Chương 64: , huh?

At 10 a. m., the sunlight pierced through the thin clouds and gently shone on the glass curtain wall of the mall.

Lin Che arrived at the agreed location half an hour early—by the fountain in the center of the first floor of the mall. He looked at his phone while keeping an eye on the crowds coming and going, a hint of anticipation in his heart.

The Luo Bingli he hoped to see was not the girl in the monotonous school uniform with an indifferent expression, but the child who showed a little vulnerability, a little awkwardness, and a little closeness at home and in front of him last night.

However, when a figure slowly entered his field of vision, Lin Che couldn't help but freeze in surprise.

It was a young girl wearing a light blue dress. The dress was simple and elegant, and the hem swayed gently in the breeze, like ripples on a lake.

She wore a thin white cardigan over her hair, which made her figure look even slimmer. Her hair was still short and ear-length, but it was obviously carefully styled, with the ends curled slightly inward, smoothly following the lines of her cheeks and revealing her smooth forehead and delicate eyebrows and eyes.

What surprised Lin Che even more was that she had light makeup on her face, making her eyebrows and eyes appear softer. Even with just simple light makeup, she looked completely refreshed and stunningly beautiful.

This is... Luo Bingli?

Lin Che stood there, momentarily stunned. This was completely different from the girl he knew, who habitually concealed herself with a simple school uniform and a cold expression.

She was like an oil painting that suddenly jumped out of a black and white sketch and was given vibrant colors, carrying the vitality and sweetness that a girl of this age should have.

Luo Bingli walked up to Lin Che and saw the surprise and momentary distraction in his eyes. Her body stiffened almost imperceptibly, and the unease that had been well hidden was instantly revealed.

She lowered her head, her eyes flickering, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her dress, and asked in a voice barely audible, "... Doesn't it look good?"

She didn't know why she dressed like this today. She was just out with Yuqing's brother to pick out a gift for Yuqing, not on a date.

Last night, she had trouble sleeping for a long time, her mind constantly replaying the words Lin Che had said to her at home, and his firm yet warm gaze.

After getting up in the morning, she stood in front of the mirror, repeatedly trying on her few personal outfits. She even picked up a set of cosmetics that she had almost never used before and tried them out little by little while following a makeup tutorial.

Even now, she still remembers the look of utter astonishment on Ruby's face when she saw her like that, as if she had seen a ghost.

Lin Che instantly snapped out of his daze, realizing his hesitation had caused her to misunderstand. He quickly stepped forward, stood before Luo Bingli, and said sincerely and firmly, "No! It's beautiful!"

He looked at her lowered head and added softly, "It's just... you look a little different than usual, which surprised me. You look really beautiful today."

Luo Bingli didn't look up, but her cheeks visibly flushed red, which spread all the way to her fair earlobes.

Looking at the girl's shy expression, Lin Che felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

He knew that she was never a truly cold person; that aloof demeanor was merely a protective shell she wore to avoid contact with others.

But she behaves differently when she's with people who can get into her heart and make her feel safe.

That appearance might be the original form she was meant to be, suppressed by her childhood experiences.

Perhaps that's why, when she's in the form of Liuli, she exhibits subtle differences from her original self.

Having a different identity actually allowed her to subconsciously reveal some of her suppressed nature.

"Shall we go?" Lin Che stopped dwelling on her outfit and naturally changed the subject, gesturing with his chin towards the mall entrance.

He gave a gentle smile.

"You're here to help, so whatever you buy today is on me. Tell me what you want to eat, what you want to do, or what you've got your eye on, and I'll pay for it. Don't be shy."

"No... no need." Luo Bingli subconsciously refused, but her voice was not as firm as usual. She didn't care about spending money, but she was still not used to this feeling of being "taken care of".

"That won't do. I promised to ask for your help, how can I let you spend money?" Lin Che said, naturally walking ahead.

"Just think of it as... a brother treating his sister's friend to food and fun, okay?"

Upon hearing the words "brother" and "sister's friend," Luo Bingli felt a little less awkward and didn't insist on refusing anymore, but simply nodded gently.

The mall was bustling with people. Lin Che and Luo Bingli walked side by side, the distance between them even closer than when they strolled on the street the night before.

Lin Che didn't take her straight to a specific shop. Instead, he led her on a leisurely stroll, chatting with her every now and then, asking her what kind of shops she liked and what style of gifts she preferred.

He didn't try to act like a "mature adult"; he just interacted with her naturally, like an ordinary boy his age.

Luo Bingli was initially a little unaccustomed to it, so her answer was rather brief.

But soon she realized that Lin Che didn't put any pressure on her; he was just chatting casually with his sister's friends like an ordinary older brother.

He didn't try to delve into her inner thoughts, nor did he bring up those heavy topics. He simply enjoyed the relaxed weekend time with her in the moment.

Under Lin Che's natural guidance, Luo Bingli gradually relaxed. She was no longer as tense as she was at school, and she became more talkative than usual.

Her movements became much more casual; sometimes she would unconsciously move closer to Lin Che, and sometimes she would turn her head to listen attentively to what he was saying.

At the same time, she began to show the characteristics of a girl her age—curiosity, occasional childishness, interest in new things, and the ease and comfort that comes with feeling safe.

She started looking at the merchandise in the shop window, stopping when she saw something interesting, and occasionally making a few comments that showed curiosity or evaluation.

The girl's aloof expression was replaced by a softer look, one that was filled with curiosity and relaxation. She even occasionally revealed a faint smile, a smile that was subtle yet carried a rare sense of authenticity.

Most importantly, she no longer avoided Lin Che's gaze, and sometimes even looked at him proactively, her eyes filled with a subtle inquiry and... trust.

This transformation filled Lin Che with genuine joy, as if a seed he had planted was quietly sprouting.

He didn't point out this change, but responded to her with a gentler and more patient attitude, making her feel that this relaxation was natural and safe.

The two browsed through several stores, looking at many items that girls like—clothes of various styles, cute jewelry, fashionable bags, interesting stationery...

Lin Che would listen carefully to Luo Bingli's opinions and ask her which style Su Yuqing would like and which style would suit her better.

Luo Bingli offered many helpful suggestions. She knew Su Yuqing's preferences very well, which saved Lin Che a lot of trouble when choosing a gift.

This incident also made him sigh that even though he had lived with the other person for a long time, he still did not understand her as well as the girl in front of him in some aspects.

When they strolled into a charming gift shop, it was crowded with people. Luo Bingli was standing in front of a shelf full of trinkets, picking things out, while Lin Che stood not far to her side.

Just then, someone hurriedly passed by and accidentally bumped into the shelf. A glass ornament on the shelf was about to fall and hit Luo Bingli.

"Be careful!"

Lin Che reacted extremely quickly, almost instinctively taking a step forward and pulling Luo Bingli into his arms, while reaching out to try and catch the falling ornament.

His body shielded Luo Bingli tightly, allowing her to completely avoid danger. The ornament did not hit anyone, but it was not caught by Lin Che either, and instead fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.

Luo Bingli froze completely. She was startled by Lin Che's sudden action and her mind went blank because of the unexpected and intimate hug.

She could clearly feel the warmth and strength emanating from Lin Che's chest, the arms wrapped around her waist, and his rapid breathing. Her cheeks instantly flushed, and her heart pounded as if it were about to leap out of her chest.

"Are you alright?" Lin Che asked, making sure she wasn't hit. He immediately let go of her hand.

Although he moved rather quickly, there was no embarrassment or discomfort on his face, only a hint of worry.

His gaze swept over Luo Bingli, as if checking to see if she was injured.

"I... I'm fine..." Luo Bingli stammered, her mind still replaying the scene and sensation from just now. Her cheeks burned like fire, and she lowered her head, not daring to look into Lin Che's eyes.

Seeing that she was only frightened and not injured, Lin Che finally relaxed. He considerately didn't continue the topic and simply said softly, "It's good that you're alright. Be more careful next time."

He turned around and explained what had just happened to the shop assistant who had come over after hearing the noise, while refusing the small gift they offered as a gift, and left the gift shop with Luo Bingli.

Not far away, Su Yuqing, who witnessed all of this, stared wide-eyed, her face filled with disbelief.

"Eh?"