The bus wasn't particularly crowded, with all the seats taken and a scant number of passengers standing in the middle of the car.
Lin Ge sat at the back of the bus near the door, a good spot since he only had two stops to go before getting off.
Lanya sat by the window inside, her familiar Erodina perched on her lap.
Little Erodina's face was etched with a smile as if she had stumbled upon something delightful.
"Erodina, what's making you so happy?" Lin Ge couldn't help but ask.
Erodina extended a hand, pointing towards a young man in the bus dressed like a company employee. He was gazing at his phone with a desolate expression, his dejection barely concealable.
Her finger moved again, this time pointing to a wailing toddler. The child's mother looked apologetic, and while the surrounding passengers frowned, no one said anything, merely enduring the situation.