She fell backward.
She landed hard on her bottom.
"Ah!"
Everyone outside the glass window screamed.
Alarm showed on their faces.
The red-eyed python...
The red-eyed python, which had been quietly holding a flower in its mouth, suddenly darted in front of the staff member.
Its head rose high, its bright red forked tongue flickering in and out of sight.
The enormous shadow lunged at the staff member.
The staff member was terrified.
The people outside the glass window were terrified too.
The scene descended into chaos.
The director was nearly in despair.
He could hardly bear to look at the bloody scene that was about to unfold...
"...Qian Qian."
The old woman spoke hesitantly.
She looked up at the red-eyed python.
For the first time...
The red-eyed python had shown her this side of itself.
The red-eyed python lowered its eyes to study the old woman.
The old woman didn't back away.
This was Qian Qian.
Her friend of many decades.
A special presence she regarded as family.
There was surprise in the old woman's eyes.
Confusion.
Bewilderment.
But no fear.
The red-eyed python slowly coiled up.
The old woman went from looking up to meeting its gaze, then finally to looking slightly down.
The red-eyed python lowered its head.
It seemed to pick something up from the ground...
The old woman's eyes widened.
It was the little pink-purple flower.
Earlier, when the red-eyed python had frightened the staff member...
After her initial shock and surprise, the old woman had gradually guessed what the red-eyed python was trying to do...
Qian Qian had frightened that staff member for her...
Hadn't she?
The old woman's eyes slowly reddened.
She remembered why the red-eyed python