Chương 123: The Secret Talk Outside the Bathroom

The warm steam filled the entire bathroom, giving the cold tiles a touch of warmth. Luo Bingli sighed contentedly and immersed her whole body in the bathtub filled with warm water.

Delicate foam piled up on the water's surface like fluffy clouds, emitting a faint, relaxing lavender scent.

She stretched out her slender, fair arm, gently scooped up a handful of dense foam from the water, brought it to her lips, and then puffed out her cheeks and blew it gently.

"Pfft" The snow-white foam scattered and danced like dandelion seeds, with a few even landing on the tip of her pert nose and thick eyelashes, bringing a slightly itchy sensation.

She couldn't help but giggle softly, her laughter clear and melodious, carrying a rare and innocent charm that belonged to a girl her age.

This was the first time in her memory that she had been able to enjoy a bath so peacefully and comfortably.

In a daze, she felt as if she had returned to a long, long time ago, to an afternoon when she was taking a bath in the old wooden tub at her grandmother's house.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting dappled golden light on the water. Grandma would hum off-key lullabies as she gently wiped her back with her rough yet warm hands. This place, which Su Yuqing and Lin Che called "home," and the people who lived here, were like the warmest ray of sunshine, dispelling the long-standing gloom in her heart and giving her a feeling of being completely accepted and loved that she hadn't experienced in a long time.

She tilted her head back contentedly, resting the back of her neck against the cool edge of the bathtub, closed her eyes, and let the warm water envelop every inch of her skin, washing away her fatigue and grime.

Thoughts, like bubbles floating on the water's surface, began to wander aimlessly.

Luo Bingli suddenly felt a little dazed. She still clearly remembered that just last night, after parting ways with Lin Che in the park, she received a text message from "that man".

The text message was as brief as ever—he would be home the next day and hoped to have dinner with me and "have a good chat."

As she had done countless times before, the moment she received the message, she instinctively made the decision to leave that so-called "home" and avoid the "father" who made her feel suffocated.

In the beginning, she would go to the cheapest rooms in small hotels that didn't require ID registration, curl up on the narrow single bed, and slowly fall asleep listening to the noisy traffic outside the window.

But ever since that man found her by calling the police and forcibly took her back to that oppressive "cage," she has never dared to go to a hotel again.

She began to learn to wander aimlessly through the city like a homeless stray cat.

During the day, they would kill time on benches in libraries or parks, and when night fell, they would find a 24-hour internet cafe and book a secluded private room.

Then, I would lie on the cold table or lean against the smoky sofa, and drift off to sleep through one long, cold night after another, amidst the clatter of keyboards and the noise of games.

This time, just as she was habitually preparing to repeat those past "procedures," Lin Che's gentle smiling face and the words he had said to her that night unexpectedly surfaced in her mind.

In that instant, an irresistible impulse surged into her heart, and almost subconsciously, she had the idea of going to his house to stay overnight.

Then came that awkward invitation at the restaurant, and now she's enjoying a wonderfully comfortable soak in the Lin family's warm bathtub.

Everyone in this family—Su Yuqing's enthusiasm, Aunt Su Wanyi's kindness, Uncle Lin Chen's thoughtfulness, and Xiao Ye's innocent dependence—are all conveying the purest kindness and warmth to her in their own ways.

She cherished, very much, the feeling of being cared for, loved, and treated like "one of her own."

Lin Che was not lying to himself. If he wanted, the door to this house would always be open to her.

Could she perhaps—hopefully—be considered a member of their warm family?

Thinking of this, an indescribable sweet feeling quietly spread in her heart, and a charming blush involuntarily rose on her fair cheeks.

If it weren't for him—if it weren't for his selfless care from the very beginning, how could I possibly have all of this now?

Now, all she needs to do is wait patiently until "that man," as always, leaves again after a few days due to "busy work," and then she can return to her "shell," which, though cold, is at least safe.

But unlike before, from now on, she seems to have a harbor where she can occasionally "escape" and "stop". She can come here often to enjoy the feeling of being cared for and loved, and enjoy this pure warmth.

Even if we were just a little greedy and asked for a little more of this warmth, it probably wouldn't matter, right?

Luo Bingli squinted her eyes slightly, enjoying the warm water in the bathtub and the long-lost feeling of relaxation and comfort, as if floating on clouds, as she immersed herself in daydreams about the future.

Just then, there was a "thump thump thump".

Suddenly, several clear and rhythmic knocks came from outside the frosted sliding door of the bathroom.

Immediately afterwards, a voice that was all too familiar came in:

"It's me, Luo."

"ah-!"

This sudden turn of events brought Luo Bingli, who had been lost in her thoughts, back to reality instantly.

She instinctively let out a short gasp, her body suddenly sinking into the bathtub, leaving only her wide, panicked eyes staring nervously towards the doorway.

Through the frosted glass sliding door, the silhouette of a tall and slender man could be vaguely seen. It was clearly Lin Che. He seemed to be looking away from the bathroom door and was making a knocking motion with his hand behind his back.

Why is he knocking at this hour?! Is he planning to come in?!

No, no, no! This is the bathroom! And right now, countless chaotic thoughts flashed through Luo Bingli's mind, her cheeks flushed red at a visible speed, spreading from her smooth forehead all the way down her slender neck.

"No, no, Lin Che isn't the type to do anything rude. He must have something important to say—."

But then she suddenly remembered that her school uniform and underwear were in the laundry basket at the bathroom door, which was specifically for dirty clothes!

When he knocked on the door just now, did he see it?!

Thinking of this possibility, Luo Bingli felt her cheeks burning hot, almost as if steam were rising from them. She wished she could immediately bury her whole head in the bathtub foam and never come out again.

Although there was a frosted glass door between them, and based on her understanding of Lin Che's character, she was certain that he would never do something as rude as barging in.

But just realizing that the other person was standing outside the door and had likely seen her private clothes was enough to make her feel incredibly ashamed.

Strangely enough, faced with this behavior that could be described as "offensive," she felt nothing but unbearable shyness, and not the slightest unease or resistance.

Instead, her mind involuntarily recalled Xiaoye's astonishing statement in the living room earlier, and Lin Che's perfectly natural "I'll go." His calm and self-assured demeanor at the time now stirred up an indescribable, complex feeling in her heart, a mixture of embarrassment and a touch of strange sweetness.

Just as Luo Bingli was feeling dizzy from the chaotic thoughts swirling in her mind, Lin Che's voice rang out again from outside the door, his tone filled with obvious apology:

"I'm sorry, Luo, I know that I shouldn't be bothering you at this time, both morally and logically."

"However—you know Yuqing's personality. After you finish your bath, she'll definitely keep you chatting until midnight. I have some things I want to talk to you about alone, and I don't really want her to hear them."

"After thinking it over, it seems that only now is the most likely time for me to have a few words with you alone."

"Of course—" Lin Che added immediately, his tone incredibly sincere, "If it's inconvenient for you right now, or if you don't want to, just tell me, and I'll leave immediately and never bother you again."

"Or if you don't want to say no, you can remain silent. I'll understand what you mean."

When Luo Bingli first heard Lin Che say "I don't really want her to hear it," her heart skipped a beat, and the blush that had just faded from her face returned uncontrollably.

She even started to have uncontrollable wild thoughts: Could it be that Lin Che is something special...?

If you don't want Yuqing to know, should you tell her alone—to yourself?

However, as she listened carefully to Lin Che's subsequent words, which were full of apology and respect, and his clear tone that contained no other ambiguous emotions, her heart, which had been racing due to her wild thoughts, gradually calmed down.

She realized that she was probably overthinking things again.

What he wanted to tell me was most likely about my identity as a magical girl, or—maybe—the real reason why I suddenly asked to stay the night this afternoon?

After all, with his intelligence and keen perception, it was impossible for him not to notice his own unusual behavior at the time.

Thinking of this, Luo Bingli took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down.

She tried to keep her voice calm and replied softly, "It's okay, Lin Che, you can stay there."

Lin Che, standing outside the door, seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, his voice tinged with gratitude: "Thank you, Luo."

Luo Bingli adjusted her position slightly in the bathtub, making herself more comfortable against the edge of the tub, revealing only her beautifully shaped collarbone and rounded, fair shoulders.

She glanced at the blurry silhouette behind the frosted glass door and asked softly:

"So, Lin Che, what do you want to say to me that you specifically came to see me at this time?"

Lin Che was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: "It's about—your family."

"Clatter".

This is the sound of water droplets falling from Luo Bingli's slightly damp hair and hitting the water's surface.

Luo Bingli's hands, which were resting on the edge of the bathtub, tightened unconsciously.