"I told you I'd come, didn't I?" he said gently. "Did you have fun today?"
"Mn! But I missed you more!"
Huaijin buried her face into his shoulder, her voice muffled as she whined, "You should've come sooner… everyone else's parents came earlier…"
He chuckled. "I came right after my meeting ended."
"Meetings are evil," she declared solemnly. "They take you away from me."
Her father laughed again, the sound warm and deep. "Yes, yes, I'll make sure to scold the meetings next time."
The teacher standing nearby couldn't help but smile at the sight. "Mr. Chi, Huaijin was wonderful today. So calm, polite, and attentive, a model student!"
"Really?" Yuanfeng looked genuinely pleased.
Huaijin peeked up shyly from his arms, her big eyes blinking innocently.
"Yes," the teacher continued with admiration. "She never cried or fussed once, always answered politely, and even helped another child with his crayons."
