Hiding her nervousness behind a mask of certainty and determination, Mingmei stepped forward when Nancy led her into Tess' office. She hid her surprise when Tess, someone who didn't seem to have any connection to Asian descent, greeted her in fluent Chinese. Her accent seemed flawless. Mingmei held out her own hand and shook Tess' firmly, then bowed politely in greeting. A polite smile was on her features, which was the only acknowledgement that she gave Tess before returning the greeting in Mandarin.
"Nǐn nǎlǐ xué zhōngguó rén ma?" she asked back in Mandarin, questioning the woman where she had learned Mandarin. She used the formal form of you, Nin, as she was here as a guest and Tess was hosting this interview. "Thank you for permitting me to interview you, Miss Mercer. It is my honor to be here."