After completing the discharge procedures, the two walked to the entrance of the hospital.
Xu Chuning needed to retrieve her bicycle parked near Shen Yubai's residential area, and there happened to be a direct bus there. After checking the route, she turned her head to look at the silent young man beside her, "Classmate."
Shen Sinian lowered his eyes to look at her, "Where is your family's breakfast shop?"
Xu Chuning was slightly stunned, "You want to go eat?"
Shen Sinian nodded.
He wanted to see his grandmother whom he had never met.
When Shen Sinian was born, both his grandmother and great-grandmother had already passed away.
Sang Menglan had secretly told him that the reason his mother kept opening restaurants around the world was because it was his grandmother's greatest wish to open many restaurants in every city, to let more people taste her cooking, and more so to allow her daughter who had been abducted to taste familiar flavors and find her way home.
Xu Chuning had a younger sister who was abducted by human traffickers when she was three years old, and she still hasn't been found.
Later, many years after Shen Sinian's grandmother passed away, Xu Chuning managed to find the person based on very little initial clues.
But by that time, the incident had become the greatest regret in both the hearts of Xu Chuning and her two deceased grandmothers.
Meeting Shen Sinian's sincere gaze, Xu Chuning hesitantly nodded. Although she found the person beside her a bit odd, for some reason, she felt deep down that he wasn't a bad person.
The two took the bus to the area near Shen Yubai's neighborhood to get the bicycle. The breakfast was already cold, but Xu Chuning didn't throw it away.
She pushed the bicycle and rode back to the breakfast shop with Shen Sinian.
Arriving at the shop's entrance, Shen Sinian asked incredulously, "…This is your family's breakfast shop?"
The small shop in front of them was simply decorated, only allowing two people to enter and exit at a time; any more would seem crowded. A few faded folding tables and some plastic stools were placed in front of the shop.
This was in stark contrast to the neighborhood they had just visited.
Hearing the astonishment in his voice, Xu Chuning nodded and said, "Don't worry, our place is very clean, and my mom's cooking is really good."
With that, she paused, her gaze clear as she looked at him, "Of course, it's okay if you don't want to eat anymore."
"I want to eat," said Shen Sinian, looking down, "I'm not worried about any cleanliness issues."
He heard from Sang Menglan that his mother had a tough past, but Shen Sinian, who had always been provided for, didn't quite understand what "tough" really meant.
The breakfast rush had passed, and only one table was occupied in the shop.
Hearing the noise, You Shuzhen, who was washing dishes, didn't lift her head, "Just sit anywhere, the menu is on the wall."
"Mom," called Xu Chuning.
You Shuzhen quickly looked up, revealing a face with distinct features and gentle eyes tired yet still bright, "You're back? Is the person who fainted okay?"
After arriving at the hospital, Xu Chuning had borrowed Shen Yubai's phone to call You Shuzhen and explain the situation.
Xu Chuning: "It's fine."
She quickly walked over to You Shuzhen, frowning disapprovingly, "Mom, we agreed that I would wash the dishes on weekends. Why did you do them again?"
"Not many," You Shuzhen, caught by her daughter, smiled awkwardly, "It was just something mom did reflexively."
Xu Chuning pursed her lips, knowing that no matter how she persuaded her, it would be useless. Then she said, "Leave the rest to me, go rest for a while."
"I—" You Shuzhen wanted to say something else, but suddenly noticed Shen Sinian standing beside her, slightly surprised, "Who is this?"
She looked at the young man, feeling that he seemed vaguely familiar.
Xu Chuning then remembered that she had forgotten about Shen Sinian. She turned around, "What would you like to eat?"
Shen Sinian, looking at the two in front of him, restrained his impulse to call You Shuzhen 'grandma', his voice muffled, "I'm fine with anything, but I don't want onions and cilantro."
Hearing this request, You Shuzhen chuckled, "His tastes are somewhat similar to Xiao Shen's."
Upon hearing that, Xu Chuning thought to herself, if he calls Xiao Shen 'Dad', how could they not look alike?
"Mom, could you make him a bowl of noodles?" Xu Chuning lowered her voice, "And fry a couple more eggs."
Shen Sinian had just recovered from fainting, he probably needed some nourishment now.
You Shuzhen agreed.
The mother and daughter busied themselves separately, Shen Sinian found an old small table to sit at and sized up the tiny shop.
The shop was really small, even smaller than his walk-in closet, but everything was neatly arranged and very clean. The yellowed walls had a handwritten menu posted, offering various flavors of steamed buns, mantou, soy milk, as well as noodles and rice noodles.
Looking around, Shen Sinian's gaze landed on Xu Chuning. Today, she wore a dark grey cardigan and a pair of washed-out jeans, looking slim and somewhat frail.
She was very different from the mother he remembered.
The Xu Chuning in his memory, apart from being a bit softer in front of Shen Yubai and him, was always elegant and efficient.
Noticing his intense gaze, Xu Chuning turned her head to look at him, "Do you want some water?"
Shen Sinian: "Yes."
Xu Chuning bent down, took out a bottle of mineral water from inside, and handed it to him.
Soon, You Shuzhen had the noodles ready.
Xu Chuning served the noodles to Shen Sinian, who bowed his head. Before him lay noodles garnished with greens and two sunny-side-up eggs. His eyes warmed up, his mother hadn't personally cooked for him in a long time.
"Why aren't you eating?" Xu Chuning asked, not noticing his emotional fluctuation.
Shen Sinian's long lashes drooped slightly, he hid his feelings and murmured, "I'm eating now, you don't need to mind me."
Xu Chuning: "…"
She didn't intend to mind him either.
No longer speaking to Shen Sinian, Xu Chuning turned to tidy up another empty table, busy moving in and out.
By the time she was about done, she found that Shen Sinian had already finished his noodles and was sitting in a chair, resting his chin on his hands, staring at her.
"You…" Xu Chuning felt that his gaze was a bit strange, hesitant she asked, "You don't still want to call me Mom, do you?"
Shen Sinian: "You are my mom."
Xu Chuning: "If you keep this up, I really will have to call the psychiatric ward."
Shen Sinian felt slightly helpless, "Why won't you believe me?"
Xu Chuning expressionless, "Do you think I can believe you?"
"…"
The two were at a standoff, after a moment of silence, Shen Sinian said, "I know a lot about you."
Xu Chuning: "For example?"
She asked while wiping the table.
Shen Sinian: "You have a sister who was abducted by human traffickers, my aunt, and you and grandma have been searching for her."
Xu Chuning: "Oh, that's not surprising."
Because those who knew her and You Shuzhen, including regular diners at the shop, were aware of this. They had even posted a missing person notice for her sister at the shop entrance.
Seeing her calm demeanor, Shen Sinian mentioned a few other things that could be found out with some targeted investigation.
In the end, Xu Chuning's attitude had hardly changed from the beginning.
Out of options, as she was about to leave, Shen Sinian caught hold of her sleeve, looking at her and said, "You are not grandma's… biological daughter."