Actually, before suggesting a talk with Shen Sinian, Shen Yubai hadn't really thought about what to discuss.
After learning the results of the identification report from the hospital director in the morning, Shen Yubai was in a somewhat dazed state, but being a member of the Shen Family, he had heard such incredible tales since childhood.
Therefore, he managed to remain fairly composed.
But now, as the two stood face to face in the empty hospital garden, he suddenly found himself at a loss for words.
Honestly speaking, Shen Sinian's eyes and eyebrows did resemble his.
"What do you want to talk about?" Shen Sinian's attitude towards Shen Yubai was not as good as it was initially; lately, he had realized that his dad was not at all courteous to his mom, something he disliked.
Although in the future Xu Chuning would often neglect Shen Sinian due to work, his favorite person was still Xu Chuning. He had heard from his grandmother how his mother had given birth to him and what she had gone through during the birth.
So, from a very young age, Shen Sinian knew that his mother was most important.
Hearing his cold tone, Shen Yubai slightly raised his eyebrows and asked softly, "Are you getting used to it here?"
He had asked Xu Chuning—how Shen Sinian came here.
Xu Chuning said that Shen Sinian himself wasn't very clear, only knowing that he had been hit by a car, and when he opened his eyes again, he was in the hospital.
Thus, Shen Yubai did not press further.
Shen Sinian didn't expect that Shen Yubai wanted to chat to ask about his daily life; he muttered an indifferent "It's fine."
In fact, he wasn't used to it; there were no private cars here, the hotel he stayed in was cramped, the bathroom was dilapidated, the shower water was intermittently cold and hot, and the room temperature wasn't constant, a world apart from where he had lived before.
But here, he had Xu Chuning, who cared about him, whom he could see every day and stay with. This single benefit was enough to overshadow all the discomforts.
At least, that's what Shen Sinian believed.
Shen Yubai didn't know what Shen Sinian was thinking. After hearing his response, he nodded slightly, "Staying in a hotel all the time isn't good either."
Shen Sinian curled his lip.
After pondering for most of the day, Shen Yubai had accepted the fact that Shen Sinian was his son. Of course, he didn't know how to interact with such a grown son, who was still someone else's child at the moment, but he wasn't as unruly and incompetent as rumors suggested.
On the contrary, he was reliable and steady among his siblings.
The same was true at this moment.
Shen Yubai thought for a moment; he definitely couldn't truly see Shen Sinian as his son, but he could treat him like a brother, a relationship style he was accustomed to.
"Do you want to live alone, or stay at my place?" he respected Shen Sinian's choice.
Shen Sinian paused and frowned at him, "Can I not live with my mom... Xu Chuning and them?"
Shen Yubai: "Do you think that's appropriate?"
Shen Sinian didn't overthink it, "What's inappropriate?"
"Aunt You..." Shen Yubai looked at him, calmly corrected himself, "Xu Chuning's mom doesn't know about your identity, right?"
As he said this, Shen Sinian instantly understood.
You Shuzhen didn't know his identity, and Xu Chuning hadn't figured out how to tell her yet. Even if she did tell her, she might not accept or believe it; how then could Shen Sinian live with them?
An even more critical point was that the place Xu Chuning and You Shuzhen lived in was too small and the environment was not suitable, so they couldn't possibly clear out a room for Shen Sinian.
Thinking of this, Shen Sinian became quite depressed, "Then I want to live alone."
He wasn't ignorant of everything; he knew that the relationship between Shen Yubai and Xu Chuning was just that of ordinary classmates at the moment, and it couldn't quickly evolve into a romantic relationship because of his arrival.
Relationships are things that require time and the right atmosphere to develop.
Naturally, Shen Sinian couldn't expect Shen Yubai to arrange a better residence for Xu Chuning and You Shuzhen, even if he could help, they might not accept it.
In these matters, Shen Sinian actually understood even more clearly than Xu Chuning realized.
Shen Yubai: "No problem."
There was a vacant house right across from where he was currently living; that house also belonged to the Shen Family, originally intended for the servants to live in, making it convenient to take care of Shen Yubai without disturbing him often.
But within less than a week, Shen Yubai had driven him out.
After asking for the address, Shen Yubai asked Shen Sinian, "Which class? Do you want to join the international class or—"
Before he could finish, Shen Sinian didn't hesitate, "I'll go to Xu Chuning's class."
Hearing his answer, Shen Yubai frowned, "She's in a regular class."
"I want to join the regular class," Shen Sinian said firmly, "I need to protect her."
Shen Yubai: "…"
Somehow, Shen Yubai thought about the scene he had seen after school and glanced at Shen Sinian with deep and meaningful emotions in his eyes. He felt that Shen Sinian moving to Xu Chuning's class might not necessarily mean who would be protecting whom.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Shen Sinian didn't quite understand his expression.
Shen Yubai: "It's nothing."
With one hand in his pocket, the sunset enveloped him, highlighting his handsome features, "I will have someone handle your procedures over the weekend."
Shen Sinian: "Okay."
Their father-son conversation ended quickly, and after asking some of Shen Sinian's opinions, Shen Sinian and Xu Chuning went back to the small store first.
Shen Yubai didn't go back to the apartment near the school as he needed to handle Shen Sinian's identification and school admission issues, which required him to make a trip to the Shen Family.
*
On Saturday, Shen Sinian still got up early to help in the shop.
The shop wasn't very busy on weekend mornings.
After being busy for a while, You Shuzhen let Shen Sinian take a break, pulled him to the entrance for some sun, and chatted with him, "Sinian, have your school procedures not been completed yet?"
You Shuzhen knew he was the same age as Xu Chuning when she had asked about Shen Sinian's age and was surprised by his outstanding demeanor, which seemed like he was raised in a well-to-do family. She wondered how he ended up staying in a motel and helping out at her small shop in exchange for meals.
At that time, Shen Sinian told You Shuzhen that he would still be going to school, just that the transfer procedures hadn't been completed yet.
"Almost," Shen Sinian looked at her gentle eyes, speaking softly, "Aunt You, are you getting tired of seeing me?"
Hearing this, You Shuzhen shook her head, "Auntie likes you very much."
For some reason, You Shuzhen felt happy every time she saw Shen Sinian, feeling that they got along well.
"Really?" Shen Sinian was surprised and asked purposefully, "Then between me and Ningning, who does Auntie like the most?"
You Shuzhen smiled, "That would definitely be Ningning."
She gently patted Shen Sinian's shoulder, saying sentimentally, "Auntie is very pleased, Ningning could have such a close friend like you."
Shen Sinian was taken aback, asking subconsciously, "Did she... not have friends before?"
You Shuzhen thought seriously, "No one as close as you."
Xu Chuning didn't like making friends; she was wary of people and rarely opened up.
Sometimes, You Shuzhen really worried about her. She wondered what she would do alone if one day she wasn't around.
But she had never discussed these thoughts with Xu Chuning.
Hearing what You Shuzhen said, Shen Sinian glanced sideways, catching the worry in her eyes, and he paused, vaguely sensing that You Shuzhen was worrying about something in advance.
While they were talking, Xu Chuning came out from the store, "Mom, what are you two talking about?"
You Shuzhen: "Talking about when Sinian will go to school."
Xu Chuning: "…"
Before she could continue, a car pulled up by the roadside.
The three of them looked up and saw Shen Yubai getting out of the car, followed by a man in a neat suit walking towards them.
"Aunt You, how come you are here?" You Shuzhen was surprised.
"Aunt You," Shen Yubai called her politely, shifting his gaze to Shen Sinian, "I came to find him."