Chapter 111: A Warm Homecoming

Luo Junhe sat down next to Luo Xiaoyun, his gaze fixed on her face. He looked at her over and over again, unable to hide the smile at the corners of his mouth. His hands rested on his knees.

“Xiaoyun,” he said, his voice unusually soft, a far cry from the decisive President Luo at the office. “What do you want for dinner? Just tell me. I’ll cook it for you myself.”

Luo Jingming’s eyes went wide. The melon seeds in his hand nearly fell to the floor. “Dad, you’re way too biased! Last time I wanted you to cook, you told me to go think about it. Mom asks, you cook. I ask, I get ‘go think about it.’ How is that fair?”

Luo Junhe shot him a glance, his tone laced with pride and affection.

“You think you can compare to my daughter? She’s finally home. I’m cooking for her. What’s the problem?” He paused, then added, “Now get in the kitchen and help. Stop yapping.”

“Me? Help?” Luo Jingming pointed at himself, incredulous.

“What else? You think you just sit here and wait to eat?”

Luo Jingming opened his mouth, then closed it. He resigned himself to standing up and heading for the kitchen.

After two steps, he turned back, glanced at Luo Xiaoyun, winked, and whispered, “Thanks to you, I get to have Dad’s cooking for once.” Then he grinned and disappeared into the kitchen.

Luo Xiaoyun watched her father’s earnest expression and felt a warmth in her heart, but she was still a little embarrassed. “Dad, you don’t have to go to all this trouble. Just something simple is fine. Don’t work so hard.”

Luo Junhe smiled and ruffled her hair, the gesture a bit awkward but gentle. “It’s no trouble. Cooking for my daughter, I couldn’t be happier.”

He stood up and walked toward the kitchen. A few steps in, he stopped and looked back at Luo Xiaoyun, as if to confirm she was still there. Then he turned and went inside.

Soon, the sounds of father and son came from the kitchen.

“Dad, how big should I cut this?”

“Figure it out yourself.”

“But it doesn’t say how big here.”

“You’ve got eyes, don’t you?”

“…”

Shen Zhiyao let out a chuckle. She took Luo Xiaoyun’s hand and patted it gently. “Your dad is always so decisive at work, but at home he’s all tough talk and a soft heart. He may snap at your brother, but he dotes on him.”

She held Luo Xiaoyun’s hand softly, her fingertips gently stroking the back of her delicate hand, and chatted with her in a low voice about little things that had happened at home recently. Her tone was relaxed and pleasant.

Before long, a table full of sumptuous dishes was laid out, all of them Luo Xiaoyun’s favorites.

Luo Junhe kept piling food onto Luo Xiaoyun’s plate until it was overflowing. He kept saying, “Eat more,” “You love this one,” “Try that one too.” He completely forgot he had a son.

Luo Jingming sat to the side, smiling at the scene. He didn’t mind, helping himself to food and occasionally handing Luo Xiaoyun a napkin.

Shen Zhiyao sat across from them, watching with a slight smile, saying nothing.

After dinner, Luo Xiaoyun helped clear the dishes a bit, then went back to her own room.

The room still looked exactly as it had when she lived there before. The furnishings, decorations, and layout were unchanged, but there was a subtle added touch of girlish softness.

Shen Zhiyao had long since had the servants replace the originally neutral and cool-toned bedding with a soft, fluffy light-pink set. A few cute plush toys sat at the head of the bed, making the room clean and cozy.

Luo Xiaoyun went into the bathroom, washed off the day’s fatigue, and changed into the rabbit-print pajamas Shen Zhiyao had prepared for her. The fabric was soft against her skin, with cute rabbit ears embroidered on the collar and cuffs, looking adorable.

She sat on the edge of the bed, phone in hand, and unhesitatingly called Su Muxue via video.

The phone rang only twice before it was answered.

The screen lit up. Against a clean, cool background, Su Muxue’s gentle features came into view. She seemed to have just finished something; her long black hair was slightly disheveled, a few strands clinging to her forehead, adding a touch of laziness. She was in a tidy hotel room, the soft lighting making her skin appear even fairer and more translucent.

A clear, cool voice came through the receiver, gentle and just right: “You’re home?”

Hearing Su Muxue’s voice, Luo Xiaoyun’s usually calm eyes instantly lit up, as if filled with starlight. “Mm-hmm! Muxue, did you miss me?”

“I did.” Su Muxue’s lips curled up slightly, her gaze tender and affectionate. “I missed my little Xiaoyun so much.”

Those simple words made Luo Xiaoyun’s ears burn and her heart beat faster. She clutched her phone and asked softly, “Are you settled in the capital? Are you tired? Did you eat well?”

“I got to the hotel not long ago. Things aren’t too complicated. I’m not tired at all, and I’ve already had dinner.” Su Muxue patiently answered each question, her voice gentle.

Luo Xiaoyun said, “Oh,” hesitated, and then asked, “You still haven’t told me why you went to the capital.”

Su Muxue was silent for a second, then lowered her voice. “Because my family is here in the capital.”

Luo Xiaoyun blinked. “Then why don’t you stay at home? Why stay in a hotel?”

This time, Su Muxue paused for half a second. A barely perceptible shadow flickered in her eyes. She said lightly, “I don’t want to go back.”

There was a hint of unspoken difficulty in her tone.

Luo Xiaoyun was sensitive. She caught the shift in emotion immediately and didn’t press further. She just said, “Oh,” in a very soft voice.

“It’s okay. If you don’t want to go back, don’t.” She shifted to a more comfortable position, lying on her stomach on the bed, chin resting on her arms, looking at the screen. “Is the hotel comfortable?”

“It’s okay. The bed is pretty big.”

“How big? As big as our bed?”

Su Muxue thought for a moment. “About the same.”

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