on the spot?
He had clearly done a good deed and granted the child's wish.
Wouldn't it be wrong to pressure him?
Wouldn't she seem rather pushy?
Never mind.
Juzi smiled faintly.
All she needed to know was that the child had gotten her wish, and that she had left with a smile...
That was enough.
"We won't ask."