Returning to Parents' Seventeen
Chapter 133: I Don’t Know if He Has a Girlfriend

Chapter 133: Chapter 133: I Don’t Know if He Has a Girlfriend

Five hours later, Xu Chuning and You Shuzhen stepped out from the train station exit.

The summer heat was scorching, and as soon as she stepped out, Xu Chuning felt a thin layer of sweat forming on her body. Not quite comfortable with sweating, her eyebrows unconsciously furrowed.

Suddenly, You Shuzhen called out next to her, "Ningning, Xiao Shen."

Xu Chuning looked up and immediately caught sight of the young man walking towards them. Shen Yubai was wearing a pair of loose casual trousers today, and a simple T-shirt with just a row of letters on it—a very ordinary combination. But because of his tall stature and dashing figure, the commonplace clothes seemed to take on a distinct charisma upon him.

Like Xu Chuning and the others walking out from the train station, many passersby couldn’t help but turn their gazes towards Shen Yubai.

"The lad is really handsome."

"Right? I think so too."

"Such a handsome guy, I wonder if he has a girlfriend."

"..."

Xu Chuning heard the whispering of the people passing by, but before she could react further, Shen Yubai had already approached them, "Aunt You."

He greeted You Shuzhen first, taking over the things she was carrying, "Let me do that."

You Shuzhen smiled warmly, "Xiao Shen, have you been waiting long?"

On the train, Xu Chuning had already told her that Shen Yubai was coming to pick them up.

Shen Yubai shook his head, "Not for long. The car can’t come in, let’s head to the parking lot."

While saying this, he also casually took a bag from Xu Chuning’s hand.

The three of them walked towards the parking lot, with Shen Yubai leading the way. Both his hands were carrying heavy items, but his steps were steady; there was no sign of discomfort showing.

Just as Xu Chuning was observing, You Shuzhen muttered beside her, "Xiao Shen is quite strong."

Xu Chuning: "...You forgot?"

You Shuzhen: "What?"

"He’s carried water for you." Shen Yubai could shoulder two buckets of water; although he was initially somewhat unsteady, he became more at ease with carrying water as he went on.

You Shuzhen: "I haven’t forgotten."

She smiled, "Mom is just reflecting, it’s rare for children from wealthy families like Xiao Shen to be willing to endure hardships."

Xu Chuning thought about it seriously and realized that what You Shuzhen said was true.

Xu Chuning knew quite a few of her classmates from the international class. Shen Yubai and Ban Shu were the easiest to get along with. The others looked down from their high horses, feeling as if sparing a glance at people like them, the poor, was in itself an act of charity.

It was still the same driver who had taken them to the train station. After greeting them upon boarding the car, the driver took them back.

Shen Yubai sat in the front passenger seat and turned around to look at the two women, chatting with You Shuzhen.

As the two chatted away, Xu Chuning didn’t make a peep the entire time.

Only when the car stopped did Shen Yubai and the others get out, and Xu Chuning finally spoke up, "Are you coming in?"

Shen Yubai glanced at her, "I’ve come this far."

What he meant was, he wouldn’t mind going a bit further.

Xu Chuning uttered an "Oh," then paused and added, "Thank you."

Shen Yubai: "You’ve already said it many times."

"..."

Xu Chuning naturally knew that she had thanked him countless times, but she still wanted to say it. Without Shen Yubai, she and You Shuzhen would certainly have made it to Jiang City just fine, but they would have been much more tired, and not have returned so quickly, so early.

To Shen Yubai, it was only right for Xu Chuning to say thank you a few more times.

You Shuzhen didn’t know what the two were talking about, but she tactfully stayed away. She might not have been able to provide Xu Chuning with a superior growing environment, but she was a very open-minded and understanding parent.

Similarly, she could tell that the two of them were just on slightly better terms than others, and there was no inappropriate behavior at the moment.

Picking up the things from the car, the three of them walked into the narrow, gloomy alley.

Perhaps because of the summer, Xu Chuning found the alley a bit brighter than before. Light slanted down from above, landing on the ground.

After moving the items, You Shuzhen wanted to invite Shen Yubai to stay for a drink, but he declined. Knowing they had to tidy up, he didn’t enter the house, "Aunt You, next time."

He excused himself, "I have other things to do."

You Shuzhen was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "Alright, next time then. You can come by the shop the day after tomorrow."

Shen Yubai responded and gave Xu Chuning a glance before he left, "I’m off now."

Xu Chuning nodded: "Goodbye."

After Shen Yubai left, Xu Chuning and You Shuzhen cleaned up their home, which had been unoccupied for nearly a month, and then prepared dinner.

After dinner, they made a phone call to their grandmother.

After hanging up, Xu Chuning went back to her room to read.

There was only one year left in high school, and she had no spare time for leisure; she had to work harder, to climb higher, and to achieve an excellent score. Only by doing so would she live up to the many years of nurture and care from You Shuzhen.

While Xu Chuning studied, You Shuzhen did not disturb her.

Either she was researching recipes or sleeping. She didn’t have many leisure activities and was used to the same routine every day.

After reading for a while, Xu Chuning’s phone pinged twice. She picked it up to see that Cheng Mingyin and the others knew she had returned today and were asking if she wanted to meet up tomorrow.

Xu Chuning chuckled to herself: [Not tomorrow, I need to clean the shop tomorrow.]

Deng Xitong: [Are you opening for business tomorrow?]

Xu Chuning: [Day after tomorrow is the opening, tomorrow is for cleaning.]

Cheng Mingyin: [Okay.]

After a short chat in the group, Xu Chuning sent a message to Shen Sinian. His filming crew was behind schedule for the summer shoot, probably rushing to catch up now.

After letting Shen Sinian know, Xu Chuning put down her phone and continued reading.

She reviewed her studies until bedtime, and only then did Shen Sinian reply to her, with a pitiful tone: [Just finished shooting, now heading back to the hotel, Ningning, are you asleep yet?]

Xu Chuning: [About to sleep, you should go rest after you freshen up.]

Shen Sinian: [Okay.]

He sent the message and suddenly remembered something: [Ningning, Shen Yubai asked me something a few days ago.]

Xu Chuning was startled: [What?]

Shen Sinian: [He asked if I had seen your childhood photos.]

Xu Chuning paused, sitting up abruptly in bed with a serious expression: [What did you say?]

Shen Sinian: [I said I had. You showed them to me.]

Xu Chuning: [Then what? Did he say anything else?]

Shen Sinian: [Nothing much. He also asked me, the police suggested a plan to find Auntie by sketching a portrait. He asked if I could do it. I said my drawing skills are very poor.]

Shen Sinian had some skills in other arts, but with drawing, he didn’t have the slightest bit of talent.

Of course, what was more important was that he remembered Aunt You saying that she had changed a lot from childhood to adulthood, and when they found her, she already looked like she did after marriage. Even if Shen Sinian could draw her as she appeared then, they might not be able to find Li Xiaonan as she is now, over a decade later.

Xu Chuning was stunned: [I forgot about the portrait.]

She pondered for a moment, then asked Shen Sinian: [Can you not draw it at all?]

Shen Sinian: [...how about I try to draw one for you tomorrow? How about I draw you and see what you think?]

Xu Chuning: [That works, let’s try. Who knows? It might work.]

For them at this moment, even a one percent chance was worth trying.

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