Mou Xue walked into the classroom, and Xu Chuning turned to say to You Shuzhen, "Mom, I’ll talk to you after the parent-teacher eting is over."
You Shuzhen hesitantly nodded, "Okay."
This mother-daughter interaction was fully witnessed by Sang nglan, who was a bit surprised at the relationship between Xu Chuning and her mother; they didn’t seem like mother and daughter, but rather like peers who negotiated on equal terms.
Moreover, You Shuzhen seed to actually listen to what Xu Chuning said.
Perceiving this, Sang nglan’s eyes held a touch of appreciation and admiration when she looked at Xu Chuning. She admired independent girls, and although she wasn’t very independent herself, so people just catch your eye at first glance.
It wasn’t because Xu Chuning resembled Ye Qionfang that Sang nglan found her comfortable to be around, unlike Xu Zhiyan, who was so confrontational and sharp-tongued.
Strangely, Sang nglan watched Xu Zhiyan grow up and was familiar with the Xu Family’s upbringing; Xu Yiming and Ye Qionfang were kind-hearted people, yet Xu Zhiyan’s temperant had always differed from theirs.
Back then, Sang nglan and others thought it was fairly normal for Xu Zhiyan to have a bit of a rich girl’s temperant, given the Xu Family’s favorable conditions.
However, looking at it now, it was not the case at all.
Their kids, including those from other families, might have bad tempers, but were not unreasonable.
Sotis Xu Yiming and Ye Qionfang were at their wits’ end with her.
Sang nglan stared intently at Xu Chuning in thought and didn’t notice that Xu Chuning had already looked back at her for the second ti.
After eting Shen Sinian, Xu Chuning already had an idea of her future relationship with Sang nglan and others, and she had stealthily asked Shen Sinian... if Sang nglan and the others were easy to get along with. Shen Sinian said they were, ntioning that Sang nglan and Shen Xingyan were down-to-earth people.
Moreover, Sang nglan treated her even better than she treated Shen Yubai. Whenever there was anything, she would look for Xu Chuning and not Shen Yubai.
On the rare occasion when Shen Yubai and Xu Chuning would bicker, she would be the first to scold Shen Yubai.
Sang nglan had a youthful ntality; she didn’t show any pretense of seniority at all, and her future relationship with Xu Chuning didn’t seem like a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, but rather more like sisters.
Thinking about this, Xu Chuning pursed her lips and called out to her, "Aunt Sang."
Sang nglan snapped out of her reverie, "What?"
She ca back to her senses and touched her nose a bit embarrassedly, "Sorry, Auntie was spacing out just now."
"It’s fine," said Xu Chuning in a low voice, "shall we start the parent-teacher eting first? We can talk about other things after it ends?"
Sang nglan understood her implication and nodded lightly, "Alright, we’ll talk after the eting."
Shen Sinian got top grades in the school last sester, and in front of everyone, Mou Xue praised him. Listening to this, Sang nglan felt a bit of pride and sent Shen Xingyan a ssage: [Sinian was top of the class last sester, the teacher praised our good parenting, though I do feel a bit guilty.]
Shen Xingyan: [Shen Yubai was also top of the class.]
Sang nglan: [The teacher ntioned that Xu Chuning had always been the top student before.]
Shen Xingyan: [Is her academic performance really that good?]
Shen Xingyan actually didn’t know about this.
Sang nglan: [Yeah, do you think she might be sad now that Sinian transferred here and took away the top spot?]
Shen Xingyan: [...I’ll ask your son.]
He actually couldn’t answer that question.
...
Xu Chuning was unaware of the conversation between Sang nglan and Shen Xingyan. She appeared to be listening to Teacher Mou speaking at the podium, but her mind had already drifted away. Her phone kept vibrating in her pocket, and Xu Chuning, finding it annoying, simply turned off her phone.
Right now, she didn’t want to see or respond to anyone’s ssages.
She was afraid of acting on impulse, afraid of saying sothing out of her control; she was not as composed as outsiders perceived her to be.
Deng Xitong, sitting beside her, noticed that her mood was off and asked in a hushed voice, "Ningning, what’s wrong with you?"
"It’s nothing," Xu Chuning shook her head towards You Shuzhen, "It’s just too hot, I feel stuffy."
Deng Xitong understood: "I feel the sa."
After briefly exchanging a couple of sentences, they quietly listened to the content of the parent-teacher eting.
At Mingzhi Middle School, the parent-teacher etings are held with both students and parents. Mingzhi Middle School pays great attention to family education issues. They are concerned about parents putting too much pressure on students, resulting in psychological burdens, so the parent-teacher eting every sester also serves as an excellent platform for communication between students and parents.
The parent-teacher eting lasted for over an hour, and after all the important matters were discussed, it was almost ti to go.
Just as Xu Chuning and You Shuzhen were about to get up and leave, Mou Xue called out to them, "Xu Chuning, Xu Chuning’s mom."
They looked up, and Mou Xue smiled and said, "Can we talk a bit more?"
Actually, Mou Xue didn’t have anything particular to discuss when she approached them—after knowing Xu Chuning’s end-of-term exam results, she had sent her a ssage to comfort her, saying not to take a single exam too seriously in case she felt downcast.
If soone else had taken the first place, Xu Chuning might have been sad for a while, but since it was her own son who did, all she could offer was comfort—the student surpasses the master.
Shen Sinian’s grades were so good, she should feel proud.
"Teacher Mou," Xu Chuning looked up.
Mou Xue replied and looked toward Xu Chuning, "Can I talk with your mom for a mont?"
Xu Chuning, very considerately, walked out, "Sure."
She waited in the corridor when suddenly Sang nglan ca up to her, "Ningning."
Xu Chuning was taken aback.
Sang nglan asked, "May I call you that?"
Xu Chuning hesitated slightly and then nodded her head.
Sang nglan looked at her with a gentle smile, "Sinian and Yubai, they both like you a lot."
"..." Upon hearing this, Xu Chuning grinned, "Aunt Sang, what you said could easily be misunderstood."
Sang nglan realized afterward, "Oh, my expression must’ve been improper. What I ant was, you are outstanding, and it’s their luck to have you as their classmate, Sinian and Yubai."
Hearing this, Xu Chuning opened her mouth to speak, "Actually, I’m the lucky one."
To have Shen Sinian, such an empathetic, sunny, and cheerful son, and Shen Yubai... such a handso husband, though in the future.
Sang nglan chuckled softly, then asked warmly, "How are you feeling?"
Xu Chuning pressed her lips together, "I’m fine, soone else, perhaps, isn’t."
Sang nglan didn’t expect her to speak so sharply, and after a mont of quiet, she said, "Auntie must first apologize to you."
Xu Chuning was puzzled.
Sang nglan explained, "A few days ago, I saw your photo in Yubai’s cara. I thought you and Qiongfang, that is Yubai’s Aunt Ye, looked very much alike, so I ntioned it to him."
"..."
Xu Chuning froze, suddenly understanding why Shen Yubai knew about her relationship with Ye Qiongfang and the others.
Actually, when she heard what Shen Yubai said at the school gate, Xu Chuning had wondered how he found out. Shen Sinian had assured her that if Shen Yubai didn’t notice on his own, he wouldn’t tell him. Xu Chuning believed Shen Sinian, so she never doubted him.
She had just been pondering, when exactly and how Shen Yubai managed to find the glitch.
It was only at this mont that she realized—it was with Sang nglan’s remark that Shen Yubai followed the clues and conducted his investigation. Of course, it wasn’t likely that just because of sothing Sang nglan said, he beca suspicious; perhaps, even before that, he already had questions about a series of things involving her.
Shen Yubai was so smart, it wasn’t surprising to Xu Chuning that he could have guessed.
Suddenly, she thought of the incident a few days ago when Shen Yubai pulled out her white hair... Looking back, his actions were indeed clumsy, but she hadn’t thought it through.
If she had pondered more on it at that ti, today’s events wouldn’t have co as such a surprise.
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