"...Old man."
The child finally managed to get the last two words out.
Huh?
Xiao Xiao froze.
Then he found it a little amusing.
So this was why the child had been nervous and hesitant here...
She was afraid of the shopkeeper.
"Are you afraid of the old man here? Did you come by yourself last time?"
Xiao Xiao asked curiously.
The child nodded.
Xiao Xiao was a little surprised.
"Didn't you come with your parents?"
The child shook her head.
She pressed her lips together slightly.
The first time she had come to this shop, it had been an accident.
The balloon in the child's hand had accidentally flown away.
She had chased after it without thinking.
Reaching out to grab its string.
Each time, her fingertips had only brushed the end of the string.
She couldn't catch hold of it and pull the balloon down.
The child grew anxious and a little annoyed.
She had eyes only for the balloon.
Without realizing it, she had wandered away from her parents.
She had ended up somewhere unfamiliar.
The child hadn't noticed at all.
She only wanted to catch her balloon.
The balloon flew toward the doorframe of a shop.
The child's eyes lit up.
Could she finally get her balloon back?
She sped up.
A tall figure walked out of the shop.
A shadow fell over her.
The child's heart skipped a beat.
Before she could react—
"Bang!"
A tremendous sound exploded right beside her ear.
The child went deathly pale with fright.
Her mouth fell open, but not a sound came out.
The tall figure turned his head.
The balloon had hit a nail sticking out of the doorframe and burst.
He reached out and