Qiao Ying was not about to go up and say hello, intending to go straight upstairs to take a shower and sleep, but Lin Guli smiled at her.
His smile was very real, not at all fake, mysteriously able to soothe people's hearts, making people want to get close, and giving people a sense of security, dispelling the gloom that had been shrouding her, leaving only warmth.
There was a kind of gentleness and stability deposited by the years about him.
The Fourth Master had already run over, trusting him to raise his neck to Lin Guli. Lin Guli smiled and scratched the Fourth Master's neck.
He said, "You've grown so big now. I've only seen you on video before."
"Woof,"
Qiao Ying still had no intention of going over. Although this older guy was very handsome and had an infectious smile, and seemed to have a lot of stories, in short he was quite charming, and she felt goodwill towards him by association with Lin Cheng.
But she and Lin Cheng were not real sweethearts after all.
She was cold by nature, and was not very polite.
The Fourth Master called to her, and Lin Guli also looked at her.
Only then did Qiao Ying go over.
The Fourth Master immediately abandoned Lin Guli and threw itself into her arms.
Lin Guli said, "It really likes you."
He looked at Qiao Ying the same way he looked at Lin Cheng.
Qiao Ying responded, "I'm its owner."
Lin Guli was surprised. "Lin Cheng gave you Sack?" This was the first time Lin Cheng had ever given away one of his cats or dogs to someone.
A fine, misty rain was falling outside, and the castle was spacious and quiet.
Qiao Ying sat on the sofa, listening boredly as Lin Guli talked about things concerning Lin Cheng. The stories were very boring, but the storyteller had a nice voice that easily attracted people's attention.
It was also soporific.
That was the only reason Qiao Ying stayed to listen to the stories.
The Fourth Master listened more attentively than she did.
"When Lin Cheng was eight years old, I gave him a cat as a birthday present, a white Maine Coon cat. "
"That was his first pet, and also his first friend and playmate. The butler said he was so happy when he got the gift."
"He really liked it and cherished it. He would carry the cat around with him everywhere, eating and sleeping together, and even secretly put the cat in his schoolbag to sneak it to school." Lin Guli couldn't help smiling at the memory of Lin Cheng's adorable behavior.
"He took very good care of it, but the winters here are just too cold. The cat still got sick, and he cried so hard about it on the phone."
"Because it was him who had taken the cat outside and made it sick, the butler told me, he cried for days while the cat was ill."
Qiao Ying listened with one ear and let it go out the other, as Qin Hanyue had sent her a message asking where she was.
Looking at the message, Qiao Ying deliberately didn't reply, leaving him hanging.
"Don't let his cool manner now fool you. He was not strong when he was little, he was a crybaby, just like a little girl."
"Luckily he was so lovable since he was little. Otherwise, with his temperament, he would definitely have been bullied in school."
"He was actually bullied quite a lot, but he never complained about it. He wouldn't tell the butler or me when asked."
"I know he was just being sensible and didn't want me to worry."
"He had a really cute personality when he was little. He believed in harmony above all, and could generously forgive even those who bullied him, making peace and letting bygones be bygones, never holding a grudge."
"As he grew up, his personality changed bit by bit. He became strong, but not as cheerful and happy-go-lucky as when he was little." Lin Guli looked at the orchid in front of him, sinking into deep self-reproach.
"He also didn't make friends or interact with people, just kept some cats and dogs, and spent all day alone at home."
"I was very worried about him, worried he would have psychological issues."
He raised his eyes to look at Qiao Ying, and said with a smile, "I'm really delighted that he's found a girl he likes. Now there will finally be someone to accompany him. And he has made a friend too."
Lin Guli said, "I'm very grateful to you and Mr. Qin."
Qiao Ying's fine brows raised slightly. She thought: What a pity. The fiancée is fake, and the friend is fake too.
Qiao Ying casually asked, "What about his parents?"
Lin Guli looked at her again, hesitating, "He hasn't told you?"
Clearly not.
Lin Guli was silent for a moment, and told her, "Not long after he was born, his parents were killed in an accident, so I brought him here."
Qiao Ying understood. At dinner she had learned that Lin Cheng's family was in Huaguo, especially in Modu, with power and influence comparable to the Huo family in Jingcheng. It was normal for people to die in the cutthroat world of business. No wonder Lin Guli never mentioned Lin Cheng's parents.
Qiao Ying didn't have any reaction at all, not displaying even a shred of pity for Lin Cheng's tragic fate, not giving Lin Guli time to think much of it.
Qiao Ying asked again, "What about you?"
Although she hadn't been listening very carefully, she had caught the gist that in Lin Guli's third-person narrative about Lin Cheng, he only talked about cats, dogs, butlers and servants.
Not only were Lin Cheng's parents never mentioned, but neither was Lin Guli himself. It seemed like Lin Guli had not lived together with Lin Cheng, and that the huge castle had only housed little Lin Cheng and a bunch of butlers and servants.
Lin Guli didn't seem to be away because he was busy and had to leave early and come home late. Rather, it was as if he had not been in C Country at all with Lin Cheng, and Qiao Ying had thought he had only returned to Huaguo these last couple years.
Seeing how close uncle and nephew were, like father and son, it turned out that Lin Guli had brought Lin Cheng from Huaguo to C Country, only to abandon him.
Qiao Ying couldn't think of any huge reason this uncle who doted on his nephew so much would just abandon Lin Cheng.
If he really hadn't been in C Country all this time, how could the royal family who esteemed him so highly have allowed it?
What could have made Lin Guli abandon Lin Cheng, abandon C Country, abandon everything he had here?
"If he resented me, I could feel a little better, but he never has..." Lin Guli shook his head slightly.
"The last time I returned to C Country was five years ago."
He lifted his head slightly, his moist eyes taking in everything in the castle.
Seeing how distressed he was, Qiao Ying asked again, "Your matter is still not resolved?"
Lin Guli shook his head.
Qiao Ying asked, "What matter is so difficult to deal with?"
A prince, a duke, and the Lin family still had considerable power in Huaguo. Yet there was still an unresolved matter that had dragged on for so many years?
Lin Guli looked at her, bitter inside, yet unreservedly told her, "I'm looking for my wife and daughter who disappeared without a trace."
Qiao Ying raised her eyebrows. So he was the sentimental sort. No wonder.
She couldn't help asking, "You lost both of them?"
Recalling the DNA sample Lin Cheng had given her some days ago, it turned out it was to help his uncle find his family.
Lin Guli nodded.
Qiao Ying said, "Are you sure they're lost and didn't just abandon you?"
Lin Guli looked at her, "... "
Blinking his moist eyes, paired with her expressionless face and tone as she asked, Lin Guli, who had just been grieving, inexplicably laughed.
The mixture of sorrow and joy made his heart even more bitter.
If only they had abandoned him, at least there was a high probability they were still alive and well.
"If they blamed me, I could feel a little better, but he never has..." Lin Guli shook his head slightly.
"The last time I returned to C Country was five years ago."
He lifted his head slightly, his moist eyes taking in everything in the castle.
Seeing how distressed he was, Qiao Ying asked again, "Your matter is still not resolved?"
Lin Guli shook his head.
Qiao Ying asked, "What matter is so difficult to deal with?"
A prince, a duke, and the Lin family still had considerable power in Huaguo. Yet there was still an unresolved matter that had dragged on for so many years?
Lin Guli looked at her, bitter inside, yet unreservedly told her: "I'm looking for my wife and daughter who disappeared without a trace."
Qiao Ying raised her eyebrows. So he was the sentimental sort. No wonder.
She couldn't help asking, "You lost both of them?"
Recalling the DNA sample Lin Cheng had given her some days ago, it turned out it was to help his uncle find his family.
Lin Guli nodded.
Qiao Ying said, "Are you sure they're lost and didn't just abandon you?"
Lin Guli looked at her, "... "
Blinking his moist eyes, paired with her expressionless face and tone as she asked, Lin Guli, who had just been grieving, inexplicably laughed.
The mixture of sorrow and joy made his heart even more bitter.
If only they had abandoned him, at least there was a high probability they were still alive and well.
