Returning to Parents' Seventeen
Chapter 31: I Won’t Fall in Love Early

Chapter 31: Chapter 31: I Won’t Fall in Love Early

There was a silent moment before Xu Chuning asked in confusion, "Explain it more clearly, will you?"

Shen Sinian honestly didn’t anticipate that his mom’s personality back in high school was so straightforward. Did she genuinely not understand why Shen Yubai was angry?

"...For example," he didn’t quite know how to make it clearer, "if you want to give me a gift, and after I accept it I say I’ll pay you for it, would you be happy?"

Xu Chuning: "I wouldn’t be happy, but I also wouldn’t be mad."

Shen Sinian was choked up, unbelieving, "You bought it to give to me, yet I want to pay you for it. Wouldn’t you think that I don’t want your gift?"

After considering seriously for a while, Xu Chuning answered him, "I guess it’s okay."

She wouldn’t think that much about it.

Noticing that Shen Sinian’s expression was a bit off, Xu Chuning asked, puzzled, "Did I say something wrong again?"

"You didn’t say anything wrong," Shen Sinian decided not to rescue her, nor to help Shen Yubai, "We probably just think differently, but it’s good that you stick to your own thoughts."

Xu Chuning: "..."

How did she feel like Shen Sinian was beating around the bush talking about her, and yet, she had no proof.

As for the topic of the cellphone, mother and son could only chat up to this point for now.

Xu Chuning didn’t get the answer she wanted and decided to wait until the weekend to go to the phone shop to inquire about the price, then give the money to Shen Yubai.

"Ningning," Shen Sinian suddenly remembered something and called her name.

Xu Chuning turned around, "What’s up?"

Shen Sinian pressed his voice, "Are you planning to unbox the phone when you get home?"

Xu Chuning nodded, "Class is about to start."

Shen Sinian: "Alright, then let’s contact each other on QQ tonight."

Xu Chuning was surprised at first, then laughed and said, "I still don’t have a SIM card."

"Oh..." Shen Sinian felt slightly regretful, "Shall we get one after school?"

Xu Chuning agreed.

When school was over, Xu Chuning went home to get her ID card first before going to the telecom service hall with Shen Sinian.

After getting the card, Xu Chuning returned to the small store. She didn’t let Shen Sinian go with her to help out at the store. The store wasn’t that busy at night anyway, and Shen Sinian couldn’t go there to work for free every day. Besides, he hadn’t finished his homework, Xu Chuning preferred he went home to study.

Shen Sinian: "But I want to help."

Xu Chuning gave him a look, "Have you finished writing the self-criticism?"

Indeed, the self-criticism that Xu Chuning wrote for Shen Sinian last night wasn’t meant to be handed in to the head of discipline. It was just a draft for him. Their handwriting was too different. For the time being, she also didn’t have the ability to imitate his beautiful handwriting, so she gave up on that idea.

"I’ve finished it," Shen Sinian said with wide eyes, "I finished during class this afternoon. I’ll hand it to Teacher Mou in her office tomorrow."

Xu Chuning: "...Why don’t you try to get along with your classmates?"

Shen Sinian pouted, feeling aggrieved, "You just don’t want me to go to the store, do you?"

Xu Chuning looked at him with his eyes slightly drooping, head lowered. She faintly felt he resembled the big dog at home, kind of cute, "Shen Sinian, that’s not what I mean."

Shen Sinian: "Then what do you mean?"

"Since you’ve come here," Xu Chuning spoke to him seriously, "I hope you can also experience life here properly. You don’t need to revolve around me the whole time."

Shen Sinian didn’t even think about it, "But I want to revolve around you."

Xu Chuning was stunned. After a pause, she looked at him, "...Is the future me, not good to you?"

Shen Sinian was momentarily taken aback, "Why would you ask that?"

"Am I really not good to you?" Xu Chuning vaguely felt she guessed it. If she was really good to the future Shen Sinian, then he shouldn’t be so clingy to her, wanting to be with her all the time.

Of course, that is also a possibility.

But after spending more time with Shen Sinian recently, Xu Chuning could roughly grasp his personality. He wasn’t the clingy or not independent type.

Shen Sinian looked up and met Xu Chuning’s astonished gaze, returning to his senses to shake his head, "No, you’re really good to me."

Xu Chuning clearly didn’t quite believe it, "Really?"

Shen Sinian: "Really."

He looked at her with clear eyes, coming up with a very convincing reason, "If I didn’t like you, I wouldn’t stick to you as soon as I got here."

Xu Chuning frowned.

Shen Sinian: "Okay, I won’t go to the store with you. You want me to play with my classmates, so I’ll get to know more of them."

He muttered softly, "After all, knowing more people will be good for you in the future."

Just in case he returned to the future, the Xu Chuning that stayed here would have more people to look after her.

Xu Chuning looked up, "If you’re unhappy, come to the store."

Shen Sinian: "I know."

"Let’s go eat first," Xu Chuning suggested, "eat at the store first, then you can go back to do your homework or find classmates to play with."

Shen Sinian hummed in agreement, "Okay."

After both mother and son were busy for a while at the little store and had eaten, Shen Sinian left.

Xu Chuning and You Shuzhen busied themselves in the store for a while longer before closing up and returning home to rest.

Once home, Xu Chuning pulled out her homework, and You Shuzhen hesitated, wanting to say something, "Ningning."

Xu Chuning: "What is it?"

You Shuzhen: "Do you have a lot of homework today?"

Xu Chuning was taken aback, then asked her, "Mom, do you have something you want to say?"

You Shuzhen pursed her lips, a bit apprehensive, "Ningning, Mom knows you’ve always been mature and sensible, and doesn’t think you’d be the type to have a premature romance, but with Sinian always being around you..."

You Shuzhen still wanted to confirm the nature of their relationship with Xu Chuning.

After all, it wasn’t just seeing each other in the morning and evening; Sinian usually had dinner with them.

Of course, You Shuzhen didn’t mind Sinian eating with them. Although she didn’t earn much, she wasn’t lacking to the extent of begrudging Sinian a meal. She was just curious about their relationship.

Xu Chuning had never gotten along with a boy her age like this before.

Hearing You Shuzhen’s question, Xu Chuning caught on, "Mom, Sinian and I are not dating."

You Shuzhen: "Not now, but what about in the future?"

"There won’t be a future either," Xu Chuning assured her seriously, "I can’t explain clearly why I am so good to Sinian, but rest assured, in the future, we absolutely won’t be in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship."

You Shuzhen puzzled, "Why?"

Xu Chuning: "...That’s a bit difficult to explain, just understand that it’s impossible for us to be in a romantic relationship."

You Shuzhen fell silent, then suddenly asked, shocked, "Ningning, are you... not into boys?"

"?"

Xu Chuning was stunned for a few seconds, then, facing You Shuzhen’s earnest expression, finally realized she hadn’t misheard.

"Mom," she chuckled helplessly, "What are you thinking? I like boys."

Xu Chuning hadn’t expected You Shuzhen to be so open-minded.

She struggled to find the right words to describe her relationship with Shen Sinian and eventually joked while telling the truth, "Mom, you can think of Shen Sinian and me as... like a mother and son."

You Shuzhen’s eyes widened: "What?"

That was even more unacceptable to her.

Xu Chuning blinked, belatedly realizing she had given a poor example, "Oh, anyway, it’s not what you’re thinking."

She was somewhat at a loss for words, "I won’t have a premature romance, don’t worry."

You Shuzhen nodded, "Alright."

The room fell silent.

Just when Xu Chuning thought the topic was over, You Shuzhen suddenly asked, "You don’t like anyone else either?"

Xu Chuning was taken aback, "Who else might you be referring to?"

You Shuzhen shockingly asked: "What about Xiao Shen?"