Hamer woke late and needed extra time to get ready. I found myself rushing her along, but I realized afterward: there’s no real need to hurry over things that matter to her. When we rush, children sense our urgency and often slow down further. We also risk turning a pleasant morning into a tense one. Sometimes it’s better to just let things unfold at their own pace.

In the evening, Hamer wanted to join her friend for an impromptu meal instead of sticking to our original plan. My first instinct was to address this later and set firm boundaries. But then I thought: does this really need to be serious?
From her perspective, she simply spent time with her friend and shared a meal—a joyful moment. There was nothing wrong with it. By lecturing her later, I’d only taint that happy memory.

Today marks my 10th anniversary at the Beijing R&D Center—a milestone I hadn’t realized until my lead reminded me.

I started here as an intern, grew into new roles, and even switched from product engineering to software development. Over the years, I’ve gone from restless to grounded, from chasing goals to following curiosity. This place has seen me through graduation, marriage, and parenthood.

Ten years may sound long, but it feels like a blink—filled with learning, growth, and quiet gratitude.

Last night, Hamer lost her upper left incisor. This time, instead of putting it in her little tooth box, she happily said she would place it under her pillow for the Tooth Fairy to exchange for money. I watched as she carefully slipped it under the pillow in her own room.

After she washed up and fell asleep, I went to check—but the tooth was gone. I guessed she might have moved it to the big bed she actually sleeps in. I searched there too, but couldn’t find it. In the end, I decided to just leave the money under the pillow in her room.

The next morning, Hamer excitedly lifted her pillow to see if the Tooth Fairy had come. Finding nothing, she looked disappointed and said, “So it’s not real after all.” I told her, “Maybe check the pillow in your room?” She rushed off, lifted it, and squealed, “It’s true! I got one yuan!” She held the coin like a treasure.


A moment later, she looked at me and asked, “Was it you?” — I, of course, denied everything.