Returning to Parents' Seventeen
Chapter 41 Not as Pretty as Ningning

Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Not as Pretty as Ningning

Logically, Shen Sinian shouldn’t have made any comments about the preferences of a classmate he just met. He and Yu Gaoyi were not yet familiar with each other, but after spending most of the day together, he had a general idea of what kind of person Yu Gaoyi was—a straightforward guy, outspoken, a bit silly, but loyal.

So Shen Sinian spoke his mind frankly.

When Yu Gaoyi heard Shen Sinian asking like this, he was startled for a moment, feeling as if his thoughts had been seen through. He scratched his head with a bit of embarrassment, "It’s not that I like her, I just think she has a good personality, and she’s also very pretty."

Actually, Yu Gaoyi treated Xu Zhiyan like a goddess; he was very self-aware, knowing that Xu Zhiyan would never like him. Even though Yu Gaoyi’s family was not poor, compared to the supermarket tycoon Xu Family, there was still a big difference.

Moreover, he knew that Xu Zhiyan liked someone else.

"Where is she pretty?" Shen Sinian puzzled.

Yu Gaoyi: "Isn’t she pretty?"

He thought Xu Zhiyan was very beautiful.

Shen Sinian: "...Our aesthetic is different."

Yu Gaoyi let out an "oh," sensing his indifference, then hesitantly said, "Brother, you... know her?"

Shen Sinian’s tone was very light, "I don’t know her."

Yu Gaoyi frowned, "Then why do you... seem not to like her much?"

"You’re quite smart," Shen Sinian responded.

Yu Gaoyi was stunned, then quickly realized and asked, "Why?"

"She’s not as pretty as Ningning," Shen Sinian tossed the basketball in his hand and neatly shot it into the basket nearby, "and her personality isn’t as good as Ningning’s."

Yu Gaoyi: "..."

He and Xu Chuning were not well acquainted yet, so he couldn’t compare the personalities of Xu Chuning and Xu Zhiyan for the time being, but... he carefully recalled the appearances of Xu Chuning and Xu Zhiyan, and somehow felt that Shen Sinian was right.

Xu Zhiyan had delicate features, her eyes and eyebrows were not deep-set, and her facial features were generally light, but so was Xu Chuning’s. However, the lightness on Xu Chuning gave people a chill feeling.

Upon reflection, Yu Gaoyi even felt that Xu Chuning’s temperament was more like that of a young lady than Xu Zhiyan’s.

Thinking of this, Yu Gaoyi was about to say something more when Shen Sinian changed the subject, "Let’s play."

He didn’t really intend to tell Yu Gaoyi to give up on liking Xu Zhiyan sooner, after all, whom he liked was his freedom; however, he too had the right to express his dislike of Xu Zhiyan.

Yu Gaoyi: "...Okay."

He looked at Shen Sinian’s calm profile and reluctantly agreed, "Form a team with them?"

He pointed at other students nearby.

Shen Sinian: "Let’s go."

*

Elsewhere, Xu Chuning left school and went straight back to the small shop.

It was not yet dinner time so there were no customers in the shop for the moment. You Shuzhen was preparing dinner, and when she saw Xu Chuning come back, she called out, "Why are you back so early today?"

Xu Chuning hummed, "Mom, I’m going to the back to do some homework."

You Shuzhen was slightly taken aback and before she could say something, Xu Chuning had already gone to the back. She looked over to see her pull out a small foldable table, put down her school bag, and take out her homework to start on it.

Xu Chuning looked the same as usual, but as her mother, You Shuzhen could still detect something off about her the first moment she saw her.

She stared at Xu Chuning’s profile for a moment then got up to pour her a glass of water and put it by her, "Have some water first. The weather’s getting hotter, how was school today?"

"Thanks, Mom," Xu Chuning reached out to take it, "It’s fine, same as before."

You Shuzhen nodded and casually asked, "Why didn’t Sinian come with you today?"

"He went to play basketball with classmates."

Upon hearing this, You Shuzhen smiled, "Is he getting along okay with his classmates?"

"Yeah," Xu Chuning held the cup and took a sip, "He has a likable personality."

You Shuzhen fell silent for a few seconds, then raised her hand to touch her daughter’s head, "My daughter is also likable."

Xu Chuning paused, then raised her eyes to look at her, "Mom, go ahead with your work, I’m fine."

You Shuzhen watched her, "Alright, tell mom if you need anything."

Xu Chuning: "I know."

You Shuzhen didn’t overly disturb her, knowing Xu Chuning had an exam the next day. She said she was doing her homework, and she didn’t expose her lie.

Mother and daughter spent a very ordinary night in the little shop.

Because of the exam the next day, You Shuzhen reminded Xu Chuning not to get up so early the following day. She would manage the shop on her own and told Xu Chuning to sleep until seven before coming to the shop for breakfast and then heading to school.

Xu Chuning agreed fully, but in reality, she still got up early the next morning, a little after five, and went to help out at the shop.

However, what Xu Chuning didn’t expect was that Shen Yubai and Shen Sinian would come to eat breakfast at the shop together. In the past two weeks, Shen Yubai hadn’t ordered takeout from the shop at all, let alone appear at the shop’s doorway.

"Aunt You, and Sinian," You Shuzhen beamed with joy upon seeing them, "Are you two here for breakfast today?"

Shen Yubai nodded, "Aunt You, the same as before."

You Shuzhen happily consented and then turned to Shen Sinian: "And you, Sinian?"

Shen Sinian: "Same as him."

You Shuzhen agreed and glanced at Xu Chuning nearby, "Ningning, have some rice noodles with Xiao Shen and the others this morning, mom will make it for you."

Xu Chuning was about to refuse when Shen Sinian extended an invitation to her, "Shall we go to school together later?"

"..." Xu Chuning glanced at Shen Yubai, who was silent next to her, and repressed her refusal that was on the tip of her tongue, "Okay."

There were still many customers in the shop.

Xu Chuning kept busy for a while longer until You Shuzhen urged her to eat breakfast and head to the school for the exam.

The shop’s tables were small, for two persons. To seat four, two tables needed to be pushed together.

After finishing up by the door, Xu Chuning entered the shop and found that Shen Sinian had already brought over her breakfast, placed together with his and Shen Yubai’s, and had put two tables together. She paused for a moment but eventually walked over.

"Ningning, have an extra egg," Shen Sinian said as he passed an egg from his bowl to hers.

Xu Chuning: "No need."

She picked up her chopsticks and returned it, "You’re still growing, you should eat more."

Shen Sinian: "You’re growing too."

The two of them argued over the egg and, for a long while, Shen Yubai, who was ignored, suddenly raised his hand, grabbed the egg they were pushing back and forth, "How about I eat it?"

Xu Chuning: "..."

Shen Sinian: "..."

"You don’t like eggs, do you?" Shen Sinian said quietly.

Shen Yubai glanced at him sideways, "I can make a little sacrifice for once."

Shen Sinian choked a bit, sensing the displeasure in his words and placed the egg in Xu Chuning’s bowl, "Ningning, eat quickly before he steals it."

Shen Yubai: "..."

He swept a glance over the two and called out, "Aunt You, we’d like two extra fried eggs."

You Shuzhen responded, "Right away."

Shortly after, You Shuzhen brought over two fried eggs.

Shen Yubai put down his chopsticks and slightly raised his chin, signaling to both of them, "One each, eat up."

It was almost laughable, was the Shen family so poor they couldn’t afford an egg? To have his future wife and son arguing over it here.

The already full two: "......"