"And thank you."
The old woman reminded the child, "If your big brother hadn't caught you in time, you would've fallen right on your bottom."
The child blinked.
Well...
That seemed true.
"Thank you."
The child sounded a little more willing to say thank you than he had to apologize.
Xiao Xiao smiled faintly.
"You're welcome."
The child stared blankly at Xiao Xiao for a while, then looked away.
"You little rascal..."
The old woman gently patted the child on the head.
Then she smiled apologetically at Xiao Xiao.
"This child is in a bad mood because he couldn't catch a little fish."
"His attitude isn't very good."
"It's not because of you..."
"Nor does he think he did nothing wrong."
"I heard," Xiao Xiao said with a nod.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to overhear."
They were simply standing too close.
The old woman hadn't lowered her voice while talking to the child, either.
So he'd naturally heard them.
After a brief pause, the old woman shook her head.
"It's all right."
It wasn't anything she minded other people hearing.
"Sorry you had to see that."
The old woman smiled awkwardly.
Throwing a tantrum over not catching a little fish...
The child really was just a child.
"Don't worry about it."
Xiao Xiao smiled and shook his head.
"If you're willing to trust me..."
Xiao Xiao looked at the child.
"Would you let me have this last chance?"
"I'll help you catch a little fish."
Huh?
The child froze.
What?
The old woman was a little stunned, too.
She looked at Xiao Xiao.
"Would you like me to?"
Xiao Xiao asked again.
He'd just had the idea on a whim.
The child had happened to bump into him, so