Chapter 455 - 289: Unexpected Guest

Chapter 455: Chapter 289: Unexpected Guest

Lin Chen had just been curious, but the moment he mentioned her European heritage, Erica’s expression clearly changed.

"I’m mixed, yes, but I grew up almost entirely in the United States. My eating habits have nothing to do with my heritage, only with where I’ve lived."

After that brief explanation, she didn’t seem to want to talk about it anymore and turned to walk straight out of the market.

Magnus narrowed his eyes and jerked his thumb toward her retreating back. "What’s gotten into her?"

"Uh, I’m not really sure."

Lin Chen shrugged, though he had a vague idea of what was going on.

"Go on, go after her. Erica’s a good girl. I see some fine qualities in her, unlike some of these other young women... well, never mind that. I’m going to go take a short nap."

Lin Chen nodded, tossed the plate into the sink to soak, and then quickly hurried in the direction Erica had gone.

His mind was completely preoccupied with how to best comfort her, and he paid no attention to the rest of what Magnus had said.

As he came out of the market, he could see Erica in the distance, sitting on a bench by the street and staring blankly at an old fountain nearby.

He took a deep breath, then quietly walked over and sat down beside her.

"I’m sorry, I..."

"You don’t have to apologize," Erica cut him off. "I’m the one who should be apologizing. I lost control of my emotions. I’m sorry."

"I’m just so angry. Does that woman even consider me her daughter anymore? It’s been so many days since the show finished filming, my follower count has skyrocketed, and yet she hasn’t sent a single text or made one phone call."

"At least my dad called to congratulate me on getting third place!"

"Your dad called you?"

Lin Chen’s expression changed. "Did he... say anything else?"

"What do you think?" The corners of Erica’s lips lifted into a half-smile as she turned to look at him. "He asked where I was, and I told him I was with you, working on a video."

GULP.

Lin Chen swallowed nervously. "And then?"

"Then he said he’d come visit when he gets some time off and that he’d like to meet you, too. He also reminded me to be sure to use protection and not get pregnant in the heat of the moment."

’I knew it!’

At some point, fine beads of sweat had broken out on Lin Chen’s forehead.

Even though he knew he hadn’t done anything, he couldn’t shake an inexplicable feeling of guilt.

It was true he didn’t have many foreign friends, but that didn’t mean he was clueless about the culture in other countries.

The reason Erica’s dad had specifically warned her about this was that in Western society—be it in North America, Europe, South America, or Latin America—attitudes on the matter were extremely open.

Besides, summer vacation in North America was nearly four months long, with no summer homework. The idle youth were at that hot-blooded age, and with a lack of entertainment venues around here, what else was there for them to do with all that pent-up energy?

Those with a bit of self-control and discipline might choose to get a part-time job, which was a good way to burn off energy, kill time, and make money.

But people like that were a rarity in North America. Most were lazy bums who didn’t think too far ahead; their main goal was just to have fun every day.

In such an environment, parents of teenage girls were the most worried, and this was especially true during school breaks.

A beauty like Erica, eye-catching in both looks and figure, had even openly expressed interest in a man during the show. How could her father not be worried?

He even suspected the only reason her father hadn’t rushed over immediately was because of his identity as one of the Da Xia People.

The whole world knew that the term "Da Xia People" was synonymous with peace and staying out of trouble. At the very least, in terms of upbringing and character, they were certainly a cut above people from other nations.

Seeing his nervous and apprehensive expression, Erica covered her mouth in surprise.

"What’s with that reaction? Don’t tell me you were actually thinking about not using protection?"

"Bullshit! I’m not that kind of person!"

"Ohh~~ So that means you *have* thought about doing something ’fun’ with me, right?"

"..."

Lin Chen opened and closed his mouth, at a complete loss for words. He could only silently give her a thumbs-up.

"You’re unbelievable. I can’t win an argument with you. Looks like you don’t need my comfort after all. If you can make jokes like that, you must be fine."

Just as he was about to get up, Erica suddenly shook her head and stared at him, her expression serious.

"No, I’m not fine at all."

"I’m serious. Right now, just thinking about that woman who’s gone missing makes me furious. And even though this might piss off my dad, I really want you to carry me back to my room and ravage me. It’d be best if you got me pregnant right away. When I’m showing with a big belly, there’s no way she won’t show up then, right?"

"Holy shit!"

The color drained from Lin Chen’s face. He stumbled back a few steps, waving his hands frantically.

"No, no, no, just calm down! Take it easy! I’ll, uh, I’ll go make you some delicious milk tea!"

In the two months he’d known her, she had joked around and teased him plenty, but this was the first time she had ever said something like that with a completely serious expression.

He could even hear a hint of genuine earnestness in her tone.

’Just how deep does the grudge between this mother and daughter run? To think she’d resort to this kind of revenge...’

After the ambiguous, alcohol-fueled moments of the past couple of days, his resolve had actually started to waver.

He was a young man, after all. Having a beautiful, mixed-race woman around him every day—one who he knew was interested in him, to the point where all he had to do was nod to lead her back to his room—was a test. Anyone with a little less self-control would have caved long ago.

But now, that faint, flickering impulse in his heart had vanished completely.

If Erica really showed up pregnant to meet her parents—especially if they came looking for him—he had no doubt her mother might just shoot him dead on the spot.

There was no way high-society people of that caliber didn’t have bodyguards or carry guns.

Judging by the huge allowance she gave her daughter every year, she clearly cared a great deal; she just had a terrible way of showing it.

As he roasted the tea leaves, his mind was a jumbled mess, running through all sorts of scenarios.

By the time he had filtered the pot of steaming tea, dissolved sugar into it, and cooled it all down with plenty of ice to make two glasses of silky, iced green milk tea, he had finally managed to sort out his thoughts.

’I have to find a way to ease the tension in their mother-daughter relationship,’ he thought. ’Even if not as a potential romantic partner, but simply as a friend and colleague, I feel like I have to do something.’

When he came out with the milk tea, Erica was, to his surprise, still sitting obediently on the bench waiting for him.

"Wow, is this the legendary milk tea?"

Although she’d never had it before, she had certainly heard of milk tea, as it had become an increasingly popular drink in North America over the last few years.

She took a glass without hesitation, stuck the straw in, and immediately started drinking.

The faint aroma of tea blended with the rich, silky-smooth, chilled sweet milk. Its unique freshness instantly swept away her inner turmoil.

Her crystal-clear, pale blue eyes lit up, and she stared in amazement at the seemingly unremarkable milky drink.

"It tastes so fresh, and the milky flavor is so rich. It’s not overly sweet, but it has this perfect sense of balance. No wonder this stuff is so popular; it’s really delicious."

"Let’s go," she said, suddenly standing up.

Lin Chen asked warily, "Where are we going?"

"To find a restaurant to eat, of course! The only way I can vent my frustration right now is to find a steakhouse and ferociously tear into a huge slab of meat."

"Let’s go! Let’s go right now! We’re leaving this instant! My treat!"

Luckily, even though the area was remote, they were still able to find a steakhouse.

After she devoured an entire, massive twenty-pound steak—the largest size they offered—Erica’s demeanor finally seemed to return to normal.

Lin Chen made a mental note of this. He decided that if she ever got into a bad mood again, he should find a restaurant right away and let her eat her anger away.

「Two days later, on another morning.」

Lin Chen and Erica parked their SUV on the side of the road. Facing the rising sun, they quietly gazed toward the end of the road in the distance.

"We’re about to meet our fan. What do you think? Are you excited?"

"It’s okay," Lin Chen said, nodding and then shaking his head. "Isn’t guiding people on wilderness survival trips your specialty? How come you seem more excited than I am?"

"This is different. Before, they were just clients. This time, it’s a fan. Plus, she follows me too, and she’s a girl. I have to take good care of her and try to give her the most unforgettable experience of her life!"

This wasn’t just their first client, but also the subject of their first video about a wilderness survival experience on their own land.

If this episode turned out well, it would definitely attract more interested clients.

It wasn’t just Erica; even Lin Chen himself felt a flutter of excitement and apprehension.

There were so many mountains on their land, and the two of them hadn’t explored a single one. Faced with such a great unknown, it would be a lie to say he wasn’t nervous.

Fortunately, they had the land’s species survey report on hand, which gave them some measure of confidence. They could deduce the habitats of various species by studying their behavior, which would guarantee a food source and ensure they wouldn’t go hungry.

Lin Chen didn’t stay idle while they waited. He took out the various tools and equipment they had brought in the car and checked them all over again, only relaxing after confirming that everything was accounted for and in working order.

Although their fan had requested a primitive, tool-free survival experience, as the guides, they still had to prepare the necessary equipment. Whether they ended up using it was another matter entirely.

Golden sunlight spilled through the forest, making the highway glitter and causing leaves to flash with a golden light when the angle was right.

Lin Chen took a deep breath of the fresh forest air, his gaze shifting to the adjacent area that had been marked for preliminary road construction.

"These foreigners sure work at a snail’s pace. If this were back home, the construction crew would have already been at it for two hours by eight in the morning. This lot is probably still asleep in bed, huh?"

Just as Erica was about to reply, she saw an SUV appear at the far end of the road.

"They’re here!"

Her eyes lit up as she waved her arms excitedly.

「A few minutes later.」

The vehicle came to a steady stop in front of them.

The car door opened, and a long, slender leg emerged from within.

However, when she got a clear look at the person’s face, the smile on Erica’s face instantly froze.