Chu Mu deliberately let himself lose so Silver Wolf could enjoy the game.
But Herta did not quite understand. She asked:
"If she gets to enjoy the game that way, what about you? Where's your happiness?"
Chu Mu smiled and said:
"Her happiness rubs off on me and gives me something positive to feel. That's enough."
Hearing this, Herta lowered her head and fell silent for a moment.
Then she looked up and said earnestly:
"One more game!"
The two began playing blindfold chess.
After a hard-fought match, Chu Mu won.
He asked quietly:
"Did you do that on purpose?"
"I did not," Herta muttered.
But Chu Mu shook his head and said earnestly:
"You don't have to worry about my feelings. It's hard for me to find happiness on my own."
If someone drew up a personality profile for Chu Mu, he would fall into the giving type.
Take his childhood, for instance. With only one Winter City Shield in his pocket, would he buy a bowl of hot vegetable soup to fill his stomach, or a Snow Globe for his little sister?
Chu Mu would choose the latter without hesitation.
He found it hard to feel happy or content over a bowl of vegetable soup, but a Snow Globe could bring those feelings to his little sister, and they would rub off on him too.
That was why Chu Mu told Herta that he found it hard to find happiness on his own.
If Silver Wolf had beaten Herta in a game, she would probably have been gloating with delight by now.
But Chu Mu would not.
Happiness came easily to Silver Wolf, but not to Chu Mu.
Perhaps Kafka understood that, which was why she had said that, as Chu Mu's family, they needed to stay optimistic