Returning to Parents' Seventeen
Chapter 59 Inconvenient

Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Inconvenient

When Shen Yubai saw Xu Chuning’s message, he was receiving an "education" from Sang Menglan.

Waking up in the morning, Shen Yubai was called back home by a phone call from Sang Menglan. He said he had something to do and wouldn’t return, but Sang Menglan accused him of being heartless. Weary from her nagging, he reluctantly made a trip home.

However, the place he returned to wasn’t the old residence, but where his parents lived.

Mr. Shen stayed at the old house, and although Sang Menglan and the others stayed there for a short time when in Jiang City, they mostly had their own separate residence.

The place where Shen Yubai’s parents lived wasn’t far from school, just a half-hour drive away.

When he arrived home, Sang Menglan was upstairs trying on clothes.

Hearing his return, Sang Menglan specially called him to give his opinion on which outfit looked best.

Shen Yubai was puzzled, "Why are you dressing up so beautifully? Do you have a banquet to attend?"

It couldn’t be that a banquet was being held early in the morning, could it?

Sang Menglan glanced at him sideways, clearly irritated, "Just because I’m not going to a banquet, I can’t dress up a little prettier?"

Shen Yubai: "That’s not what I meant."

Sang Menglan harrumphed and, wearing a beautifully cut floral dress, spun around in front of him, "How is it? Pretty?"

Shen Yubai raised an eyebrow and said in a casual tone, "Average."

Sang Menglan: "..."

She looked down at the dress she was wearing, incredulous, "Just average?"

Shen Yubai mumbled an acknowledgment.

Sang Menglan: "Do you know this dress was brought back from Paris? The designer tailored it especially for me."

"...I know now," Shen Yubai answered, with a nonchalant attitude, "Mom, the designer conned you out of your money."

Seeing his attitude, Sang Menglan couldn’t contain her anger, "You rascal, lack of taste."

She crossed her arms and lectured him, "What’s the use of raising such a son who doesn’t care when helping to choose clothes, and only knows to play games all day? I really... If I had known earlier, I should have had a daughter."

Shen Yubai listened silently, without rebuttal.

To be honest, Sang Menglan hadn’t treated him differently than a daughter at times.

While Sang Menglan was scolding him, his phone in his pocket vibrated. Shen Yubai took it out to check it, barely seeing the familiar avatar before the content was clear, a hand reached out and snatched it from him, "Who’s messaging you so early?"

Sang Menglan bent her head to look, her eyebrows raised in surprise, "Xu Chuning?"

"A girl’s name?" She stared wide-eyed at Shen Yubai.

Shen Yubai: "Mom!"

"sorry!" Sang Menglan, who had recently enjoyed overseas trips and often dabbled in English, hurriedly returned the phone to Shen Yubai, sheepishly saying, "Mom didn’t mean it, I was just a little angry just now."

As she said this, she observed Shen Yubai’s expression, raising her hand to swear, "There won’t be a next time."

The Shen family’s education was very liberal; though Sang Menglan was curious about her son’s academic life, she wouldn’t pry or snoop excessively. She had promised Shen Yubai to give him sufficient respect.

Therefore, before entering his room, Sang Menglan would always knock. Before taking anything from his room, she would inform Shen Yubai in advance and would act only with his permission.

Shen Yubai knew Sang Menglan hadn’t done it on purpose, taking back the phone she handed over, "I’m not mad at you."

Sang Menglan uttered an "oh" and sat down beside him, gossiping, "Then can Mom ask if it was a girl who sent the message?"

Shen Yubai: "A classmate from school."

Sang Menglan’s eyes lit up, "From your class?"

"No."

"From another class?"

"Yeah."

"Same grade?"

Shen Yubai glanced at her, "Mom, what really made you call me back?"

Sang Menglan: "Nothing serious, just missed you and wanted you to come back for a meal."

Shen Yubai: "..."

He opened his mouth, about to say something, when downstairs the voice of a servant came, "Madam, Mrs. Xu and Miss Xu have arrived."

Shen Yubai looked at Sang Menglan.

Sang Menglan smiled awkwardly, "Along with Mrs. Xu, she also hasn’t seen you for a long time."

Shen Yubai: "I’m not going down."

"Why?" Sang Menglan was baffled, "When has Aunt Ye ever offended you?"

Aunt Ye referred to Ye Qionfang, Xu Zhiyan’s mother.

Shen Yubai: "She hasn’t."

Sang Menglan: "Then why?"

Shen Yubai: "I’m lazy, you go."

He stood up and walked out, "Mom, I didn’t sleep well last night, I’m going to rest in my room for a while."

Shen Yubai did not give Sang Menglan another chance to persuade him, turned around, and left the room, taking the stairs to the third floor. The third floor was Shen Yubai’s territory and was generally off-limits to others.

Back in his room, Shen Yubai opened Xu Chuning’s chat window and lowered his head to reply to her: [Not yet, I’ll make a call later to ask.]

Xu Chuning: [Okay.]

Shen Yubai glanced at the time: [Not busy today?]

This time, wasn’t her small shop supposed to be bustling?

Xu Chuning: [It’s raining, there aren’t many customers.]

It’s a common occurrence in business that customer flow decreases when it rains.

Moreover, today was also the weekend.

Seeing this message, Shen Yubai turned his head to look out the window; the rain persisted, soaking the plants in the yard, some of their branches and leaves even bent under the weight of the water.

After gazing out the window for a moment, Shen Yubai found Shen Sinian’s QQ and asked him what he planned to eat for lunch.

Before returning to the Shen Family home, Shen Yubai had mentioned to Shen Sinian about heading back and asked if he wanted to come along. Shen Sinian declined for fear he would not be able to resist calling Sang Menglan ’grandma’ and pour out his troubles to her.

When he was young, Shen Sinian was almost entirely raised by Sang Menglan.

During his junior and senior high school years, he also spent most of his time at his grandparents’. Even on the night he had come here, the last family member by his side had been Sang Menglan.

Shen Sinian: [Haven’t decided yet, it’s raining outside.]

Shen Yubai raised an eyebrow: [Going to the small shop?]

Shen Sinian: [You’re going as well?]

Shen Yubai: [Why, not welcome?]

Shen Sinian felt his dad was now a bit like his mom - sharp-tongued, and he felt overwhelmed. It wasn’t what he meant, yet both of them chose to misunderstand.

Muttering to himself in annoyance, Shen Sinian replied: [That’s not what I mean, aren’t you going back home?]

Shen Yubai: [So I’m planning to leave now.]

Shen Sinian: [Grandma...]

He typed the word but then deleted it.

To avoid any accidental discovery if the cellphone was lost, when Shen Sinian and others chatted online they were especially cautious: [Your mom didn’t ask you to stay for lunch?]

Shen Yubai: [She did. Don’t feel like eating.]

Shen Sinian: [... You’re something else.]

His grandma didn’t come looking for trouble with him?

Shen Yubai: [Pack up, I’ll call you when I’m downstairs.]

Shen Sinian: [Okay.]

After finalizing plans with Shen Sinian, Shen Yubai went downstairs to prepare to leave.

When he reached the ground floor, Sang Menglan, Ye Qionfang, and Xu Zhiyan were chatting in the living room. Seeing him appear, Sang Menglan called out, "Weren’t you going to sleep?"

Shen Yubai: "Got something to do, I need to go out for a bit."

He turned his head to greet Ye Qionfang, "Aunt Ye."

Ye Qionfang smiled warmly, "Yubai, heading out in such heavy rain?"

Shen Yubai: "Yes, Aunt Ye, please continue your chat."

Ye Qionfang nodded her head, then glanced at her daughter who seemed hesitant to speak, "Yubai, where are you off to? Are you going out to play? Would it be convenient to take Zhixian along?"

She knew what was on her daughter’s mind.

Unexpectedly to Ye Qionfang, Shen Yubai did not afford her the face usually given to elders, "Aunt Ye, it’s not convenient."

After answering Ye Qionfang’s question, Shen Yubai avoided looking at Xu Zhiyan’s saddened expression and said to Sang Menglan, "Mom, I’m heading out."

Sang Menglan, unable to do anything with him, could only caution him, "Have the driver take you, don’t ride your bike."

"I know."

"..."

After Shen Yubai left, the living room fell silent.

Sang Menglan, noticing Xu Zhiyan’s glum look, said with a smile, "Zhixian, try this tea that auntie brought back. See if it tastes good."

Xu Zhiyan pulled herself back from her drifting thoughts, responded in a soft voice, "Okay, thank you, Aunt Sang."

Leaving the Shen Family home, Shen Yubai did not consider the thoughts of Xu Zhiyan and Ye Qionfang; he had the driver drop him off at the base of his residential building, picked up Shen Sinian, and together they headed to the small shop.

The rain continued to fall.

Xu Chuning sat in the shop watching the rain, considering discussing with You Shuzhen about closing early and heading back home to rest properly.

There was a stir outside the store, and without thinking, she looked up to see two familiar figures approaching her.

She was startled, blinked lightly, and asked softly, "What brings you two here?"

Shen Yubai looked down at her with profound eyes, his voice cool and restrained, "Came here to eat."

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