Chương 61: The Mysterious Guest

"You agreed?!"

Lin Che and Lin Chen almost simultaneously confirmed with a mix of joy and surprise, while Xiao Ye cheered and tightened her grip on Luo Bingli's legs.

"Mmm." Luo Bingli lowered her head even further, her face flushed a faint pink.

"That's great!" Lin Che couldn't help but laugh out loud. Looking at the awkward yet adorable girl in front of him, he felt a surge of relief. He knew how difficult it was for her to nod like that.

"Then... shall we go back together?" He stepped forward and suggested gently, trying to make the transition more natural.

Luo Bingli unconsciously tightened her grip on the shopping basket handle. She looked up at Lin Che, then at Lin Chen and Xiao Ye beside her, her eyes flickering.

"No need," she finally said softly.

"I... I want to go home first, put my things down, and then go over."

"Huh? Go home to put your things away?" Lin Che was slightly taken aback, not expecting her to make this request. After all, it would take quite a bit of time to go from here to her house and then to his own.

More importantly, he was afraid that this was just an excuse she was using, and that she would change her mind after she got home.

"My home isn't far." Luo Bingli seemed to sense Lin Che's concerns. She looked at Lin Che with a serious expression.

"If I agree, I won't break my promise."

"Alright then." Lin Che nodded, but he didn't immediately tell her the address. Instead, he looked at Lin Chen.

Lin Chen received his son's signal and immediately stepped forward, saying gently, "Luo, how about this, we drive you to your neighborhood?"

Luo Bingli hesitated again. She knew it was a more convenient option, but she was used to hiding her life and not causing trouble for others.

Being sent home meant that her personal space might be exposed to others, and the hidden discomfort and her habit of not wanting to trouble others led her to refuse.

"No need, thank you for your kindness, Uncle Lin." She politely declined, but her voice was firm.

"My home isn't far, it's easy for me to get back by myself, there's no need for you to go out of your way to take me."

Lin Chen looked at her and sensed from her firm tone and slightly tense body a deep sense of independence and a habit of not wanting to trouble others, as well as a certain hidden unease.

"Alright then." He didn't insist, but nodded.

"Xiao Che, tell Luo the address and phone number."

Lin Che took out his phone and sent his home address directly to the other party, saying, "It's been sent."

"Received." Luo Bingli picked up her phone, glanced at the message, then looked up at Lin Che, seemingly confirming something.

"So... when would be a good time for me to go?"

Lin Che answered without hesitation: "Just leave as soon as you get home and put your things down. It's okay to leave a little earlier."

"Okay, I understand." She nodded slightly and put her phone away.

"Be careful on the road," Lin Che whispered.

Luo Bingli did not respond immediately, but simply nodded slightly and then bowed slightly to them: "Thank you."

"You're welcome. We're very happy to have you as a guest," Lin Chen replied gently.

"Sister Luo! You must come!" Xiaoye waved her little hand and said goodbye loudly.

Looking into Xiao Ye's pure and innocent eyes, Luo Bingli felt a surge of warmth that washed away the awkwardness and discomfort she felt from accepting the invitation.

"Yes, I will." She bent down, gave Xiaoye a very slight, slightly reserved smile, then turned and walked quickly toward the mall exit, her figure soon blending into the crowd.

"This child..." Lin Chen sighed softly as he watched Luo Bingli's departing figure.

He looked at Lin Che, his eyes questioning, "Xiao Che, who is she...?"

Lin Che knew what his father wanted to ask. He remained silent for a moment, gathered his thoughts, and decided to tell his father the information he had obtained from his conversation with the other party's homeroom teacher, but to keep the matter of the message to himself for the time being.

"Her parents divorced a long time ago, and she has been living with her father ever since. But her father is very busy with work and often travels for business, so she is often home alone..."

"No wonder..." Lin Chen murmured softly after listening to Lin Che's account, his expression somewhat heavy.

He is a person who values family and children very much. Hearing that such a child has been living alone for a long time and lacks the company of his parents, he naturally felt sad and heartbroken.

"She's a pitiful child too." Lin Chen sighed again, his tone full of pity. He reached out and patted Lin Che's shoulder, his eyes filled with approval.

"You did a great job, Xiao Che."

"Don't let it slip later. Don't let her know that I specifically asked about her situation. She might not like these things." Lin Che didn't get proud of his father's praise, but carefully reminded him.

"I will remember that," Lin Chen nodded earnestly in response.

He paused, then continued gently, "If you have the chance, invite her to our house for meals more often. This child... seems too lonely."

"Okay, let's go back too." Lin Che agreed, took Xiao Ye's hand, and walked towards the cashier.

After saying goodbye to Lin Che and his son, as well as Xiao Ye, Luo Bingli carried her shopping basket and left the mall in a slightly hurried manner, heading home.

She glanced down at the shopping bag in her hand, which contained several boxes of cold instant food. Recalling the warm invitation from Lin Che's home earlier, a complex mix of emotions welled up inside her.

She soon returned to her desolate home, opened the door, and was greeted by the familiar silence and emptiness.

The air was thick with a musty, lifeless atmosphere. A thin layer of dust covered the furniture in the living room, and some unopened delivery boxes were piled up in the corner.

She casually placed the groceries she had bought on the shoe cabinet next to the entryway. Looking at the cold, hard packaging of the food, and thinking about the dinner she was about to have, she suddenly felt a strong, long-lost sense of loneliness wash over her like a tidal wave.

"Should I really go?" she asked herself. The warm invitation from a stranger's family both attracted her and made her feel inexplicably afraid.

She was afraid that the warmth was only temporary, afraid that once she opened her heart, she would be hurt and abandoned.

But then images of Xiaoye's innocent and expectant eyes, Su Yuqing's bright smile, Lin Che's gentle gaze, and Lin Chen's kind words surfaced in her mind... That kindness was so real, so selfless.

Her gaze fell on the old music box on the table. Remembering her grandmother's words of advice, she bit her lower lip, finally made up her mind, and walked into the dressing room.

She doesn't have many "formal" casual outfits, but she still carefully put together a relatively simple, appropriate, and polite outfit. She changed out of the slightly casual sweatshirt and jeans she wore in the afternoon, fixed her hair in front of the mirror, and took a deep breath.

"I'm ready," she whispered to herself, then picked up her phone, left the house, and temporarily left the loneliness behind.

Meanwhile, Lin Che and his group quickly returned home. As they opened the door, the familiar warmth of home greeted them.

Su Yuqing had obviously just arrived home and was currently sprawled out on the soft sofa, lazily playing on her phone.

She was wearing a set of loungewear, the neckline was a little crooked, and even the hem of the clothes was rolled up, revealing her fair belly, making her look very casual and relaxed.

"Hi~" She heard the door open, raised one hand and waved to them as a greeting, but her eyes were still fixed on her phone screen, her fingers nimbly swiping.

"Sister!" Xiaoye rushed towards the sofa like a happy little deer, and with a leap, landed directly on Su Yuqing's stomach.

"Ouch!" Su Yuqing let out an exaggerated scream, almost dropping her phone. She was being crushed by Xiaoye and couldn't breathe.

"Xiaoye! Are you a pig?! You're so heavy!"

"Hahahaha!" Xiaoye laughed happily, rubbing against Su Yuqing and giving her one "heavy blow" after another.

Lin Che couldn't help but smile as he watched the two lively sisters interact. He carried the shopping bag to the kitchen doorway and called out, "Stop lying around, you lazybones, get up and help make dumplings."

Su Yuqing showed no intention of getting up from the sofa. She complained in a pitiful tone, "No way~ I'm exhausted from shopping all afternoon! And Xiaoye is pressing down on me, I can't get up!"

Xiaoye immediately chimed in, pressing her body even closer to Su Yuqing: "That's right! Sister can't get up because I'm pressing her down!"

Lin Che knew this was just an excuse for her to be lazy, and he didn't care. He smiled mysteriously and said, "Whatever you want, but we'll have a guest coming over tonight."

Su Yuqing immediately perked up her ears, her eyes shifting from her phone screen with curiosity: "A guest? Who is it? Is it Dad's friend?"

Lin Che didn't answer directly, but instead kept her in suspense, raising an eyebrow slightly: "Guess." Then he went into the kitchen and started getting busy.

Su Yuqing watched his retreating figure as he walked into the kitchen, muttering under her breath, "So mysterious..." but her eyes held an obvious curiosity.

She rolled over and continued lying on the sofa playing on her phone, but her attention was clearly drawn to the "guest," and she kept looking up towards the door.

About half an hour later, the crisp sound of the doorbell broke the silence inside the house. Su Yuqing sat up from the sofa, her eyes full of curiosity.

Lin Che walked out of the kitchen, not even bothering to wipe the flour off his hands, and strode towards the door, a smile on his face that he couldn't hide, a smile that was a mixture of anticipation and relief.

The guests have arrived.