Lily sat cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by picture books. Her father, Mr. Chen, sat beside her with a gentle smile. "Dad, can you teach me to speak like Grandma?" Mr. Chen nodded, pulling out a book titled "Learn with Me."

"We start with simple words," Mr. Chen explained, pointing to a picture of an apple. "Píngguǒ," Lily repeated, giggling at the new sound. "Very good! Now, try this one," he encouraged, pointing to a picture of a cat. "Māo," she said, her eyes bright with excitement.

Lily shuffled through the cards, her confidence growing. Mr. Chen watched proudly as she pronounced each word. "Nǎinai will be so happy," she said, imagining her grandmother's smile. "Yes, she will. You are doing so well," he replied, giving her a hug.

Lily stirred a pot while practicing words with Mr. Chen. "Tāng," she said, smiling. "Soup, that's right! You're learning so fast," he said, adding spices to the dish. The room was filled with laughter and the clatter of pots and pans.

Lily entered the room, her eyes shining with anticipation. "Nǎinai, listen to what I learned," Grandma Chen looked at her with pride. "Wǒ ài nǐ," she said, and Grandma Chen hugged her tightly. "I love you too, my dear," she whispered, her eyes moist with happiness.

Lily sat on Grandma Chen's lap, the family smiling around them. "Say cheese," Mr. Chen said, holding the camera. "Zhāng xiāng," Lily corrected with a giggle, as the camera clicked, capturing a moment filled with love and new beginnings.