Treading on Swallows

"You are right," Hu Mei said. "I can see a bit of expression."

"Right, it's as if it had seen a cat," Jia Zizai said.

"People say that mice are actually very smart," Hu Mei said. "You probably scared it out of its wits when you caught it. It has already formed a horrifying impression of you, so it looked so afraid when it saw you again."

"Is that so?" Jia Zizai asked.

"It must be," Hu Mei replied.

"Well, I'll leave," Jia Zizai said. "You stay here and see if it's still frightened."

After saying that, Jia Zizai got up and walked away. Hu Mei stayed behind. The little mouse in the cage kept running back and forth. It was tearing at the iron cage with its teeth, trying to break the steel wire. It seemed to still be terrified and panicked, trying to flee in whichever way it could.

"Is it really afraid?" Hu Mei asked.

"You step back and see how it reacts," Jia Zizai said softly behind her.