But...
The old man slowly began to sense something was off...
The child and this young man...
Didn't seem to know each other very well?
How often did they meet?
Probably not often.
Otherwise, they would be more familiar with each other.
If they didn't meet often...
Then where had this supposed... familiarity... come from?
Or was it that...
This young man looked so young...
But was actually an expert at handling children's problems?
Had the child's parents specially hired him to help with their child's problems...
An expert?
The old man didn't know.
It was all just guesswork.
Xiao Xiao filled the bag with water.
He looked at the child, the corners of his mouth lifting. "Which two goldfish do you want?"
The child froze for a moment.
She pressed her lips together.
Her hands fidgeted uneasily.
"Uncle, which one do you want?"
She would take whichever ones were left.
Xiao Xiao smiled faintly.
"Uncle doesn't mind."
"Let her pick first."
R-really?
The child looked up at Uncle.
Uncle was really letting her pick first?
B-but this was a gift for Uncle.
How had it turned into her picking first?
The child felt...
That wasn't right.
"Uncle should pick first."
A faint, soft trace of stubbornness came through in the child's voice.
What a stubborn child.
The old man shook his head.
Uncle...
Heh...
Xiao Xiao's lips curved.
"Little Mango is so sweet."
The child felt a little bashful.
N-no...
That wasn't it...
Uncle should pick first.
How could she give him whichever fish was left as a birthday present?
"Uncle wants this one."
Xiao Xiao pointed at the black-and-white goldfish.
Huh?
The child's mouth fell slightly open.
"Really?"
The child blurted out.
In her