In the back seat of a luxurious black SUV, Xiaoxing, the young and spirited girl, sat with her legs swinging back and forth in the air. Her small hands gripped the pink backpack resting on her lap, and her face was scrunched up in deep thought. The bustling streets of Shanghai passed by in a blur outside the tinted windows, but she barely noticed them. Her mind was consumed with far more pressing concerns.
"I bet Papa forgot to tell his men to pack my teddy and clothes," she muttered under her breath, her lips forming a pout. "I reminded him like a hundred times, but what if they only packed boring things like work files or something? Ugh… boring clothes."
The driver, a kind-eyed man in his forties, smiled softly as he listened to her grumbling. He had been tasked with picking up the little girl, and although it had only been a few hours, Xiaoxing's lively personality had already made a lasting impression on him. He glanced at her in the rearview mirror, watching her wriggle in her seat, lost in thought.
Xiaoxing continued her internal dialogue, her worries piling up as the SUV wove through the city. "And what if Papa didn't tell them to pack my dinosaur toys?" She bit her lip, her eyes wide with sudden panic. "What if they didn't fit in the suitcase? Or worse, what if he thinks I'm too old for them now? No way! Dinosaurs are forever cool!"
Her hands darted to her backpack, quickly unzipping it and rummaging through the contents, as if hoping to find some forgotten treasure that might calm her anxieties. After a moment, she sighed in relief when her fingers brushed against a small, familiar object. She pulled out a tiny, green dinosaur figurine, holding it up to the light.
"At least I have you, Rexy," she whispered, squeezing the toy affectionately before tucking it back into the bag. But even Rexy's comforting presence wasn't enough to stop the flood of new worries that poured into her mind.
"What if the snacks in China are all weird?" she wondered aloud, her brows furrowing. "What if there are no gummy bears here? Or... what if the gummy bears taste like broccoli?" The thought made her shudder. "Papa promised there'd be snacks... but what if he's too busy with work and forgot?"
The driver chuckled softly, shaking his head. "I'm sure your papa didn't forget the snacks, miss. He seems like the kind of man who wouldn't miss the important things."
Xiaoxing crossed her arms, still skeptical. "Papa is great at everything, but sometimes he can be really focused on work, you know? Like, really focused. Last week, he made me eat vegetables for lunch. Twice!" She shook her head in disbelief. "Vegetables are not snacks. They're... punishments."
The driver tried to stifle another laugh as Xiaoxing's face grew more serious. "If there's no gummy bears waiting for me, or if he tries to give me vegetables again, I'll have to give him the look."
Curious, the driver raised an eyebrow. "The look?"
Xiaoxing nodded gravely, her eyes narrowing as she puffed out her cheeks. "Yeah. The look. It's the one I give him when he tells me I can't have ice cream before dinner. Or when he forgets something super important. It always works. Papa says it's my secret weapon."
She folded her arms, leaning back in her seat with an air of triumph. But then, as quickly as her confidence appeared, it vanished again, replaced by a new worry. "But... what if the kids in China don't like me?" she said quietly, her eyes growing wide with concern. "What if they think I'm weird because I like dinosaurs and not princesses?"
The driver glanced at her in the mirror, his smile fading slightly. "I'm sure they'll like you just fine. You're a very special little girl."
"But what if they don't?" Xiaoxing pressed on, her voice trembling slightly. "What if they all like... unicorns or something? And I'm the only one who likes dinosaurs?"
She frowned at the thought. To her, dinosaurs were the epitome of cool—big, strong, and able to stomp around with loud roars. Unicorns, on the other hand, just pranced around looking pretty. How could anyone choose sparkly unicorns over epic dinosaurs? It just didn't make sense.
Xiaoxing leaned against the window, staring out at the passing streets with a pout. "Maybe I should have brought more of my dinosaur toys. If they see how awesome they are, maybe they'll change their minds."
Her phone buzzed in her backpack, breaking through her thoughts. Xiaoxing blinked in surprise, quickly unzipping the bag and pulling out her phone. When she saw who the message was from, her face lit up instantly.
It was a text from Jichen, her papa.
"Look what's waiting for you, Xiaoxing! Can't wait to see you soon!" The text was accompanied by a picture of a giant, plush dinosaur sitting on a couch. The dinosaur was almost as big as she was, with bright green scales and a friendly smile stitched onto its face.
Xiaoxing gasped, her worries vanishing in an instant. "Papa got me a dinosaur! A huge one!" She giggled, clutching the phone to her chest. "Papa didn't forget! He's the best."
Her earlier concerns melted away as she imagined reuniting with her father. She could already picture herself running into his arms, her face buried in his chest as he lifted her up with that big, warm smile he always gave her. And the dinosaur—her dinosaur—would be there waiting for her, ready to join her collection.
"Maybe China isn't going to be so bad after all," she said, her mood instantly lifting. But then, just as she was about to relax, another worry popped into her head.
"Wait... what if Papa remembered the dinosaur, but forgot my snacks?" She gasped dramatically, her eyes widening in horror. "What if there are no snacks at all?!"
The driver's laughter finally broke through. "Miss Xiaoxing," he said, shaking his head with amusement, "I'm pretty sure your papa didn't forget the snacks. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a whole mountain of them waiting for you."
Xiaoxing considered this for a moment, then nodded seriously. "You're probably right. Papa does like to spoil me." She paused, then added with a mischievous grin, "But just in case, I'll keep the look ready."
The driver chuckled again, and Xiaoxing couldn't help but giggle too. Her earlier worries seemed so silly now. Of course her papa wouldn't forget her dinosaur or her snacks. He never forgot the important things. He was always there for her, no matter how busy he was.
As the SUV drove deeper into the heart of Shanghai, the city's towering skyscrapers and neon lights loomed in the distance. Xiaoxing leaned her head against the window, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness bubbling up inside her. She was about to start a new adventure, in a new country, with her papa by her side. And though the unknowns still scared her a little, she knew that as long as she had her papa—and her dinosaur—everything would be just fine.
After all, what could possibly go wrong when you had a dad like Jichen.
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