Daddy! Come Home for Dinner!

"I remember now." Li Xiaoyun said embarrassedly, "Don’t worry, I won’t get it wrong."

Zhao Dingli looked at the time, then stood up and said, "It’s getting late. I should head back."

"Let me call a car for you, don’t drive." Li Xiaoyun said, "I know you didn’t drink much, and you’ve had quite a bit of tea here."

"But as long as alcohol is involved, driving makes people uneasy." Li Xiaoyun said.

Zhao Dingli listened and didn’t refute, agreeing immediately and cheerfully, "Okay, I’ll leave the car here and come back for it tomorrow morning."

Li Xiaoyun didn’t expect Zhao Dingli to agree so quickly.

She thought Zhao Dingli would say he only drank a little, so it was fine.

Plus he had tea and rested for quite a while.

The alcohol should have been mostly metabolized out by now.

But didn’t expect Zhao Dingli to listen so obediently and agree.

Li Xiaoyun felt that Zhao Dingli is someone who can accept other people’s opinions.

And he didn’t stubbornly stick to his own perspective.

Li Xiaoyun escorted Zhao Dingli out, and they walked together to the gate of the community.

Meanwhile, Li Xiaoyun had already booked a car for Zhao Dingli.

In her ride-hailing app, she had a few hundred yuan saved, making it convenient for the trip to automatically deduct from the system, without her having to make a separate payment.

Upon arrival, one can get off the car and leave immediately, much more convenient.

"You even called a car for me?" Seeing the car stopped right in front, Zhao Dingli chuckled.

"Yeah, you came to my house as a guest, of course I have to take care of everything for you," Li Xiaoyun said.

To make guests feel at home and host them properly from start to finish is what a host should do.

Besides, the hotpot at night was treated by Zhao Dingli.

She always says she wants to thank Zhao Dingli, but she hasn’t had the chance to express her gratitude, and yet owes him more and more.

Zhao Dingli helped her gather evidence against Zheng Xuelin and even handled the distribution of the evidence smoothly.

And then treated her to dinner that evening.

In this short time, Li Xiaoyun felt she couldn’t properly thank him through actions.

Zhao Dingli got into the car, lowered the window, and said to Li Xiaoyun, "I’ll let you know when I get home safely."

Li Xiaoyun: "..."

She really hadn’t thought of this detail, it was her oversight.

"Okay." Li Xiaoyun hurriedly nodded with a smile, and only then did she watch Zhao Dingli leave.

Li Xiaoyun then walked home by herself.

Just when she turned around and walked a few steps, her phone rang.

It wasn’t a call ringtone; it was a WeChat call ringtone.

Li Xiaoyun looked, it was a video call from Zhao Dingli.

He had just left, why was he suddenly video calling?

Li Xiaoyun answered the call in confusion, and Zhao Dingli’s face appeared on the phone screen.

Luckily, the newest models have improved their night photo and video functions.

Even at night, with Zhao Dingli sitting inside the car without any lights on.

Zhao Dingli’s image was still clear.

Same on Li Xiaoyun’s end.

Plus, there were street lamps along the way in the community, even if not particularly bright.

With an upgraded camera, Zhao Dingli could clearly see her.

"I just realized after leaving, you’re going home alone now. Even if you’re walking in the community, it doesn’t make one feel assured." Zhao Dingli said.

"I should have just come out myself, not let you escort me." Zhao Dingli said.

He wouldn’t admit that he shouldn’t have drunk.

If he says that now, he can’t use the drinking excuse not to drive next time.

"It’s fine within the community." Li Xiaoyun said.

When she worked late, she also walked alone inside the community.

The security in their community was quite good actually.

Moreover, the community wasn’t large, and security guards could recognize any strangers.

"Either way, I’m reassured by video watching you walk." Zhao Dingli said, "You don’t have to chat with me, just watch where you’re going, as long as I can see you on the screen."

Though he said so, Li Xiaoyun couldn’t just ignore him.

Under Zhao Dingli’s constant reminders, she was careful to watch the path.

Even though he accompanied her through the phone, Li Xiaoyun felt like the time passed quickly as she walked, and soon she was at her apartment door.

Previously, the walk from the community entrance to her home wasn’t really long.

But perhaps because she felt particularly tired from a full day of work, she couldn’t wait to get home the moment she entered the community gate.

Before stepping into the community gate, her urgency wasn’t as intense.

But the walk from the gate to her front door, Li Xiaoyun usually hurried.

Wanting to get home to rest and relax, hoping the resting time at home could linger a bit.

Yet now, the road she once thought short but actually long, felt incredibly short.

"I’m getting in the elevator." Li Xiaoyun said, "The signal in the elevator isn’t good, might even lose it altogether."

"Should we hang up?" Li Xiaoyun asked.

"No need to hang up, maybe the signal can withstand it; even if it’s intermittent, it’s fine." Zhao Dingli didn’t want to end the call so soon.

Li Xiaoyun obediently agreed, "Sure, let’s try."

She then entered the elevator while holding her phone.

As the elevator ascended, the signal indeed wasn’t great, dropping to the last bar.

Then the screen suddenly froze.

A frozen screen would be manageable, but when Li Xiaoyun looked, the frozen image was embarrassingly candid.

It caught her when she was tired from holding the phone at a low angle.

A shot from below, making her face appear big, even capturing her nostrils.

Though she now moved the phone.

The screen was stuck on her awkwardly unflattering angle.

Due to the angle, a careful look revealed a hint of double chin.

Li Xiaoyun was distressed.

If the screen remained here, Zhao Dingli would be staring at this image for a long time!

Time felt stretched agonizingly to Li Xiaoyun as she awaited the elevator door to open, quickly getting out.

The signal restored.

Looking again, the screen finally unstuck, no longer frozen on her previous unsightly angle.

"It really froze for a while." Li Xiaoyun said, awkward and blushing.

While speaking, she hurriedly entered her home.

Originally with dim hallway lights, her blush wasn’t noticeable.

Now back home in brightness, her face clearly showed.

Zhao Dingli saw clearly the blush on Li Xiaoyun’s cheeks.

Li Xiaoyun couldn’t help silently thinking she should’ve hung up when entering the elevator.