Returning to Parents' Seventeen
Chapter 134 Together

Chapter 134: Chapter 134 Together

The next morning when Xu Chuning woke up, she saw the photo that Shen Sinian had drawn and sent to her in the middle of the night.

Opening and looking at it, Xu Chuning honestly gave up that one percent of hope.

That’s it.

Shen Sinian truly lacked the talent for drawing, and she decided not to force him.

However, before putting down her phone, Xu Chuning saved the drawing Shen Sinian sent and then forwarded it to Shen Yubai: [Drawn by Shen Sinian.]

Shen Yubai probably wasn’t awake yet and didn’t reply to her message.

Xu Chuning didn’t think much of it and directly got out of bed, joining You Shuzhen in cleaning up the shop.

They had only been at the shop for half an hour when Deng Xitong and the group appeared.

Seeing everyone, Xu Chuning was quite surprised: "Why have you all come over?"

Cheng Mingyin: "We’ve come over to clean."

Xu Chuning paused for a moment, realizing what they meant,"No need, the shop is quite small, my mom and I can finish cleaning quickly."

"It won’t be quicker than all of us doing it together," Deng Xitong said, "If each of us cleans a table, we can get it done within an hour."

With everyone already there, Xu Chuning couldn’t possibly ask them to go back.

"Okay," she said with a relieved smile, her lips curving slightly, "Then I’ll have to trouble everyone."

Yu Gaoyi: "What trouble? It’s just a small matter."

Ban Shu also nodded in agreement, then he recalled something and mentioned to Xu Chuning, "Brother Yu went back to the old house last night and will come over later."

Xu Chuning: "The old house?"

"Just the place where his grandpa lives," Ban Shu briefly said, "It’s a bit far to come from there."

Xu Chuning understood and asked quietly, "Nothing serious happened, right?"

"Shouldn’t be," Ban Shu wasn’t certain either, "He didn’t say anything."

Xu Chuning nodded slowly.

An hour later, the small shop was transformed and looked brand new.

You Shuzhen also hadn’t expected this clean-up to be finished so quickly.

She pondered for a moment and asked the group if they’d like to have lunch at the shop; she could go buy some ingredients and they could cook and eat there.

"We’re all good with that," Yu Gaoyi was somewhat craving You Shuzhen’s cooking, swallowing his saliva as he asked, "But Aunt You, won’t you be too tired?"

You Shuzhen: "Not at all, Ningning and I need to eat too."

She asked Xu Chuning to keep the group company in the shop and said she could go to the market by herself. In fact, she only needed to buy some meat, as they had brought plenty of vegetables back from Pingning, enough for everyone.

Just as You Shuzhen left, Shen Yubai arrived.

"All done?" he asked.

Ban Shu: "You could’ve arrived even later."

Shen Yubai touched his nose with a hint of embarrassment, "Sorry."

He was the one who arrived late today.

He thought for a moment and then offered, "How about I treat everyone to lunch?"

"Aunt You has already gone to buy groceries," Deng Xitong said, "We prefer to eat what she cooks even more."

Shen Yubai: "..."

He looked to the side at the person sitting there silently, "Why did you get up so early, before six?"

He had seen the message Xu Chuning sent him early at six.

Xu Chuning uttered an "ah" without much thought, "I always get up this early."

Shen Yubai choked.

Noticing the two whispering to each other, Yu Gaoyi shouted: "What secrets are you two sharing?"

Shen Yubai lifted his eyelids and gave Yu Gaoyi a cold glance, not engaging in conversation.

Ban Shu watched from the side and coughed with his hand covering his lips: "I’m a bit thirsty, Brother Yu, how about treating everyone to a cup of milk tea?"

Shen Yubai: "What would you like to drink?"

"Anything’s fine." Deng Xitong said, "I want a cold one."

Cheng Mingyin: "I also want a cold one, and make it 70% sweet."

In the summer, everyone wanted a cold drink.

Shen Yubai acknowledged and was about to step outside when he shifted his gaze back to Xu Chuning, "Coming along?"

Xu Chuning thought for three seconds, it seemed fine for Deng Xitong and the others to stay in the shop, and it would also be tiring for Shen Yubai to carry so many milk teas alone, and besides... he might really not know what flavors of milk tea the girls liked.

"Okay."

The two went together to the milk tea shop across the street.

When they reached the entrance of the milk tea shop, Shen Yubai encountered an acquaintance.

"Yubai," Xu Yiming was surprised to see Shen Yubai here, "What are you doing in this area?"

As these words fell, he caught sight of Xu Chuning standing next to Shen Yubai, and Xu Yiming paused, then smiled at Xu Chuning, asking warmly, "You’re back?"

Hearing Xu Yiming’s words, Shen Yubai glanced at Xu Chuning with some surprise, "You know Uncle Xu?"

"... He’s been to the shop to buy noodles." Xu Chuning’s expression was a bit unnatural, her lips pursed tightly, "I’ll go line up first."

She had no inclination to talk more with them.

Seeing Xu Chuning head to join the nearby line, Shen Yubai felt something was amiss. He frowned, and as he met Xu Yiming’s eyes, a bizarre thought suddenly flashed through his mind—Xu Chuning’s eyes, why did they somewhat resemble Xu Yiming’s?!

Was it his imagination?

"Yubai." Xu Yiming didn’t quite understand why Shen Yubai was silently staring at him, "What are you thinking?"

Shen Yubai came back to his senses, suppressing the absurd thoughts that had surfaced in his mind, speaking softly, "Nothing, what brings Uncle Xu here, you’re not here for milk tea as well, are you?"

Xu Yiming chuckled: "Yes, Zhixian came to the supermarket with me today. She wanted to drink milk tea, so I came out."

Xu Yiming doted on his daughter greatly. Whatever Xu Zhiyan wanted, he would provide. Even for something as trivial as buying milk tea, if he had time, he wouldn’t let others do it but would go out himself to purchase it for his daughter.

Shen Yubai nodded slightly.

With that brought up, Xu Yiming asked, "But Uncle Xu doesn’t know much about milk tea, and Zhixian didn’t say what flavor she wanted. You’re young, could you give Uncle Xu a recommendation?"

Shen Yubai smiled lightly, "Uncle Xu, actually, I don’t really know either."

"Then what about her?" Xu Yiming asked curiously, "You two are schoolmates, right?"

Shen Yubai: "Hmm, she also goes to Mingzhi."

Xu Yiming: "I remember, we should have met at the hospital once."

Initially, Shen Yubai was almost about to forget the occasion when he and Xu Chuning had encountered Xu Yiming at the hospital. With Xu Yiming mentioning it, Shen Yubai visualized the scene at the hospital that day in his mind.

Suddenly, he glanced over at Xu Chuning, then shifted his gaze to Xu Yiming.

Xu Yiming was taken aback, "Why are you looking at Uncle Xu like that?"

Shen Yubai’s eyes subtly flickered, calming himself before speaking, "It’s nothing, I’ll ask her for you."

Xu Yiming: "Okay."

Walking up to Xavier’s side, Shen Yubai whispered, "What are you planning to order for Deng Xitong and the others?"

Xu Chuning turned her head, "What’s up?"

"Uncle Xu came here to buy milk tea for his daughter, but he is not sure what girls like to drink, and he asked me to consult you." While saying this, Shen Yubai’s eyes were staring intently at Xu Chuning, fearing he’d miss even the slightest change in her expression.

However, Xu Chuning was very composed, so composed that the tension and unease from before seemed like Shen Yubai’s own misperception.

"Jasmine Milk Tea, the sweeter ones, girls usually like them."

Shen Yubai acknowledged with an "oh," "Alright, I’ll tell Uncle Xu."

After he relayed the message to Xu Yiming, he approached Xu Chuning again, "I forgot to ask just now."

Xu Chuning looked up, her breathing briefly caught, "What?"

Shen Yubai tilted his chin slightly to gesture, staring at the milk tea menu not far away, he asked, "And you, which one do you like?"