Not too far away from Xiaoyu and his little charges, you find another gerbil. She, you assume correctly, is colored differently from Xiaoyu's friends.

This one is a darkish grey, spotted with white. And, as she decides that your shoe is a most facinating object, is quite the curious gerbil.

You bend down to look at her even more closely. In return she backs up and stretches upwards on her hindlegs, all the while trying to swat playfully at your nose.

Waggling a finger at the rambunctious gerbil simply results in more happy chittering. She breaks off and looks at another gerbil watching the two of you. Bleaking a welcome, he happily scampers in to join the play.