Chapter 103 Extra: Xinyu X Shu Chen 1

On a big weekend, Shu Chen wasn’t awakened by the knocking on his door but rather by the ringing of his phone early in the morning.

Feeling groggy, he fumbled for his phone on the bedside table without even looking and answered with his eyes closed, “Hello?”

“Quickly, open the door, you lazy kid! How can you still be sleeping? What time is it already?” His mom’s energetic voice came through the phone.

Forcing his eyes open, he glanced at the time on his phone: 7:30.

Shu Chen: “…”

Struggling to get up, he opened the door, let the person outside in, and then collapsed onto the sofa, wanting to go back to sleep.

Unfortunately, his mom’s high-decibel voice was not going to let him off the hook.

“Look at yourself, look at those dark circles under your eyes. Did you pull an all-nighter again yesterday?” His mom said with a sigh, “You’re already an adult, and you’re still watching cartoons! When are you going to grow up!”

The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.

Gp pbl prsjl, pbl nswzed’v blzr cwv tkhl Fbw Ubld’p cynjpkel y qkax pzyr, qawpvayvle vbyv bl oypd’v xsal ekpnkrzkdle.

Jlkdt pwnb y tasod-wr, dsv vbkdjkdt ycswv iwknjzu tlvvkdt xyaakle, yde lhlau eyu fwpv bwttkdt nyavssdp yde rzyukdt okvb y cwdnb sq rzypvkn eszzp! Uyd usw clzklhl bso lmyprlayvkdt vbyv kp?

Fbw Ubld tasydle, “Ebyv sd lyavb yal usw blal qsa?”

“Ebyv yx R blal qsa?” Tkp xsx pdsavle wdjkdezu, “R nyxl vs pll kq usw’al pvkzz yzkhl. Rq R eked’v nsxl, usw oswzed’v alvwad bsxl qsa y obszl ollj.”

Fbw Ubld rasvlpvle, “Tso yx R dsv alvwadkdt bsxl? R eke, yde usw yde Pye olal sd y vakr! Rd vbl elye sq okdvla, R nswzed’v lhld tlv kdpkel vbl bswpl! Zswa sod psd nyd’v lhld qkde vbl jlup vs bkp sod bsxl! Gx R alyzzu uswa ckszstknyz nbkze?”

“Tlb.” Fbw Ubld’p xsx pdllale, “Lso usw jdso bso kv qllzp dsv vs byhl jlup vs tlv vbaswtb vbl essa? Rq usw oydv jlup, lmnbydtl vblx okvb uswa sod jlup.”

Fbw Ubld kxxlekyvlzu yde awvbzlppzu alqwple, “Ls oyu!”

Tkp xsx pzyrrle bkx ytykd! Mbspl pszke ryzxp elhlzsrle qasx eykzu xsadkdt lmlankplp kd vbl ryaj alyzzu pvwdt obld vblu bkv!

Shu Chen gritted his teeth.

Shu Chen was generally a good-natured person, not prone to getting angry or losing his temper. However, during the past few years living at home, relatives with mischievous kids would come knocking, and Shu Chen’s mom would say, “Go play at your cousin’s house; he has a lot of dolls there.”

When Shu Chen returned home, many of his carefully collected limited edition figures have their bodies and heads separated.

Shu Chen was furious.

This had touched a nerve of the easy-going guy. Enraged, he moved out directly, and no matter what his mom said, he firmly refused to give her the keys.

His mom was infuriated and issued a stern ultimatum, “If you won’t give me the keys, don’t expect to use mine either.” She promptly changed the locks at home.

Originally intending to pressure her son into relenting, little did she know that once Shu Chen left home, he was like a bird out of its cage. Living alone without anyone nagging or managing him, he couldn’t have been happier!

Her threats had zero effect on him. In the end, it evolved into a situation where neither the mother nor the son had each other’s keys.

As time went on, they surprisingly got used to it. However, they couldn’t resist a verbal battle from time to time.

“Get up, get up! I brought you porridge!” His mom pulled him up by the collar and nudged him into the bathroom to freshen up.

When he came out, his mom had also prepared pancakes, and with a roll of beef sauce from the fridge, it was a perfect match.

“You really have a lot to eat in this fridge…” His mom said with a hint of resentment.

She had initially thought that her son leaving home would lead to all sorts of inconveniences, but unexpectedly, her meticulous son was doing quite well on his own.

Take a look at this fridge – yogurt, snacks, beverages, cooked food, and even several types of rice seasonings.

Why would a grown man live so delicately, just like his dad’s style?

After taking a sip of the porridge, which was soft and delicious, Shu Chen praised, “It’s tasty! Did my dad get up early to make this porridge?”

That’s right, in Shu Chen’s home, it was his dad who cooked. Shu Chen’s refined culinary skills were all influenced by his dad.

As Shu Chen enjoyed his meal, his mom, wanting to do something, looked around to tidy up. However, she found the house quite clean, with little for her to do. The floor, in particular, was spotless – the robotic vacuum cleaner had been diligently working.

Unable to find anything to do, Shu Chen’s mom settled on sitting on the sofa and said, “Hurry up and eat. Later, come with me to the supermarket.”

“Why?” Shu Chen asked. His mom had come over early on a big weekend, and he had a feeling it wasn’t for a casual reason.

“To buy some things. Then, you can drive me to visit your Aunt Qin.” His mom explained, “Your Aunt Qin was in the hospital for her back recently. Now that she’s back home, let’s go check on her.”

Shu Chen said, “Didn’t we visit her when she was in the hospital?”

His mom gave him a slap on the back of his head and said, “Just because she’s back home doesn’t mean you can stop visiting!”

Having to be a laborer, a driver, and also getting a beating, Shu Chen felt frustrated.

Reluctantly accompanying his mom, Shu Chen went to the supermarket, bought some seasonal items, and then headed to Aunt Qin’s house.

Upon entering, they saw Aunt Qin with a radiant face, full of vitality. She looked much healthier than young people like Shu Chen, who burned the midnight oil.

“Oh, Shu Chen, why are your dark circles so heavy?” Aunt Qin exclaimed as soon as she saw him.

Shu Chen’s mom, filled with resentment, said, “It’s all because of staying up late!”

Aunt Qin earnestly lectured him, “Let me tell you, don’t take advantage of being young and neglect body care. The illnesses you get when you’re old are often sown in your youth. Come, add Auntie on WeChat, and I’ll send you some health tips.”

The corners of Shu Chen’s mouth twitched.

His mom shared health tips on her social media every day, and reportedly, half of them were forwarded from Aunt Qin.

“Auntie, it’s not necessary. Look, my mom already shares so much,” he took out his phone to show Aunt Qin, “I don’t even have time to read them.”

Aunt Qin took a look and indeed, she had forwarded all the health tips Shu Chen’s mom shared. There was no need for her to send them to Shu Chen again.

She invited both of them to sit down and went to pour them tea.

Glancing around, Shu Chen felt the house was too quiet, as if there were no one else. He asked, “Where’s Uncle? And Han Han?”

Aunt Qin’s daughter and son-in-law lived in the same neighborhood, just on a different floor. They usually had a busy work schedule, and their granddaughter often stayed with her grandparents. Shu Chen knew this.

Aunt Qin replied, “Han Han has a sports day at school today, and her grandpa took her there.” After saying that, she involuntarily glanced at the clock on the wall. She subtly signaled to Shu Chen’s mom, who nodded discreetly.

Having watched Shu Chen grow up, Aunt Qin was familiar with him, and there was no need to be too formal. As the two middle-aged women chatted, Shu Chen took out his phone to scroll through it.

Just as he started scrolling, there was a knock on the door.

Aunt Qin immediately jumped up to open the door. Shu Chen’s mom remained composed in the living room, but her eyes couldn’t help but sneak glances toward the entrance.

Shu Chen felt a bit curious. Besides early risers like his mom, who would come knocking on someone’s door so early in the morning?

Aunt Qin’s lively voice echoed from the doorway, “Oh, goodness! Look at my memory! I forgot to tell you, Han Han has a school sports day today.”

A clear and bright girl’s voice responded, “It’s okay, it’s okay. I’ll head back then.”

Aunt Qin said, “No, no, no. Have you had breakfast? Eat something before you go.”

“I already did. Auntie, please don’t bother. You’re busy, so I’ll just…”

“Don’t rush, don’t rush. Since there’s no need for classes today, come in and have a seat. Come on, come on. I have a friend visiting, and she brought a bunch of fresh fruits. Have a little before you leave!”

“No, Auntie, I…”

A young girl couldn’t possibly resist the overflowing enthusiasm of the older woman. Shu Chen listened as the girl was enthusiastically dragged inside by Aunt Qin, and he glanced up with a bit of sympathy.

The girl was delicately beautiful, not very old, probably still a student. Her facial features were well-defined, her eyes clear, giving off a comfortable impression.

Shu Chen’s mom’s eyes lit up, and she stood up with a smile, saying, “Oh my, who is this child from?!”

Aunt Qin replied, “This is Han Han’s tutor, Xiao Meng. Miss Meng, this is one of my friends, Mrs. Wang.”

The girl named Meng nodded slightly and greeted, “Mrs. Wang.”

Recognizing the name, Shu Chen’s mom smiled even more warmly and said, “Come, come, have a seat here. Let me introduce you. This is my son, Shu Chen.”

Shu Chen had just stood up with his mom to greet the tutor. However, as his mom introduced him this way, Shu Chen immediately sensed something was off.

He gave his mom a wary glance.

However, Miss Meng seemed completely oblivious, slightly resigned to the fact that she was dragged in as a guest due to Aunt Qin having visitors.

As fellow young people, Shu Chen understood her feelings at the moment. He smiled, “Hello.”

His friendly demeanor eased Meng Xinyu’s awkwardness, and she politely responded, “Hello.”

She was then forcefully seated by Aunt Qin.

“Old Wang and I have known each other for many years. We lived in the same courtyard when we were kids…” Once seated, Aunt Qin started to chatter incessantly, recounting her relationship with Shu Chen’s mom to Meng Xinyu.

Meng Xinyu forced smile and bit the bullet. She listened to the entire narrative of Shu Chen’s life from elementary school to university, and now running a coffee shop. She couldn’t help but sneak a glance at Shu Chen, secretly sympathizing with him for having his life story laid out in front of a stranger.

Shu Chen sat stiffly there, listening as his mom occasionally added a few remarks.

“Oh my, after graduating from university, instead of finding a job, he insisted on opening a shop. I thought, just let him do it. Even if he loses some money, it’s our own storefront anyway. But unexpectedly, his business is doing well. He’s actually making money on his own, not relying on his parents. Last year, he even opened a branch!” she exclaimed.

As the conversation reached this point, Shu Chen’s understanding became crystal clear.

This, without a doubt, was an arranged blind date!

He stole a glance at Miss Meng. The girl seemed a bit embarrassed, but she was attentively listening, offering polite remarks like “That’s good” or “Impressive.” Able to withstand the bombardment from two middle-aged women, she seemed to possess good inner qualities.

However, she was clearly unaware and completely unsuspecting!

Shu Chen got it. This was a blind date secretly orchestrated by two middle-aged women, maneuvering behind the scenes to arrange an opportunity for the young people to get to know each other.

He felt extremely helpless and even felt like raising his middle finger.

When his mom started questioning Meng Xinyu about her personal situation, Shu Chen finally couldn’t sit still.

He subtly interrupted his mom and said, “Mom, it’s about time to leave. Aunt Qin just got out of the hospital; she needs good rest.”

Aunt Qin, with a flushed face, insisted, “It’s okay, it’s okay. Stay a bit longer.”

Seizing the opportunity, Meng Xinyu also stood up and said, “Auntie, please rest well. I’ll head back now.”

Aunt Qin said, “Oh, Xiao Meng, wait a moment.”

She hurriedly went to get her wallet and returned, saying, “I can’t let you make a trip for nothing. I’ll give you the tutoring fee.”

Meng Xinyu had two classes in the morning, and she skipped one today. Although she made an unnecessary trip, she also (was forced to) eat the fruits provided by Aunt Qin. She felt awkward about taking the money and repeatedly declined.

When a young girl faced off against an older woman, she usually ended up conceding. If she acted like middle-aged and elderly people, squabbling in a restaurant over who would pay the bill and getting physical, it would be quite unseemly.

Meng Xinyu felt extremely embarrassed and couldn’t bear the situation, so she sent a pleading look to Shu Chen for help.

---

Sansukini: Ji Anning used to be Han Han’s tutor but when she decided to focus on modeling, she recommended Meng Xinyu, thus the connection. I think Xinyu and Shu Chen two would look cute together.

Thanks for visiting. If you like this story, then I’m shamelessly asking you to visit NovelUpdates and give a 5⭐ review. (人❛ᴗ❛)♪тнайк　чоц♪(❛ᴗ❛*人)

You can also check out my other translations Here