"You'll do wonderfully," Nanny Yun assured her. "And you'll have Minghao and Xinyu to help you adjust. That's what friends are for."
Friends. Another word that felt foreign yet precious.
Minghao reached over and squeezed Qing Qing's hand under the table. "You're going to love it! Well, except for the cafeteria food. That's still questionable."
"Young Miss!" Nanny Yun scolded lightly, though her eyes were amused.
The rest of the meal passed in comfortable warmth. When they finished, Qin Xinyu and Minghao automatically began gathering plates to help clear the table, but Nanny Yun waved them away.
"You all have homework to finish. Go on, get ready for bed soon. There's school tomorrow."
"But Ma...." Qin Xinyu started to protest.
"No buts. The kitchen staff and I will handle this. You've been working hard all evening. Go rest."
Reluctantly, they obeyed. As they left the dining room, Minghao grabbed Qing Qing's hand, pulling her along.
