Returning to Parents' Seventeen
Chapter 142: The Pigeon Occupies the Magpie’s Nest

Chapter 142: Chapter 142: The Pigeon Occupies the Magpie’s Nest

Mingzhi Middle School’s school opening and parent-teacher conference are on the same day.

This is a tradition at Mingzhi Middle School, to have the parent-teacher conference at the time of school opening.

Now that the Shen Family has two high school students at Mingzhi Middle School, Sang Menglan and Shen Xingyan made the same choice when discussing who should attend the parent-teacher conferences for whom.

After learning that Xu Chuning, Xu Yiming’s biological daughter, was in the same class as Shen Sinian, Sang Menglan proposed to attend the conference for Shen Sinian, as she wanted to see Xu Chuning in person. Shen Xingyan also wanted to meet Xu Chuning, but not because she was Xu Yiming’s daughter. He was curious because he knew that Xu Chuning would be his future daughter-in-law.

The two argued incessantly, even letting Shen Yubai choose who would attend his conference and who would attend Shen Sinian’s.

Faced with the childish pair, Shen Yubai was slightly lost for words, "Why don’t you both go to Shen Sinian’s parent-teacher conference?"

Sang Menglan: "It’s actually not—"

Before she could say "not possible", she quickly corrected herself, "What are you saying, child? How could we possibly not attend your conference?"

Thinking it over, Sang Menglan looked at Shen Xingyan: "I attended Yubai’s last semester, so it is rightfully your turn this time."

Shen Xingyan: "..."

Faced with his wife’s warning glance, he pondered for a moment, "I can attend Yubai’s conference, but you have to promise me one thing."

Sang Menglan: "What?"

Shen Xingyan: "Don’t be too obvious, Yubai hasn’t told that classmate about this yet, don’t blow our cover."

"Do you both think I’m so foolish?" Sang Menglan glared at them both, "Rest assured, I won’t expose anything. I will at most exchange a few words with her and inquire about Sinian’s situation at school."

Shen Xingyan hummed in agreement, looking at Shen Yubai: "Then shall your mother attend Sinian’s parent-teacher conference?"

Shen Yubai nodded.

Suddenly, Sang Menglan remembered to ask, "When is Sinian coming back?"

The film Shen Sinian was shooting was not yet finished. Knowing he was a high school student, the crew was rushing his scenes as much as possible, but no matter how fast they worked, his scenes would still take about half a month to complete.

"About ten days or so," said Shen Yubai.

Sang Menglan was worried, "Can he keep up with his studies?"

"If he can’t keep up, we’ll get him a tutor," said Shen Xingyan, "Don’t worry about this. He has things he enjoys doing, and we won’t stop him."

Thinking it over, Sang Menglan agreed; the Shen Family lacked nothing, and even if Shen Sinian’s academic performance was poor, he wouldn’t have to worry about his future livelihood.

"Alright, I got it."

With matters settled, Shen Yubai went back to his room to rest.

Before sleeping, he messaged Xu Chuning: [School starts tomorrow, will Aunt You be going to school?]

Xu Chuning: [Yes, why do you ask?]

Shen Yubai: [Will that small shop be open tomorrow morning?]

Xu Chuning: [It will be open. The parent-teacher conference doesn’t start until 2 p.m.]

The morning was for registration, fee payment, and a series of other procedures, with the parent-teacher conference starting at 2 p.m.

Shen Yubai: [Oh, will you be free in the morning?]

Xu Chuning: [What do you want to do?]

Shen Yubai: [I have something to tell you.]

Xu Chuning: [Can’t it wait until after the conference? I’ll be busy with the shop in the morning, then I’ll go to school to pay the fees.]

Shen Yubai had no choice: [Fine, let me know when you go to school.]

Xu Chuning: [If I remember.]

Shen Yubai: [...]

How can you forget that?

As it turns out, indeed you can.

The next morning, Xu Chuning got up at five o’clock and was busy working in the small shop with You Shuzhen. After a busy morning until past nine, when there were fewer customers, she went back home to take a shower and change clothes before heading to school for registration and fee payment.

After finishing everything, she returned to the shop to give You Shuzhen a hand.

By one o’clock, they checked the time and thought it was about time to head to school for the parent-teacher meeting.

"Ningning, mommy will go home and change clothes first," You Shuzhen told her to watch the shop.

Xu Chuning frowned, "Mom, the clothes you are wearing now are fine, no need to change."

"What’s fine about them?" You Shuzhen chuckled, "I’ve been wearing these clothes for five or six years. It’s alright for working in the shop, but for your parent-teacher meeting, mommy should dress a little better."

In fact, You Shuzhen was very aware that many people looked down on her, looked down on Xu Chuning.

Xu Chuning was at an age where face mattered. Although she never said it, You Shuzhen knew that when she heard her classmates talk about her behind her back, she was unhappy, she was sad.

"Wait for mommy a bit," You Shuzhen hurried, "I’ll be quick, I promise we won’t be late."

Xu Chuning couldn’t argue with her, "Okay, take your time, no rush, it’s okay if we’re late."

You Shuzhen nodded.

After You Shuzhen went home and changed clothes, the mother and daughter headed towards the school.

There were still over ten minutes before two o’clock, so they were walking quite hurriedly. Not paying attention, as they entered the school, You Shuzhen, trying to avoid someone coming towards them on a bicycle, bumped into someone else.

Instinctively, You Shuzhen lowered her head and apologized, "Sorry."

Xu Chuning quickly supported her, "Mom, are you okay?"

You Shuzhen shook her head and looked up to see the person in front of her, "I’m sorry, just now—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Xu Zhiyan, upon seeing Xu Chuning and You Shuzhen, immediately put on a cold face without considering Ye Qionfang behind her, and said unpleasantly, "Is an apology enough? Do you know how much this piece of clothing I’m wearing costs?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Chuning raised her eyebrows, "What do you mean?"

"You can’t understand what I’m saying?" Xu Zhiyan deliberately made things difficult, she has long disliked Xu Chuning, she was jealous of the care Shen Yubai gave her, "I don’t want your apologies, I want you to pay for it."

Hearing this, Xu Chuning incredulously looked down at the clothes she was wearing, "Did your clothes get dirty?"

"If I say it’s dirty, it’s dirty," Xu Zhiyan was completely unreasonable, "Maybe it’s not obvious now, but just look at yourselves, at how stained and dirty your own clothes are, my clothes—"

"Zhixian!" Ye Qionfang, who was two steps behind Xu Zhiyan, caught up and heard what she said, "What are you saying, child?"

"It’s okay if no one got hurt." She frowned to comfort Xu Zhiyan, "If the clothes are dirty, mommy will buy you new ones."

"Wait a minute." Initially, Xu Chuning wasn’t going to say anything more, but upon hearing Ye Qionfang’s comment, she couldn’t help but laugh, "Auntie, do you also think that my mom accidentally bumped into her and made her clothes dirty?"

Ye Qionfang was startled and responded dumbfoundedly, "Auntie didn’t mean that, I was just..."

Understanding her own daughter’s character, knowing that she would be angry all day if she didn’t say that—Ye Qionfang hadn’t finished speaking when she suddenly got a clear look at the two people in front of her.

Seeing Xu Chuning, Ye Qionfang was stunned, she squinted her eyes unbelievably at the girl in front of her, "You..."

"What about her?" Shen Yubai, Sang Menglan, and Shen Xingyan had just parked their car and came in, seeing the scene unfold, "Aunt Ye, is this how you teach your daughter?"

At this moment, he couldn’t care less about being polite to an elder.

Ye Qionfang’s thoughts were pulled back by Shen Yubai’s voice, feeling slightly uneasy in her heart, "Yubai, you have misunderstood Auntie, Zhixian was just a little angry, that’s why she acted like this."

"She can act like this just because she’s a little angry?" Shen Yubai scoffed, shielding Xu Chuning and You Shuzhen behind him, "Aunt Ye, have Xu Zhiyan apologize to them."

Ye Qionfang hadn’t even opened her mouth when Xu Zhiyan started to shout first, "Why should I apologize to them? They are the ones who bumped into me and dirtied my clothes that cost thousands, they should be apologizing to me and compensate me."

"On what grounds?" Shen Yubai couldn’t contain his anger and blurted out, "On what grounds, after taking over someone else’s home for seventeen years, tell me on what grounds?"