NOVEL NEXT
Chapter 28
When Yu Shu left school, it was already self-study time.
Yan Ming sent Yu Shu out of the school gate. On the way, he started to brag, "You really gave me face today with your selfless contribution. Thank the school. As expected from my star pupil! Applaud my successful teaching!"
After saying that, he eagerly started clapping. Yu Shu also chimed in and clapped a few times, "It's all thanks to Teacher Yan's good teaching!"
"It's all thanks to Yu Shu's good learning!"
"Applause!"
The two blew each other rainbow farts for a while. Yan Ming started talking about Yu Yang's grades, "Previously, Yu Yang's grades were always hovering around the minimum score for college admission. He could never settle down to study. He skipped classes to do odd jobs several times until he was caught and beaten up by your mom before he finally behaved a little better."
This was news to Yu Shu, but she was not surprised. It was just like her mom and brother to do something like that.
"Recently, he has been more stable. He no longer spaces out in class and does his homework properly. His grades have improved quite a bit in the last few exams. But with only a few months left until the college entrance exam, I estimate it would still be difficult for him to get into a good university. He knows this himself too. He asked me earlier if repeating a grade in another school would be good."
"He mentioned possibly repeating a grade to me before. I thought he had given up on taking the college entrance exam this year."
"He has his own ideas. He prepared backup plans," Yan Ming sighed heavily. "After all, you are siblings by blood. You are just the same."
"What do you mean the same?"
"You both know clearly what you want, what you should do, what to choose and what to give up. Without any hesitation, you make the most sensible choice in different circumstances." "So I have such a high appraisal in your heart?"
"Of course! My star pupil! So, can you tell me why you broke up with Meng Xulin?" The excited gossip flame lit up in Yan Ming's eyes.
"When you two were studying together in the past, you were making eyes at each other every day. You thought you hid it well, but all the teachers already knew and chatted about your gossip every day in the office."
"............" Yu Shu suddenly felt stifled in her chest. "You all knew, yet you didn't stop our puppy love?"
"You two didn't cross the line back then. What was there to stop? You two only got together on the night after the college entrance exam results came out, right? I was also watching from upstairs when you two kissed in the stairwell of the restaurant. The photos are still in my phone album. I even made backups when I changed phones. Do you want to see...?" Yan Ming took out his phone.
"I don't want to see!" Yu Shu's face turned red. "I don't want to see!"
"If you don't want to see, fine." Yan Ming pouted. "And I was waiting to officiate your wedding and sit at the main table of your banquet!"
Yu Shu irritably pulled at her hair, "What is with all of you!"
"It's just a pity. There's really no possibility anymore?"
"No!"
Yan Ming sighed regretfully. He did not ask further.
A shout suddenly thundered in both their minds like lightning striking the ground.
"Teacher Yan, Yu Shu."
"............"
"............"
He really can't stand nagging. Meng Xulin must have been summoned by speaking of Cao Cao.
Meng Xulin looked confused, "Why is everyone looking at me like that? Do I...do I have something on my face?"
Yan Ming pinched his own cheek to adjust his expression, "Why are you here?"
"I came to visit my uncle and aunt. I dropped by to see you on the way."
"Did you hear that? He just dropped by while I came specifically to see you."
Out of habit, Yu Shu tried to undermine Meng Xulin in front of Yan Ming. Her ears turned red under Yan Ming's meaningful gaze.
She blurted it out almost subconsciously, a habit nurtured during her student days. In front of Yan Ming, the two bickered and made sarcastic remarks on the surface nearly every day, but flirted secretly.
Foolish seventeen-, eighteen-year-olds, always thinking their feelings and preferences were concealed so well. Only after growing up did they know it was just unsuccessful covering up.
In Yan Ming's eyes, watching them was probably no different than watching kindergarten kids.
"My mom asked me to go home for dinner. Bye." Yu Shu left without turning her head.
It seemed endless.
The next day at Lin Fangyu’s birthday party, Yu Shu met Meng Xulin again. A few tactless fools kept teasing the two until Yu Shu scowled before they finally stopped.
Yu Shu slipped away before those people got drunk.
Joke’s on her. She knew best what those silly former classmates were like when drunk, and she knew Meng Xulin's gaze on her—eager like something was about to happen, just like that night after the college entrance exam results.
She had zero interest in an old story playing out again.
Back home, neither Ye Ping nor Yu Feng was around. Yu Shu went upstairs to her room and bumped into the couple coming out of the room next door.
"What were you two doing in the empty room?"
The room next to Yu Shu had always been vacant without any furniture. Ye Ping felt it was wasteful to furnish a room no one lived in, so she didn't consider that room at all during interior design and didn't even install curtains.
Ye Ping didn't expect her to come back so early. She was startled for a second, "Sunbathing."
"Why didn't you go to the balcony if you wanted to sunbathe?" The balcony clearly had better sunlight.
"Why do you care so much? Am I your mom or are you my mom?"
"You're my mom. You’re always right."
Yu Shu couldn't be bothered to investigate further and returned to her own room.
The next day, Yu Shu was grabbed out of bed. Two big meat buns were shoved into her hands, "Hurry up and eat. After eating, get ready quickly. The blind date is coming home soon."
"Blind date? What blind date? Who agreed to a blind date?"
Coming home for a blind date?
Yu Shu was fuming inside. She changed into casual clothes and was brought to the room next door.
"Dressing and making up so casually."
"Don't provoke me."
Upon entering, Yu Shu saw the fruit of their labor yesterday—a dining table and two rattan chairs were placed by the floor-to-ceiling window. The dining table was covered with a red tablecloth and a vase of artificial roses sat on it.
Yu Shu spoke coldly, "Shoddy workmanship. No peanuts, red dates, walnuts or melon seeds on the table. No double happiness characters or blessings for a century of harmony posted on the wall either."
"Don't pretend to be tough. You'll know to thank your mom for her painstaking efforts later."
Yu Shu pulled out a chair and sat down, "No need to wait until later. I'm thanking you right now."
Ye Ping ignored her sarcasm, "Don't worry. Your aunt Qin and I screened them carefully this time. There are no flaws in the man's family background and character. He's even your aunt Qin's nephew. If you two get married, our families will become in-laws."
Yu Shu let out a cold laugh but did not respond.
"Why don't you ever listen to me? If this blind date succeeds, we can also shake off Zhou Yan's family."
"I don't need a man to deal with another man." Yu Shu controlled her emotions. "What did Zhou Yan's family do again?"
Ye Ping evaded the question and would not say what Zhou Yan's family had done. She alternated between gentle persuasion and threats, asking her to take this blind date seriously.
After a long pause, Yu Shu finally reluctantly agreed, "I'll maintain your 'face' properly."
After a while, aunt Qin led a man in—it was Meng Xulin again.
Pretending not to know him, Yu Shu waited until aunt Qin finished introducing him and left with her mother before coldly glaring at him, "No. Get out."