It's a good thing that his casual use of the f-r-i-e-n-d-s word that Alice had been so careful to try and avoid is hard to mention with the rest of what he says. No embarrassment for Alice today. (Yet, anyway.)

Because instead her brain is stuck on what comes before it. Left her too soon, huh...

".. right. You should make sure to make up for lost time with her."

As someone who lost her parents, Alice can understand how much A-Qing may want to spend time with him - even if he was her father figure rather than biological father. But he sounds like he was important to her all the same.

"Don't let me catch you slacking off!" .. It's almost as if she's scolding him, huh. Though very lightly.