Returning to Parents' Seventeen
Chapter 98 Target

Chapter 98: Chapter 98 Target

Standing at the entrance of the camera store, after hearing Shen Yubai’s words, Xu Chuning was momentarily stunned for a few seconds. She lowered her gaze, looking at the bag being handed to her, her lips parted slightly, "No need."

She was refusing Shen Yubai’s "unequal kindness".

Shen Yubai’s expression shifted subtly, his tone calm: "Why?"

Xu Chuning raised her eyes, "...Unearned wealth should not be accepted."

Her reason for refusing was sufficient.

Shen Yubai lowered his eyes, and stared at her for a while: "Are you sure?"

Xu Chuning: "Mhm, for one, I am not the top of our class this time, and secondly, the gift is too expensive. You’ve already given me a scroll of calligraphy."

About the last scroll of calligraphy, Xu Chuning had asked Shen Yubai about its price, and he refused to answer, so she knew that he did not intend to take any money. She had struggled with it for a long time before finally accepting his kindness, fully aware that if she tried to give him money like she did with the cellphone incident, he would sulk on his own for a while.

Xu Chuning thought it over carefully; the calligraphy scroll overall shouldn’t be too expensive, she could accept it, and would just wait for a suitable opportunity to return the favor to Shen Yubai.

But a camera is a different matter. Even though she envied it, was curious about how to use it, and wanted to use a camera to capture life, the gift was too valuable, and she couldn’t return a gift of equal worth at the moment. Her relationship with Shen Yubai was currently... just that of classmates.

What the future held was a matter for the future.

From the start, the two had agreed that they would not change their current lives because of Sinian’s emergence. Similarly, they would not force themselves together now because they might get married in the future, or force themselves to develop feelings for each other.

It wasn’t necessary.

Future matters would be dealt with in the future. Right now, they just wanted things to progress more naturally.

Therefore, Shen Yubai completely didn’t need to be so good to Xu Chuning because of Sinian.

In the few months that Shen Yubai had gotten to know Xu Chuning better, he had already figured out her personality.

Thus, when he heard her reasons, he remained silent for a moment, not insisting too hard, "Understood."

Xu Chuning blinked in surprise.

She didn’t expect Shen Yubai to be so agreeable this time.

Shen Yubai shifted his gaze away from her face, speaking indifferently: "Let’s go, to Sinian’s place."

Xu Chuning pursed her lips and nodded lightly: "Okay."

The two did not spend much time in the camera store, and it was just the right time to find Sinian during his lunch break.

Shen Yubai had already notified Min Jian in advance, and as soon as the two arrived at the company building, he arranged for someone to come and greet them.

"Are you Mr. Shen and Xu?" The person who came to receive them was a very beautiful sister, smiling warmly at them, "Please follow me this way, students."

Xu Chuning’s lips curved slightly: "Thank you."

Following the staff member inside, Xu Chuning surveyed her surroundings. Sinian was training in an agency here, which had dedicated training rooms. His agency must be quite wealthy; the building was very new, looking like it had been constructed just over the past few years, with wall and floor tiles so clean they were gleaming.

Past the lobby, they reached the elevator.

Sinian’s training room was on the fifth floor, and the receptionist led them into the elevator, arriving on the fifth floor.

As the elevator doors opened, Min Jian was waiting outside.

"Here they are." He looked up at the two, a smile on his face, "What do you think? Our company’s environment isn’t bad, right?"

Xu Chuning: "It’s okay."

Shen Yubai: "Mediocre."

The two responded almost simultaneously.

Min Jian: "..."

Hearing Shen Yubai’s reply, he was briefly at a loss for words, managing a smile: "If Young Master Shen can call it ’mediocre,’ then it must be quite good."

It was not until Sinian signed the economic contract with Shen Group’s top lawyer that Min Jian realized the promising talent he had set his sights on was the young master of the Shen Family.

Regarding this, he had to admire his own foresight.

Shen Yubai gave him a glance, his tone indifferent, "Where is Shen Sinian?"

Min Jian: "This way."

He informed the two, "He is currently taking a dance class."

Xu Chuning was surprised, "He still has to take dance classes?"

She remembered that Shen Sinian was supposed to join a film crew for a movie afterward?

Min Jian: "Dance can make one’s figure look better, and besides, he is going to debut with two other boys later on."

In terms of vocal music, dance, and all aspects, Shen Sinian needed to undergo certain training.

Xu Chuning suddenly understood.

During their conversation, the three had already reached the door of the dance studio.

The walls of the dance studio were made of transparent glass doors, and with a glance upwards, Xu Chuning could see Shen Sinian facing their side, wearing a T-shirt and leisure shorts, following the teacher and moving to the rhythm of the music.

In the studio, besides him, there were several other students.

Somehow, Xu Chuning felt slightly infected by their passion, and she got absorbed in watching.

Suddenly, Shen Yubai’s voice entered her ears, "What are you thinking about?"

Xu Chuning turned her head and met his dark, profound gaze, her eyes faintly twinkling as she said: "I’m having some regrets."

Dancing is just too exhausting.

From outside the classroom, she could see Shen Sinian’s clothes soaked with sweat. Min Jian also told them that they had been practicing for more than an hour, close to two hours.

Shen Yubai was slightly startled and asked in a low voice, "Regret letting him enter this circle?"

Xu Chuning hummed, "It’s so tiring for them."

Shen Yubai slightly nodded, pausing before saying, "But he likes it."

Xu Chuning didn’t speak. She naturally knew that Shen Sinian liked it, otherwise, she wouldn’t have agreed so readily. It’s just that she still felt a pang of heartache. Even though she and the current Shen Sinian were of the same age, she couldn’t help but feel concerned.

Perhaps it was because Shen Sinian would occasionally call her mom cautiously, or perhaps it was because Shen Sinian would inadvertently speak of her and Shen Yubai in the future, often overlooking his own presence.

Hearing Shen Yubai’s words, Xu Chuning felt melancholic, "I know."

Shen Yubai narrowed his eyes, watching her downtrodden expression, and suddenly broke the silence, "Xu Chuning."

Xu Chuning turned her head, "What?"

Shen Yubai looked at her intently with curiosity, asking, "Shen Sinian’s current wish is to debut as a star, what about yours?"

He was very interested in knowing Xu Chuning’s wishes.

Xu Chuning hadn’t expected Shen Yubai to ask her such a question, and for a moment, she didn’t quite know how to respond.

After a silent moment, Xu Chuning asked, "Why do you ask?"

Shen Yubai: "Just curious."

Xu Chuning thought for a bit, then softly said, "My mother and grandmother being healthy, and then finding someone like Li Xiaonan, does that count?"

At these words, Shen Yubai’s brow slightly wrinkled, "That doesn’t count, only about yourself."

He wanted to know about her own wishes, or dreams.

Xu Chuning uttered an "Oh" and fell silent for a while, then said, "I don’t know."

Shen Yubai was surprised, his eyebrows slightly raising, "You don’t know?"

"Is it that unexpected?" Xu Chuning watched the changes in his expressions, shifting her gaze back to Shen Sinian in the classroom. Shen Sinian had noticed their presence and was waving at Xu Chuning through the glass door, looking very excited.

She returned Shen Sinian’s smile and turned to tell Shen Yubai, "I am a person without dreams."

To be precise, she’s not yet entitled to have dreams. Right now, she only has clear goals.