Lin Yu had said he was treating Gian and the others to drinks; Nobita hadn't expected to be included.
"What are you waiting for? Take it," Lin Yu said with a friendly smile, pressing the cool can into Nobita's hand. "Just grabbed a random one, hope it's something you like."
"Uh... okay. Thanks," Nobita mumbled, taking the drink. The cool sensation in his hand and Lin Yu's unexpected gesture did slightly lift his spirits. It just goes to show how simple kids can be – like those old stories about luring a child away with a single lollipop. Nobita wasn't that young, of course, but Lin Yu's small act of kindness did make him momentarily see Lin Yu in a slightly better light.
After everyone had their drinks, a few more minutes of walking brought them to Nobita's front door.
"Mom, I'm home!" Nobita called out as he entered, his mood noticeably lighter now that he was on home turf. He waved for the others to come in.
"Nobita! You've done it again, haven't you?!" The group had barely stepped inside when Mrs. Nobi stormed out from another room, waving what looked suspiciously like a test paper, her face a mask of fury. But upon seeing Lin Yu and the other children with Nobita, her expression froze for a split second. She quickly stuffed the paper into her apron pocket and, in a remarkable display of social grace, replaced her angry frown with a warm, welcoming smile. "Oh my! Look who's here! You've all come to play! Come in, come in, dears!" (As she passed Nobita, however, she shot him a look that could curdle milk.)
"Hello, Auntie Nobi," Lin Yu greeted her politely. "Sorry to impose on you again. We brought a little something for you." He smoothly presented the box of dorayaki he'd bought earlier.
Mrs. Nobi looked at the neatly packaged dorayaki in surprise, then took the box almost automatically. "Is this... dorayaki?" she asked. "Oh, you sweet boy, you shouldn't have! Coming over to play is enough, you don't need to bring gifts." She tried to hand the box back.
"It's no trouble at all, Auntie," Lin Yu insisted earnestly, gently pressing the box back into her hands. "It's just a small treat. Besides, I actually came today hoping to ask Doraemon for some advice, a little favor. It would have felt rude to come empty-handed."
Seeing Lin Yu was so well-mannered and his reasoning so polite, Mrs. Nobi couldn't help but accept, a pleased smile spreading across her face. "Well, alright then, dear, I'll accept it this time. But really, next time you come over, no more gifts, okay?"
"Yes, Auntie," Lin Yu agreed.
"I wanted to invite you to stay for dinner last time, Lin Yu," Mrs. Nobi said warmly, "and this time, I simply won't take no for an answer! I'm going to start preparing dinner right now, and you're all staying to eat with us! You can all call your homes in a little while to let them know." Without waiting for a refusal, she bustled off towards the kitchen, dorayaki box in hand.
"Nobita, dear, why don't you take Lin Yu and your friends upstairs to find Doraemon? I'll bring up the snacks and some drinks shortly."
Once Mrs. Nobi had disappeared into the kitchen, Suneo nudged Gian with his elbow. "Hey, Gian," he whispered, "don't you think Nobita's mom is being, like, super nice today?"
"Yeah," Gian nodded, equally perplexed. "She's never been this welcoming when we came over before."
"Maybe it's because Auntie Nobi really likes Lin Yu," Shizuka suggested with a knowing, happy smile, her eyes sparkling as she glanced at him. It was obvious that Mrs. Nobi's change in demeanor was largely due to Lin Yu. Compared to Gian, Suneo, or even Nobita, Lin Yu seemed so different from other kids their age. He carried himself with a maturity that was almost adult-like, and this unique quality sparked a genuine sense of admiration in Shizuka.
"Come on, let's just go upstairs," Nobita mumbled, oblivious to their observations. His face was a mask of utter dejection, even worse than it had been at school. (Lin Yu and the others might not have noticed, but he had definitely seen what his mother was holding earlier. It wasn't just some random piece of paper – it was a test paper. A test paper with a big, fat zero on it. Due to his usual laziness and aversion to studying, Nobita was terrible at exams. Zero marks were a common occurrence. Every time, he'd try to hide the evidence. And now, today of all days, his mom had somehow unearthed one. He knew a major scolding was inevitable.)
He listlessly led Lin Yu and the others upstairs. Doraemon was lying on the floor, engrossed in a manga. Hearing them approach, he looked up and quickly sat up. "Oh, hey everyone! You're all here!" Then he noticed Nobita's utterly miserable expression. "Nobita? What's wrong with you?" Doraemon asked, puzzled.
Just as he spoke, the sliding door to the room opened, and Mrs. Nobi came in carrying a tray laden with the freshly bought dorayaki and some drinks. "Here you go, everyone! Have some snacks!"
"Wow! Dorayaki!" At the sight of his favorite treat, Doraemon instantly forgot everything else and zipped over, happily taking the tray.
"Doraemon, Lin Yu brought the dorayaki, so remember to thank him properly, okay?" Mrs. Nobi reminded him gently.
"Thank you, Lin Yu!" Doraemon chirped, already eyeing the dorayaki.
"Don't mention it, Doraemon. Enjoy!" Lin Yu replied with a smile.
After distributing the snacks, Mrs. Nobi smiled sweetly at Nobita and beckoned him over. "Nobita, dear, come here for a moment. Mom needs to talk to you about something."
"Oh," Nobita mumbled, knowing he couldn't escape. His face a picture of doom, he dragged himself towards the door.
"Huh? What's up with Nobita today...?" Doraemon wondered aloud, still balancing the tray, just as Mrs. Nobi's angry voice erupted from outside the room: "Nobita! You hid your zero-mark test paper again, didn't you?! You naughty boy, Mom is going to teach you a good lesson today...!" The sounds of her scolding, interspersed with Nobita's wails of protest, gradually faded as they moved further away. Doraemon sighed helplessly.
He set the tray down and gestured to the others. "Well, don't be shy! Dig in! Looks like Nobita won't be joining us for a little while."
"Doraemon," Shizuka began, taking the opportunity, "we actually came to see you today because there's something we were hoping you could help us with."
"Oh? What's wrong? Is there trouble?" Doraemon replied around a mouthful of dorayaki, his face a picture of blissful contentment. "No problem at all! Whatever you need, I'm here to help!" (Clearly, the dorayaki had worked its usual magic, putting him in an exceptionally agreeable mood.)