Chen Qingqing was not about to give Chen Hansong that much consideration right now.

Once she had finished breakfast she sat on the sofa looking at her phone, answering whatever Chen Hansong said with half an ear.

Around ten thirty the doorbell rang.

Chen Qingqing got her shoes on fast and stood up, trotting happily out toward the yard. "My delivery's here."

A moment later.

Chen Qingqing came back into the living room with an armful of packages. Chen Hansong glanced at what she was holding. "More clothes?"

"Mm."

If Chen Hansong hadn't been in the house she would have opened them right there downstairs.

As it was, she didn't hesitate. She carried them straight up to the second floor and opened all three in order. The first was a complete men's suit, the second a plain white shirt, and the last was the Balenciaga she had added at checkout without thinking. Chen Qingqing put the Balenciaga away in her own wardrobe, then laid the suit and the shirt out on the bed. The shirt had been folded and the creases showed clearly; she thought it would need ironing after a wash before anyone could wear it. The suit was fine, except that the tie that came with it wasn't the pre-tied kind — you had to tie it yourself.

Chen Qingqing tried the jacket on herself first. It was a size too big on her, but it should be just right on that guy. So she took it off, put it back in the bag with the suit trousers, and went downstairs with the tie.

Chen Hansong had been waiting a long time for his daughter to come back down and was about to go up and look when he heard footsteps on the stairs.

"What took you so long?"

Chen Qingqing didn't answer that. She trotted over to him instead, all smiles. "Dad, do you know how to tie a tie?"

"Of course I do, I have to wear one for work… why are you asking?"

Only then did Chen Qingqing bring out the tie she had been…