She wiped away her tears, pouted her tiny lips, and did not answer Jose Pearce's question.
For her, Jose Pearce had a great deal of patience. He had never dealt with children before but he seemed to be especially fond of the little Belinda Howard, perhaps because of the saying "love me, love my dog."
He took out a gift he was holding, with its exquisite wrapping, and handed it to Belinda Howard.
Although the gift was covered by the box, Belinda Howard could still tell what it was at a glance, and immediately, a look of bewilderment washed over her wronged little face.
She looked up at the Uncle Chu standing before her and couldn't help whispering softly, "It's... a violin."
Jose Pearce smiled. She had finally stopped crying.
"Here, for you. Do you like it?" he asked, his tone like he was seeking her approval.
Belinda Howard lowered her head and looked at the gift in her hands once again.
"Uncle Chu, how did you know Belinda Howard likes violins?"
