"Young Master Bart, you're here. Please come in."
"Is Ruisina home?"
"Yes, yes, Miss is home. I'll tell her you're here."
"No need. I'll go straight to her."
"Well..."
"May I not?"
"Of course you may, of course. This way, Young Master Bart. Miss is upstairs."
Bart carried the bag upstairs and went straight to the bedroom door. Without knocking, he reached out and pushed it open.
Inside the bedroom, a girl in a wheelchair was reading a book. The afternoon sunlight fell across her long golden hair, as though draping it in a layer of gentleness.
Ruisina turned toward Bart in the doorway and smiled. "I'll go downstairs first to pay my respects to your father and mother."
"No, there's no need. They didn't come."
"They didn't?"
"I came alone."
"You came alone?"
"Yes."
"I'm sorry my father forced you to come."
"I did see Uncle Xiali, and he did ask me to visit you, but I didn't come because of him."
"Hmm?"
"I wanted to come and see you myself."
"Well... I'm surprised."
"So am I."
Bart opened the bag and took out a portion of dressed boneless chicken feet, braised pork ribs, and century eggs.
"I brought you some new things to eat. Try them."
"All right. I'm looking forward to it."
Bart handed Ruisina a fork. She took it and looked curiously at the boneless chicken feet. "What are these?"
"Chicken feet, with the bones removed."
Ruisina put a piece in her mouth and chewed. Judging by her body language, she, like Tu Shu, was not quite used to this sort of food and was even somewhat resistant to it, but judging by her expression, it tasted very good.
"A very strange texture, but delicious."
"Yes."
"What's this?"
"Pork ribs. Braised pork ribs."
"Cold?"
"These are