Si Ang sat upright in his chair, holding Good Child Chinese in both hands. His cool, distinctive voice echoed through Richie's room.
Anya was busier than ever, dashing back and forth between the living room and Richie's bedside.
Standing on tiptoe with a spoon in hand, Anya carefully fed the little cake to Richie, who lay in bed, one spoonful at a time.
When she accidentally smeared a spoonful of cream on Richie's delicate little face, Anya switched on her "Dai Zong, the Divine Traveler" legs and raced off to find her mother, Yor, get a handkerchief, and wipe his face.
After carefully wiping the crumbs and cream from Richie's cheeks, Anya wore an expression that said, I didn't really do anything, but good job, me.
After finishing the little cake, Richie felt it sticking in his throat. At his request, Anya fired up her "Wind Fire Wheels" and went to the living room to fetch his favorite milk tea.
Anya carefully inserted the straw and held the drink beside Richie's head with her little hands, looking pleased and fulfilled.
Richie ate and drank, paying no attention whatsoever to what Si Ang was reading.
Yet Si Ang was surprisingly patient. He kept reading at the same unhurried pace.
That afternoon's Chinese lesson had been on Pride and Prejudice, and Si Ang was reading its memorable lines:
"Prejudice keeps you from accepting me; pride keeps me from falling in love with you.
Vanity is indeed a weakness. As for pride, it is merely a sense of mental superiority.
Love is the dawn that comes after casting aside pride and prejudice." [Note 1]
Having eaten and drunk his fill, Richie let out a silent burp. Anya was tired enough to sit down on the floor, too, and the two grinned toothily at