The Deal
On top of that, Hesta seemed to have just lost her temper at Grass Sprout's house that morning, so there should have been a lot of people on the farm right now—not just the children—who felt the whole thing was shrouded in mystery.
Though what had happened last night was not complicated, without any credible explanation, the children could only fill in the blanks themselves—and imagination had no brakes in the face of fear. So what truly needed to be done was precisely to discuss it openly. Otherwise, the whole matter would only be pushed into darker corners, and the shame it brought everyone would deepen.
As an adult, Xia Yixue felt she had to show an attitude of not avoiding the issue, while also shifting the focus of the children's discussion away from what exactly had happened last night, and toward what we should do.
And this could be the very starting point for bringing Amel and Grass Sprout into this group.
At the thought, Xia Yixue felt her heart fill with courage.
While Amel and Grass Sprout were not here tonight, she would use this group conversation to help the children build a shared understanding: no more questioning victims, no more crowding around to watch them.
Perhaps one conversation would not be enough. Perhaps they would need to play some games afterward as well... but none of that frightened her anymore.
No matter how much energy it took, she would bring Amel and Grass Sprout safely into this group.
At almost the same moment, Hesta sat before Arevalo, discussing with him the voting matters for the upcoming trade exhibition.
"You do have a sharp eye," Arevalo said in a low voice. "Some parts of this exhibition involve displays of sensitive technology. It won't be large