CHAPTER 33: CHAPTER 33 HE JUST DOESN’T UNDERSTAND HER

Shen Sinian had spoken to such an extent that it would have been somewhat indefensible for Xu Chuning to continue refusing to go to the amusement park with a heart of stone.

Without hesitating further, she replied to the two in the group chat telling them to wait half an hour, and that she would go with them.

She first told You Shuzhen, who was very supportive of her going out to have fun; she wasn’t the type of mother to restrict her daughter’s social life. On the contrary, You Shuzhen had always hoped that Xu Chuning would make more friends and go out to hang out with classmates and friends rather than spending every day with her at the shop.

Before hanging up, You Shuzhen reminded her, "Dress up prettily when you go out, don’t just wear your old clothes all the time."

In truth, their life wasn’t that hard; You Shuzhen would buy Xu Chuning several sets of clothes every year. However, Xu Chuning always felt it was unnecessary. She wore a school uniform at school, and just felt that wearing something comfortable and convenient for doing things on the weekends was enough; she wasn’t very demanding.

Hearing You Shuzhen say this, Xu Chuning acknowledged with an "Okay, I know."

After putting down the phone, Xu Chuning went to wash her face. After washing up, she looked at herself in the mirror. A T-shirt with jeans was also fine, right? What’s old about it?

After some hesitation, Xu Chuning still walked up to her wardrobe, opened it and looked at the few pieces of clothes hanging inside.

After standing still for a moment, she closed the wardrobe door.

Forget it, there’s nothing worth changing into.

Considering they were going to the amusement park, Xu Chuning didn’t carry a backpack but took a crossbody bag that You Shuzhen bought for her last year. The bag was a creamy yellow color, and she had only carried it once since she got it.

Stepping out of her home, Xu Chuning walked towards the alley’s exit.

She and You Shuzhen lived in an urban village where the houses were designed very cramped, and the alleys were quite narrow, usually allowing only two people to pass through at a time.

Just about to reach the exit of the alley, Xu Chuning took out her phone, intending to send a message to Shen Sinian to ask where they were, and that she was ready on her end. She first heard Shen Sinian’s clean and clear voice, "Ningning, over here."

Xu Chuning looked up instinctively and saw the two of them at the entrance of the alley.

Shen Sinian was dressed in a light-colored T-shirt and loose-fitting jeans today, the picture of a sunny youth. Beside him, Shen Yubai was in a black T-shirt paired with dark loose-fitting jeans. At first glance, their attire appeared like a matching brother outfit.

As it turned out, Xu Chuning had not guessed wrong.

After arriving here, other than the initial set of clothes Xu Chuning bought for him, Shen Sinian hadn’t bought any clothes.

So, the clothes and jeans he was wearing right now were taken from Shen Yubai’s wardrobe.

"How about it? The outfit I picked looks good, right?" Shen Sinian boasted with a bit of smugness.

Xu Chuning sized him up and nodded, saying, "Very handsome."

"Right?" Shen Sinian also thought so, "He said it didn’t look good."

He gestured towards Shen Yubai.

Xu Chuning: "..."

Shen Yubai: "..."

The two of them couldn’t help but exchange glances. Before Xu Chuning could scrutinize the look in Shen Yubai’s eyes, he was the first to look away, speaking in a cold tone, "How old are you?"

Shen Sinian: "What?"

Shen Yubai: "Still tattling."

Shen Sinian choked up slightly, scratching his head and saying, "No matter how old I am, I’m still your son. Why can’t I tattle?"

He muttered, "Besides, I’m complaining to my mom, and my mom doesn’t find it annoying."

Named by him, Xu Chuning stayed silent, feeling helpless towards the two’s childish bickering, and simply maintained her silence.

After their bickering ended, Xu Chuning finally asked, "How are we going to get to the amusement park?"

Shen Yubai slightly lifted his chin, "By car."

Only then did Xu Chuning notice a black sedan parked next to the entrance of the urban village.

"Ningning, hurry up and get in the car." Shen Sinian went to the backseat and opened the car door for her.

Xu Chuning paused in her steps as Shen Yubai said, "You two sit in the back."

"...Okay," Xu Chuning then bent down to get into the car.

As she got in, Shen Sinian quickly followed suit.

The Shen Family’s driver seemed to be professionally trained; he didn’t say a word or even give her an extra glance as he silently drove the three of them to the amusement park.

The trio got out of the car, and Shen Yubai glanced over, "Uncle Liu, you go back first and come pick us up later."

Uncle Liu nodded: "Yes, young master."

...

After the driver left, Shen Yubai went to buy tickets.

Xu Chuning glanced at the ticket prices on the wall and silently made a note.

Noticing her action, Shen Sinian bent down and whispered in her ear, "Ningning, you’re not thinking of paying for the ticket yourself, are you?"

Xu Chuning turned to look at him, "Isn’t that what I’m supposed to do?"

Shen Sinian: "...I suggest you don’t."

"Why?"

Xu Chuning didn’t understand.

Shen Sinian looked at her and was about to explain when Shen Yubai had already bought the tickets.

"What are you discussing?" he asked casually, handing over the tickets to them, "Let’s go inside now."

The two took the tickets one after another, with Xu Chuning voicing a thank you.

Shen Yubai glanced at her and didn’t make conversation.

The amusement park was crowded on the weekend. As they entered, screams emitted from the roller coaster nearby.

Xu Chuning looked up at it and felt a bit scared.

Noticing where she was looking, Shen Yubai glanced over, "Are you afraid of heights?"

"A little," Xu Chuning honestly replied.

Shen Yubai hummed, "Then what do you usually play when you come to amusement parks?"

Xu Chuning: "Ah?"

Shen Yubai repeated the question he had just asked.

Xu Chuning fell silent for a few seconds, then raised her head to look at him and said, "Today is actually the first time I’m officially here to play in an amusement park."

Shen Yubai: "...What?"

His expression froze for a few seconds, in disbelief.

Xu Chuning looked at him with a normal expression, "You heard me."

Shen Yubai’s breath tightened slightly, seemingly struggling to understand and accept what Xu Chuning had said, that she was in high school and it was her first time officially playing at an amusement park.

Xu Chuning also didn’t seem inclined to explain further. Ever since she was young, she knew to be responsible. Although she often felt a sense of envy and wanted to go out and play like her classmates or buy things on the weekend,

she clearly understood that she could not burden You Shuzhen too much. Now it was just the two of them living together, and her grandmother back home didn’t temporarily need their care, but what about in three years? Or in five years?

Besides her grandmother, You Shuzhen also had to search for her biological daughter.

Xu Chuning understood this very early on, so she never made any excessive requests to You Shuzhen.

Even if You Shuzhen might not think her desires were excessive, she wouldn’t show it even a little bit.

However, even so, You Shuzhen had still taken her to the amusement park once. Only, they didn’t enter through buying tickets normally.

Xu Chuning remembered very clearly, on her first year of middle school birthday, You Shuzhen happened to have a friend from her hometown working in the amusement park as a manager or something, which allowed them to enter and play without tickets.

But their playtime was limited to the evening only.

So that evening, You Shuzhen took Xu Chuning into the dream world she had longed to visit many times, and they rode the carousel.

That birthday was the one Xu Chuning still felt was the most memorable.

...

"Sorry," Shen Yubai realized belatedly, "I didn’t mean to look down on you."

Xu Chuning hummed, her tone indifferent: "I know."

Shen Yubai wasn’t looking down on her, he just didn’t understand her.