"You're not allowed to go."
Xiao Xiao pulled the two children a little farther inside. "It's going to rain soon. It's dangerous to go up the mountain now."
"But—"
Little Bell and Ruan Xinyan both looked unwilling to give up.
Yu Baozhu, who was nearby, came over when she heard the commotion.
She glanced at Ruan Xinyan, then at the sky, which flashed bright and dark with lightning. Thunder boomed in her ears, loud enough to hurt.
"Xinyan, aren't you afraid of thunder anymore?"
Yu Baozhu remembered how Xinyan had reacted the last time it thundered, so she was quite surprised.
It had only been two days. Was Xinyan no longer afraid of thunder?
Huh?
Ruan Xinyan froze. Thunder?
"Rumble~"
A clap of thunder roared high above.
"Ah~!"
A girl's scream rang out. As the thunder faded, it made everyone at the gas station's heart leap.
The shock of the sound from such close range made Yu Baozhu and Little Bell stumble backward. One of them nearly fell.
Fortunately, Xiao Xiao and Chi Xiuchuan caught the two children in time.
They exchanged wry smiles, then looked toward Ruan Xinyan, who was crouched on the ground with her arms around herself and her head buried.
How could such a tiny body produce such a devastatingly high-pitched sound?
Especially when they remembered how soft and sweet the little girl's voice usually was. The surprise in their eyes grew even stronger.
After helping Little Bell regain her balance, Xiao Xiao let go and went over to Ruan Xinyan.
He bent down, picked up the child, and carried her to a seat in the car.
The window closed.
The noise outside faded away, leaving only the quiet inside the car.
"Xinyan, it's all right now."
Xiao