Mal was still very much trying to adjust and not shoot anyone. So it took him a little while longer to talk to the Tam siblings than usual. The complex already thought him a murderer, and it wasn't exactly his most excited face he put on in being there. So he was cautious with them, and with that meant all of them. Even the ones he called crew. He didn't want to rile the complex and give them a reason to potentially shoot him, or his crew. So he was taking his stay on the downlow and remaining bottom side until he was more certain things were safe.
Looking up from his map, he watched the still water until he heard a voice. A familiar language and tone, he paused. Looking away from his map and quickly pushing i down. Malcolm Reynolds was not a man known to consult maps or walk softly. "Hao jiu bu jian." He cautiously responded, his eyes meeting the girl he knew as Simon Tam's crazy little sister. "We sniff the air, don't kiss the dirt." He responded simply and agreed. For once they were in stride, it might have been a miracle. Honestly this was the most normal interaction he'd ever had with River when Simon wasn't around. It wasn't often the Captain and ship were together alone so to speak.
"This place makes me dānxīn." He admitted. The back of his hand rubbing his neck while he watched her carefully.
[ooc: Translation- Long time no see, and Dānxīn-worried.]